{"id":938,"date":"2019-02-03T17:08:34","date_gmt":"2019-02-03T17:08:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/saviowong.com\/travel\/?page_id=938"},"modified":"2024-02-12T04:58:47","modified_gmt":"2024-02-12T04:58:47","slug":"trip-reports-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/saviowong.com\/travel\/trip-reports-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Trip Reports"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;\">England, Italy, Greece, Croatia, and Montenegro (October, 2019 to November, 2019)<\/span><\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif;\">England<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif;\">Wolverhampton (Black Country Museum)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif;\">London\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif;\">Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Hong Kong, Macau, and China ( December, <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif;\"><strong>2018 to January, 2019)<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><a name=\"Australia\"><\/a>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif;\">Australia<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif;\">(Sydney, Hobart, and Melbourne)<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif;\">\u00a0Sydney<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155829700836156\/\">Sydney<\/a>: QVB, \u201cI\u2019m Free\u201d Walking Tour, ferry to Manly Island, Library inside Customs House, The Rock (to sample some BBQ Kangaroo), and dinner at Din Tai Fung.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155831500396156\">The Sydney Opera House<\/a>\u00a0is more an entertainment centre containing several performing spaces. it was budgeted at $7 million and construction was scheduled to be completed in 4 years. Instead, it cost $102 million and took 14 years.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Wikipedia has a good article if you would like to learn more:\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.m.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sydney_Opera_House?fbclid=IwAR3KywR6uZIA3_ew3iiZWHzf2bIrDUea4a5Q08rTJui3SqPmGY6kCemlxkg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow noreferrer\" data-ft=\"{&quot;tn&quot;:&quot;-U&quot;}\" data-lynx-mode=\"asynclazy\" data-lynx-uri=\"https:\/\/l.facebook.com\/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fen.m.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSydney_Opera_House%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3KywR6uZIA3_ew3iiZWHzf2bIrDUea4a5Q08rTJui3SqPmGY6kCemlxkg&amp;h=AT3iN68EcaylY5xqrUVRIk8lJExObmQ_K7oc5zDzBWcpxXJy_3z1aBhSnYv0Sx4GH6AXK-xoJ-8GgIr3OEz4JeEq6tbIHspk2AJHwDJgtVdomjvEAafw2G1REoJZ5LCv8c2mT0cc6bIP7v9_Uz6bxHgO7MPQ\">https:\/\/en.m.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sydney_Opera_House<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li>\n<div id=\"js_j2z\" class=\"_5pbx userContent _3576\" data-ft=\"{&quot;tn&quot;:&quot;K&quot;}\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Just finished an informative tour of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155831456226156\">Sydney Opera House<\/a>. I purchased a combined ticket hoping for a relaxing dinner before the 8 o\u2019clock show. Having some fish and chips at the Opera Bar now. However, I have to shout my order to the bartender because even the spot furthest away from the speakers has a noise level of 80+dB. Oh, there are also thousands of people here.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">If you have been waiting for my visit to a local library, you should be as awestruck as I when I stepped into the Mitchell Building of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155831528071156\">NSW State Library<\/a>. In addition to a stunning Reading Room, it has a rich display of artifacts.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">I also learned today that Australia interned the Germans during WWII. Not sure about if the Japanese suffered the same fate. I need to do some research.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155831800806156\">Sydney self-walking tour<\/a>: ANZAC War Memorial, Hyde Park, Great Synagogue of Sydney, Hyde Park, State Library of NSW, State House, Botanical Garden, and Sydney Opera House<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Spending most of the day hiking in the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155833713396156\">Blue Mountains<\/a>\u00a0and visiting neighboring towns.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">My Airbnb host recommended a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155836018571156\">Shanghai<\/a>\u00a0restaurant in the neighbourhood<\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">. I didn\u2019t realize there are four adjacent restaurants that have similar names. I picked Nee Shanghai because it had the biggest crowd.\u00a0 The food\u00a0was delicious!<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0A coastal walk from\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155836048286156\">Bondi Beach<\/a>\u00a0to Clovelly\u00a0Beach. I had planned to go further but it started to rain.