What I liked about the Malacca trip...part 1

If I had to choose my favorite parts of the trip, it would be these:

1.) Wah Aik Shoemaker House. Along the bustling Jalan Tokong, one will find most probably one of the world's last makers of shoes for women with bound feet (also known as lotus feet shoes). We met Raymond Yeo, the grandson of the shop founder, who was kind enough to tell us a bit about his grandfather and the shoes they make. The business is family-owned for the past three generations. Aside from the lotus feet shoes (which are now mainly sold as a souvenir), the shop also sells beaded sandals and leather shoes.

2.) Ancestral houses. Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, formerly called Heeren St, was also known as the Millionaires' Row of Malacca. One must take time to walk along the street to appreciate the houses that belonged to the wealthy merchants. It is easy to think that it's just another row of usual houses. Two things: One the beauty of the facade is in the elaborate details. Look for the decorative tiles the front of the house. Look for the details around the windows of the house’s second storey. Two, though the houses may look small, these open up to huge spaces. The reason for narrow width? At one time, taxes were collected based on the width of the house. The front may be narrow but the length of these houses can extend to more than 100 metres in length.

Of the many houses, house no. 117 seems to be the grandest of them all. This is the Chee Ancestral House, which once belonged to one of the wealthiest families in colonial Malacca. (Or I think it still does because the house still has residents and is not open to the public). The house reminds me of some of the ancestral houses in Iloilo.

To be continued...