Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Dire Straits
by jima

It's not only the historic buildings that bring the past alive, it's also the great place names: George Town, Batavia, Java, Sumatra. They set an exotic stage for the grand productions in my mind. Of course, the cuisine always does its best to steal the show: here a Portugese-inspired dabel curry, there a Chinese roasted duck, and last but not least, a roti come out for the final bow at our grand Straits of Malacca dinner/dance show.
The Straits of Malacca were and are a major shipping channel between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. So the history of the region is burgeoning with intense tales of terrifying battles at sea, swashbuckling pirates, and heavily-cannoned waterfront forts. The colorful cast of characters in my mind includes Achenese sultans launching raids across the straits, Long John Silver recuperating bawdily after waylaying a Dutch merchant ship, and Bugis sailors doing what sailors do while on shore leave.

jima

