Cape Town to London 2025 Part 6- France & UK
Cape Town to London 2025 Part 5- Portugal & Spain
Cape Town to London 2025 Part 4
Day 31 – 32 Cape Verde
I first arrived in Praia on April 28, 2015 at the end of a 36-day voyage on Ortelius from Ushuaia, Argentina to Cape Verde. I stayed for 18 days and visited six (Santiago, Fogo, Brava, Sao Vicente, Santo Antao and Sal) out of the ten islands. I had fond memories and was delighted to return.
May 3 Santiago Island
During my 3-day stay in Satiago Island in 2015, I visited Cidade Velha, a World Heritage Site. Founded in 1462, it was the first European town in the tropics where Vasco da Gama, Christopher Columbus and Francis Drake had all left their marks. Today, I joined a 3-hour guided tour to Cidada Velha where I revisited the imposing royal fortress, the atmospheric old quarter with white-washed stone houses, the cathedral (which is a ruin) and the iconic Nossa Senhora Rosario Church. I spent a while by the black sand beach watching fishermen coming in with their catch and a young boy mending the net.
After lunch, I tried to join the Santiago Island Drive. Unfortunately, the bus was full though some 15 last-minute guests were still in the queue. Jonathan, the expedition leader of APEX, realised our great disappointment jumped to our rescue: he asked the expedition team for an extra minibus and took us to look for the national bird of the island – Grey-headed Kingfisher and the other five endemic birds. We saw a dozen of the Grey-headed Kingfisher perching on power lines and trees. They remained motionless and were fantastic objects for photography. We were also lucky to spot an Eurasian Kestrel, several Cape Verde Swifts in addition to Quinea fowl, Glossy Ibis, Western Cattle Egret etc. I indeed had a 3-hour fun drive and enjoyed bird-watching with keen and knowledgeable birders.
May 4 Sao Antonio Island
The ship arrived at Porto Novo early in the morning. After breakfast, we took the zodiac and landed at the terminal which has since been expanded and modernized. I love this rugged island with awesome landscape including mountain ranges, a large crater that has been turned into agricultural fields, pine forests, terraced sugar cane farming, picturesque villages, and beautiful coastline. I hiked and spent three wonderful days exploring the island using local minibuses. Owing to my hip problem, I am no longer able to do what I did ten years ago. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed a fantastic 5-hour drive on the island: I could still remember the spectacular winding cobbled roads, topography, vegetation and villages. Instead of returning to the boat for lunch, I spent an hour strolling in Porto Novo. Unfortunately, as it was Sunday, there was hardly any soul in town. It was also too hot. I therefore returned to the boat and even managed to have a quick lunch before the restaurant closed at 3pm.
Day 33-34 At Sea Lecture Day
May 5. I had four wonderful lectures. Manu talked about the geology of Cape Verde and the Canary Islands, both are land of fire formed by volcanic activities. Ingrid, a fantastic story-teller, introduced me to Mary Kingsley (1862-1900), a remarkable English lady explorer in Africa and writer. I also learned more about fish in West Africa and Darwin as an adventurous young man.
May 6. Today, I learned more about the rich wildlife of Macaronesia (the four island groups in the North Atlantic namely the Canary Islands, the Azores, Madeira and Cape Verde). I am lucky and have visited all of them. I love these enchanting islands and always long to return. Roddy continued with the story of Darwin to his last days. Jonathan talked about the birds of Macaronesia. I also heard about the intricate life of dolphins in the Atlantic.
Day 35 – 37 Canary Islands
The Canary Islands (or Canaries) are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean located in the northwest of Africa. I was in the Canaries (after Cape Verde) from 15 to 27 May visiting four out of the seven main islands (namely Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera and Lanzarote). Each island is different with interesting hiking trails. After having spent 12 days in the islands, I had little expectation on my whirlwind visit this time.
May 7 Gran Canaria
We docked after 8 am at Las Palmas which was founded in 1478 and is now the capital of the Canaries. As I had explored the old town in Las Palmas, sand dunes near Maspalomas, Tejeda, and Teror in 2015, I took a 4-hour Bandama hike. The Bandama Natural Monument (the caldera of Bandama) is geologically a maar rather than a caldera, which reaches 569m above sea level at its highest point on its rim, about 1,000 wide and 200m deep. The crater was developed during the last heavy eruptions 2,000 years ago. The bottom of the caldera contains volcanic ash of different colours. We followed a good maintained but slippery trail to the bottom. Fortunately I had my walking poles and had only slipped once without hurting. Before returning to the boat, we were treated in a tapas lunch near the port.
May 8 La Gomera
Gomera, the second smallest island of the Canarias, is a top destination for nature lovers and hiker. In 2015, I spent three amazing days in this paradise: I had two hikes (a 13-km trail through the Garajoy National Park to El Convento and another 14-km trail from Chipude to Vallehermoso) and visited Valle Gran Rey. Today, I just joined a relaxing 4-hour “La Gomera Views and Walk in San Sebastian” tour. We followed the main road with stops at several magnificent view points over the Valley of La Gomera, the iconic Rock of Agando, soaring rock walls and a short drive through the Garajonay with a quick glimpse of the Laurisilva forest. We ended the scenic ride in San Sebastian with a leisure guided tour. This town has not changed much since my last visit: I remember the house where Columbus stayed before crossing the Atlantic Ocean to the New World, Asuncion Church, Torre del Conde and the iconic dragon tree. I did not feel energetic and returned to the boat for lunch instead of having a cup of cafe in the main square.
May 9 Lanzarote
I love Lanzarote with its uniquely white dwellings, hellish black lava fields in all strange shapes, grey-black as well as colourful volcanic soil, and manicured vineyard landscape. I spent three wonderful days in 2015 exploring its awesome volcanoes and craters, vineyards and La Graciosa. Here I was introduced to the most famous man of Lanzarote – Cesar Manrique (1919-1992) who upon his return to the native island in 1966 influenced art, architecture, culture and sustainable tourism development on the island. Today, I joined a 5-hour trip to visit the National Park of Timanfaya and Salinas Del Janubio. Though I had taken the same guided tour to the national park, I enjoyed the visit just the same. Last time I passed by the Salinas without stopping. This time we had time to stroll around this impressive salt pan and learned about its history and sampled wine and cheese. We sat sailed for Morocco at 1:30pm. Once on boat, we had a lecture on wildlife in the Sahara Desert and the Sahel and an art class.
Day 38-39 Morocco
My first visit to Morocco was in the 1990s and have returned once to climb Mt Toubkal (4,167m). I like the country and am always happy to return. This time Silver Wind brought me to two new destinations.
May 10 Agadir. We docked before 7 am in Agadir, Morocco’s premier holiday resort that boosts 300 days of sun a year and a 10km long beach. Two earthquakes in 1960 virtually destroyed the city including its fabled 1540 Kasbah (Oufla Fort which was built in the mid-16th century by Saadian Sultan Mohammed ech Cheikh) killing 15,000 in 13 seconds and leaving 35,000 homeless. Today, Agadir is a busy port and tourist destination with modern architecture, wide, tree-lined avenues, open squares and pedestrian precincts. I joined a “True Colour of Agadir City” tour. We were taken to visit a cooperation run by women that produces argan oil where we saw the laborious process in producing the highly priced oil. Then we were taken to another shop selling all sorts of oil and skin products from Morocco. Our final stop was the souq. I am not a shopper and find this tour the most boring one for the whole voyage. I should have joined the “Discovering the Paradise Valley” tour to see nature (I did not join as the hike up and down a gorge might be too stressful for my hip).
After lunch, I took a free shuttle to the city centre and was joined by a lady from America. As both of us had no interest in the beach, we went to a nearby casino which was empty. Then we walked to a small mall where only a few shops were open. Fortunately, my friend found and bought a few souvenirs for her three daughters. The ship set sailed for the last destination of this voyage at 6pm.
May 11 Safi. The ship docked at Safi around 6am. Then guests on a 12-hour “Magical Marrakech” tour immediately departed. As I have been to Marrakech twice, I joined a 9-hour tour to discover Essaouira, a World Heritage Site instead. Though this was the first visit to Morocco for Elaine, she preferred a shorter trip and chose Essaouira over Marrakech. The journey took three hours (over 170km) with a stop at an argan oil factory. It was raining hard when we arrived in Essaouira. Most of us had not brought an umbrella with us: we were caught in the rain feeling cold and wet.
Essaouira has long been considered one of the best anchorages of the Moroccan coast where the Carthaginian established a trading post back in the 5th century BCE. The present city was built in 1760 by Sultan Mohammed bin Abdallah and it became Morocco’s most important commercial port and diplomatic capital between the end of the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century. Mohammed III encouraged Moroccan Jews to settle in Essaouira and handle the trade with Europe: Jews once comprised the majority of the population. The Jewish quarter therefore contains many old synagogues. However, following changes in trade, the founding of Israel in 1948, the independence of Morocco in 1956 and tension between Israel and Arab states, Sephardic Jews left the country. Today, only a few Jews remain in Essaouira.
We had a wonderful walk in the rain in the medina (a walled city) with a maze of narrow alleys. I love the picturesque gates, clock tower, architecture, colours and designs of doors and windows. We went to a workshop to learn wood engraving and designs. We visited the imposing fortress (kasbah) and fortifications by the port with awesome views of sand dunes and rocks. The last stop was the Bayt Dakira (Jewish Museum). We had almost an hour to stroll on our own and I ventured outside the port. I was overwhelmed by the port teeming with fishing boats and a buzzling fish market. I would like to spend a day or two in this old town.
We had a nice lunch in a five-star hotel by the beach. Then we headed back to Safi. As the ship would not be leaving till 10 pm, I took a free shuttle and had a most enjoyable whirlwind tour of Safi which is the main fishing port for Morocco’s sardine industry. Pottery has also been a mainstay of Safi’s economy. I find the city wall imposing and the winding alleys and local shops much more interesting and authentic than the souq in Agadir.
Day 40 At Sea Lecture Day
The lecture programme went on even it was the last day of the voyage. I attended four lectures: “The Human Story”, “Marine Megafauna of West Africa”, “The Azores Current” and “The Demise of the Portuguese Empire”. All those attending the art class were invited to display three of their works. Though I have no talent in painting (or actually anything at all), I happily shared three paintings I like. At 5 pm, we had Captain’s farewell with a Crew Parade followed by the final recap of this wonderful journey. We packed our bags and got ready for disembarkation.
May 13 Lisbon, Portugal – END of SAILING
We bid farewell to friends with whom we had travelled for 40 days. We disembarked after 9:30am and took Uber to Casa de Sao Mamede Hotel on Rue da Escola Politecnica where we stayed for two nights.
Remarks (to add)
Cape Town to London 2025 Part 3
Day 22 April 24 Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast with an area of 322,460 km² and a population of 31.5 million (2024 estimate), is the third-most populous country in West Africa. The area became a protectorate of France in 1843 and was consolidated as a French colony in 1893. It gained independence under the leadership of Felix Houphouet-Boigny in 1960. Since independence, it has endeavored to develop close political-economic ties with its neighbours while maintaining close relations with the West including France. Its relative political stability was disrupted by a coup d’etat in 1999 and two civil wars (between 2002 and 2007 and in 2010- 2011). A new constitution was adopted in 2016. The country is the world’s largest exporter of cocoa beans and its economy relies heavily on agriculture with smallholder cash-crop production. It has experienced high economic growth since the return of stability in 2011: the GDP(PPP) for 2024 is estimated to be around US$2,700. Yamoussoukro is the capital while Abidjan with a port is the largest city and economic centre. French is the official language while many indigenous languages are also widely used.
It was my first visit to Ivory Coast. The smooth sailing into the harbour at sunrise was beautiful. I joined a full day tour to visit Grand-Bassam and Abidjan. In the morning, we visited the historical centre of Grand–Bassam, the old colonial capital in the late 19th century, which is a World Heritage Site because of its outstanding examples of colonial architecture and town-planning, and the juxtaposition of colonial town with a traditional Nzema village. We first went to a large indoor market selling artifacts and clothes. Though I love the vibrant African colours and patterns, I can no longer afford to accumulate more junks in my tiny apartment in Hong Kong. The second stop was the National Museum of Costume housed in a beautiful colonial mansion. Our enthusiastic guide explained in great details important artifacts including the costumes of different tribes, the culture and heritage, and the bathroom that was built a century ago. We drove around before dropping off at a resort by the beach where we had a nice lunch.
After lunch, we proceeded to Abidjan, the capital from 1933 to 1983 and the biggest and most important city of Ivory Coast. Lying amid canals and waterways, Abidjan often referred to as “Paris of West-Africa” is the second largest city in West Africa after Lagos, Nigeria and looks pleasant, modern and organised with good infrastructures (bridges, roads and water transportation). I saw numerous restaurants, hotels and shops along the roads. We first went to the iconic St Paul’s Cathedral designed by Aldo Spirito, an Italian architect. Pope John Paul II consecrated the first stone of the cathedral in 1980 and dedicated the building upon completion in August 1985. It is one of the largest cathedrals in the world: it is modern and unique with an enormous Cross outdoor and an exterior face covered by 14 panels made in terracotta ceramics with the Cross and the story of Christ as the main theme. The interior is remarkable with six colourful stained glass windows covering an area of 370 metres. The themes for each panel are related to the life of St Paul.
Next we visited the Museum of Civilisation of Ivory Coast nearby. I was impressed by the wooden sculptures and pillars. Unfortunately only one hall was open. . Here we watched a dance performance before rushing off to a large souvenir market. Once we were back on the boat, we attended Captain’s welcome cocktail reception when the Captain introduced his senior officers.
Day 23-24 At Sea Lecture Days
April 25 – 26. I attended four interesting lectures on the first day and learned more about the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, birds of West Africa by Jonathan (who is a most passionate experts and a wonderful speaker on birds), insects of West Africa and sugarcane – the grass that changed the world. On the second day, I again spent most of the day in the show lounge to hear Clifford talking about “Abolition and the Return of Africans”, Manu on “Blood Diamond” by and an “Introduction to Sierra Leone”.
These talks prepared us for our next destination – Sierra Leone. The country’s current territory was established in two phases: in 1808, the coastal Sierra Leone Colony was founded as a place to resettle returning Africans after the abolition of the slave trade; and in 1896 an inland Protectorate was created following the Berlin Conference of 1884-85. Sierra Leone with an area of 73,252 sq km, attained independence from the UK in 1961. A protracted civil war broke out in 1991 between the government and the Revolutionary United Front rebel group. The conflict partly funded by the trade in illicit “blood diamond” with participation of child soldiers, lasted for 11 years before the rebel group was defeated. Relative stability has gradually returned and it has experienced substantial economic growth in recent years. It has rich mineral resources including diamond, gold, bauxite and rutile. Today, it has a GDP(PPP) of USD916 (2025 est) and a population of about 8.5 million with a life expectancy of 58.
