Month: April 2010

Millau Viaduct – An Amazing Engineering Feat

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By P Chong                            Sat. 10 April 2010

Le Viaduc Millau

I’ve just got to share this as a “cyberspace traveller” & wish to have the opportunity to travel over this fantastic stretch of vehicular-bridge in the not too distant future, though I have been to Paris & Barcelona before. Read the description & see the pictures & you’ll understand why.

Official Name: Le Viaduc de Millau

This is an enormous cable-stayed road-bridge that spans the valley of the River Tarn near Millau in southern France.

Driving Above The Clouds

There’s something just not right about driving above the clouds . . . no doubt a little nervous too!

Designed by the structural engineer Michel Virlogeux

and British architect Norman Foster

The Millau Viaduct is part of the new E11 Expressway connecting Paris and Barcelona and features the highest bridge piers ever constructed. The tallest is 240 metres (787 feet) high and the overall height is an impressive 336 metres (1102 feet), making this the highest vehicular bridge in the world . . . taller than Eiffel Tower & only 37m (121ft) shorter than the Empire State Building.

Interestingly, the Millau Viaduct is not straight as can be seen from above picture. Why?

It’s because a straight road could induce a floating sensation as you drive across it. So, a slight curve remedies that feeling. The curve is 20km in range.

Moreover, the road has a light incline of 3% to improve the visibility and reassure the driver.

Millau Auto Route Map
Toll Plaza

Construction cost was around €400 million. It was formally dedicated on 14 December 2004, inaugurated the day after and opened to traffic two days later.

The bridge won the 2006 IABSE Outstanding Structure Award.

Truly an amazing engineering feat!

Visitors’ Centre & Farm



Hainan – “Playground of the Rich”

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By P Chong                    9 April 2010

"Hawaii Hainan"
Like an exquisite green gem set in the blue South China Sea, Hainan Island is a bright tropical paradise unique in its character, diversity and enduring appeal.

It is dubbed as the “Oriental Hawaii” & now plans are afoot to make it the “Playground of the Rich” – the new rich of China. Though still in its fledging state to rival the famous French Riviera or Monaco, it does possess a lot of physical attributes & potential. It has the financial resources & patronage support to make the dream come true.

The picturesque island of Hainan enjoys a tropical climate ranging from 16 degrees

during the winter months to more than 30 degrees in the summer. Its physical

landscape with the sun, surf, sandy beaches, and swaying palms, have made it

famous as the “Oriental Hawaii”.

But there is more to it than just the beach life . . . those who prefer cultural

pursuits to sunbathing can enjoy the culture and customs of the island’s

minorities as well as its many historical sites.

* One popular attraction is the Ends of the Earth, a beach on the southern

coast dotted with with large round boulders.

* The Yonado Rainforest Cultural Tourism Zone is a must-see sight.

Hainan is offering couples the chance to marry on board of luxury yachts as part of its plan in promoting the tropical island as a yachting center.

Luxury Yacht Wedding

Yacht Centre
  • Hainan is planning to build China’s first tropical rainforest park. Located in the middle of the island, the park will cover an area of 10 natural reserves and 11 forest parks.

    Tropical Rainforest Park
  • More and more golf courses are appearing in Hainan. Playing golf is cheap in China compared to in many Southeast Asian countries. Sanya Resort is one such golfing paradise armed with lady caddies.

Red Culture Tourism

When it comes to tourism, Hainan is flying high colourfully in more ways than one. Hoping to join the ranks of Hawaii, Australia and the Caribbean, French Riviera & Monaco, Hainan is seen as promoting all kinds of tourism on the island.

Here come Hainan as reflecting the style & mood of the French Riviera & Monaco. Like China’s leaping economic growth, it would be possible to see Hainan as the “Playground of the Rich” within a generation!



To Catch A Thief

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By P Chong                            Thurs. 8 April 2010

“But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.” ~ Luke 12:39

Under the cover of darkness . . . in the still of night

The thief comes usually in the still of night and steal from us when we are most vulnerable and least on guard. It could happen also when our house is left vacant on vacation. Danger lurks whenever we are relaxing and least alert, physically, mentally or spiritually.

Spiritually, we are most vulnerable during our leisure hours away from our quiet times with the Lord. Like a thief in the night, Satan creeps into our mortal heart leading us to temptations. That’s why we say: “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” We need to be aware that temptations come when we are least expecting. We need therefore to be constantly and prayerfully on our spiritual guard.

