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Pre-covid I used to travel to Hong Kong and China every 6 to 8 weeks for several years. It was exhausting and to be honest I kind of enjoyed the long break. Last week was the first time back in more than three years.
As ever, it's a compelling and interesting place to be. Lots of great things to see, the people are for the most part really nice and friendly.
We even had a good experience crossing the border, with helpful customs guards, even getting smiles from them. This is something that never happened before.
Unlike past trips we saw very few fellow westerners, just a couple of Aussies in the hotel we stayed in. The hotel was full of Chinese staff only - it's an international one but I guess the closing down of China for so long means it will be a while before it gets back to normal, with a good mix of different nationalities.
Highlight of the trip - arriving at the Harbour Grand in Kowloon, a place I have stayed at for more than twenty years, and for the doorman to open my cab door with a huge smile and a "Welcome Back...it's been three years!".
Taken quite some time ago, but as I am now finally planning my first trip to HK in some years I thought it would be worth posting.
Not my greatest image, but one that captures a certain feeling one has when visiting this wonderful city. Hot nights like this, down on the Harbour, were common. Either before dinner or heading back after a nice meal.
Pre-covid I yo-yo'd in and out of China for work every few months. Depending on what we were doing we'd fly in, catch the train from Hong Kong, or very occasionally, be driven in a hire car.
Driving in China is an experience in itself and we once did an 8-10 hour trip back from Guangzhou when we were taking a lot of stuff with us for an event we were organising. It was mostly sedate but when traffic merged, the usual calm demeanor of our driver went awol.
I'm pretty sure this is that trip.
Uploaded: Oct 2022
so I caught up on my visit notes and emails and got out my camera. Shot for Compositionally Challenged, weekly theme Low POV. Nature's full of opportunities to capture beauty - happy to have had an extra bit of time on my hands on an unseasonably hot day when record temps were broken...
This was in the hour between appointments today - the drive home should have been 1.25 hours - it was over 2 and took everything out of me. I got home and took a nap. Three geese, and thee forms of water - ice, snow and water.
From the series - China from a Window.
Utter trust from the mother on the back of this motorbike. She's holding her baby, wrapped in a protective Hello Kitty blanket.
Another shot from a train, this time from back in 2019 on a trip I did early in the year. I must have spent hours glued to the window snapping at everything hoping there'd be interesting scenes.
We've been under a special weather statement since last evening. This afternoon I left the office to drive what should have been a 2.5 hour trip - took 4 full hours - with just one quick body break. Saw at least a dozen accidents, most of them single vehicle - none terrible, but scary just the same. This is my last out of town work trip - and I'm glad for that. It's supposed to stop snowing overnight but start again mid-day tomorrow - in time to drive back home.... The low tonight and tomorrow is -15 C - glad I brought my really warm coat, boots - and gloves - and snow brush LOL!
Had a little time between events today - found this neat spot - but man was it cold. -10 Celcius tonight. Shot for CC montly challenge - water. #worktravel
From my hotel window I could see endless activity at this school. The temperature was in the high 30s so for these children, I can only imagine it was quite difficult lining up each morning.
This is from a recent trip I did to Xiamen. For me, at least, this was a very friendly city. As Westerners we were stared at quite a bit, but always in a friendly and curious way.
The main oddity of this town is not so much its proximity to Taiwan and therefore the increased military presence, but more that there are a couple of small island just a few kms from Xiamen that are Taiwanese territory. Why this is allowed is a mystery to me.
From a trip I did earlier in the year to Stockholm to do some work with clients. I had a couple of evenings to myself so got to do a good walk around town with camera in hand.
Cologne, Germany
Motel One
Autumn
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I'm currently re-organising my entire library of photographs (thanks to a few days out of the office and a bit of focus). I've decided to restart my "out of the window" album, which is basically a bunch of photos taken as I speed by in a taxi, train or plane.
Most of the pics I take in this state are blurry, out of focus, rubbish. But from time to time you get amazing snippets of life in whatever city I happen to be in.
This is from one of many trips to China that I've done.
March 6, 2023 - Full Worm Moon, as seen and photographed from my Aunt Ruby's Home in Las Vegas, NV at 7:15 PM.
Just back from a week in HK for work. Managed an early morning walk along the waterfront in Kowloon before the final day of work. This is the very end of the walk. Touch the wall opposite here and you walk home again.
Taken from the high speed train somewhere between Guangzhou and Xiamen. The whole route, which takes about five hours on the train, goes along some lovely countryside. There is no unused space - farmland, allotments, new builds and endless waterways or damned squares of water full of fish.
This fellow was obviously on his way to do some fishing, or on his way back. Who knows?
Trent Severn Waterway - Peterborough Lift locks - one of only two in Ontario - the other happens to be about an hour away - quite near my family cottage.
Somewhere along Hollywood Road, one of my favourite eateries (to photograph). Haven't actually eaten there myself yet, shamefully. Next trip :-)
I wasn't happy that I woke to snow that was going to stay, but this was worth the snow over the boots moment... Shot onsite at a work event.
Monday morning we hired the compulsory guide to take us on a longer "trek". This ended up being the same trail to Shillim Peak that Mike and I did the evening before, and then around the valley to a bluff on the far side where we had breakfast.
Found this not-so-little frog on the beach after the rains - didn't seem to care that I was there.
Shot yesterday - posting a day late for 365's
I remember clearly this cat was watching another Ginger that was being walked on a leash by someone nearby. The intruder was definitely not welcome.
This cat stared for ages until the other cat was a few hundred yards away. Once secure the intruder was gone this one settled and went back to sleep.
This was taken on one of the trips when I was trying to photograph a lot. As ever there are many shots required to take one good one like this. You have to keep looking for the moment.
June 14, 2022 - Statue of Liberty at Sunrise, as seen and photographed from Battery Park in New York City, NY.
January 20, 2025, exploring the gounds of the Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tibrón in Naples, Florida.
[Day 20/366]
Out front of the hotel. These plants are 2.5 - 3 feet tall - the leaves are different than my lavender at home, but the flowers smelled like lavender. Anyone know ? Thinking maybe an asian variety of lavender ?
It's winter. It's freezing. The sky is grey. But as ever there are many men out there swimming.
HK Swimmer 1 | HK Swimmer 2 | HK Swimmer 3 | HK Swimmer 4 | HK Swimmer 5 | HK Swimmer 6
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