March 6
Melaka

My badly swelling feet have forced me to slow my touring ambitions way down. That's not totally a bad thing, but I've spent more time than I care to soaking my feet in cold water, and propping them up on pillows while I recline for 2-3 hours under the fan. At first I thought it was the too tight elastic on my new shoes, or perhaps the fact that I'm 17 lbs heavier than the last couple times I toured hot climates, or that I've been living in the sedentary suburbs the previous 4 months instead of the hill & victorian laden walking neighborhoods of San Francisco. I eliminated the too tight shoes, but the continued swelling makes me wonder if it's the toxic-to-everything clothing bugspray that I used in the begginning of my trip. I sprayed my skirts, but wasn't careful about washing off any overspray on my feet. Who knows?

At least I can walk to the Roti place at the end of the street! I've now become a regular, and am going down the menu trying the different types of roti.

If anyway finds themselves in Melaka, I highly recommend a locals favorite cafe with outdoor shaded seating, Habib Sultan. It's on the corner and at the end of Malaka Raya 1 and about 3 blocks from Hotel Equatorial. You might try my favorite breakfast of roti bawang which is filled with minced purple onion (they're about 1 inches in dia), a hot teh telor (aka pulled tea, which is black tea with sweetened condensed milk poured from up high to and cool the tea and create a froth). Or, there's always lemon ais (lime-aid). All roti's come with a small bowl of mild orange curry sauce with a few bits of cooked onion and fresh chili. If you feel like some drama, get the roti tissue. It's a crisp wafer thin roti folded into a tall pyramid.


Restoran Habben Sultan is at the end of Malaka Raya 1 and about 3 blocks from Hotel Equatorial.

This is Ronnie (Robin's Nest guesthouse owner), and Raymond (his good friend and a guesthouse owner in KL). They also like to go there, attesting to the popularity of the place!