Even the Son of God, Jesus, was not spared temptations. Before the start of His public ministry after being baptised, He was led into the desert and there Satan tempted Him. The enemy of our souls operates against everybody without exceptions. Satan strikes whenever, whoever and wherever he pleases. He persists whenever opportunities strike!

Cultivating the habit of reading the Bible on a daily basis helps to strengthen us spiritually. Reading it together as a family is even better. As an individual, we should always have quiet times with the Lord. It should be spent on a qualitative basis rather than quantitative basis. Let our mind be focused on our Lord. In our daily routine of life, it’s understandably difficult to stay focussed all the time. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Whatever our secular activities might be, they are all so fleeting. Our spiritual activities should be more enduring, for eternity is for always. It’s forever and ever!

Be on your guard prayerfully. Let your physical recreation be matched by your spiritual cultivation. Take care of any small spiritual crack. Like the “Towering Inferno” (the film), it all started with a minor electrical spark. The Lord be with you always.

In our secular life, within & without the confine of the “confidence garden” of Wall Street, theft is carried out not in terms of millions or billions but trillions. With Ponzi Schemes, those confidence tricksters like Bernard Madoff (unfortunate to be caught & jailed) were allegedly allowed to grow & fester. While smaller fish are exemplarily dealt with, so many big corporations like AIG, Lehman Bros., Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, General Motors & Citibank etc. were all bailed out with billions of public fund. These élite financial crooks undeservedly get to be rescued & survive the financial crisis at the expense of the general public & the economy – a crisis initiated & brought on by them.

Are corporations above reproach or to be privileged & treated differently? These are the devious “earthly devils” to be wary of, whose unwanted performances set the nation & the world in peril. This is a question of judgement swayed & justice gone astray.

Greed is their creed.

Money is their belief.

They are thieves above all thieves.


Macau – Las Vegas of the East

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By P Chong                                     7 April 2010


Macau has long been synonymous with the gambling mogul Stanley Ho. Since its return to motherland China on 21 Dec 1999 . . . officially ending 442 years of Portuguese rule, Macau’s economic & social landscape has been changing.

Today you can already imagine Macau as a Las Vegas-style gaming, entertainment and MICE destination. Macau is undergoing massive development in terms of new entertainment complexes and casinos. Total current investment in these facilities is over $25 billion USD. The Venetian complex on the Cotai Strip (reclaimed land joining Taipa & Coloane) is close to 1 million sqm in total development.

Stanley Ho’s original Casino Complex – Re-Development

Here is a summary of the major developments:

Wynn Macau – Opened in September 2006

Star-World Hotel – Opened in October 2006

The Macau Fisherman’s Wharf – Grand Opening December 23, 2006.

Crown Macau – Opened on 12 May 2007

The MGM Grand Macau – Opened on 18 Dec 2007

Pointe 16 Theme Park – Opened in the first quarter of 2008

Grand Lisboa Hotel – Opened in the first quarter of 2008

Galaxy Mega Resort – Opened in the first quarter of 2008

The City of Dreams – Opened in the second half of 2008

The Venetian Macao Resort-Hotel, the world’s biggest casino, which opened on August 28, 2009 is the first concrete manifestation of the Macau SAR government’s 360˚ remaking of Macau tourism. This is the most ambitious throw of the dice yet in a $24 billion effort to build a Las Vegas-style “neon alley” in this once-sleazy Chinese gambling enclave.

Venetian Macau Resort-Hotel – World’s Biggest Casino

The hopes of more than a dozen hotel, casino and retail operators building on the “Cotai Strp” – 4 square km (1.5 square miles) of reclaimed land fusing two islands — are pinned on the Venetian Macau, built by U.S. operator Las Vegas Sands Corp.

Gaming revenues in Macau overtook those of the iconic Las Vegas Strip in 2008, and if the Venetian succeeds, analysts say it will help double that annual income to $13.7 billion by 2010.

In 2006, Macau had 12,954 hotel rooms. By 2009, this is set to exceed 26,000 rooms. There is also a rash of new entertainment precincts in Macau, including Fisherman’s Wharf, Ponte 16, Macao Studio City and, of course, the Cotai Strip, where the Venetian Macao Integrated Resort is the first of many new hotels and resorts to open.

