Today's Daydream...

Pura Besakih in Bali, Indonesia.

photo credit: world wonders

My Hong Kong Top 10 To Dos ! #2

A way to experience the spectacular skylines of Hong Kong is from the Victoria Peak (The Peak). The Peak offers a 360 degrees paranomic view of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the hills of North Territories as well as the Lamma island. 

The part i like about the Victoria Peak is the ride up via the Peak Tram, which pulls visitors up a steep hill in under ten minutes. 
(***As the queue for the tram is usually long, tickets purchased in advance gives a quicker access to take the ride. We bought ours at the airport which offered us a bundled discount for a few tourist attractions as well.)

While it does, the Tram's climb up offers us a gradually growing bird's eye view of the city. 

With less people in the viewing lookout, it can surely be quite a romantic backdrop for lovers.

It can get quite cold especially during nights with strong winds, so do remember to layer up before visiting.

I enjoyed the view so much that i will definitely be back again!!

In the meantime, if you are into wax figurines of famous personalities, photo opportunities await a Madame Tussaud's at the Peak Tower as well.

TBC…

Read My Hong Kong Top 10 To Dos ! #1

Pics taken with a Panasonic Lumix camera and Samsung Note 2

Today's Daydream…

Dreamin' about the Beach in Krabi, Thailand.

My Hong Kong Top 10 To Dos ! #1

#1: Wong Tai Sin Temple 

In the shadows of gleaming glass and steel skyscrapers, thrive temples heavily laden with thick incense smoke. 

Beyond all that outward modernisation, Hong Kong is still deep seated in its cultural roots. Religion being one still widely practised by the locals. The Wong Tai Sin temple is a popular one with the locals renowned for having devotees' prayers answered. 

My first visit to the temple and I was way too curious. I had to have my fortune told. Having used one of the fortune tossing tool, with a question in mind, I started jossing the container with sticks. Fairly quickly, a stick fell out of the bundle, that very stick is the clue to my fortune (or even future) ! We adjourned to the adjacent building where fortune tellers lined the passageway in small shops awaiting eager fortune seekers. I never really took much to such fortune tellers being a believer that one creates his own destiny. However, the reading was insightful for a mere HK $25. Worth a try for a fortune telling experience !

Read My Hong Kong Top 10 To Dos ! # 2

Pics taken with a Panasonic Lumix and Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Camera

Chasing the Lights (Norway Part 2)

That night as the sun set, we got ready to attend our lecture at the Polar Light Centre. The lecture was informative as it explained all about how the aurora borealis is formed and what are the favorable conditions for her to make an appearance.

Our first night in Laukvik and we were hopeful about getting a glimpse of the Northern Lights.

We met the owners Rob and Theresa, a couple originally from Holland but moved to Laukvik to set up the Polar Light Centre all for the love of Lady Aurora. Rob is so passionate about his research on the northern lights and both are them are just so inspiring.

The wonderful perk about signing up for a lecture at the Polar Light Centre is that Rob provides a complimentary SMS service to notify us about the sightings of Lady Aurora; so we won't need to brave the cold outside to wait for her appearance.

By the way, Theresa makes the best cookies ! Couldn't get enough of them!

That night, my eyes were affixed on this device…

Spikes indicate a possible appearance of Lady Aurora.

According to Rob, that night was not a good night for sightings as the sky was not clear.

The other devices Rob uses to track her…
This maybe what passion and dedication looks like!

Rob and Theresa shared many of their encounters and stories about Lady Aurora. Like a child, i listened in awe and anticipation of meeting her. I was eager. Such is the beauty and magnificence of Nature which man has no control over. She decided not to make an appearance on the 1st night of our arrival. 

Hearing the stories, i figured the best way to meet her was to make her a gift as a token of my sincerity to meet her. Somethings have no explanation, and explanations need not be sought. 

I went into the Art Studio in the same premise where i lived, as our land lady is gracious enough to open up her art studio to those who board with her.

Even though i was never so confident about art, i whipped out the paint brushes and did my best potrait of Lady Aurora from my imagination and pictures I had seen. 

Afterwards, I braved the cold of the night and lifted up my painting to the sky as a gift to her. 

I think she must have heard me.....

Despite the disappointment of not meeting her on our first day, we were treated to this beautiful sunset…

This was just the beginning of things to come…

If you do go by Lofoten Islands, please pay Rob and Theresa a visit at their Polar Light Centre
http://www.polarlightcenter.com to maximize your chance of seeing the Northern Lights!

TBC…

Read Chasing the Lights (Norway Part 1)

pics taken with a Panasonic Lumix camera 

Today's Daydream...

Photo source: HotelDirect

The beauty of Tibet is beyond one's imagination…. 

Thank You 2013!

2013 was a year filled with wonderful memories for me, traveling to many places i have always wanted to go in particular the magical Egypt!

May 2014 this new year be filled with more adventures to come!!

Blessed New Year to all and thank you for journeying with me through 2013 on this blog!