Tag Archives: The Grand Tour of East Asia

An Afternoon in Old Canton…

This gallery contains 37 photos.

Most visitors to Guangzhou today don’t come for the history, heritage or architecture.  They come for business, trade, industry, commerce.  History, heritage and architecture are the last things on their mind.  Which is perfectly in keeping, ironically, with Guangzhou’s heritage as … Continue reading

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The Grand Tour II-3: Vast Prefecture… Canton (廣州)

This gallery contains 7 photos.

Of all the port cities on the Grand Tour, Canton – situated at a strategic location on the Pearl River – is by far the greatest and the most ancient, having been mentioned as a major port since the Tang … Continue reading

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The Pousada de São Tiago, Macau

This gallery contains 13 photos.

Not having been able to reside at the (former) Bela Vista Hotel, I went for the next best option, which was the Pousada de São Tiago – a luxury boutique hotel occupying a 17th century Fort at the very tip … Continue reading

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The (Former) Bela Vista Hotel, Macau

This gallery contains 9 photos.

One of the greatest legends in Macau’s history and hospitality scene is that of the former Bela Vista Hotel – the inimitable Grande Dame of the colony, handed back to the Portuguese in 1999 and presently the Residence of the … Continue reading

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O Centro Histórico de Macau (The Historic Centre of Macau)

This gallery contains 51 photos.

Despite rampant development, and one of the smallest land areas of any sovereign state in the world, Macau has managed to preserve a significant amount of its built heritage.  The city – particularly the Macau Peninsula – oozes history and … Continue reading

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The Grand Tour II-2: Bay Gate… Macao (澳門)

This gallery contains 12 photos.

Macao is a dream-like city… a city of dreams… a dream of a city… None of these epithets is the same as the other, and yet they contain within them the essence of the “dream” – that which is surreal, … Continue reading

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The Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong

This gallery contains 8 photos.

While in Hong Kong, reside at the legendary Peninsula Hotel. There is simply nowhere else quite as nostalgic and evocative. The minute the familiar and iconic bellboy – draped in all-white livery – opens the large glass doors and ushers … Continue reading

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The Grand Tour II-1: Fragrant Harbour… Hong Kong (香港)

This gallery contains 11 photos.

Hong Kong is a “city spectacular,” in all the vainglorious, multifarious meanings, implications, etymologies (and so on)  associated with the term – to wit: city, spectacle, spectator, spectacular (adj.), spectacular (noun). Let me explain. From the very moment that band … Continue reading

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