26 » OpenRoad Driver
TRAVEL
Malacca Malaysia ’ s Oldest City
Words by Chris and Rick Millikan Photos courtesy of Tourism Malaysia
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Malacca offers history buffs like us an extraordinary look into Malaysia ’ s past . So , from the futuristic capital of Kuala Lumpur , we travel 145 kilometres down the Malay Peninsula to investigate this UNESCO-listed city .
A morning cruise introduces Malaysia ’ s earliest settlement . Seated at the bow , we imagine a village of stilted structures straddling the channel . Early Malays gathered here to fish , a pursuit in evidence today . Narrow , boxy-cabined vessels moor along the shoreline . Deck lids identify their builtin tanks for keeping catches of mackerel , shad , and mullet alive . Aboard one , an old fisherman mends stringy nets . Behind him , lush greenery surrounds weather-beaten apartments , small airy homes , and storage sheds .