Malacca River

Last Sunday I took a along the Malacca river ........... wow! it was interesting!! I felt like a tourist taking pictures of almost everything that I thought was interesting ...............

Started my walk from "Taman Rempah" or Herb Garden in English .......... not Spice Garden as indicated .......... bad English. It is a good choice to start from there because the parking is free ........ yes, Malacca government charges parking even on Sundays, terrible!

The first thing I noticed about the river is the familiar smell of used engine oil, diesel mixed with rubbish is still there but faint and noticeable. The water is very much better kind of a greyish brown unlike in the past black with a layer of oil on top with floaties too ......... yucks!!! and double yucks!!!

As a child I used to hang around the area opposite the Majestic Hotel after my hair cut under the angsana tree by the river while waiting for my father to take us home. At that time Malacca was a real sleepy hollow and really safe to wonder around by myself. His office was just across the road from the barber. I was always fascinated with the colourful fiddler crabs that were residents of the mud banks and would only show itself during low tide. There were mudskippers too and very interesting to watch how they actually crawl on the river banks in search of food ....... funny creatures.

During high tide there were thousands of disgusting "belukangs" or catfish scavenging for food. It was really a disgusting sight watching them with their whiskers and gulping mouth taking in anything that were in their way ........eee!!..... just like a scene from a scary disgusting movie .......... it is making my skin crawl. This is the time also when fishing boat leave for their fishing trips and those that had left a day or so earlier would return to their berth. Sometimes I wished I could just go fishing with them ......... wishful thinking. But if given the opportunity even now I would jumped at the opportunity ........... anyone like to invite me?.......hehe!!

Further down the river around Kampung Pantei area I can still remember the barges carrying rice and other dried foodstuff to warehouses in that area. I like to watch the people moving the barges with just bamboo poles pushed into the river bed and just using their legs to move it. Such a big thing being moved by just a few person.

All those are gone now even the high and low tide in the river .......... the river near the mouth is now diverted to flow through a gate. The water in the river is always kept at high tide level so that the river cruise boats can navigate along the river.

It was a nostalgic walk and I really had a good time ....... join me?