Aloha

Chinese inscriptions on ancient rock formations in the scenic Tianya Haijao or the “remotest corner of the  Earth” twenty kilometers from Sanya encapsulate the traditional belief that the world is in China and the country’s southernmost shore, the Hainan province, is in fact the end of the world. In adherence with this “world in China” theme, even Hawaii has been incorporated into the landscape. It’s a collective hula of two giant pineapples popping from the roof of Sanya’s Phoenix International Airport, a clear blue sky, vibrant green foliage, hibiscus, orchids and plantations of luscious mangos, bananas and coconut trees, as well as true “Hawaii” dress code, voluntary of course, for locals and tourists. Sanya, the “Forever Tropical Paradise”, is a new concept with a Hawaiian footprint that’s created an illusion for the southeast Asian visitor which is hard to resist. Success is due to the fact that this second populous city of Hainan, shares some common features with Hawaii … namely, a tropical climate and the same latitude.

I was on a three day exploratory trip, a detour from the much traversed Shenzhen/Beijing/Shanghai arc. November was the perfect month, no need to pack woolens, and this also explained the busloads of tourists from cold northern mainland China as well as eastern European cities making a beeline for the white sandy beaches along the coast.

Sanya city turned out to be newly developing with residential blocks, alleys, restaurants and tea shops swathed in the aroma of food. The main shopping area is concentrated on Sanya Walk Street, twenty minutes from both Yalong and Sanya Bay and just five minutes from the nightlife strip of Dadonghi.  Walk Street is a veritable beehive with two to four story buildings linked by bridges that lead to floors fully stocked with garments, shoes, jewelry, CDs and DVDs, suitcases, leather goods and more. The surprise element is signage in English, Chinese and Russian. Sanya is a favored Russian destination with many businesses catering to Russian sensibilities. The reason is, as a Russian tourist at a restaurant on Jiefang Road said, “Sanya is affordable with direct connecting flights.” Towards dinnertime the restaurant was crowded with eastern Europeans, Chinese tourists and an Indian couple.

While window shopping on Walk Street I was accosted by a female hawker in a straw hat draped in multicolored strings of pearls begging for 'look-a, look-a'.  It was difficult to get away from her until she found another target. Pearl diving and selling is a household industry in Sanya and they can be purchased both from kiosks or accredited showrooms. The kiosks are one step ahead and are ready with scissors to scrap a pearl to gain confidence …“look, look, no scratch”, until you’re ready to buy one. Bargaining is an art leaving one wondering if the figure couldn’t have come down even further.

Making my way through the mass of gawkers and shoppers at night, I came across a wedding store called  “New York, New York Wedding” with live models resplendent in white gowns posed in front of the store. The still life figures were intriguing so I tried to determine whether they were selling gowns or photography sessions. I was there during the annual International Wedding Festival from November 18-21 which accounted for the wedding frenzy in the city. During this time couples gather at Tianya Haijiao, near Sanya City, to celebrate their marriage or anniversaries with nature as witness to their declaration of eternal love. There were at least three weddings in the garden of the Sheraton Sanya Resort where I stayed with guests camped out poolside to view the blissful endings.

By now the traffic was getting chaotic and after four attempts to flag a cab I had to call the driver who brought me there.  A smiling young man, different from the surly cabbies encountered, he had given me his card in case I needed help with sightseeing.  My hotel was about thirty kilometers from the city and I had no idea of bus services but still managed to return in time for dinner at the Spice Garden, the Pan Asian restaurant and enjoyed the ambience under the stars.

The sprawling Sheraton Sanya Resort along the crystal clear blue waters of the South China Sea with verdant tropical foliage follows the Chinese architectural forms and thus exudes “expansive” features.  The spaciousness is reflected in the entertainment and conference facilities, the landscaped gardens and segmented swimming pools, a sweeping lobby lounge topped by a red Ferrari display and a white piano, a kind’ve cherry on the top presentation. If given a choice spend three days in the Resort to avail of its private beach and spa facilities and you’ll also be pleasantly surprised to not be hedged in by other guests while there even on weekends.

