Melaka New Chinatown

Melaka New Chinatown
Kee Ann Road

Sunday, December 31, 2017

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018

2018 has come in.
Our best wishes for 2018.
It is about time we expand our heritage area to cover Jalan Bunga Raya, Jalan Kee Ann and Jalan Munshi Abdullah.
Bandar Hilir, Jonker and Heeren streets have become too conjested.
With the opening of Melaka Monorail and Melaka river cruises, pick up and drop off points can be done.
Why not have stops at the Shore, Vedro by the river, Bandar Kaba before the final stop at the river mouth.
Passengers can drop off at various points.

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018

We want to wish all Christians around the world a Very Merry Christmas.

Next week, we will usher the New Year 2018.

We want to send our best wishes and greetings to everyone to join in the New Year 2018.

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

NICE ICED CHOCOLATE DRINK AT Q KAFFA AT DISCOVERY CAFE

I came down to Malacca to check on renovation works at our parents' shop house today.

Discovery Cafe @ Jalan Bunga Raya.

After taking my dinner at Discovery Cafe, Jalan Bunga Raya,  I tried an iced chocolate drink served by Q Kaffa which is quite nice.

Strong chocolate flavour.

Q Kaffa Speciality Coffee/Tea stall

The Q Kaffa is operated by two young entrepreneurs.

If you are in Malacca, do come and check out the iced chocolate drink.

Sunday, June 18, 2017

IBIS MELAKA OPENS AT JALAN BENDAHARA

New kid on the block, Ibis Melaka has opened at Jalan Bendahara. Ibis Hotels is an international chain by Accor.




Thursday, June 8, 2017

TOURISTS ARRIVAL SURGES

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 2017

TOURISTS ARRIVAL RISES

MALACCA: The total number of tourists visiting Malacca rose to 5.38 million in the first four months of this year as compared to 4.77 million for the same period last year, said State Tourism, River, Beaches and Islands Development Committee deputy chairman Datuk Ghazale Muhamad.
He said the increase of 12.7% was very a big push for Malacca which was targeting 16.75 million tourists this year with domestic tourists being the largest contributor with 3.69 million as compared to 1.69 million foreign tourists in the first four months of this year. 
"On May 19, Malacca was listed in fifth spot in 'The World's Trendiest Holiday Destinations' in a report of The British Post which opens a new dimension for tourists to continue choosing Malacca as the best holiday destination in the world," he told reporters here today.
Earlier, he had officiated an Empowering Seminar and Hari Raya Contribution Presentation for 309 trishaw riders registered with Malacca Historic City Council as a trishaw ride is among the main tourist attractions in the state.
Also present were Tourism Promotion Division general manager Norena Jaafar and Tourism and Culture Ministry director for Malacca, Jeffri Munir.
Ghazale said the five main sources of foreign tourists were China with 30.45%, Singapore (20.78%), Indonesia (12.99%), Taiwan (3.86%), and Japan (2.96%). 
He said Selangor contributed the largest number of domestic tourists with 518,265 or 15.34%.
Therefore, he said all parties involved in the Malacca tourism industry need to promote cooperation to boost the development of the industry and attract more tourists to the state.
Meanwhile, Ghazale said last year, the state government received 12 complaints involving the misconduct of trishaw riders. 
"From the total, seven involved trishaw riders going against the traffic flow and four for unreasonable charges and the remaining number involved verbal sexual harassment.
"In this regard, they were called and given warning not to repeat the offences as they are the industry's frontliners and it is the responsibility of all to protect the image and to raise the prestige of the state tourism industry," he said. — Bernama

Sunday, May 21, 2017

HISTORY OF JALAN BUNGA RAYA

Monday, 22 May 2017

A place with over 500 years of history

image: http://www.thestar.com.my/~/media/online/2017/05/21/20/38/metd_2205_9aamela_sd_5.ashx/?w=620&h=413&crop=1&hash=B025D317947BE11731F061A3F0D233110366568A
When the first traffic lights were introduced in Melaka in the second half of last century, at the intersection of Bunga Raya and Newcome Roads, people from outlying areas would congregate there just to watch the lights change.
When the first traffic lights were introduced in Melaka in the second half of last century, at the intersection of Bunga Raya and Newcome Roads, people from outlying areas would congregate there just to watch the lights change.
 
