Travels through Thailand

January 28th to February 19th, 2014

After Hong Kong, I flew to Chiang Mai, Thailand for our Annual Thailand Conference with ELIC, then visited Bangkok and spent 4 days in Kamala Beach, Phuket Island, before returning to Lhasa through Kunming.
Chiang Mai is in the hills; an ancient, busy tourist town with remnants of an old city wall and moat. I visited doctors, dentist, hairdresser, stores, and also took a day's trip to ride elephants and visit a orchid farm. As I wrote in my newsletter, the conference was filled with meeting or reconnecting with 600 teachers, attending interesting workshops, and hearing inspiring country reports. Walks before sunrise, a classical concert by Brilliance, and a traditional Thai dinner were also highlights. Then Ashley and I took an overnight train to Bangkok, where, due to the political climate, stayed one night, but enjoyed 2 days of sightseeing, using the river ferries to see much and go to the National Palace.
Then we flew to Phuket, staying near Kamala Beach for swimming, sleeping and massage on the beach. Flying home we encountered snow in Kunming. Immigration also asked for more papers to let me return to Lhasa which shows how fortunate I am to be living in Tibet.

Ashley and I took an overnight train ride through the hills to Bangkok.

 Every business had a small shrine in the back.

 Then on to Kamala Beach, Phuket. Ahhhhh.

 The Kunming Airport is stunning.

 Kind of like whipped topping...

 You can see the airstrip in the next, dry valley. We're almost home!

On the bus back to Lhasa, you can see the Potala Palace (center-slightly left) from everywhere.

The Hong Kong Museum of History

The Hong Kong Museum of History

My brother, Rennie Knowlton, designed the exhibits in this fabulous museum in Hong Kong, on Chatham Road in Kowloon. You can see why I'm so proud of and in awe of such a talented brother! He has since designed a dozen other such fabulous museums and interpretive centres across Canada and U.S. (plus he paints fabulous paintings).  I spent hours exploring the 3 floors. Here is just a taste. Enjoy!

 Bread towers - still made today.

 "As cold waters to a thirsty soul so is good news from a far country." adorns the model Post Office. Hint, hint...

 A real street car - I could just stand up in it.

Hong Kong January 12th to 28th, 2014

Hong Kong   Jan.12 to Jan 28th

Dear Kathleen met me at the airport, and my first experience in Hong Kong (other than many trips through HK on tour buses filled with university students with Camp China) was through the window of a double-decker bus winding across bridges, through tunnels and along narrow streets. Kathleen lives in Kowloon (on the mainland) in a huge condo complex(see photo of her view) with stores on the first level. Her sofa bed was very comfortable and I spent many hours recouping, reading and enjoying the fast wifi. Kathleen and I took full advantage of the subways and trains and I refilled my transit card many times. Downtown Kowloon is filled with shoppers from around the world (particularly from the mainland) wheeling suitcases. I couldn't believe the line-ups to enter designer stores such as Prada and Coach. Purses there cost more than a months salary! But the crowded street markets and Marks & Spensers had interesting 'stuff' and I was able to buy winter clothes (particularly boots large enough to fit 2 pairs of socks). I kept saying that I wished I owned an escalator repair business - I would be making a fortune! Inside malls have at least 3 sets of 6-8 story escalators, and many outside markets/streets use escalators too.
Hong Kong is full of history and I tried to visit as many museums as I could, enjoying the peace and often pretty views. Hong Kong, like Vancouver, is never far from the water and has many walkways along the shore. Kathleen and I also enjoyed an Artwalk, where hundreds of artists held open house in an industrial area of north Kowloon -from realistic to abstract, paintings to sculpture- all showing the wonderful creativity God has given us. We took the Star ferry to Hong Kong central then a double decker around the island to the less busy south side with breathtaking quiet beaches and had lunch at Stanley, once a little fishing village, now a resort town. Another day I took the ferry and road a street car from one end of Hong Kong central to the other, enjoying a marine defense museum, then took a bus up to the Peak for a long walk around the peak then wandered around capturing views and waiting for the famous sunset and night colours. Many of the buildings changed colour, and one tower flashed at least 20 different greetings on its 30 story tower. Sure wish I had a night lense on my camera, but I am reassured to see advertisements shot from the peak with the same smoggy background!

So please enjoy the photos. The last picture is my brother's Museum of the History of Hong Kong. My next blog will be full of those photos.

 This is Stanley once a little fishing village, on the south side of the island.

More photos of Rennie's museum in next post!