Malacca

Cami and I had the chance to get away for 2 days and ride a luxury coach 3 hours up into Malaysia to see the UNESCO world heritage city Malacca.  It began as a port in the early 12th century, attracting the Indians, Chinese and Persians to trade, reaching its heyday in the 13th and 14thc.  Then the Portuguese decided to explore the area and go directly to the source of all the spice trading.  So they took Malacca by deceit.  They built forts and with mismanagement and brutality, destroyed a lot of the thriving trade that was happening there.  The Dutch then came and took over.  They were more humane and much better managers, building up the city and trade to be once again a thriving enterprise.  But soon after, they were starved out of power by the British.  The British had already discovered Singapore and started settling it at this point, so the main port and trade in Malacca was moved south and Malacca took its place in the history of European colonization.

Dutch buildings dating back to the 17thc.  Notice the elaborate rickshaws in the front.  They were over the top here in Malacca with speakers in the back, blasting music as they carried people around.  At night, they lit up with hundreds of tiny colored lights.

This is a year of transition for both of us so sadly this will be our last adventure for awhile at least.  Cami and I have had some fun adventures together and it has been nice to be able to call someone at the last minute to plan a get-away.

Picture taken inside the ruins of a 15th c. Portuguese chapel.  Those are tombs leaning against the walls all around the structure.

Up close picture of a tomb. It was interesting to see the medieval Portuguese.  There is a Portuguese district in Malacca where the descendants of the Portuguese still live and speak this version of Portuguese.

View of the governor's mansion from a doorway in the chapel.  There are so many layers of culture and history here and it is just fascinating to see them all next to each other

We took a boat cruise down the main channel. The buildings were turned into avenues of art.

This is me in front of the gateway of what used to be the fortress.  The Portuguese built the fortress and inside was the main city center at the time.  The Dutch used the fortress as well.  The British forced all the Dutch into the fortress and then starved them.  Afterwards, they blew up the thick walls but left the gateway in tact.

Cami has a penchant for taking lots of pictures of shophouses everywhere she goes in Southeast Asia.  This is one of the many she took.  These quaint houses line the streets of the Chinatown area of Malacca where you can see the blend of cultures in the architecture and the influence of the Europeans.

This is the oldest Buddhist temple in Malaysia.  It is 16thc I believe.  The Portuguese destroyed all the temples and mosques when they arrived in their attempt to force Christianity so none of the older ones exist.  The Dutch helped the locals rebuild their religious structures and allowed them to worship as they pleased.

These porcelain tiles were brought in from China to build the temple.  There is incredible detail all around the temple that you miss in the previous picture.