Melaka - Melting Pot of Cusines

Melaka is in Southern Malaysia and is about 120 miles from the equator. HOT!  But it's only going to get hotter as I head further South.  Melaka is know for it's cuisine as it blends all of the cultures I mentioned in my previous post.  Satay is a particular specialty where you sit around a table with a propane tank and the boiling spiced peanut sauce is at the center of the table.  At Capitol Satay they have over 80 different kinds of skewers that start raw until you cook in the peanut sauce.  Kind of like asian fondue.  Options are chicken, beef, squid, prawns that are about a foot long, and many other possibilities, many of which were total mysteries!  Just had that for dinner tonight...we'll see how I feel tomorrow.

Melaka itself was colonized by the Dutch and has a large river that runs though it that resembles some of the canals in Amsterdam.  Low-key bars and restaurants line the banks of the river where boats pass up and down.

Apart from a couple of churches, there is a beautiful mosque and temple although I have to admit I am a bit templed and mosqued out.  The highlights of Melaka really are the food.  Tons of street vendors selling everything you can think of.  In general, probably some of the best food of the trip and most different from anything I have ever had before.  One of the stranger things I have found in Melaka and some of the other cities is the durian fruit.  It is described as smelling like stinky socks and is actually prohibited from being carried on public transportation!  Supposedly the taste is good so I may give one a try one of these days.

Malaysian Rickshaw with Scorpion on top

Really looking forward to the next stop in Singapore.  Sadly the group will be split and then new travelers will join up in Jakarta.  Hoping for a good group!