SQUALOR. Gambling. Opium. Prostitution. All these made up the vices along Jalan Bunga Raya, Melaka, in its history until the 1970s.
If you stand at one end of Jalan Bunga Raya, with Discovery Cafe on your left and Taj Grand Hotel on your right, this is where wealthy Chinese merchants used to live.
A lot of the two-storey colonial buildings still maintain the original architecture, with the iconic big windows and wooden shutters.
These old-style houses comprise shops on the ground floor and residence upstairs.
“During Chinese New Year, I used to hang out with my classmates on the balcony and we would throw live fire crackers down to the road.
“It was fun and no one took offence. But that was then,” reminisced heritage enthusiast Colin Goh, a sprightly Melaka-born in his 70s.
The Bunga Raya area was a domain for fishermen and it was populated by Javanese people during the Sultanate period at the turn of the 14th century. During the Portuguese era, it mainly comprised orchards and coconut groves.
After the Dutch drove the Portuguese out of Melaka in 1641, they started kilns for making clay bricks and lime plaster in this suburb.
Today, as you walk along Jalan Bunga Raya, you can see some of the dark orange bricks from the etched out laterite stone walls, a symbol of the Dutch-Portuguese era and more importantly, how old the structures and materials are.
Towards the last quarter of the 19th century, Jalan Bunga Raya changed slowly. Melaka as a whole emerged from its slow-paced life.
Its tourism draw has lessened when compared to other places such as Penang and Singapore.
“With the advent of the rubber industry, things began to look better. Bunga Raya saw urban renewal,” said Goh.
Before we proceeded further down memory lane, Goh introduced me to one of his favourite (and many Melaka-born people) shops – Tai Chong Ice Cafe for some Sweet Corn Ice with Milk. As it was a stifling hot day, a bowl of this was a respite.
“As far as I know, people returning to Melaka make their pilgrimage to this shop for local desserts. It’s a sentimental thing,” he said. Ice cream and ice desserts here cost no more than RM4.
“Tai Chong is a well-known name in the area for the ice cafe as well as baking goods shop and stationery shop. There are many wall columns embossed with Chinese calligraphy and dates like ‘1911’, probably symbols of ownership from the wealthy businessmen.
“These Chinese gentlemen became wealthy from rubber trades. They helped the city prosper through philanthropy. One of them was Tan Kim Seng who had a bridge named after him near Jalan Bunga Raya.
“Melaka did not receive much funding for developments from the British government then. There were hardly any development compared to George Town and Singapore,” said Goh.
The British occupied Melaka from 1795 to 1818 and from 1824 until the country celebrated its independence in 1957.
“You can also see that the rows of houses, built during the British period, have narrow walkways that serve as ‘fire break lanes’.
The part of Jalan Bunga Raya that was notorious for vice was Jalan Java (Kampung Java).
“Today, it is fashionable (for tourists) to stay here. But in its earlier days, it was seedy with gambling, opium trade and prostitution,” Goh said.
The whole street is somewhat charming, as we passed by Sin Hiap Hin liquor shop, which is more than 80 years old.
There was also a story circulating that some of the Japanese who resided in Jalan Bunga Raya in the 1930s were spies.
Some locals believe they came to Melaka on the pretext of securing jobs as dentists and photographers, when in fact they were spies for the Japanese government.
“During the Emergency, Europeans patronised the famous Asia Hotel along this road which was known for its opium dens and prostitution,” said one local who did not want to be named.
There are plenty of stories about the heyday of Jalan Bunga Raya and you are bound to find someone from here to regale you further.

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/focus/2017/05/22/a-place-with-over-500-years-of-history-melakas-jalan-bunga-raya-has-seen-the-rise-and-fall-of-severa/#lybWKzfCrczrF61m.99

Friday, April 14, 2017

OLD CENTRAL MARKET WITH NEW VEDRO BY THE RIVER

This photo shows the Malacca Central market from 1932 to 1985 which was demolished. If it was not demolished, it will still stand.

The new Vedro by the River is being completed. To be opened in 2017.

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Saturday, March 4, 2017

MALACCA WATER TAXIS COMING SOON


The Melaka Water Taxi


Malacca water taxis will soon be introduced by mid year once the upgrading works to Melaka Sentral is completed.

The taxis will ply from Melaka Sentral to the Melaka river cruise terminal at Jalan Kota. 5 terminal stop s are expected.

I am looking forward to this service but the fares must be reasonable eg RM 1.00 for 1 stop or max RM 5.00 one way for 5 stops.

A daily ticket pass at say RM 10.00 per day unlimited stops can encourage usage by locals and tourists alike.

Let us make the Melaka river comes alive again.

Monday, January 30, 2017

VEDROMALL NOW IN PAINTING MODE

VEDROMALL by the River

While I was in MALACCA for celebrating Chinese New Year, I walked passed the VEDROMALL besides Melaka River.

It should open for business by mid 2017.

Painting of VEDROMALL

VEDROMALL besides the Melaka River

Resident iguana at Melaka River