Changing Melaka

Change is not easy on some people, including me. Not being back for quite a while, this trip will find me home for a week! Which is long, considering on my last trip back, I only stayed a day, and the trip before, that I was only here for about 10 days in total, even though I was back for close to 40 days.

Being home for a week, without any distractions, is long. And I welcome it with open arms. I had told myself, though not strictly, that this will be a good chance for me to reconnect and re-discover things that were familiar and explore and find out what's new here.

It's vital for me, you see, as here means Melaka, a rapidly developing state in Malaysia. Before, when I was doing weekly or biweekly commuting from the capital city, I felt that I always missed a couple new things and lost quite a number of familiar things with each visit. Then when I left to follow Wonderful Guy to Krung Thep, trips back here were even shorter and much rarer.

My first day adventures had led to some interesting discoveries of change and of course, plenty questions unanswered in my head.

My first eye opening finding is prices had shot up quite considerably since my last visit. Satay is now RM0.65 per stick! I know this is like old news but I am quite surprised to just learn this. Last I knew, they were priced at RM0.50 and that was at a more reputable place. One roasted duck sold from the shop in front of my house costs rm40, up about 11%. Oh, and I was told, a bowl of cendol from one famous aunty costs rm2.00 now, and this is selling at somewhere not in town. So much of Melaka being a cheaper alternative.

The second thing that I noticed is 2 things have mushroomed all over the town center. Yes, you guessed it, hotels and satay celup shops. The former ranging from half star, if there's such thing, till 6 stars, publishing rates of up till almost rm4000 per night! I mean, seriously! Everywhere in town, there is hotel, motel or hostel built, or a hotel, motel, or hostel being build. Do we really have that many tourist popping over to visit Melaka? Is Melaka heading towards the direction of Penang/Phuket, a must go if you visit Malaysia, even if you forego the capital city?

Now, the satay celup shops. Well, I had noticed new ones being set up a few years back. But they were always almost empty then, while the original ones continue to attract flocks and flocks of people to savour their delicacy. This visit, however, I noticed a change. While the two shops which I consider original ones were still being overwhelmed with queuing and waiting customers, the new ones were also not far behind. I no longer saw shops with empty tables, with workers idling around. Instead, I saw customers helping themselves, dipping sticks and sticks of satay into the piping round pot of grounded groundnut gravy in the middle of their respective tables. They were not crazily crowded but empty they were not too!

Next discovery is that another 'shopping experience' is going to be built in heart of the city! Or, already started building, I'm not sure. Argghh! Do we really need another one more retail outlet in the heart of the historical site? 3 within radius of 5km, if my estimation is correct. The last one built there a profound distaste for shopping centers in my mouth, for I personally felt that it had taken the grandeur and historical feeling off from whatever is left of the famous ruins of the Portuguese Fort and historical sites in Melaka. But I must learn, money wins over historical preservation, hands-down.

Another profound transformation is the Melaka river. Now, this is a mixed feeling on my part. While it is a wonderful move to have the river cleaned and flowing again, without the foul odour which used to linger in the air around the river, I wondered why the beautification of river had to be, err, not Malaysian? I've not been to Europe, so it isn't fair for me to say that it's influence came from a certain country in the Europe. But from what I heard and was told, the decorative influence is really strong, almost imitative. While I understand that they have a proven track record on how to handle river/canal system well, what's with recreating Melaka to be a replica of that city? Furthermore, I don't remember Melaka being conquered by them, even though history is one of my lesser subjects.

A plus point was while walking along the river to capture the newly 'Venicized' Melaka river, I realized that were many more people like me now, walking about. That is definitely a good thing. I believe I wouldn't have dared of doing so say, 2-3 years back. The feeling of safety had certain improved and this would definitely improve the image and quality of lives of the locals. My only hope that this good, safe feeling remains and is vigorously maintain by all quarters in Melaka, always.

These are the few changes that I noticed. There is this little voice in my head shouting to me, telling me that the Melaka as I knew and grew up in, will forever buried in my head, as I head out and discover more changes.