CK is Going Places: Macao and Hong Kong

I'll be heading to Macao this afternoon on AirAsia Flight AK 488. I hope there won't be any delay. I'm on my 8-day trip to Macao and Hong Kong with Greg and Nee.

In out plan, we'll be visiting the Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair and the Hong Kong International Stationery Fair. You may be wondering why we are up to these fairs thingy, so wait till we're back to tell the stories.

We have also slotted in a day for the Disneyland. This will be my first time in Disneyland! Hooray! That's for the little child living in this thirty-something body.

Other than that, it'll be the night scene watching from the Victoria Peak and Victoria Harbour, the Star Ferry rides, food and shopping, food and shopping, and food and shopping. Last but not least, I wanna hit that Jackpot in Macao!

To all beloved readers of CK Go Places, I won't be updating this blog for about a week until I'm back. Meanwhile, you are always welcome to read my past entries and thank you for your support all this while. :)

Hong Kong Island and Victoria Harbour at night. © Photographer: Richard I'Anson of Lonely Planet Images.

Night view of Largo do Senado (Senate Square), on Macao Peninsula. © Photographer: Richard I'Anson of Lonely Planet Images.

Santorini – Almost Heaven: The Volcano at Nea Kameni

At the centre of the caldera of Santorini is a small island called Nea Kameni, at which the epicenter of the largest volcanic eruption ever happened on earth is situated. This island is basically covered with the deposits from the volcanic eruption, hence a dusty place.

The only way to get to the island from the main Santorini island is to take a boat from the port of Fira. There were more luxurious yachts but I chose to take the traditional sailboat, and I was put on the Odysseas for my visit to Nea Kameni.

The Odysseas was approaching Fira port to pick me up.

The dusty hike up the crater.

I was already half way up. The jetty on Nea Kameni is at left.

I was almost there, but the tour guide was already up there.

I was finally up on the crater.

This is still an active volcano, so there may be an eruption anytime!

I could imagine how big the volcanic eruption was with that amount of deposits.

I went round and round along the rim of the crater.

The different colours of the deposits.

The only steam hole on the crater, but the steam was too mild to be seen in the picture.

If you would like to read more of my travelogues on Greece, here are the links:-

1. Athens – The Homeland of the Gods

• Acropolis
• Ancient Agora
• National Archaeological Museum
• Exposé at the Parliament Building
• Neoclassical Trilogy
• The Walking Tour
• The Graffiti
• The Central Market
• Panoramic View

2. The White Dream in Mykonos

• Whitewashed Cube Houses
• Stairways to Heaven
• Barricades in Paradise
• Sea Breeze
• Wind Riders
• With a Little Bit of Red
• Roaming the Streets
• The Holy Ground
• When the Sun is Going Down
• I've Been to Paradise

3. Santorini – Almost Heaven

• Roaming Around the Streets of Fira
• Gazing at the Sea in Fira
• The Southern Crosses in Fira
• The Golden Hour at Fira
• Fira Sunset and After Dark
• Strolling the Streets in Oia
• The Cliffs and the Sea in Oia
• The Domes and the Bells in Oia
• The Barriers in Oia
• The Sunset at Oia
• The Volcano at Nea Kameni
• The Black-sand Beach of Kamari
• Ancient Thira

4. Miscellaneous

• Piraeus – Tinos – Mykonos
• Delos – The Open Air Museum on an Island
• From Mykonos to Thira
• Nuts about Kebab
• Patras

The Fairies Go to the Fairy Cave

Fairy Cave is a nature reserve about 50 km away from Kuching, 13 km off a small town called Bau. I went there today for a photography outing with two Jedis, #001 and #005, and another two Jedi wannabes.

We started off from Kuching and stopped by a small village called Pekan Tondong along the way for breakfast, because we were told by one of the Jedi wannabes that the 'kolo mee' and fried noodles there are good, and they were really good indeed. With all our stomachs filled up, we were ready to climb the steps up to the cave.

The steps awaiting the visitors.

Light breaking through the cracks.

Water is dripping down from the limestone cave.

The wave of the rock.

It's not a difficult climb at all.

The ocean of rock.

The helping hand.

Since the dark cave is too contrasty with the bright sky outside, I tried to do some high dynamic range (HDR) images to preserve most of the details. Here are the said images.

A real escapade.

Breaking free!

I have seen light!

Breaking free, again!

Now back to normal images inside the cave.

The eroded rocks with sharp tips.

The guardian of the fairy water.

The light and shadows on the rocks.

Presenting the fairies.