Love Letters, Graffiti and Arts - Malacca

Lets continue of my Malaysian sojourn.

Next on the journey was Malacca. Its very weird having to pass through the city of KL to travel by bus to either Penang or Malacca. So the best thing I figured out we could do was to take any transport that we could from the KLIA instead of going to KL. KL is so so far from the airport.

There are frequent buses to Malacca from the airport and the roads are really good. But by the time we reached Malacca and made our way to the heritage area for a hotel; it was well over 12:30 AM. It was the Christmas week and impossible to get hotel rooms but more than that; they were all shut. It is an experience to walk around with heavy backpacks; banging on doors like a thief in the hope of getting a guest house. But it was good to get the entire town to yourself; I mean imagine. You can stand and stare at anything as long as you want :-/ Thats paranoid right?

Anyway; the taxi driver was also sweet and he explained all the things and where we could find hotels but at that ghostly time; it was a challenge.

At one place; the landlord was quoting such a high price. We had to walk more and we finally managed to wake up some guy whose guest house had no vacancy but he managed to wake up another neighbor and we finally found a room. The morning was refreshing since the landlord offered coffee and biscuits called "Love Letters".  A full jar of Love Letters got reduced to less than half a jar in no time. It was yummy and after washing it down with the coffee; we set out to explore Malacca.

Most of the historical sites are within the 1 sq. mile area. You could do it by a bicycle or a walk. I would prefer walking anytime. Many reasons. It gives me the flexibility to pause, click and indulge in a conversation at any place. Why have the hassle of parking the bicycle and all that. If Penang was excellent, Malacca was out of the world. There is nothing special attached to it - no jazzy nightclubs, no super museums and all that. The simple charm and a laid back lifestyle is its speciality. Walking around the city, exploring it at a leisurely pace was all that it was to it.

A town abundant with graffiti and arts doesnt need anything extra. See it for yourself!
A wall, a drain pipe, a door, a roof - nah! nothing is spared.

Street View - Penang

Now how can I wrap up Penang without actually reliving the streets of Penang. More importantly; the quirky art on the walls. The century old buildings still standing as a mute witnesses to things gone by; a revolution, change of hands and yet they are standing.

The age old Chinese temples; rich with wood carvings and paintings. The family homes now converted as museums; showcasing the life of the entire clan of migrant Chinese. Now no one knows where they are and what they do.

I often think that take only memories, leave only memories. But if not for what those folks then built or stored; how would we know how they lived? Those mother of pearl couches, those rich silk shirts, the intricately beaded slippers, those jade cups and saucers and the blue potteries...

Here are the street arts that I so fell in love with. These are installed at various prominent streets by the Corporation. They explain the reason behind the names of the streets and why the street was famous was in a humorous way with cartoons. I thought it was so novel and definitely caught the attention. I could instantly get the what was happening in the streets during the early 1900s and why the name thus. Love Lane, Panggalli street, Chulia Streets, Murti street...

 A collage of all the pics I clicked.

Han Jiang Ancestral Temple was a piece of art. The temple was very calm and just beside where we stayed.

The Khoo Kangsi Clan house

And more....

And of course I tried to peep in or kick a ball.....

People in Penang

I have realized that when I am away from my city; I tend to observe and take extra effort to talk to locals of the town I am visiting. Now why is the question. I have pondered about it. Maybe because I know my stay there is for a short period and I may not may not tread that path again. So I want to experience as much as possible; get to know people and what learn what they have to share about the place, the history and everything else.

Or maybe that I am excited to be in the new place and so observe more than I normally would do. Or maybe in my town; I am pre occupied with hundreds of things on my mind that I fail to notice them or that "There is always tomorrow. Where am I leaving; I am here" feeling.

Whatever it may be. But I have noticed that I enjoy even a simple act of brewing tea on a road side stall or taking in sight of an old man enjoying his solitude in a mosque makes it so interesting. I did have many such experiences at Penang. Penang is dominated by Tamils. Malaysian Tamils and Indians who have gone their for work. It was a nice exercise for me to figure out who were the locals and who were the working diaspora from India among them. Some of them were obvious. Like the Malaysian Tamils who are Muslims now. Maybe their great grand parents got converted to Islam 100 or 200 years ago and now you can see them dressed in traditional Malay Islamic clothing. Based on the same religious lines are the way how a Hindu Malay dressed. Or rather how they displayed their religious virtue. I found them to be very conservative and religious than what we were. The vermilion and ash dominated every forehead.

Just walk along little India; you know what it is to be in India away from India. It was more India than what India is. Indian songs played on loud speakers; Tamil movies being played on the TVs. The TVs were outside the stores on the streets; so everyone gets to watch the movie. The aroma of Parottas and Idlis and Kurmas...ummm. I would wonder if I am in some remote part of Tamil Nadu. Maybe they outdo these things to preserve their ancestry. But its amazing to see how the cultures have blended; each one borrowing from the other and yet the uniqueness preserved.


