After CNY many people organise an open house to celebrate the new year with their friends. On 23-2 I was invited by KcLiew (third from left) and his wife (center with the bottle). The food was good and the company pleasant. I feel very much at home in Malaysia..:-)

Another invitation came from my friend Keong, to visit his recently opened outdoor shop in Subang Jaya. He is very interested in parang’s and traditional Orang Asli techniques. I wish him all the best with his shop! It’s near Sime Darby MC, have a look when your are around.

A few days later it was 100 (actually 98) days ago that Aric’s father passed away. In Taoism this marks the end of the mourning period. A suitcase is prepared with everything (clothes, shoes, money) the deceased will need in the afterlife. All fake of course. After prayers and food offerings to the ancestors, this suitcase is burnt on a pyre made of (fake) money.

Quite impressive. As I am getting older, I value rituals more and more…:-) I published a  separate post about the event: 100 days

Because of Aric’s family situation we had not made any trips for a long period. We decided to go to Melaka, one of our favourite destinations. This time we stayed in the Puri hotel, beautifully set in a restored Perakanan house in the Heeren street. Here is the facade.

Since Melaka became a world heritage site, a few years ago, the town has become more touristy. Not always to its advantage, many traditional old shops have now become art galleries or Nyonya style restaurants. Here is a report about our Melaka trip.