Another stop in Malaysia was the city of Penang where we visited the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia. It sits at the top of a very steep hill. The entire walkway to the temple is filled with vendors selling anything and everything to tourists. It was quite the climb, but well worth it. The temple was grand, and the view of Penang even more magnificent.
After the hot climb to the top, it was a top, it was a real treat to take a thrishaw ride back to the ship. They're similar to a rickshaw, but instead of a person pulling you in front, there's a bicycle in the back. It was really interesting to be down among the traffic on a crowded street as the drivers wove in and out of the cars.
For me, another highlight was being able to climb the mast on the ship. Okay, so there was a ladder, and they made us put a climbing harness on and we could only go half-way up--to the first platform--but it was still a thrill. The view of the ship and surrounding sea was awesome! I doubt I would have been too crazy to be up there in a high wind, though!
Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures while I was in Singapore, and I don't know why. There was actually quite a bit to see, but I guess I was too caught up looking at all the beautiful flowers to think to take any pictures! The whole city/island seems as if it's landscaped, with gardens everywhere. The population is multi-national, so I suppose that's why English is so prevalent, besides the city having been founded by a British entrepreneur.
We visited an orchid garden where the pathways took us amongst some of the most beautiful flowers. That evening we visited a zoological garden that claims to have the only "night safari" in the world. The lighting was specially designed to simulate moonlight, and the animals were free to roam the park. Carefully concealed moats kept the more dangerous animals in their place, but the others were free to wander. In fact, our tram hand to stop for several minutes as a tapir refused to get off the road! Slowly, he moved off, and he was so close I could have touched him. Definitely a different way to see a zoo!
For the final part of our journey we went to Hong Kong. Many of our group went home from Singapore, but I'm glad we went on--I wasn't ready to leave yet! Someone once said that Hong Kong was like a Chinese Manhattan, and that about describes it. With so little land to build on, everything has to go up, so the majority of buildings are high-rises.
Hong Kong was returned to the Chinese in 1997, under the stipulation that it remains a "Special Administrative Region" for fifty more years. Essentially assuring the businesses there things won't change in the near future.
The Chinese people of Hong Kong speak Cantonese, while the rest of China speaks Mandarin. I was told by one guide that if a person from Hong Kong or Canton wants to talk to someone from another part of China, they have to speak English to be understood.
Our first day in Hong Kong was filled with a tour of the island, taking us to Aberdeen and a ride on a junk in Victoria Harbor, as well as to Stanley Market, once one of the greatest place to find a bargain.
For the second day, we opted for a trip into China to Canton. Immigration seemed to take up most of our time. We had to be checked leaving Hong Kong, entering China, leaving China and entering Hong Kong. Apparently the people of China need a visa to go to Hong Kong, but the same is not true of Hong Kong citizens going to China.
Again we were treated to several modes of transportation from a high-speed ferry to Shenzhen (another special administrative region); motor coach around the cities; and then a high-speed electric train back to Hong Kong. Probably not the most efficient means of getting around, but it gave us a taste of something different.
Canton is one of the oldest cities in China, but with attempts at modernization, much of the history is being lost. While on our trip, we visited a kindergarten; saw another type of market; got to see one of the few pandas in captivity; a museum containing some pieces of the Terra Cotta warriors from Xian; and a memorial to Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, one of the first reformers of China. It was definitely a full day!
That was our last day in Asia, and I was torn between wanting to return home, and wanting to go on. There was so much more to see, but after traveling that long, some of my enthusiasm had begun to fade. Now that I've had some time to reflect on this trip, I realize what an amazing chance it was. It's hard to name a favorite place because each area we visited was unique. I'd love to return to any of the countries again, and maybe someday I'll have the chance.