Situated in the exclusive Yalong Bay, forty minutes from the airport and about twenty from downtown Sanya, this nine year old property with 511 rooms and private villas made news for hosting the 2010 Miss World pageant.  I missed the excitement by a mere week.  My suite with balconies overlooking the banana and coconut palms, a personal Jacuzzi, cushy sitting areas and high speed internet was certainly deluxe in all aspects. The boon for me of course was the free Wi-Fi connection in the lobby along with computers for a timed usage.

Next day was bright and sunny, perfect for a day trip to the butterfly shaped Wuzhizhou Island, off the coast of Hainan, China and about thirty kilometers northeast of Sanya. The Hawaiian togetherness was prominently displayed with couples, families and friends in identical printed shorts and shirts. The beach was crowded with few braving the hot sun but rather trying out surfing, water scooter rides and scuba diving. The clear blue skies and cool sea breeze along with an underwater treasure trove of over 2000 varieties of coral reef sea life, lobsters and Spanish mackerel is a novelty for the majority of visitors. The facilities are comparatively new, more or less a resort in construction stage, so there are few areas that are covered or green.  Still, one can squat on the sand or the rocks and enjoy freshly cooked fish.  Not a fish lover by nature, after a bit the air became too much for me so I decided to return to the Sheraton and enjoy some quiet time at my own private beach. Another reason for my early departure was that ferries would be crowded by evening.

Along with the tree lined avenues of Yalong and Asian Dragon Bay, golf courses, butterfly and shell museums, beach resorts and diving centers there are the beaches of Dadonghai, Sanya and Hainan closer to Sanya city.  Also, about forty kilometers from Sanya is the Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone, highlighting Buddhist culture, with a theme park and a 108 meter high Buddha constructed on a man-made island. The temple with its golden deities was once a place of mystic reflection.

Another interesting place is Luhuitou Park, where lovers put padlocks on chains hoping for lasting love. If you’re in need of some rejuvenation you can try out the hot springs at Nantian, visit the Fairy Caves, the Tiger and Crocodile center, Nan Wan Monkey Island and the crystal and pearl factories.

Departure time found the airport with deserted shops and cafes shuttered until two hours before take-off, with the trooping in of customs and immigration officials and the arrival of chartered buses with tourists. Then it was a rush to find vacant chairs in the open air food court with a limited choice of sandwiches and drinks. Minutes later pre-boarding, frantic licks of an ice cream savored the last bit of the tropics before going home.

Some important things to know about Sanya:

• Currency is RMB and can be changed at the Bank of China or some hotels.
• Sanya’s Phoenix International Airport is 18 km from downtown Sanya. Taxi fare RMB 40 and bus fare is RMB 15.
• Train connections can be made from Chinese cities.

 

The country code for Sanya is 86.

Temples, Shrines and Monkeys

I considered Kyoto a one-day trip, planned to visit for two, and in the end stayed for three. The truth is though you could easily spend a week in this city three hundred miles southwest of Tokyo.  Kyoto is a fishbowl city, nestled in mountains on its West, North and East sides, but in fact it’s no small town. It feels more like the Chicago of Japan—smaller than Tokyo but with plenty of towering buildings and wide city streets.  It is by no means quaint yet it has a special tranquility that almost feels as if it is steeped in antiquity. In two and a half days, my husband and I toured three major areas so if you only have enough time for a side trip, here’s how to do it.

DAY ONE PM: DOWNTOWN KYOTO

After a two hours plus morning ride beside picturesque mountains and rice paddies on the bullet train from Tokyo (the Shinkansen, about $150 per person one way), we arrived at Kyoto Station. We had prepared ahead researching the various traditions for visiting Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, and I’d suggest this so you’ll be better acquainted with the customs - purifying your hands in the fountains, pulling on the fat ropes that sound the prayer gong, buying emas (wooden plaques) to write and hang your wishes, lighting ceremonial incense, and pulling fortune sticks for your future.

