Thursday, November 5, 2009

Melaka

After some time in Kuala Lumpur's city metropolis, Ben and I decided it was time for a change of scene. Melaka is a quaint and sleepy little fishing city....well I would call it a town. It's small, very friendly, welcoming and laid back. For my southern folk, it has the feel of Charleston...probably because of the whole thing about it being a port town thing. However, the influence of architecture in this city is anything but Charleston. This place has been settled by the Portuguese, the Chinese AND the Dutch (and maybe the British also at some point but I can't quite remember....you can google it if you are that curious). It's the oldest city in Malaysia.

The following pictures are in completely random order.

A history museum built built into a ship, right alongside the river.

A cool shot outside a church that's been in existence since the 1500's.

A shot walking up to the church. It's such a beautiful area!

St. Paul's - a church almost half a century old!

The boardwalk - note the ferris wheel in the back! The "Melaka Eye" perhaps?

Where we stayed - The Aldy Hotel - a historical place. It felt very European and yet tropical all at the same time!

Inside the ship museum. Just posing on the steps....I felt very uh....Kate-Winslet-in-Titanic-like :)

We took a bicycle rickshaw ride...haha they really deck them out with sound systems, lights...stuffed monkeys...it's good, clean fun!

I met a former SK teacher! We had lots to share about teaching in SK. At that point (in June), she had been traveling SE Asia for 10 months!

No, it wasn't full of pictures of me as you might think a Museum of Enduring Beauty would be....no actually it was a Museum dedicated to "beauty" that takes serious endurance, such as tribal piercing and tattoos and foot-binding and such. I personally wouldn't call these things beautiful but to each his or her own I suppose...


Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Kuala Lumpur...my last chapter

Just sharing a few more pictures from Kuala Lumpur....then it's on to Melaka!


This is an example of the architecture you find in Kuala Lumpur. I don't remember exactly what building this was....I think a government building of some kind!

This proves that Chinatown looks the same no matter what country you are in :)

A picture of the Petronas Towers from atop the KL Tower

Prayer rooms are quite commonplace. This is a shot of one in the airport waiting room. Notice this one is just for females....there is a separate one for males.

I had lots of interaction with animals on this trip. From the aviary to this small petting zoo....I asked to hold the snake but the crazy looking reptile in my left hand I did not ask for....I don't remember what it is. Perhaps someone knows by looking at it? If you do, post a comment with the name!