NAVA'S ZEN: Malacca (Malaysia) – Travel By Nava K (Part 2)

Day 1 was pretty much exciting and friendship sightseeing happily together (Malacca - Travel By Nava K Part 1). Day 2 on the other hand? Nonsense and really an irritating start. After breakfast (Philea Resort), I really can't tell you what got into the couple. They arguing and refusing to budge from Philea. My-God! These are the people I chose to travel with? The things you find out about your friends once you travel with them? Anyway, I was not keen in needling neither I cared less. I completely ignored them and after enquiring from the staff of Philea what can I do, I walked for like 10 minutes before arriving at Malacca Butterfly & Reptile Sanctuary. Entrance fees and paying for my camera as well, and into Malacca Butterfly & Reptile Sanctuary where you can easily spend at least half a day if you are not rushing.

Once you start walking in? The birds. They will make you so happy. In fact, they will even put a broad smile on your face. Riots of colors, various species and various sizes. Beautiful. All the way till you make your way to the next section. The Butterfly Sanctuary.

Butterfly Sanctuary. Another colorful paradise and prettiness in a nature setting and also those preserved butterflies in the like indoor museum.

What else will you see? The tamed and wild animals.

Plus, once you start walking through the mini jungle, plants, trees and fish in pond.

Really fruitful few hours of nature, I then grabbed a bite from one of the stalls and by the time I returned to Philea Resort, sun has gone down. Thereafter, for my spa treatement in Tanjung Wellness Spa. Disaster. My appointment forgotten and treatment was shitty as well. Wasted my money basically. Seriously, a whole heap of rubbish. As if I was at the mercy of the staff. What a shame.

Next morning seemingly the tide had turned. The couple were eager in accompanying me to Malacca Town. But they didn't care about sightseeing and while they sat somewhere, I got moving. A Formosa. The small gate known as Porta De Santiago and the only remaining part of A Formosa, measuring at 20 ft high with 8 ft thick walls, and one of the oldest surviving European architectural remains in Asia. Originally constructed by Alfonso de Albuquerque (who lead the Portuguese invasion on the Malacca Sultanate) and located downhill from St. Paul's Church, all you will see is the crumbling whitewashed gatehouse, but really significant and meaningful believe me.

Subsequently, I walked up to Melaka Sultanate Palace where I think I was the only Malaysian amongst all the Western tourists. Entrance fees paid, and? I made my way in. Melaka Sultanate Palace. A replica of the real Palace/Istana of Melaka Sultan Mansur Shah, Melaka Sultanate Palace which houses more than 1,300 exhibits ranging from artifacts, prints, photographs and drawings representing the history and cultural heritage of Malay Sultanate of Melaka. Also, the various communities who settled in Melaka during the 15th century. An interesting feature of Melaka Sultanate Palace is that no nails were used, instead built with only wooden pegs.

An hour almost in Malacca Sultanate Palace, I then existed and walked towards St Paul's Hill. Oh-god! I really couldn’t see where I was heading as I climbed the steep steps amongst the hundreds of people. Hurricane of people indeed. Eventually, despite struggling, I made it to the hill top that opened up to the admirable view of Malacca city and Straits of Melaka.

St Paul's Hill. Ruins of the 500 year old St Paul's Church. Built as a chapel by Portuguese Captain Duarte Coelho in 1521, and as a gratitude to Virgin Mary for saving his life during a storm at sea. Renamed as St. Paul's Church by the Dutch, chapel has since been turned into a burial ground and St Francis Xavier, a missionary who visited Malacca continuously, buried here in 1553 before his body was moved to Goa, India. His ancient tomb still remaining in the ruins whereas his statue with missing right arm is in front of the compound.