onker Street, Malacca
Description
Jonker Street, today called Jalan Hang J***t, was the name street through
Malacca town, in what is today the core zone of the Malacca Unesco World
Heritage Site. Among them, the Hokkiens established theirs in 1837, along
with the clan associations of the Tan, Lee, and other clans. Most of the
shophouses along Jonker Street date to the early part of the 20th centur
y,
although some goes back to the 19th century. It is a place where the Indian Chitty chew their red sandalwood leaves as their favourite pasttime. Presently, one can still see the Indian Peranakans in Jonker street. Jonker
street is also the the place where there is a lot of Baba and Nyonya
culture. It is like the birthplace of the Peranakan culture. One can find
many antique shops there. Antique items can be dated back to three hundred years ago from the Malacca empire and China. This street used to be an affluent street during the Dutch colonial period. Today, Jonker Street is a very popular street in Malacca for its antiques. It is also the venue of the weekly Jonker Walk Night Market. Visitors can see rows of antique shops holding a variety of antique pieces. These
beautiful authentic artifacts and relics attract many antique hunters and
collectors from all over the world. Some to the antique shops have collections of antiques which date back as far as 300 years, each with its
own history and mystery. Buildings along Jonker Street feature its unique building architectures
design with elaborated carvings on the walls and pillars. These intricate
adornments reflect the rich heritage and culture of the Babas, whom were
called the Straits Chinese (or locally Peranakan) community. Their culture
is derived from Traditional Chinese with Malay influence. They belong to
their own unique community and Malacca is the original birthplace of this
clan. These buildings along Jonker Street are of almost a century old and
most of them are utilized as restaurants and antique shops. On June 2000, the Melacca State Government had launched a tourist concept that turned Jonker Street to Jonker Walk by utilizing the heritage richness of the street. Through this concept, Jonker Street or Jonker Walk has turned itself to the most happening and busiest street in Melacca on every Friday and weekend starting from 6pm till 12pm midnight. During these hours, visitors will see Jonker Street or Jonker Walk transformed itself into a street market. Traders set up their stalls and line up along the
pedestrian street selling variety of products like antiques, clothes,
unique arts and crafts, handbags, wallets, watches, shoes, ornamental
accessories, fabrics and souvenirs.
馬六甲雞場街（Jonker Street）古董店林立，再加上每逢星期五至星期日傍晚6時起便封街，搖身一變成文化街……不如親臨實境，見識見識。具有300年歷史的雞場街，又被人冠為古董街，當然有其淵源──屈指一算，她左右兩旁的古董店大大小小竟有22間，夠名副其實吧！
除了“古董街”雅稱外，雞場街還被冠上“會館街”雅號。在這裡矗立著海南會館、潮州會館、榮陽會館、雷州會館、福建會館、林氏宗祠和賴氏宗祠，古色古香的建築物不多不少共有7間，比當地任何一條街都陣容鼎盛。馬六甲距離吉隆坡147公里，從新加坡取道新山前來則要245公里，如果你對古董有興趣，何必捨近求遠，近在咫呎的馬六甲雞場街肯定是不二選擇。
這裡的古董有源自中國大陸、也有本地的，種類從酸枝傢具、掛牆捲軸、陶瓷到小古玩，可謂應有盡有，只是價格因貨物的貴賤而有不同，而且差別很大。白天的雞場街車水馬龍，展現馬六甲生機與繁忙的一面。你可以從紅屋的河邊街沿著金聲橋直下，一路閒逛下去。這裡除了是古董熱賣地外，近年來娘惹鞋或珠鞋更是令不知多少的太太小姐“驚艷”，駐足欣賞、購買，甚至訂購。
珠鞋大受歡迎，使到位於街道中段的“林三龍”珠鞋店也變成旅遊景點，遊客絡繹不絕。林三龍珠鞋受落，究其因是鞋史悠久。店東林漳全笑說：“我們家從公公林三龍開始即製珠鞋，傳至現在已是第4代接手，也有40多年歷史了！巧手縫製的珠鞋款式繁多，價錢不一，有者甚至叫價約千元一雙，令人咋舌！
許多遊客每到一個地方總不免買些紀念品當作手信送給親友，雞場街的精品店更是絕不會讓人空手而歸。這裡有個好介紹，不如參觀木屐或陶瓷精品店。擺在架上的五顏六色木屐老遠就吸引遊人的眼光，真是賞心悅目。木屐有供穿著的、也有小巧玲瓏得誘人忍不住把它買回家當紀念品。
古老的雞場街當然不乏建築充滿中國風格的樓房民宅，讓人一睹她濃厚的地方色彩。逛了大半天，肚子可嘰哩咕嚕鬧革命了吧！到馬六甲來，不要錯過嚐嚐海南雞飯糰。粒粒雞飯糰又圓又大，外地遊客往往把它當成魚丸呢！馳名古城的和記雞飯糰咸香可口，再來一碗黑豆排骨湯或咖哩亞三魚頭，準教人吃得撐起肚皮來！
與海墘街交界的地理學家咖啡館亦是理想用餐去處。儘管路上車來人往，置身其間，耳邊依然會傳來陣陣悠揚的音樂，且用一副悠閑的心情享用午餐或喝一杯，那舒服的感覺也只有親身體驗才能領略！午后該到那兒歇歇，吃些點心呢？不如鑽進“88街古董店”吧！午餐有經濟素食，下午時分，糖水和小食也開始向遊客走來了。
如果你的假期不長，只有2天的短暫時間，那就到馬六甲來觀光雞場街吧！每逢星期五至星期日封街的日子，這裡又是另一番圖景。不如投宿毗鄰的荷蘭街客棧，瀏覽星光下的雞場街，再嚐盡各式小食，管教你又看又買又吃，盡興而歸. Source : http://www.promotemalaysia.com.tw/
