Melaka (Malacca) Malaysia
 

Melaka is the third smallest state of Malaysia, but there is a wealth of history here, having been under Portugese, Dutch and British rule.
Unfortunately time did not allow visits to all the interesting parts, but here are a few pics to give you an idea.
The "galleon" houses the Maritime Museum, which sadly was not visited but hopefully the other pics will be of interest.
The cannon outside Fort Santiago appear to be on marine carriages??? Hopefully someone with more knowledge about these might care to comment.

I could tell you that the galleon, a ship war version implemented after the famous nau (carrack), is the replica of Frol de la Mar (or Flor de la Mar) a 400 ton war ship that constitutes the assumption of having contained in its last trip, the greatest treasure ever wrecked in the seas. Having been a flag ship and part of the fleet that conquered Ormuz, Goa and Malaca, it was soon after sunk due to a violent storm in the Malaca straight in 1511. It had been built in Lisboa in 1502, having therefore lasted for nine years, which was an impressive life for a ship in this period.
It is known that a famous treasure hunter spent 200 million dollars trying to recover the wrek. It is presumed that its contents, which was a remittance of Oriental wealth by Afonso de Albuquerque to the King Dom Manuel I, included 200 chests with precious gems; diamonds, with the dimension of half inch and others with the size of a fist and bigger. A great part of the garrison died in the event, Afonso de Albuquerque saved on an improvised raft, wearing his long johns and short jacket.
There is still a Portuguese descendant community in Malaca, living in the portuguese quarters (Kampumg Portugis) whom speak a sort of old Portuguese dialect, with a natural tendency to disappear within time ... although it already resisted for 500 years.
The fort door in the picture and described in the board, is indeed not so much the original Santiago door built by the Portuguese; such one was severely damnified during a siege (1640-41) and after rebuilt by the Dutch.
It does seem that the cannons are mounted on naval 'reparos' (repairs=carriages) of four wheels, a version that appeared in the XVI century. These would replicate an 'evoluted' version, as already with iron wheels, although looking a bit crude to my ignorant eyes.


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Thank you Fernando for the history, and your comments on the cannon carriages. They did not look quite "right" to me either, but then I am not really knowledgable on these things.
Stu

Again, thank you for sharing these great photos.

Robert