So what did 2011 look like? to me, this was a year of general stability compared with previous years. As I enter my third year of PhD and in Hong Kong, things have become strangely familiar and oddly routine, which is something I was sort-of looking forward to after years of moving around and trying to enter the right path.
To give you a quick insight into my 2011, here are some of the highlights of my 2011 as they were reflected in my blog posts:
January 2011
Mainly spent time exploring Hong Kong and visiting local exhibitions –
- Peng Chau : HK’s intimate island,
- Peng Chau : Island Life and People,
- Hong Kong Israeli Film Festival 2011,
- HK Science Museum: Marvelous Inventions of Leonardo da Vinci,
- Hong Kong’s Flower Market : Kowloon,
- Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall,
- HK Arts in the Park 2010 : CWB
February 2011
Visited Taiwan for the Chinese Newyears :
See my Taipei 7 days trip suggest itinerary.
Posts about this year’s visit :
- Zhi Nan Temple : Taipei,
- Shida night market : Taipei,
- Shilin Night Market Food Court,
- Beitou : Hotsprings in Taipei,
- Taipei International Flora Exposition,
- Sanxia : Old Street & Zushi Temple,
- Yingge Old Street : Taipei County,
- Ghost Lake: Beitou’s Thermal Valley,
- Maokong Gondola : Cable Car & Lion Dance,
- Pavilion of Dreams : Taipei International Flora Exposition.
Also caught up with some Taiwan visit from last year :
- North Eastern Taiwan : Exploring by Train,
- Jinguashi–Gold Ecological Park,
- Eastern Taiwan : Highway 9 & 11.
March 2011
Passed the PhD qualifying exams – Temple Fortune Telling : Passing the Qualifying Exams/
Visited Guilin and it wasn’t a very good experience – Elephant Hill Scenic Park : Guilin, Jingjiang Prince City & Solitary Beauty Peak : Guilin, Sun & Moon Pagodas : Guilin
Saw my first China factory – Game Factory in Guangzhou : Visit Summary #1 ; Game Factory visit to Guangzhou : Part #2.
In HK – Hong Kong Flower Exhibition 2011, Power Plant – HK 39th Arts Festival 2011
April 2011
In HK – started doing Couchsurfing hosting, and met some wonderful people :
- Western Market : Sheung Wan ,
- Man Mo Temple : Sheung Wan ,
- Heritage 1881 : Grandest HK Shopping ,
- Thieves‘ Market: Cat Street @ Lascar Row
Hiked around HK a bit –
- Monkeys in Hong Kong,
- MacLehose Trail Section 6: Kowloon Reservoirs,
- Hiking Peak Circular Walk towards Pok Fu Lam Reservoir
And in Shenzhen – Happy Valley : Shenzhen
May 2011
Visited the states on an academic trip to University of Michigan –
- University of Michigan campus : Ann Arbor,
- Michigan and State Theaters : Ann Arbor,
- Business versus Law Schools : University of Michigan.
Followed by a quick tour from Canada down to Washington DC :
- Downtown Toronto : Revisit Thoughts,
- Bata Shoe Museum : Toronto,
- National Zoological Park – Smithsonian Institute : Washington DC,
- National Aquarium : Baltimore,
- Arlington National Cemetery : Virginia USA,
- Watkins Glen – Finger Lakes : New York,
- Hershey’s Chocolate World : Pennsylvania,
- Great Falls Park : Washington DC,
- National Botanic Gardens : Washington DC
In HK – Art HK 11: Hong Kong International Art Fair 2011
June 2011
In HK –
- Down SOHO Central HK : Sunrise,
- Sham Shui Po : Apliu Street Electronics Flee Market,
- Studying in HK: University Apartments & Flatmates
In nearby Shenzhen –
In nearby Guangzhou – Israeli Kosher Falafel in Guangzhou : Surreal
July 2011
In HK –
- Hiking Dragon’s Back Trail : Shek O Country Park,
- Golden Bauhinia Square,
- Pixar – 25 Years of Animation : HK Heritage Museum Exhibition,
- Hong Kong’s International Book Fair 2011,
- Figurines : Anicom Exhibition 2011,
- Cosplay : 13th Ani-Com & Games HK Expo (ACGHK 2011),
- Einstein in Hong Kong : HK Science Museum Exhibition,
- Sai Kung Peninsula,
- Flying Gliders on Wilson Trail Stage 4,
- HK International Travel Expo 2011
Visited a factory in Dongguan – Paihong : Taiwan Paiho Factory in Dong Guan
August 2011
Visit the Philippines for the first time –
- Panglao Island – Bohol : Alona Beach,
- Kagusuan Beach : Siquijor ,
- Carbon Market : Cebu City ,
- Northern Beach Siquijor : Playing with local Filipino kids,
- Yap Sandiego Heritage House : Cebu City ,
- Fort San Pedro : Cebu City , Chocolate Hills : Bohol ,
- Lugnason Falls : Siquijor ,
- Southern Beaches of Siquijor : Local Kids ,
- Cock Fighting – Authentic Filipino Culture : Siquijor, Philippines
In HK –
Finally finished summarizing my Balkans trip from last year.