\u00a0\u00a0I strolled past took several beaches, saw some dramatic rock formations, visited a lawn bowling club, and walked through a cemetery<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif;\">Hobart<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">One of the reasons I ventured to the furthest south I have ever been is<\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0because of an Australian author:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155837744281156\">C. J. Koch<\/a>. His best-known novel \u201cYear of Living Dangerously\u201d was adapted into a movie and Linda Hunt won an Oscar for the Best Supporting Actress for her role as the male dwarf Billy Kwan. I have re-read the novel several times and it\u2019s one of my all-time favorites because of Koch\u2019s skillful evocation of places and exploration of the idea of loyalty and morality.\u00a0\u00a0Koch was born in Hobart and one of his novels \u201cDoublemen\u201d is set in Tasmania. He died of cancer in Hobart in 2013.\u00a0When I was in Blue<\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0Mountains two days ago, I picked up his book of essays: \u201cClosing the Gap\u201d at a used bookstore.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Hobart. A walk from my Airbnb in the historic\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155838952726156\">Salamanca District<\/a>\u00a0to the pier and the cenotaph and ended the evening with a spicy dinner at a Nepalese restaurant.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Walking tour of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155840279706156\">Hobart<\/a>; it turned out to be a private tour since I was the only person who signed up. I learned about the rich history of the city: from convicts (some as young as 10) who built the town, to the once thriving whaling industry, and the jams making factories. Many of the convicts had committed debt related, non-violent crimes. The journey from England took about 5 months. Interesting fact that I didn\u2019t know was some convicts were shipped from Canada and the United States.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Had a late breakfast with a former WO student who married a Tasmanian. Then spent the afternoon at a most interesting museum (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155842108701156\">MONA<\/a>). Museum of Old and New Art is the largest privately funded museum in the Southern Hemisphere and it was founded by David Walsh, a Tasmanian millionaire. The collection and how they are displayed are certainly interesting. The theme of death, bodily functions, patterns, and communication seems to run through most of the artifacts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155842122541156\">Several of the displays<\/a>\u00a0from MONA that I really enjoy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">More from MONA: I know some of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155842130601156\">Madonna songs<\/a>\u00a0but I wouldn\u2019t say I\u2019m a fan. It\u2019s mesmerizing to watch 30 people who know all the words of her songs. They want their hearts out and seemed to have a connection with the artist herself.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155842141776156\">My favorite<\/a>\u00a0from MONA<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">A magnificent space:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155845349411156\">The La Trobe Reading Room<\/a>\u00a0at the State Library of Victoria.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif;\">Melbourne<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155845389066156\">Melbourne<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0After taking flight #4 from Hobart to Melbourne, spent a few hours with the \u201cI\u2019m Free Walking Tour\u201d. We were caught in a torrential rainfall just before the end of the walk. Even though I was completely soaked, luckily I was only a block from my Airbnb.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Spent a couple hours at the magnificent\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155848043521156\">State Library of Victoria<\/a>. Lunch with another former student who happens to be visiting Melbourne. Then spent some time at the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria). The Gallery has an extensive collection. A number of aborigines works are dreams related. The colonial collection illustrates aptly the world of difference between the Europeans and the natives.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">I attended a traditional service of carols and lessons at the St. Paul\u2019s Cathedral. When I entered the church, a colourful <\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">structure stood near the back of the nave. With a blinking light near its top, I thought it was too modern and out of place. Actually, I thought it was ugly.\u00a0During the homily, the Dean of the Cathedral explained that the object is a Christmas tree and its material consisted of the life jackets of the Syrian Children who riske<span class=\"text_exposed_show\">d their lives in the rough sea to escape the war in their homelands.\u00a0The artwork is called\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155848062736156\">\u201cNot A Creature was Stirring<\/a>\u201d<br \/>\nThis revelation, of course, made me realized it\u2019s unwise to make a rash judgment. In fact, it reminded of a reporter saying: \u201cNo parents will ever put their children on a refugee boat crossing the Mediterranean Sea unless they have no other choice.