Day 25 – 26 Sierra Leone
April 27 Tokeh
This was my first visit to Sierre Leone. Around 9 am, we landed in Tokeh a coastal town nestled outside Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, that is surrounded by mountains, forests and beautiful beaches. The Tokeh Beach is considered one of the largest and the most attractive beaches in West Africa. I spent two delightful hours bird watching with expert birders. We saw Yellow-billed (Black) Kite, Common Sandpiper, African Green Pigeon, Black-and-white Shrike Flycatcher, Little Swift, African Palm Swift, African Gray Woodpacker, White-throated Bee Eater, several types of Tern (West African Crested tern and Sandwich Tern), Dove (Laughing, Red-eye and Blue-spotted Wood-Dove), Swallow, Kingfisher (Blue-breasted, Malachite, Giant and Pied Kingfisher), Weaver, and Sunbird, Violet-backed Starling, and Bulbul etc.
As I had not put on proper footwear, I felt extremely tired after two hours’ walk and standing. I felt pain on my right hip. Though I was supposed to take a village walk after bird watching, I gave up and sat down to rest: I had reached my limit. Around 11 am, we gathered in front of the beach where villagers greeted us with traditional dance and music before returning to the boat for lunch. After 2 pm, I joined other guests to return to the beach to watch soccer organised by the “Flying Stars Amputee Football Organisation” for an hour. The tragic civil war has displaced millions, killed hundreds of thousands and left tens of thousands disabled from brutal amputations. This organisation was formed to support the amputees in bettering their quality of life by creating jobs for those living with amputations and ensuring them means to improve themselves. Very inspiring! Because of bad traffic, they were late for some 45 minutes. While waiting, I got into the water for aquarobics: the water was warm and beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed the game: they are heroes and professional playing an incredible game. We got very excited and cheered them on. We returned to boat before 5pm.
Day 26 April 28 Aberdeen
The ship sailed into Aberdeen at sunrise. Guests were offered four tours and I joined a 6-hour “Birding Tacaguma Wetlands and Chimpanzee Sanctuary”. Elaine felt tired and did not join. Tacugama is an eco-tourism hub nestled in a forest outside Freetown. We were expected to walk about 2 km to the wetland. Given my hip problem, I took a ride in a minibus to the destination. We spent less than an hour at the reservoir and wetland: I only saw two grebe. Then I took another ride to the chimp sanctuary established in 1995. In the sanctuary there are over 100 critically endangered Western chimpanzees. As only 20 visitors were admitted at a time, our group had to wait for almost an hour till 10am before we could go in with a guide. Evidence from fossils and DNA sequencing shows chimpanzee is humans’ closest living relative. Four subspecies have been recognised: Central, Western, Nigeria-Cameroon and Eastern chimpanzee. While some chimps were left outdoor, I watched 20-30 confined in a few concrete cells. They were screaming and watched us behind bars! I was not impressed by the overall conditions and did not feel comfortable watching these poor animals behind bars.
We departed at 11 am and were back on the boat around 12 noon. It was a great pity that I did not have a chance to visit Freetown. The ship set sail shortly after 1 pm. I enjoyed Clifford’s talk on “Masks, Masquerades and Militias” in the afternoon.
Day 27 – 29 Bijagos Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau
Bijagos Archipelago the largest archipelago in Africa spanning an area of almost 13,000 sq km, is a group of about 88 islands and islets located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 40 miles off-shore off the coast of Guinea-Bissau. Twenty islands are populated with some 30,000 inhabitants year-round. Bolama is the administrative capital while the most populated island is Babaque. The area has a high diversity of ecosystems: mangroves with inter-tidal zones, palm forests, coastal savanna, sand banks and aquatic zones, thus attracting long-legged migrating birds and exotic wildlife including saltwater hippos and sea turtles. It is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and an Important Bird Area.
April 29 Bolama
Bolama was uninhabited when European colonists arrived in 1792. In 1879, it became the first capital of Portuguese Guinea and later a logistical centre for seaplane transport. A seaplane crash in 1931 is commemorated by a statute in the town. However as a result of shortage of fresh water on the island, its importance ceased in December 1941 when Bissau replaced it as the capital. Colonial buildings including the Governor’s Palace, were abandoned and fell into decay. Today the island with a population of about 5,000, is surrounded by mangrove swamps and is mostly known for its production of cashew nuts.
I joined a 3-hour guided bird walk and disembarked after 8 am. The broad main street lined with colonial buildings has a derelict and somewhat eerie feel. Not many locals were in sight: it felt so empty! We wandered through the deserted main road before turning off after the church. We spotted different bird species on the roofs, power lines and trees. We walked into a dry forest before reaching the swamp I was excited to find and be able to watch a colourful Lilac-breasted Roller, Red-throated Bee-Eater, Green Pigeon, Purple Glossy Starling and Sunbird. On the way back, we walked through ruins with gigantic trees with thousands of fruit bats. Very atmospheric!
In the afternoon we had an enrichment lecture with Joao-Wellfound who operates in remote villages across the islands and mainland of Guinea-Bassau providing critical access to water, food and continuous support aiming at improving the well-being of indigenous communities. His work is admirable. At 5:30pm we had a sunset zodiac cruise where we saw lots of shorebirds feeding on the mudflats.
April 30 Canhabaque
We had a sunrise zodiac cruise at 6:30am. It was atmospheric and excellent. After breakfast, Elaine and I joined a guided traditional village walk. Canhabaque Island is matriarchal headed by Queen Mother and leans heavily on ancient rituals. The village is located about 2.5km from the beach. I was slow taking my time to enjoy nature and the atmosphere. By the time I arrived at the centre of the village, the locals (all men) were performing the welcome dancing with hundreds of villagers gathering around. The dancers were all men covered with leaves. There was one man wearing cow horns on his head and blowing the horn occasionally.I found the dance powerful full of energy. Some ladies and young girls also danced on the side.
The highlight was to meet the Queen Mother who did not smile: her face was expressionless. After filing in the her hut to pay respect, she sat outside for us to take photos. It was delightful to walk with Clifford back to the beach and I learned more about the way of their way life on the island. The villagers seem to be well-built: I suppose they have a decent diet with meat from chicken, goat, pig and cow, seafood from the sea and vegetables and crops from the field. I got back to the boat after 11:30am. After lunch, I went back to the beach to enjoy the lovely warm water. The wonderful day ended with another fantastic zodiac sunset cruise at 5:30pm.
May 1 Rubane
I had the best sunrise zodiac cruise of the entire voyage. We saw Great Flamingo, Pink-backed Pelican, Cormoront, Plover, Whimbrel, Gull, Tern, African Sacred Ibis, Palm Nut Vulture and Hooded Vulture, Yellow-billed Kite etc on mud-flats. When we were approaching the main town and port of Bubaque Island, the archipelago’s administrative capital which lies just across the strait from Rubane Island, we could see many buildings and locals. The island with a population of over 6,000 was bubbling and lively with a weekly ferry running to Bissau on the main land. We were thrilled to find hundreds (if not thousands) of Village Weaver. I have never seen so many weavers and their nests in my life.
After a wholesome breakfast on the boat, we joined a guided beach nature walk with three dance performances at three different locations. Then we had a wonderful seafood buffet at Ponta Anchaco Resort, a beautiful and comfortable resort run by a French lady. After lunch, I went to the beach for aquarobics. A few kids joined me and I tried to teach two girls to swim. I had a great day!
Day 30 May 2 At Sea Lecture Day
After five days of activities, I enjoyed a leisure day at sea. I attended three interesting lectures on crocodiles, Cape Verde and the Pano-Trade (when Clifford talked about the Portuguese and Lancado Traders).
Cape Town to London 2025 Part 2
Day 13 April 15 At Sea Lecture Day
I remained energetic and attended four lectures: “Africa’s Culinary Legacy”, “Connecting with Wildness”, “Principles of Rarity and Extinction” and “Desert to Jungle: African Bird Diversity”. The one on culinary legacy was most interesting.
Day 14 April 16 At Sea – Crossing the Equator
The original itinerary included a day at Bom Bom Island Sao Tome. I had been looking forward to this stop. Unfortunately, the visit was canceled owing to security risk. Privacy in this area has been a problem. But what could we do? As we were crossing the Equator, we were invited to attend the traditional “Crossing the Line” ceremony by the pool at 4 pm. The weather was not cooperating: it was windy and drizzling. Anyway, we gathered to welcome King Neptune aboard to bless “pollywogs” (or “tadpoles”), the first- time equator travelers. As I am already a “shellback” (a person who has crossed the equator and been initiated in the traditional ceremony), I stood back to enjoy the performance. Both the guests and the expedition team had fun!
Day 15 April 17 At Sea Lecture Day
I spent my time leisurely at three lectures: “Connecting with Others” by Roddy, “Introduction to Togo” by Alexandra, and “African Religions Across the Atlantic World” by Clifford. All three speakers were wonderful and the lectures educational.
Day 16 -17 Togo
I was in Togo for five days (31/1-4/2/2012) and fell in love with this small but beautiful country with five million people and an area of 57,000 sq km. Togo has rich cultural heritage. Home to a diverse mix of some 40 ethnic groups, it is described as the birthplace of the voodoo religion with many extraordinary ceremonies and rites and home to many animist cults. Voodoo can be seen as a form of spiritual healing.
April 18 Lome
Lome, capital of Logo, is located along the Gulf of Guinea. We joined a 8-hour “All about Voodoo: Togo Cultural Experience” with four stops. I first watched a voodoo ceremony in Benin in 2012 when I learned that temple voodoo guardians and veneration is made to an idol which has a clear form such as a statue. We first stopped at Djagli (Ewe aka Gen people), a small village where we watched the Zangbeto spirit. We watched more than half a dozen spirits in straw dress swirling madly around. Inside the enormous dress we saw nothing but a tiny idol. Where was the force that propelled it to swirl around and performed all sorts of amazing acts. One of the spirits even climbed and jumped from a wall. Mystical and incredible!
The second stop was at Gayito Kondji. This village is much bigger but less tidy than Djagli. There were no spirit as in the first village. But many villagers men and women took part and several appeared to be in trance. The place was small, hot and crowded. Villagers joined in and cheered on. A very different atmosphere!
The third stop was at Aneho (former colonial capital of Togo until 1920). The spirit this time were all dressed up with colourful costume. The spirits represent those of the royal families.
Finally we visited a spiritual centre for the Voodoo religion with one of the most powerful voodoo priestesses not far from the Togoville Catholic Cathedral (built in 1910). In the temple, we met a group of priestesses dressed in white and learned that each year thousands of worshipers all over the world would arrive in her presence asking for her blessing in exchange for a sacrifice to the deities.
(It is a pity I did not have time to visit the famous Akodessewa, the largest fetish market in Western Africa that sells objects and raw materials used in voodoo rituals in Lome).
Elaine and I decided to take the free shuttle to a nearby beach. At the end, we ended up having a ride for 6km to the Grand Market before spending over half an hour in the beach resort right next to a container yard and the port. We enjoyed a nice quiet break before returning to the boat for a nice dinner at 7pm.
Day 17 April 19 Lome Togo
I had an early start before 6:30 am as I joined a birding tour around Lake Togo. (Elaine preferred to sleep in). We had a leisure stroll along the lake stopping every now and then to watch birds. While the experts saw the black kite, buzzard, dove, cuckoo, lapwing, weaver, plantain eater, pied kingfisher, swift, swallow, egret, heron, bee-eater, sun bird, pied crow, starling, sparrow, weavers, bulbul and hornbill etc, I was content with seeing only a dozen species! We also watched a fisherman catching fish with a net: he got eight small fish. Another fisherman showed us a couple of local crabs. We ended the 2-hour walk in Kouenou Village. We set sail for Ghana at 3:30 pm. On the way, we had a Captain’s Farewell and Crew Parade at the show lounge at 6:30pm. The Captain and crew had indeed done a fantastic job.
Day 18 April 20 (Easter Sunday) Takoradi Ghana
Takoradi is the gateway to the Elmina Castle, Cape Coast and Kakum National Park. After clearing customs and immigration, passengers set off in four different tours. I joined a full-day “Explore Kakum National Park” (Elaine did not feel well and skipped the tour). The 2-hour journey (about 107 km in distance), turned into almost 3-hour drive owing to the poor road conditions. The park covered with tropical forest has an area of 375 sq km.We spent about an hour and a half taking a 350m-long canopy walk involving 7 suspension walkways. In the park, there are a few endangered species of fauna namely Diana monkey, giant bongo antelope, yellow-backed duiker and African elephant. It is also an important bird area. Unfortunately, as it was Easter Sunday, the park was full of excited energetic young people who made so much noises that scared animal and bird away. It was a humid and hot day and some of us did not want to take another walk after lunch in the park. The expedition team kindly arranged a bus to take us back to the boat. I was back on board around 5pm and we set sail for Accra at 8pm.
Day 19 – 20 Accra Ghana
Silver Wind docked at Tema, a busy port and industrial area next to Accra the modern capital of Ghana. I explored Accra on my own in 2012 and spent a day roaming in the vibrant Makola Market and Jamestown. This time I picked two tours on offer from the ship hoping to see something different.
April 21. Elaine and I joined a “Nature & Culture in Aburi & Accra”. We first drove uphill to reach the Botanical Garden in Aburi. As it was a public holiday, locals arrived in droves with loud music. I wish people could respect silence especially in nature. Our local guide tried his best to show us various native plants (strangler fig tree, Sky God’s Tree, Silk Cotton Tree, cocoa, teak etc) while Mel and birdwatchers were busy looking for birds including the hornbill.
After a nice lunch at Accra City Hotel, we drove to Jamestown. I notice Accra has changed a lot since my last visit with many high-rise modern buildings and new hotels in the commercial area. But conditions in Jamestown which replaced Cape Coast as the capital of Gold Coast in 1876, seem worsened. As it was a public holiday, the place was deserted. We had a guided walk with explanations on the traditional method to preserve fish i.e. smoked fish using fire wood or “deep fire fish”. It was smelly and the hygiene and sanitary conditions were horrible. From a vantage point I could see the lighthouse, filthy beach of Jametown and Usshertown, and the fishing fleets.
