Switzerland - Lucerne

Lucerne, the gateway to central Switzerland. Unquestionably one of Europe's most charming cities, Lucerne also has the added virtue of stunning lakeside and mountain sceneries on its doorstep.

Chapel Bridge

Complete with gable paintings, the covered, medieval Chapel Bridge forms the centrepiece of Lucerne’s townscape and is considered to be one of the oldest, covered wooden bridges in Europe. The Bridge is made with wood and was built in 14th century as a protection for the city. Unfortunately the bridge burned down on 18th August 1993. Within a few months it was rebuilt. The tower used as oubliette is still in original condition.

Jesuit Church

The Jesuit church dating from the 17th century is regarded as Switzerland’s first sacral Baroque building and the twin towers of the Hofkirche form an integral part of the townscape.

Lake Lucerne

Lake Lucerne, the scenic beauty of the lake can be discovered on the many different cruises offered by paddlewheel steamers and motor vessels.

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We took the steamboat from Lucerne to Vitznau and then the cogwheel train up to "Rigi-Kulm" for the marvelous panoramic view. From there, we took  the cable car to Weggis and back to Lucerne by boat. It was a good half day tour. The view is worth every single cent. It's very difficult to describe the beautiful scenaries with words. Have to see it to appreciate it's beauty :)

We end our visit to Lucerne with a traditional Swiss dinner at Stadtkeller. We arrived early and thus we missed the traditional Swiss folklore dancing but we ate cheese fondue (they serve them all year long) and air dried beef for dinner.

Belgium - Ghent

From Paris, we flew to Brussels, then to Ghent for work. Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. In a unique way, the beautiful Ghent has managed to preserve its medieval power while keeping up with the times.

Ghent has a string of superb Gothic buildings and a bevy of delightful, intimate streetscapes, where antique brick houses are woven around a skein of narrow canals.

The hotel (Harmony Hotel) where we stayed is situated in the heart of Ghent,  in a neighbourhood called 't Patershol, the oldest neighbourhood of Ghent. It has the perfect view of the canal. There are boat rides to see Ghent which I'm sure is a relaxing way to take in Ghent's beauty. Unfortunately, I did not have the time to do so :(

Castle of the Counts

Not far from the Graslei arises the Castle of the Counts, once the medieval fortress of the Count of Flanders.

Castle of the Count was built by Count Philip of Alsace at the point when he found himself at war with Picardy in northern France. It was built based on the ideas of the castles he had seen of his fellow crusaders.

St. Bavo's Cathedral

St. Bavo’s Cathedral houses an impressive number of art treasures: the baroque high altar in white, black and red flamed marble, the rococo pulpit in oak, gilded wood and marble, a major work by Rubens, the ‘Calvary Triptych’, attributed to Joos van Wassenhove, alias Justus van Gent, tombs of the Ghent bishops, and much more. However, one work stands out head and shoulders above the rest: the world-famous Adoration of the Mystic Lamb painted by Hubert and Jan van Eyck around 1432.

Saint Nicholas' Chruch, The Belfry
 & St. Bavo's Cathedral

The Belfry is the proudest symbol of the city’s independence. In a euphoric Brabant Gothic style, this monument glorifies the industry to which the city owes so much. At the corner of the Cloth Hall is an old jailer’s lodge.

The Belfry is the middle of the famous three-tower row, together with the Saint Bavo’s Cathedral and the Saint Nicholas’ Church.

The visit to Ghent is for work and did not really have the time to do the tourist thingy. Only had the opportunity to see these attractions from the outside, late in the evening. Am really glad, the visit was in summer when it's still very bright past 9pm. I'm sure I'll have the opportunity to visit Ghent again and have more time to be a "tourist" :)

France - Paris

Work took me (my first trip) to Paris, France. Should I say unfortunately or fortunately, not much work was done in Paris and ended with some time for sightseeing.

Paris, the cosmopolitan capital of France has the reputation of being the most beautiful and romantic of all cities. Dubbed the City of Light (la Ville Lumière) and Capital of Fashion, it is home to the world's finest and most luxurious fashion designers and cosmetics.

