The Dutch flair of Malacca

Singapore and - above all - Malaysia were on our travel program in 1984 and the first stop on the famous "circumnavigation" of the peninsula led to Malacca. This city is located on the west coast of Malaysia on the so-called Malacca Straits between the Malay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra. [Wikipedia]. The city astonished with its Dutch flair, which it had acquired during the occupation by the Dutch between 1641 and 1824.

Due to its important strategic location, Malacca was a much sought-after place by the Chinese, French, English, Indians and Arabs, and by the 17th century it had also established itself as the most important eastern hub for the international spice trade.