By the 1800s, Melaka was a melange of Portuguese, Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures. Two hundred years later, you can still feel the spirits of the old world as you walk down Melaka's narrow streets, especially those near the river in old Chinatown. The buildings are tall and narrow, but some stretch out over 200 feet in depth. This is a remnant of the old Portuguese taxation methods, by which they would tax buildings on width, not depth. On both sides of the street are deep sewage trenches, so you really have to watch your step as you walk and still manage to narrowly avoid speeding cars. There are shops and museums and shops that look like museums. My favorites were the old antique stores that have restored furniture- all old teak and black wood and intricately carved and highly polished stuff. Among these homes and shops are restaurants and shaved ice stalls where you can taste ais cendol. Ais cendol is a delicious concoction of shaved ice atop red beans, grass jelly, and green pea flavored noodles, topped with palm sugar syrup, coconut and evaporated milks. Sounds strange, but it is a welcome treat when the temperature is sweltering and all you feel like is a cold sweet soupy delight.

       Also amid the shops and narrow streets are stores selling chicken rice. The best one, the one out of which crowds were spilling and there was a half hour wait for take out, has chicken rice shaped into balls. These balls of rice can be eaten alone, they are that good! They are cooked in chicken broth, which gives them a chicken flavor of their own. These rice balls are eaten with sliced chicken, cucumbers, and a sweet and spicy sauce made with garlic and red peppers.