" The secret of travelling is variety, but the secret of variety, like the secret of spices, is knowing when to use it "
My father was born in a small village in Gaoyao District, Guangzhou (Guangdong), China in 1910 & my mum was born in Hong Kong ! So my closest distant relatives are in China & Hong Kong. Both my mum's siblings (a brother & sister) migrated from Hong Kong to Singapore in early 1950's thus I have 15 cousin brothers & sisters residing in Singapore, they are my closest distant relatives. Whereas in China, we have no longer any communication (except my father's only brother who migrated to Malaya in the 1940's thus I have 8 cousin brother & sisters in my home country as the closest relatives) or contact with my China distant relatives & without a proper address, it will be extremely difficult to trace my ancestor roots as the old villages may no longer in existence due to rapid modernization & development of new townships in rural China of yesteryears ! My closest encounter with my father's home place was in Dec 2022 when I joined a package tour to Southern China & stayed a night in Gaoyao Regent Hotel, 8, Yanjiang 1st Road, Gaoyao District, Zhaoqing, Guangdong - a big surprise & my unexpected presence for this overnight stay in Gaoyao District was filled with great emotion & feeling ......
But I found consolation in travelling after my retirement & throughout my 19 years of intermittent travelling, I had visited a number of wonders of the world (The Pyramid, Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China, Petra, Angor Wat, Colosseum, Acropolis etc), the great rivers, waterfalls & lakes, bridges, mountains marvelous architectural complexes of mankind, realising that this heritage of world wonders have common ancestors, similar nature, religious, cultural & historical threads & each has a story behind especially those master pieces of mankind, all had either a glorious or chequered past ! Hence I put on my thinking cap & created this post & selected a number of touristy places I visited from 2006 > 2025, which have traces of these threads, be it geographical or time apart, natural, historical, cultural or due to a common cause ! The great river of Nile (Africa) & Yellow River (China) providing water for drainage / irrigation boosting agricultural production & drinking thus benefitting mankind although the people lived far apart (different continents) since the ancient days; the Broken Bridge of Dandong (China) & the Bridge of River Kwai have traces of a war history, partially damaged or restored reminding the present & future generations that war is ugly & destructive; the Niagara Falls (USA & Canada) & Huangguoshu Waterfalls (Anshun, China), one in the West & the other in the East, both are natural wonders, high & mighty, the cascading water producing a thunderous sound echoing one another by a distance equivalent of 1 day 17 hours by air - not a distant relative but travellers would like to flock there given an opportunity ! The Ayutthaya & Sukhothai Temple in Thailand are like Siamese twins sharing a common ancestors from a religious perspective & ancient kingdom era; the Winter Palace of St Petersburg & the Summer Palace of Beijing, China, a distant relative, both were official residence of the imperial families until the Russian revolution (1917) ending the Czarist rule in Russia & Chinese revolution (1911) leading to the fall of Qing dynasty, China ....... a number of touristy places I visited in overseas countries are in fact a distant relative, relatively means "to a certain degree especially when compared with other things of the same kind " !
Here goes my father & son + mother & daughter story:
1) A Distance Relative - The Nile River (Egypt) & The Yellow River (China) - both could be regarded as the Mother River, birthplace & cradle of African & Chinese civilization. Likewise, the Ganges River, Irrawaddy River & Chao Phraya River are the principal rivers & lifeblood of India, Myanmar & Thailand, flowing through fertile lands & providing the necessary irrigation for agriculture in these countries.
The Nile River, Africa - a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa, it flows into the Mediterranean Sea, the Nile is the longest river in Africa, a vital source for millions of people depending for irrigation, drinking water, fishing & hydroelectric power, the river has served as an important transportation route for thousand of years.
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| River Nile, Abu Simbel & Luxor Egypt, Africa (2008) |
The Yellow River, China - also known as Huanghe, the 2nd longest river in China & the 6th longest river system on Earth, with an estimated length of 5,464km & a watershed of 795,000 sq km.
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| The Yellow River, Lanzhou, China (2015) |
2) A Distant Relative - The Bridge on The River Kwai (Kanchanaburi, Thailand) & The Broken Bridge (Dandong, China) - Both bridges are now a popular heritage site, a remnant of war history & a war memory pain ! It is interesting to note that Malaysia too has a broken bridge (Jabatan Putus) ie Buloh Kasap Bridge, Buloh Kasap, Segamat, Johor due to parts of its span been destroyed during the World War 11 to stop the advance of Japanese soldiers from moving forward to Singapore !
