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Grand Voyage 2014
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Grand Voyage 2014

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  • Inicio da viagem
    4 de janeiro de 2014
    PeterandericaGrand Voyage 2014Viajante

    Southampton

    4 de janeiro de 2014, Inglaterra ⋅ 🌧 6 °C

    We arrived at the Mayfair Terminal in good time to join our ship, Aurora, to start our round the world cruise. We were not looking forward to the start of the journey as the weather was predicted to be awful. In fact, the Captain announced that, instead of heading for the Azores, we would sail to La Coruna in N Spain and head for Antigua from there.Leia mais

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    La Coruna, N Spain

    6 de janeiro de 2014, Espanha ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    We were very relieved to arrive at this Spanish port and we spent a good day wandering around this pleasant town and along the seafront to the Pillars of Hercules monument. The weather was surprisingly mild and we enjoyed a coffee or two sitting in an outside bar.Leia mais

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    St John's Antigua

    13 de janeiro de 2014, Antígua e Barbuda ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    After sailing through some pretty stormy seas after leaving La Coruna, by the time we sailed just south of the Azores, the weather had improved significantly and we were able to wander around the ship and attempt to find our sea legs. We arrived in Antigua to clear and sunny weather and a temperature of 25 degrees, expected to rise to 29 degrees. We found a taxi and headed off to Dickenson Bay and spent a good few hours swimming and just relaxing. We thought we would never get here. The taxi ride cost US$24 return and well worth it.Leia mais

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    Oranjestad, Aruba

    15 de janeiro de 2014, Aruba ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    The temp. was 26 degrees and rising to 30. We met up with some people we had met on board and shared a taxi to Eagle Beach, costing US$15 one way for the four of us. The beach was stunning and surprisingly uncrowded. We then headed back into town and wandered around Oranjestad. Strange place. Very 'Disneyesque'. Ornate and colourful buildings. We met an American in a bar who had just arrived on the 'Crown Princess', having departed from Fort Lauderdale for a week's cruise. We wished each other 'bon voyage'.Leia mais

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    Panama Canal

    17 de janeiro de 2014, Panamá ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    We arrived at the entrance to the canal at 5.30am but most people were up and on deck to witness the ship's transit all the way through. We arrived at the first set of locks, the Gatun locks, at 7.30am. There was only two feet of clearance on either side of the ship. An engineering marvel. We sailed through the Gatun lake and through more locks until we finally entered the Pacific Ocean after about eight hours. An impressive sight of Panama City in the distance.Leia mais

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    San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua

    19 de janeiro de 2014, Nicarágua ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    After just one day of sailing, we arrived at this Nicaraguan seaside resort. It was hot, 32 degrees, with calm seas. It was a lovely approach to the bay and the town with a statue of Christ perched on top of the hill and which dominated the town. A small band played 'samba' music as we disembarked the tender and beautifully dressed dancers danced for us. It was a lovely welcome. We had a beer in a local bar and managed to Skype home. It was a colourful town, a mixture of the ramshackle and ornate, tired but evocative of a bygone age.Leia mais

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    San Francisco, USA

    25 de janeiro de 2014, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    It took five to six days of good sailing before we reached San Francisco and we arrived on a flawless morning. Chilly but a beautiful blue sky and sunshine. We were all on deck to witness the ship sail under the Golden Gate Bridge, a tremendous sight. We passed Alcatraz on the port side and docked close to Fisherman's Wharf. Immigration formalities delayed our disembarkation but as soon as we were allowed to leave the ship, we walked to Fisherman's Wharf and to Pier 39, home to the sea lions. We caught up with our friends, Pamela and Peter and had a clam chowder with beer in one of the seafood restaurants.

    The following day we caught the Hyde/Powell cable car to Union Square, visited Macy's and then headed off to Chinatown. It was the Chinese New Year and the area was crowded but vibrant and colourful and we took in all the smells and the sights. We wanted to climb Coit Tower for the views but, regrettably, it was closed for renovations.    Leia mais

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    Honolulu, Hawaii

    31 de janeiro de 2014, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    24C when we arrived and the sun was shining. We decided to take the open topped red city tour bus, costing US$25 each but is an excellent way of seeing all the highlights in one go. We hopped off the bus at Waikiki Beach and strolled along the long promenade, passing the statue of Duke Kahanamoku, a Hawaiian Olympic surfing champion. The water was 26C and the beach was busy. We caught the bus again, passing the statue of King Kamehameha, the founder of modern Hawaii, the Iolani Palace, Chinatown and the Aloha Tower.Leia mais

