Culture, curry and gecko poo

We've been enjoying the cultural side of Melaka today with visits to a museum, art gallery, markets and churches.

Culture and curry in Melaka.

When we walked into the Indian restaurant at lunchtime we were faced with a dilemma. We had no idea what we were expected to do! All the food was laid out on a stand, some people were filling little plastic bags with curry sauces and others were eating from big banana leaves with their hands. We must have looked pretty clueless as one of the waiters sat us down at a table and heaped every imaginable curry looking thing onto some metal trays in front of us. Just when we thought he'd finished he'd come back with something else to add. It was a huge meal and we were waiting for a huge bill to match at the end but were surprised that it only came out as just over 2 USD each. Bargain!

Banana leaf curry (minus the banana leaf)

Now, you may be wondering where gecko poo fits into all this. Well, we stopped for a drink at a canal-side café and while I was happily drinking my iced lemon juice a drip landed on my head - or so I thought. I looked up, as you do, reaching for my hair at the same time, and spotted a gecko - the ONLY gecko in the whole place - directly above my head as if it had lined up intentionally, with its little tail in the air like it was saying, 'yep, that was me'. I asked Sam if he thought it was luckier than having a bird poop on you and he said definitely. So that's some consolation.

Here are a few shots I snapped on our walk.

The view from St Paul's Church

The art gallery had some very good paintings from contemporary artists.

Art Gallery

Tonight we ate in the same Chinese food hall as yesterday. I just love their Laksa!

Chinese food hall

I had chance to finish the little purse I started yesterday. I completely abandoned the little hand held sewing machine today, it was just too fiddly.

This picture shows the card pocket on the right hand side. The stitching inside isn't too neat but I was pleased with the outside.

The open purse

I sewed along the spine (do purses even have spines?) to keep the lining from bagging away from the outer fabric. This time it was neat inside and out! I also sewed along the edge of the main pocket to give it a better finish.

The purse's 'spine' from the inside.

I'm quite pleased with how the rounded corners came out considering it's the first time I've tried!

Finished purse

It could be a bit stiffer, but I don't have any interfacing with me in my rucksack! It also needs a bit of an iron, but I don't have one of them either!

Finished purse

Some way to stop money falling out would be good too, but that'll have to wait until I'm home. Sam suggested a zip down the middle inside which straddles both pockets - I thought that was a very clever idea!

Today's challenge on 'Every Day in May' was to draw something that makes you laugh. At first I couldn't think of anything, then I remembered a video of a mother panda jumping with fright when her baby sneezes. It's hilarious, so I had to draw that!

 

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I shared yesterday's post in the following lovely link up parties: The Train to Crazy, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Beyond the Picket Fence, Domesblissity and Rhinestone Beagle.