My Travelogue #2

It was long time ago when I visited Chiang Mai. It was a laid back city with lots of temples and an ancient city wall. I know that the city has been undergoing transformational changes recently and getting more built-up and modern, so it is now probably quite different from the time I visited.

Again this was long time ago when I was there on a business trip, so I didn't have too much time sightseeing. But Chicago is definitely well worth a visit, with Navy Pier, Chicago River, great museums and all that jazz. Just don't go there during winter as it is bitterly cold and windy.

I was there few years after the devastating 2011 earthquake but the scars could still be seen everywhere, including the cathedral itself. I didn't spend too much time in Christchurch, as most visitors to the South Island were there for the natural scenery rather than visiting the cities.

Delhi was one of the most exciting cities I have visited. It was a totally exhilarating experience. The crowd, the noise, the sights, the food, the culture, the pollution...the list just went on. I'd really love to visit different parts of India in future.

I was only stopping over at Dubai and had an afternoon between flights, so I sneaked out of the airport and visited Burj Khalifa. It was really a stunning engineering achievement (and I have seen many skyscrapers before). And the Dubai Mall was so huge, it was enough to occupy my whole afternoon.

This was probably the most expensive photo of all, as it cost ~US$100 for two people return on a 4-minute cable-car ride to reach the top of the hill for this panoramic view 😝.

Anyway, Dubrovnik was one of those destinations with a "tourist trap" reputation, and I have never watched Game of Thrones so I almost decided to skip it in my itinerary. Luckily, the day I went it was not too overcrowded, and according to the locals, it was the first day since summer without a cruise ship visiting. And it was really really beautiful, although I guess much of it was restored recently and it felt more like a theme park than a city. If you want a more "authentic" medieval walled city experience, visit Kotor in Montenegro which is near Dubrovnik.

I visited long time ago and only spent a day or two there, but I still remember Edinburgh as a very pleasant city to visit, with quite a few things to see and do; the old and new town, the castle, and the Royal Yacht Britannia etc. I'd love to visit Scotland again some day.

Esfahan was very popular with tourists. I went there without a hotel booking, since they could not accept credit card (thanks to American bully sanction). I thought I could just walk in to any hotel and find a room easily. How wrong was I? I almost got no place to stay as the city was fully booked, and I ended up in a youth hostel far away from the city centre and sharing a room with few strangers (otherwise I'd have to sleep on the street).

Anyway, the photo here does not do full justice to the beauty of this city. Naqsh-e Jahan Square was a majestic place and had a joyful and relaxing atmosphere. Then there were the Jame'a Mosque, the 33-arch bridge, the Armenian Vank Church etc., and most importantly, the friendly Iranians who would not be shy to approach a foreigner and pick up a conversation. I wished I stayed there for longer (and with a proper hotel room to myself).

I've been to Florence twice, and both times the city was fully packed with tourists. I have never been inside the Duomo because the queue was just too long. And I thought Uffizi was a bit overrated (maybe I just didn't know much about arts). But for any first timer to Italy, Florence is definitely not to be missed.

I didn't take many photos in Penang and this was the only decent one I could find. I could not even remember which temple this was. The city itself was like a time capsule back in colonial times. Most people visiting Penang were not there for the cityscape, but to eat local food. Malaysian hawker food was just so yummy - Char Kway Teow, Har Mee, Assam Laksa....mmm I'm hungry now.

I feel old when looking back at these photos, as some of these were taken many years ago (probably before many of you were born). Nowadays I would never stay in a backpacker hostel.

Again, thank you for reading my blog, and please let me know your experience if you have been to any of these cities. In the meantime, I'll start looking for photos for my next 10 cities, so stay tuned.