It's been a little while since I've written a blog and we've covered quite a few miles since then too. Time to catch you up on where we have been. From the haunted resort on Pulau Besar we sailed, yes sailed, tacking back and forth of course, to the old town of Melaka.
Melaka has a long history as a trading port and has been occupied by several countries other than Malaysia. During the 1400s China established a port here to trade with the middle east.
By 1511 the Portuguese had taken control of the town and port and built a fortress, A Famosa, of which the ruins and cannons still remain.
Then along came the Dutch, who expanded the fort and built several buildings that are distinctive with their red cement and still stand in good condition today. The British took their turn next and left their mark in the way of infrastructure, such as alleys and pedestrian arcades.
The Dutch quarter, with distinctive red buildings
All in all, Melaka town is quite the mixture of culture and architecture and offers much in the way of museums and old buildings to admire. Wandering the old town on foot, with the river meandering through the middle of it, was the best way to take in the sights. Along the river are paths with many small cafes and bars to stop for a beer or 3, admire the graffiti art on the old walls and take a moment to reflect on the age of these beautiful buildings.
Chinatown and Jonker Street is a delightful area to explore, with several Chinese houses open as museums showing the style of days gone by. Many tailors can be found here along with shops selling chinese lanterns, chinese cuisine and delicacies, and chinese teas.
Chinatown
Chinatown
The beautiful tea urns that grabbed my attention, not so beautiful tea inside
On the subject of teas, I bought a cup of tea that was supposed to be good for my health. I have to say that it wasn't good for my tastebuds. My face said it all when I tried to drink it. Needless to say, the bin was the best place I could find for it. It's an acquired taste I'm sure, but I'll take a local coffee over the tea any day.
We spent a few days absorbing the feel of this lovely old town, learning the history, riding the river boats in the evening (a must-do ride) and eating our way through some of the delicious Indian, Chinese and Malay food on offer. And had a juicy western burger and fries hit too 😋. We took a ride up the Malacca Tower for a 360° spectacular view of Melaka and the surrounding area, including our very own Watusi 2 looking very small from 80m in the air. We admired the amazing stained glass windows in the Church of St Francis Xavier and took a tour of the Melaka Museum Ship for the maritime history of Malacca.
Church of St Francis Xavier
The Baboon House Cafe
a most delicious burger
a night time cruise along the river is a must
or take a very vibrant and very loud rickshaw for a spin
One can only see and do so much in 3 days. There was plenty more to occupy our time but the sea called us to continue our journey north up the Malacca Strait.
We just might have to put Melaka on the list of places to return to. That list is getting awfully long now 🤔.
Until next time - Watusi Woman, lover of local coffee, out.
view from Malacca Tower
spot the yacht