My trip to City of Light, started at Saint Denis which is 10km north of centre Paris. Could not get any reasonably priced hotel downtown as there was an air show and music event during our visit.

St-Denis Basilica

Saint Denis is home to The Basilica of Saint Denis, notable for its Gothic architecture and the burial site of the French monarchs, making it comparable to Westminster Abbey in London. The Gothic structure that stands today, begun in 1136 by Abbot Suger and was not completed until the end of the 13th century. The church is an architectural landmark, part of which is considered to be the first major structure built in the Gothic style.

Continuing my exploration on Avenue Des Champs Eylsees...first stop, Arc De Triomphe (Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile), one of the most famous monuments in Paris.

Arc De Triomphe

Arc De Triomphe honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars. Inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces are the names of all the French victories and generals.  Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers from World War I.

From the Avenue Des Champs Eylsees,  we took the hop-on-hop-off sightseeing tour of Paris with Les Cars Rouges, costing 26 euros. The round tour lasted about 2 hours 15 minutes but we took longer as we took the stop at the famous Eiffel Tower. Our tour started at Arc De Triomphe to:

Grand Palais

The Grand Palais des Champs-Elysées is commonly known as the Grand Palais (Great Palace). It is a large historic site, exhibition hall and museum complex which includes the Palais d'Antin, home to the Palais de la Découverte science museum, and the Galeries nationales, with its art collections managed by the Réunion des musées Nationaux.

The Trocadero

Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower (nickname La dame de fer, the iron lady) is a
puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. It is the tallest building in Paris  and the most-visited paid monument in the world.

Stop at The Trocadero for the ultimate view of the Eiffel Tower.

Musee de L'armee

Musée de L'armee was originally built as a hospital and home for disabled soldiers by Louis XIV. It now houses the Tomb of Napoleon and the museum of the Army of France. The museum's collections cover the time period from antiquity until the 20th century.

Musée d'Orsay

Musée d'Orsay situated on the Left Bank of the Seine River in Paris' 7th arrondissement, is a fabulous turn-of-the-century building. It is formerly a railroad station which was converted into a spacious venue dedicated to art.

The Musée du Louvre, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. Did not managed to get a good picture of Musée du Louvre :(

Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre Dame de Paris (also known as Notre Dame Cathedral), is a Gothic Catholic cathedral. It is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic archiyrcture in France and Europe. Begun in 1163 and mostly completed by 1250, Notre Dame is an important example of French Gothic architecture, sculpture and stained glass. It is also an active Catholic church, a place of pilgrimage, and the focal point for Catholicism in France.

Paris, France

Luxor, Egypt

Had the chance to see the twin obelisk of Luxor Temple.

This trip is just an overview of Paris. Will make another trip to be a real tourist :) Did have a great time in Paris and did some shopping too. No, did not buy any LV bag as there are too many people carrying LV these days...bought a Furla instead "wink wink".

Malaysia - Langkawi, Kedah

Been to Langkawi a number of times on holiday as well as for meetings. This time round I stayed at Andaman Resort. Most of my time was spent in the hotel as this trip is a working trip but it is no less enjoyable.

The Andaman is located in an ancient rainforest cradled between Malaysia's Mat Chincang Mountains and the beaches of the Andaman Sea. 

Set in a pristine rainforest, believed to be at least 50 million years old, The Andaman is blessed with an abundance of plant-life and wildlife. One of the activities that I did during my stay was an early morning nature walk led by a self-taught naturalist and outdoor buff, Irshad Morbarak. Irshad never fails to delight hotel guests at The Andaman with his animated and intriguing stories and facts on the natural history of Langkawi and the wildlife that call this tropical paradise, home.

The nature walk was very pleasant as we were taken thru the trial under the canopy of the lush tropical forest with Irshad explaining the use of the each of the natural herbs by the Malays, Chinese and Indians.

All walks are complimentary and depart from the main lobby. The morning walk begins at 8am, and the evening walk begins at 7pm. Each adventure is approximately 1½ hours. I enjoyed the nature walk. Don't miss it if you ever go to The Andaman!


