Peranakan culture comes from a blending of Chinese and Malay cultures through intermarriage. They have a distinct cuisine, and the Kebaya Dining Room is a great place to experience this in a historical part of Georgetown. Between courses, I stepped outside and snapped this photo down the centre courtyard of the Seven Terraces, a heritage hotel. Open-air courtyards, apart from looking great and having a social purpose, were a vital part of climate control in a pre-electric era. Some say these are inspired by Hakka round houses that keep an outdoors protected area that separates the public (bandits!) from an extended family. History aside, I love the aesthetics of this artificial chasm with a darkening blue sky contrasting with glowing lanterns and fairy lights. There's a special atmosphere right here on the threshold between public and private, day and night, earth and sky, artificial and natural, old and new, energy and matter. The food was pretty good too.