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155850197281156\">Alexandra Gardens<\/a>\u00a0and King\u2019s Domain in Melbourne.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155850227656156\">The Shrine of Remembrance<\/a>,\u00a0 Melbourne. Until the end of WWII, Australia has been involved in a number of wars and conflicts but it fought under the banner of the British Empire. After WWII, Australia continues to play a role in a number of battles and peacekeeping efforts. However, it represents itself as a sovereign nation.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The Shrine of Remembrance was erected in 1934 to honour\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">the men and women who served in WWI. Since then, it had been expanded to include all Australians who served in a war.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155850411061156\">Crazy right turn<\/a>.\u00a0 One of the reasons that I rarely rent a car when I\u2019m travelling is because there are often some strange rules that would really confuse me. For example, in certain intersections in Melbourne, you have to keep on the far left lane if you want to make a right turn. (don\u2019t forget, they drive in the opposite side. So, it\u2019s like keeping in the far right lane in Canada to make a left turn). Yes, you do have to wait for all clear but it\u2019s hard to process that if you are witnessing it for the first time.\u00a0The reason for this maneuver is to keep the middle of the intersection clear.\u00a0 This is\u00a0<a href=\"blob:https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/12bedddc-7a4f-486b-ad0f-f5e8f0b8bcbd\">an example of\u00a0<\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0how it works.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>\n<div class=\"_3x-2\" data-ft=\"{&quot;tn&quot;:&quot;H&quot;}\">\n<div data-ft=\"{&quot;tn&quot;:&quot;H&quot;}\">\n<div class=\"mtm\">\n<div class=\"_2a2q _65sr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Melbourne\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155852032936156\">$10 for a haircut<\/a>. Even though there\u2019s a queue, it didn\u2019t take long. What a deal.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a name=\"New_Zealand\"><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>New Zealand<\/strong>\u00a0(Queenstown, Milford Sound, Wellington, and Auckland)<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif;\">Queenstown<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155856345186156\">Queenstown<\/a>, NZ. This town has been described as the adrenaline capital and they are plenty of activities offered to attest to that. In fact, I think the bungees jumping craze started here. However, only a few minutes walk from the town centre is quite tranquil.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">A much cooler day in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155853897041156\">Queenstown<\/a>\u00a0and the sun is hiding but the scenery is still spectacular.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Took a day trip from Queenstown to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155856319586156\">Milford Sound.<\/a>\u00a0The bus ride there and back offered some fantastic views and the cruise on the Milford Sound itself was spectacular. I think the government does s reasonable job regulating the crowd by controlling access. The famous Milford Sound Track Will take 4 days but limited to 50 people a day. The mass could access the Sound but there\u2019s only one road.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">A spectacular day at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155856055586156\">Milford Sound<\/a>!<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155860293381156\">Arrowtown Historic Chinese Settlement.<\/a>\u00a0 In 1880, over 3,000 Chinese came to Arrowtown during a gold rush. They were forced to live in huts at the edge of town. They probably had to brave the bitter cold winters and work under difficult conditions. The saying on one display etched in my mind because it\u2019s how many people still feel about foreign workers: \u201cInvited but Unwelcome\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;\">Milford Sound<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">A spectacular day at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155856055586156\">Milford Sound<\/a>!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;\">Wellington<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155860279011156\">Wellington, NZ.<\/a>\u00a0When I visit a new city, I usually join a walking tour. It\u2019s a good way to get oriented and learn more about the place.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155858058291156\">Little Penang restaurant<\/a>.\u00a0 Enjoying some Nasi Lemak (coconut rice, chicken, curry and comes with a side of a chicken wing)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155860315511156\">The National Museum of NZ<\/a>\u00a0has a permanent collection of the signed treaties between the European settlers and the different native tribes. The treaties were signed in English and the different native languages. However, because of the different wordings, the same treaty doesn\u2019t mean the same thing. For instance, the natives did not have a word or a concept of sovereignty and certainly did not know what that have signed away.