The Blind Boy

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: 'I am blind, please help.' There were only a few coins in the hat.

A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, 'Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?'

The man said, 'I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way.'

What he had written was: 'Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it.'

Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing?

Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively.

Invite others towards good with wisdom. Live life with no excuse and love with no regrets. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.

Great men say, 'Life has to be an incessant process of repair and reconstruction, of discarding evil and developing goodness.... In the journey of life, if you want to travel without fear, you must have the ticket of a good conscience.'

The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling...
And even more beautiful is, knowing that you are the reason behind it!!!

Melaka

When in Malaysia do visit Malacca. She is the oldest town in Malaysia. Malacca is famed as the place where history of Malaysia began. Parameswara, an exiled prince from Sumatra, founded it in 1396. It thrived as a port-of-call to many ships and merchants from China, India, Arabia and Europe.

After a fierce battle in 1511, it fell into the hands of the Portuguese and subsequently to the Dutch in 1641. In 1795, the Dutch relinquished control of Malacca to the British to prevent it from falling into the hands of the French, when the Netherlands was captured during the French Revolution. It was returned to the Dutch in 1818 under the Treaty of Vienna but was later exchanged by the British for Bencoleen, Sumatra. From 1826 onwards, English East India Company in Calcutta together with Singapore and Penang ruled the land under the Straits Settlements administration.

With such a colorful historical background in its streets and building, which are too large for any museum to house, make her a worthwhile tourist destination. I grew up in this town before moving to Kuala Lumpur for greener pastures. Once a Malaccan always a Malaccan.

Once a strong fortress built in 1511 by the Portuguese known as "A Famosa", it was damaged during the Dutch invasion. Repaired by the Dutch in 1670, the embossed the "VOC" crest on it. In 1808, Sir Stamford Raffles saved the fort from destruction and the gateway still stands till today.

The Stadthuys, the official residence of the Dutch Governors and their was built in 1650. Situated right in the middle of Malacca town, it is a example of Dutch masonry and woodwork skills. Preserved in its original structure, it now houses the Historical Museum and Ethnography Museum. On display are traditional bridal costumes and authentic relics from its glorious days

Christ Church: Built in 1753, the church's handmade pews and beams were constructed without joints, reflecting fine Dutch architecture. The brass Bible rest has an inscription of the first verse of St. John. The tombstones on the church floor are written in Armenian Script with "Last Supper" in glazed tiles.

 One of the oldest Chinese temples in the country, built in 1646. Materials for the construction of the temple were all brought in from China. The wooden carvings, lacquer work and mythological figurines at the temple are sight to behold.

Known as "Our Lady of The Hill" by the Portuguese, the chapel was built by Duarte Coelho in 1521 and renamed "St. Paul's Church" by the Dutch. Once made as a burial ground for their noble dead, the tombstones have Latin and Portuguese inscriptions on them. St. Francis Xavier was buried here in 1553 before his body was moved to Goa in India.

 

The Gothic Church with twin towers built by Frenchman Rev. Farve in 1849, is dedicated to St. Francis Xavier, known as the "Apostle of the East". St. Francis Xavier is well remembered for spreading Catholicism to South-East Asia during the 16th century.

 

Jonker Street is a definite heaven for antique collectors and bargain hunters. Authentic artefacts and relics, some dating as far back as 300 years, can be found among a host of interesting collectibles, each with its own history and mystery. Jalan Hang Jebat, formerly known as Jonker Street, is known worldwide among famous antique collectors as one of the best places to hunt and bargain for antiques.

The Marine time museum is constructed after 'Flor De La Mar'. The Portuguese galleon sank in the Straits of Malacca on its way to Portugal. With her hull laden with invaluable treasures seized from Malacca, the galleon was doomed from existence had it not for the efforts to revive its symbolic significance to Malacca's heritage. At the museum, visitors can get a closer look at Malacca from the famed Malay Sultanate of the 14th century to the Portuguese era, the Dutch era and the British era. There are exhibits of foreign ships models that had once called at the port of Malacca during the height of its maritime hegemony

Standing majestically in the heart of history is the newly opened Hotel Equatorial Melaka. Bringing you the allure of historical Melaka with modern day conveniences, this 22-storey international business resort features 498 luxuriously furnished rooms and a host of food and beverage outlets including the award-winning Equatorial signature restaurants, the Golden Phoenix Chinese Restaurant and Kampachi Japanese Restaurant.