Latest happening in Melaka

Melaka has just celebrated Chinese New Year where major tourist spots were filled with tourists and locals alike. There were large crowds at Stadthuys, Dataran Pahlawan Mahkota Parade, Jonkers' Walk and people were seen taking the open top Panorama buses and river cruises.

For shoppers, new kids on the block were Mydin Hypermarket at Melaka Bazaar located at Melaka Sentral (this hypermarket is opened 24 hours) and 3-floors Carrefour Melaka at Dataran Pahlawan.

Then, we have newly opened Aldy Hotel Chinatown at Jalan Bunga Raya and Jalan Munshi Abdullah junction at Melaka New Chinatown and Melaka's first boutique hotel, Majestic Hotel,Malacca at the end of Jalan Bunga Raya. Another boutique hotel has her ground breaking ceremony at the mouth of Melaka River recently and will be opened in end 2011.

For those interested to view and enjoy the Melaka River walk, you will be surprised to see that the Melaka River water is clean for once. You will not be able to see the muddy water of yesteryears. Maybe, it has been due to the new barrage at the river mouth which stops the sea water to move upstream when high tide occurs. Before, the sea water with the muddy silt travels up the Melaka River when there is high tide. Now, the barrage has stopped this occurrence and kept the river full all the day. Another benefit of this is that can now be operated daily,daytime and at night and they are getting popular with visitors.

To be opened soon will be the "Melaka Tower" which visitors can view Melaka City above 110 metres via a rotating cabin.

Melaka open top Panorama red double decker buses and the colourful "becas" are must try events and everyone is excited about riding these buses and becas.

So, if you want to visit Melaka, there are certainly various activities for everyone. Melaka has history, historical sites, museums, river walks and sea & sea cruises, food, shopping, cultures and friendly Malaccans to be your hosts.

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Food in Bangkok, Thailand

Photograph: Edward Freeman/Getty

Authentic market food
Or Tor Kor (OTK) market (Thanon Kamphaengphet, Chatuchak Park underground) is slightly gentrified but it hasn't lost its edge, it's clean and damn gorgeous. There is stall upon stall of delicious desserts, tasty sausages, delectable soups and noodles; it's hard not to eat well. I like the slightly fermented pork sausage, sai grop - its name means crispy intestine, but that belies how sumptuous it is, cooked slowly over charcoal. There are two stalls in particular that do a good job of it; slightly sour with garlic, ginger, chillies and green papaya. I couldn't pinpoint exactly where they are, you'll have to explore and try yourself - not such a hard task. The fish dumpling soup at the Suan Lum night market makes you nod your head with pleasure.

Breakfast time
Thais love tea. They have their tea with everything, even with their coffee; if you ask for water, you'll get tea, just to prove it's been boiled. But have coffee with deep-fried Chinese bread at an early morning market. It tastes of chicory and chocolate powder; it's completely wrong - commercial, chemical and wonderful.

Street credibility
Walk through Bangkok and it's clear that work is just something that gets in the way of eating. The most accessible food in Bangkok is street food. Food stalls outnumber pedestrians and streets can seem not so much thoroughfares as corridors lined with places to buy food. The markets can be a bit rough - rude, abrupt and daunting - but you will smack your lips in pleasure when trying the robust dishes.

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