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">I may be the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155861170976156\">\u00a0only passenger<\/a>\u00a0on this ride up to the lookout and the Botanical Garden.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155861430796156\">Lady Norwood Rose Garden, Wellington.<\/a><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">So many different types with wonderful names: Windermere, Tess, Goodyla<\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">, Best Wishes, Outta the Blue, Heart of Gold, Red Sox, Platinum, and my personal favourite, Peace.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155862015431156\">Wellington Central Library<\/a>. You wouldn\u2019t think I would pass up a chance to visit a local library, would you? It\u2019s interesting that the library keeps and displays the current electoral rolls and the City Council\u2019s consultation documents in a predominant fashion.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;\">Auckland<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155866362801156\">Auckland<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 things that are vertical.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155866366876156\">Auckland<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 things that are horizontal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Arrived at the pier this morning to discover no more ticket to Rangitoto for the day, unless I join a tour. So, ended up doing a walking tour and a short ferry ride to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155870692276156\">Devonport<\/a>\u00a0instead. The volcano would have to wait for tomorrow.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155870887691156\">Davenport<\/a>\u00a0merits its own video.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Another city, another\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155870942591156\">\u201cFree\u201d Walking Tour<\/a>. The guide, Marty, was excellent and it\u2019s good to learn more about the city from a local.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">I have participated in quite a number of them in various cities now and today\u2019s tour was great. I mean how often you get a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155870904136156\">farewell song<\/a>\u00a0at the end of the tour. His name is Marty.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155872857706156\">Rangitoto Part 1<\/a>\u00a0 Rangitoto Island was formed by a series of volcanic eruptions about 6000 years ago. The most recent eruption is about 600 years ago. The island is accessible via a ferry but there are no commercial activities on the island. This means visitors are expected to bring in their own provisions. There is also no trash can on the island. Whatever you carry in, you must carry out.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155872923841156\">Rangitoto Part 2<\/a>. The hike up to the summit took about 1.5 hours and it was a well-travelled\u00a0incline. The landscape is certainly unusual and I was surprised to see the\u00a0number\u00a0of vegetations. The view of the crater was spectacular but it was difficult to capture it with a phone camera. A drone would have been handy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">1.5 hours climb later. A spectacular 360 view from the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155872244866156\">peak of Rangitoto.<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">You should know by now about me and libraries. This is the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155873939926156\">Central City Library<\/a>\u00a0in Auckland. Great location, good cafe, and well organized. Of course, free and fast WiFi. The security guards, they have a few when I visited, were a bit intimidating though.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Within an hour of walking in Auckland, I took photos of e-bikes that are scattered around the city. I\u2019m not sure how the system works but I was told you just need the app and you can pick one or drop off anywhere. The company has people going around to recharge the battery for the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155873949376156\">electric\u00a0<\/a>motors.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">If you are a rugby fan, you probably recognize the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155875991501156\">haka dance<\/a>\u00a0because of the All Blacks. The haka is a ceremonial or war dance In the Maori culture. I filmed this at the Memorial Museum in Auckland with permission.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155876059436156\">The Auckland War Memorial Museum<\/a>\u00a0T\u0101maki Paenga Hira (part 1 of 2) is a both a Museum and a war memorial. It has an extensive collection in the history of New Zealand. The impressive building was first erected to commemorate WWI but has since expanded to include other wars.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/timeline?lst=625141155%3A625141155%3A1549146902\">The Auckland War Memorial Museum<\/a>\u00a0T\u0101maki Paenga Hira (part 2 of 2) is a both a Museum and a war memorial. It has an extensive collection in the history of New Zealand. The impressive building was first erected to commemorate WWI but has since expanded to include other wars.