Macao Studio City, for instance, is Asia’s first leisure resort with TV and film studios, retail, entertainment centres and hotel brands such as The Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, W and The Tang Hotel. It recently announced plans to open a Playboy-inspired multifaceted entertainment destination in Macau. Named Playboy Mansion Macao, the 3,700 sqm entertainment destination will consist of numerous nightlife and entertainment options, dining, speciality retail elements and a Hugh M Hefner Villa.

An upcoming 62,000 sqm Macau Science Centre will also boost meeting space as it will include an exhibition hall, a planetarium and a conference centre.

Macau Science Centre

With more supply, attention is now focused on improving accessibility.

Pac On Ferry Terminal located on Taipa Island will relieve the overcrowded Macau Ferry Terminal. The Terminal is adjacent to Macau International Airport and is only five minutes from the Cotai Strip and 10 minutes from the downtown area via the bridges connecting Taipa to the Macau Peninsula. The government recently confirmed there will be further expansion and there would be an increase of the number of wharfs from the present eight to 16. It is scheduled to open in October with four berths and the facility fully operated by the end of 2009.

Hydrofoil between HK & Macau

Also in the works is a Macau Light Rapid Transit. The first phase will see a 20 km route covering 12 stations on the Macau peninsula, and 11 stations on Taipa Island. The passenger capacity may reach 8,000 passengers per hour.

The Macau International Airport will also be expanded to cope with booming arrivals. Existing players such as the Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre are positive. General manager, Mr Mark Horan, said: “The opening of the Venetian and its MICE facilities shift the tide for Macau as a new destination in the Pearl River Delta for MICE.

“Macau is transforming from a gaming and entertainment mecca to a destination that offers much more. It is similar to Las Vegas in many aspects. Las Vegas transformed into a convention city over time to cater to families with the addition of family style products, entertainment, retail and f & b.”

“The Venetian is just the beginning, and a stepping stone for enhancing the Macau product offering. The average guest stay will increase. The outlook is positive as it will entice a new mix of business tourism, which will benefit those who change with the times.”

22 hotels totalling 18,000 new rooms almost triple the city’s current room inventory from 12,000 to 30,000. One of the new hotels opened in 2007 has 3,000 rooms, that is over 90% of all the conventions that exist in the world today could come to Macau and be accommodated under that one roof. By the first quarter of 2008, two more 3,000-room hotels were added, making Macau unique and very convenient. Most of the hotels are situated within walking distance of one of the major new convention facilities.

Macau is a great restaurant city, specialising in Portuguese, Chinese and offering cuisines from around the world. It has outstanding shopping and nightlife, and is a great walking city, featuring a UNESCO World Listed Heritage District with 25 beautiful buildings and 7 gracious squares dating from its Portuguese colonial past which spanned 442 years.

Restored Colonial Past

Facade of Portuguese Cathedral

It’s indeed a far cry from the little Macau I know when we first visited it in 1997 just before the handover to China.


Qingming Festival (All Souls’ Day)

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By Paul chong                  Mon. 5 April 2010

This is a long-established Chinese festival that falls on the 104th day after the winter solstice or around April 5 of the Gregorian calendar.

It is a statutory public holiday in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

The Tomb Sweeping Day is an opportunity for Chinese to remember and honor their ancestors at traditional grave sites. Young and old pray before the ancestors, sweep the tombs and offer food, tea, wine, chopsticks, paper accessories to the ancestors.

Food like roasted suckling pig, steamed chicken, fruit and wine are offered during the ceremony.

Qingming literally means “Clear & Bright” & the Festival is variously known as Ancestors Day, Tomb Sweeping Day & All Souls Day. Its name denotes a time for people to go outside and enjoy the greenery of springtime and tend to the graves of departed ones.

All the families visit shrines and ancestral graves to perform their customary rites. A few of the rites performed by the people are cleaning up the family graves, burning incense, joss paper and candles, repainting dedications, and offering food items in memory of their ancestors.

In Singapore . . .On just 12 hectares of land, you will find more than just a place for worship here at Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Temple, situated on the Bright Hill Road. Besides the temple, there are prayer halls, meditation halls, gardens, pagodas, a vegetarian restaurant, a large turtle pond and a crematorium. There is even an old folk’s home. Take time to wander through the grounds. Study the intricately crafted figures of dragons and phoenixes. Feel the hassles of life slip away as you become aware of the constant hum of prayer in the air. Before long, you may wonder if you have actually stepped back in time to ancient China.

