Falling in Love with Bhutan

Before arriving in Bhutan, all I wanted to see in this mystical country was Tiger’s Nest or Taktsang Monastery, one of Bhutan’s most sacred sites. I was so mesmerised by the way this monastery is precariously perched on the edge of a cliff.

However, my perception of Bhutan changed completely the moment I step out of the plane at Paro international airport.  There was an unexplainable sense of peace and serenity in my heart. The sight of crystal clear water in Paro river and the greenery on the mountains as we were landing were simply breathtaking.

Paro International Airport, Bhutan

Paro, Bhutan

Paro International Airport, Bhutan

Paro Bhutan

We had a funfilled time visiting Paro, Haa Valley, Thimphu, Wangdue Phodrang and Punakha.  Our visit to Tiger’s Nest/Taksang Monastery was on the last day of tour, saving the best for last I guess J

Tiger’s Nest or Taktsang Monastery, Bhutan

The journey up to Takshang Monastery was an arduous one. I am glad that our local tour guide insisted that we take the horse up for the first part of the journey. “It’s faster” he said. I couldn’t have made it up if I had hiked up on my own as the air was thin and hence I was easily out of breath!. 

Tiger’s Nest or Taktsang Monastery - horses resting

Steps leading to Tiger's Nest or Taktsang Monastery

Colourful prayer flags leading to Tiger’s Nest or Taktsang Monastery

Upon reaching the top, the view was simply awesome! I was so thrilled to reach the top.

Tiger’s Nest or Taktsang Monastery

Visiting Bhutan has changed my perspective and outlook on some things in life. The world that I live in runs at a much faster pace and is full of many unnecessary things like work stress, traffic jam and politics! I believe every country has its share of problems. But as a tourist, Bhutan seems such a magical country.  So magical that I was already thinking of ways to come back again even before our tour ended.  Though the pace of life in Bhutan may be a lot slower than what I am used to, I couldn’t help falling in love with the country and its people’s simple lives.

Bhutan - local villagers taking a break

Our local tour guide who speaks very good English made us feel very welcomed and was very willing to answer the many questions that this bunch of inquisitive city folks brought up in trying to understand the Bhutanese way of life. 

Through him and our driver, I witnessed a high level of humility hardly seen in many of the countries that I have visited thus far. Both of them will go all the way out to meet our many requests to the extend of helping out in the kitchen to get our food ready. And when food is brought to our table, it is always served with a bow. Is this the norm for Bhutanese or is this special for tourist only? I wouldn't know. But I will find out more when I come again.

    

Bhutan, I miss you and I will be back.

Hongkong - Part 2 Sightseeing

Travelling in Hongkong was really easy with its excellent public transportation and clear road signages. We walked most of the time from our hotel Metropark in Mongkok. There is even a bus A21 that stops right in front of the hotel from the airport.

Our hotel the Metropark is within walking distance to the flower market and bird garden.

Flower Market Hongkong

Yuen Po Street Bird Garden Hongkong

We stumbled upon the wet market after we explored the flower market and bird garden.

Fa Yuen Street Wet Market Hongkong

In the evening we headed towards the Arena of Stars and Victoria Harbour.

Arena of Stars and Statue of the late Anita Mui
Victoria Harbour, Hongkong

Victoria Harbour Hongkong

I love the view of Victoria Harbour at night. Can't get enough of it.

Victoria Harbour - Hongkong

Victoria Harbour, Hongkong

This covered escalator in Central Hongkong is the longest external escalator in the world.

Central Hongkong

On Sunday we saw many Philipino maids "picnicking" on the bridge/walkways outside Central MTR. This reminded me of foreign workers in Malaysia "picnicking" in Kota Raya and Puduraya area on Sunday. Not a very pretty sight though.

Philipino maid's day out - Central Hongkong

In Central Hongkong, we took the tram up to The Peak the highest point on Hongkong Island. The view from the top wasn't as impressive as it rained while we were there.

The Peak Tower Hongkong

Hongkong - view from The Peak

Statue of Bruce Lee - Wax Musuem Hongkong

Aberdeen is a fishing village on the south-west tip of Hongkong Island. We wanted to visit the wholesale fish market but couldn't as we were not dressed for it. The floor of the market was constantly flooded as water splashed out whenever the fishermen/wholesaler filled water into fish containers. We didn't want to risk having our shoes splashed with smelly and fishy water.

Instead we took a walk along Aberdeen Promenade and enjoyed the view under the hot sun :)

Aberdeen Promenade, Hongkong

Aberdeen Hongkong

We also visited a few night markets- Temple Street and Ladies Market. We also walked along Shanghai Street to hunt for some cake decorating tools. But found nothing interesting or worth buying.

Overall, travelling in Hongkong has been very easy. The weather in end August was very hot and humid even much hotter than Malaysian weather. Had the weather been cooler, it would have been a much better trip :)

Hongkong - Part 1 Food Hunting

What I love most about Hongkong is the food! Yes plenty of delicious food wherever you go. Most restaurants and cafe display their menu in Chinese so it will be a bit of a challenge to order your food if you don't read Chinese. Nevertheless, most Hongkongers that we met were quite helpful.

I love the wantan noodles in Hongkong. Well, actually I love the wantans more than the noodles....as the texture of  Hongkong noodles is not as chewy as those served in Malaysia. But the prawn wantans are simply heavenly.

