china

I went for the first time to the People's Republic of China on December 7, 2001. I was visiting Hong Kong for the second time and because since my first stay there I was willing to visit China; I applied for my visa there and went to visit Shenzhen which is right after the border with Hong Kong. The "Splendid China Miniature Scenic Spot" was a really nice place to visit and to be able to see and be photographed to miniatures of such famous attractions such as the "Nine-Dragon Wall", the "Leshan Grand Buddha Statue", the "Temple of Confucius", the "Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum", the "Imperial Palace" and "The Great Wall" was really worth it.

hong kong

"Kung Hei Fat Choi"!... Those were the first Chinese words I learned! And do you know what it means? "Happy Chinese New Year!"! Yes, that's it and the reason was that my very first time in Asia happened by chance during the celebrations of their Lunar New Year. That was January 24, 2001, the beginning of the Year of the Snake which symbolizes wisdom and prudence. Hong Kong was the chosen destination and Macao was just the complement to this exciting trip of 5 days only. Although I was on a sightseeing tour on the first day to familiarize myself with Hong Kong and visit tourist places like Victoria Peak, Repulse Bay, Aberdeen and Stanley Market, all the other days I was accompanied by local friends that I met before through the Internet. The fireworks on the 25th were very nice and regarding food, well, I'll never forget those tasty "Dim Sum" that are World famous! Meanwhile, I've returned there six times thanks to my very good friends there which welcomed me so well every time. Thanks again to Edco, Madgel, Gerry, May, Ho, Shita, Poly, Horace, Simon, Hoy, Andy, Terence, Marion and Priscilla. Wow! I hope that I didn't forget anybody! :-)

Back to Hong Kong for the 7th time in January 2007! Just a few days to buy some zooms for my camera and revisit old places and friends!

india

I've already been to many places in the world and none of them has ever had such a big impact as my first trip to India! I've said "first" because I know there will be more trips to India to come soon. Well, 14 days holiday was rather short but long enough to find out that India is an incredible country and a place to revisit! Usually, the first thing you hear before you go visit India for the first time is "Either you will love or you will hate India!" Hum... You may guess my choice... I want to return so yes... I love India!

I've never planned a trip as well as this Indian trip. Long before the departure, I'd read about the country and its history, I'd seen plenty of pictures and I'd watched many movies (Bollywood and more). Besides the beautiful places I was going to visit, I also knew that it was going to be a shock because of the misery one we can find there and I thought that I was prepared for that… Well, it's only when you get there that one can really measure how basically a human being can live... And that hurts no matter how strong you are, or how strong you think you are!

This first time trip included Mumbai (or Bombay), Ahmedabad, Udaipur, Jaipur, Delhi and Agra and it was planned together with a friend from India, Lien, who accompanied me to all those places as a tour guide and friend. Well, to have someone with you who speaks the country's language and knows how to deal and bargain with the local people was much appreciated. So, thank you Lien for showing me around. I was also pleased to have been introduced to some friends and family, and very happy to have made new friends in that part of the world. Raakhee, Lalneo, Lal, Vahsi were all very kind to me so, thank you also to all of them for such a great time together!

About the places:

MUMBAI - The landing place after 8 hours flight from Zurich! Overcrowded, lack of space, chaotic, crazy, extremely humid for the less good things... As for the good ones, a superb feeling at "Gateway of India", the remarkable Victorian buildings constructed on the edge of Oval Maidan in the Fort Area (High Court, Bombay University and Rajabai Clock Tower) as well as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Victoria Terminus). A nice walk along the Marine Drive to Chowpatty Beach (daytime) and a horse carriage (nighttime) were also very interesting and exciting. Another interesting visit was a day out to Elephanta Island where there are some rock-cut temples (caves). Leopold Café and Bar in Colaba was a lovely place to stop for a drink and dinner, suggested by another Mumbai friend (Anil).

AHMEDABAD - Capital of Gujarat and a stop for less than 24 hours because of connecting trains from Mumbai to Udaipur. Arrived in the morning and left at night but long enough to not miss Sabarmati Ashram (Mahatma Gandhi's headquarters during the long struggle for Indian independence).