September 2011
In HK – Tin Hau Fire Dragon : Mid Autumn Lantern Festival 2011
October 2011
Visited Seoul in Korea for the second time –
- Namsan Hanok Traditional Folk Village,
- Kimchi Field Museum,
- Kickass street performances near Hankuk University : Dongdaemun-gu – Seoul,
- Apgujeong – Once in a Blue Moon : Seoul,
- Seoul N Tower : Korea
Visited Israel to attend my sister’s wedding –
- Neve Tzedek : Tel Aviv,
- Sukkot Holiday : “The Sukkah Speaks” Exhibition,
- Empty House : Jerusalem Squatting Underground Art Scene,
- Jerusalem’s Empty Streets of Yom Kippur
Caught up on some Israel visits from last year :
- Bahai Gardens and Shrine : Haifa,
- Jerusalem’s Ghost Valley Weekend Farmers’ Market,
- City of David : Jerusalem,
- Frishman Beach : Tel Aviv,
- Mamilla – Jerusalem,
- Machne Yehuda Market : Jerusalem,
- Shem Tov Levi with Maimon Cohen Live at Hebrew University,
- Lepers’ Home: Hansen Hospital-Talbia,
- Houses of Talbiyeh : Jerusalem,
- Rosh Hanikra : Northern Israel,
- Old City Acre : El-Jazzar Mosque & Alleys
November 2011
Around HK – Lan Kwai Fong Carnival 2011
Visited Shanghai again but these posts are actually summaries from my last year’s visit-
- Shanghai’s Urban Planning Exhibition Center,
- Xin Tian Di : Shanghai,
- Shanghai Municipal History Museum,
- Shanghai Museum, Taikang Road Art Centre Shanghai,
- Jewish Refugees Museum : Ohel Moishe Synagogue Shanghai,
- Yu Yuan-Shanghai’s Old City Gardens,
- Art Museum : Shanghai,
- City God Temple : Shanghai,
- Shanghai’s New Pudong Area At Night.
- See my summary into Shanghai trip 5 days travel suggested itinerary.
Finally summarized my Cambodia visit.
Overall 2011
Overall, this year I’ve been to Taiwan, Korea, Philippines, United States, Canada, with numerous visits to mainland and around HK. A somewhat humble year compared with 2010 (bit more like 2009).
Still lots of posts lined up from this year’s travels. It seems like no matter what I do I’m always around 4-5 months behind and the gap is only getting larger.
Other than that…
My online activities include :
- Fili’s World Facebook page has a 180+ fans. It’s really not much, but I did get to meet some terrific people who follow my blog through Facebook. Some have become good friends.
- My Twitter account has a 1000+ followers. Met some terrific people who follow me through Twitter.
- Filian.org was setup to aggregate all my Twitter tweets. To me, Twitter is a social Google Reader and I use it to find interesting links and write quick thoughts for me to remember.
- Mgto.org includes some of my slowly maturing academic thoughts and experiences, as I make the transition from management organizational behavior to a more core social psychology and experimental design emphasis.
- Itshongkong.org has grown a bit. HKUST is using it for language exchange, and I mainly use it to help people with questions about HKUST and HK.
- Taiwanderful.net ran its 4th annual awards. Who would have thought it would last this long?
Good summary, seems u still have lots of travel. I write years summary also, but can’t compare with yours. I like reading your articles, learnt lot of things including English words;-), very enjoyable:-D
lishu – glad to hear. yeah, i’m very fortunate to be able to see and experience so much.