Melaka (Malaysia) Day 1: Malacca River + GravyBaby Melaka + Jonker Street

Scoot recently launched flights to Melaka (formerly known as Malacca) starting in October 2024, I used this opportunity to revisit this city. Although I had been to Melaka before, my previous trip was just a short one day trip, leaving some places unexplored. This time, I want to cover them and also to revisit old places.

I reached Changi Airport Terminal 1 at 8.53am for my 10.15am flight. Clearing custom was fast and only took less than 10 minutes.

We spotted I Love Taimei and stopped by there for a quick 15 minute breakfast, sharing a pack of Mini Hashbrown (S$4.80).

After completing the bag check, we proceeded to a waiting area one level below, as we needed to take a bus to the remote bay and board the plane via the stairs. However, the plane was delayed for an hour due to technical issue and Scoot had to arrange for another plane. We finally boarded the plane at 10.45am.

After the break, we embarked on a 6 minute climb up to St. Paul's Hill (or Bukit Melaka) via the sloped pavement and stairs. Among today's activities, this was a revisit for me, yet the place was still captivating. Taming Sari Tower stood prominently from the hilltop.

The ruins of the Church of St Paul looked the same as I remembered. Built in 1521, it has a rich history tracing back the eras of Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonization, adding a touch of culture to our visit.

We came down to the foot of the hill and arrived at A Famosa, the only remaining structure of the Portuguese fortress and a historical landmark in Melaka. All these attractions are well positioned and easily accessible to explore by foot. Every few minutes walk will lead us to another site.

We walked over to Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall for a quick 20 minute shopping before going back to hotel since it was along the way. The mall is large, offering a wide variety of retail options, from international brands to local boutiques.

I stopped by at Mix Store and got some snacks at at RM19.90 (or S$6.63) for my family. By the time I was done with my purchase, it was already 5pm. We decided to head back to the hotel and check into our room.

The World of Studio Ghibli at ArtScience Museum

After the lunch, we made our way to ArtScience Museum for The World of Studio Ghibli exhibition.

The exhibition will be in Singapore for five months running from 4 Oct 2024 to 2 Feb 2025. We got the tickets at $29 per pax, local resident price for weekdays.

Spread across two levels, the exhibition features theatrical sets depict iconic scenes from 11 Studio Ghibli films handpicked by Studio Ghibli, giving visitors a truly enchanting experience. Of which, I am only familiar with two of the films. Let me bring you to the realms of these films.

1. Howl's Moving Castle

We started off with this exhibit when we entered basement 2.

This story is about a strange tale of the love between a handsome wizard and an elderly woman. 

Howl is a wizard who lives in a massive moving castle that rumoured to eat the hearts of beautiful girls. He rescues an 18-year-old milliner, Sophie, when a soldier hits on her during a military parade. 

Due to her interaction with Howl, Sophie is transformed into a 90-year-old woman by the Witch of the Waste, who is constantly stalking the wizard.

Sophie leaves home and takes up residence in Howl’s castle as his housekeeper. 

Sophie spent her days living with the fire demon Calcifer. She discovers that Howl is really a timid, kind youth, and she begins to fall in love with him. 

2. Castle in the Sky

This story is about the people of Laputa raised a large island into the sky using a giant Levitation Crystal that contains the power of Laputa, and ruled over the lands below with their superior scientific knowledge. Seven hundred years have passed since that time, and Laputa is now merely a legend.

Pazu, a boy who works in a mine, dreams of completing his late father’s quest to find the lost island of Laputa. One night, a girl falls from the sky into Pazu’s arms slowly, protected by the Levitation Crystal in her pendant. She is Sheeta, heir to the throne of Laputa. 

Pazu protects Sheeta from government agents and air pirates who have their eyes on the Levitation Crystal and Laputa’s treasures.

3. My Neighbour Totoro

This story is about two sisters, Satsuki and Mei, and the mysterious forest spirits that they encounter. They moved into a ramshackle old house with their father so that their mother, who is at that time in hospital, can recuperate in the fresh, clean air. 

One day, when Satsuki is at school and her father is busy with work, Mei is playing outside by herself. 

As she playfully explores her surroundings, she meets Totoro, a strange creature who has resided in Japan since ancient times. Totoro eventually reveals itself to Satsuki as well, and begins a series of whimsical encounters for the sisters.

