Port Dickson and Melaka 7th-13th May 2016

The sun sets on Singapore , literally ,as we are crossing into Malaysian waters once again, even though we left the marina at 1006. Hmmm, been there done that, put in the not to be repeated basket.
Bye bye Singapore.

Next destination Port Dickson.

Nintey miles and all night later, we drop anchor at Palau Besar. A tiny island , but an anchorage, we can safely stop at.  Shade covers up - all of them, even the foredeck, shade cloth which hasn't had an airing yet. There is not  a breath of wind - its going to be a stinker.

Next morning we continue, motor sailing past Malacca, or Melaka as it is spelt here, arriving at Port Dickson eight and a half hours later.
We have passed through dozens of anchored ships on the way-total 'busmans'  holiday for me.

how close can we go?

I've seen white cargo vessels of my fathers era, white container vessels from my early career ,but this is my very first white tanker.

Top speed 10.2 knots under sail.  - ok so there was a wee bit of assistance from the current...perhaps, but K'Gari was flying!





Admiral Marina, Port Dickson, is a lovely quiet marina with friendly helpful staff, located about 20 minutes taxi ride from the town.

there we are hiding under the tent again!

a classic

Port Dickson itself, is about an hour and half drive from Kuala Lumpur, roughly a hundred kilometers, and about 55km from KLIA the international airport. It is also handily about 80km from Melaka.

So what is interesting about Melaka. Where to start in this UNESCO declared world heritage site?
Peter and Roz had been to Melaka  years ago and so recommended the place, they were happy to go back again. So we found a driver and he dropped us down and picked us up the following day.

early morning street - it must be its empty!

First the Stadthuys or town hall , this is now a museum which gives you a  great background to all the history of who had been trying to take Melaka from whom over the centuries. It started as a fishing village and finished as a vast trading port. It became  a Malay Sultanate,  Cheng Ho the great Chinese navigator was there, as it was by then a trading port, the Portuguese arrived and were subsequently overthrown by the Dutch. The British in turn arrived with  the ubiquitous East Indies company and ruled in one form or another until the end of World War Two (with a brief occupation of the Japanese during the war), when the federation of  Malaysia began in 1948. So history abounds.
The bit that interested me the most, was the time of Cheng Ho.
The old centre of the town has been heritage listed so cannot be destroyed, which is great news as far as I'm concerned. The oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia is found here, as well as Hindu temples, and Christ Church, the oldest functioning Protestant church in Malaysia.
A great time wandering around-thoroughly recommend a visit and if you are interested read, 1421 The year  China discovered the World, and make your own mind up as to its veracity.

Found it!

An interesting read! But possibly to only 50% of the population.

diorama of Cheng Ho's fleet setting forth

For all the non believers and those who cant see the bunny moon-its not just me its real-read about it here!

Another brilliant thing about Melaka, although not exactly historical, is Calanthe Art Cafe- great coffee from all over Malaysia, excellent food and a really intriguingly interesting eclectic collection of decorative pieces  to look at .

and this is here just because it amused me

exactly what one expects to find in Melaka