We stopped briefly at the Black Star Square and Black Star Gate, symbols of Ghana’s independence in 1957 and unity. Our tour ended with an interesting visit to a coffin maker. As the first leg would end on April 22 with half of the passengers leaving, we had a hearty farewell gathering with a final recap of the voyage with expedition leader Lea and her full team.
April 22. Today was the end of the first leg of the 40-day journey and over 100 guests disembarked. While joining passengers were boarding, continuing passengers could join day tours. Elaine and I went on a full-day “Shai Hills & Krobo Glass Beads” (9.5 hours). The drive to Shai Hills was pleasant without traffic jam. The Shai Hills Game Reserve, first established in 1962 with an area of 51 sq km, was home to the Shai people before they were rejected by the British in 1892. Covered with grassland and low dry forest vegetation, it has five separate hills. We had a surprisingly short but pleasant walk to one of the hill tops with excellent panoramic views of the reserve. We were alone and had time to enjoy and soak in the atmosphere. We saw plenty of antelopes and baboons.
After a nice lunch in a posh hotel with a golf course, we drove to Krobo to visit the workshop of a glass bead master. The road was in poor condition and the traffic was bad: it took an hour to get there. We watched the master talking for about fifteen minutes about how beads were made (We watched a video on the ship the night before) and spent half an hour in the shop. Given the travel time and brevity of the talk, I could have given this visit a miss. I would rather have gone back to the boat after lunch. At 5 pm, we attended a session to greet 100+ joining passengers when expedition leader Lea gave an overview of the voyage from Accra to Lisbon. I met many familiar faces from APEX including Jonathan and Ingrid. The boat set sail at 7pm.
Day 21 April 23 Takoradi Ghana
Today, Elaine and I took a full day tour (9 hours) to visit two world heritage properties at Elmina and Cape Coast. These castles together with some 40 castles in Ghana are reminder of the unforgettable history of the Atlantic slavery trade. Erected by the Portuguese in 1482, Elmina Castle was taken by the Dutch in 1637 and the British in 1872. The present day Cape Coast Castle began as a Portuguese trading post in 1555 before being constructed as a timber fort by Swedish traders in 1653 and fell to the Dutch hands in 1663. The British took over in 1664 following the Second Anglo-Dutch War and renamed it Cape Coast Castle. Cape Coast became the new capital of the English possessions on the Gold Coast.
It was raining heavily when we set off. Luckily by the time we arrived at the Elmina Castle, the rain had almost stopped. We followed a guided tour in both castles. I still had vivid memories of the cells where hundreds of male and female slaves were kept for weeks and months before being shipped off to the Americas. The harbour in Elmina was packed with colourful fishing boat of all sizes: in Ghana fishermen do not go out fishing on Tuesdays as a respect for the god of fishermen. There is a shine dedicated to this god in the fishing port. For me, the most interesting part of the tour was the 30-min walk to the bridge and through the market. We had a nice lunch with music and dance and fire-eating performances in a resort nearby.
After lunch, we had a short drive to Cape Coast and a guided tour of the castle. I was surprised how much I still remembered. I stepped outside the Gate of No Return and the sight of the beach and fishing boats outside were familiar.
Cape Town to London 31 April – 1 June 2025
I love the sea and have been able to visit the North Pole, the Arctic and Antarctic region a dozen times. One of the voyages I have longed to take is the sailing along the west African coast following the footsteps of early Portuguese explorers. I therefore signed up for a 40-day expedition on Silver Wind from Cape Town to Lisbon when I learned about this voyage almost two years ago. I was glad a good friend Elaine joined as my cabin mate. In planning this journey, I added three short stops including a week in Spain, a retreat at the Plum Village in Bordeaux, and a whirlwind visit to London to visit friends.
March 31-April 2 Cape Town
Elaine and I departed from Hong Kong on March 30 and reached Cape Town via Doha around midday on May 31. We booked a hotel in the canal area close to the port/cruise terminal. I felt at home in Cape Town, the oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa, which I have already visited half a dozen times. We spent three leisure days in this beautiful vibrant city with a population of about 5 million.
March 31- We explored the Waterfront area on foot after check-in the hotel. We were hungry and had a 1-5kg rib and prawn for dinner (1090 rand for two). We bought a 2-day sightseeing bus tickets (399 rand pp) online to see Cape Town as tourists. With this ticket, we could take the Blue Line, Red Line and Sunset Line, and a Harbour Cruise. We watched a gorgeous sunset with golden orange colours after dinner.
April 1 – The Blue Line takes visitors on a big loop all over Cape Town. We spent over two hours on the bus enjoying the landscape, street scene and seascape with views of the Table Mountain, National Botanical Garden, Hout Bay, Camps Bay and Sea Point etc. It was about 1 pm when we arrived at the Waterfront. We hopped on the Blue Line again in order to get to the iconic Mount Nelson Hotel for tea at 2 pm (about 620 rand pp). The hotel is elegant and most comfortable. The service and food including a free glass of champagne surpassed our expectations. It is the most value-for-money high tea of hotels of the same category. After teatime, we took a taxi back to the Waterfront in order to join the sunset bus to Signal Hill at 5pm. It was an excellent drive through the Camps Bay. The panoramic views are unrivaled. But the sunset that evening was so-so.
April 2. We planned to go to Table Mountain. Unfortunately, the Cable Car service was stopped owing to strong wind. We took the Blue Line again to go to the National Botanical Garden (Kirstenbosch) (entry fee 250 rand pp). Though I visited it thirteen months ago at the end of the Chile-Namibia expedition on Silver Cloud, I enjoyed the two-hour guided tour. Last time, we spent over two hours strolling on our own. This time, the enthusiastic guide gave excellent interpretations that enabled me better understand the history of this World Heritage Site and the vast varieties of plants in this small corner of the world. We planned to take the harbour cruise at 4 pm. Unfortunately when we got back to the Waterfront, we were told the service was canceled due to strong wind! C’est la vie! We ended up having a lovely seafood dinner by the harbour before walking back to the hotel.
40-Day Journey on Silver Wind 3 April – 13 May 2025
My first trip to West Africa was in 2012 when I took a 69-day overland truck journey starting 5 January from Doula, Cameroon to Dakar, Senegal. I love Africa and hope to sail the whole stretch of the West African coast. This epic 40-day sea journey comprises two legs: Cape Town, South Africa to Accra, Ghana (April 3 – 22) and Accra – Lisbon, Portugal (April 22- May 13). This itinerary was scheduled to make over 20 stops in 13 countries. I am familiar with Silver Wind as I sailed on the same ship from Costa Rica to Valparaiso, Chile with my brother Lawrence and his wife Sally for 18 days last October.
Day 1 April 3 Boarding Silver Wind at Cape Town, South Africa
Elaine and I had a short ride from our hotel to the cruise terminal and got onboard with ease. The only hiccup was whether Hong Kong SAR passport holders would require a visa for Namibia. The ship would apply visa on arrival to make things easy life easy for passengers. But according to information available then, HKSAR passport holders would not require a visa for Namibia. But the staff said the regulation had changed and I asked the ship to handle for me (Eventually, I entered Namibia without an e-visa). I felt at home once I stepped onto the ship and was delighted to see many familiar faces including Captain Sasha Kolosov, Tiffany at the reception and Medhi at the restaurant. We settled down, met the Expedition team and watched the ship sailing at a gorgeous sunset.
Day 2 April 4 Saldanha, South Africa
The first stop of this expedition was Saldanha close to the West Coast National Park which has been designated an important Bird Area. It is also a hub for iron ore exports and a naval port. Guests were offered as many as eight shore activities including kayaking, hiking and cycling. Elaine and I opted for a leisure 5-hour Khwa Thu San cultural experience with lunch. The San people, also known as Bushmen or Saan, are indigenous hunter-gatherers of Southern Africa and one of the world’s oldest continuous cultures.They now live in Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and South Africa. We set off after 8 am and took almost an hour to reach the cultural centre. On the way, we saw antelope, eland and ostrich etc. The cultural experience comprised four parts: herbal tradition, art and story telling, contact with the West and the colonization period and the traditional life. The lunch with local and fresh ingredients was very good. All guests were onboard before 5pm. At 5:45 pm, all guests gathered at the theatre to meet the expedition team led by Expedition Leader Lea who gave a quick overview of the journey and plans for the following day.
Day 3 April 5 At Sea Lecture Day
Whenever we were at sea, the expedition team would arrange 3-4 lectures on nature and culture, and the countries to be visited in addition to regular house entertainment activities including trivia, music performance, art class, golf putting, mahjong games etc. Today, I attended lecture on “The Unique Story of South Africa” by Roddy, an anthropologist, “My Journey with Nelson Mandela” by Zelda, who worked for Mandela in various capacities for 19 years, and “Diamonds & the Desert:A Tale of South Africa and Namibia” by Manu, a geologist whom I met on Silver Wind last October. For the first time in my life I took up water colour painting with Yvonne whenever we had a sea day.
Day 4 April 6 Luderitz, Namibia
This was my first visit to Luderitz, a charming historic town established in the late 19th century, with a most interesting collection of colonial brightly coloured and preserved German architecture and heavily weathered rocks. We took a 2.5-hour guided walk. A tidy row of colourful houses greeted us as soon as we left the port area. Each house has its own history, colour and design. Apart from a few main paved roads and the railroad track, all side roads are sandy and unpaved. Our first stop was a tiny local museum located next to a large modern maritime museum. We did not have time to visit it. Then we walked uphill to an iconic church on a hill top. We crossed the rail line visiting another church. The town is quiet without much going on. Yet I enjoy the tranquility and atmosphere. We set sail for Walvis Bay at 3pm.
(On reflection, I should have joined the group to visit the Kolmanskop Ghost Town which was once a bustling diamond mining town abandoned in the 1950s. The shifting sands that have taken over the buildings, have created a surreal eerie and captivating landscape. The group had a surprise treat of fresh oysters and champagne in the desert after the tour. Amazing!)
Day 5 -6 April 7-8 Walvis Bay
April 7. Two lectures (on Cape Fur Seals and introduction to the culture and history of Namibia) were held before the boat docked at Walvis Bay after 11 am. This was my second visit and I joined three activities over two days.
After lunch, I took the Petit Seal Cruise. Two great pelicans and a dolphin joined us onboard. We also watched seals and dolphins before stopping near an oyster farm to learn about the fantastic conditions for oyster cultivation. While oysters may usually take a couple of years to grow, they can be harvested in a year in this area. We headed to the Pelican Point which was crowded with many cruise boats. It was nice to watch the Cape Fur Seals surfing happily around us. We had fresh oysters and champagne as snacks on the way back to the pier. This trip was similar to the one I took last year. (Again, I should have taken a tour to the Sandwich Harbour which is a historic site where the dunes meet the sea.)
At 5:30pm Elaine and I joined a tour for a Marquee Dinner in the Dunes. We drove past Dune 7 (382m), one of the tallest dunes in the Namib Desert, one of the oldest deserts in the world. We had champagne by a small dune before proceeding to a grand marquee for dinner. Before entering the marquee, we watched three dancers performing with rings of fire. After dinner, a group of 13 local musicians performed for over half an hour. The setting, the dinner and performances were amazing. An atmospheric evening!
April 8. We had a full morning for activities before sailing to Angola. At 7 am, Elaine and I joined a Birding at Walvis Bay Lagoon Tour (We had originally signed up for a Living Desert 4×4 tour). Each 4WD took three passengers and we met Lee from the US. We saw a fair number of birds including Cape Cormorant, Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Sanderling, African Black Oystercatcher, many types of gulls and terns (large Kelp Gull, Caspian Tern, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Damara Tern, White-winged Tern, Black Tern etc.) We were told there are some two million of seals in this area. The smell and sight of thousand and thousand of Cape Fur Seals were unforgettable. All guests were onboard by 1:30pm and we set sail at 2pm.
I attended two lectures in the afternoon: one on the Benguela Current by Tristan and another on “The Great War in Africa” by Clifford. These two lectures provided useful background information on history and the forces of nature that shapes the development of the continent.
Day 7 April 9 At Sea Lecture day
I attended three lectures on “Expansion of the Portuguese Empire”, “Seabirds of the Benguela Current” and “The Namib Desert”. I totally enjoyed the painting class and learning some basic skills and terms such as painting wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, colour mixing etc.
Day 8 – 10 Angola
Angola In Brief. With an area of 1,246,700 sq km and a coastline of 1,600km, Angola is rich in minerals and oil deposits. After fighting its colonizer Portugal for 14 years, Angola gained independence in November 1975 but sadly immediately plunged into a civil war between the MPLA (People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola) and UNITA (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola). During the 27-year war, both sides had employed child soldiers (as many as 9,000 in total). By the time the MPLA achieved victory in 2002, between 500,000 and 800,000 people had died and some four millions were displaced. The war had devastated the country – infrastructure, public administration and the economy. Hence, despite its rich natural resources, its GDP(PPP) was US$7,077 (2023 estimate – 129th in in world ranking).
Angola has a diverse population of over 35 million. The main ethnic groups include Bantu-speaking Ovimbundu, Ambundu, and Bakongo; Mesticos (mixed European and African heritage) and indigenous people including the San, Himba etc and other groups and European. It is also known for its stunning landscapes, diverse wildlife and rich cultural heritage.
April 10 Mocamedes & Namibe desert. Mocamedes is capital of the Namibe Province which has a population of about 5 million. The Namibe desert is sparsely inhabited by Herero groups and small Khoisan groups. The ship was docked around 8 am at the port of Mocamedes, which was officially founded by the Portuguese in 1840. Elaine and I joined a 5-hour tour to see Welwitschia and visit the Lost Oasis.
Welwitschia mirabilis commonly refer to as a “living fossil” is endemic to the Namib desert within Namibia and Angola. (I saw this awesome plant on my first visit to Namibia about 20 years ago). The plant only produces a single pair of foliage leaves. It has separate male and female plants. It is impressive to see this amazing plant spreading all over the desert and some of which are over 1,000 years old and some specimens may be up to 5,000 years old. We stopped for over half an hour looking at this amazing plant, lizards and insects in the desert.
After an hour’s drive, we arrived at Lake Arco, a fresh water oasis. It is named after its two huge and impressive sandstone arches. We were greeted by African music and dance on arrival before walking in this wonder land which was once under the sea. I could see layers of sand, mud, pebbles, salt, fossils etc. Then suddenly we found green fields dotted with donkeys and plenty of leafy plants in the middle of a desert.
On the way back to the ship, we had a brief stop in Mocamedes to visit the cathedral and an old fort which is now a military base. The colonial buildings have added colours and charm to this small coastal town. Soon after getting onboard I attended a lecture on “The Great Bantu Migration” by Roddy that enabled me to understand the history of the Bantu people that is a main ethnic group in Africa. We set sail after 6 pm.
