HK Independent Traveller Blog

I heard about a Sunday organic market in Tai Po and had a visit today.  It's next to the Tai Wo Fire Station, a short walk from Tai Wo Railway Station or from Tai Po Old Town.  It is smaller than I expected.  But the warmth from people there impressed me.  The first stall came to my eyes was one selling organic food from Germany such as dry beans, sugar, juices, etc.  A neighbour store is Chun San Farm selling melon, bitter melon, pepper.  The organic farm was converted from a pig farm.  The plantation area is covered and fenced.  Production cost is higher and growth is slower.  Mrs She 佘 is very friendly.  One can visit her farm at Mai Po by appointment. Another nice encounter is a Chinese woman who had been living in Germany (D üsseldorf) for twenty years.  She divorced from her husband and moved back to Hong Kong.  She always wears a smile on her face.  Despite all hardship and sadness she finds reasons to cheer herself up.  I like her positive attitude. I bought mushroo

Novara is the second most important town in Piedmont.  We were there on a Saturday, September 2010.  The historical centre has a lay back atmosphere.  Old buildings, big and small beautiful squares, churches, ruin of the castle and a tranquil park.  It's nice to spend a day there.  Cafes were full of young people after mid-day.   The town is lively during Saturday afternoon.  A sip of Piedmont's thick hot chocolate is an excellent chill out. Our first visit point is Basilica of San Gaudenzio , dedicated to the first Christian bishop, Gaudentius of Novara. It has a spectular cupola of a height of 121 metres (397 feet) completed in 1888. The designer is Alessandro Antonelli . His most famous building is Mole Antonelliana in Turin. Inside the basilica shows precious paintings from Gaudenzio Ferreri . Another sightseeing point is the cathedral .  It has a huge portal and beautiful courtyard. Don't miss a very beautiful old house.  Unfortunately, a signa

We drove from Milan to Varese on August 2010.  It was a lovely day.  The first programme was a visit to Villa Panza , a property of FAI.  Villa Panza is a noble house with an English garden of +30,000 square metres.  The Panza di Biumo family bought the villa in the 1930s.  It was restored and turned into a living house (also as a museum).  The owner donated the complex and 113 art pieces to FAI.  After immense restoration and conversion, it has been opened to the public.  It costs you €3 to take photos inside FAI properties after you have paid the rather expensive entrance fee, €8 for this one. The first highlight of the day is an exhibition of art pieces from Christiane Löhr  (click the link to appreciate her excellent works). She is a German artist.  The works we saw were made with horse hair and plants.  They are intricate, required a lot of detailed labour and superb techniques. The garden has many different plantations.  Walking through is a pleasure.  The villa itself is