For 3 days in a row we had wantan noodles from these 3 places:

1. Mak Man Kee Noodles in Parkes St, Jordan (same row as Australian Dairy Co)
2. Mak's Noodles in Wellington Street, Central Hongkong
3. Tsim Chai Kee Noodles in Wellington Street Central Hongkong (opposite Mak's Noodles)

And my favourite among the 3 is Tsim Chai Kee. Just look at the shrimp wantan, fish paste and beef slices :) Much tastier and also better value in money.

Wantan noodles, Hongkong

As for egg tarts, we tried the ones from Tai Cheong bakery. Very nice and soft...but too soft that the entire tart crumbled when we pick it up to eat.

Tai Cheong Bakery
egg tart, barbarque pork and chicken pie

I think the best egg tarts I've ever tasted is from Fresco Cafe located in 28 Gage Street in Central Hongkong. This is just a bakery frequented by locals unlike Tai Cheong Bakery which is very touristy.

Fresco Cafe - the best egg tart in Hongkong

Look at them...the egg tarts from Fresco Cafe...freshly baked and so yummy looking:)

Best egg tart in Hongkong - Fresco Cafe

The coconut tarts from Fresco Cafe are delicious too. Maybe I should try and bake my own coconut tarts one day since coconut is easily available in Malaysia.

Coconut tarts- Fresco Cafe Hongkong

Other food that we tried.

Honeymoon Dessert - Soya bean with black sesame and palm toddy

Australian Dairy Company - milk pudding

Lan Fong Yuen - Condensed milk bun

Milk pudding from Yee Shun Milk Company (top left)
Pork chop por lor pau, egg tart and milk tea from Kam Wah Bakery 

Hing kee -Temple Street Hongkong

Memorial of Mother Teresa

"God still loves the world through you and through me today" - Mother Teresa

This is printed on the front page of a brochure I received from a nun on my flight to Warsaw in May 2013. She is from the Missionaries of Charity (MC), a Roman Catholic organisation, established by Mother Teresa in 1950. She was on the way back to visit her family after having served 10 years in MC. I had a short chat with this nun and was very impressed with her serenity and dedication to the mission.

Mother Teresa

Little did I know then that several months down the road, I would have the opportunity to visit Macedonia, the country where Mother Teresa was born. I visited the Memorial of Mother Teresa in Skopje.

Memorial of Mother Teresa, Skopje Macedonia

The memorial house cum museum is situated at the exact location where the old Sacred Heart of Jesus church was located. Mother Teresa was baptised in this church. 

Memorial of Mother Teresa

The museum was closed when we visited, so only took some pictures from the outside.

Memorial of Mother Tresa

Memorial of Mother Teresa

Memorial of Mother Teresa

Merry Cemetery, Sapanta Romania

Death is usually mourned and cemeteries are always very eerie to me. But somehow I find that Romanians celebrate life as well as death. I saw many well decorated cemeteries during my recent trip. These cemeteries are also located on higher ground, on hill slopes overlooking beautiful sceneries below. This is what Chinese would call 風 凉 水 冷.

Merry Cemetery in Sapanta is one good example of a well decorated cemetery. Bright and colouful is how I would describe Merry Cemetery.

Merry Cemetery, Sapanta Romania

The ancestors of Sapanta considered death as the beginning and not the end. Hence the oak wood "tombstone" is always in blue, the colour of hope and freedom. Sclptor Ion Patras began carving these in 1935 and his apparentice, Vasile Stan continues his works.

The carvings reflect the deceased's life and occupation. There are short stories written about the deceased's life in the local language.

Merry Cemetery Sapanta Romania

The local church under restoration.

Merry Cemetery, Sapanta

Paintings on the ceiling of the local church.

Merry Cemetery church

Estonia - Lahemaa National Park

Lahemaa National Park is located on Northern Estonia, 70 kilometers east from Tallinn and it took us about 1.5 hours to reach. It was the first area to be designated a national park of the former Soviet Union back in 1971. With forests covering more than 70 per cent of Lahemaa, the area is rich in flora and fauna. 

There are four manors situated in the national park, Palmse manor, the Vihula manor, Kolga manor, and the Sagadi Manor. Our tour visited Palmse Manor which is one of the grandest baroque mansions in Estonia. The mansion and open-air museum were the first fully restored manor complex in the country. Construction of the main building started in 1697 and  finally completed in 1720 and re-decorated 1782-1785. The first floor was built with high ceiling as that is where entertaining is done.The second floor was for bedrooms while kitchen and other household rooms were in the basement including a wine cellar.

Palmse Manor Estonia

From the picture below, you can see that Palmse Manor is surrounded by plenty of greenery.

Palmse Manor - layout

The garden behind the manor. Unfortunately the flowers in the garden was not blooming even in May as Estonia had a long winter this year. Our tour guide told us that the place was still cover in snow even up till April!

Palmse Manor- garden

The back view of Palmse Manor (left) and staff quarters (right).

Some photos of the interior of Palmse Manor, including the wine cellar and a musical box (bottom right) which still works today.

Palmse Manor -interior

On the way to Altja fishing village, we drove pass Sagadi Manor and managed to take a quick photo from the outside.

Sagadi Manor

Altja is a small coastal village that over a century ago supported small family farms and fishing. You can still see the original fishing hut used to store and maintain fishing nets and small boats.

Altja fishing village Estonia