April 11 At Sea lecture Day
I thoroughly enjoyed three lectures: “A Map of Plants” by Tristan, “Angola’s Offshore Riches” by Manu and “Arts of the Kongo Kingdom” by Clifford.
April 12 Luanda, the capital of Angola. Founded in 1575, Luanda became an important seaport and export base for minerals and foodstuffs and for slaves sent to Portuguese colonies in Brazil. We joined a 7-hour tour to Luanda Market and Miradoura Le Tua. We began at the Fortaleza de Sao Miguel close to the port. Dating from 1576, this well-defended citadel, home to the Portuguese garrison and its merchants, is now a museum with commanding views and rich exhibits. Then we proceeded to an artifact market next to the National Museum of Slavery. Founded in 1977, the museum adjoins the Capela da Casa Grande, a 17th century structure where slaves were baptized before being put on the slave ships for transportation to the Americas. After an hour’s drive, we arrived at the Miradoura le Tua, geological sandstone formation as a result of erosion, similar to those in Bryce Canyon, USA. We had a nice buffet lunch in a resort by a river before returning to the ship.
It was still early when we got back to the ship. As there was free shuttle to a mall by the beach, I ventured out on my own. I spent an hour and a half window shopping and people-watching at this modern and up-market shopping mall, comparing prices, watching sunset and people. The difference between the haves and have-nots was visible. At 9 pm, a group of artists came onboard to perform samba dance in the show lounge. The dance by the four pairs of dancers was lively and sensual with sexual appeal! According to them, samba of Brazil came from Angola.
India 2 February 8 – 22, 2025
Footsteps of the Buddha with Plum Village
My first pilgrimage to India and Nepal (November 10 to 19, 2017) was organised by the Buddhist Charity of Hong Kong. In seven days, I visited Varanasi, Bodhgaya, Gridhakuta Hill (Vulture Peak), Venuvana (Bamboo Forest), ruins of Nalanda, Vaishali, Kushinagar and Lumbini. I am keen to go on pilgrimage again after having taking refuge of the three gems in 2023. With right conditions, I joined a 14-day pilgrimage “Footsteps of the Buddha” led by Dharmacharya Shantum Seth of the Buddha Path and joined by 8 monastics of the Deer Park Monastery California and Plum Village.
The Eight Great Places in Buddhism
Gautama Buddha (c. 563 or 480 BCE) had identified four pilgrimage sites for his followers. They are Lumbini (his birthplace), Bodhgaya (where Buddha attained enlightenment), Sarnath (where Buddha delivered his first sermon and Kushinagar (where Buddha passed away). Buddhist texts written later written by Buddha’s followers mentioned four more sites namely Rajgir (a major city of ancient India), Vaishali (capital of the Vajjian Republic of ancient India), Sravasti (where Buddha spent the largest amount of time) and Sankassa (where Buddha descended to earth from Tavatimsa heaven). There are other pilgrimage places in India and Nepal also connected with the life of the Buddha that are mostly located in the Gangetic plain (Eight most important sites are indicated in the map)
February 8 – My flight from Leh to Delhi was delayed and I landed in Delhi after 2:30 pm. I had booked a night in a hotel for one night before joining the pilgrim group on February 9. Shantum’s office met me on arrival and taken to to the hotel. To my horror, the hotel had cancelled my booking though I had been already charged. I was furious. Luckily Bina of Shantum’s office found me another hotel nearby where I had to pay another 5,000 rupees. I had a spacious self-contained flat in a nice residential gated area and had a good sleep.
February 9 Delhi
I made my way to Crowne Plaza to meet up with the group at 11 am. I met Sue from the US who stayed in the same hotel. We had a large group comprising 63 pilgrims with 13 nationalities, 7 monastics from the Deer Park and Sr Trai Neighm whom I met in the New Hamlet, Plum Village Bordeaux last November. Shantum, the organiser and leader, was supported by Jahdish, Jackie, and Santosh. We had a dozen Japanese pilgrims and Rahul was their translator.
Around noon, the hotel lobby was swarmed with passionate and enthusiastic pilgrims. We were divided into two bus groups (yellow and orange) and the only place to visit in Delhi is Gandhi Smriti where Mahatma Gandhi spent his last 144 days and was martyred. We queued up to register before boarding our bus. Sue who was in front of me, missed a step and fell while looking for the bus. I tried to find Bina and got ice for Sue. When we arrived at Gandhi Smriti, the museum staff managed to find Sue a wheelchair. Being a nurse, she knew what needed to be done. We walked mindfully to the location where Gandhi was martyred and sat on the grass to meditate. Before lunch, we had time to walk around in silence and look at the murals depicting Gandhi’s life. We gathered after lunch for a briefing and had time to introduce ourselves and our purpose/reason for joining this pilgrimage. Though I could not remember all the names and faces, I was impressed to meet several couples and mothers and their children taking this spiritual journey hand in hand. We also had time for a quick tour of the museum with Gandhi’s bedroom and study, and plenty of historical photos and artefacts of the life of the father of India. After dinner we returned to the hotel and met my nice roommate Mirella from the US.
February 10-12 Sarnath & Varanasi (Clarks Varanasi)
We departed for the airport around 8:30am. The flight was on schedule and we arrived at the Varanasi International Airport after 2pm. In 2017, I was bumped off by Jet Airways together with the HK guide and another pilgrim. As a result, I did not arrive till dinner time and missed the visit to Sarnath. I am impressed by the new/renovated airport which looks modern and user-friendly. We proceeded to the Mulanganda Kuti Vihara Monastery where Buddha upon enlightenment gave the first sermon to five monks. The Vihara was built in 1931 with financial support from Mary Robinson Foster under the supervision of Dharmapala, a Sri Lankan monk who was instrumental in the revival of Buddhism in India. I first walked around the bodhi tree and the statue of Buddha with his first disciples. There were many pilgrims from Sri Lanka and Thailand. The Turning the Wheel of Dharma (Pali – Dhammacakkappavattana) Sutra is inscribed in Pali, Sanskrit, Chinese, English, Japanese, Tibetan, Korean etc. I chanted in Chinese before watching a group of monks chanting during circumambulation. It was atmospheric and reverent.
There is a daily chanting of the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutra at 6pm inside the Vihara. Shantum arranged the group to sit close to the platform. As I arrived late, I sat with the pilgrims from Sri Lanka at the back with full view of the temple and the devotees. Owing to my hip problem, I cannot sit on the floor. People around me kindly found me a stool. The insides are completely covered with most beautiful pastel-colored frescos by Japanese artist Kosetsu Nosu depicting scenes of the Buddha. As I had learnt Pali for my Master of Buddhist Studies in 2020-21, I was able to join in and chant the sutra in Pali for the first time of my life. It was a mesmerizing experience.
We set off at 5:30am on February 11 for the Ganges. This was my second visit to the timeless Varanasi (formerly known as Kashi) situated on the left bank of the Ganges. This iconic and the spiritual capital of India with 88 ghats most of which are for bathing and the puja ceremony, is one of the oldest cities in the world. The place was already packed with Hindu pilgrims who performed religious rituals and bathing in the river and dozens of boats cruising on the river. We took two boats and first sailed downstream towards the bridge. Then we sailed upstream passing the colorful ghats with and watching flurry of activities in all directions. I noticed more and bigger boats, people and birds than in 2017. Hundreds of Hindus were lining in front of Ganga Dwara (Gateway of Corridor that connects Kashi Vishwanath Temple with Ghats of the Ganges). Our boat moved closer to the shore when approaching the Manikarnika Ghat and Harishchandra Ghat, the only two cremation ghats. The sights of enormous piles of wood and a head-shaved man watching the wood in flames reminded me of death and impermanence. Varanasi is forever a symbol of life, vitality, force and death.
We returned to the hotel for breakfast. Afterwards, we went to the Deer Park which I have heard endless times. It was evocative when I went into the park and saw the awesome massive Dhamek Stupa (43.6m high with a diameter of 28m) marking the location where the Buddha gave his first teaching to his first five disciples. Shantum chose a quiet and cool spot under a gigantic tree facing the stupa. We listened with keen interest to his talk about history and events associated with Buddha at this site and Thay with whom he came on pilgrimage three times since 1988. We also meditated for half an hour. Given my hip problem, I had brought a foldable chair with me. Unfortunately, I had nerve pains and could hardly sit still. Eventually I found a concrete to sit on.
After meditation, we followed Shantum on a tour of the remains of the Mulanganda Kuti Vihara Monastery including the Buddha’s hut and an Asoka pillar. Then we visited the Archaeological Museum to see many well-preserved sculptures including the famous Preaching Buddha, a 5th century sculpture of the Sarnath school of Buddhist art. It is a most beautiful serene and humane image of the Buddha filled with wisdom, compassion and loving kindness. Shantum said Thay would sit and meditate in front of the Preaching Buddha. We did the same for five minutes.
After the museum, we stopped by a silk making workshop. It was the first time that I learnt about the Kashi / Banarasi silk saree known for its gold and silver brocade or zari, fine silk and opulent embroidery. For Indians, it is a symbol of grandeur and nobility. But in modern India, this handicraft is disappearing: the shop-owner tries to preserve this heritage by employing a couple of weavers who produce the silk saree with the loom.
February 12-14 Bodhgaya (The Royal Residency)
Bodhgaya is about 250km from Varanasi. We set off after 8am. The road conditions have not improved much since 2017. The toll highway seems half-built and below international standard. This time we spent over eight hours on the road instead of seven hours in 2017 due to heavy Kumbh mela/festival pilgrim traffic. Luckily we had a nice delicious Thai vegetarian lunch and clean toilets in a Thai temple. After settling in the hotel, we were divided into five share groups. I joined a BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) group with participants from divergent background. We shared our feelings and thoughts of the pilgrimage. Mirella and I went to bed early as we would depart for meditation at Mahabodhi temple/tree at 5:30am the following day.
Most members joined the early morning meditation session on February 13. We took tuk-tuk to the Mahabodhi Temple, a massive complex and a most revered and sacred Buddhist site. The full moon shining over the temple was mesmerizing and sacred. The temple ground packed with pilgrims was bustling and fairly noisy as the Kagyupa sect was holding a ceremony presided by a Rinpoche with several large tents set up for their pilgrims. Shantum found a quieter spot facing the full moon between the shikhara towers for the group to sit down in silence. Again I had trouble sitting on my foldable chair. At the end, I practiced standing meditation. Though it was crowded in 2017, it was relatively quiet as groups of pilgrims mostly from Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia were sitting quietly in groups or individually reciting sutras in low voices or meditating. We left after 7 am and returned to the hotel for breakfast.
We returned to the Temple after breakfast and stayed there for about three hours. The complex was much quieter with fewer pilgrims. Shantum showed us the temple and key spots all of which I had visited in 2017. What I enjoyed most this time was when we sat under a bodhi tree at the southwestern corner of the Muchalinda Sarovar Holy Pond. There was no noise except the sound of wind blowing and dry leaves. Shantum talked about Buddha’s enlightenment under the bodhi tree and we had time for meditation. I sat comfortably on concrete at the bottom of the tree enjoying my breathing with nothing on my mind. We returned to the hotel after 1 pm for lunch.
After lunch, Mirella and I had a short nap before setting off to Uruvela village where Sujata offered rice/milk to the ascetic Gotama. We first stopped in a plot of sangha land where Thay planted a bodhi tree seventeen years ago. Next we walked through the village which is tidy and clean to reach expansive fields where the villagers grow padi and vegetables. From the field we could see the hills where the ascetic Gotama once lived and practiced in a cave. We were joined by a dozen of children who looked healthy and energetic. It was almost sunset when we reached the Sujata Stupa. Santosh’s family lives not far from the stupa and we had a warm reception meeting his mom, wife, sisters and children. We were served the rice/milk that Buddha had received 2,600 years ago. His daughter sang for us and in return we sang songs of Plum Village. Our amazing evening ended with us watching the full moon rising behind the fields.
February 14-16 Rajgir (Indo Hokke Hotel)
While a group went to meditate in the Mahabodhi Temple at 5:30 am, Mirella and I slept in and took a leisure tuk-tuk temple hopping trip at 8am. There are at least 29 Buddhist temples and monasteries in Bodhgaya. We only had time to stop at the Great Buddha Statue (built by the Japanese), Royal Bhutanese Monastery, Metta Buddharam Temple (Thailand) and Tergar Monastery (Tibetan). We were able to go inside the Bhutanese and Tibetan monasteries to appreciate their respective architectural and cultural styles, as well as religious artefacts.
We left the hotel around 10 am and drove 12 km to the Pragbodhi Cave where Gotama Buddha lived as an ascetic while searching for a path to enlightenment. It was hot. After getting off the bus, we had to walk about 15 minutes to reach the caves on a steep cliffside. A large group of Bhutanese pilgrims on puja whom we had met before at the Mahabodhi Temple was there. We had to queue to go into the small cave which surprisingly can hold about a dozen people. We sat inside for guided meditation with Shantum for five minutes. It was about 1 pm when we departed for Rajgir which is 65km away.
Rajgir, “The City of Kings”, is an ancient city and university town. It was the capital of the Haryanka dynasty (established by King Bimbisara), Pradyota dynastry and Brihadratha dynasty and the powerful Mauryan Empire. There are still ruins of the ancient cyclopean wall surrounding Rajgir, capital of Kingdom of Magadha, which was the scene of many important events in the Buddha’s time. Buddha had close relationship with King Bimbisara who built Venuvan (Bamboo Grove) for the Buddha and his sangha to spend their first rain retreat.
After lunch and a short rest, we proceeded to Venuvan which was mentioned in many scriptures. The sun was setting with soft and enchanting lights coming through the bamboo forests. We set down meditating for a while before listening to Shantum’s stories. It got dark quickly and we had to leave. I loved watching the street night scenes with numerous food stalls. Though the hotel was not far from the town centre, Shantum advised us not to wander around at night on our own.
On February 13, we departed for Griddhakuta Peak (Vulture Peak) at 6am with packed breakfast in order to catch sunrise from the peak. I walked slowly and watched the gorgeous sunrise on our way to the peak. By the time we arrived at the Mulagandhakuti (the small courtyard where the Buddha sat to meditate and preached the dharma), most of the sunrise watchers were gone. The monastics performed a brief ritual in front of the Mulagandhakuti and the whole sangha bowed and sat together at this holy site in silence. We dispersed when other visitors arrived. I continued to sit and meditate close to the Mulagandhakuti before joining Shantum’s talk on the Buddha’s life and events at this location.
