Ashes in the Light

People often visit Melaka for its famous attractions — Jonker Street, Dutch Square, riverside cafés, and historic buildings.

Ironically, I hardly saw any of those.

Instead, I experienced something I think was even more special.

Since I was travelling with my colleague, who was returning home. I stayed with her family rather than at a hotel. We took the bus from Singapore, crossed the border, and before long, the pace of life had already begun to feel different.

There wasn’t an itinerary waiting for us.

No list of places we had to rush through.

For the next three days, I was simply stepping into someone else’s everyday life.

A Warm Welcome

Our first stop after arriving wasn’t a tourist attraction.

It was lunch.

A comforting bowl of Nyonya laksa that immediately reminded me why Malaysian food always seems to have that little bit of extra flavour.

Afterwards, we headed back to her house.

One of my favourite memories from the trip happened before we’d even unpacked.

We walked into the garden and picked fresh papayas and passion fruits straight from the trees.

Then came the durian.

Living in Singapore, buying fruit usually means picking it off supermarket shelves.

There was something oddly satisfying about eating fruit that had come directly from the garden instead.

That evening, we stayed in and watched Dear You, a film that had only received limited screenings in Singapore.

Sometimes, ending the day with a movie at home feels just as enjoyable as going out.

Slow Mornings

The next morning, we allowed ourselves to sleep in a little.

There was no need to wake up early just to maximise the day.

Brunch around eleven o’clock felt perfectly acceptable.

We found ourselves enjoying another bowl of laksa, this time assam laksa.

Tangy, comforting and exactly what we felt like eating.

The rest of the afternoon was wonderfully ordinary.

A little shopping.

A stop at Watsons.

Browsing without buying very much.

It wasn’t exciting in the traditional sense.

But perhaps that’s what made it enjoyable.

There was nowhere we needed to be.

No schedule to follow.

Dinner, however, was anything but ordinary.

We treated ourselves to an incredible seafood feast.

Fresh seafood has a way of bringing people together, and by the end of the meal, we were all happily full and wondering how we had managed to finish so much food.

Before Heading Home

Our final morning looked rather different from most holidays.

Instead of squeezing in one last attraction, we both went for a nice breakfast and headed for physiotherapy.

I’ve been dealing with a strained shoulder, while my friend was getting treatment for her lower back.

It wasn’t exactly the sort of activity people imagine when they think about travelling.

But somehow, it fit the tone of the weekend perfectly.

This wasn’t about escaping life.

Life simply came with us.

Before leaving, her family prepared homemade vegetarian dumplings and also had some fruits from their own garden again.

Simple.

Freshly made.

Comfort food before the journey back to Singapore.

There couldn’t have been a better way to end the trip.

Looking Back

When people ask about Melaka, they’ll probably expect stories about famous landmarks or hidden cafés.

Instead, I came home remembering something else.

Fresh fruit picked from the garden.

Watching a movie together after dinner.

Sleeping in without feeling guilty.

Browsing Watsons.

A seafood dinner.

Homemade dumplings before the bus ride home.

It reminded me that travelling doesn’t always have to be about discovering somewhere new.

Sometimes, it’s about experiencing somewhere familiar through someone else’s eyes.

And for three days, Melaka didn’t feel like a destination.

It simply felt like home.