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    Pago Pago, Tutuila, American Samoa

    5 de fevereiro de 2014, Samoa Americana ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    The sail in was beautiful, steeply rising hills covered in dense vegetation and very photogenic. 28C and a beautiful blue sky. We joined a group of fellow passengers and hired a bus, converted from an old red lorry and toured the southern part of the island, visiting his own house and '2 Dollar Beach, where we stopped for drinks and relaxation. The driver, an ex rugby player, was very friendly and happy to talk about anything to do with his beautiful island.Leia mais

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    Nuku'Alofa, Tongatapu, Tonga

    8 de fevereiro de 2014, Tonga ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    27C at 7am. We disembarked to the sound of the Tongan Police Band playing a selection of music for us. Terrific. We took a tour to Pangaimotu Island, a short boat ride from the town, for swimming and snorkelling and then walked around the island. It took about thirty minutes only. We had a drink in the beach bar before heading back to the town by boat. Not too much to see in the town, except the royal palace, but everybody was so friendly and welcoming. We listened to the beach band again, who played "When will we see you again' as we departed. Very sad to leave.Leia mais

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    Auckland, New Zealand

    11 de fevereiro de 2014, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Not the hottest days, starting at 18C but expected to climb to 23C. Quite a number of passengers left the ship here, only to be replaced by others, some only travelling as far as Sydney. After disembarking, we took the ferry to Devonport, only a ten-minute ride across the bay. This is a quaint, old part of Auckland with attractive wooden houses, craft shops and cafes. We had a very relaxing stroll around before taking the ferry back to the city, where we headed for Sky Tower for some fantastic views across the city. I am not too good with heights, but still enjoyed it. We walked to Albert Park, which contained a number of illuminated Chinese figures and dragons in celebration, no doubt, of the Chinese New Year. We like Auckland. Very friendly.Leia mais

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    Bay of Islands, New Zealand

    12 de fevereiro de 2014, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    The Bay of Islands are situated in the North East of North Island. Again the temperature started at 18C but was predicted to rise to 23C. We left the ship by tender, arriving at Waitangi. From there we walked to the local town of Paihia where we spent about an hour walking around the craft stalls and shops. We then took the ship's shuttle bus back to Waitangi. Waitangi was the location of the signing of the historic pact between Great Britain and the Maori chieftains in 1840, which affirmed Maori rights and also established the foundations of New Zealand. We bought tickets to enter the National Reserve, costing NZ$25 each. The reserve is beautifully maintained and lovely to walk through. We viewed a Maori canoe, called 'Ngatokimatawhaorua, built in 1940 and 120 feet long. We visited the house where James Busby, who did much to bring the treaty about, lived with his family and also stood by the Flagstaff, which marks the location where the treaty was first signed. We attended a performance of a selection of songs and dances performed by a group of Maoris in a beautifully ornate meeting house. It was a very stimulating and moving experience. It was a fantastic culmination of a visit to a country we had never previously visited and will leave a lasting impression.Leia mais

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    Sydney, Australia

    15 de fevereiro de 2014, Austrália ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We arose at 4.30am to witness our progress into Sydney and the ship docked directly opposite the Opera House and just by Sydney Bridge. Could not have been better located. The forecast was for drizzle for some of the day so we decided to take the hop on, hop off bus for a tour of the city and surrounding areas. The tickets cost Aus$30 each (a discount as we were aged!). The bus took us through the main shopping and business areas. We then changed buses and took the one for Bondi Beach. This was a disappointment. The beach itself is lovely - wide and clean, but the surrounding area needs a lot of refurbishment. We then continued to Dover Heights, which overlooks the harbour and then to Rose Bay and then back into the city. We changed buses again and hopped off at Darling Harbour, a bustling, attractive and interesting area, which contains the Maritime Museum and a replica of Captain Cook's ship 'Endeavour'. We continued to 'Paddy's Market', a large indoor market, down George Street and then to the 'Rocks' area, an old part of Sydney.

