after driving about 45 minutes on the peripheral highways of the city, we were already arrived at the border separating Singapore from Malaysia. To get out of Singapore, passing through immigration was very simple. After having crossed the mighty frontier post (with its listings, its portcullis and security everywhere), we crossed the bridge into Malaysia. On the other side, the bus stopped, we took our bags and we put in line to pass immigration. Ahead of us, 2 French seemed to have some trouble with immigration officials, who asked how much money they had on them (?), If they had any means of payment, etc.. Their business semba rather bad start ... Before this scene, which seemed want to drag on, the station agent was quoted beckoned us to move from its board. He took our passports and scanning. I watched the moment he should affix the stamp so it does not use the last page, the only remaining virgin ... But instead of wanting to put any stamp on our passports, he looked at us and asked us our tickets back. ''We only electronic tickets, so we did not copy her paper''we replied. At that moment, his face changed and we realized that this would not be so easy as it looked.
''Under the procedure, I need a hard copy tickets please. We understand
the procedure. However, tickets are now electronic and only the passport is required upon embarkation. That's why we did not copy.
I understand you. But the procedure requires a paper ticket. I can not let you in without it.
I note in electronic format in the computer. I can show you.
No, only one copy.
Where can I print an email here?
Nowhere. Only by returning to Singapore.''
We were off track. The face of the officer expressed a certain weariness mingled with a deep distress. In addition, the bus was waiting for all the world is over before leaving. But if people have problems with immigration, the bus does not wait endlessly and after some time, he left leaving behind his''problem cases''on the spot. Finally, the current stalemate, the agent asked if we had money on us. Malaysian Ringgit No''. Sinpagour a few dollars and U.S. dollars.'' Before this response, the agent seemed discouraged. Then he lowered the tone of his voice and said''hey, if you pay a little money, so I could close my eyes.'' We do not believe our ears. We did ask for a''Bakshish''in Malaysia so that we do not got no job was border. Not even in Africa. However, our thinking was clear on this point. After a look to Sylvie, we said together:''sorry but we do not pay Bakshish.'' The word made him eyebrows. Immediately, he put his finger to his mouth, asked us not to make too much noise, then tells us despondently that he would have to ask permission from his supervisor. No problem'',''we have time we said it. He looked to said supervisor was busy. The officer seemed to think (of the genus''I call my boss to the risk that two tourists told him that I asked for a Bakshish or choking Case''). He chose the second idea. We looked, and, lowering his shoulders as if to apologize, it whispers''OK, I'll trust you.'' He took his pad and a quick gesture, then stamp our passports 2. Avoiding stamp my last blank page! We handed our passports wishing us good holiday in Malaysia''''''and imploring us to be nice to take home as promised.'' We picked up our bags and have lifted their legs! In the next room, the customs have scanned our bags and then we came back our bus waiting for us. We looked and have blown a good time!
The rest of the trip was without encumbrances. Around 15:00, we arrived at Malacca, a coastal city at the entrance of the strait of the same name, south-west of Malaysia. At the bus station, a detail we struck: the majority of women wore a veil. What we did not realize before arriving is that Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country. Then we jumped in the bus that would take us downtown. On a wall at the entrance of the old city was an immense inscription:''Melac, city declared World Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in Quebec City, July 7, 2008''. The world is not it small? The ticket agent or down and showed us quickly, we found a avionms guesthouse or ask us. In the regulations of the house, it was clearly stated that we should remove their shoes before entering, that pork consumption was strictly prohibited and that all food should be mandatory halal. Other countries, other customs.
Once installed our bags, we went out for a first visit to the city. Everywhere, tricycles pedal has extensively covered with colorful plastic flowers and playing music loudly offer tourists a ride through the old neighborhood. Behind a huge shopping mall was a small hill. At its foot, a remnant of wall dating from the time when the Portuguese had the grip on the place. On the hill, an old church which only the walls were still standing. After watching the sunset, we came down our promontory to fall on an old place with walls the color maroon, we crossed a small canal to make us in Chinatown. Surprisingly, when he was about 19:30, everything was already closed. We ate at the terrace of a bistro very nice and we returned to our guesthouse. But before going to bed, we were call to Expedia to clarify the problem with our ticket (one wants to go anyway, we ...). It was laborious. After having finally managed to speak to an agent speaking, it was necessary that he understands your problems. And once he finally understood, the cut line (we call via the internet). So we had to call back and start over with a new agent because they do not transfer calls and the one that meets that takes care of you. In short, after about two hours has repeated several times our history, the Internet café owner told us it was closing. Super ... we will have start again tomorrow night!