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/saviowong.com\/travel\/places\/#2018_Singapore\"><strong>Singapore<\/strong><\/a><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">When I was in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155877332251156\">Singapore<\/a>\u00a0last, I met my friend Karen Hoisington when we were on the same walking tour at the historic Fullerton Hotel. We share an interest in the history of WWII. In fact, based on her extensive research, Karen has written a historical fiction based on the terrible experiences of her grand-aunt Elizabeth Choy during WWII. Elizabeth Choy is considered a war heroine by Singaporeans.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">On this long layover, Karen is kind enough to drive me to the Changi Beach, where a massacre against the Chinese called Sook Ching occurred in Feb. 1942. We also dropped by the former Changi Hospital and an area where the British officers compound was before WWII.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">One of the things I love about Singapore is the fact that several racial and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155876722626156\">religious groups<\/a>\u00a0able to coexist peacefully. Within the same street block in Chinatown, there is the Masjid Jamae (Muslim), the Sri Mariamman Temple (Hindu), and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. Within two blocks, there is the Telok Ayer St, Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church. (Photo missing)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155876441721156\">The Battlebox tour at Fort Canning<\/a>. This is where the fateful meeting occurred where Lieutenant General Arthur Percival decided to surrender to the Japanese Imperial Army on Feb.\u00a01941. The 150,000 British Commonwealth soldiers were the biggest number in the history of the British Empire. The actual unconditional surrender took place at the Ford Factory.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/saviowong.com\/travel\/places\/#2018_Thailand\"><strong>Thailand<\/strong>\u00a0<\/a>(Bangkok, and Kanchanaburi)<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155884545316156\">Damnoen Floating Market (part 1 of 3)<\/a>\u00a0is about 100 km south west of Bangkok. The market is definitely created for tourists but it\u2019s a fun experience nevertheless. At one time, I\u2019m sure the locals used to frequent a floating market when canals were plentiful and roads were not built yet.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155884954536156\">Damnoen Floating Market (Part 2 of 3).<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0Coming to this market was a bit of accident but I\u2019m glad I did. Although it was really crowded\u00a0I think the locals did try to provide some authentic experience and there were also lots of photogenic frames. I have actually wanted to travel to River Kwai for an all-day tour but the ones I found were either cancelled or full. So I booked one that spent the morning at the market and the afternoon at River Kwai. Unfortunately, the tour spent a lot more time at the market than the River Kwai.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155883670571156\">Damnoen Floating Market (Part 3 of 3)<\/a>.Traffic jam? What traffic jam?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Add a bit of this, a bit of that, and maybe a bit of the other stuff too.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155883599706156\">A primer in cooking up a bowl of noodles<\/a>\u00a0on a boat.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155887061516156\">JEATH<\/a>\u00a0(Japan, England, Australia, America, Thailand, Holland) is one of the museums near the famous bridge over the River Kwai. I believe this one is closest to the Bridge and it\u2019s on the ground of a former temple.\u00a0Because I was part of a tour and I felt really rush and not able to spend more time with some of the artifacts. The Museum has quite an eclectic collections.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155887004256156\">Time-lapse video<\/a>\u00a0from above about 6:30 am near the Phetchaburi subway station.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155885285541156\">Street food<\/a>\u00a0of Bangkok.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Just have a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155885660351156\">delicious Thai dinner<\/a>\u00a0at a \u201cstreet food\u201d stall. It\u2019s quite a modern and clean set up at the Asiatique waterfront. It\u2019s amazing what it could produce in a tiny kitchen.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">From Wikipedia:<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155885316311156\">\u00a0Kanchanaburi War Cemetery<\/a>\u00a0(known locally as the Don-Rak War Cemetery) is the main prisoner of war (POW) cemetery for victims of Japanese imprisonment while building the Burma Railway. It is on the main road, Saeng Chuto Road, through the town of Kanchanaburi, Thailand, adjacent to an older Chinese cemetery. The Thai-Burma Rail is the one depicted in the movie \u201cThe Bridge Over River Kwai\u201d I was there as part of a tour. Unfortunately, I felt rush and didn\u2019t spend as much time at the cemetery as I would have liked.