The Bridge on the River Kwai, (Kanchanaburi, Thailand) - this steel bridge is an important historical landmark in Thailand, over 65,000 Allied Prisoners of War (POW) battled torture, starvation & disease to build the 255 mile Burmese-Thai railway out of jungle for the Japanese during the World War II.
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| Bridge On The River Kwai, Kanchanaburi, Thailand (2016) |
Yalu River Broken Bridge, (Dandong, China) - this steel bridge (944m long) linking North Korea & China had 12 arches, it was built during the Japanese colonial times in 1911, during the Korean War (1950 > 1953), the Korean side of the bridge was bombed by US planes, hence the name broken bridge, tourists now could walk half-way across the Yalu River to a viewing platform just a stone throw from Sinuiju, North Korea !
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| Yalu River Broken Bridge Dandong, China (2015) |
3) A Distant Relative - The Summer Palace (Beijing, China) & The Winter Palace (St Petersburg, Russia) - Both are super & world class UNESCO World Heritage sites - a royal touch of beauty in terms of exhibits & architecture ! The rise & fall of Russian Tsar & Qing dynasty, all about position & power, autocratic rule leading to revolution & a new social system is born .....
The Summer Palace, Beijing, China - literally means Garden of Preserving Harmony, a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens & palaces in Beijing, it was imperial garden during the Qing dynasty, inside includes Longevity Hill, Kunming Lake & Seventeen Hole Bridge, it covers an expanse of 2.9 sq km, three quarters of which is water.
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| Summer Palace, Beijing China (2024) |
The Winter Palace, St Petersburg, Russia - a palace in Saint Petersburg that served as the official residence of the House of Romanov, previous emperors from 1732 to 1917, the palace & its precincts now house the Hermitage Museum, the floor area is 233,345 sq m (reported that the palace contains 1,886 doors, 1945 windows, 1,500 rooms & 117 staircases), the total area of the Winter Palace is 14.2 hectares. It was here that Lenin led the October Revolution & overthrown the Bolshevik leaders on 25th Oct 1917 !
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| Winter Palace, St Petersburg Russia (2009) |
4) Lake Tekapo (South Island, New Zealand) & The Kanas Lake (North Xinjiang, China) - one in far south of the globe, the other in the far north of China bordering Kazakhstan & Russia, both are equally scenic & picturesque !
Lake Tejapo, South Island, New Zealand - known for its stunning turquoise waters, surrounded by majestic mountains & conveniently located near some of the region's famous attractions ie Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park & Lake Pukaki.
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| Lake Tekapo, South Island New Zealand (2018) |
Kanas Lake, Xinjiang, China - a lake in Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang, China, the lake is located in a valley near the northern tip of Xinjiang & borders with Russia, Kazakhstan & Mongolia.
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| Kanas Lake & River Xinjiang, China (2006) |
5) A Distant Relative - Niagara Falls (USA) & Huangguoshu Waterfalls (Anshun, China) - both waterfalls are famed for its beauty, a sight to behold especially in close-up views, hearing the rumbling & thundering roar of the waterfall in full flow ! Other famous waterfalls are Victoria Falls (Zambia / Zimbabwe border), Iguazu Falls (Argentine / Brazilian border), Yosemite Falls & in Asia ie Kuang Si Waterfall (Luang Prabang, Laos - visited in Feb 2025)
Niagara Falls, (New York, USA) - the King of America's most beautiful waterfalls, the water that have a big fall, an stounding 3,160 tons of water flows over Niagara Falls every second, water plunges at 32ft per second over the Falls, hitting the base with 280 tons of force at the American & Bridal Veil Falls & 2,509 tons of force at the Horseshoe Falls !
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| Niagara Falls, New York USA (2019) |
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| Huangguoshu Waterfalls, Anshun Guizhou, China (1998 & 2025) |
6) A Distant Relative - Burj Khalifah (Dubai, UAE) & Shanghai World Financial Centre (Shanghai, China) - standing tall, symbolising the pride of a nation ! The soon to be opened Merdeka 188 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is reported to be the World's No 2 tallest skyscraper hopefully opened to the public by the end of 2025, hope I am one of the early visitors to Merdeka 188 !
Burj Khalifah, Dubai, UAE - opened to the public on 2010, at 828m high & 162 storeys, it is the tallest tower in the world, also boasts the world's highest occupied floor & highest outdoor observation deck !
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| Burj Khalifah Dubai UAE (2018) |
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| Shanghai World Financial Center China (2017) |
7) A Distance Relative - Damascus (Syria) & Xi'an (Shaanxi, China) - the Oldest Capitals of the world - a glorious or chequered past ?
