M a c a u

Although I have been to Hong Kong several times, I have never had the desire to visit Macau. I am not a gambler so a gambling city does not interest me a bit. But since we stopped over at Hong Kong enroute home from Seoul, and we have run out of places to visit, the travelling party decided that we should visit Macau.

We boarded a catamaran from Central and the boat was loaded with day travellers, mostly from China. Minus the long queue during boarding, the one hour trip was otherwise comfortable.

 Developments near the harbour in Macau

 The Sands Macau.

 The iconic Ruins of Saint Paul.

Much that I am fond to see and shoot architectural structures and buildings, I am not particularly impressed with those that I have seen in Macau. I need a certain connection to a place I visit, and would usually research enough to anticipate the experience. Unfortunately, I did not get that feeling in this trip. Perhaps the draw was not there for me. 

And another travel trip awaiting....

H o n g K o n g

We have a few days in Hong Kong after our trip to Seoul, so we decided to visit of one its many islands - Cheung Chau.

Cheung Chau is Southwest of Hong Kong, and you can reach it by ferry from Central pier. As you can see above, it is a small island, that is shaped like a dumb-bell.

 Spotted a cute girl chatting happily with her grandpa on the ferry.

 We arrived by fast ferry, and the journey took under 45 minutes.

 The landing pier at Cheung Chau.

 Row of shop houses and fast food chains along the esplanade.

 A traditional cake or bread shop. You do not see many of these around anymore in the modern city.

The travel pack decided to leave the island after lunch. I stayed as I wanted to see the village and what the island could offer. Armed with a local map and water, I ventured into the island.

 Interesting to combine the library and market within the same building. Guess loud bargaining is not allowed here.

 There are no vehicles permitted on the street except the 2-wheelers and their 'village vehicle', which is a motorised transport.

 Fishing boats littered the bay.

 Amenities are aplenty, with places to worship too.

 Moving across the island, I come upon this beach fronted with holiday chalets.

 It is nice to spend a few days here, enjoy the beach, peace & quiet.

 Though you must remember to stay away from the shark territory.

 I ascended a hill by trekking a popular trail that is recommended for visitors. 

 The path is better than I thought. A trekking route is usually muddy, if not undulated. This is so thoughtful.

 About 15 minutes into my hike, I realised I was the only person using the trail. Not another soul in sight. What if I got lost, or robbed? The beautiful scenery, however, took all my worries away. 

 I guess if I was not adventurous, I would not see the best of the world. This might not be comparable to the coast of Ireland, but it still a sight to behold.

 More importantly, I have been there, seen it, and captured the scenery in photo form.

 It was actually a nice walk, with florals & faunas to spot along the way. It would be better in a winter morning. The sun was scorching that day.

 Moving inland from the coast, human activity started to appear.

 Nice residential developments amid the quiet environment.

 And one traditional stone entrance of a residence.

 Lychees.... I like!

 

 Lion statues 'guarding' the house.

 I slowly made my way back to the pier after several hours on my own. There were not many visitors to the island so the ferry back to Hong Kong was not crowded.

A tilt-shift shot outside the hotel where we stayed.

Cheung Chau has a laid back feel, where its source of energy come mostly from the visitors on weekends or in summer. That is when the activities arise. I enjoyed the charming village and its old houses, where the residents have made a consensus effort to keep theirs original. It is important that we do not forget the history when the world changes. We need to remember our roots always.

And another travel trip awaiting....

S e o u l 3

Day 3 was spent with a little of sightseeing in the morning, and all of shopping the rest of the day. I do not fancy shopping, but it was really fun doing it here. Minus the department stores, I did not mind the street stores. 

Our hotel is close to Namsan Tower so we took a slow walk there.  

An inclined lift system that we took to take us to the foot of Namsan.

 Then another cable car to take us up to the top.

This is where the unfortunate thing happened. My camera battery died and I forgot to recharge the spare one. Good thing I have the fun camera with me.

I called it a fun camera because of its pop-art rendering output.

A symbol of LOVE at the Namsan Tower.

A Korean cultural dance. Pardon the out-of-focus images. The fun camera has its limitations.

On to Namdaemum Market to shop shop shop...

I prefer street shopping anytime.

Namdaemum Market is a traditional market that sell almost anything at affordable prices.

You can pick up nice household decoratives and accessories here.

Not forgetting food produce...

...and soccer jerseys of your favourite player.

The best shopping has to be at Myeongdong, a main tourism district.

Myeongdong covers a km square grid with local and international brands of mid to high price range.

It is popular with tourists and younger people. 

The streets are filled with cosmetic shops and they have exuberant sales staff to promote their products.

Not forgetting the street food. There are plenty on offer.

Recycling for a good cause, and some pocket money.

The atmosphere in Myeongdong is always vibrant and busy. 

Mobile carts filled the street when evening approaches, adding to the variety of products already on offer.

I must say I liked Seoul after this trip. It has a lot to offer in terms of places to see, food to eat and loads of cafes to chill-in. The train system is excellent, and we used it daily to get to our destinations without any hiccups. Overall, the cost of living is not high as compared to Japan. I certainly enjoyed what I see and perhaps, be planning a return with a comprehensive itinerary next.

And another travel trip awaiting....