Qingming in Singapore is one of the most significant festivals and is observed only for a day. In Singapore, many of the temples, crematoriums and cemeteries are crowded with family people who pay homage to their ancestors.

Flower Offering @ Beijing Babaoshan Cemetery

In this DNA era, if the visit is not possible on the actual date, normally veneration before Qingming is encouraged . . . before rather than after is the norm. This modern observation of the practice takes on innovative ways.

As the tradition of burning paper money & joss paper causes pollution, people are finding new ways to remember their ancestors. In China, new ways are being adopted:

  • In Fengxishan Cemetery in Xi’an, mourners can get a flower free of charge or exchange their money paper for flowers.
  • Cemetery management also offers post cards on which visitors can put words of mourning.
  • It’s said to be fashionable these days to do away with burning of any paper.
  • Modern way of offering flowers.

Nowadays, the Internet even provides a service whereby you can register to send a memorial if you are unable to return home or find it impossible or inconvenient to do so – especially for those who have migrated overseas or working far away from home.

One such mourner in Xi’An, Liu Kunpeng said, “I can do everything in real life to remember my grandpa on the Internet memorial. Lighting candles, burning incense, presenting flowers or even toast to my Grandpa.”

Chen Cuihua went back to her hometown every Qingming Festival for tomb sweeping, this year she chose to use a kite to remember her grandmother. She said, “I hope the kite will bring my thoughts and blessings to my grandma.”

We are living in a changing time; so long the heart remembers, all due respect & honour will be accorded.

Xiamen’s Gulangyu Island

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By P Chong                  6 April 2010

Gulangyu Island – 5-Minute Ferry Ride from Xiamen. Only 1 sq.km in area.

 Europeans have their  Mediterranean resorts and Americans have Florida to flee to in the depths of winter, Chinese have Gulangyu. This is where sun, sea & serenity prevail.

With no cars or bicycles, a stroll among Gulangyu’s winding streets can be a truly tranquil experience

                                    As a place of residence for Westerners during Xiamen’s colonial past, Gulangyu is famous for its architecture and for hosting China‘s only piano museum . . . giving it the nickname of “Piano Island” or “The Town of Pianos” or “The Island of Music”. There are over 200 pianos on this island.

This fascinating island became a foreign enclave following the Treaty of Nanking in 1842, hence the predominantly Victorian-era style architecture throughout the island, of which many were offices and residences of Consulate-Generals, as well as that of the past thriving expatriate business community.

Car-Free Streets & Colonial Residences

Gulangyu Island is renowned for its delicate natural beauty, ancient relics & varied architectures. It is on China’s (Fujian Province) list of National Scenic Spots. It’s also well-known for its beaches & winding lanes. It’s the sort of place to relax & escape from the hustle & bustle of hectic city life of Xiamen by taking the 5-minute ferry across the river.

Gulangyu Beach

Gulangyu is a car-free island off the coast of Xiamen, Fujian Province in southern China. It’s small & only about 1km2 in area. It is home to about 16,000 people and is a very popular tourist destination. The community’s only means of transport is by foot, and the peaceful island provides an alternative to the hectic life in Xiamen city across the river, although the recent introduction of electric tourist buggies is damaging the island’s charm.

Xiamen Hotel

Freight is pulled on wheeled buggies up the often steep lanes by teams of strong men, much like what they do in Huangshan, the Yellow Mountain, except that the freight there  is carried on the shoulder.All powered vehicles are banned, including bicycles. As mentioned, the only powered transport are the electric tourist buggies, which barge around the island damaging the otherwise tranquil and safe streets. Ironically, as is often the case, tourists are damaging the very thing they come to see & enjoy.

Xiamen from Gulangyu

Xiamen is like any Western city, bustling & teeming with activities, high rise buildings, traffic, din & noise. Anyone who’s been there & not visited Gulangyu would have missed something so precious & memorably so different not found elsewhere in China.

A great place to visit . . . where serenity prevails with sun & sea

It will long be remembered even when others fade from your memory.

Related Article:

                                                                                                            

“Ren” – People’s Building, Shanghai World Expo 2010… May 1 – Oct. 31.

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By P Chong                  Mon. 5 April 2010

“Ren” or People’s Building 人

World Expo 2010

What do you mean by being a “Greenie Conservationist”?

