Malacca Melaka Malaqa City
CuriousOyster
Steve & Trish Brown
Fri 18 Nov 2011 09:14
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We had decided to stay in Port Dickson for
a few days and take the opportunity
to visit the world heritage designated city of Malacca
Originally a Malay village, it came to
prominence when the great Chinese
Admiral Cheng He (or Cheng Ho) first landed here in
1405 and created a
base for his great
fleets that
were to follow after 1421
Midway between China and the Arab countries it was
also a meeting point for
India, the other great Asian power and it
became a focal point of the sea trading
route for silks and spices much in demand in Europe
A Portugese sailing ship replica
 Malacca was fought over initially by the
Portugese followed by the Dutch and
British and eventually occupied by the Japanese
until they were driven out after
the second world war. This has left a rich ethnic, culinary and architechural
legacy
It is interesting that of all the nations that
conquered this key trading post only the
Chinese did not resort to violence and slaughter but integrated into Malay society
marrying local Malay
women
A Dutch tax on house width created long narrow
houses
 There are three wheeled bikes that run tours
around Chinatown, they are all
garishly decorated
and play very loud music
 Each one vying for custom
 We came across this sign that made us realise how
far we are from home
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