Lanterns Over the Old Port
The day was devoted to wandering Melaka’s picturesque streets, each
corner revealing another layer of history. Portuguese forts stood
weathered yet proud, Dutch churches glowed in red brick, and
Chinese temples shimmered with incense and colour. The city’s
architecture was a living testament to centuries of trade and
conquest, a mosaic of cultures stitched together by time.
Melaka was especially vibrant as Chinese New Year approached.
Residents bustled with preparations, sweeping houses clean, hanging
fresh decorations, and stocking shops with festive goods. Red
lanterns swayed above the streets, dragons and lion heads appeared
in shopfronts, and the air carried the hum of anticipation. Food stalls
overflowed with exotic offerings—candied fruits, spiced nuts, delicate
pastries—each one a reminder that celebration here begins at the
table.
The town felt alive, poised between past and present: colonial echoes
in its walls, festive energy in its streets.