To me, it would mean having a close affinity to mother earth & nature.

On this premise, China is about the most “greenie” globally in that most innovations are as a result of nature link. For instance, the fighting skills of Chinese martial arts are based largely on the movements of animals & birds & even insects.

There’s another aspect of greenery that I found, during my first visit to China in 1989, to be surprising lacking. I refer to the playing green & lawns – everywhere was largely paved as around the Forbidden City.

Now in this DNY age, with the threat of climate change, China is drawn even closer to this “green” technology, such as wind power for energy, great hydro-electric energy as in the Yangtze & green automobiles & buses. In the imminent World Expo in May 2010, there is a spectacular building depicting the Chinese affinity to the basic Five Elements of the earth – Fire 火, Water 水, Earth 土, Wood 木 & Metal 金. It’s the “Ren” 人 Building which I thought is much more impressive & meaningful than the main China Pavilion, as representing the wisdom of Chinese people.


China Pavilion

“Our cities must be places where human beings lead full lives in dignity, good health, safety, happiness and hope.”– The Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlement, by the United Nations Human Settlements Program


In line with The Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements as depicted by the above picture, the theme of Expo 2010 is “Better City, Better Life,” representing the common wish of the whole humankind for a better living in future urban environments.

“Ren” 人 – People’s Building is unique – one of its kind in the world. Two arched bodies emerge – one on the ground, the other in water – in direction to the sky, united at the top and bonding in a unique monumental building of hurled forms, similar to a tube of perfumed action and bended by an immense force. Its profile suggests the Chinese alphabetic character which means “people”. That’s the way the People’s Building will be at the Expo 2010, in Shanghai,China.

The Povo Building (codename: REN) is a project of a group of Danish architects and designers named BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group). An oriental philosophical form, a symbol which goes beyond the similarity with the calligraphic sign with whom it identifies. That way, the body emerges from water and is dedicated to the activities of physical culture, sports, etc.; since the emerging body of land is destined to activities such as “spiritual enrichment” – conference centre and others. At the point of encounter, where the building turns into one, is located a hotel of 1000 rooms! The project occupies 250 000m2 of constructed area.

It’s said that “The external is the internal of all of us”. When we look to the beauty of nature, we find that Five Elements provide the foundation for the entire world . . . Fire, Water, Earth, Wood & Metal – as the building blocks of all building materials . . . the basic principles of Feng Shui philosophy, including the Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The Interaction Between The Five Elements

If you are a Chinese scholar, you’ll be able to identify all the Five Elements depicted in the structure of the Building.


*(As a tourist attraction, the “Little Mermaid” sculpture at the Copenhagen Harbour will be flown to the Expo for display in the Danish Pavilion. I saw this “Little Mermaid” way back in the summer of 1959.)

Contrasting Abraham Lincoln & Nancy Pelosi

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Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi at San Francisco's ...
Image via Wikipedia

By P Chong                  Sun. 4 April 2010

Americans have had great presidents in the past. Abraham Lincoln was one such president. Herein below are some of his great wisdom:

How true in what he said. He had the absolute ability of saying a lot with the least number of words. Abraham could “paint with words”. World leaders should emulate him and implement his wisdom . . . then the present world would not be this topsy-turvy.

People at the helm of government must be smart and act the part. The destiny of a nation depends entirely upon the calibre of leaders.

Consider this true incident of a supposedly great lady politician:

Nancy Pelosi – A “Brain Lift” Rather Than A “Face Lift”

A noted psychiatrist was a guest speaker at an academic function where Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of Congress, happened to appear. Ms Pelosi took the opportunity to schmooze the good doctor a bit and asked him a question with which he was most at ease.

“Would you mind telling me, Doctor,” she asked, “how you detect a mental deficiency in somebody who appears completely normal?”

”Nothing is easier,” he replied. “You ask a simple question which anyone should answer with no trouble. If the person hesitates, that puts you on the track.”

“What sort of question?” asked Pelosi.

“Well, you might ask, ‘Captain Cook made three trips around the world and died during one of them. Which one?”

Pelosi thought a moment, and then said with a nervous laugh, “You wouldn’t happen to have another example would you? I must confess I don’t know much about history.”

Can you imagine that? With people like that, what can you you expect of the country? Surely not as dumb as a box of rocks!

