Open house for tourists

Foreign tourists had the opportunity to witness Malaysian hospitality when they attended a Hari Raya open house hosted by the Malaysian Tourism Board Malacca branch here.

The function was held at a traditional Malay house in Duyong and the food served included lemang, chicken rendang, ketupat, and Malay kuih like dodol, bahulu, tarts and currypuffs.

Memorable: Buus and his daughters Nanna (second from left) and Freia tasting lemang and chicken rendang offered by Christine Queh at the open house in Duyong, Malacca, recently.

Danish tourist Soren Buus learnt how to sit cross-legged before trying out the dishes with the assistance of state tourism employees.

“It is a new experience I will not forget. My wife and two daughters also loved it,” he said.

Buus said they were amazed by local people using their hands to eat, adding that “once we tried it, we liked it.”

“This my first time at a traditional Malay village, although I have been here for six weeks,” he said

Singaporean Therese Tan said that similar food could be found in Singapore, but it was difficult to enjoy the traditional Malay village environment back home.

State tourism director Ahmad Johanif Mohd Ali said this was the second year a Hari Raya open house was hosted.

“Our intention is to provide an opportunity for foreigners to have the feeling of a celebration in a traditional Malay house,” he said.

He said that more than 100 foreigners from various hotels in the state attended the open house.

Source : STAR
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