The Sleepy Hollow Awakens ..... (2)

 We stopped at the famous clock tower cendol near the river. It used to be a meeting point of friends with just a hawker stall. Then, we had the stall converted into a mangosteen shaped stall. After so many years, I finally had the chance to wander around Malacca on my own with my son, Ikram. There was a crowd of locals and tourists so we shared a table and had a cendol drink. No more the simple just a simple cendol but mind-boggling choices. I chose cendol with kacang merah and Ikram had cendol with ice-cream. It lacked the ooommmph of yesteryear cendol. Ikram told me to wake up to reality and accept that everything changed. It lacked the santan and sweetness of pure gula melaka. The cendol seller was a much younger guy. Hmmm ...       ;-)} 

The cendol stall - now more commercialised ..

The view from the cendol stall across the river. A sprawling spanking up to date Hard Rock Cafe .. I guess to cater to the tourists who usually flock to this area as a hanging place day and night

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Another view from the bridge towards Jonker Street - most of the old shophouses had been converted and repainted. The back corridors are now walkways for pedestrians to go for a "walking cruise" .. ;-)) It is now much cleaner and easy on the eyes. Attractive murals and new paint to refurbish the old buildings. A good move for Malacca tourism industry and a happening night life with the night river cruise .... a busy Jonker street with bistro and cafes to hang around or just take a walk around Malacca most historical site in the cool, refreshing night air.

After that we proceeded around the clock tower area. It was full of tourists. I heard very clearly a tourist guide gave a briefing in Chinese to his tour group. Another group had entered Christ Church. I had been inside the church during my school days with my Christian friends. What I could still recall was the coloured windows high up the wall creating a dim-like serene atmosphere. Life was so much easier then, everybody accepting and respecting each other's beliefs and faith. It had not changed. The old post office had been converted into a museum. The Stadthuys building was undergoing a renovation process so it was closed. There was also a replica of the windmill to remind us of the Dutch occupation near the bridge towards Jonker street.

The old post office - so many memories here. Now it is a youth museum.

The fully decorated trishaws with English speaking trishaw pullers

A view of the clock tower - it chimed at noon while we were there

The Stadhuys building undergoing renovation or repainting

A replica of a windmill to commemorate the Dutch occupation of Malacca