This was my second visit to Vulture Peak and I had was an amazing experience. I did not experience particular joy in 2017 as the platform was full of noisy tourists. We stayed briefly after reciting the Heart Sutra. I was then not a Buddhist and had little knowledge about the Buddha’s life and teachings and the importance and significance of this spot. This time, I sat (like Buddha 2600 years ago) in silence, bathing in the morning sun, gazing at the beautiful landscape below and mountains beyond, and enjoying the tranquility. I could visualise the scene when Buddha delivered the Lotus Sutra, turning the Second Dharma Wheel.
We had just over an hour’s free time till 11 am. I followed the path leading up to the Peace Stupa on the top of Bao Son Ratnagiri. The 400-m high stupa built by Japan in 1969, is one of the 80 Peace Stupa built around the world. I remembered I had taken the same path to the top in 2017. On the way back to the carpark, I took time to look for “the Stone House” (where Buddha stayed and meditated), the Boar’s Cave, Ananda Cave, Sariputra Cave, Maudgalyayana meditation cave, and Saptapani Cave as these names made sense to me now. I walked slowly (owing to the hip problem) and mindfully: I was following the footsteps of the Buddha and walking with the Buddha.
It was about noon when we left the park to return to the hotel for lunch. We stopped at two archaeological sites. In the first site, we looked at a long and deep chariot wheel marks and some engraved characters on the ground. What language? There is no clear description. The second site was the remains of the Bimbisara jail which offers a beautiful view of Gridhakuta Hill. Ajatshatru, son of King Bimbisara, under the bad influence of Devadatta, imprisoned his father in this jail so that he could take over the kingship. King Bimbisara who died in jail, was said to be able to see Lord Buddha and hear his preaching from the jail.
We set off for Nalanda around 3:30pm. Established by emperor Kumaragupta I of the Gupta Empire around 427 CE, Nalanda was a great monastery in ancient and medieval Magadha and widely considered one of the greatest centres of learning in the ancient world for a thousand years till around 1400 CE. Nagarjuna, Dharmakirti, Asanga, Vasubandu, Silabhadra, Chandrakirti, Shantideva, Xuanzang and Yiying from China, to name just a few most renowned Buddhist monks and scholars, were students or were associated with the faculty.
At its peak, Nalanda attracted scholars and some ten thousand students from near and far, with some travelling from China, Tibet, Korea and Central Asia. It was indisputably the scholarly centre of the Mahayana Buddhism world. It was destroyed by an army of the Mamluk dynasty in c 1202 CE and was finally abandoned around 1400 and forgotten till the 19th century. Systematic excavations conducted since 1915 have unearthed 11 monasteries and six brick temples arranged on grounds of 12 hectares in area. All monasteries are very similar in layout and general appearance. We had a short tour of Monastery 1, which is considered the oldest and the most important of the monastery group, passed by the Shariputra Stupa (Temple no 3) before sitting down to meditate and listen to Shantum’s talk. The sun was setting and we had to leave without having a chance to walk past Temple 12, 13 and 14. What a pity!
February 16 -17 Vaishali (The Vaishali Residency)
We had a relatively leisure day spending a wonderful afternoon time at the remains of ancient Kolhua Vaishali. This spot was significant: a monkey chief had offered a bowl of honey to Lord Buddha (the brick stupa was erected to commemorate this event), allowed nuns to the sangha for the first time, and announced his approaching nirvana. The imposing and iconic 11-metre high Asoka Pillar topped by a seated lion capital facing west is the centerpiece of Kolhua Vaishali’s historical allure. Excavations have exposed three phases of construction of Kutagarshala which represents where Buddha used to stay during the rainy seasons spent at Vaishali. Beginning as a small chaitya during the Sunga-Kushan period, it was enlarged into a lofty temple during the Gupta period and was finally converted into a monastery. There is an impressive large tank measuring 65×35 metres with two bathing ghats. As this was the spot where nuns were allowed into the sangha for the first time, Shantum invited Sr Tuc Nghiem to share her feelings and thoughts. She was emotional and evocatively about the fortune and blessing to be a nun of Plum Village. The four sisters had a picture together. Memorable and moving!
Nuns were first allowed into the sangha by Buddha on this spot 
Before leaving Vaishali, we walked mindfully from the hotel to the Buddha’s Relic Stupa at sunrise. According to Buddhist traditions, after attaining mahaparinirvana, his body was cremated by the Mallas of Kushinagar, the mortal remains were distributed among eight claimants including Licchavis of Vaishali, Ajatshatru, King of Magadha, Sakyas of Kapilavastu, Bulis of Alakappa, Koliyas of Ramagram, a Brahmin of Vethweep and Mallas of Pave and Kushinagar. The original mud stupa here measuring 8.07 metres in diameter, was one of the eight original relic stupas built over the corporal remains of Buddha. It was subsequently raised and expanded to its present size with a 12-metre diameter. Excavations carried out in 1958 miraculously discovered the relic casket of stone partly filled with ashy earth besides a small conch two glass beads, a fragmentary piece of gold and a copper punch marked coin. We sat and meditated for a while. I circumambulated three times before leaving. We returned to the hotel for breakfast before setting off.
February 17 am Kesariya
After a short drive from Vaishali, we arrived in Kesariya and stopped at the Buddhist Stupa, the largest stupa in India. It is believed this stupa was built in two phases (Sunga-Kushana and Gupta periods) at the spot where Buddha had offered alms bowl to the monks who followed when he departed from Vaishali after announcing his approaching nirvana. When we sat comfortably below a banyan tree, Shantum told the stories of the Kalamas living in this area at Buddha’s time and I remember the Kalama Sutta which is described as Buddha’s “charter of free inquiry”, advocating for prudential and critical thinking and reasoning and avoiding fanaticism, bigotry, dogmatism and intolerance. When circumambulating the stupa, we saw plenty of kusa grass. It is popular for pilgrims to use the grass to tie a knot and take home. We had a quick lunch at the restaurant nearby and drove onto Kushinagar.
February 17 – 19 Kushinagar (Hotel Lotus Nikko)
We spent the whole morning at the Parinirvana Temple with a Stupa on the same platform and two sala trees at the front. I visited the temple in 2017. Built by the Indian Government in 1956 as part of the commemoration of the 2,500th year of the Mahaparinirvana, it has a 6.1-metre long reclining Buddha image. This time, I sat sit inside the temple to contemplate for some ten minutes. When a large group of pilgrims arrived, I got up so that other could take my place. I circumambulated watching many devoted Cambodian pilgrims from the US spreading red robes over the Buddha image. We sat and meditated afterward in the garden. When we broke into five sharing groups, I decided to sit on my own on a bench as I could not sit on the ground for an hour. I meditated and chanted the Buddha name.
Kushinagar was the capital of the Mallas. In the late afternoon, we proceeded to see the excavated remains unearthed by Carlleyle in 1876 and later by Archaeological Survey of India between 1904 and 1912. They include the giant Ramabhar Stupa (the cremation place of Buddha), the Nirvana Temple on a raised platform surrounded by a group of monasteries on the western side, a group of small sized stupas with carved bricks and ornamental pilasters on the southern side, a large two tiered brick platform and smaller sized stupas on the eastern side and votive stupas and monasteries on the northern side. From here Shantum led us to the nearby Hiranyati River or better known as the Buddha Ghat where Buddha spent his last moments. Instead of taking the bus back to the hotel, I decided to walk. It was dark and I walked in the wrong direction for about five minutes. I turned back not scared. I felt safe having a most enjoyable walk for about 15 minutes before reaching the hotel for dinner.
February 19- 20 Sravasti (Hotel Lotus Nikko)
We had about 250km to drive to reach Sravasti. We sat off after breakfast and had a picnic lunch at the Piparahwa Stupa, one of the eight original stupas with a portion of Buddha’s ashes given to the Sakya clan. This is an ancient site in Kapilavastu where Buddha spent his first 29 years. This site was excavated by William Claxton Peppe, a British engineer who discovered in 1896-97 a large stone coffer containing five smaller vases containing bone fragments, gold ornaments and intricately fashioned jewelry, after digging through 18 feet of solid brickwork. These reliquaries together held the largest group of precious offerings ever recorded in a single deposit: around 1,800 gemstones and semi-precious stones, rock crystals, pearls, coral, sheet gold and silver etc.
The site is serene and beautiful with water lilies booming in a large pond. We sat down in a mango grove facing the stupa, had picnic lunch and listened to Shantum’s account of the Buddha’s life. Meditation at this special place is a blessing. We had a long drive to Sravasti with two nice surprises. First we saw a large group of beautiful sarus cranes before sunset. Second, we had a nice stop in a Thai temple which offered pilgrims nice ginger tea and noodles! I was greedy and had both!
February 19 – 21 Sravasti (Lotus Nikko)
We were thrilled when Br Phap Dung told us to sign up for a Five Mindfulness Trainings transmission ceremony to be held in the Jetavana Grove the next day. I took refuge in the Three Gems in July 2023 and joined a winter retreat in Hong Kong in end 2023 and another two-week winter retreat in Plum Village last November. Since I have deepened my faith and understanding of Buddha’s profound teachings, I felt ready for undertaking formally the Five Mindfulness Trainings.
Sravasti, close to today’s Nepalese border, was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala and the place where Buddha lived most after his enlightenment. It was home of King Prasenajit, the royal patron of the Buddha and home of Anathapindada, the richest early donor for the Buddha. After their first meeting in the Venuvana in Rajgir, he bought the land of the Jetavana Grove with gold and offered it to the Buddha. It is believed to be where the Buddha taught many of his sutras: 871 sutras in the four Nikayas of Buddhist Canons are based in Sravasti. Buddha also converted many famous disciples and performed the “Sravasti miracles”. It was a prosperous area from the time of the Buddha (c 5th century BCE) to at least 12th century CE. The site, one of the most famous monasteries in Buddhist history, was rediscovered by a team of British and Indian archaeologists in late 19th-century with excavations through the 1990s.
After breakfast on February 20, we walked mindfully to Jetavana Grove (about 1.5 km) which is now a historical park with remains of many ancient buildings including Gandhakuti (Buddha’s hut), Kosambakuti, stupas and the Anandabodhi Tree (the second-holiest tree of Buddhism). As soon as I entered the complex, I felt something unique and special about this atmospheric place: morning rays shining through mature trees and bamboo groves fell on the blackish and reddish brick remains. We walked past the Anandabodhi Trees with pilgrims from Sri Lankan sitting under it. Shantum found a wonderful place under bodhi trees not far from Temples 17 and 18. As usual, we sat listening to his wonderful account of the Buddha’s life and special events taking place here. When I closed my eyes meditating, I had a feeling of deja vu: I had been here before! I was moved and moist came over my eyes: I have arrived; I am home.
The ceremony was held in this most befitting and beautiful setting. The Five Mindfulness Trainings of the Plum Village tradition represent the Buddhist vision for a global spirituality and ethic. They are concrete expression of the Buddha’s teachings on the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. They encompass “Reverence For Life, True Happiness, True Love, Loving Speech and Deep Listening and Nourishment and Healing“. The ceremony was simple and dignified. One participant was invited to recite one practice; a monastic asked those who had signed up whether they would follow the practice and we replied “yes, I do”. At the end, each of us was called up to collect a certificate with our dharma name. Mine is Sacred Way of the Source. I was elated feeling tranquil and peaceful: I have found the Path.
In the afternoon, we visited the Angulimala Stupa and the Vishakha Palace. Angulimala was a dreaded dacoit who wore a necklace of fingers that were chopped from his victims. Appearing at his door when Angulimala was about to kill his mother, the Buddha stopped him and later turned him into a disciple. His transformation is seen as the example par excellence of the redemptive power of the Buddha’s teaching and his skill as a teacher. Angulimala is seen by Buddhists as the ‘patron saint’ of childbirth and is associated with fertility in South and Southeast Asia. Vishakha, the chief female patron of the Buddha, founded the temple of Migaranatupasada which together with the monastery in Jetavana Monastery are considered the two most important temples in the time of Gautama Buddha.
February 21-22 Lucknow (Holiday Inn)
Today was the last day of the pilgrimage. After breakfast, I walked on my own and met up with the group at Jetavana Grove at 9:30am. We stayed comfortably in the same cool tranquil spot under the bodhi trees meditating before sharing our feelings and thoughts. The three – hour sharing was moving. Shantum had suggested earlier that we could reflect on the journey by composing a poem. Some shared their beautiful poems while other talked emotionally about their thoughts and feelings. I was very moved. I told my friends that I first visited India in 1978 and this pilgrimage was totally different from the one in 2017. As a Buddhist, I found this pilgrimage a spiritual journey and not a tourist trail as before. While sitting at this particular spot the day before, I felt instinctively that I had been here before and was ready for taking the transmission of the Five Mindfulness Trainings (Five Precepts). After this pilgrimage, I am determined to practice more diligently and would return again. The brothers and sisters gave us the best souvenir: they sang beautifully for us with Sr. Trai Neighm playing the violin. After lunch, we sat off at 3pm heading for Lucknow which is about 160km away and we arrive around 8 pm.
February 22 – Delhi – Hong Kong
Today, about half of the group including myself would end our journey in Delhi and return home. The remaining half including my roommate Mirella would be heading to Agra and depart on February 23. A small group would go onto visit Ajanta and Ellora caves on February 24 – 26. We had an emotional farewell: we embraced each other, took plenty of pictures and sang heartily for the last time. It was noon when I landed in Delhi. As my flight to Hong Kong would not be leaving till 11 pm, I had at least five hours for a whirlwind visit of the capital. I originally planned to store my luggage at the airport and take the metro for the first time. Unfortunately the luggage storage facility which looks limited was full(!). I therefore took a taxi for 2,600 rupees for five hours and invited a monastic from New Zealand to join. As it was Sunday, the traffic was not too bad. The driver drove through leafy and posh districts including the Presidential Palace to the Indian Gate before taking us to a restaurant nearby. We had a nice vegetarian lunch before heading to the famous Lotus Temple, Baha’i House of Worship. It was close to 5 pm and we had to return to the airport. The driver took me to a local commercial area near the airport where I bought a few cheap Indian cotton tops. I checked in after 7pm. As usual the Delhi airport is hectic: I took over an hour to check in and got through security and immigration. I waited for another half an hour to get into a paid-lounge! Delhi airport 2025, though much better than the one in 1975, still has a lot to catch up. Anyway, I had an enjoyable and wonderful afternoon touring around the capital, departed on time and was back in HK before 7 am on February 23.
