Day 10 - Monday 16 January 2017

Bonus tour........While I managed to get some reasonable sleep the last couple of nights, I’m still itching from the bites I received on Tioman. At least this morning I’m pretty sure there are no additional bites. We go for breakfast late, closer to 10am but my blog is up to date. I was surprised yesterday to find most of the historic sites within easy walk of the hotel. In fact all the major sites were covered and that leaves some of the less well-known sites for today. Understandably it’s a late start. As we set off I’m not that enthusiastic about spending another hard day in the heat but I’ve suffered a lot worse. I let Katoon take the lead. She seems to be more enthusiastic but I regard anything we find today as a bonus.

Hang Li Poes Well........Google Map. Heading east Katoon is looking for Sam Po Keng Temple marked on her map. To me, unless there is something historic about it, it won’t fit into coverage of Malacca sites. As expected there’s nothing of interest at this temple but right next door their certainly is. Hang Li Poes Well (King’s Well) has a long history. Hang Li Po was the wife of Sultan Mansur Syah (1458-1477). The Sultan had the well dug for the exclusive use of his Chinese wife. It was said that the well never dried up even during droughts and became associated with having mystical powers. When the Portuguese attacked in 1511, the well was poisoned by Johor warriors and killed the invaders who drank from it. The Dutch did the same when they attacked in 1606 and later the Acehnese between 1628 and 1629. When the Dutch took control of Malacca they realised the importance of the well and built a wall around it supported by cannon and a guardhouse. After the British took control, the well fell into disuse.

Kampung Kling Mosque........Google Map. From this area we retrace our steps back to the river. There are a number of sites west of the river that are listed but will they add anything significant to the tour? We follow the river north and cross a bridge. The next location on the heritage trail is Kampung Kling Mosque. This mosque was built in 1748. Its architectural design is Sumatran with strong Hindu influence with a minaret resembling a pagoda. Here there is some evidence of Portuguese and Victorian décor, while there are Chinese carvings and Moorish ironwork: Quite a mixture for architects to unravel....more.
Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple........Nearby is the Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple, the oldest Hindu temple in Malaysia and one of the oldest functioning Hindu temples in Maritime Southeast Asia. The temple is one of the few existing Chitty temples in Malaysia. It was built by Thavinayagar Chitty, the leader of the Chitty people in 1781 after the Dutch colonial government of Malacca gave him a plot of land. The temple is dedicated to Vinayagar or Ganesha, the elephant deity....more.
Hang Jabat’s Tomb........Google Map.Again the next location is on the heritage map for a reason. Hang Jabat was the closest companion of the legendary Malaccan hero Hang Tuah. Regarded in Malaysia as one of the greatest silat (a form of martial art) exponents in history, he is well known for his vengeful rebellion against the Malacca Sultan whom he served. He can also be regarded as an early Malay anarchist following his rebellion against the ruler. Hang Jabat’s death was the result of a violent battle with Hang Tuah, a sort of clash between brothers in arms. Hang Tuah who himself had been sentenced to death by the Sultan, causing Hang Jabat's anger, received a pardon but in return was ordered to kill his friend after his rebellion against the Sultan. This is a story of legend to Malays of a time before European occupation, 15th century....more.

Cheng Hoon Teng Temple........Google Map. Still in the old city, Cheng Hoon Teng Temple (Green Clouds Temple) is located in Jalan Tokong. It was built in 1673 and is the oldest functioning temple in Malaysia. Dedicated to Kwan Yin (Goddess of Mercy), it is devoted equally to three doctrines, Taoism, Confucianism and Chinese Buddhism.
In 2002 it was granted an award of merit by UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage for culture heritage conservation. The award reads, ‘The restoration of the 17th century temple, the oldest edifice of formal worship for the Chinese immigrant community of Malaysia and Singapore, demonstrates high standards of technical execution and sets a worthy precedent for other conservation work in Malaysia and the region.......' ....more.

Tour complete........As expected there is little I can add to the colonial history of Malacca today; just the interesting story of the King’s Well. However, as I’ve discovered, you cannot isolate the colonial period or the activity of non-Europeans in that period from the story of Malacca. At the end of a short session I finally relent and try a bowl of noodles. At least it is soft on the budget. It’s now back to the room for a siesta.
By 5pm Katoon has itchy feet again and it’s back to trudging around the old city. One thing I do learn is that the Jonker Street hawker activity only takes place from Friday to Sunday, which explains why it’s quiet today. When we find ourselves covering the same old ground and I’m feeling I’ve done enough walking it’s time for dinner. Venturing out of the old town briefly I’m pleased to see a MacDonald’s and that will do very nicely for today and to be honest there’s not much more I can add to this tour. Tomorrow is another day of travel. Next Page.