    The following day, we took the ferry to Manly, situated on the far side of the very large bay. The journey cost Aus$15 each and took thirty five minutes. This is a much more attractive resort than Bondi Beach and there was a surfing competition taking place. The town was full of people. We returned by ferry close to the Opera House and went inside. It is a stimulating building from the outside but inside it felt cold and uninviting, due, I think, to its construction of wood and concrete. We then walked through the botanical gardens, which are beautiful. Great city.    Leia mais

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    Brisbane, Australia

    18 de fevereiro de 2014, Austrália ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    The departure from Sydney was impressive. The Harbour Bridge was fully illuminated and so was the Opera House as we slowly left the dockside and headed out of the harbour. our journey to Brisbane was reasonably smooth and we arrived at about 7am.The temp was 25C but due to rise to 29C. We had booked a tour to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and headed there by coach leaving at 8.30am. It was already very humid. The sanctuary was fascinating. Erica had a photograph taken holding a koala bear, which she said was extremely heavy and we also fed some kangaroos. There was an interesting collection of wild life and birds and because some of the site was heavily shaded, it was relatively cool. On the way back we stopped at Mount Coot-Tha, the highest point near Brisbane for some great views and then drove through the south bank of the city before crossing the river to view the city sights. Brisbane is quite compact and mostly modern but with some architecturally striking buildings. A lot of passengers had left the ship that morning and several hundred new passengers had embarked. We will have to make new acquaintances and perhaps friends.Leia mais

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    Airlie Beach, Australia

    20 de fevereiro de 2014, Austrália ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    On our way to Airlie Beach, the ship took on board a reef pilot to assist in guiding the ship through the Great Barrier Reef. At 7am it was already 29C and humid. We had booked a rigid inflatable boat trip to one of the Whitsunday Islands for swimming and snorkelling. It was a fast and bumpy ride to the island, where we then anchored off the beach. We put on our stinger suits to prevent us being stung by jelly fish and dropped into the water. The whole experience was disappointing. There must have been a storm some days earlier because the water was very cloudy and the visibility was poor. I did manage to swim to the reef and saw quite an abundance of fish but it was not the best I have ever seen and my wife, because of the poor visibility, was not happy swimming at all. So we did not spend long in the water. On the way back we stopped at another island for refreshments and we spent time walking and looking at the views, which I have to say, were disappointing. Perhaps we had not come to the best part of the Whitsundays. After arriving back in Airlie Beach, we strolled around the town, which we thought was lovely and it has a great man made swimming lagoon close to the sea. If we come again, this is where we will spend our time.Leia mais

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    Manila, Philippines

    27 de fevereiro de 2014, Filipinas ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    We left Airlie Beach and made a brief stop, anchored off Cairns to allow Australian Customs / Immigration officials to embark, do their work and disembark and then we headed north to The Philippines. On the way we had an extraordinary day. The sea was flat calm and bright blue. Slowly it turned to turquoise and then a bright green before turning to silver in the evening. It was a spectacle that amazed all the passengers. We headed to the northernmost point of Australia before turning west into the Torres Straits with Papua New Guinea on the starboard side. We sailed past Borneo before passing through the Sulu archipelago, the southernmost region of the Philippines. We arrived in Manila at 8am and it was 28C. We were given a wonderful welcome by a large band of musicians playing on the quayside and locals dressed in colourful costumes. We had booked a tour to see old Manila and off we went, firstly to St Augustin Church, a UNESCO world heritage site, which was a lovely building, richly ornate. We then visited the Casa Manila, a house furnished as it would have been in the C16th. We saw Fort Santiago and the tropical gardens and then Rizal Park, a large park named after Dr Jose Rizal who had been executed by the Spanish in the 1890s for rebellion. Lastly, we went into the Hotel Manila for some rest. A beautiful hotel! As we left the quayside in the ship, a large band was playing. We had a most friendly welcome and departure!Leia mais

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    Shanghai, China

    3 de março de 2014, China ⋅ 🌙 5 °C

    We arrived in Shanghai early so that by 7.15am all the formalities had been dealt with. Our tour was booked for 9am. The temp was 7C with a clear, blue sky. At the appropriate time we joined our coach and after a hour's journey we arrived at the 'Yu Gardens', constructed in 1559 during the Ming Dynasty. The gardens are quite small but stunning. Very colourful and peaceful. We then walked to the old town, full of traditionally constructed Chinese buildings. It was very busy but fascinating and we spent quite some time just wandering around taking in the sights. We then rejoined the coach to visit the Jade Buddha Temple complex, a little way-out from the centre of the city. The complex consists of a number of traditional Chinese temples, containing giant figures of Buddha in richly decorated rooms. The highlight was the figure of Buddha made from jade. No photographs were allowed.Leia mais

