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Beautiful Melaka

Aug 13

布料店与妈妈

By Beautiful Melaka, Chinese calligraphy, Photography
与妈妈（穿黑衣）到Jalan Kampung Pantai的一间布料店。照片里的另外两位是老板和老板娘。除此，还可以看到怀旧的车衣机。

与妈妈（穿黑衣）到Jalan Kampung Pantai的一间布料店。照片里的另外两位是老板和老板娘。除此，还可以看到怀旧的车衣机。

好久没有打中文字了。上个星期，难得比较得空，便与妈妈到Kampung Jawa吃潮州粥。这两个月，都吃了很多的潮州粥。可以说，平均一个星期吃一次。

那天吃了之后，妈妈说想买些布料，缝件裤子给妹妹。我们便到Jalan Kampung Pantai一间历史悠久的布料店。恰好想拍些Kampung Jawa的街景，便带了相机，想想何不拍些布料店的照片？

下了车，进了布料店，发现这件布料店和里面的装潢都很旧，历史也许比我的年龄还长。最引我注目的是，店后墙上挂有一张刑福兴老师的挥春墨迹：一家欢笑春风暖，四季平安淑景新。好不温馨！

问了老板，原来老板和福兴老师研究过书法。福兴老师是孔教会的书法老师，写的字总是那么的洒脱，看了很舒服。想想：我也好久没见到福兴老师了。

布料店后面的窗外就是马六甲河了，再看看窗边挂着的福兴老师的挥春、上面古老的时钟、右边的鲤鱼图、左边春字帖、加上一个传统日历，还真有春天的气息。顿时，让我想起了以前婆婆的家，也有那么个气氛。人说：这种睹物思旧的心情是“物是人非事事休，欲语泪先流。”

妈妈和店老板与老板娘聊了一会儿，才知道老板与老板娘都认识我的婆婆。其实也不奇怪。以前婆婆的家离这间店不远，而且街坊们都认识婆婆和她亲切的笑容。最近，我也见到了认识婆婆的人，都说婆婆是个慈祥的老太太。

妈妈选了些合适的黑布料，我也要求说想有件运动裤，希望妈妈能做一件送给我。她答应了，便多买些布料，然后打道回府了。

好久没有和妈妈这么出来了。才知道，当时身为游子的我，离家那么多年都没有好好照顾妈妈。现在回到家了，更应该多陪伴身边的家人。

看见妈妈选布料时，手上的皱纹如层层的布料，多么的感叹。。。

刑福兴老师的挥春墨迹：一家欢笑春风暖，四季平安淑景新

刑福兴老师的挥春墨迹：一家欢笑春风暖，四季平安淑景新

层层的布料

层层的布料

老板正在剪着妈妈所选的布料

老板正在剪着妈妈所选的布料

老板娘在忙着车缝庙堂的布条

老板娘在忙着车缝庙堂的布条

色彩鲜艳的布料

色彩鲜艳的布料

镜中的老板娘

镜中的老板娘

Aug 09

Teochew porridge, Luo Han Kuo, durian

By Beautiful Melaka, Photography
From right: Wee-Peng, Murphy and Ann at the durian stall

From right: Wee-Peng, Murphy and Ann at the durian stall

It was the Sunday of the week before, when Victor Chan’s partner, Sook-Kwan came to Melaka to pay Victor’s family a visit. After picking her up from the bus station, we went for a breakfast in Malim Jaya. Even though I had only met Soon-Kwan during Victor’s funeral, we became good friends since then. Time and tears really helped comfort us the loss of a good friend, we but cherished his memory, the memory which became a treasure to all of us who know Victor.

After a wonderful breakfast with Sook-Kwan and sending her to Victor’s house, Murphy and his partner, Ann, Wee-Peng and I met up for brunch. Wee-Peng suggested to go for something he did not have for some time, which then came to his mind, Teochew porridge. The four of us just love Teochew porridge and our favorite eating place for it would be the Teochew porridge restaurant in Kampung Jawa however it is close on every Sunday. We had to go for the second option which was the other Teochew porridge restaurant in Bukit Cina.

Teochew porridge is a full meal made up of many cooked side-dishes such as pickled lettuce, salted duck egg, salt fish, braised tofu and many more, served with a Teochew style rice porridge. We loved it not because the dishes are strong in flavours, also as the dishes served in small amount, we could pick many different delectable dishes to go with the porridge. Though I was full after meal with Sook-Kwan, I could not resist having some of it.

