Melacca, Malaysia February 3-5, 2007

This was our second trip to Melacca on the west coast of Malaysia, south of Kuala Lumpur. This time we took Jen and Ben with us, as they began their 5-month trek around SE Asia. We spent a morning at a furniture shop, choosing pieces for a bedroom set that we would like to have made to bring back home with us at the end of our stay here. Then we toured the city, by foot, trishaw and riverboat! Note the colourful decorated trishaws waiting for customers in the Town Square near the Stadthuys (Town Hall)!























The ruins of St. Paul's Church, remains of the Portuguese presence between 1509-1641, when the Dutch claimed victory after an eight-month siege. They ruled Melacca for 150 years and their influence is seen in the red-coloured buildings above in the main square. This was the site of the original Portuguese fort of A'Famosa.

































Excavation underway near the riverboat jetty...more ruins being found near Town Square
















Ruins of the Porta de Santiago
















Proclamation of Independence Memorial
















View of the city from the Hotel Equatorial

















New mosque build on reclaimed land at the mouth of the Sungai Melaka (Melaka River) which flows into the Strait of Melaka.

We happened to be visiting two weeks before Chinese New Year so were able to take in some of the action along Jonker Street, which has a famous Pasar Malam (night market) on weekends. We saw a lion dance, enjoyed some local pineapple tarts and popiahs (Malaysian vegetarian fresh spring rolls) and checked out the stalls selling just about everything! On the second night, we went to eat at a Portuguese seafood restaurant which was quite good, although we were the only ones there! We'll be back again so we can finalize our furniture order...jumpa lagi!