I’m sure you can tell the answer from the title of this post. We were in Melaka a couple of weeks ago. Poey Chin and I decided we needed to take a holiday just to take a break from our daily routine, and decided to make a second trip to Melaka.

The last time we were here, I had a gum infection and could not do anything except sleep and lie down on the bed in pain.

Today’s post will show photos from A-Famosa and the Melaka Sultanate Palace located just next door. After you climb up the small hill (it was quite tiring carrying baby Rachel) we arrived at a burnt church building that was shaded by tall trees.

Some closeups of those stones…

I have no idea why the jolly roger (pirate symbol) was sculpted on the stones. Perhaps it had a different meaning in the past.

Some text sculpted in Portugese.

Looking through a window, you can see the stone slabs against the wall. There was a street busker sitting inside singing and playing his guitar.

This is a closeup of the church wall. You can see the bricks have eroded or maybe blasted with explosives.

Poey Chin and Rachel standing under an arch. Behind them was a well of some sort, but looked like a dungeon to me. There were a lot of coins inside from many different currencies. I wish I brought a magnet.

Only the walls are left standing.

This is a watch tower that is located next to the church. This tower was used to watch out for enemies. I think. I was too busy snapping photos and didn’t have time to read the description.

A statue of St Francis. For some reason the status does not have a right hand.

The Portugese soldiers probably looked out this window on top of the tower toward the sea. Nowadays all you can see are shopping malls.

Rachel had no idea what we were doing there.

Next we went to a museum next door that was built to replicate the palace of the Melaka sultan. The special thing about the place was it didn’t use a single nail.

I spent most of the time enjoying the air conditioning, looking at the Malay costumes, reading stories about the Melaka Sultanate and viewing some of the Malay weapons. I was also trying hard to look for nails. I didn’t find any.

Baby Rachel posing. She was a very good girl that day. Didn’t make a fuss even though it was so hot.

Outside the building was a replica of the garden where the Melaka sultan’s daughters would play. In the background you can see the hotel we stayed at.

My two darlings. Reminds me of our outdoor wedding photo shoot.

There was a water fountain in the garden and I spent a few minutes taking photos of the water.

Stay tuned for more photos from our holiday. Next I will write about the food we had!

Drama continues to unfold in the silver pond of Perak.

So many frogs are jumping here and there, and so many rumours of frogs just waiting to jump.

Some support the frogs, some are against the frogs, some became anti-frogs.

A lot of unseen things are happening under the water. I don’t know if there are really things going on, or if they are just conspiracy theories.

There are even rumours of frog activity in other ponds like Negeri Sembilan.

I do find this entire episode quite amusing.

If you asked me last year what I thought of this, I would have been upset about the unfairness of it all. But wasn’t I also hoping the same would happen (but the frogs jumping the opposite direction)?

Now, to me it’s just politics. Both sides are doing their ‘job’ so to speak. If doctors cure patients, engineers build and teachers teach, then politicians will politic.

I’m not going to publish my opinions on the legality or ethics of frog jumping. Other bloggers more eloquent than me will be able to give you a better read.

Anyway, the Sultan of Perak will decide today if the dark blue frogs or the red/light blue/green frogs will be the masters of the pond.

I just trust that whatever the outcome, nothing happens without God’s approval.

Photo By: Sisi Fili

God, please help this country.

I feel like I’m trapped on a plane that has lost all control. Most terrifying of all, this plane seems to be plunging toward the ground.

And yet people are fighting among themselves for the controls.

The captain is still trying to fly the plane and only letting the co-pilot take over when the plane is 2 minutes from crashing.

There is a passenger on board who used to be a fighter pilot, but the crew is trying to throw him out of the plane, and throwing all sorts of allegations against him.

Should I blame myself? After all, if I want a better country I should first start to make sure I better myself first right?

We are scheduled to celebrate Merdeka Day (Independence Day) in two days, but I don’t see anyone celebrating.

Last year, we did not have any mood to celebrate at all. This year it’s even worse. Normally by this time you would see cars and bikes flying the national flag.

I won’t be in any mood to celebrate anything this August 31st.

Does this mean I love Malaysia any less? No. This just means that I’m too unhappy and dissatisfied to be in any mood for celebration.

The government has started censoring the Internet and threatened (again) to go after bloggers who publish damaging stories and comments about them.

Please be careful with comments.

Photo: Susan Chaaban

I don’t know what happened, but Malaysians were suddenly told that petrol prices will now be pegged to the average international oil price. There will be a 30 sen subsidy on whatever the average global market rate is at the end of the month.

The condition is that the price will not go above RM2.70.

I just want to say, this comes a little too late Mr Prime Minister. Why didn’t you think of this before?

The economy has already gone through carnage, and the damage can never be undone.

The prices of food, goods and services have increased drastically. Sadly, there is no such thing as a price decrease.

Unless…

Photo: Bill Ault

These will lead to the dark side.

People who succumb to the dark side are uncontrollable. They follow no laws except their own.

They do everything for self gain, for self gratification. They hold grudges. They rob. They steal. They kill. They destroy. All to achieve their self-serving objectives.

A society of people living in the dark side is a very unpleasant community. No one cares for his neighbour. Everyone is looking to take advantage of each other. The strong and powerful survive at the expense of the weak.

Now, tell me what you feel after this morning’s fuel price increase?

For my overseas readers, here in Malaysia we (used to) enjoy subsidized petrol. The price was fixed at RM1.92 per litre. If my calculations are correct it converts to USD2.27 per gallon. I’m not sure of this, but I assume this subsidy was put in place as a benefit for us citizens of an oil production nation.

This morning, petrol prices were increased by 41% to RM2.70 per litre. If that wasn’t enough, our national power company increased rates by 20%. I expect most businesses to exploit this opportunity to increase their prices by 40% as well.

Making things worse is the dismal public transport infrastructure and a heavy import tax on foreign (read: hybrid, green, fuel efficient) cars that doubles the prices of imported cars.

I think there will be a cash rebate given to car owners to help offset this cost, but it will just be spare change.

What did you feel when you heard the news? What are you feeling now?

Is it not hopelessness? Despair? Anger? Fear?

If you are feeling this way, what about those who are less fortunate compared to you?

What about me, you ask? I’m angry. Very angry.

I apologize for using a Jedi analogy to talk about this. I can’t think of a better way to describe the absurdity of the situation we are facing.

It looks like this week has been a very dour and solemn week here on this blog…

Photo: Wookieopedia