After brunch, Murphy gave us the suggestion of going to Bunga Raya for Luo Han Kuo dessert. It isn’t far from Bukit Cina, 3 minutes drive from Teochew porridge restaurant. It is a pushcart at the street adjacent to Bunga Raya Road, selling Luo Han Kuo for decades and well-known among the locals. I had it so much and loving it, since I was brought up in Bunga Raya.

Luo Han Kuo (or Luo Han Guo for pronunciation in Chinese) refers to Siraitia grosvenori, a sweet fruit used as sugar substitute and medicinal herb for treating cough and sore throat. The fruit is usually used by the Chinese in making dessert served with ice, seeing that it is so refreshing for us who live in this extreme weather of Malaysia. And Murphy’s craving could explain its taste as he had 3 bowls of the Luo Han Kuo dessert in few minutes.

While wandering where to go next by sitting at the old street of Bunga Raya, Murphy again proposed to go for durian to help in our digestion, although we knew it was irrelevant. Our stomach was filled with watery porridge and dessert. However, speaking of durian none of us would say no. We then traveled to Klebang to look for durian stalls.

During the durian season every year, there are many fruit stalls offer durian in Melaka. And the long stretch of road along the Klebang beach is one of these places to look for durian. There is no telling of which sells better durian, but the word of mouth. We gambled our luck on this durian stall at the roadside, which then turned out to be dissatisfaction of the durian’s quality at the price the stall offered.

We are surely looking for an alternative place for durian soon. May all beings be happy. Share some shots I took:

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Aug 05

Photography at Eye to Eye optical shop

By Beautiful Melaka, Photography
Eye to Eye optical shop in Dataran Pahlawan. From left: Danny, Henry, and Jaron

Eye to Eye optical shop in Dataran Pahlawan. From left: Danny, Henry, and Jaron

Early last month of July, Henry Lee invited me to get a staff photo of the optical shop, Eye to Eye in Dataran Pahlawan where he works in as a memento. I happily agreed to help him and apart from taking the group photo, I made a request to snap some photos of the optical products available in the shop such as Gucci, Guess, Tag Heuer, Ray Ban, and many more brands which I couldn’t even recall.

Other than that, I didn’t forget to snap my favorite glasses, Oakley Livestrong Jawbone special edition. It’s really stylist and sporty and I fall for it after I saw my friend, Jason owning one. It’s really cool-looking when Jason puts it on. Besides, Jason helped the cancer patients when he bought this pair of glasses as Oakley donates $20 USD to the Lance Armstrong Foundation which helps in the fight against cancer on every sale of Oakley Livestrong series. Unfortunately it’s too expensive for me to get one.

Speaking of Henry, he is always being helpful and faithful to friends. It’s nice hanging out with Henry as he has good sense of humor and always tells jokes, however sometimes ‘rated’. We are friends since our childhood and we also studied in the same secondary school together. Our family know each other for long too; during the old days, my grandpa owned a watch and clock store in the old street of Bunga Raya and next to one of the oldest optical shops in Melaka, Kong Wah optical shop which owned by Henry’s family. Henry probably has his father gene of being a sociable person and a good businessman.

Having a friend like Henry puts a smile on my face every day. Thanks to Henry and I hope that our friendship will continue to grow and be mutually rewarding for many years to come. May everyone be happy. Sharing a few shots I took on that day:


Jul 27

Night of Pantai Pengkalan Balak

By Beautiful Melaka, Photography
Kok-Liang on the phone with Tracy at Pantai Pengkalan Balak

Kok-Liang on the phone with Tracy at Pantai Pengkalan Balak

When I told Kok-Liang that I was looking for a nice beach to shoot beautiful sunset last Sunday, he suggested me to travel to the north of Melaka and made me a generous offer by giving me a ride. Initially we checked the time, weather, tide and everything was good. However, due to some unforeseen circumstances (Wee-Peng), we could not make it in time for the sunset.

Nevertheless, Kok-Liang insisted that we could check the place up first. The both of us traveled all the way north to Masjid Tanah town, made a turn to Tanjung Bidara and headed further north to Pengkalan Balak, and it took us 40 minutes drive from Melaka to arrive in Pantai Pengkalan Lama (pantai in Malay means beach), which was night time when we reached.

Pantai Pengkalan Balak is a Malay fishing village located between Melaka town and Port Dickson. It is 10 minutes drive from another famous beach, Tanjung Bidara which shares the magnificent sweep of the state’s coastline. Along the beach, there are many chalets built providing overnight shelters for locals as well as foreigners.