The Andaman is built to ensure minimal impact to the ancient space and to live in harmony with the rainforest. The lush foliage around the hotel is home to some of the most fascinating animals including the great hornbill, the dusky leaf monkey, the rare colugo (flying lemur of South East Asia), macaques, lizards and geckos, a wide variety of birds and over 300 species of butterflies.

Dusky Leaf Monkey

I did not see all the fascinating animals except for squirrels and dusky leaf monkey jumping from tree to tree or playing on the car roof.


Inside, The Andaman also pays respect to rich culture and tradition of the area.

The Balai Nobat replica in the lobby is a tribute to the traditional structure built for the royalty of the Malaysian state of Kedah, home to the island of Langkawi. Balai Nobat is used to house the traditional instruments of The Royal Orchestra, as well as the platform from which the orchestra performs during official ceremonies. The original Balai Nobat was built during the reign of Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Mukarram Shah, who reigned from 1854 to 1879.

Even though I did not get to go round Langkawi, I enjoyed every minute of my stay at The Andaman.

Japan - Hokkaido

I was delighted when my company announced that 2009 Sales Conference will be held in Hokkaido. The trip, originally planned for March was postponed when we hit a rough patch in delivering Q1 2010 budget. We finally make it to Hokkaido in June 2010. Upon arrival at the newly opened Chitose International Terminal Building, we were greeted by local guides who are also Malaysian, living in Japan for many years.

Hokkaido (北海道) is the northernmost of Japan's four main islands. Home to Japan's aboriginal Ainu race, Hokkaido continues to represent the untamed wilderness with many great national parks but our itinerary covers only Sapporo (the capital and by far the largest city in Hokkaido), Otaru (harbour city with a canal) and Noboribetsu (Hokkaido's largest hot spring resort).

Sapporo or "important river flowing through a plain" in Ainu language, became famous after the 1972 Winter Olympic Games. Today, the city is well known for its ramen, beer and annual snow festival which is held in February. Places we visited in Sapporo:

Nijo market - a public market in central Sapporo where locals and tourists shop for fresh local produce and seafood such as crabs, salmon eggs, sea urchin and various fresh and prepared fish. Many from our group tried sea urchin and sushi while the most popular purchase is dried scallops. I find Nijo market a let-down compared to the fish market I've visited in Ibaraki as well as the seafood markets on the ground floor of the restaurant where we had our lunches during our stay in Hokkaido.

Sapporo Clock Tower (Tokeidai) is the symbol of Sapporo's past. Development in Hokkaido started much later than the rest of Japan and many ideas from around the world have come together to make the city a bit different from the rest of Japan. This outside influence can be seen in Sapporo’s famous Clock Tower which is now a National Important Cultural Property. It was originally constructed as a drill hall of the Sapporo Agricultural College. In 1881, the Boston's clock was added to the building. Today it houses a small museum and used for various cultural activities. It is one of the most photographed buildings in Sapporo but is it worth seeing? Well...it's just an ordinary clock tower that you will not miss.

Odori Park - the broad median of Odori ("large street") separates Sapporo city into North and South. The park stretches over twelve blocks and offers pleasant green space during the warmer months. In February, it stages the annual Sapporo Snow Festival. In summer, it is just like any other park but in winter, it is transformed into a winter wonderland.

At the eastern end of Odori Park stands the TV Tower with an observation deck that offers nice views of Odori Park and the city of Sapporo. The TV Tower was built in 1957, modeled after France’s Eiffel Tower and it is the fourth tallest tower in Japan.

Susukino is well known as Japan's largest entertainment district north of Tokyo. It is packed with stores, bars, restaurants, karaoke shops, pachinko parlors and red light establishments but the area is as safe as anywhere else in Japan. Along the street, we saw many young men (or rather boys to me) promoting "drinking or chatting companionship" for outlets (mostly bars and karaokes) which are located in the high rise buildings. It is the place to meet all the quaint and sparkling denizens of Sapporo that come out to play at lights out.