Damascus, Syria - founded in 3rd millennium B.C, the oldest capital in the world, the 4th holiest city in Islam, located at the crossroads between Africa & Asia, Damascus was the key to the creation of an Ottoman holy land between the 16th & 18th centuries, the gateway to the hajj. .
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| Damascus, Syria (2008) |
Xi'an, China - once known as Chang'an, one of the China's 4 great ancient capitals, it marks the Silk Road's eastern end & was home to the Zhou, Qin, Han & Tang dynasties, also home of the 3rd century BC Terracotta Army commissioned by Emperor Qin Shi Huang (born 259BC), the 1st Emperor of China.
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| Xian, Shaanxi, China (2006, 2012, 2015 & 2017) |
8) A Distant Relative - Ayutthaya Historical Park (Thailand) & Sukhothai Historical Park (Thailand) - these "Siamese twin" historical parks were once upon a time the Siamese capital, now gazetted as the UNESCO World Heritage sites, both have a rich history & ancient civilisations in the Land of Smiles ! Likewise, Angor Wat, the mother of all temples in nearby Cambodia could be regarded as a distance relative. Angor Wat, Ayutthaya & Sukhothai - a must visit if you are a history junkie when in Cambodia & Land of Smiles !
Ayutthaya Historical Park, Thailand - once an old city of Ayutthaya, an important center of global diplomacy & commerce, now an architectural ruin covering over 300 historical sites & a dozen of ancient temple sites.
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| Ayutthaya, Thailand (2007 & 2017) |
Sukhothai Historical Park, Thailand - capital of the Sukhothai Kingdom in the 13th & 14 centuries, the beginning of Thai architecture, the park has a number of fine monuments & ancient ruins to view & visit.
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| Sukhothai, Thailand (2016, 2019) |
9) A Distant Relative - Sagrada Familia Basilica (Barcelona, Spain) & Taj Mahal (Agra, India) - Both are world class iconic architectural masterpieces !
Sagrada Familia Basilica - Antoni Gaudi, the "God's Architect" who built the world famous Basilica (1882 > 1926, took more than 4 decades to build) in Barcelona, Spain, died at the age of 73, lived in dignity & absolute austerity, on a path to sainthood !
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| Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain (Visited in 2011 & 2014) |
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| Taj Mahal, Agra, India (Visited in 2007 & 2018) |
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| John F Kennedy International Airport New York, USA (2019) |
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| Charles de Gallue Airport Paris, France (2012 & 2014) |
11) A Distant Relative - Situs Tsunami PLTD Apung (Aceh, North Sumatra, Indonesia) & Beichuan Earthquake Memorial Museum (Sichuan, China) - remembering of painful past, both were epicentres of 2 massive earthquakes (Aceh tsunami / earthquake of a Richter scale of 9.1 > 9.3 & Wenchuan / Beichuan 7.9 magnitude !) & the sites now have been converted into a live memorial museums. An estimated 228,000 people died in Aceh tsunami & over 70,000 people perished in the WenChuan earthquake.
Situs Tsunami PLTD Apun (Aceh, North Sumatra, Indonesia) - a former electric generator barge stranded on dry land in Banda Aceh during the Tsunami 2004, this 2,600 ton vessel was at sea when the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake & tsunami occurred with the tsunami carrying it 2 to 3km inland, this huge barge is too heavy to re-located & now serves as a live Tsunami museum in Aceh ! Scary to hear that over 200,000 people in the region perished in this Aceh Tsunami !
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| Situ Tsunami PLTD Apung, Acheh Sumatra Indonesia (June 2025) |
Beichuan Earthquake Memorial Museum, (Sichuan, China) - the epicentre of a 8.0 earthquake located 80km of capital Chengdu, Sichuan on May 12 2008, over 69,000 people lost their lives in the Wenchuan quake, Beichuan alone over 8,600 people died, the site is now a live museum & a living memorial to a terrible tragedy for the present & future generations to come & see !
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| Beichuan Earthquake Museum Sichuan, China (Sept 2012) |
12) A Distant Relative - Ximenting Famous Intersection of Hanzhong Street / Chengdu Road & Bukit Bintang / Jalan Sultan Ismail Interesetion of Kuala Lumpur - both these famous intersections have great vibes, tend to attract a number of tourists when visiting the capitals of these two countries, just show up & spend an evening here for shopping, food & entertainment, a pretty cool place to loiter around & unwind yourself !
