They could have got this name from the novel, Rip Van Winkle and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, by the 19th century American novelist, Washington Irving.

In the book, Dutch settlers in America gave this name to the sequestered valley where they lived. If Sleepy Hollow was meant to describe how quiet life in Malacca then was, it does not apply today as this ancient town has long awakened from its deep sleep and is modern and bustling, with many interesting places to visit.

Malacca is Malaysia's true history showcase. Ancient remnants dotting several areas in this town and outside it bear testimony to 130 years of Dutch rule following its conquest by the Portuguese seafarer Alphonso D'Albuquerque in 1511. Some of the Dutch invaders eventually married local women and settled down to start new lives. Today, Malacca still has a small community of Portuguese-Eurasians known as kristangs.

The Chinese also arrived in great numbers and integrated with the Malay community. Before long, they had intermarried with the Malays, and even those who did not, picked up Malay customs and language, and blended Chinese cuisine with Malay cooking. This new community is today known as Peranakans who are also called Straits Chinese.

Peranakan cooking has long taken Malaysia by storm. And this is partly why Malacca is such an interesting town - it is a blend of cultures old and new.

Almost every visitor to Malacca stops at the historical Stadthuys by the Malacca River. This 1650 edifice, painted in bright orange, used to be the Dutch governor's residence but is today part of the Malacca Historical Museum. Within walking distance of this monument are St Paul's Hill and the remains of the Dutch fortress, A'Famosa, which today is represented only by the fortress entrance and a single cannon.

Mention must be made here that almost every Singaporean who visits this area must also try the chendol (an iced Indian dessert with rice flour drops in coconut milk sweetened by gula Melaka) sold at a stall across the road from the Stadthuys. You can't miss it. Look out for a throng of people under a tree.

After your chendol, take a walk up St Paul's Hill which used to be the site of St Paul's Church where Portuguese Catholics congregated. Today, only the church walls remain as well as tombstones with Portuguese inscriptions. 

St Francis Xavier was buried here in 1533. His body was later taken to Goa in India to be reinterred. From the Stadthuys area, you can walk to the Maritime Museum which is in the form of a ship designed after the ill-fated Portuguese ship, the Flora De La Mar (Flower of the Sea) which sank off the coast of Malacca in the 17th century.

Leaving this area, you can take a taxi to the huge Chinese cemetery at Bukit China, if you are not queasy. A slow walk among the tombstones is truly a stroll into the past. It is said that this is the biggest Chinese cemetery outside China and has graves dating back to the Ming Dynasty which lasted from 1368 to 1644.

Malacca is a small town and moving about in a trishaw is quite an experience as these friendly and weatherbeaten riders all know the locations of historical monuments.

You might also want to take a taxi to the Portuguese settlement in Ujong Pasir about 3km from the town centre. This enclave has a mini-museum, souvenir shops, restaurants (try Curry Debel) and pubs. On Saturdays, the cheerful and fun-loving Portuguese Eurasians put up a traditional song and dance show. It is likely that they will sing the lively Jingling Nona, which has long been regarded as their community "anthem".

Jonker Street, an antique bazaar during the day, is transformed into a throbbing night clubbing magnet after sunset, especially towards the weekends.

Because the area is closed to motor traffic at 7pm, revellers drink, sing, and dance on the street making this area of bars and pubs pulsate with life. Food hawkers also set up shop nearby.

If you are not into night-clubbing but want a taste of local food, head for Bandar Hilir where rows of stalls line the broad street.

There are many other historical artefacts outside town such as Hang Tuah's Well and the 17th century Kampung Keling Mosque. Pick up a brochure from your hotel and hire a taxi for this jaunt. Just like Penang, taxi drivers here prefer to charge fares agreed between them and their passengers rather than use the meter as required by law. So some bargaining skills are needed here.

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maslian - Viva Melaka!     2009-02-07 00:30:44 i can never be more proud to be born malacccan Reply | Quote 0   0

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Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved.