East Asia itinerary

My trip to East Asia lasted three months. In the region, I travelled about 15,000km. It started in Tokyo from where I went to Kyoto and Hiroshima. Taiwan was next and it was a very pleasant surprise. I had little knowledge of the country and zero expectations. I visited Taipei, Taichung, Chiayi, Fenqihu, Alishan, Kaohsiung, … Continue reading / view photos East Asia itinerary

Farewell East Asia

My last day in Tokyo was spent shopping. It was wet and I was rushing around going from one part of the city to another, sometimes doubling back when I didn’t find what I wanted in a place. It was like musical chairs, wondering where I’d end up at the end of the day. Sometimes, … Continue reading / view photos Farewell East Asia

Hong Kong shopping

Whatever you want to buy, there’s a market or district for it in Hong Kong. My favourite place was the Golden Computer Arcade, which I went to a few times. The arcade is a mall with lots of technology stores. You can buy anything you want to build a computer, fix a computer or have … Continue reading / view photos Hong Kong shopping

From circular escalators to dim sum

My Hongkongese friend and I met up to go for a walk. On the way to the start, we went through a shopping mall that had a curved escalator. I wondered why I’d never seen one before. On a normal escalator, as the steps disappear, they go beneath and are parallel to the visible escalator … Continue reading / view photos From circular escalators to dim sum

Chungking Mansions, Stanley, and West Kowloon

Labour Week fell in the middle of my stay in Hong Kong. The consequence was that over a million people (primarily from China) came to Hong Kong. The demand for accommodation was great. For my first few days I’d booked accommodation. As is usual, I then played it by ear. However, this time when I … Continue reading / view photos Chungking Mansions, Stanley, and West Kowloon

Libraries, rabbits, and Bruce Lee

Every now and then, I go to a library. For me, libraries are an enjoyable way of getting away from the hustle and bustle of a city, especially one as hectic as Hong Kong. I spent two consecutive afternoons in libraries: Yau Ma Tei on the mainland, which was close to me, and Central Library … Continue reading / view photos Libraries, rabbits, and Bruce Lee

Chi Lin Nunnery

Chi Lin Nunnery is the world’s largest hand-made wooden building. The Buddhist nunnery was built with no nails. Instead, the builders used traditional Chinese methods to cut interlocking pieces of wood. I found the nunnery a peaceful place enhanced by several lotus ponds. As you walk around, there are many large stones with an engaging … Continue reading / view photos Chi Lin Nunnery

Laundry Day

When I was growing up, every so often, we’d all go to the big laundry in the local swimming baths. This was in the age before everyone had washing machines. Usually, we’d take laundry that was bulky, such as bedsheets. After washing and drying, we’d put the linen through these huge rollers to iron the … Continue reading / view photos Laundry Day

From the Big Buddha to the fishing village

A scenic way to go to see The Big Buddha statue on Lantau Island is via the Ngong Ping 360 cable car. I was thankful my friend (of Hong Kong origin) suggested getting a ticket online in advance. When I got to the entrance, there was a long queue to buy tickets and only one … Continue reading / view photos From the Big Buddha to the fishing village

Monsters and Dragons

My friend and I met, coincidently, where the tram terminated the previous day — at Shau Kei Wan, the east-end of Hong Kong Island. From there, we took a minibus to the beginning of our walk, called the Dragon’s Back. The minibus we took is renowned for going fast. It was like being in a … Continue reading / view photos Monsters and Dragons