Tuesday, June 9, we got up late. We then walk back to Chinatown to see the famous antique shops that the guide boasted so much. Then we ate in a small restaurant familial (on y mange dans la cuisine des gens qui tiennent la place). Apres avoir trouvé de délicieux petits gateaux a la pomme tout droit sortis du four (en guise de dessert), nous avons été nous faire ''poupounner''. Massage et gommage pour nous 2 puis pédicure pour Sylvie. Le retour au Canada approchant, il nous faut en effet profiter de notre temps (et des tarifs plus qu'intéressants d'ici) pour prendre soin de nous avant de reprendre en mode ''Amérique du nord''.
Un peu flottants, nous avons décidé que notre apres-midi en serait une de ''farniente''. Nous avons fait un arret chez ''carrefour'' (hypermarché d'origine française) afin de pouvoir comparer avec ceux visités en Chine et en Thailande. En conclusion, ils sont un parfait exemple de ce qu'est la mondialisation en offrant a toutes les cultures du monde la possibilité d'accéder a une gamme de produits forts similaire.
La nuit étant déjà installée, nous avons été manger un riz frit dans la rue en arriere de la guesthouse, puis nous sommes retournés au café Internet afin de régler une fois pour toutes notre billet d'avion. Apres environ 1h30 de palabres (dont une bonne partie avec un superviseur), j'ai finalement réussi a obtenir les réponses a mes questions. Comble du comble, ledit superviseur m'annonça cependant que les frais de dossier d'expedia n'étaient pas refundable. A little tired and very much exasperated by''fooling around''for a plane ticket unpretentious, the poor had the pleasure of hearing my frustration of having to spend many hours with a helmet on his head trying to find a solution. Especially since the same situation had occurred in March (which took us over 8 hours of phone to resolve the issue), with the result that finally, our flight was not changed because Air China had finally handed over the original flight. Anything in the concentrate.
Wednesday morning, we went to take a tourist bus which was a 2-story, it seems, around the city and its attractions. It is at this point that we realized how much the city Melac was disappointing to our eyes. Especially for a city that deserves such a high distinction of being World Heritage of Humanity. In fact, the tourist attraction is very concentrated in the (little) china-town and some traces of the Portuguese occupation. We recognize that our decision is cetain altered by all the wonders that we have discovered over the past 10 months, but we crossed many site that deserve just as much (if not more) to be recognized as places has absolutely unique preserve. After this rapid bus tour that we revealed much more, we were refreshed we had air conditioning in a shopping center nearby before taking another bus to the Portuguese quarter. Again, we landed in a residential area with no particular character. After having skirted the shore polluted by sewage that are roaring into the sea, we reached an important place in the waterfront or seemed to be a little more activity at night and during the summer. After taking refreshment, we took the bus to the bus station to inform us on the starts tomorrow. Then we came back downtown and we stopped in Chinatown. We had spotted a shop run by a Chinese who sold the masks. Luckily, everything was closed when it was open because of demeurrée customers who lingered in his shop. We took the notes by purchasing a few things for his pleasure. Then we stopped to eat in back of our guesthouse before returning once more to the Internet cafe for our tickets davion: now without tickets, we had to buy else to join Canada. We finally found 2 return tickets, with the distinct advantage that they lead us not to New York but directly to Montreal. On such good news, we could go to bed peace of mind. This judicial
morning was our last awakening Melac. We put our bags on the back and have been taking a bus to the bus station. At 10:00 we were on our way with the hope of joining the same evening the national park of Taman Negara, has nearly 600 miles away.
continued ...
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