MangoVine
Adventures in East Asia

Entries in History

 03 December, 2009
Thursday The Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok
The Grand Palace was one of those landmark attractions that we had to see in Bangkok. Offering a taste of some gloriously traditional Thai design and architecture, its apparently one of the most photographed spots in the city.

Grand-Palace1

It houses the royal residence and throne halls as well as some government offices and the renowned Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Read more... 23 September, 2009
Wednesday Malacca Maritime Museum and Naval Museum
Located along Jalan Quayside, we couldn't miss the Maritime Museum contained in a replica of the Flor de la Mar, a Portuguese vessel that sank off the Malacca coast while trying to transport Malaysian treasures back to Europe.

Maritime-Museum-12

We popped into the Naval Museum first however, which is in a block next to the ship. We actually entered through a side gate not realising there was ticket booth and main entrance to consider!

Read more... 23 September, 2009
Wednesday Kite, Beauty and Peoples Museum in Malacca
On Jalan Kota, around the corner from the main square in Malacca, we passed a terracotta-coloured building which was emblazoned with titles on each floor, such as the "Museum of Enduring Beauty". We thought we'd drop in quickly for a look as it turned out the the block housed three museums - one on each floor - on the subjects of Kites, Beauty, and the People of Malaysia.

Peoples-Museum-4

There was an entrance fee but it wasn't very much, and we made straight for the second floor to see the kites. This rickshaw above was meant to be one that was used to break a Malaysian record for distance traveled.

Read more... 22 September, 2009
Tuesday A Famosa Ruins in Malacca
The A Famosa or "The Famous" in Portuguese, was a fortress located in Malacca. It's among the oldest surviving European architectural remains in Asia and the Porta de Santiago, a small gatehouse, is the only remaining part of the fortress still standing.

Afamosa-Close

The gatehouse was part of our little walking tour of Malacca and actually has more relevance and history that is at first apparent. Well, I guess that's the case with alot of ruins.

Read more... 22 September, 2009
Tuesday St Pauls Church Ruins in Malacca
The St Paul's Church ruins stand atop the Bukit St Paul and was worth climbing the short path up to for the fine views over Malacca. Originally built in 1521 by a Portugese captain, its history has seen ownership pass to the Dutch and British, gaining two storeys and a tower before falling to ruins over a century and a half ago.

St-Pauls

Visiting on a fine, sunny day, there were scores of people climbing up steps built into the hill, to look around before descending at a different point. We found ourselves exploring in and outside the church walls whilst a busker played and vendors sold tourist items on makeshift stalls in the shade.

Read more... Page 1 of 10   |   Older Posts >>