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/saviowong.com\/travel\/places\/#2019_laos\"><strong>Laos\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>(Vientiane, and Luang Prabang)<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155898233156156\/\">Vientiane<\/a>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0The former Royal Palace has been converted into a museum and a theatre.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155895526396156\">Wats (temples)<\/a>\u00a0in Vientiane.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Definitely<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155895510441156\">\u00a0lost in translation<\/a>. (one of the most \u2018liked\u2019 photos on my timeline.)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155895466136156\">Vientiane\u2019s city centre<\/a>\u00a0is quite compact. The architecture is a mix of practical structures and colonial buildings. The grandest ones are the wats (temples) and government offices.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155894191841156\">Green Park<\/a>\u00a0is a lovely boutique hotel on the edge of the city centre.\u00a0 \u00a0It is adjacent to the biggest mall (I think 4 floors) in Vientiane.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155894146686156\">Patuxay<\/a><\/span>,<span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"> literally means the Victory Gate. It\u2019s sometimes referred to a mink mini Arc de Triomphe of Vientiane even though the design is quite different.\u00a0The surprise of the visit is reading the description plague of the monument (read it yourself; it\u2019s photo #5)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155898271871156\/\">Luang Prabang<\/a>\u00a0is definitely more lively than Vientiane. The old town has been designated as a UNESCO site in 1995 for its well preserved architectural, cultural, and religious heritage. It was also the royal capital of the country until 1975.\u00a0\u00a0Although the town is populated with tourists, it manages to retain a relax and calm atmosphere.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">This\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155900762481156\">Luang Prabang Library<\/a>\u00a0has a program whereby visitors can purchase books for the children in the villages.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155898365931156\/\">Wat Xieng Thong<\/a>\u00a0(Temple of Golden City) is one of the many temples in Luang Prabang. I really enjoy the mosaic, paintings, and craving on the doors. Laos\u2019s a predominately Buddhist country and the temples play an impotent role in the society.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The famous\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155900770161156\/\">bamboo bridge<\/a>\u00a0over the Nam Khan River. The bridge is only operational when it\u2019s not the raining season.\u00a0I didn\u2019t get to do as much as I would like for the 3 days I spent in Luang Prabang because it rained the first two days and I have been fighting a cold.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Even though the old town is catered to tourists,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155900917381156\/\">Luang Prabang<\/a>\u00a0manages to retain its unhurried and rustic charm. However, China and Laos government has a joint venture building a high-speed rail linking the two countries. Once it\u2019s completed, Laos would have to find a way to deal with mass tourism.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155898297511156\">Harvesting coconuts<\/a>\u00a0in Luang Prabang<\/span>\n<div id=\"globalContainer\" class=\"uiContextualLayerParent\">\n<div id=\"content\" class=\"fb_content clearfix\" role=\"\" data-referrer=\"content\">\n<div>\n<div id=\"mainContainer\">\n<div id=\"contentCol\" class=\"clearfix\">\n<div id=\"contentArea\" role=\"main\">\n<div id=\"pagelet_timeline_main_column\" class=\"_5h60\" data-referrer=\"pagelet_timeline_main_column\" data-gt=\"{&quot;profile_owner&quot;:&quot;625141155&quot;,&quot;ref&quot;:&quot;timeline:timeline&quot;}\">\n<div id=\"pagelet_main_column_personal\" class=\"_5h60\" data-referrer=\"pagelet_main_column_personal_timeline\">\n<div id=\"timeline_tab_content\">\n<div class=\"clearfix _ikh _3-8y\">\n<div class=\"_4bl7 _3-96\">\n<div id=\"timeline_story_column\">\n<div class=\"_5pbx userContent _3576\" data-ft=\"{&quot;tn&quot;:&quot;K&quot;}\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/saviowong.com\/travel\/places\/#2019_Hong_Kong\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Hong Kong<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155916563056156\/\">Tram near North Point Terminal<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 Took this video earlier today. When I first saw the track, I didn\u2019t think it is still in use. Well, I was wrong. It is amazing to see how the pedestrians were able to move out of the way nonchalantly.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155917829171156\/\">Two markets: Sham Shui Po and Temple Street<\/a>. Not too many tourists venture to Sham Shui Po Market but there\u2019s where the locals go. Many of the used electronics find their way there too.\u00a0\u00a0Temple Street Night Market is well travelled but still worth a visit. People have been eating at the seafood restaurants there for years before Anthony Bourdain made it famous.