Ximending Pedestrian Area, Taipei, Taiwan - the first pedestrian zone in Taipei & remain the largest in Taiwan, rainbow zebra crossing, an ideal place for Instagram, famous for its bright lights, evening bites & late nights, the heart & soul of Taipei's Wanhua District, home to sublime street art & night-time entertainment, nearby is Xiementing Mazu Temple & Red House Theater.
Bukit Bintang intersection, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - a busy, jam packed pedestrian crossing especially during the weekends in Jalan Bukit Bintang & Jalan Sultan Ismail intersection, Kuala Lumpur, a hotspot for tourists snapping photos & a short walk to the famous Jalan Alor Food Street & Night Market, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur Mall & Lot 10 Hutong Food Court !
13) A Distant Relative - Chhatrapati Shivaji Mahraj Terminus (CSMT), Mumbai, India & Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, Malaysia - both India & Malaysia are Commonwealth countries under the British rule for over 2 decades from the late 18th century. Both the station buildings one designed in Gothic style of architecture & the other in Neo-Moorish / Moughal / Indo-Saracenic style, a number of the old railway stations I visited in India are fine example of 19th century railway Gothic style architectural marvels & grandeur !
Chhatrapati Shivaji Mahraj Terminus (CSMT) & Mumbai Central - the two major railway stations that connect Mumbai with different parts of the country, trains arriving from West, East & Central India rest at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, a UNESCO World Heritage site, this historic British designed railway Terminal opened in 1853 !
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| Chhatraapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Mumbai, India (2018 & 2024) |
KTM Railway Station, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - a British designed railway station, the first in Malaya which was under the British rule from 1786 > 1957, this Moorish / Mughal style of station building was opened in 1896 !
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| KTM Railway Station (1886) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Dec 2016) |
14) A Distant Relative - Sakura Season in Japan & Gui'an, Guiyang, China - Sakura season (also known as cherry blossom) in Japan & China typically occurs from late March to April with the peak bloom often lasting for a week. These delicate pink flowers symbolize the fleeting beauty of life & the arrival of spring. Are you a fan of Sakura season ? My wife is & she is looking forward to visit Busan, South Korea during the Sakura season !
Cherry Blossom Kyoto, Japan - Japan is widely known as the land of cherry blossoms, the country possesses more than 200 species of Sakura which has become a cultural symbol associated with many traditional Japanese activities in spring, Sakura flowers in Japan look more pinkish ? Spring Sakura season in Kyoto is cool, pleasant & most scenic to visit !
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| Sakura Season , Kyoto Japan (March 2010) |
Gui'an Cherry Blossom Park, Guizhou, China - known for its extensive collection of cherry trees, spanning 12,000 acres, considered one of the world's largest & most comprehensive cherry blossom garden, home to 700,000 cherry trees !
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| Gui'an Cherry Blossom Park Guiyang, China (March 2025) |
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| Japanese Tunnel Bukit Tinggi Sumatra, Indonesia (June 2025) |
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| Piyamit Tunnel, Betong Thailand (July 2023) |
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| Night Market, Luang Prabang Laos, (Feb 2025) |
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| Jalan Alor Food Street Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia (July 2025) |
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| Fort Al Mirani, Muscat, Oman (2018) |
Aguada Fortress, Goa, India - a well preserved 17th century Portuguese fort, along with a lighthouse standing in Goa, on Singuerim Beach, overlooking the Arabian Sea.
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| Aguada Fortress, Goa, India (Jan 2024) |
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| Vatican City (May 2010) |
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| Monte Carlo Casino, Monaco (May 2014) |
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| Mt Kinabalu Low's Peak, Sabah Malaysia (July 2011) |
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| Changla Pass (17.582ft = 5,391m) Leh / Ladakh (July 2007) |
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| Sydney Opera House Australia (Sept 2004) |
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| Oslo Opera House, Norway (May 2011) |
21) A Distant Relative - Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy & Leaning Tower of Teluk Anson, Perak, Malaysia - both are famous landmarks of the nation, still standing tall despite tilting for years !
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| Leaning Tower of Pisa Italy (May 2011) |
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| Leaning Tower, Teluk Anson Perak, Malaysia (Sept 2020) |
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| Norwegian Fjords, Norway (April 2011) |
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| Milford Sound, New Zealand (April 2016) |
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| Naqhsh-e Jahan Square, Isfahan Iran (March 2018) |
Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China - named after the Gate of Heavenly Peace, a city square in Beijing, the size of this huge square is 765m X 282m (215,730 sq m), it has a great cultural significance & a major site for several important events in Chinese history.
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| Tiananmen Square, Beijing China (May 2009) |
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