Asia

[Visited: November 2023 and several times before]

Even though I had been twice before, I decided to go to Melaka once again. The city has been declared a Unesco World Heritage Site and thus deserves a new visit. Getting there turned out to be very easy: there are plenty of buses from Kuala Lumpur, and the ride is smooth. From the bus station, I get a local bus, and get off near the old city centre of Melaka. A few minutes walk, and I come across the ruins of Victoria Bastion, which was part of the Malacca fortress the Portuguese built in the early 16th century. Before the arrival of the European powers, Melaka had already grown from being a fishing village to an important trading post and a Malay sultanate. The Dutch ousted the Portuguese in 1641 and ruled the city until 1824, when the British took over. All these influences left their marks, and I will dedicate the rest of the day to discover them. The ruins of the old fortress seems like the perfect start.
Just around the corner of the Victoria Bastion remnants, I find the Christ Church, built by the Dutch in the 18th century. I recall the striking red facade, and memories from my previous visits start coming back. I explore the small square in front of the church, where colourful trishaws are waiting for customers. On the other side, I find a small windmill, and I enjoy the views from the bridge over the Malacca River. Behind the colonial houses, most of which are now restaurants or shops, I see highrise buildings redefining the skyline of Melaka. Across the small square, I find the Stadthuys, the old city hall built by the Dutch. Then, I walk up the hill behind it: this is supposedly the highest point of Malacca. Here, I find a white tower, which is a lighthouse built by the British in the 19th century. It stands right on front of the ruins of St. Paul's church, which replaced the original Our Lady of the Annunciation church that the Portuguese built in 1521. This makes the oldest church in South-East Asia. The Dutch replaced it with reformist St. Paul's church, also dubbed Bovenkerk as it stands on the highest point of the city. When Christ Church was opened, St. Paul's church stopped to function and deteriorated. Indeed, when I step inside I see that the roof is gone. Against the walls, I see tall tombstones, mostly Dutch, but also some Portuguese. Behind, a metal fence protects the vault where the remains of Francis Xavier, a Spanish missionary where kept until they were taken to their final resting place in Goa.
From the ruined church, I walk down the hill on other side to the remnants of the A Famosa fortress where I still easily see the typical Portuguese decorations. . These are the oldest Portuguese ruins of the city. From here, I walk past the Sultanate Palace museum and reach the Dutch graveyard, which mostly holds British tombs. I continue my exploration to the river, have a quick and tasty lunch, and start wandering the part of Malacca west of the river. This is Chinatown, and while the streets are named Heeren and Jonker street, suggesting a Dutch influence, this part of Melaka was a residence for people of Chinese descent which ran businesses here. There are still antique shops, but there are also more modern outlets selling clothes and other wares. The wooden shutters of the houses on the first floor make them photogenic, and walking around this are a pleasure for the eyes. After exploring the streets, I arrive at the Cheng Hoon Teng temple, with its colourful and atmospheric interior. I walk some quiet streets to reach the Kampung Hulu mosque, the oldest mosque of Malacca. It has a mixed architectural style, with a curiously shaped tiled roof without dome and a pagoda-like minaret. At first sight, you might not even think this would be a mosque at all. The sky is getting very dark when I walk back to the old city, through alleys with some great murals. I continue my way east, see a memorial for the war, where I find shelter for some heavy rain that doesn't last long. From here, I take a long walk to Malacca Island, to the floating mosque. Access is restricted to those who come for prayer, and a nearby alley that leads to a viewpoint is closed for non-residents. I walk on a sandy road around the buildings, manage to reach the shore, and walk the blocks and boulders where I see the sun set on the modern mosque. From here, I take a taxi straight to the bus station, only to find out that buses are fully booked for the next three hours. I end up taking a taxi, miss a train, take another taxi, and then make it to a train that eventually takes me back to the city with two more changes. It has been a long day with a lot of impressions.

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Melaka (Malaysia)

Melaka > Malaysia > Asia

[Visited: November 2023 and several times before]

Around the World in 80 Clicks