Trip to Kathmandu-Buddhism Pilgrimage (Dec20181Jan2019)-Day 3

28th December

Started again with a good breakfast and the omelet seems to be everyone's favorite.

Sitting in the open air for breakfast during winter months is a challenge I think but an experience itself.

And then a long driving journey this chapel, called Sankhu Vajrayogini Chapel.

                                         With Uncle Ooi and Celeste

After lunch, then we visited Boudhanath Stupa. I came here two years ago, but during that time, I was not very sure of the purpose except the Stupa is meaningful. Now, I understood it contained Buddha's tooth in the Stupa itself, hence meaningful to circumambulate the stupa, as it believes to help in your Karma and also cleansing negative energies.

Trip to Kathmandu-Buddhism Pilgrimage (Dec20181Jan2019)-Day 1

Wanted to follow this trip, quite sometime back, and just happened that I went to Kechare Forest Retreat (KFR) in Bentong and I met Wylfred, and that was where I got the information on this trip, flying out from Malaysia on 26th morning, back on 1st Jan 2019 (early morning). All went well, and I just want to write something here to make a record, again, for my future reading.
So, initially cause I was working on a project at Suzhou, hence was thinking of flying direct from Shanghai on 25th morning, stay a nite at KLIA and fly out together with KFR team on 26th, and since I finished earlier the project in Suzhou, hence i left earlier but still I put up a nite at Tune hotel KLIA as the check in time at KLIA was quite early.

Reason of joining this trip:
I think personally, I should get to know more about Buddhism and holy places related to Buddhism, and this trip I trust is able to offer me one.

Quote:

"According to H.E the 25th Tsem Rinpoche, pilgrimages are for us to connect with the blessed energies of places where holy beings have chosen to take rebirth, gained Enlightenment, taught Dharma or passed away. Sites like these carry the everlasting compassion energies, enlightened minds, where holy beings resided, practised and have benefited countless beings. Everything they owned or used before, including the area they lived or practised their faith, were entirely for the benefit of other sentient beings".

 

Before our departure....

                              early in the morning after check in, and having a cup of tea at Starbucks KLIA

Outside Kathmandu airport. The total time spent in the airport was quite long as there was along queue, and some of us were applying visa on arrival (and we missed out some forms for Visa application, hence it cause another 10-20 minutes longer.

                                                  The Road House Hotel

Upon arrival at the hotel, we immediately had our late lunch and as far as Malaysian time is concerned, it is already close to dinner time. Our hotel is known as Road house hotel, quite a new one, in the famous touristy spot, that is Thamel.
 Once lunch is completed, we made a move to two chapels, namely Chenrezig Chapel and Tara Chapel.

                                                   Chenrezig chapel also known as Kuanyin, is a very old temple here and it is an old temple, managed by a local family as I understood. And it was just like 10 minutes walking from where our hotel is, and when we arrived, it was not crowded. The surrounding area was actually undergoing a lot of renovation work here, and later we offered our butter lamps...
Next, our tour leader brought us to another chapel, and that was the Tara Chapel.

 Tara chapel, we can see clearly here, Yellow, White and Green Taras and so blessed to have a chance to see all three Taras here. Again we offered incense and butter lamp and it was close to 15 minutes walking from Chenrezig Chapel.

                                                   Offering incense.

Our dinner meaks

Choong
Day 1 (26th December 2018)

Macao- A revisit 2018

I visited Macao, like many many moons ago, when Macao was just a small city compared to HK, when it was with just one and the only casino, Lisbao, and when there was no Macao tower, no bridge from Hongkong, no direct access-way from Zhuhai.
This visit was because my friend, Brandon, has a new job assignment there and I happen to be in Zhuhai for a meeting (my previous assignment in Suzhou) and taking advantage of the weekend, I cross over from Zhuhai to Macao.
And it was quite easy to cross over from Zhuhai to Macao. one being Gongbei point, and the other one being Hengqin. Initially i wanted to use Gongbei point, even bought my return ticket using bus from Gongbei to Zuhai airport, but later, as I explored with friend, it was easier actually to use Hengqin point, crossing to Cotai over Macao end. And at Cotai, you have a bus station where it will take you to almost the major hotels around (in fact u do not really need to use taxi to move around once you are in Macao, except either it is too early in the morning or too late at nite time, where public transportation has not started or has stopped their services. And from Cotai to Zhuhai airport, you can book a direct van/bus that will take you to the airport easily. My conclusion is everything is so easy and convenient, transportation wise.

OK, back to Macao, the city just impresses me, very modern, very cosmopolitan, and of course of living is also getting very high. when I first visited, it was way much cheaper compared to HK, and I think like 25 years ago, it was quite similar to Penang living cost, but now it is like 3-4 times higher, in general.
The city (Cotai area, reclaimed island) is full of new hotels, very grand ones. Here I really mean grand ones, not even those international 5-6 starts are able to match the local hotels there. And all the branded goods they sell in these hotels, they are really grand.

Grand Lisbao..the new version

And from the streets, u can see the followings, at Cotai and Peninsula end.

And as I mentioned earlier, the purpose of the trip was to meet a friend, Brandon, and we went to nice good at a Portugese restaurant, and having drink at their food street.

It was a nice revisit to Macao, very lovely visit recalling some old memories, and also getting new ones, as Macao (Cotai side) is very new metropolitan city. And they are continuously building new ones, and the city is expanding. But according to my friends, the city is basically built mainly to cater for mainland Chinese tourists, and if you do not trust what I say here, you visit the shops in the hotels, and take a look at all the branded goods....I think you can only find the so called limited editions in Macao, and mist of the design are meant for (sorry to say this), mainland Chinese visitors mainly.

I bought these two pcs of jewelries by HK designer, Dora Tham, which I quite like.

                                         With Brandon, having a cup at the food street before I left for Zhuhai the                                               following morning.

                                                   Like this logo, representing Macao

Choong