The Bruner Family Journey: The Colonial Treasures Of Malaysia

Street scene in George Town, Penang

Melaka was founded in the late 14th century by a Sumatran prince named Parameswara. According to legend, one fateful day the prince was hunting near a river when one of his dogs cornered a mouse deer. In its defense, the mouse deer attacked the dog and forced it into the water. The prince was so impressed by the courage of the mouse deer that he decided on the spot to found a city on the ground where he was hunting. Legend has it that the city was named after the "Melaka" tree that the prince was sitting under when this magical event unfolded. The city grew and prospered, attracting Javanese, Arab, Chinese and Indian traders. The city became so prosperous that the Portuguese decided in the 16th century to add it to their world colony portfolio. The Portuguese subsequently used the city as a base for expanding their holdings in the East Indies, but in 1641 the Dutch took over. The Dutch then ceded Melaka to the British in 1824, and the British ruled over the city as one of the Straits Settlements (along with Penang and Singapore) until Malaysian independence.

Historic mansion in George Town

The small island of Penang was settled in the early 16th century, when Portuguese traders started using it as a base to replenish their fresh water supplies. Like Melaka, the island became an important port for foreign traders. In 1786, Captain Francis Light, a trader for the British East India Company, convinced the Malay Sultanate of Kedah - which had jurisdiction over Penang - to cede the island to the Company, in exchange for British military protection against Burmese and Siamese armies. Light raised the Union Jack and named it "Prince of Wales Island" in honor of the heir to the British throne. He built a fort and named the settlement around the fort "George Town" after King George III. In acquiring and developing the island for the British throne, Light used some pretty questionable tactics. For instance, he failed to inform the Sultan that he didn't have the approval of the British East India Company when he promised military protection. The Sultan found this out when the Siamese attacked and the British were nowhere to be found - in response to the broken deal, the Sultan tried to retake the island, but his efforts were unsuccessful. Light also expedited the clearing of the jungle by locals laborers by firing silver coins from his ship cannons into the island's dense vegetation. Light was also known for taking candy from young children and torturing small kittens.

At one of George Town's many food markets

In 2008, both Melaka and George Town were designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. The extent of historical preservation in both towns is astounding - especially when one considers the scale of the destruction wrought by World War II and the fast-paced modernization that swept through Malaysia following the country's independence. It's not just that there are so many well preserved buildings - it's that whole neighborhoods seem to be undisturbed by modern development. As UNESCO explains, "the two towns constitute a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in Asia." Melaka may be better restored and more polished for tourists, but George Town is equally atmospheric.

Chinese temple in George Town

And apart from the wealth of colonial architecture, the food in Malaysia - as I explained in our post on Kuala Lumpur - is a delightful assault on the senses. One person described it as "tasting colors." Penang in particular boasts some of the most exciting cuisine we've eaten anywhere on this trip, although Jeremy insists his favorite meal in Malaysia was the sushi in Melaka (he really likes sushi).

As with Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, the diversity of both towns is palpable and the contrasts are striking - Chinese temples next to mosques, Little India hemmed in by Chinatown, shiny SUVs parked in front of rickety old colonial buildings, traditional eateries next to 7-11s. In Malaysia, we noticed another odd juxtaposition: we encountered a number of people who were upset at Osama bin Laden's death and the United States' involvement in world affairs, but we also happened upon a wild open-air party with loud club music, scantily clad dancers, and buckets of free beer.

Well, we've really enjoyed our four-month tour of Asia, which started in January in Turkey at the cross-roads of Europe. We're now going back to Europe for the last stage of our year-long journey - a three-month tour in Europe, starting in one of our favorite cities in the world, Paris. The kids love Asian food, but they can't wait for baguette and steak frites.

Here are some more photographs of Penang. I'll need another post to show you the photos from Melaka.