From the station in downtown Kyoto, we took the subway north along the Karasuma line to drop our bags at the Hotel Monterey, just south of Sanjo-Dori (dori means street).  Worth noting: The subways are clean and easy to navigate but cover only a small area; you’ll either want to take (the very cheap but very slow) buses or our personal preference - affordable and fairly quick taxis.  From here, we wandered east down Nishikikoji-dori, which turns into the Nishiki Market. The market, which is arranged on long, wide tented streets is a vibrant and colorful place of vendors selling fish arranged like art, edamame bunches still on their stalks, pickled vegetables and candies and gifts.  From here, we wandered up and down the streets, observing the architecture of the michaya-style traditional wooden townhouses where locals and tourists were riding bicycles.  Worth investigating: Some hotels may offer bikes to borrow or rent; if I ever go back I’d love to tour more of the east side this way.

When night fell, we hit the city’s former red light district, Pontocho, which lies just west of the Kamo-gawa River. Pontocho Street is a narrow, charming street that comes alive at night with glowing lanterns hanging along the time-honored wooden exteriors and brightly lit signs hanging just above head height.  The restaurants run the gamut from reasonable to very expensive and are worth trying, though we opted for a small, noodle shop nearby.   After dinner, we wandered east on Shijo-dori crossing the bridge over the Kamo-gawa river which divides downtown from Higashiyama (the East Mountains). Just across the water sits the gorgeous Minami-za Kabuki theater building.  And Memoirs of a Geisha fans will want to head toward the corner of Shijo-Dori and Hanamikoji-Dori to see the Ichiriki Teahouse which played a big role in the novel. (I think it’s worth a mention that tourists often enjoy visiting places they’ve seen on T.V. or in the movies because it’s familiar and there’s something special about standing on the spot where your favorite movie scene took place). Evening bonus: This is the best area to spot a geisha (the local term is geiko) entertainer. We saw our first around 11 p.m., wooden box in hand and walking with a Japanese man in a kimono.

DAY TWO: HIGASHIYAMA (The East Mountains)
NORTHERN HIGASHIYAMA

Next morning we took a taxi to the quiet temples at the base of the Higashiyama Mountains (a 10 minute ride for about $12). Our first stop was the Nanzenji Temple, a massive dark wood Buddhist temple rebuilt in the 17^th century that was gorgeously, ceremoniously old. In fact, as we passed Japanese maples and turned the corner to view the San-Mon gate for the first time, it brought out a very un-Zen “Holy [bleep]!” moment in me.  Our hearts beat faster in the sight of beauty this awe inspiring. We later learned that Scarlett Johanssen’s character in Lost in Translation had visited this very spot. It’s free to tour the main temple (for an additional $4, you can visit the second floor). What I wish we’d done: You can also walk up behind the temple through gardens, along an aqueduct, across a koi pond, and into the woods to a waterfall at the base of the mountains. 

Besides this temple, there are numerous others dotting the streets and while we enjoyed getting lost among them, we asked for directions to find our way to The Path of Philosophy.  This quiet, tree-covered path, running just over a mile along a canal dotted with walking bridges, has benches for contemplation and is named after Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitaro, who used to stroll it deep in thought. Going in April? It’s said to be the most beautiful (though most crowded) when the cherry trees are in bloom.

At the northern end of the path sits a touristy road leading up to the Ginkaku-ji temple, the “Silver Pavilion” (about $7 to enter). Inside the simple gate is a garden path that passes through the grounds, past some incredible art of raked sand called kogetsudai and up a hill where you can view downtown Kyoto. The temple itself is so superbly simple that we weren’t sure which building it was. The downside was the crowds inching us along like cattle making it difficult to feel much tranquility. Worth considering instead: A ten-minute walk south to the more out-of-the-way 17^th century temple Honen-In, which is set back in the woods and is said to be a true respite of quiet and calm. Another option is the sister shrine Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion. The trip there requires a taxi ride to Northwest Kyoto and while it’s bound to be equally teeming with tourists, the shining golden temple surrounded by water is said to be a show-stopper.

SOUTHERN HIGASHIYAMA & GION

We began our tour of Southern Higashiyama at the Yasaka Shrine, which sits proudly at the east end of Shijo-Dori. The shrine, which is considered the “guardian shrine of Gion” is a two-story bright orange and white pagoda that pops from the green pine trees and bright hills behind. It’s a definite Kodak moment. Admission is free, so it’s worth a stroll inside the gate.

