Happy Chinese New Year!

The Chinese New Year has always been a happy occasion for me, spending time in my hometown, Malacca, playing with my cousin and sister as well as savors the great tasting Malacca food. With great appetites come great responsibility to control my ever increasing waist-line and whatever I have been doing isn’t helping me one bit. I think it is definitely time to get back to the basics and start working hard at it.

Malacca on the other hand has changed. When I mean changed, I do mean it. The streets are filled with red lanterns and the traffic is getting worse everyday. More and more people throng the streets where once the sea stood and clubbing music fills the once quiet salty air coming from the sea. The place that was once lit up by the shining moon in the dark is now illuminated by the blinding fluorescent lights that light up discos, pubs and bars. I am not one to complain, it is evident that Malacca is thriving economically but I can’t call it a place away from the city anymore.

I once stood on the beach looking towards a broken down freighter on the beach about ten years ago. The sun was pounding on my ever pimply face and I let the breeze fill my hair. People were running around going about their business but that care freeness has been replaced by the hustle and bustle of a thriving community of commerce and business.

Gone are the days whenever I head back to Malacca, an internet connection would be as rare as I could find but now, here I am sitting in a fully packed Starbucks in Mahkota Parade drinking my venti sized caffe mocha enjoying the cool atmosphere of the air conditioner and the buzz of coffee grinders and blenders. If you are wondering why I ordered a caffe mocha on a blazing hot day (34 degrees celcius), I missed the good old times when I was sipping on hot coffee at the local coffeeshop in Sheffield.

But before I start talking about the good old days, I just want to wish everyone a very happy Chinese New Year!