Of special interest to noodle lovers is the Ramen Yokocho, a narrow lane lined with nothing but hole-in-the-wall ramen shops serving the famous Sapporo ramen, each with it's own secret soup. The oldest is Rai Rai Ken - one of the first encountered on the left hand side if you enter the alleyway from the north. The owners have been running the shop for more than 40 years. I was told that Hong Kong TVB's ramen epicure program was shot in Ramen Valley. If you follow the program, you would know which outlet has the best ramen but if you don't, the easiest way is to peep into the shop and see whether there are customers or simply join the long queue. I did not try out the ramen as I was just too full after the sumptuous crab (king crab, snow crab and hairy crab) buffet at Ori No Sapporo Restaurant.

Asahi Beer Brewery - we arrived Asahi Brewery on Sunday and instead of viewing the packaging line from behind windows, we were ushered into a theatre by the beautiful Japanese receptionist. We spent about 15 mins watching the video on Asahi beer production which left many of us envious as this is the only job where drinking is allowed during working hours. After the short video clip, we proceeded to the half an hour "all you can drink" Asahi beer/soft drink/tit-bits tasting session. While it says "all you can drink", if you are seen to be too drunk, you can be denied of more beer by the attendance. For Muslim, there's beer with "0" alcohol too. For those who do not like beer, Asahi also produces juices and isotonic drinks.

Shiroi Koibito Park - a theme park by Ishiya, a local chocolate company. The company's flagship product are the Shiroi Koibito cookies, two thin butter cookies with white chocolate in-between. The name "Shiroi Koibito" which literally mean "beloved ones" in Japanese came from founder when he casually described the gently falling snowflakes as "white beloved ones" one December day on his way back from skiing. Today it is a mandatory item on the souvenir shopping list of most visitors to Hokkaido. Visitors can observe the production process behind Shiroi Koibito cookies from the tour corridor on the third floor. Visitors of all ages from adult to children can also try their hands at making confections including designing their own heart-shaped Shiroi Koibito cookies.

Otaru Canal (Otaru Unga) was built in the last days of the Taisho era and half of it remains today. It used to be a central part of the city's busy harbor in the first half of the 20th century however, changes that occurred in marine transportation diminished its role and it soon became less important. In the 1980s, its promenade was improved, born again as a sightseeing spot, thanks to the conservation activity of the canal. Along the canal stand stately warehouses made of bricks or Sapporo freestone which are now turned into restaurants, variety stores, and souvenir shops.

Otaru Music Box Museum, built with red bricks a century ago, is one of the most famous buildings in the town. Inside, it is more like a shop than a museum. The 3 floor building is full of small and big music boxes (Japanese call it "orugol"). For an additional fee, customers can build their own music boxes. The Steam Clock, located outside of the music box museum, was a gift from Vancouver to Otaru. A boiler sends steam into the clock, whose steam whistle blows hourly to tell the time. Every 15 minutes,the clock plays the same melody as the chimes of Westminster Abbey in London.

Otaru is also well known as a town of glass manufacturing. This began with the production of kerosene lamps and floating balls used in herring fishery (an industry that brought the city its prosperity during the Meiji and Taisho eras). Today, there are many stores selling glassware in Otaru. Among them, the one with the oldest history is Kitaichi Glass which was founded in 1901. I bought 4 non-drip soy sauce cruet from one of the Kitaichi Glass outlets as souvenir for my sisters :)

Noboribetsu ("a cloud river tinged with white" in Ainu launguage) Onsen is home to Jigokudani (Hell Valley) and features many other springs in addition to Jigokudani that provides 10,000 tons of water per day at temperatures from 45 to 90 degree C to hotels and inns around the hot springs.

Jigokudani or "Hell Valley" is in reality an explosion crater and the remnant of an active volcano known as Kasayama that erupted nearly 10,000 years ago. Inside this 1½-mile-wide volcanic crater are numerous little yellow and red domes. Gas, steam vents and pools of boiling water can be found in numerous places throughout the valley, giving this boiling bubbling landscape the nickname "the inferno where demons dwell".