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">A ride on the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155929011146156\/\">upper deck on Bus 6<\/a>\u00a0towards Stanley, Hong Kong. It\u2019s almost like riding a roller coaster.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/videos\/10155929013926156\/?lst=625141155%3A625141155%3A1549054403\">Bus 14: Stanley to Grand Promenade<\/a>\u00a0traverses through the Tai Tam Reservoir. The bridge is too narrow for two way traffic.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155929270656156\/\">View from a tram<\/a>: the Hong Kong tram is a slow-moving public transit system and a bargain of less than Can $0.50 for a ride.\u00a0\u00a0This is late afternoon and closer to rush hours. I\u2019m amazed that there\u2019s order amidst the chaos. People seemed to be able to move out of the way at the last moment and then just carried on.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155918060961156\">A stroll around Central<\/a>\u00a0is one of my favourite things to do when I\u2019m in Hong Kong.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155929006496156\/\">Busy intersection<\/a>: this is 1:00 pm on a weekday. So the crowd is actually not at its peak<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Dropping by to visit an old friend yesterday: the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155930807801156\/\">Hong Kong Central Library<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">I visited the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155929357341156\">Sai Wan War Cemetery<\/a>\u00a0where 228 known Canadian soldiers from WWII were buried. If you\u2019ve read \u201cForgiveness: a gift from my grandparents\u201d by Mark Sakamoto, you would recognize the name, Deighton Aitken. I said a special prayer at his grave.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155903929356156\">Ma Wan (Horse Bay)<\/a>\u00a0is an old fishing village that has remained unchanged even with the development around it.\u00a0I also chanced upon some amazing sidewalk art at the old pier.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">More photos from wandering about near the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155903960596156\">old part of Tung Chung<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155903911106156\">Yat Tung Wet Market<\/a>\u00a0is a wet market (wet means with seafood and meat). It\u2019s located in a housing estate not too far from the airport but it\u2019s definitely off the tourists\u2019 track.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/media_set?set=a.10155947806251156&amp;type=3\">Tai Kwun<\/a>\u00a0(the former Central Police Station Compound) houses three heritage buildings in Hong Kong: Central Police Station, Former Central Magistracy, and the Victoria Prison.\u00a0 It has been converted into a public space for arts and culture.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/saviowong.com\/travel\/places\/#2019_Macau\"><strong>Macau<\/strong><\/a><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155908308781156\/\">Macau at Night<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 in 1999, Macau was returned to China, two years after Hong Kong. Before then, it was a Portuguese colony. In fact, it was the oldest European Settlement in China.\u00a0\u00a0Despite the proliferation of mega-casinos in the city, Macau has managed to retain some of its European flares, particularly in its architecture and cuisine.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">If you find yourself in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155908341511156\/\">Macau<\/a>, don\u2019t skip this government building because it actually offers some repose from the busy crowd in the square across the street.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">From Wikipedia:<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The Leal Senado Building (Portuguese for Loyal Senate) was the seat of Portuguese Macau\u2019s government (Legislative Assembly of Macau and Municipal Council of Macau.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">After the handover of Macau to China in 1999 it became the headquarters of the Institute of Civic and Municipal Affairs.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">It became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Centre of Macau in 2005.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155908440561156\/\">walk from the Senate Square to the Ruins of St. Paula<\/a>\u00a0is lined with historic buildings and it was one of the major contributing factors why the old town of Macau was designated as a UNESCO site in 2005.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The iconic facade of the St. Paul Church is the only remaining structure of the original church that has been burned down. The church was erected in 1640 by the Jesuits who were expelled by the Japanese government.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155910507036156\/\"><i>Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora do Monte de S\u00e3o Paulo<\/i><\/a>\u00a0is located just east of the Ruins of St. Paul\u2019s. Its name in Chinese is much shorter and direct: Big Fort with Cannons.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The Fort sat on top of a hill and offered a majestic view of the city. It also played an important role in repelling a Dutch invasion in 1623.\u00a0\u00a0Since 1998, it\u2019s the home of the Macau Museum.