Happy Mother's Day!

The three of us in Little India

I spent Mother's Day in Malacca, with my mother and daughter, seeing historic sites and eating lots of delicious Indian/Peranakan/Malay food.

I didn't get any official presents (unless you count sleeping in late), but taking a weekend trip with my favorite mother and favorite baby was the best gift I could have received. It's just too bad my sister couldn't be there (she is pregnant, with a GIRL--I am very pleased about the baby's gender--so is at least halfway to motherhood).

Malacca is very nice, though I didn't like it quite as much as Penang (mostly because it is more touristy, and I tend to prefer places where the population/local culture's behavior is more unaffected by the lure of making a buck). The food is excellent (as good as Penang, though there are fewer street food options), the architecture is charming, and the history is fascinating (in that, Malacca wins out over Penang).

Now we are back in Singapore, doing the tourist round here. I realize now that my parents are not staying long enough! Due to our trips to Malacca and Hong Kong, they are only in Singapore for six days, which is really not enough time to see everything, at least if you aren't willing to keep to a grueling schedule. People say that Singapore is small and boring, but actually there's a ton of stuff to see/do/eat/experience (especially if you enjoy the outdoors, as my parents do).

Some places are boring (like small towns in unattractive countryside), but most places have their own charm, and a surprising amount of activities if you're open minded and willing to put in the effort to look for them. Usually when people complain about being bored, it's because they are boring.