HK Independent Traveller Blog

July, 2018 The heat in Milan was almost unbearable.  The day before was my birthday. We spent some time in a park and the City Life Shopping Mall (at the Three Towers). Then we needed to be home to stay cool in air conditioned apartment. The temperature at Piana d'Erna was totally pleasant and enjoyable on the day of our visit. Piana d'Erna is a mountain resort close to 1,400 metre in the area of Lecco.  In summer, it's good to escape the heat and hike around.  In winter it becomes a skiing paradise. Breathtaking views will amaze you. To reach it, one just arrive at Lecco train station, take bus no.5 to the cable car station. Lecco, Oct 2016 We visited Lecco in 2016 and spent most of the time around the impressive lake surrounded by mountains, especially the rocky and spectacular one.  In less than two years, we were up one of the mountains and had magnificent views of the town and lake. So, our visit to Lecco is complete.  Perhaps, we will...

I like antique but can only afford those from flea markets. The first vintage piece in my life is a butter case bought in Heidelberg flea market. At time, I hadn't developed the hobby of antique / vintage collection  but gradually. The butter case is still in use after many years. On 1 May, we visited Feira da Ladra Flea Market in Lisbon. Yes, it was opened on the national holiday.  It's not insanely crowded.  Feira da Ladra is held every Tuesday and Saturday at  Campo de Santa Clara , behind the monastery of Sao Vicente de Fora  in Alfama .  The nice snapshots of the church were taken by my travel companion while I was browsing the vintage stuff. I visited a flea market in Porto a few years ago.  It sold mainly second hand household products.  Feira da Larda is similar but product quality is higher. I've got a plate from  Limoges  and a little angel made of ceramics.  Nice and very good value, €2 an...

On May 1 the labour day, the Feira da Ladra (Flea Market) was opened and so as the former Expo Park,  The Parque das Nações (Park of Nations). After a pleasant visit to the Feira da Ladra, Alfama and Martim Moniz , we headed to the  Oriente Station (red metro line) which the Parque das Nações is nearby. The Oriente Station is part of a modernisation project and celebrations marking the opening of the Expo '98. It is an immense interchanging hub and a major element of modern urban development.  The platform architecture composing of metal and glass lattice covering differentiates itself from the glorious historical building in the centre of Lisbon. A bridge links the Oriente Station and the Vasco da Gama Shopping Centre .   We wandered around the modern centre and then approached the Park.  The first visit point is Pavilhão do Conhecimento (The Pavilion of Knowledge). It was converted from the Expo and aims to promote science and techn...