It was easy for them to recognize that we were not one among them because of the way we looked and dressed. The curiosity let in requesting for snaps with them. Malaysians like to take a picture with Indians. And they love Indian movies! And they certainly like Bangalore and have only good things to say like "Bangalore! its a clean city I heard". "Computers!" and so on. Equally were there folks thinking India is Delhi or Mumbai and very few outside the Indian diaspora knew Southern India.


There are also Chinese; who live along side in harmony and peace; adapting to the culture and food and practice. The Chinese live among their own; so do the Malay-Indians and the Malays. The migrants are found in clusters among these; blending with the locals. You could find them in a restaurant run by a local or in a Kancheevaram Silk store. Its tough to differentiate unless you talk to them. And thats easy! The local Tamils are interested more in you because you are visiting from India. They want to know how India is; their dream is to travel to India at least once if they havent. I met a man on the streets who said his sister is married off to a Chennai guy. I met a lady who has heard a lot about India and wants to visit...And so the anguish and the dreams..

Maybe the Chinese have similar stories to tell, to share...

This was one dynamic lady. Her food cart was just beside the hotel we stayed. Morning 5 to 11 is all she stays dishes out appams after appams. It was her show all the way. Customers order and need to wait; I mean they are at the mercy of this woman. She decides if she wants to serve you or not. She seemed to be a third generation Malay Indian. I was never tired of watching her in action. Her shrewdness was something I really loved.

This was a old Chinese home turned to a cafe. The menu was simple. Just a couple of sandwiches and beers. The owner seemed to be an eccentric man; considering what he named his cafe.

Right! The cafe is "My own Cafe" or his own cafe

Simple menu. Very creative. Just noticed this cafe after a long tour or the Chinese quarters and decided to peep in. The ambience and the cool atmosphere pulled us in and sat for a while swigging a couple of Tiger beers.

The owner.

Didnt I mention enough of its eccentricity? Here's more. A painting of himself on one of the walls

A steaming Badam Milk outside a cafe in the Indian quarters. The food is as every other culture; was a potpourri.  Curries and gravies with a slight twist; tea served in large mugs and so on

 Rest time!

Date with Butterflies

One thing that can keep me going even after being battered and bruised is nature and wildlife. The national park was about 1.5 hrs from the Georgetown area by bus. Though the journey was amazing; the trek left us tired. Moreover that day; it was noon and it didnt rain.

But the thought of not watching the butterflies was never acceptable. The farm is 2 kms away from the national park and frequent buses ensured we got to the farm at 4 pm with 1 hours left for the last entry.

The ticket is bit on the expensive side of 30 or 40 RM but worth it for sure. Why wouldnt you like to be surrounded by butterflies fluttering all over. I was sweaty after that long and tough day but that turned out to be a boon. I remember reading somewhere bees and flies swarm over you to drink your sweat. Thats what happened at Brunei's rainforest as well.

And so; I had the butterflies all over me; sitting on my hands; my face. Never going away even after attempting to shake them off. This living museum houses exotic butterflies; Malaysian species and some of the world's rarest and endangered. There are also tropical plants and other creatures like hude centipedes, frogs, spiders and snakes encases in glasses. Got to buy some cool souvenir in the form of pendants and keychains having real butterflies and insects.

Overall, it was a fitting end to an otherwise tiring day. Journey back to Georgetown was with sleep laden eyes and music while watching the sea coast of Batu Ferringhi pass by where the tourists had already started swarming into cafes for chill beers. One thing that was amazing was the transport and connectivity. One bus comes to the butterfly farm to transport passengers to the main bus stop 2 kms away. You dont have to worry about walking or trying to get bus! Loved Penang for that reason.

Paper kite of Rice Paper Butterfly. Its of SE Asian Origin

The rare Indian Leaf Butterfly. Also called Orange Orange Oakleaf; found in tropical Asia to Japan. Very attractive and colorful

As much as being colorful with attractive patterns; with wings closed; it resembles a dry leaf and its a spectacular camouflage. For this reason; its also called as Dead Leaf Butterfly

They were all over!

Leopard Lacewing; found from India to China; recent arrival in Malay peninsula

The Cruiser

Common Eggfly

A Indian Leaf pair

Name not known. I couldnt find it on internet. It sure must be a tropical species. Black and red head

Clipper

Yeah!!!!

The endangered Yellow Birdwing. Birdwings are native to Indian subcontinent, SE Asian archipelago and Austrlasia. This one particularly is endangered and now protected

Name not known.

Yellow Glassy Butterfly

This one is special. Rajah Brooke's Birdwing. Its from the rainforests of Thai Malaysian Peninsula, Borneo, small islands of Sumatra. Its a protected species and the national butterfly of Malaysia

New Lacewing; mainly found in SE Asia and Australia

Remember your Botany classes? This is a Nepenthes pitcher hanging from a tendril. They are carnivorous plants

:-P

Can someone identify this species?

The Black Bat flower; unique looking

A Green snake; not the vine snake though

Color Sergeant butterfly

A pair of Yellow Birdwings

There were more! 4000 individual butterflies of 120 kinds! All I click were some of these