I was not too impressed with Melaka (Malacca) for my first few days here. The people were friendly and the guesthouse I was staying in was fine. But when I walked the area I was living in, I found the unrelenting traffic to be most unfriendly to pedestrians and the drains smelled horrible.
One day I took a long walk. The traffic situation is bad in much of Melaka. Many of the streets are very narrow. The traffic backs up and the fumes are thick.
Just taking my time, choosing my course intuitively, I found myself near a sign that read 'Jonkers Walk'. I had read that this was one of the tourist attractions with many antique shops. I usually avoid tourist attractions but as I was there I decided to walk the Walk. It led me through narrow lanes of old Chinatown. Not a fabricated Chinatown like we have in many cities but a genuine Chinese area with buildings that have changed little over the past few hundred years.
The traffic was no hassle. A cleverly designed arrangement of one way streets - you can enter a street from either end but must turn about half way along - means few vehicles use these streets as a short cut. There is little if any pavement. Pedestrians walk along the road and except for a couple of through roads there is little traffic to contend with.
There are not only antique shops. There are shops with both Malaysian and Indonesian souvenirs and many artists and crafts people live, work and sell their wares in this area. As I was walking along one laneway, appreciating the peacefulness I thought I could be happy to live here for a while. A few more steps and as if to answer my request, there was Sama Sama Guesthouse. I moved in the next day.
Lion guarding the entrance to Sama Sama Guesthouse.
Jalan Tokong (Jalan is Malay for street.) The tower which resembles a pagoda in the background is the minaret of Kampong Kling Mosque which was completed in 1748. The style of the mosque is Sumatran but includes English, Chinese, Portuguese, Roman and Moorish influences.
Lit up for Chinese New Year, the headquarters of the Association of Hokkien People.
The narrow streets of Chinatown are shared between pedestrians and vehicles.
But this one is a busy through road. Step out of a shop or house and you could find yourself in the path of the traffic.
Left column from top
Sama-Sama Guesthouse, with proprietor, Soon.
In Jalan Tokong, a stage from which opera was once performed.
Cheng Hoon Teng, built in 1704, is the oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia.
Almost opposite Sama Sama is Tua Pek Kong Taoist temple, here with Chinese New Year lights.
Artists & craftspeople of Melaka.
copyright © John Shield 2003 and 2004