Remarks
Today was April 3: I was in Cape Town about to embark on another journey sailing along the West African Coast to Lisbon which was the path of many explorers since the 15th century. I told myself I must complete my reflections and the notes on the pilgrimage which has been the most memorable spiritual journey in this present life. I confess there are simply too many memorable aspects including people, places and moments and it is impossible to recount all aspects. Anyway, all phenomena are empty! Nonetheless as a mortal / uncultivated person, I still wish to put down a few worth noting aspects of this unique journey.
First, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the compassionate monastics and fellow pilgrims, and the most knowledgeable Shantum.
Second, I find the sacred and holy sites more endearing this time as I have learnt more about the Buddha’s life and teachings through my Buddhist studies from 2020 to 2023, Thay’s book “Old Path White Clouds” which Shantum reminded us to read before the trip, and his highlights at each site.
Third, India has made some changes since my first visit in 1978 and first pilgrimage in 2017 especially its airport facilities. Nonetheless, the noise, vibrant colours, diversity of people and cultures, or in short the DNA of India and Varanasi, remain unchanged.
Finally, I have put the most evocative and illuminating moment of the journey in a short poem for memory and sharing. I am sure I shall undertake another pilgrimage if conditions permit.
India (1) 28/1-22/2/2025
Why India?
Pilgrimage is the primary purpose of this trip: I have joined “The Footsteps of the Buddha” organised by the Plum Village from 9 to 22 February. Though I was in Ladakh from August 5 to 22, 2013 visiting Leh and Alchi, and taking a 10-day trekking tour from Chilling to Stok, I decide to take a private tailor-made 11-day snow leopard tour before the pilgrimage.
Ladakh 29/1-8/2
I took a direct Cathay Pacific flight and arrived in Delhi about 10 pm on 28 January. By the time I checked in the over-priced Holiday Inn Express inside Terminal 3, it was about 11:30pm. After a few hours’ sleep, I checked in again shortly after 5:30am on 29 January (First Day of the Chinese New Year of the Snake) in Terminal 3 for Leh, Ladakh for an Indian Air flight at 8:20am. Then I went through the security which was laborious and time-consuming without realising I had been put me on the 6:50am flight. I only discovered the boarding time when taking a casual look at my boarding pass. Gate 31 B was far away and I thought I would not make it. I walked at full speed and luckily reached the gate around 6:20am. I was the last passenger to board! The check-in staff should have advised me that they had put me on an earlier flight!
I arrived an hour and a half early in Leh. It was cold (-2 C) and grey. As my sim card did not work, I asked a ground staff at the airport called Ali, my driver who took me to the Dragon Hotel. There were few visitors in Leh in winter. The hotel kindly let me check in early. During my first visit to Leh in 2013, I had been sick for the first two days (possibly as a result of altitude sickness). Hence I decided to spend a lazy day resting in a spacious and comfortable room and drank plenty of water. It worked: I felt good and did not suffer altitude sickness.
Javeed of DreamLadakh came to see me in the afternoon to discuss my travel plan. Instead of camping, I asked for home-stay with toilet facilities. After showing him my website and places I had visited including the Shanti Stupa, Namgyal Tsemo Gompa, Leh Palace and Hemis Monastery, Alchi, and a 11-day Markha Valley trek in 2013, Javeed suggested a visit the Thiksey Monastery the following day to watch the puja ceremony before leaving on 31 January.
30 January Thiksey Monastery and Hemis Monastery
Ali picked me up at 7 am and I arrived at the 12-storey Thiksey Monastery shortly after 7:30 am. The largest monastery of the Gelug School in central Ladakh, the monastery established by Palden Zangpo in the mid 15th century is noted for its resemblance to the Potala Palace in Lhasa. It houses many items of Buddhist art such as stupas, statues, thangkas, wall paintings and swords. Inside the Maitreya Temple installed in 1970 to commemorate the visit of Dalai Lama to the monastery, it contains a 15-metre high statue of Maitreya, the largest of such statue in Ladakh.
A Puja is a prayer seeking Buddhas for protection and guidance. Just before 8 am, a monk started to blow a long horn outside the temple below the main courtyard. Half a dozen monks arrived followed by four novices. While the monks chanted the novices served butter tea and tsampa. I sat in a corner listening to the chanting. A novice kindly served me butter tea. The ceremony lasted for an hour. After the ceremony, I walked to the main courtyard and found only the Maitreya Temple open. Anyway I walked around, saw the old library and had fabulous panoramic views.
My second stop was Hemis Monastery of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage. Though I visited it in 2013, I was happy to return. We stopped for a cup of hot marsala chai (chai) before crossing the Indus River. The country side covered in snow was most beautiful and serene. It was after 12:30pm when I reached the monastery. Memories returned when I stood in the majestic central court. Last time, I visited the museum which has a rich collection. But it is closed in winter. I was disappointed to find all halls closed. Luckily I met a monk who invited me to lunch in the kitchen. Though I was not hungry, I accepted the invitation with gratitude as I could take a glimpse of monastic life. I had rice and potatoes. After lunch, another monk told a novice to open some halls for me and two local women. As a result, I was able to go into the Tara Temple and the main Buddha Hall. A blessing indeed. I was back in the hotel for a late lunch after 3 pm.
January 31 – February 1 Snow Leopard in Rumbak Valley
Javeed came to the hotel introducing me to a team of four who would accompany me for the next seven days. Sonam was my guide assisted by an assistant and a chef and Ali was the driver. I set off after 10 am from Leh and Sonam said we would go to Rumbak which was not mentioned in the original itinerary. I was taken by surprise but I trusted they knew best. Perhaps they had heard recent sighting in Rumba.
We crossed the Indus River and drove about an hour and a half to reach our destination. On the way, we saw two mountain goats and met a young hiker who told us he had spent four nights in Rumbak and had seen snow leopards on four occasions. Landscape and rugged terrain of Ladakh are stunning and breathtaking. After a scenic drive through a narrow gorge, we reached Rumbak valley (just over 40 km from Leh) lying within Hemis National Park. The region is known for a rich diversity of wildlife ranging from snow leopards to Tibetan wolves, blue sheep, Asiatic ibex, Ladakh urial and birds. I was captivated by the soaring snow-capped mountains, farmland covered in snow, glacier valley, leafless trees, frozen rivers and iconic local architectures.
Once we entered the valley, we saw a group of 20 -30 tourists and guides on a small plateau with telescopes. Wow, a snow leopard was spotted in the morning near a mountain top in a distance. It was resting and everyone watched eagerly for it to wake up. Sonam set up a telescope while I also used my own binoculars for spotting. It was sunny but freezing and windy. I felt cold even after having a few cups of tea. I discovered a stylish lodge nearby which is called the Rumbak Wildlife Lodge. I was grateful it allowed me to use its toilet so that I had a chance to go inside.
After waiting for an hour or so, we were all ready for lunch. Ali drove us to the village (3960m above sea level) where we stayed in a typical mud house. Sonam said the plan was to stay here for seven nights. I was surprised as I was supposed to visit and stay in the other side of the Indus River. Anyway I trusted Javeed and Sonam knew the best places for spotting snow leopard. I was shown my room on the top of the building with full views of the narrow valley and snow-capped mountains.
We set off after 3:30pm. While approaching the plateau, we could sense the excitement and motion as all telescopes were pointed at the same direction. Unfortunately I walked slowly and by the time I reached the telescope, everyone was yelling and watching the snow leopard walking towards the ridge. I was struggling. Where was it? I could not find it through my binoculars. Eventually I watched it walking steadily and swiftly towards the ridge through Sonam’s telescope. He took a video for me. Within a second, it disappeared! I was excited to spot a snow leopard on the first day. It was however surreal, too lucky to spot it though the moment was too short and too fast! I was not prepared, too slow and unskillful in spotting.
Soon, after the snow leopard, experienced spotters found a lynx on a slope at the far end of a snow-capped mountain. Incredible! We spent the next half an hour watching the lynx sitting and walking around before disappearing in a distance. We also spotted two small hares. These spotters are incredible! It soon got dark and cold. We returned to the homestay and had dinner. I settled in my bed shortly after 8pm. My room was freezing despite the fire. I had a slight headache and I checked my oxygen level and heart beat throughout the night. On top of my own down sleeping bag, I covered myself with a quilt and blanket. The worst experience was to get out of the sleeping bag, get dressed and walk to the toilet outdoor. I had drunk too much water and got up a couple of times. As a result, I had hardly slept.
Owing to a sleepless night, I did not feel energetic to get up for breakfast at 8 am. The rising sun began to warm up my room. The water frozen in the bucket beside my bed began to thaw. I did nothing but curled up in my warm and comfortable sleeping bag. Ali and Sonam had gone out spotting and did not return till 10 am. We decided to go out after lunch so that I could have more rest.
After lunch, we drove to the other side of the valley and reached Yurutse which has only one house. We had a great time. The scenery was beautiful. We saw a large group of blue sheep and yaks, and a few hares. We were surprised to find half a dozen of ibex on a slope at the farthest end of a mountain range. In order to avoid getting up to go to the toilet, I stopped drinking after 6 pm. Knowing my body conditions, I decided to leave the following day as I needed better accommodation with proper toilet facilities. Sonam called Javeed who noted my condition and agreed I should return to Leh first.
February 2 – 6 Leh – Likir – Hemis Shukpachan – Tingmosgang – Leh
February 2– I was in better condition after a decent sleep. After breakfast, we set off and visited a nearby village Rumchung before reaching Leh in early afternoon. This photogenic village by a stream has several well-built and maintained houses. The stream was frozen and a walking path covered with yellow and golden leaves was lined with tall trees. We saw half a dozen cows lying in the sun. The valley was tranquil and beautiful. The four guarding angels walked on the frozen stream and posed for photos. We had a great time. When I was back in Leh, I had a late lunch and spent the rest of the day resting in my cosy room.
February 3– We set off after 11 am. The plan was to follow the original itinerary to explore the right side of the Indus River. We followed the Ladakh Highway and stopped at Sangam point which offers an excellent views of the confluence of Indus River and its tributary Zankar River. Then we had a long chai stop at Nimu. Soon we were off the highway and took the side road to Likir Monastery. Located at an elevation of 3700m elevation and 52 km west of Leh and established in 1065 by Lama Duwang of the Gelugpa sect, it has two assembly halls. The main hall contains the statues of Bodhisattva, Amitabha, Sakyamuni, Maitreya and Tsong Khapa (founder of the Gelugpa sect of Buddhism). There are impressive paintings of Confessional Buddhas and Sakyamuni on the walls. Sitting on the roof is a 23m-high gilded gold statue of Maitreya completed in 1999.
We continued driving through Sham Valley passing by Saspochey and Yangthang before reaching the Disket Guest House in Hemis Shukpachan, a largest village with lots of farmland surrounded by soaring mountains on all sides. The guesthouse run by a lovely couple of 76 and 64 is remarkably clean with nice carpets covering the entire floor. I was impressed by my room which had an electric heater and attached bathroom with toilet.
I spent the afternoon drinking butter tea and reading sutra in the sitting/dining room cum kitchen. Seven Americans arrived after 4 pm. We all sat peacefully in this cosy room reading and having dinner prepared by our own cook. I slept well as the heater kept the room warm. I had a flask of hot water to wash my face and feet as well as a hot water bottle to keep me warm. Above all, I could get up to go to the toilet without problem. Perfect!
February 4– We explored the area around Hemis Shukpachan for the next two days. The Americans and I both spent the morning strolling leisurely on a small plateau with commanding views of the Zankar and Ladakh mountain ranges, the Pink Mountain and the Sham Valley trek trail. Just before lunch, we also discovered a small group of blue sheep on the top part of a steep mountain slope. I had a delicious lunch with soup and chicken fried rice prepared by my chef. I watched the blue sheep for a while after lunch. Then we returned to the guest house and I continued to drink chai while reading scriptures. I had a wonderful relaxing afternoon. The experienced guides predicted snow was coming. The guide of the American group invited my group to join them for dinner the next day. We accepted with pleasure and gratitude.
February 5– A white world was awaiting me. Snow had transformed the landscape and scenery: the village was totally white and unworldly serene. I asked Ali and Sonam to return to the same plateau. The Pink Mountain had disappeared. Snow had miraculously softened the rugged rocky slopes of the Ladakh mountain range. Then we discovered a large group of ibex totaling 20-30 and some blue sheep grazing on lower slopes. We watched enthusiastically for over an hour. Then I asked Ali to drive around and we turned back at the end of the tarmac road while Sonam tried to walk to the bottom of the slope to get a closer look of the ibex. It was getting cold and windy and we returned to the guesthouse early.
I had momo (dumpling) for lunch. After having a couple of momo, I did not feel well. It might be too heavy for my stomach. I returned for a rest in my room. Singing from the dining hall woke me up. When I walked in, I discovered my American friends Emma, Sam, and Emma’s sister in full colourful Ladakhi costume sitting in the middle of the room. What was going on? Their guide performed some form of ritual and their chef brought in a beautiful cake for Sam to cut. Oh, it was an engagement ceremony of Emma and Sam conducted in Ladakhi tradition. They served all guests whisky before dinner. Alas, I suddenly had a dummy problem and I lost appetite. I could hardly eat and a wave of nausea came over. The party went on with the locals dancing and singing to congratulate the couple. I felt miserable and left the party to return to my room. Fortunately, I managed to sleep and recovered 80% the next day. But my stomach felt funny for the next few days. I decided to return to Leh as I would like a hot shower and proper rest especially with an upset stomach.
February 6– I told Sonam my decision to return to Leh and my willingness to pay for the hotel myself (5000 rupees). The morning was beautiful with a clear blue sky. I felt energetic and walked up to look at the golden Buddha statue overlooking the valley. Majestic indeed!
After saying goodbye to my hosts, we drove to Ang and finally reached Tingmosgang (92 km west of Leh) which was built by Ladakhi king Drag-pa-Bum as his capital in the 15th century. This lineage still lives on in the Stok Palace today. We first visited the monastery in the village. Several ruins of the palace / fortress on a ridge are picturesque. Inside the monastery, we we saw a precious self-originated image of Avalokitesvara from Kamrup that was brought and installed inside the castle in the 17th century. The temple with a 3-metre high statue of Maitreya was closed.
But the more impressive one is Tserkamo Monastery founded some 800 years ago located at the end of a small valley nearby. There was no tourist. We were thrilled to find a dozen of Ladakh Urial across the river on the other side of the valley. There were also some blue sheep. We were extremely lucky to see such a large group of urial. We set up the telescope, took plenty of photos and watched them for over half an hour with a cup of chai in our hand. We however missed an excellent opportunity to observe them drinking in the river. As soon as we started the engine of the vehicle, they flee away. Ali took the highway from Nurla back to Leh. We stopped by the roadside for lunch. I had a instant Maggie noodle that is nothing compared with the instant noodles I have in Hong Kong!