We then proceeded to level 3 for more exhibits. While the space may appeared small, it still managed to showcase many iconic scenes from the films. The creative use of wall art and character sculptures brought the films to life.

4. Porco Rosso

This story took place in the Adriatic Sea of the 1920s, during the tumultuous aftermath of World War I. Poor aviators have turned to air piracy and are running amok, but there is one man they fear; the bounty hunter they call Porco Rosso.

Porco Rosso flew the bright-red prototype fighter seaplane, Savoia S.21, in his battles against air pirates and rivals over the Adriatic Sea. 

5. Pom Poko

This story is about a group of tanuki who have been living in the lush nature of the Tama Hills, find themselves threatened when humans start clearing the land for a large-scale residential development, resulting in them losing their home.

Gathering for a meeting, all the local tanuki decide to revive the shapeshifting skills of their forebearers in order to challenge the humans and stop the development.

6. Princess Mononoke

This story is about A ‘demon god’ attacks an Emishi village—home to an ethnic group of people in ancient Japan. Ashitaka is forced to slay it to save his village, but it curses him before it dies. Ashitaka sets off in search of a way to lift the curse. He arrives in a western land covered by the sprawling woods of the Deer God. 

Ashitaka meets San, Princess Mononoke, a girl raised by wolves who hate the humans that defile the forest.

7. Kiki's Delivery Service

This story is about a girl named Kiki who just turned 13, the age at which apprentice witches must leave home and spend a year in an unfamiliar town. 

Kiki sets off with her black cat Jiji and arrives in the bustling seaside town of Koriko.  The owner of a bakery lets her stay in the spare room and Kiki helps out in the shop while starting a ‘delivery service’ using her one and only magical skill—the ability to fly on a broomstick. 

She drops things and struggles to deliver a package, only to get a negative reaction from the recipients, but she matures through her experiences and interactions with the people she meets.

8. Spirited Away

This story is about a ten-year-old Chihiro wanders into a strange town with her parents, who were tempted by the delicious smells from a food stall; but after eating the food set out there, they transform into pigs. 

A boy calls Haku comes to the terrified Chihiro’s aid, and she ends up working at a bathhouse run by the witch Yubaba, where a myriad of gods and spirits come to relax and refresh themselves. As she does so, the power to live that has lain dormant inside her gradually awakens in her.

We spent an hour for the exhibitions but missed out on some stories. The exhibition is worth a visit only if you are fans of Studio Ghibli films, otherwise, the exhibits felt less meaningful which was the case for me.

Magical Experience at The Wizard's Brew

 

An artistic ambience surrounded the cafe bar with black wall and ceiling paired with wooden floor, tables and chairs. The atmosphere was further enriched by details of the wizarding world.

The walls were displayed with "Wanted" posters, showing witches and wizards sought by the Ministry of Magic for their crimes. 

The area looked cozy with the fireplace, a rare feature to find in a cafe or restaurant in Singapore. It added a warm touch to the magical ambience.

A wizard bar would not be complete without a wand, a must-have prop for photo opportunities or for casting a few spells to create a magical experience.

Your potion master was creating a fizzy and bubbling potion for consumption. The correct way to brew a spellbinding drink was to pour the potions into a test tube and light it up with fire.

Happenings in November -

Saturday 2/11/24

It has been many years since I last had The Soup Spoon, so I decided to revisit for a switch to indulge in healthy eating since I was still having cough.

I had Sandwich Set ($14) which included a choice of soup, sandwich and drink. I opt for Roasted Pumpkin Soup which was thick with a puree texture. Their soups are free of preservatives and MSG.

Happenings in October - AVENE Cleanance A.H.A Exfoliating Serum + iVegan

Tuesday 8/10/24

I am already familiar with the AVENE Cleanance range as I am currently using Avene Cleanance Cleansing Gel and Cleanance Comedomed. Hence, adding AVENE Cleanance A.H.A Exfoliating Serum to my routine felt like the perfect complement to complete my skincare set. Thanks Daily Vanity for introducing the product.

AVENE Cleanance A.H.A Exfoliating Serum is suitable for people with sensitive, blemish-prone skin. Its lightweight, watery texture infused with Avène Thermal Spring Water, feels incredibly soothing upon application. 