We didn’t spend much time there as it was too dark to find a good spot for future sunset shooting. After taking a short walk along the beach and enjoyed the night scenery of the fishing village, we traveled back to Melaka town. Thanks to Kok-Liang for taking me there and Pantai Pengkalan Balak would be a good spot to plan for my next sunset shooting.

Sharing some shots taken. May all beings be happy.

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Jul 13

Sunset photography at Pulau Melaka

By Beautiful Melaka, Photography
sunset view at the north side of Pulau Melaka

sunset view at the north side of Pulau Melaka

After doing the sunset photography at the Portuguese Settlement last week, I decided to try again yesterday. The weather was acceptable during evening, clear sky yet windy. I traveled to Pulau Melaka, a man-made island in Melaka and headed to the north side of the island. Driving into the bush and I found a good spot to view the sunset. 

dusk arrived and two men were fishing at the beach of Pulau Melaka

dusk arrived and two men were fishing at the beach of Pulau Melaka

The spot seems like a small bay where the beach is partially surrounded by rocks and concretes. There were only a few people fishing there when I arrived. It was high tide and the tide was flowing which left me a little room of the beach to setup the gears. Shame to say that the beach was full of rubbish such as plastic bags, bottles, straws, and food wrappers, which I had to clear those junks to obtain clean shots.

The precious golden hour was short and luckily I managed to try some shots with different settings. The shots turned up to be alright but not quite what I expected. I wish to try the shots again during low tide. Soon after dusk, I headed back home.

Please beware if you go to the north side of the island: when the tide set in, part of the drive way will be flooded and your vehicle will get stuck in that area for hours before the tide ebbs.

Sharing some of the shots I took. May all being be happy.

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Jul 09

Sunset shooting at Portuguese Settlement

By Beautiful Melaka, Photography
the Kristang fishermen couples on the boat

the Kristang fishermen couples on the boat

When the Portuguese conquered Melaka back in the 16th century, some of the soldiers married with the local Malay women and for some possibly Indian or Chinese. And their decendants, who is called Kristang ethnic founded their own settlement in 1930s by purchasing 11 hectares of land in Ujong Pasir with the purpose of creating a haven for scattered Kristang and their culture.

Initially the fishing village was known as Saint John’s village. It was a swampy land with 10 wooden houses with earth floors and attap roofs built. The villagers live along the coast as fishermen and soon the village attracted additional Kistang from all over Malaysia. The village then grew to become on of Malacca’s main tourist attractions today.

an uncle and auntie were walking along the walkway of Portuguese Settlement

an uncle and auntie were walking along the walkway of Portuguese Settlement

Portuguese Settlement is very near to my house, 5 minutes drive away. I remember when I was young I’d love to cycle there with my friends often to visit our Kristang friends living there. Their homes had the shore right behind them and there was a long jetty built of rows of plank supported by stilts constructed as platform for the fishers to dock and undock. It always seemed to be collapsing, yet a beautiful and scenic place for us to hang out. Today we can no longer seeing the wooden jetty.

Recent reclamation project in Malacca extended the shore of Portuguese Settlement, creating new land, building a hotel, replaced the wooden jetty with a cement paved walkway and a new stretch of seafood restaurants which offer delicious Portuguese style seafood. As a result of this the standard of living of the villagers is improving. However, the villagers no longer enjoy a sea front view of the Straits of Malacca behind their homes.

the sun was going down

the sun was going down

Today while having some free time in the afternoon, I rang up Angel Wee to shoot sunset photos and I provided her with two options which were Portuguese Settlement and the Eye of Malaysia. She happily agreed to join and chose Portuguese Settlement for the shooting location as the place is not too far from her house compared to the Eye of Malaysia.

We arrived there in a good time and spent an hour snapping the photos the sunset there, really beautiful sky with layers of hues blending in complexity above the horizon. Besides we were also getting some shots of the new jetty walkway and the people there. Lucky to have met two lovely and friendly little girls who were from China and came here to visit, they were curious on what we were doing. Angel asked them to be our models as they were really cute and photogenic and they couldn’t resist.

Soon it came to dusk when the sun disappeared below the horizon. We ended our shooting session with a sweet and sour mango juice bought from one of the stalls of the seafood restaurants. It tasted so good and refreshing, and it cheered up the beginning of a beautiful night.

The whole shooting session was pleasant and I learned so many things from Angel. I really loved some of her shots she took with nice lighting effects and good composition. Thanks to Angel for being my company and my teacher, and I hope we have a chance to go for another phototaking again.

May all beings be happy. Sharing some of my shots:

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