Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Vacations of a Child's Tribulations

Tue 6/9 Blog Prompt: Last week we focused on recent vacations. So this week take a walk down memory lane for a childhood vacation you hold dear.

As a military brat, I was afforded the opportunity to visit a lot of places most people never get to see. Plymouth, MA; the meteor crater; Grand Canyon; Petrified Forest; the Redwood Forest; San Fransisco; St. Louis; Disneyland and the list goes on. But I think the most memorable vacation was when we went to Hong Kong and Kowloon. The Tiger Balm Gardens, the restaurants, the junks, the Chinese Dinner Theatre, the streets the Walled City and the people... Well you get the picture.

I have been in large cities, but I don't think I have ever been in one that combines such old culture with new. It was interesting to walk down the streets and see all the street vendors that look as if they could have been transported from a 100 years or more ago while right above their heads neon signs were flashing amidst the clothes lines strung from one building the other across from it.

The gorgeous and colorful temples where the people still come to pray. The junks which dot the water around Hong Kong and Kowloon. Several had been made into restaurants with lobster traps hung from the side.

I wonder if it is still the same now that it is under Chinese rule. I would like to think so. It was a beautiful and exotic place.

Discover (c)Andrea Gold; alpha (c) Veronica Hurly Designs; sketch by Jana Eubank; font: Journal

3 comments:

Tammy said...

We never went over to another country while my dad was in the service. He spent his 6 months on the ship in the Japan area, while we lived in Hawaii. Just by your beautiful layout, it looks beautiful.

Glynis said...

I would LOVE to see Asia. Amazing. I so got the short end of the stick...we never left the US!

loonyhiker said...

We've been to a lot of the same places, only at different times in our lives. Ahh, the stories we could tell... Sorry I haven't done the prompts this week. I've had really slooooow internet connections and the frustration is driving me crazy. It takes me about 3 tries just to leave a comment, if I'm lucky. Will catch up when I get home next week.