Melaka is a town of amazing history that started around 1400 with the Malay Sultans. Around 1500 The Portugese took over, 1640 The Dutch came in and then around the late 1700’s the Brits took over. There was a short Japanese period during the war before Independence in 1957. 

The resulting mix of people, cultures, ethnic influences has created a really fascinating city that is full of little treasures that we just “fell upon” as we walked around.

The hotel was on the edge of Chinatown so it was perfectly placed. By day, temples, mosques and people doing their “stuff” and by night all lit up beautifully by red spot lights and, as Chinese New Year looms, lots of paper lanterns, of course, also in red.

The shoemaker, Raymond, is apparently the last shoemaker making handmade replica tiny shoes for women who have had their feet bound. The practice was outlawed around the early 1900’s but was done to show that the woman was from a very wealthy family and she didn’t need to walk or work. It practice was started by an Emperor who liked dainty “ballet” dancer feet. Raymond has a book of his customers including Jaques Chirac, ex French President, and Eddy Merx, ex Belgian cyclist.