Many statues related to hell and demons can be found located around the hot spring quarter of Noboribetsu Onsen including Karaburi Enma-do, a shrine dedicated to Enma Daio - the judge of the afterlife in Japanese mythology, Oni Bokora - shrine dedicated to "Nenbutsu Kizou" handed down from the Edo period and Oyako Oni (Demon Parent and Child Statue).

Noboribetsu Date Jidai Mura (Noboribetsu Date Historical Village) is an authentic reproduction of an Edo period (1603-1867) village based on historical research. There are 94 wooden-framed buildings and the Great Ninja Theater where visitors can enjoy the fierce battles of ninja in high definition. The park also features a "showcase of Monsters", a Japanese traditional cultural theater and other attractions like the O-Edo threatre, The Ninja Fort, Ninja Maze, O-Nyanko Cat Temple and many more.

We ended our trip with more SHOPPING. This time, at the recently opened Mitsui Outlet Park, one of the biggest outlet malls in Hokkaido. I was very impressed with the amount of Coach handbags bought by our group...a total of no less than 67 Coach bags! Not counting those of other brands. I bought a Cole Haan :)

Did I enjoyed Hokkaido? Actually, it was not up to my expectation apart from the seafood. My conclusion is that we have visited Hokkaido at the wrong time...maybe it's more impressive during autumn or winter.

Australia - Sydney

Sydney is a vibrant, dynamic and accessible city. My first Sydney exploration was in 2006 with my hubby. My second trip was in 2008, my first sales conference with GSK. My first trip was primarily focused on the tourist attractions around Central Sydney (The Rocks, Sydney Opera House, Chinatown, Circular Quay, Darling Harbour, Sydney Tower) whereas the second trip includes Sydney Fish Market, Royal Botanic Garden, Port Stephens and Katoomba.

Sydney Fish Market, the largest fish market in the Southern Hemisphere and the world second largest seafood market outside of Japan (based on variety) is where we had lunch. After a sumptuous seafood meal at the Fisherman Wharf Restaurant, many of us were still hunting for more seafood in the market place. It is hard to resist the tempatation when you had to walk pass so many stalls with different types of seafood. Koon Yin and I share a dozen oyster, so fresh and yummy! Great place to enjoy quality local seafood at very reasonable prices.

Mrs Macquaire's Chair, otherwise known as Lady Macquarie's Chair, provides one of the best vantage points in Sydney. The historic chair was carved out of a rock ledge for Governor Lachlan Macquarie's wife, Elizabeth, as she was known to visit the area and sit enjoying the panoramic views of the harbour. The views are still enjoyed today, over 150 years later by hundreds of Sydney siders and tourists each day. I heard if you make a wish while sitting on Mrs Macquarie's Chair, there's a great chance of it becoming true.

On the way to Port Stephens, we stopped for sand dune sandboarding. The grains of sand have been washed in from the sea and blown ashore to form dunes up to thirty metres high. Our guide told us that most of the sand was deposited about six thousand years ago. Is sandboarding fun? Well, going down the sand dune was fun but trudging uphill on a large sand dune with a steep gradient is absolutely murderous. More so when you have just face-planted into the bottom of said dune and are spitting sand out.

Next stop...Port Stephens for dolphin watching on board Moonshadow Cruise. We were all very anxious and had high hope of seeing dolphins as we were told Port Stephens is home to more than 150 bottlenose dolphins but to our disappointment, we only managed to catch a glimpse of a dolphin's fin. So much for the thrill of being up close with the wild dolphins of Port Stephens.

Opened in 1930, Koala Santuary Park, founded by the late Noel Burnet was the first private koala sanctuary in New South Wales. The preservation of the koala is the main theme of the park but visitors can also walk in and pat the kangaroos, meet a wombat and chat with cockatoos. There is lots more to see and do, including visiting the echidnas, dingoes, wedge tailed eagles, flying foxes, kookuburras and emus or go along to one of the sheep shearing shows.