From here, we headed south into the small streets of Gion the main setting of Memoirs of a Geisha. And my goodness, it’s no wonder. The stone streets are adoringly quaint, and lined with one or two-story wooden buildings with ornamental roofs. Around one corner we found a rickshaw driver walking tourists by foot; around another, the five-story Yasaka pagoda rising above the skyline, as the beautiful sounds of chanting monks floated into the street.

Our last site for the day—and an absolute must-see—is the complex of the Kiyomizu-Dera Temple. The entrance looked like Kyoto’s version of Rome’s Spanish Steps and at the top sat two stunningly colored structures painted orange, red, pink and green, with an array of smaller buildings clustered behind them. The view of the city from the top of the steps is jaw-dropping, especially at sunset. Though it’s crowded enough to feel like a Disney attraction, you can easily spend two hours touring all the structures, as well as the main hall that’s perched on a wooden platform on stilts dug into the hill. A must-do: Descend the steps from the main hall to the Otowa-no-taki spring, and line up for an opportunity to drink from the sacred waters, said to have therapeutic properties.

 

DAY THREE: ARASHIYAMA (The West Mountains)

 We traveled to the West of Kyoto by subway (with green velvet upholstered seats!) and got off at the Arashiyama station at the edge of the Hozu-gawa River. Crossing the Togetsu-Kyo bridge invited new views of Kyoto that reminded me of the Japan I’d seen in guidebooks, like the photo of boats powered by men wielding bamboo poles in the water.

From here, we walked north to the Bamboo Forest.  Though just a small path, the towering green bamboo plants there are a wonder of nature. To reach it, we paid to enter the Tenru-ji Temple (about $8) which opens to the forest, but you can also walk around the temple and turn onto the path just past the North Gate of Tenru-ji. The deeper you head away toward the hills, the more lush and stunning the bamboo becomes.

Our next stop was Arashiyama Monkey Mountain (about $8), which earned a spot on both our “They’d never let you do this in America” list and on our “One of the best things we’ve ever done” list.  A short 20-minute hike up a steep hill delivers both a stunning view of Kyoto and about one hundred and fifty red-faced snow monkeys freely scurrying along the dirt grounds. It feels like you’ve stepped into the pages of National Geographic as you walk among them while they play, snack and nap. You can also enter the caged area to feed them bags of apples and peanuts, which we loved.

Our final stop in Kyoto was the Saiho-ji Temple (also called the Moss Temple), a taxi ride away, which we had reserved a month prior. Important: You must make reservations for this temple by sending them a self-addressed request letter (Google the details you must include and the address of where to send it.) Considering that most Kyoto temples are free, the $30 entrance fee is steep, but it was both a beautiful sight and an oddly unique experience. Upon entering the grounds with our invite, we were ushered to the main pagoda where we removed our shoes and sat Indian-style at a small wooden desk with about one hundred other guests, all of us facing the room’s central shrine where three monks in orange robes drummed and chanted. We were provided with brushes and ink to copy an entire prayer in Japanese kanji characters along with our own wish. “Wait,” my husband said, “Are we supposed to do homework right now?”  We finished copying it in about forty-five minutes, added our wishes as instructed and presented them at the shrine.  Afterward, the tour among the moss garden was breathtaking - an entire garden of trees and walking bridges covered in layers of different colored greens. It was the perfect ending to what seemed to me like my very own quiet, reflective Japanese dream.

Country Code for Japan (Kyoto) is (+81)

 

Beyond Hong Kong, What a Difference a Day Makes

Soaring skyscrapers plastered in neon, 24-hour nightlife, fabulous shopping that ranges from the suspiciously cheap to the seriously glamorous, and some of the best Chinese food in the world. For most visitors this is Hong Kong, and to be fair, it’s a lot of fun. But it’s not the whole story.

The Lantern Festival and So Much More

It was a warm and balmy February 28, sunny and 80 degrees when I arrived at Taipei’s International Airport, and I had just escaped the blizzard of the century back in New York.  I was here in Taiwan for the country’s annual Lantern Festival, a spectacular event spanning eight days with a different location every year.  Today was the opening day, just 15 days after Chinese New Year, and I was changing into short-sleeves.