Vignettes of the World
My Travel Journal
With excitement I rose early on the second day in Launceston. We were heading to the Cradle Mountain, and I wondered if I would come close to anything like an adventure. My bent for history has guided my research on Tasmania, particularly Port Arthur. As …
Launceston presented a first impression quite unlike what I imagined. I thought we were still at the suburbs when the airport bus dropped us off at the Batman Fawkner. I then realized that large swathes of residential areas surrounded the City of Launceston, seamlessly blended …
The convicts could have never imagined Tasmania today. But then again, even with the wonderfully preserved historic sites, we can hardly imagine Tasmania back then. On our arrival in Launceston we checked into the Batman Fawkner Inn. I had not known that the Batman Fawkner …
Perhaps many travelers would agree with me on this. When one explores a new destination, there is that inkling in the heart, a soft voice inside wondering: could I live here? The older that I get, the more it is that I look at the …
The epicureans of the world know that there are eight great styles in Chinese cuisine. These great styles are categorized according to the geographical regions in China. Each of these eight styles differs in its cooking methods, selection of ingredients, the use of spices, and …
“Are there cameras here? Quickly!” I was sitting in the backseat, watching the cab driver communicate with another driver on the phone. He was desperately trying to find his way to the airport bus stop. I felt bad, because my destination was actually the airport …
The afternoon heat was waning. I debated whether to see just one more site in the Zhongshan National Park before heading back to the hotel. I felt like I have seen what I wanted to see in terms of history. Yet I told myself to …
Once described as the First Villa of the Far East, the Former Residence of the Chairman of the Republican Government provides an intimate glimpse into the lives of Chiang Kai-shek and his wife Soong Meiling. Nanjing called it fondly as the Soong Meiling Villa, as …
The Ming Filial Tomb (Ming Xiaoling) had historical significance on China’s imperial burial rites. The architecture and formalities of the Ming emperor mausoleums preserved some features of their predecessors. Yet in breaking many new grounds, the Ming Filial Tomb established itself as a milestone development …
Despite having done some research, I made some critical mistakes on this trip. Although I did learn that the museums of China (all over the nation) close on Mondays, I did not know that it includes the Dr. Sun Yatsen Mausoleum. Furthermore, the staff told …