WanderingSusan: MONDAY, 2/20: MUSEUMS IN MELAKA; FLY TO PENANG

Out of sequence: a bridal sedan chair

Chinese cart

Old bed

Selling various spices

Story of Cheng Ho (Zheng He)

And his grandfather

His expeditions

Ended up with a very full day! Our suitcases were packed and we had booked a taxi driver on Saturday who took us back to our temple, to come at 1:30 pm on Monday to take us to the airport. We went back to the cafe from the previous night (they said they opened at 8) to get a breakfast. When they opened the door, they said the kitchen wouldn't open for another 20 minutes!! Forget that! We started walking to town; no taxis passed us so we ended up doing the 1/2 hour (since it was still early and first museum didn't open until 9) walk. We found the riverwalk which was kind of scenic to the center of the Jonter Walk from the day before. We found a cafe that advertised an English breakfast. A pile of scrambled eggs, two hot dogs, a hashbrown patty, and a couple of pieces of toast later (I skipped most of it! Oh, forgot the baked beans - my ALL TIME HATE-IT food!) But Betty had her coffee and off we went to the Cheng Ho (Zheng He) museum.

English historian wrote a book to prove the Chinese discovered America, and many other places before Cook, Magellan, etc.

This guy was a pretty amazing Muslim eunuch sent out to explore by ship with hundreds of men. But not to conquer, fight.

Diorama of Melaka when he came.

In 1409 this guy published a map with much of the "undiscovered" world - did he meet the Chinese in Cairo?

Ming vases from Zheng He's time

Pretty amazing guy!

The museum was kind of cool - lots of statues of people of the period in action. I actually think I have a book at home (unread as yet) called 1421 about this!

Some tin animal-shaped coins

Chinese businessman selling his wares

Chinese medicines

Guide said pepper taken back to Europe could be sold for many times its cost.

When these "white bangladeshis" showed up (the Portuguese) around 1511, the locals were amazed!

A diorama of one of Zheng He's expeditions

Silk brocades were introduced.

All kinds of new spices were traded.

Tea, packed in cakes, was introduced.

After an hour, we headed down the street to Baba and Nyonya's mansion - a wealthy family from the turn of the century. They were called that because it was an intermarrying between Chinese and a Malay bride. There were three houses, side by side. The family donated this in 1985 but the decendants still come and use it once in awhile. The original furniture was there to see how wealthy Chinese rubber merchant lived. He had one son and wife - and 9 children. 4 are still living in their 80s.