Lately, I think I talked a lot about nature, and it certainly will not be endless. I really like to observe and talk about the nature in which we live in a region in Southeast Asia. It bluntly, my interest was constructed because I was influenced by the work of Alfred Russel Wallace (d. 1913), and very fond of his book: The Malay Archipelago.

But let me interject my postings about nature with something else for refreshment, and I will talk about one part of my journey to Malacca which is located on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula, exactly, when I visit Malacca, one of World Heritage Cities, in 2011.

About the Malacca river and the ancient water wheel is one of the many things that become the object of my attention. For those of you who have never been there, I'll show it to you by these images. And remember, this is only a little part of what I saw in my journey at that time. I still have a lot else for you to view later.

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It is a replica of the Malacca historic water wheel. This water wheel was built in the days of the empire Melaka, before this famous trade city, occupied by the Portuguese at the beginning of the 16th century.

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This is the information plaque at the water wheel. I will write back to you what is written there.

Melaka Malay Sutanate Water Wheel

The Melaka River is the site of origin that witnessed the birth of the Melaka port during the Melaka Sutanate. It serves as an international port for both the East and West including South East Asia, China, Indian and Europe during the 15th and 16th Centuries.

It was rocorded that as many as 84 languages and dialects were spoken in Melaka with four harbormasters responsible for the welfare of the foreign traders. At its peak, some 2.000 trading ships docked at the ancient port.

Traders from the land of the Arab, Persia, India, China, Ryukyu, Philippines and Thailand gathered at the port owing to its natural strategic location. The port was located at the narrowest point of the Straits of Melaka, which was meeting poin for the changing monsoon trade winds while offering protection from the typhoons from Sumatra.

The Melaka River mouth once again witnesses history being created with the construction of a 13 meter tall Water Wheel of the Melaka Sultanate, The water wheel, usually located in fast moving waters, was used to channel water for the large number of traders. Such water wheel technology can be found in Hama, Syria, China, India and Europe.

The construction of replica Water Wheel of Melaka Sultanate represents the greatness of Melaka and its technological feat for tourist to view up close. The turning of the water wheel symbolizes the wheel of life and evolution of man's civilization. Its continuous revolution represents the quest for the discovery of knowledge with history to be viewed as a guide and lesson for all times.

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The Melaka river. Now, across the old town of Melaka inhabited by Chinese ethnic and Indians. There, also a former house that is occupied by the famous Malay writer Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir Munsyi (d. 1854). I had the opportunity to visit the house.

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Malacca river image in the past. I took a photo at display room of Maritime Archeology Museum (Institutional Membership of ICOM, UNESCO, the United Nations). As you can see, below the image it is the object of archeology, ie the ancient ivory.

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An old painting depicting the situation in Melaka river in the past.

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Map of Malacca City at Portuguese era, and appears also the Malacca river with a bridges between its banks.

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It is the board of Portuguese tomb of the 17th century, and there looks sculpture depicts the Portuguese ship of the century.

Portuguese ship

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Malacca City, where the modernity and the antiquity side by side.

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So that's one part of my journey to the Malay Peninsula. It bluntly, my ambition is to be this post a trending post, but you decide if I deserve. Perhaps, @curie would support me to achieve this ambition, I just want to know how it feels when a posting on the list of trending posts.

Really, there will be another part of my journey, and for that, I think I need to do selfie at a very interesting place to told.

Thanks to you all.