Hong Kong

Exhilarating, vibrant, and infectious - that's Hong Kong. Even if the skies were laden with a heavy brown haze and the temps and humidity were climbing, I don't think I'll ever get enough of this fascinating destination. And I'm not even a big shopper! I spent a few weeks there in the summer of '88 and it really hasn't changed all that much - the buildings have just gotten taller, the streets more crowded, and the people wealthier.

A hazy skyline from the Peak...

Aberdeen Harbor views...

Stanley and its markets...

Typical window views...

The flower market...

The bird market...

Sign and shopping mania...

Hong Kong at sunset...

Heading up to the Giant Budda on Lantau Island...

The largest seated budda in bronze...

Night scene on Hong Kong Island...

View of Hong Kong island from the Star Ferry...

I "heart" Hong Kong! Next stop: Shanghai.

Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin

As the saying goes, "East or West, Guilin landscape is best!" I couldn't agree more even though much of it was shrouded in a magical mist most of the time I was there. Oh well...you can't preselect the weather conditions.

It was nice to leave the crowded cities behind and set foot in a more peaceful and natural environment. My brief visit to this picturesque corner of China was packed full of sightseeing: strangely shaped karst topography, the meandering Li River, colorful rice terraces and family farms, the narrow streets and alleyways of Yangshuo, the Reed Flute Cave, and the striking grounds of Guangxi Normal University. This is one place I would definitely return to if I could...

Cruising the Li River...

Meandering through the streets of Yangshuo...

Our beautiful hotel lobby in Yangshuo...

The view from my room...

We hopped in a golf cart for a tour of the countryside around Yangshuo...

Back in Guilin at the Reed Flute Cave...

The pretty grounds of Guangxi Normal University in Guilin...

Next stop: Hong Kong.