Melaka, visit with Abdou and Bilel

As I said previously we are now visiting the city of Melaka. Yesterday I planned to visit this museum (Sultanate Palace Museum) but I went out too late and it was closed. Finally, because I’m staying here one more night and Abdou and Bilel want me to be their guide for the day. Well, I visited only few places until now and I don’t know if there is much more. There is a lot of museums but not all of them are interesting from what I’ve heard. At the end of the day, we got nearly to the same places that I visited yesterday except the submarine which is too far by walk.

The view from the museum. Actually this is a replica. The real one doesn’t exit anymore as it has been burnt down a decades ago. They rebuilt it from books, and notes the ancestors left behind.

 Taking pictures from the inside, especially with a phone, (I did not take ma camera today), is not an easy task. The museum retrace the history of the people here, when Sultan use to run the country (or at least the Melaka area). Some of them did not really bother about the population and relied only on their “workers” in the palace to get the informations without taking the time to make their own research. They preferred enjoy the time eating and talking.

Another point of view from inside.

The garden view.

Same but different :-)

Bilel lost in the garden haha.

Last view at the Palace. Oh I forgot the information : The original construction was built without any nail or sort of. I’m wondering which technique they used then.

I was here yesterday but did not climb the hill that’s behind us. The A Famosa (the Portuguese door) is visible from the back. There is a church on the summit. I think this is why I did not go there :-)

We are still climbing, well walking upstairs.

The St Paul’s

church. Firstly, the Portuguese came over Malacca in 1521 and built a simple chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In 1641 the Dutch took the place and built a tower for defence purpose next to it. Finally the British arrived in 1824 and used the church as a powder magazine and did not care about the building which was deteriorating.

The view of Melaka city centre from the top.

I think that’s an other museum.

The view on the other side of the hill.

Back to the Red place.

They almost finished the roundabout. Those workers are quick. Maybe if I stay another day I will see the finalisation :-)

That was the second visit of Melaka :-)

Tonight, we met a vietnamese guy and two Japanese. Bilel who is quite existed about this trip convinced everyone to stay another night. Well, I’ve spent so much time here already. But on the other side, I know I have 3 months in Malaysia. It should be fine if I stay one more day. Tomorrow they will rent bicycles and we will do the third visit of Malacca. I don’t know where to go now. This city is not that big for tourist and a part that red city centre there is not much to see. We will see that tomorrow :-)