TELL the average resident of Johor Baru that his city has something in common with Venice, and he will look at you with a blank stare.
Few people know that the original Lido Beach is located in Venice, Italy, where the Venice Film Festival is annually held.
It's likely, though, that the local Lido Beach was named by the British. A lido is an outdoor swimming pool, or part of a beach where people swim and sunbathe.
Whatever the origin of its name, the 7km stretch of sand overlooking the Johor Straits remains a popular spot for locals and tourists.
Lido Beach is particularly busy on weekends, when families and couples go there to fish, have picnics or to enjoy a leisurely stroll.
At low tide, families can be seen looking for lala (a shellfish), which they can either cook and eat, or sell for a profit.
"The Orang Asli are skillful people when it comes to finding lala," said Mohamad Noi, 54, who sells fish, cockles and mussels at Lido Beach.
"I get my supply of shellfish from the Orang Asli in Kampung Sungai Danga," he said.
He used to set up his stall along Jalan Skudai until last December, when Johor Baru mayor Datuk Mohd Naim Nasir allocated a specific area for all stall owners to conduct their business.
"Opening our stalls by the roadside was very dangerous because of the heavy traffic.
So, we are very grateful to Datuk Naim for allowing us to set up our stalls here.
"It is much safer for us and the customers because there is space for them to park," he said.
Fishing enthusiast Chua Kee Liong was seen repairing his boat at Lido Beach.
The scorching sun did little to faze the 60-year-old, who lives in Taman Johor.
"I have had this boat for 10 years now. So, it definitely needs some patching up," he said.
"I'm also giving it a new coat of paint. Unfortunately, paint is expensive at RM160 per litre," he added.
Asked what he used the boat for, Chua said he used it for his fishing trips.
"I still enjoy doing that. But of course, I do not go out to sea alone. I take an assistant with me. My children are also interested in fishing, but they need more practice," he said.
Another people seen enjoying the evening sun was Imran Ibrahim and his two-year-old son, Mohd Suzaili.
"I'm glad I was able to get off early from work and bring my wife and son to the beach.
"It is a nice change for them," said Imran, who works at a nearby hotel.
Like most residents of Johor Baru, Imran felt that Lido Beach could be better maintained.
The water is dirty and leaves much to be desired, he said.
All that should change when the cleaning up of Lido Beach, planned under the Iskandar project, gets under way.
About 2.4km of the beach will also get a substantial facelift when the Lido Boulevard project is completed.
The ambitious project will see the construction of high-end condominiums, an ice-skating rink, a bowling alley and a man-made lagoon.
Johor Baru's Lido Beach may not be as enchanting as the one in Venice.
But better things are in store for those who enjoy their time there.