Katoomba is a derivative of the Aboriginal word ‘Kedumba’ meaning ‘shiny, falling waters’ after the natural beauty of the area. Katoomba, home to Echo Point and the famous Three Sister is the most visited town in the Blue Mountains. A visit to the Blue Mountains would not be complete without viewing the spectacular Three Sisters at Echo Point. Well, we actually did not get to see the Three Sisters because of bad weather. It was raining and foggy.

The ride on Scenic Railway and Sceniscender, the steepest aerial cable car in Australia was an experience in itself. It is also in Katoomba (Canton Palace) that I had my first taste of kangaroo meat! Do I like it? Yes, it tasted just like beef especially when it's fried with black pepper.

For food, fun and bargain shopping, head towards Haymarket, home to Sydney's Chinatown and Paddy's Market / Market City. A great place for Yum Cha, watching Chinese herbalist preparing Eastern remedies and to hunt down discounts. The area is also fast becoming a late night entertainment venue with restaurants opening till late.

Darling Harbour is the other area worth checking out for food, fun and shopping. The lively waterfront percinct has developed into one of Sydney's largest dining, shopping and entertainment areas with exhibition and convention centers. One of the prime hotspots, King Street Wharf, is packed with sleek dining establishments. The Cockle Bay Wharf offers waterfront promenades with alfresco cafés, bars and restaurants. Across the water, lies Harbourside Shopping Centre, a dynamic mix of shops, restaurants and food to go. Not forgetting, The Rocks. With it's colourful history dating back to convicts days, The Rocks is now a magnet for visitors who flock to its many shops, boutiques, pubs and restaurants.

Sydney is never short of great places for food and shopping. Explore by foot around Circular Quay and I'm sure you will be spoilt of choices too! There is a Malaysian restaurant close by Marriot Hotel if you are home sick.

Visit the Sydney Tower to take in the best views of Sydney from the Tower's Observation Deck, the highest tourist attraction and building in Sydney. Sydney Tower provides a panoramic 360 degree view from the Sydney Harbour Bridge on the north, picturesque Blue Mountains to the west, historical Botany Bay on the south and to the east, the magnificent Pacific Ocean.

To complete our Australian experience, we went on the OzTrek located on the Podium Level. Safely strapped into our seats, we were taken on a journey across Australia’s landscapes, history and terrain to explore its national treasures. Soar above Sydney’s iconic structures, the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Turn back time to the decks of The Bounty and historical Ballarat during the Gold Rush. Dip through Queensland’s Barron Gorge and Tully River and even visit the mystical Uluru. The experience with special effects, the sensational surround sound and heart–stopping real motion seating lasted approximately 15 minutes.

For the adrenalin junkie, try out the Skywalk, a breathtaking outdoor tour on the roof top of the highest tourist attraction in Sydney. Skywalk is double the height of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the same height as the Eiffel Tower. Skywalk takes 60 minutes and runs approximately every hour. No bookings required. Sky walking is definately not something that I'll ever do in this lifetime.

China - Suzhou

I've visited Suzhou some years back but since my husband has never been there, we jumped on the idea to join Bibi and John on one of their business trips.

There was an old saying "Paradise in Heaven, Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth". Suzhou, about 80 kms west of Shanghai, is renowned for its beautiful stone bridges, pagodas, and meticulously designed gardens. Streets and alleys extend side by side with canals.

We flew on AirAsia to Hangzhou and drove to Suzhou. Upon reaching Suzhou, we were given a massage treat by Bibi and John at the Dragonfly Spa. A great way to loosen up after landing followed with dinner where we get to eat a very special dish called Squirrel Fish, a dish not to be missed in Suzhou. Another must try dish is the pau like dumpling from the shop "Tar Ah Er" in old Suzhou town.

While Bibi and John are working, we visited the Humble Administrator Garden. It was originally built in 1509 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) as a private garden of Wang Xianchen. The name of the garden came from the humble life of Wang who intended to build a garden after retirement, planting trees and vegetables.

