Local businesses

Very tempted to try this local business 

Garland makers in Little India

Just around the corner from the Goddess of Mercy shrine is Mr Lee the Joss Stick maker, one of the few traditional craftsmen still operating in the George Town Heritage Zone. His son Mr Lee would have talked to me all afternoon had I not been melting in the little shop that was like a sauna. Old Mr Lee is 88 years old and rests in the afternoons but can seen making incense cones and sticks each morning. They use sandalwood powder that comes from Western Australia, mix it with stuff from the local 'sticky powder tree' from and some Kuantan sawdust, another local tree that reinforces the stickiness. The cones are dried in the sun on the pavement in front of the shop. This business has been operating from the same building for 65 years, though during the Japanese occupation Mr Lee destroyed his stock rather than coming under their orders.
   He gave me a fragrant cone, but I had to buy a few sticks for having listened to the stories. Local media studies students had made the brochure for the business.

Some other local businesses

Chop Maker (stamps)

Dress Maker

Chinese medicines

All sorts tourist business

Indian supermarket (my purchases)

No pictures of the women in very high heels and false eyelashes who appear along Chulia Street after dark. I think I had an offer of 70 ringgit from a very large lady who looked perhaps half black half malay. Maybe she was talking to someone walking behind me. I wasn't going to check to find out though.

What IS that hanging here?