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Living An Abundant Life . . . Be Debt-Free

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By P Chong                  Fri. 2 April 2010


“He who works his land will have abundant food . . . “ Proverbs 12:11

“Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.” (Prov. 26:2).

Whatever you send into the Universe comes back. To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

You’ll reap whatever you sow. Say good things to everyone; treat everyone with total respect and it will all come back. Never worry about what you are going to get, just concentrate on what you can give.

Understanding the Natural Law of Cause & Effect & obeying it will ensure financial freedom & avoid the pitfalls of financial ruin. It’s so simple & yet so difficult.

Most people live their entire existence completely unaware of why things either “go right” or “go wrong.” They seem unable to grasp that what they do, or do not do, has a direct effect on their lives. Most do not recognise that for every cause there is an effect – or, conversely, for every effect there is a cause. Nor do they know that this is a law. Scientists recognise this in physics, but society is unaware that the same is true in life – that the law of cause and effect is no less immutable than any law of science.

The Bible, God’s Instruction Manual for mankind, contains many practical, helpful points about finances. God created laws to govern every aspect of His Creation, but most do not understand that these laws therefore govern every action in life. The law of cause and effect – where actions always bring reactions – applies to finances. There is a way – a direct path – to financial freedom.

Realise that God will not force anyone to follow His ways. Yet obeying Him leads to blessings and happiness – disobedience leads to misery and unhappiness.


Impulsive spending is the by-product of a generation lacking in strength and character and is the cause behind why so many are now buried under a mountain of debt. You can’t spend money which you don’t have nor can you go on spending as though there’s no tomorrow. Payments of debts are inevitable.

Using credit to purchase luxury items and a near-universal obsession to obtain material goods fuel the mounting crisis. The present generation is very different from those of the past. Many, in fact most, now live solely for pleasure, comfort, gain and entertainment. Personal responsibility and character-building have almost disappeared.

You do not have to become another statistic in the global financial meltdown. Choose to follow God’s fiscal laws and take the first steps to living an abundant, debt-free life!

Jesus explained in John 10:1, “ . . . I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” AMEN.

Let’s not be impulsive or obsessive

Nor be greedy & possessive

Restraint & abstain

For a life without pain.

Abundant Life does not mean having the Fed Reserve

either keep on printing more money or creating it out of thin air!

AUSTERITY & FRUGALITY ARE  PRECIOUSLY FORGOTTEN IN TODAY’S SOCIETY!

Practical Advice:

Live at least 3 years below your budget in case of emergency.

Be FREE of your  house mortgage, car payments & credit card debts.

SAVE.

BE THRIFTY.

The Lake District of England

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By P Chong

“Daffodils” (1804)

“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” (also commonly known as “Daffodils” or “The Daffodils”)

I WANDER’D lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the Milky Way,

They stretch’d in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed — and gazed — but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).

At the time of the poem, Wordsworth lived with his wife and sister at Dove Cottage, in Grasmere in England‘s Lake District.

A map of the Lake District (Cumbria) in England

As I fastrack into my college days in England, one of the most beautiful places that I visited & roamed is the Lake District to the north of Liverpool. In those days, we poor students hitch-hiked quite a lot in our travels. It was pretty safe & in this particular case, all it took was one hitch ride from Liverpool & we were completely in a world of paradise beauty. Such was the inspirational surrounds of the famed English poet William Wordsworth who penned the above beautiful “Daffodils” poem.

As seen from the above map, there are many lakes in the District & because of time restriction, it was not possible for me to visit them all. Among those that I still remember fondly are Lake Windermere (the largest of all), Grasmere & Derwent Water. In Lake Windermere, I had the greatest boating pleasure. I failed however to find the field of daffodils which inspired Wordsworth.

I fell in love with the place so much that I visited the location even on weekends or short breaks covering & capturing the changing beauty of the place with the coming & going of different seasons of the year. Spring & Summer were great times to be there for roaming the hills & vales; Winter & Autumn with its colourful foliage & fallen leaves. It was there I had the experience of watching salmons fighting their way up the rapids to the upper reaches for their seasonal spawning.

Accommodation was cheap & convenient then. Apart from the Youth Hostels, there were the Bed & Breakfast type of accommodation which provided more comfort than the former.

This is indeed a treasured corner of England. Let your imagination roam with some of these beauty shots below:

Lake Windermere

Keswick

Northern Shore of L. Windermere

Hills & Vales to Roam – L. Windermere