Vignettes of the World
My Travel Journal
I was drawn to a tour at the Pittock Mansion for two reasons. First is that it is a beautiful heritage building in Portland. Second, one can do hiking trails in the area. Originally, I was going to do a proper hike there, but I …
I enjoyed the Multnomah Falls as a good excursion, away from the city life of Portland. On this early morning I ventured into a natural endowment of Oregon, what ultimately is the most precious heritage of the state. The Multnomah Falls features the spectacular view …
I was in Portland for two and a half days and spent two days sightseeing. Portland has quite a number of scenic spots, museums and historical venues to offer if one has a car. Since I didn’t have a car, I will be discussing places …
My heart skipped a beat when I came to a closeup view of the USS Iowa. It was stately, to say the least. Under generous sunlight the USS Iowa breathes an aged but assured glory. Its imposing image is immediately evocative of battle scenes. I …
I noticed that the Los Angeles mornings were always somewhat hazy. The day was young and the wintriness was gentle. In fact, it felt almost as if California was still easing into the fall. For it was even warmer than Hong Kong at this time …
It has been over a decade since I set foot in the United States, the country that I also consider to be home. There was urgency in returning this time because my driver’s license has expired, and every ten years, the renewal requires an in-person …
Before you head out on the Senado Square, perhaps it is worthwhile to visit the Tak Seng On on Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro. This was the street where many pawnshop businesses set foot during the late Qing dynasty in Macau. The streets of Rua de …
In this two-day trip in Macau, I visited a host of significant historic heritage in the Macau Peninsula area. The following is an itinerary for those two days. There are relatively less historical sites in the Taipa area, and that is for another occasion. Macau …
Right across from the St. Augustine’s Church is the Dom Pedro V Theatre, built in an exceptionally beautiful style of neoclassical architecture. Its elegance, being distinctly cultural in character, is a nice change of scenery from the multitude of churches that I saw in Macau. …
Not far from the St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church is the St. Augustine’s Church and the St. Augustine’s Square. Following the footsteps of the first Catholic missionaries, the Jesuits, the Augustinians also made their way to Macau in the 1580s. Other Catholic missionaries that came …