Date: 29 Nov 08 Saturday
13:30 PM
We left uncle’s house and decided to drive down to Melaka Town. Visiting Melaka is incomplete without going to the historical site of Melaka.
Ohh, one of the famous chicken rice stall – Famosa Chicken Rice Ball.
Tan Kim Hock
Haha, the products can also be bought in Singapore’s Giant Supermarket.
Police truck / van (whatever it is)
14:20 PM
Arrival. We parked at one of the public carparks and bought the local parking coupons.
The parking coupon is very different from Singapore’s.
Scratch to indicate the date and time.
14:25 PM
Let’s start our tour!
The Stadthuys, also known as Dutch Square, was built in 1650 and once a centre of the Dutch administration in Melaka. It used to be white in colour but was later painted red to match the other surrounding buildings.
Today, this building is used to house the Museum of History and Ethnography. Traditional costumes and Melaka’s artifacts are displayed in this museum.
Old Fire Engine Truck
This fire engine truck started service in 1939. It was brought over to Singapore in 1942 but was transferred back to Melaka by the Japanese. It ended its service in 1974.
Make: Dennis Turbeni, England
Year of acquisition: 1939
Year of manufacture: 1937
Engine number: 80115
Registration number: M 756
Power: 2480 cc
Weight: 6 ton
Our Copen became an attraction to the locals.
14:30 PM
St Paul’s Hill
Walking up a well-constructed stairway to reach the peak of St. Paul’s Hill.
This is St. Paul’s Church, built in 1521.
The statue of St. Francis Xavier.
The view from the top of St. Paul’s Hill is breathtaking.
Melaka Tower
The Eye of Melaka
Maritime Museum
All 3 together… Beautiful scenery.
Wow! Wishing well!
Ha, it is a water reservoir… full of…..
RUBBISH! It’s dark and deep down there.
14:50 PM
Stalls set up in the shade.
Disgusting-looking rubber frogs
One of the significant landmarks found at Stadthuys is Melaka Clock Tower. It was constructed in 1886, about 200 years later after The Stadthuys was built.
The clock is still working well.
Just beside the Melaka Clock Tower is the Queen Victoria’s Fountain. It is green in colour and made of English marble. It is said to be very popular with tourists as well as birds.
The Queen Victoria’s Fountain was built in 1904 by the British to commemorate Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee.
Greens and flowers around the area.
Windmill
JR looked happy!
Saw this right beside the Queen Victoria’s Fountain. Photo-taking sessions with exotic pets like the big pythons and iguana is available at a certain price.
Christ Church
The Christ Church building is located just beside The Stadthuys. This place of worship was built by the Dutch, with the ceiling beams constructed with joints. Interesting…
A beautifully decorated trishaw.
There are many of these trishaws lining up along the road.
15:00 PM
Time to go!
Along the way to our next destination:
Up closer to the Maritime Museum.
The Maritime Museum was officially opened in 1994. It is a life-sized replica of the Portuguese galleon Flor De Lar Mar, which sank in the Melaka Harbour in the 16th century. In this museum are historical archives including exhibits of ships. I went there with my father when it just opened. Maybe I was too young and wasn’t into history at that time hence, couldn’t understand the historical facts of Melaka’s maritime.
Royal Malaysian Navy Museum
The Royal Malaysia Navy Museum was relocated from Perak to its present site on 28 Oct 1995. It archives all the exhibits which include pictures of Royal Navy awards, weaponry, uniforms, etc..
We didn’t plan to shop around the shopping centres this time round to Melaka. We were searching for something new & different.
Pahlawan Melaka Megamall
One of the newer shopping complexes in Melaka. We didn’t stop by since we had visited it 2 years ago.
On the opposite is Mahkota Parade Shopping Centre. My favourite shopping place when I’m in Secondary school.