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">With the fusion of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155910549906156\/\">Chinese and Portuguese cuisine<\/a>, it\u2019s hard to have a bad meal in Macau.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155915768566156\">Temples of Macau<\/a>: Because of the Portuguese influence, the Catholic Church is a strong presence in Macau. However, the primary religion is Buddhism or some form of ancestor worship.\u00a0\u00a0Similar to Hong Kong, there is a high degree of freedom of religion in Macau. There\u2019s a mosque in the northern part of Macau but I didn\u2019t make it to that part of the city during this trip.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155911634866156\">Churches of Macau<\/a>: Some beautiful Catholic Churchs in Macau<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The hotels and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/625141155\/posts\/10155915692641156\/\">mega hotels in Macau<\/a>\u00a0are similar to the ones in Vegas. Personally, all the opulence and shows are not what <\/span>draw<span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"> me back to Macau. However, I must admit some of them are really impressive.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">A\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155907875881156\">tiny library<\/a>\u00a0in the Village of Coloane.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/saviowong.com\/travel\/places\/#2019_China\">China<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>(Changsha, and Shaoshan)<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/photo.php?fbid=10155947807576156&amp;set=a.10155947806271156&amp;type=3&amp;theater\">Changsha<\/a>\u00a0is the capital of Hunan (Hu = Lake, Nan = south, south of the lake).\u00a0 During WWII, it was a site where the Chinese army won the very first battle against the Japanese. After four tries, the Japanese finally occupied the city.\u00a0 Changsha is also where joined the Community Party of China. Changsha is now an important commercial, manufacturing and transportation <\/span>centre<span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Shaoshan is the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155925233211156\">birthplace of Chairman Mao<\/a>.\u00a0 Officially, the latest verdict of Mao\u2019s legacy is 70% correct and 30% wrong. He played a major role in creating modern China. Against all odds, he led the Chinese Communist Party in defeating the better armed and numerically stronger Nationalist Party, led by Chang Kai-Shek. Internally, he managed to remain the leader\u00a0even when it appeared he had\u00a0<span class=\"text_exposed_show\">lost the confidence of the party elites.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text_exposed_show\" style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">However, against his accomplishments, his Great Leap Forward (1958-1962) was disastrous and caused much suffering. The upheaval of his Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) left deep scars in the social fabrics. Tens of millions may have died because of Mao\u2019s policies.<br \/>\nIn Shaoshan, a giant statue of Chairman Mao was erected in Shaoshan in 1993. Mao\u2019s former family home, the elementary school he attended, and a number of other museums can be found in Shaoshan. Annually, the town attracts about 20 millions people visitors.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">According to our tour guide, this is the only\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/savio.wong.wo\/posts\/10155925269506156\">Chairman Mao\u2019s Library<\/a>\u00a0in China. It was actually not part of the tour but I told the guide I wanted to check it out.\u00a0\u00a0The building is less of a Library but more of a research <\/span>centre<span style=\"font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">. Surprisingly, I was the only visitor.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>England, Italy, Greece, Croatia, and Montenegro (October, 2019 to November, 2019) England Wolverhampton (Black Country Museum) London\u00a0 Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Hong Kong, Macau, and China ( December, 2018 to January, 2019) Australia\u00a0(Sydney, Hobart, and Melbourne) \u00a0Sydney Sydney: QVB, \u201cI\u2019m Free\u201d Walking Tour, ferry to Manly Island, Library inside Customs House, The Rock [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-938","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P46JhB-f8","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/saviowong.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/938","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/saviowong.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/saviowong.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saviowong.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saviowong.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=938"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/saviowong.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/938\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1085,"href":"https:\/\/saviowong.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/938\/revisions\/1085"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/saviowong.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}