UDAIPUR - Rajasthan's most romantic city! A fantastic and very pleasant stay at the Udai Kothi Hotel with its lovely swimming pool on the rooftop will remain an unforgettable experience. The hotel food (the fish tandoori was really yummy!) and the "banana lassis" and cocktails by the swimming pool were also excellent. Another very good restaurant was the Ambrai. Visits included the City Palace, a boat ride on Lake Pichola passing by Jagniwas Island and its Lake Palace Hotel (James Bond movie "Octopussy") and a quick stop in Jagmandir Island. Last but not least, breathtaking views from Sajjan Garh (Monsoon Palace) at sunset!

JAIPUR - Rajasthan's pink capital! Excellent stay at the Trident Hilton Jaipur with a deluxe Lakeview room (the lake was still dry!). Very friendly place with many staff from Manipur (Lien's origin), one of them, Lal, accompanied us on our second-day visit. There was also good food with plenty of choices and a nice swimming pool. The visits included the most distinctive Jaipur landmarks "Hawa Mahal" and the Old City (Pink City), the City Palace, "Jantar Mantar" (an old observatory from the 1700s) as well as Amber Fort, about 11km north of Jaipur. A very amazing experience was the thrilling elephant ride!

DELHI - The capital of India! Overcrowded like Mumbai but less chaotic and with more open and larger spaces. Scary arrival at the Delhi railway station with two rickshaw drivers fighting because of us but all okay at the end. Very pleased to meet up Raakhee and Lalneo, Vahsi and my ex-colleague and good friend Myriam with her husband Arjun! The visits included Qutb Minar, Bahai Temple, Red Fort, Raj Ghat, India Gate and Rajpath (Kingsway) heading to Rashtrapati Bhavan (President's House) and the Secretariat Buildings.

AGRA - A one-day tour from Delhi to Agra and where I was fascinated and speechless in front of the spectacular World Heritage white-marble mausoleum, the TAJ MAHAL, the most extravagant monument ever built for love! That was the summit of the whole trip to India and a place that I will never forget. The Palace of Jodh Bai in Fatehpur Sikri and the Agra Fort were also worth a visit.

Here's what a special friend on the Net has said after seeing some of my India trip photos: "I can plainly see you had the time of your life"... And that's so true! :-)

GOA - I've returned to India earlier than expected! After such a very good experience the first time (as per my description above), there I was again in India and that in less than four months for one extra week holiday! And this second time, it was to visit Goa! Goa like Damao and Diu was Portuguese until 1961! So, again, although it was a different kind of holiday, it was still very interesting as it was amazing to find out a little about Portugal in India (i.e. catholic churches, local people with Portuguese names, etc.) as well as to enjoy the beautiful beaches and the yummy Goan food (a mix of Indian and Portuguese food).

A very positive note to Kingfisher Airlines (my favourite airline in India with brand new Airbus A320 and individual TV screen, very good service on board as well as on ground with a Kingfisher valet like a bellboy in a hotel, in Goa airport, carrying my suitcase to the check-in counter!) and to the Dona Sylvia Beach Resort in Cavelossim Beach (a wonderful place where this week holiday couldn't have been better thanks to the very good infrastructures, its superb location and the very professional and friendly service!).

israel

My trip to Israel exceeded all my expectations. I liked Tel Aviv, a modern and cosmopolitan city. In Jaffa, I particularly liked Old Jaffa, Clock Tower, St. Peter's Church, Wishing Bridge and Abrasha Park. I also liked the Tel Aviv Promenade, Carmel Market and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. Besides Tel Aviv, I couldn’t have missed visiting the Sea of Galilee. Over there, I stopped in Tabgha and visited the Church of the Loaves and Fish, Capernaum – the City of Jesus, and the Capernaum Synagogue. The next stop was Yardenit, known as the baptism site of Jesus. I also visited the Church of Annunciation and St. Joseph's Church in Nazareth. And afterwards, the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Palestine. Before going to Bethlehem, I visited Jerusalem and some places like Jaffa Gate, Holy Sepulcher, Armenian Patriarchate, Western Wall and Zion Gate. That was very impressive and emotional. Finally, I went to Kalia Beach on the Dead Sea, which I already knew from my trip to Jordan years ago. In conclusion, despite being a non-practising Catholic, this trip to Israel touched me deeply because having visited so many sacred places made me relive the life of Jesus Christ.