Humble Adminstrator Garden consist of 3 sections; Eastern, Central and Western sections. It was created upon the old relics of a resident and a temple. Water feature and its natural landscape including small forests, hills and rock formations formed the main background with man-made pavilions, halls and parlors.

Some of the garden's attractions are; Cymbidium Goeingii Hall (Lanxiang Tang) which has the map of the entire garden on its south wall, Celestial Spring Pavilion (Tianquan Ting) which is named after an ancient well whose water tastes very sweet, The Hall of Distant Fragrance (Yuanxiang Tang) which is named after a lotus pool nearby, designed with oversized glass windows on all sides for easy viewing, Small Flying Rainbow Bridge (Xiaofeihong) a rare type of bridge and the only one in the garden you can walk across, The 18 Camellias Hall (Shiba Mantuoluohua Guan), The 36 Pairs of Mandarin Duck's Hall (Saliu Yuanyang Guan) and the Pagoda Reflection Pavilion (Taying Ting) an optical illusion where the pagoda seems to be lifting when all we actually see is the reflection of the pavilion. Ghee and I had a great time walking around The Humble Adminstrator Garden.

Our next stop Tiger Hill, got its name after a white tiger came and sat upon, as though guarding the grave of King He Lu, 3 days after his funeral. Tiger Hill is also known as Surging Sea Hill and is a large hillock with a number of historical sites some of which can be traced back over 2500 years to the founding of Suzhou.

Tiger Hill Pagoda, Suzhou vicinity's oldest pagoda stands on the hill's summit and has become a symbol of the city. It is a seven-story octahedron, built during the Northern Song Dynasty after the style of the timber pagodas built during the early Tang dynasty. It is 48 metres high (158 feet) and for the past four hundred years has leant 359' to the northwest. Italy has leaning tower of Pisa, Malaysia has Telok Intan leaning clock tower and China's Leaning Tower is right here in Suzhou!

Sword Testing Stone and Sword Pool is said to be the testing stone used by King He Lu, a zealous collector of rare swords. The crevice made in the rock is the only evidence of the existence of these swords as it is believed that they were buried beneath the Sword Pool as funerary objects. Another mystery that surrounds the tomb is the whereabouts of the remains of the 1,000 workers who built it and who were put to death upon completion of the task.

Thousands of bonsai tree is on display in Wanjing Villa. The miniature replicas of full sized gardens are sure to amaze and give an insight into the skill and artistry of Chinese master gardeners that has been handed down from long ago.

There can be little doubt that Tiger Hill is a wonderful sight with its leaning pagoda (China's Leaning Tower), waterfalls and landscaped paths. It will never cease to amaze and enthral visitors with its heritage and it is hard to believe that the hill was man made to be the burial place of a king.

42% of Suzhou is covered with water including a vast number of ponds and streams. So, how can our trip be complete without a visit to Tongli, an age-old but very well preserved water township with a history of more than 1,000 years?

Tongli (originally named Fushi, also known as Little Venice) is famous for its bridges of various styles and has a reputation of a "museum of ancient architectures".

15 small river lanes crisscrossed the town, over which spans around 49 stone bridges in variety of styles. The most notable are Peace and Tranquility (Taiping) Bridge, Luck (Jili) Bridge and Lasting Celebration (Changqing) Bridge, also known as Ternate Bridges as they cross three rivers at their confluence and form a natural ring road. Whenever there is an important occasion, such as wedding, people would like to walk through the three bridges, which is supposed to bring peace, fortune and happiness in their lives.

Houses and temples dating from the Ming and Qing Dynasties are built along the riversides and decorated with flying eaves, carved windows, porcelain furniture, figured clay bricks, dapper gardens and small stairs leading down to the water.

Tongli can be easily explored on foot (we did that) or by taking boat cruises. We stopped for lunch in one of the little cafes along the river but Ghee could hardly eat anything and kept telling me he is not hungry. I only found out why he was not eating after we departed Tongli and he asked the driver to stop at McD for burgers - he could not put any food into his mouth because he saw some villages washing laundry upstream and downstream, some other villages were washing vegetables and chicken! Wonder how our food was prepared?