The serum absorbs quickly into the skin, leaving behind a hydrated, dewy glow without any greasy feeling. The serum is free from fragrance. I noticed it effectively soothed redness and did not trigger any breakouts or discomfort. It’s the perfect addition to my skincare routine.

Saturday 12/10/24

We went to Starbucks for dessert where I had Buttery Scone. It was crispy on the outside and buttery on the inside, with the Lurpak butter adding extra fragrance.

Sunday 13/10/24

Journey to east for iVegan at i12 Katong a health-conscious restaurant offering natural, delicious plant-based whole foods free of MSG and refined sugar. Their dishes use olive oil and pansalt.

Thanks GF for inviting me along to join her and K for the lunch, good opportunity for me to pass her recent overseas souvenirs.

The Crispy Veg Maki was the nicest among the dishes I tried, it does not lose out to the Japanese maki. Made with cucumber, carrot, red cabbage, nori, tomato salsa, vegan mayo and BBQ sauce, it was bursting with flavour.

With the growing demand for vegetarian dining, restaurants are getting more creative with their menus, and I would not mind eating vegetarian more often if it is this delicious.

Sunday 20/10/24

The Tater Waffle with sausage, bacon and scrambled eggs caught my interest. The taste of the tater waffle was a bit unique, it took me awhile to get used to the taste. The smoky, crispy bacon contrasted nicely with the creamy scrambled eggs and the maple syrup added a touch of sweetness.

Thursday 31/10/24

As time was still early, we walked over to The Marmalade Pantry for dessert. I had Pandan Gula Melaka Cake ($14++) with pandan chiffon sponge cake layers filled with a gula melaka mixture of coconut flakes and shavings. The cake was moist and infused with the aromatic flavors of pandan and coconut, making it a sweet dessert choice.

Seoul (South Korea) Day 5 and 6: Starbucks Seoul Wave Art Center + GOTO Mall + Ssada Gimbab

Sunday 6/10/24

We headed out again at 1.15pm to continue our itinerary. We took a cab to Jamwon Hangang Park, spending our afternoon relaxing by the Han River, away from the city. It was about 25 minutes ride from our hotel.

We came here for Starbucks Seoul Wave Art Center which was a floating coffee house. It was drizzling when we arrived, we already felt blessed for the great weather over the past four days where we cleared most of our itinerary.

Seoul Wave Art Center is a three-storey exhibition museum that floats along the South banks of the Han River. At one glance, the structure looked like lego bricks to me. It has become a popular spot among locals seeking a serene spot after exploring the park.

The food selection was very limited, their specialty was their drinks. Since we had sandwich for breakfast, we decided to skip them for lunch and opt for something else.

After collecting our order, we went up to the second level as first level was full. Fortunately, we found a seat with river view because that's what we came for.

I had Earl Grey Vanilla Tea Latte at ₩6,900 (or S$6.78) that was only available in Korea. It had a balance of the aromatic earl grey notes, followed by a sweet vanilla aftertaste that lingered.

We shared a bag of Mini Leaf Pie at ₩3,900 (or S$3.83). These treats were tasty, featuring a crispy, sugar-coated exterior and a buttery interior shaped like a leaf.

The cafe was well positioned, offering a panoramic view of the Han River through the glass windows. It was an ideal spot to unwind with a drink, rejuvenate and enjoy the visual treat of being beside the river. Fully relaxed, I watched the gentle waves on the water.

I also had White Chocolate Cowboy Cookie at ₩2,800 (or S$2.75). The cookie had a crunchy texture with sweetness from the chocolate. I had lots of cookies these few days and sugar level overdosed.

After spending a relaxing 1.5 hours over here, we left Starbucks to continue with our plans. It was still drizzling when we left.

Starbucks Seoul Wave Art Center

145-35 Jamwon-ro, Seocho District, Seoul, South Korea

Operating hours: 8.30am to 9pm from Mon to Fri, 7.30am to 9.30pm on Sat and 7.30am to 9pm on Sun

Due to the drizzle, we took a cab down to Express Bus Terminal Station, which took less than 10 minutes drive. We reached here around 3.40pm. Since we were already in the area, we decided to visit GOTO Mall, the largest underground shopping mall in Seoul conveniently located at the station.

GOTO Mall had many stores lining both sides of two parallel corridors, offering a variety of items, including clothes, accessories, flowers, and more. However, most of the clothing available was thick and catered to winter, which was not what I was looking for. I managed to find a light jacket at this store for ₩6,900 (or S$6.78).

