Malacca aka Melaka

Hell by day, heaven by night. Some of the most penetrating daytime heat I have experienced, made more intense by contrast with Singapore, where escape was possible into malls, buses, subways. Here, if you walk during the heat of the day, you seek out every shred of shade and even warm water tastes good, or at least, keeps you from going mad.

The town is quite decrepit, particularly the patchwork of sidewalks, which require you to be on your toes for steps, ramps, drainage ditches, broken segments and cars. A serpentine river runs through it and it is a pleasure to walk on its fairly well-developed banks with small pedestrian bridges to cross it at decent intervals. Also, many restaurants and bars.

At night, after the sun has gone down, there is much more charm, both on the river and on many of the central streets, particularly those times, such as Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, when they turn into pedestrian eating/market zones. Jonkers Street in Chinatown is a festive walk for food and trinkets on weekend nights - plus musical performance on a big outdoor stage.

 I could say the picture below was the setup at the Malaysian border as we crossed from Singapore but this one official at his isolated desk was a mystery. The actual facility was fairly standard with many people at passport control,  and an unmanned luggage x-ray conveyer through which everyone passed their luggage.

It looks like a new, skyscraping Malacca is in the making. It would be better if some money was invested in improving the sidewalks.

Extravagantly decorated "trishaws,"  front and back, are a feature of Malacca, many with booming sound systems and elaborate night lighting

 Malacca boasts a famous body-builder.

The Dutch-built center of town, with many museums nearby.

Cendol, an excellent dessert, shaved ice in many varieties with all sorts of ingredients and textures possible including durian, rose water, banana, mango, beans, gelatinous shapes. A bowl is as good as a meal.

The river is a natural highlight, day and night.

Don't let the pictures fool you. There are many drab sections and near heat-stroke moments.