A New Melaka, or An Outdated Me?

The Historical Theme Park

There are a tonnes of changes in Melaka recently which I don't actually realized until I tour Micheal, Andy and Abang (my Sarawakian friends) around. I am not much like a tourist too I think when I marveled trough the sea of tourists which flooded the entire Stadthuys, Clock Tower, Chirst Church, and Jonker Street. I have to agree with what Andy said, Banda Hilir is like a histocrical theme park! Since all the historical monuments and tourist attractions like the Menara Taming Sari, Boat-ride, etc is confined within one small region, even the shopping malls for the locals are in the same region, and I am proud to announce that my formal secondary school St.Francis Institution, is just right in the middle! Well I'll roughly introduce a few new places worth to visit.

Near the clock tower. Really flooded by tourists.

Jonker street.

Out door bar at Jonker.

Tourists grabbing goods as if they are free at "San Shu Gong",
a shop that sells local delicacies at Jonker.

The newly built Dataran Sungai Melaka (next to QuaySide) has probably turned out to be one of the most attractive site, and I rate it as "unique" because it had successfully transforms the smelly and polluted Sungai Melaka into a scenic yard with picturesque scenery especially during sunset, but still it is smelly as ever. By the way Andy rate is as "romantic". The Kincir Air replica, the rebuilt forts and the beautiful lamp posts that torched alongside the river further enhance the scene. In addition, there is a Boat Ride to tour around the smelly Sungai Melaka, with fancy boats and a narrator to explain about the river. Too sad we don't get to ride as it rained heavily.

Night view at Sungai Melaka. The river cruise could be seen at the back.
At the far end is the Eye of Malaysia.

Andy at the side of river.

The Maritime Museum in the replica of a Portuguese ship.

A few steps from the Dataran River take you to the rows of museums. There are at least 8 to 10 museums in a row. Among those Tortura (next to gate of A'Famosa) is the 1 that stands out. It is a temporary museum (until February) that exhibits medieval instruments of torturing and killing people. The entrance is kinda creepy like the Ghost House in Genting, coupled with medieval choir as ambient musics. RM10 per entrance but worthy and I rate it as "informatively traumatic" as you'll be perfectly stunned with the cruelty and demonic acts of the past human and sigh for the agony suffered by those victims. Micheal rate it as "spiritual and possessed", as for those exhibits might be real. Often we would tend to contemplate on our own fate after watching those, on how lucky are we to be born in the modern society, despite the painful fact that some legal authority still practice the act of torturing secretly.

The entrance to Tortura. Looks creepy.

Osim message chair? No way its a chair with thousand spikes.

The Human Saw. The Victims are hung upside-down, with their leg spread apart, then 2 executors would hold each end of the saw and cut the victim into 2 slowly. In great agony, victim would slowly die when the saw reach the lung.

Andy, Micheal and Abang are just too lucky to choose the right date out to visit Melaka. Not only the weather is nice, but exaclty on the 26th - 28th there is a Cultural Art and Performance being carried out on a few spots in Banda Hilir, the so called "theme park". It was my first time to see such a weird performance also. There is a sound system playing music, and a performer soloing some artistic dance. Perhaps it is too abstract for us to understand. The performer shout, scream, do funny faces, etc. Some act which I recognized as "mad". By the way it do attracts crowds of people to watch.

Spider man? An art performer from the Austrailia.

"Melaka! Melakaaa!!! my Me....lakahhhh!" He is trying to express something but we don't underdstand.
Looks like he is proposing to the fort.

Another performer from Sumatera.
He is pouring flour on himself.

Next I bring them hike up the famous St.Paul Hills - the place where you could see the entire Banda Hilir. The ruins of St. Paul Church are there too. From the hill then you could really evaluate how much Banda Hilir is like "theme park". Musics are anywhere, probably played by the trishaws' loud speaker. Groups of tourists, thousands of them, and streams of beautifully decorated trashaws filled the entire city. There you could see the Eye of Malaysia (a huge Ferry's Wheel) and the soaring high Menara Taming Sari, a revolving tower, sort of a mini KL tower. I bring them to have a ride in the tower and they queued up terribly long.Abang and Micheal at the staircase up to St.Paul Hill.
Really a tired day after walking for the whole day.

A view from the Hill with tourists queueing up to reach the hill.
A hotel is in construction at the far end.

The Menara Taming Sari as seen from the hill.
It takes the shape of the Keris of Taming Sari and therefore its name.

During late night there is still some places of interest - The Jetty, just behind Mahkota Parrade. Well I would not say it is a tourist attraction, but somehow it is unique and attracts many night-life people. It is a 400m long building extending to the sea. There are K-box as many as 60 rooms, Pool games and snookers, Cyber Cafe, restaurants, etc all above the sea. At the end it is the floating cafe and K-box, where you can sing, and have meals in the open air and open sea. There is a night club and dance club too at the beginning. Andy and Micheal rate it as "heavenly entertaining" since everything is available within 1 place while Abang rate it as "unique and beautiful"

Eye of Malaysia as seen from The Jetty. Beautifully illuminated.

Craziest Jam

Imagine this situation: It had been 20 minutes yet you barely drove a few meters away. Certainly for some hot-tempered person this would be a nerve-stretching process but what can you do? It is helpless. Even pedestrians on their foot are much faster, they walk pass your car swiftly with great ease. This certainly prompt you to abandon your vehicle to join the stream of pedestrians, or maybe bang them hard with your car to release some tension? Well, it took me some 30 minuted to reach Mahkota Parade from QuaySide, which translates to around 500 meters. Its tedious for the jam alone, and the monstrous nightmare complements the jam perfectly when it comes to parking. All the slots are fully occupied and there is no way for you to park your vehicle. And thanks to the road next to new Newton being sealed off (for some pasar malam thingy), I have to take another 30 minutes joining the almost static traffic just to turn around Mahkota Parade to reach the parking near the Jetty. What a "long" journey!!!