We finished shopping at 5.20pm and wanted to take a cab back to Myeongdong. However, there was no prominent location to pin on the map so we walked around trying to find a spot. We eventually walked until JW Marriott Hotel Seoul to take the cab.

While waiting for cab, there was an Ajumma that approached me and asking something in Korean language, probably asking for direction. So I just replied Anniyo (No) and she immediately said oh tourist.

We reached Myeongdong at 6.30pm and began our final round of shopping. I purchased two packs of plasters from Wellness Pharm at ₩25,000 (or S$24.58) and multiple packs of HBAF snacks from HBAF Almond Store at ₩47,700 (or S$46.90).

We were feeling hungry since we did not had a proper lunch. We chanced upon Ssada Gimbab along the stretch we were exploring. The menu appealed to us so we decided to dine there. We came at 7pm and most of the tables were already occupied, luckily we managed to secure one of the last few available.

I had Shrimp Omelette Rice at ₩12,000 (or S$11.80). The dish was simple yet packed with flavour. It was drizzled with curry sauce that added a hint of spice, complementing the fried rice hidden beneath.

We also ordered Fried Dumpling at ₩3,500 (or S$3.44). It was my first time seeing such a long dumpling, it was nicely fried to a golden brown with crispy crust.

Ssada Gimbab Myeongdong Station

26 Myeongdong 8ga-gil, Jung District, Seoul, South Korea

Operating hours: 24 hours daily

I chanced upon a 1-for-1 sale on got aloe vera gel at Missha and could not resist picking it up. I also bought a makeup remover, the total cost was ₩10,800 (or S$10.62).

My hands were full of shopping bags, so we decided to go back hotel to offload before continuing our night. We reached hotel at 8.30pm and took a short 20 minutes rest to recharge. With our hotel's central location, getting to Myeongdong was convenient.

We went to LINE Friends Flagship Store and spotted BTS handprints on display. The BT21 collaboration between BTS and LINE Friends Corporation featured cute characters created by the BTS members themselves.

We passed by Myeongdong Police Substation that attracted my attention with its 3 storey red brick house structure. The unique architecture stood out from the bustling surroundings.

We chanced upon this roadside stall and I got a t-shirt for ₩10,000 (or S$9.83). With this final purchase, we felt ready to wrap up the day. 

We reached hotel at 10pm and spent some time packing our belongings, preparing to head home the next day. Here were my purchases from Dongdaemun and GOTO Mall.

Here were my purchases from Myeongdong. It took me a while to arrange them in my luggage, which was already full. I regretted bring my thick jacket along which I never wore.

Monday 7/10/24

I slept at 12.30am but woke up at 3.30am and took a while to sleep back. The next time I woke up was 6.15am, just nice to start getting ready for the day.

I ate the Chocolate Chips Cookie at ₩2,900 (or S$2.85) from Dunkin' Donut, which we bought during the second day of our trip. It was quite a large and I could not finish it at such an early hour. We were ready to check out by 7.30am and head to the airport.

Instead of dragging our luggage to the bus stop for the airport limousine bus, we took a cab to Incheon International Airport. The ride took about an hour and cost ₩66,000 (or S$64.90). We arrived at 8.45am.

After clearance, it was 9.30am. We had Burger King for breakfast. We ordered Chicken King Burger (one ala carte and one meal) at ₩14,800 (or S$14.55), something not available in Singapore.

Our flight was on schedule, and the plane began to taxi at11.10am.

After half an hour into the flight, I was served with a cup of apple tea and a small snack, just perfect as I watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Lunch was served at 1.45pm. I had Jja Jang Bap, braised pork and onion in black bean sauce, served with fried egg and steam rice. The meal also included marinated prawns with salad as an appetizer, along with the usual bread roll and spread.

The dessert was a fish sandwich vanilla ice cream with a layer of red bean paste. The exterior waffle had a firm texture to hold the ice cream inside, a sweet and pleasant end to the meal.

We landed in Singapore at 4.30pm after 6 hours flight. This trip to Seoul was amazing and the duration was just right. It was filled with delicious food, beautiful scenery and fulfilling shopping, the kind of vacation that I like. I can't wait to explore more of this country in the future.