Melaka

Melaka, Melaka, Melaka... It's so beautiful.
After my little post office frustration I decided to head back to the guest house for a little de-steaming. Lunch and a little snooze. After my nap I decided to try again...No, not at the Post office, I've given that up as a bad joke, but sight seeing.
I headed into the town center to see what I could see. Just imagine a City that's full of colour and Trishaws (like a Rickshaw but a bicycle version) all decked out in flowers and lights, as well as stereos. The building are a mix of Dutch, Chinese, English and Portuguese architecture.
Well i headed for Dutch square...or town square and ended up on a hill top at St Paul's Hill where there are the ruins of St Paul's Church then down the hill to A'Famosa. That the only standing piece of the Dutch fort which was demolished by the English. I scooted over to the Proclamation of Independence memorial and over to the Sultanate Palace. Now this Place would blow your mind. It's 4 stories high and just as long and not one nail has been used to keep the place together. It's full of history and artifacts keep by the Sultan over a hundred years ago.
I was pretty chuffed with myself...I didn't get lost...and amazingly enough not even harassed.
So the next day I got up early and took off on a little adventure.
I visited the Villa Santosa which is a living museum located in Kampong Morten which is the only Melay village in the heart of Melaka. The lady who lives there and shows you around is the last of 13 children and I believe the house belonged to her father.
Then I took a long stroll back to the Chinese corner and checked out the renovation of a dutch shop house which is the general design of the Chinese area. When the Dutch ruled Melaka the officials built houses in this area to house the officials servants. These houses have a small frontage straight on to the road but a rather long. Usually two levels and have a court yard in the middle which is for light and ventilation as well as a well for drinking. This particular place was built in mid 1600's. So nice. I could have lived there.
Then down the lane to the Baba-Nyonya Heritage Museum which housed many beautiful tradition Chinese artifacts as well as went through day to day living and ceremony of the Baba-nyonya. These were the very rich and high class Chinese settlers in Melaka.
Stop for lunch then off to the People's museum. Stopped at the Internet cafe to chat to Tarn's and Dan then went a cafe for a treat. Well,i met some local men who were sloshed by 3.30 in the afternoon. They wanted me to join them and kept picking on me about riding a kangaroo to school.Bla Bla Bla.
I decided to leave before then forced me to drink Whiskey with a funnel.
I went out to St.John's Fort where the Portuguese held off sea invasions, until they surrendered the fort to the British.....Those bloody Brit's want everything!!!
I then went to the Chinese Cemetery and had a good look around. Many Chinese died during WW2 when the Japanese tried to take Malaysia. It was rather elaborate tho and I did some rubbings from some of the Chinese grave heads, with charcoal and wet paper.Thanks to Dan's suggestion. (sorry, this is a late correction...Tarnya's idea) I think they are pretty special.
So there you go. All that and not once did I have a little debacle or mishap. Things are looking up.
Today I'm in Johor Bahru just near the border of Singapore. I've decided to stay here and commute to Singapore each day on the bus because it's so much cheaper for accommodation here. It takes about an hour going thru customs and all but it's worth, on the hip pocket.
So I'll let you know how that works for me soon.
Be good.
Love Lizzy