I was back in Dragon Hotel before 4 pm. After having a fried rice for late lunch/ early dinner, and a hot shower, I felt contented and had a good sleep.
February 7 – 8 Leh
February 7– The only place I planned to visit before leaving was the Khardungla Pass (5359m) nestling in the Karakoram Range. It is about 40km from Leh. Luckily the steep road is now well-paved and efficiently cleared off snow for vehicles to drive through. We took about two hours to reach the pass as we had a lovely photo stop on the way. The temperature plunged to -16 C: after taking a few photos, I returned to the car and Ali happily started to descent. We met Javeed for lunch before I was dropped off in my hotel. I spent an hour strolling in the commercial centre of Leh which has been enlarged and lined with more shops. I passed by a new hotel called Chospa which is modern and beautifully designed. I wished I had discovered it earlier so that I could have stayed there instead of Dragon Hotel when I had to pay for a night myself.
February 8 – Ali drove me to the airport at 10 am for my flight at noon. The Air Indian flight was delayed for over half an hour. Anyway I landed safely in Delhi around 2:30pm.
Remarks
After reading about the elusive snow leopard, I hoped to see one once in my life. Hence, I was extremely lucky to see one on the first day of my visit to Rumbak. Everything turned out well except the homestay in Rumbak with a toilet outside. The Ladakh trip far exceeded my expectations. First, the landscape and winter scenery are stunningly beautiful. Second, wildlife in winter was still amazing. I saw Ladakh urial, blue sheep, yak, ibex, lynx and hare etc. Third, I visited a number of monasteries for the first time. Finally, I had never been tampered and served by a driver, a guide, an assistant guide and a chef. The four young men have been so nice to me. I love Ladakh and would like to return once more to travel from Manli to Kashmir.
Saudi Arabia 17/12/24 -3/1/25 (2)
Day 7: 26 December -Dadan & Jabal Ikmah – Medina
We had an early start at 6:30 am and arrived at the visitor centre at Dadan to join a group guided tour by 8 am. Dadan was therefore the capital city of the Kingdoms of Dadan and Lihyan. Some 2,600 years ago, the oasis in the AlUlva valley hosted the growth of Dadan with a thriving economy based on farming and long-distance trade. With trade came new ideas, new expressions in art, and new ways of writing. Dadan developed its own writing system. Today, thousands of inscriptions survive here. Dadan was invaded by Nabonidus, king of Babylon in the sixth century BCE. At some point around 2,500 years ago, control of Dadan shifted to the kings of the tribe of Lihyan who ruled the region for several centuries.
I saw the Lihyanite Colossal statue from Dadan at the visitor centre and learned about the civilisations and trade route in the region and on Dadan. I then went out to look with the aid of a telescope at some 2000-year-old tombs cut into red-rock cliffs in a distance. Then we took a bus to a vast ruin that was once an urban centre with ongoing excavations and investigations. I am sure more information about Dadan and the region would be revealed in future.
Then we drove about ten minutes to the other side of the valley. We walked on a boardwalk to Jabal Ikmah, which served as a destination for practising religious rituals and offering sacrifices. It is also called an “open-air library” as it has approximately 300 inscriptions engraved into the mountain’s wall during the Dadanite and Lihyanite civilisations. The inscriptions, rock art and petroglyphs are on display in a narrow and atmospheric desert canyon.
After Jabal Ikmah, we drove over four hours through the desert before reaching Medina, the second holiest city in Islam, for a nice buffet lunch next to the Prophet’s Mosque. It was the second mosque established by Muhammad in 623 CE after the Quba Mosque. Once we arrived in Medina, I and the other three ladies had to put on the abaya and covered our head. After lunch, we walked to the Mosque which has many domes and ten minarets standing at 105m. It has a capacity for 1 million worshippers.
Originally the mosque was an open-air building serving as a community centre, a court of law and a religious school. It has been subsequently expanded. Today it features sliding domes and retractable umbrella-like canopies designed by the German Muslim architect Mahmoud Bodo Rasch, The total area covered is 143,000 sq meters. The most notable feature is the Green Dome where the tomb of the Prophet is located: Many pilgrims who perform Hajj also go to Medina to visit the Green Dome. As only Muslims are allowed to enter these mosques, we spent half an hour outside the Green Gate to take a glimpse of the garden of paradise filled with devotees. Unfortunately I left my phone in the minibus and was unable to take photos to capture the mood of the pilgrims and the holy mosque.
Before sunset, Fatmah took us to Mount Uhud to see the Uhud Martyr’s Square, Shuhada Mosque completed in 2017 and the Cemetery where 70 companions of the Prophet killed during the Battle of Uhud, were buried. The mosque is an important site in Islamic history as it tells the story of the Battle that took place during the third Hijri year when the army of the Quraysh tribe and its allies went to Medina to kill Muslims. (Hijri year is the era used in the Islamic New Year in which Mohammad and his followers migrated from Mecca to Yathrib (now Medina). We had a nice sunset view of the holy city from the Archer’s Hill.
Day 8: 27 December – Medina – Train to Jeddah
We spent a morning in Medina before taking a high-speed train to Jeddah-Mecca. Fatmah took us on a 3-km walk from the edge of the Prophet’s Mosque to the Quba Mosque, the first mosque built by the Prophet and the world’s first mosque. Its first stone is said to have been laid by the Prophet with the structure completed by his companions. The new buildings seen today was constructed in the 1980s. As non-Muslims, we could only stay outside to listen to the Imam’s calling around noon time.
Our second stop was the Hejaz Railway terminal which is under restoration. This railway running from Damascus to Medina was 1320-km long and the journey took five days. The project was ordered by Sultan Abdul Hamid II in March 1900 with the railway running in 1908. But it was effectively abandoned by 1920. After having a nice Lebanese lunch, we went to the modern train station to take a 2-hour train to Jeddah.
The train was full of pilgrims heading to Mecca. We arrived in Jeddah around 4 pm. We were dropped off at the enormous Prince Abdulmajeed Roundabout and had a leisure stroll in the Al Hamra’a Corniche Park, passing by the Ritz-Carlton Jeddah and InterContinental Jeddah before taking a ride to our hotel near the Jeddah Beach. The park was full of locals as it was a Friday. The atmosphere was relax and cheerful: the whole family would sit on a mattress enjoying tea/coffee and eat while kids were playing on the grass. Some would place their folding chairs right by the rail next to the water watching the King’s Fahd’s Fountain, the world’s tallest fountain at 312 m built in 1985. The base of the fountain is in the form of a large mabkhara, an incense burner that symbolises Arabian culture. The people were friendly and a few ladies invited me to join them to drink coffee. As I walked slowly, the group had to slow down. At the end, the short walk took an hour! I was tired and ready for bed once we got to the hotel.
Day 9: 28 December – Jeddah & Al-Balad
We spent the whole day in Jeddah, SA’s second largest city with a population of 3.5 million on the Red Sea. Jeddah has been a port and trading city for centuries and above all the main entry point either by sea or air, for pilgrims making the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. The Jeddah Corniche (waterfront area) stretching for some 30 km is full of hotels, beaches and resorts. Al-Balad, the old city and a World Heritage Site is a top attraction.
We began our day with a visit to Al Taybat Museum with an area of over 10000 sq meters housing 12 buildings with 300 rooms. The buildings are constructed in the traditional Hijazi style. Founded by Abdul Raouf Hassan Kahlil and taking 15 years to build, the museum with more than 60000 historically significant items from both SA and various Middle Eastern countries, showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Saudi civilisation. We spent about two hours there. But it was impossible to see even the major exhibits. Then we visited the Central Fish Market. Five of us brought and shared a 2-kg garoupa. While the fish was being prepared, we went to watch auctions of the catch of the day in a small corner outside the covered market.
After lunch, we went to Al-Balad,the historic centre of Jeddah founded in the 7th century. Traditional Hijazi houses in Al-Balad are characterized by their wooden Roshan windows and balconies and it was once enclosed with defensive walls which were torn down in the 1940s. Jeddah became wealthier due to the oil boom in the 1970s and 1980s and many Jeddawis moved away from Al-Balad. Historical preservation efforts began in 1970s and it became a World Heritage Site in 2014. It is divided into different districts with many historical buildings and houses. We entered the old city through the Makkah Gate and explored the historic district for three hours. We spent time at shops selling gold and incense, visited the Matbouli Museum, Nassif House Museum, Baeshen Museum, Jokhdar Historic House which is now a hotel and Shafee Mosque. I enjoyed a nice cup of mint tea on the rooftop of the Historical Night Cafe. We exited the old city from the Old Jeddah Gate. The old district which is undergoing restoration and renovation in line with Saudi Vision 2030, will likely be regenerated into an interesting area through art, history, tourist and boutique hotel developments.
Day 10: 29 December – Thee Ain Heritage Village – Al Bahah
Today we headed south to visit Thee Ain (1985m above sea level) in the Baha Region which is about 400 km from Jeddah. We took the Red Sea route (Route 5) and arrived after 1 pm. We began our visit at a well-designed museum with good illustrations and presentation. Then we had a guided tour in the village which houses were built from polished stones and dating back to the 8th century. Built on the Madamek wall system and the walls are approximately 7- to 90 cm thick, it consists of 49 houses and a mosque adjacent to a river. Thee Ain is now under restoration with the aim of turning it into a tourist site.
After visiting a few houses and the mosque, we had a picnic sampling simple but most delicious local dishes (chicken and fresh vegetables) prepared by our guide. Then we had a short walk to see the eye of the spring that provides water for farming in the area which is known for its agricultural crops such as bananas, basil, lemon and palm trees. Then we had to leave without a chance to hike to the top. Ivan did not join our walk and went to the top by himself.
We had to drive some 30 km along the King Fahd Road to reach our hotel in Al Bahah (2155m elevation) which is a cloud city. This section of the road is considered an absolute jewel of engineering, twisting and turning through switchbacks and tunnels (26 in total) and several aqueducts. There are several viewpoints. Unfortunately it was getting dark and we did not stop till we reach the Raghadan Forest Park just in time to see the last sunset ray over the lowland below us. The next moment, the whole area was cloaked in mist! An incredible experience in this cloud city. We had a nice stay at the Cloud City Hotel. Today we drove about 430km!
Day 11: 30 December – Al Malad Castle – 3-km Hike to Al Touf Village Home Stay
The highlight today was the visit to Al Malad Castle (Twin Fortresses) a historical landmark in Al Bahah. The castle was built by two brothers four centuries ago for military purposes. Mohammed, the charismatic chief of the tribe showed us around the castle and the museum which has wonderful collections. We spent the whole morning enjoying his company and the panoramic views from the castle. I was very impressed by Mohammed, his pride of his heritage and tradition, and took many photos.
Then we drove about 250km along Albaha Abha Road. The mountain views are impressive too. Ali La Garni, owner of the home – stay, met us by the road side and we walked about three kilometres through farm lands before reaching Al Touf Village which is a historic village with stone houses. It is a crescent-shaped settlement in the Al Shaaf area precarious at the edge of a cliff. Many of the houses in the village have been abandoned as the owners moved to new houses. He has renovated his own house making into a fairly nice place and receives both local and overseas tourists. We had local food and I particularly liked the bread made with wheat Ali Al Garni grew himself! We also visited a small local museum in the village.
Day 12: 31 December – Balijurashi – Taif – Jeddah
I got up early and walked around the village which was veiled in mist. After a hearty breakfast, we set off on a long drive back to Jeddah with a stop in Balijurashi to visit another abandoned village and a brief lunch stop in Taif before reaching Jeddah around 8 pm. I said good-bye to those who would be leaving early the next day. It was New Year Eve. But there was no celebration where we stayed. I went to bed early as I had a long tiring day.
Day 13: 1 January 2025 End of Tour
We had a late breakfast. After saying good-bye to Susan and Fatmah who would be leaving Jeddah in the afternoon, we checked out and moved to Sheraton Jeddah for two more nights on our own as we would like to snorkel. It was hot in the afternoon and we spent some time at the Red Sea Mall not too far from Sheraton.
2 January: Snorkeling and Dining. We went to a private resort/club associated with Sheraton for snorkeling and had to pay SAR 129 pp. Red Sea is famous for its marine life: I have had an amazing time snorkeling off a beach in Hurghada Egypt. Hence I found the short stretch of rocks with some corals and fish off the resort totally unimpressive. I suppose there are better sites on a boat trip. Anyway, it is always nice to check out what is around! In the afternoon, we went to Waldorf Astoria close to Sheraton for high tea. This posh opulent hotel with 46 suites is like a palace (the staff told us it was built by a prince). But the high tea was cheap but so-so. At first we wanted to go to Al Rahmah Mosque (Floating Mosque) to watch sunset. But as the service was very slow, we did not have enough time to take a taxi to the mosque. Instead, we rushed to the promenade opposite Waldorf and were lucky to see the setting sun for a few minutes before it disappeared below the horizon. Then we decided to return Waldorf to try its Italian restaurant. As we were not hungry we shared a starter (pan-fried scallop) and a main course (linguine). The meal cost less than SAR 300 for two persons. Incredibly cheap for the quality of food and a posh hotel!
3 January: Going Home. I would fly with Ethiopia Airlines to HK around 3 :30pm on 3 January. So Kylie and I decided to visit the famous Rahmah Mosque. We took Uber to the marina and walked to the mosque. As it was Friday, it was closed and we could only see it from the outside. It was boiling even early in the morning. We planned to walk back to Sheraton which is just over 4 km. However it was too hot and we finally took Uber for the last 1.5km. Then I took Uber (SAR40) to the airport just before noon and was dropped off at the international airport. Though I mentioned again and again to the driver that it was airport N (I showed him my ticket), he dropped me off in the new airport. N actually stands for the North airport which is an old one, locally known as the Hajj Airport. Taxi is very expensive and the locals told me to get Uber. But without internet, it was impossible to book. Finally I just got hold of an “Uber” like car and bargained with the driver. I eventually paid SAR 50 to go to the Hajj Airport! It was quite an experience! Fortunately, I had a safe flight with a 6-hour stop-over in Addis Ababa. I was back in Hong Kong safe and sound at 2 pm on 4 January safe and sound!