japan

To be updated soon.

jordan

That was in April 1994. A full week tour. A golden tour I could say... Very expensive, but very rich too! Ah, Petra, the "rose-red city" of the ancient Nabataean civilization and the impressive "Khazné" (The Treasure). Also, I bathed in the "Dead Sea" and floated very strangely!

macao

I've visited Macao in one day on my first trip to Hong Kong in January 2001. It was very interesting to discover the Portuguese influence there and among many places I've visited, the Casino Lisboa, the "Leal Senado", the ruins of S. Paul, the garden of Luis de Camões and the Guia lighthouse were those I liked more. More than one year later, on March 29, 2002, I just returned there to accompany my mother, sister and brother-in-law who were visiting Hong Kong with me and of course, they were very interested in visiting that old ex-Portuguese territory in China.

3rd visit to Macao in January 2007 after two previous visits one by myself and the second with my mother, older sister and brother-in-law a few years ago! I was just surprised with so many constructions of hotels and casinos! Macao, the new Vegas from the Orient!

malaysia

I visited Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur and Malacca) in the summer of 2002 and liked it very much because I was surprised to find out the complexity of their ethnic mix (Malay, Chinese and Hindu), their different culture and their different religion, all in just one country. Kuala Lumpur is a very modern city with its famous "Petronas Towers" (twin towers) which are the tallest in the World, and Malacca was worth visiting because of the Portuguese mark left there in 1511.

maldives

Can I call it the paradise islands? Yes, that was the best island I've ever been... Very natural and had not too many amenities... Of course, that's the right place for scuba diving and snorkelling! I just felt like swimming in a giant aquarium with so varied and coloured fishes around me! Other activities included learning windsurfing and that was very amazing!

oman

I was planning to visit Muscat, Oman a long time ago. It finally happened in March 2000 and I have enjoyed it so much that I can't resist going there again when I can. This wouldn't be possible if I wasn't so well welcomed by my friend Dino who lives there with his wife Tiny and their cute baby LizaMier.

palestine

My morning visit to Bethlehem in Palestine was brief but very important. It was highly rewarding the feeling I had having visited where Jesus was born, in Bethlehem (Basilica of the Nativity). I can say that it was simply surreal.

singapore

I have visited Singapore in May 2005 and have enjoyed my stay there very much. The room at the Swissôtel The Stamford (ex-Westin) on the 62nd floor with such a spectacular view, as well as its location in the heart of Singapore, just next to the Raffles City Shopping Complex and the Esplanade Concert Hall and Theatre, couldn't be better. Places I've visited and I liked were Chinatown, Little India, the Singapore River, Merlion Park, Boat Quay as well as the famous Orchard Road with its shopping malls. A day at Sentosa (Siloso Beach) was also very nice not only to enjoy the beach but also to take some photographs of the nice local people there that were just swimming or playing boogie board. The Underwater World at Sentosa was interesting but unfortunately kind of crowded even at the end of the day. I also had the same feeling regarding the Night Safari at the Singapore Zoological Gardens but despite this inconvenience they were still worth visiting. Otherwise, nightlife speaking, I did enjoy the "All Evening Beethoven" concert at the Esplanade as well as the few bars and discotheques I went to. Well, I just can tell you that the nights were not long enough! Hahaha...

south korea

To be updated soon.

sri lanka

The one week holiday in Sri Lanka in March 2007 was too short to discover such a beautiful country but long enough to know that I want to go there again and visit more extensively the next time! It was not only the country but also the kindliness of the people that I've never seen anywhere in the world that makes me want to return to Sri Lanka once again! They all smile at you and in a very friendly way! Not in excess but just naturally. And you can feel it since it comes from the bottom of their hearts!

