HK Independent Traveller Blog

Revisit the Städel Museum I visited Frankfurt again, after two decades. My ex-colleagues Jörg and Sabrina spent wonderful time with me. On my last day with Sabrina, she took me to the Städel Museum to see the exhibition of Étretat , fabulous paintings by Claude Monet , Eugène Delacroix , Gustave Courbet , Henri Matisse , Johann Wilhelm Schirmer , Eugène Le Poittevin , as well as Camille Corot , Eugène Boudin and Elger Esser . Étretat Grew Popular and Beloved Étretat is a picturesque seaside town on Normandy’s Alabaster Coast . Nature has carved unusual shapes out of the white cliffs. The dramatic white chalk cliffs with natural arches and the needle-like Aiguille rock were like a magnet, attracting numerous artists to capture the stunning scenes on canvas in the 19 th century. It played a pivotal role in the birth of modern painting.  Eugène Isabey Pioneer Painters of  Étretat It is widely considered that Eugène Isabey is among the first painters to draw the breathtaking c...

  Cape D'Aguilar: A Stunning Coastal Escape in Hong Kong My best friend and I visited Cape D’Aguilar / Hok Tsui 鶴咀 on a weekday in June. I heard about the place a few times and was stunned when I was there in person. It is not like a place in Hong Kong, but a rough coast somewhere in the world.  Cape D’Aguilar is a peninsula south of Shek O , on the southeast side of the Hong Kong Island. The coastal trail is easy. It leads to some of the most beautiful and breathtaking spots. Spectacular caves, rock formations, a lighthouse and marine reserve will delight you for sure. The day trip was incredible.  Getting to Cape D'Aguilar from Shau Kei Wan Cape D’Aguilar can be easily reached by Bus 9 departing from Shau Kei Wan , served by underground. The normal bus route passes Cape D’Aguilar. But some buses skip it. Be sure that you will get on the right one.  First Impressions of the Hong Kong's Wild Southeast Coast Once you have got off the bus, simply walk down alon...

The giant Romanesque cathedral located next to the sea, in Trani , is the key magnet drawing visitors to this Adriatic coastal town. But its list of attractions in Trani is far much bigger.  The harbour brought flourishing city development since the Middle Ages . The town is dotted with nice houses, beautiful churches and palaces. Apart from trade, the seafront is like a paradise for holiday-makers, swimmers and dinners.  Trani prospered during the Norman and Swabian rule around the 12th century. On top of goods trading, it was also a transit point for pilgrims going to Jerusalem . A group of Jews resided in the city and subsequently a Jewish quarter formed. Impressive synagogues remain till today.  The glory of Trani dramatically ended in the 1500s when the Ottoman Empire dominated. It then became a small fishing city. Chiesa Sant'Andrea Our coach stopped far outside the city, perhaps one kilometer away from the back of the railway station. Standing in the front...