Remarks (to add)
Saudi Arabia 17/12/24 -3/1/25 (1)
Why Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia which has been open to foreign tourists since 2019, was one of the few Islamic countries that I had not visited in the Middle East. I joined a 13-day Saudia Arabia Explore (20/12/2024 to 1/1/2025) offered by Exodus Travel that I have travelled with many times. I flew from Bergen, Norway to Riyadh on 17 December, met up with Kylie, a friend who joined the same tour on 19 December and the guide Fatmah and five travellers from the UK on 21 December. At the end of the tour, Kylie and I stayed on for two more nights as we would like to snorkel in the Red Sea.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia (SA), officially known the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is located in the centre of the Middle East overing the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula. With the world’s second largest oil reserve and fourth largest natural gas reserve, an area of 2,150, sq km and a population of 37 million, SA is an important regional power. The area was the site of several ancient cultures and civilization with the earliest traces of human activity outside Africa: human habitation in the peninsula dated back to about 125,000 years ago. Rich in cultural heritage with many archeological sites yet to be fully explored, SA boasts eight World Heritage Sites.
The Arabs, also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group that have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years. According to the Abrahamic tradition, Arabs are descendants of Abraham through his son Ishmael. Before the advent of Islam, much of today’s SA was populated by nomadic pastoral tribal societies apart from trading settlements such as Mecca and Medina. Islamic prophet Muhmmad (c.570-8 June 632 CE) united the population of the Arabian Peninsula and created a Islamic religious polity. Arab dynasties originating from modern-day SA founded the Rashidun (632-661), Umayyad (661-750), Abbasid (750-1517), and Fatimid (909-1171) caliphates and numerous dynasties in Asia, Africa and Europe. Mecca and Medina, both located inside SA, are the two holiest cities in Islam. The Saudi royal family known as the Al Saud can be traced back to emirate of Diriyah dating 1727 and today’s SA was founded by King Abulaziz in 1932 when he united the regions of Hejaz, Najd, Al-Ahsa and ‘Asir. Islam is the state religion and Arabic is the official language.
Riyadh 17- 19 December 2024
I arrived in Riyadh around 11 pm. As I had obtained an e-visa, I went through the immigration quickly. By around 11:30pm, I was able to order an Uber using the free wifi from the airport (A friend could not find me a SIM card for SA in HK and I planned to get one when I got to Riyadh). The car boarding area was dark and crowded. By mistake, I got into a wrong car and the driver did not speak English nor the way to the Women Compound behind the Olaya Street. Both the driver and I did not have wifi and could not check Google map. I told him to call the receptionist of the Woman Compound who spoke English. I finally arrived around 12:30 am on 18 December. When he asked me to pay, I refused believing I had already been charged SAR102 when booking an Uber. When I realised my mistake, I paid him SAR130 as he was an honest person and had a hard time finding his way. He did not take credit card, and the receptionist kindly lent me the money. What an experience!
For the next two days, I hardly did anything and moved beyond the Olaya Street. First, I am getting old and walk very slowly with my hip problem. Second, I had trouble in getting a local SIM card. As a result, I had to stay in the compound whenever I wanted to stay online. The receptionist told me to take uber to a mall to get a card. Actually, there are two outlets near the compound that I could have got a card. I discovered a relatively cheap package offered by Salem for foreign tourists for two weeks: one has to take fingerprints that match those on one’s visa. I tried many times, but my fingerprints for some strange reasons did not match. Henceforth, I had to live without wifi except when I could get free wifi from the hotel or through a hotspot provided by Kylie. Next time, I should try e-SIM. Third, I had a problem with the American Express over overdue payment (I am getting forgetful). My attempt to settle was futile as the transferred money had been credited inadvertently to an old AE card. The whole saga dragged on till 27 December after having paid AE twice. I would only get my money back when I could show proofs of fund transfer to my old account. Ridiculous! AE could have easily traced the money credited to my old account. I would cancel the AE card after getting a refund. Fourth, SA is new to international tourism and I find it not user-friendly. Though I stayed in a relative central area, I had to walk 2.2 km along the Olaya Street to a nearest bank to change USD to SAR (USD1 to SAR3.74). Kylie found exchange service in Narcissus Hotel. But its service was only available to in-house guests. Incredible! Kylie finally managed to change some dollars at the Medina train station. We saw some money changers in Jeddah.
As a result, I had only managed to change money, visited the King Fahad National Library, an Islamic Art Museum and a cluster of galleries, took Bus 9 running along the Olaya Street to Taibah Markets and travelled on the Blue Line that runs from SAB Bank to AD Dar Al Baida (38km with 24 stations). I am most impressed by the new Riyadh Metro spanning 176 km consists of six lines each assigned a unique colour and number i.e. blue-1, red-2, orange-3, yellow-4, green-5 and purple-6. The design of the stations by Zaha Hadid Architects, and standards of the interior of the stations are outstanding. The train cars has three classes: first, family and individual. Passengers pay SAR 4 for 2-hour travel in the metro and on the bus.
Day 1: 20 December Riyadh
As the group from the UK would be arriving in the evening, Kylie and I had a free day. First, we moved from the Woman Compound to the Joudyan Hotel (just across the Olaya Street). Then we joined a 4-wheeled drive tour from 2 to 8 pm. We took Uber to the meeting point (SAR35) and met five other tourists and drove two hours to the Edge of the World, the name of the 1,131m-high cliff lying about 100km from Riyadh at the end of the 800km Tuwaik Mountain Range. It is a top tourist attraction in Riyadh: all tourists come here to watch sunset and the spectacular landscape. The driver was very kind and accompanied me to ensure I did not fall. He also took a few nice photos for me. I turned one into a Christmas card!
Day 2: 21 December – Riyadh
We met Fatmah, our youthful and energetic guide after breakfast. All ladies were given a dark-coloured abaya to wear in Medina. We began our Saudi Arabia Explorer at Ad Diriyah, an ancient oasis town on Wadi Hanifah strategically located in Najd. In 1727, it became the capital of the First Saudi State (1744-1818) under the rule of Imam Mohammed bin Saud. At the heart of Diriyah is At-Turaif, a fortified mud-brick citadel surrounded by 1.5km of defensive walls that was developed into the administrative, military and political hub of the state, focused around the monumental palace of the ruling Saudi Imam. The district was established in the 18th century and rapidly expand during the reign of the second Imam of the First Saudi State.
Restoration began in the 1970s. We spent almost three hours exploring the remains of the Salwa Palace, the mosque, Arabian Horse Gallery, Military Gallery, Trade & Money Gallery, Prince Thunayyan Bin Saud Palace, Imam Abdullah Bin Saud Palace, and Sbalat Modhi (accommodation for visiting students). Many areas are still under restoration. One can spend a whole day in this living museum.
The second stop was the modern King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) founded in 2007, which is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund. The project consists of 95 buildings with more than 6.1 million sq meters of space. Upon completion, it is expected to host 50,000 residents. The area will be served by a 3.5-km long monorail and all buildings will be linked by an air-conditioned skywalk system. We also visited the award-winning Grand Mosque.
It was well after 2pm when we had our first Saudi lunch in a wonderful local restaurant. Kylie and I shared a large plate of rice and mutton: the food was delicious and cheap (about SAR50)
The third stop was the Saudi National Museum which covers from the prehistoric to the modern ages in eight galleries. We were given just over an hour to visit it. I decided to walk on my own and confessed I did not register much after a whirlwind visit. Then we walked to the nearby Murabba Palace which was closed by the time we reached it. We drove a short distance to see the Masmak Fortress which is under restoration. We proceeded on foot to Alsafat Square and saw the Safat Clocktower and explored the traditional markets (souq) selling men’s clothes, shoe, perfume, incense etc. We admired the elegant and hand-made thawb for men. Fatmah took us to a 200-year-old shopping street (Abd Al Wahid Charafeddine) before ending our walk at the A’Thumairi Gate, one of the remaining gates of the area. When we stopped in a shop selling traditional sticks, a Saudi man with a young son bought each of us a stick with a horse head as a souvenir (SAR50 each). Saudis are very generous and welcoming! We had a full and tiring day. I was glad to get back to the hotel before 8 pm.
Day 3: 22 December – Ushaiger – Unaizah – Buraydah
We departed after breakfast and drove some 200km to Ushaiger, one of the oldest settlements in the Najdi region. Historically it belongs to the Tamim tribes and is the homeland to many families in the peninsula including the Al-Thani family that rules the state of Qatar. Some 5,000 people used to live in this village before moving to a new village with modern facilities over 50 years ago. We first visited the As Salem Museum run by Hamad, a very smart and healthy 86-years-old man. He has collected all sorts of stuff ranging from storage for dates, cage for chicken, grinders, plates, pots and pans, clocks, guns, radio and a 200-year-old tin container from Holland. The village comprising houses of irregular shapes and narrow alleys are atmospheric and photogenic. Over 95% of the mud houses is dilapidated. The best preserved mud building is the mosque with a lower floor that is still in use. Kent and Kylie even climbed the minaret. A few houses have been nicely restored.
After a late lunch, we drove to Unaizah which historically was an important stopping point for Muslims coming from Mesopotamia (now Iraq) and Persia (now Iran) on their way to Mecca. The main attraction here is the Al Bassam Heritage House constructed between 1374 and 1378, a remarkable example of Najdi architecture. We had a good guide who explained the intricate designs, ceilings, doors, windows, and the tamarisk wood features. I am particularly interested in the painted wooden doors and made a collage of the doors with Najdi patterns.
After a guided tour, we had a great time enjoying Arabian coffee with local dates followed by tea and ginger tea. Our host also sang for us. After bidding our host goodbye, we drove some 30 km to reach Buraydah, capital of the Qassim Province to spend a night.
Day 4: 23 December – Buraydah – train to Hail
Buraydah, known as the city of dates with extensive variety of dates, has the world’s largest camel market. In order to watch auctions at the camel market, we started at 6:30 am, reached the market around 7 am and spent an hour watching how camels were brought in by trucks and the auction process. Half a dozen of camels for meat from Africa only fetched about 1200 SAR. Young camel a few weeks old might get a few hundred SAR. Then we watched a male camera charging in and mated with a female. Fatmah took us to see a sheep market nearby before heading to the world’s biggest date market. As it was not in season, the expansive market was virtually empty except a dozen of trucks were selling dates at the carpark. Fatmah bought 3 kilos of dates for SAR20! A bargain. We were back in the hotel for breakfast after 10 am. After a short rest, we set off before noon heading to the train station to get on a train around 1 pm to Hail.
We were back in the hotel for breakfast after 10 am. After a short rest, we set off before noon heading to the train station to get on a train around 1 pm to Hail. The journey took about two hours. The new train stations all have stylish modern designs and the train system was designed by the Spanish. We had a comfortable ride though there was no wifi in the train. At Hail station, Fatmah ran into an old friend Abdullah, a professional photographer. He later met us at the A’arif Fort and took photos for us. We spent a nice but short time at the fort watching amazing sunset. Then we went to Al Qishlah which was closed at 4 pm. We could not get in. No problem as we already had a long day. We had an early dinner and I shared an excellent lamb rice with Susan as Kylie did not want to eat.
Day 5: 24 December – Hail – Jubbah – AlUla
Today we began our exploration of SA’s rock art in Jubbah in the Nafud desert. In general, rock art includes pictographs, petroglyphs, engravings and petroforms and geoglyphs. In Jubbah, the ancestors of today’s Arab populations have left traces of their passages in numerous petroglyphs and inscriptions on sandstone rock faces. The artworks depict human figures and animals such as aurochs, cheetahs and lions since the neolithic or New Stone Age (10000 – 2200 BC). The oasis of Jubbah is the remnant of an ancient lake. Near the present day Jebel um Saman (“Two Camel-hump Mountain”), one finds some of the best rock art in the Arabian Peninsular. In 1879, Lady Anne Blunt , daughter of Lord Byron, and her husband Wilfred were amongst the first Westerners to discover the rock art. Archaeologist Juris Zarins (1945-2023) considers Jubbah the number one or two site in the whole of the Middle East that rivals anything in North Africa. We visited three different sites in Jubbah and I think what I have seen are amongst the best of their kinds and periods I have ever seen.
After a wonderful time at Jubbah, we had a memorable picnic lunch in the desert in Bedouin style with Abdullah. We then drove nonstop for almost seven hours before reaching the Mazham Boutique Farm in the Madinah Region for two nights. Today, we had a long day driving over 600km.
Day 6: 25 December – Hegra – Maraya – AlUla Old Town – Elephant Rock
We continued our exploration of SA’s ancient civilization today. We first went to Hegra, SA’s first World Heritage Site which relates to Nabataean history in the area with over 110 preserved tombs and other ancient wonders. Built between the first century BCE and the first century CE, Hegra was the Nabatean kingdom’s southern outpost until it was abandoned in the 12th century. This ancient city includes an impressive necropolis with tombs carved into sandstone set against the sweeping desert landscape.
We were told to arrive at the visitors’ centre around 9:15 am. Unfortunately the guide tour was delayed to 10:15 am. I therefore spent time in the centre which has illustrations on “Hinat“- the reconstructed face of a Nabatean woman whose remains were found in one of the 18 tombs in Jabal Ahmar. Fortunately, we had a nice guide and visited four locations. Jabal Ithlib is a natural mountain outcrop set featuring a natural picturesque passageway through the mountains and a venue for both banquets and meetings between city leaders. The second stop was Jabal Banat which is one of the largest tomb clusters in Hegra with 29 tombs carved into sandstone. Names of the people buried are found around the door frames together with other images including phoenixes, eagles, and snakes. The inside is however fairly barren.
The third stop was Qasr al-Farid (“the lonely castle”) which is the Tomb of Lihyan Son of Kuza. This unfinished tomb is Hegra’s largest tomb about 72-foot tall. It shows how the tomb had been carved. Then we made our way to Jabal Ahmar where the remains of “Hinat”, daughter of Wahbu were discovered. Analysis of the tomb has established that it was built by Hinat and was the resting place of as many as 80 individuals.
After Hegra, Fatmah took us to Maraya, the world’s largest mirrored building standing out in a breath-taking and captivating desert with rugged mountain ranges. This iconic performance and event venue designed by an Italian architect has become a must-see in AlUla.
Then we had an hour’s walk in an ancient oasis with some restored mud houses before having a late lunch after 3 pm. Susan, Fatmah, Kylie and I went to Somewhere, an elegant and one of the best restaurants in AlUla. We shared one beef and one chicken rice dish and had a delicious drink each. It cost over SAR 80 pp. Fairly pricy! Then we spent an hour in the old AlUla town before rushing to the iconic Elephant Rock to watch sunset. After sunset, we returned to the old town for another hour before returning to the eco-farm. A very full day! On reflection, I think we could have skipped Alula before the Elephant Rock so that we could have more time to enjoy the sunset.