A very good friend of mine accompanied me on this trip and he was a fantastic travel partner! So, thank you very much Nicolas for all the good moments and laughs! "Check it out"! (*)

The charter flight Edelweiss Air was an amazing experience. The service reminded me of the old Swissair times and the cabin atmosphere was much different from a regular airline. As everybody was going on a beach holiday (there were passengers to Sri Lanka as well as to the Maldives), you can imagine how happy everybody was!

The Ranweli Holiday Village in Waikkal (west coast) was the best place to stay! This "eco-friendly" hotel provides nice bungalows with beach views, very good and tasty Sri Lankan and international food, two bars (one by the swimming pool) and it has an excellent Ayurvedic centre. A very special thank you to Shanthi Ranasinghe for our long chat and for convincing me to do the foot therapy as well as to Dr H. M. L. Menike Herath, the Ayurvedic Physician! Well, next time I'll definitely have a complete therapy: head, body and foot! The hotel also organizes beautiful traditional Sri Lankan weddings (for westerners) and sightseeing tours. We went on an early morning bird watching tour (special thanks to Mahinda Ekanayake, Senaka Pathmakumara and Chandrasiri Nimal), 4 hours bicycle tour (special thanks to Bandusiri) and a full-day tour to Yapahuwa and Panduwasnuwara (special thanks to Anuruddha Jayasinghe and Upali). Even the shop with their traditional handicraft souvenirs was good enough to find out all you need and the shopkeeper Nihal Thamel was also very friendly. One last thanks to the bar steward Thilina S. Kulathunge that was very cheerful and that kept serving us the best mocktails and cocktails by the pool! "Ayubowan" to all of you! (In Sinhalese, it means "May you have a long life", for those that don't know, and that's their traditional way of greeting at any time of the day!).

As proof that this holiday was an unforgettable one, mind that I've made 2525 photos in one single week! ;-)

Already back to Switzerland, and because I've brought a few Sinhalese songs that I liked so much and wanted to have the original CDs, being in trouble to find their names (the ones I got were misspelt), I've just connected to a Sri Lankan music forum and asked for help! And guess what? The next day I've got the answer so a big thank you to Chrisanthie that also recommended me other names and songs! "Ayubowan" to Chrisanthie as well!

As a conclusion and before I'll add the next comments regarding my second visit to Sri Lanka (oh yes... it's already in the air!), I would just say... Are you in trouble finding a holiday destination whereas you can combine beach and visits? Well, Sri Lanka is definitely the place to go! And you won't regret, I can tell you! :-)

(*) "Check it out"! When we were in our bungalow listening to the radio, there was a spot on the radio station saying "Check it out"! And we listened to it so many times that it remained stuck in our memories until today! Oh well... It's just too bad that you can't hear it by simply reading my words! ;-)

taiwan

I've visited Taipei with my Hong Kong friends just three days after the March 31st, 2002 earthquake in Taiwan. We didn't find out any damage and Taiwanese did seem to enjoy their normal lives. However, the huge tower (World Financial Center) under construction which was just in front of our bedroom (18th floor) at the Grand Hyatt Taipei, reminded us the images we saw on television of one of the hoist machines falling down from the top of that same building when the earthquake happened! During those four visiting days there, we've enjoyed the nightlife in the streets (many night markets and lots of nice food in the streets) and we went to two different spas to enjoy nice warm baths. We also went up to the Taipei's landmark "Shinkong Observatory" (46 floors) where we could enjoy breathtaking night views of the city and we were also amazed to visit the "Living Mall" at 2 o'clock in the morning which is a mall that is open 24 hours a day!

Second visit to Taiwan in November 2005... Up to Taipei 101 tower, the World's tallest building (508 meters) and a wonderful stay at the Hotel Royal Chiao Hsi spa!

thailand

I've visited Thailand for the first time in November 2002. That was a quick and short visit of 4 days that included two days in Pattaya and two days in Bangkok. The Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok was very impressive. And the traffic and the pollution too! Thai people are very friendly (for those who don't know) and the food was delicious as well. A country to return, imperatively!

turkey

To be updated soon.

vietnam

To be updated soon.