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    Xiamen, China

    5 de março de 2014, China ⋅ 🌬 14 °C

    We arrived at 7am. The temp was 14C, cloudy but dry. We took the shuttle bus to the dropping off point in Xiamen, a journey of only ten minutes. We passed some lovely gardens close to the waterfront. As Xiamen is sub tropical, although it did not feel like it, there were plenty of palms and other exotic plants. Firstly we headed into the shopping area, expecting to find traditional Chinese goods but, in fact, almost all the shops sell western products, which was disappointing as we wanted to buy a few traditional items of clothing to bring back with us. Having failed in our attempt, we walked to a ferry terminal to take the local ferry to Gulangyu Island, a very popular destination for the locals and visitors. The short journey cost the equivalent of .80p return. The boat was crammed full of, mainly, Chinese visitors but, amazingly, we began to talk to a man standing next to us with his bride and they were going to have their photographs taken on the island. He spoke excellent English but she spoke none at all. Gulangyu Island does not allow any motorised vehicles except golf buggies, so most people just walk. We walked for a long time along narrow lanes between shops and houses until we stopped at the Cezanne cafe, where Erica had a coffee and I had a very large glass of green tea. Nobody spoke English but we managed. The owner very kindly gave us two postcards of the cafe to take home with us. We returned on the ferry, braving the scrum, and headed back for the ship on the shuttle bus. A very good day.Leia mais

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    Hong Kong, China

    7 de março de 2014, Hong Kong ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    The weather was 15C and overcast. The ship docked right next to the Star Ferries Terminal and the view of Hong Kong island was amazing. We had booked a tour to see some of the highlights and we headed off at 9am accompanied by our Chinese tour guide called Patrick! Very funny man with a dry sense of humour and excellent English and knowledge of Hong Kong. Our first stop was at a Tao temple. The incense was almost overpowering but very colourful and peaceful. We then headed for Hong Kong Island, passing through a tunnel and stopped at the Victoria Peak tram terminus. We took the tram to the top, quite an exciting ride but when we reached the top of the peak, there was very low cloud, a strong wind and it was cold. We could not see anything of Hong Kong. It was a disappointment but quite usual so we were led to believe. From there, we headed down to Aberdeen harbour for a ride on a sampan boat around the harbour. It was fun and fascinating. We then strolled around Stanley Market, interesting but we did not buy anything. After returning to the ship, we made our way to the main shopping area and finally found a shop selling traditional Chinese ware, where we bought some silk garments to bring home. That evening, we watched a laser light display over Hong Kong. It was spectacular.

    The following day, we took the ferry to Hong Kong island at a cost of the equivalent of 23p each single and took a tram to the end of the line, which took us through much of the main part of the island, costing 28p each single. The journey took one hour and twenty minutes. At the end of the line, we wandered through a Chinese market and had a coffee in McDonalds (there seriously was nowhere else!). We visited another Tao temple for another heady mixture of incense and then boarded the tram for the return journey and back to the ship. Fantastic two days.    Leia mais

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    Halong Bay, Vietnam

    10 de março de 2014, Vietnã ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C

    15C and slight drizzle with mist covering the tops of all the islands. It was a disappointment not to see this wonderful part of the world in all its glory, but we did the best we could. Whilst Vietnamese junks moored alongside the ship to carry passengers around the islands, we joined our friends Steve and Maureen and hopped on the tender to take us ashore. We then walked along a very nice palm fringed wide promenade which overlooked the bay and eventually came upon quite a large market and after some haggling, bought a couple of small pictures to bring back home. Everybody was very friendly and some of the traders spoke in broken English. We then stopped for coffee and green tea in a stylish cafe before slowly walking back. We passed several restaurants and would have loved to have gone in for a meal but time did not permit. This was a very friendly resort and thoroughly enjoyed our brief stay.Leia mais

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    Nha Trang, Vietnam

    11 de março de 2014, Vietnã ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    This was an unexpected delight. 25C with a blue and sunny sky and expected to rise to 32C. Beautiful views of Nha Trang and the countryside from the ship. We took the tender to the mainland and then the shuttle bus to the centre. The view of the bay was fantastic and so was the beach. We passed a long promenade with wide gardens containing all manner of shrubs and trees. There were large and architecturally impressive hotels lining the road. Our drop off point was a large cafe and from here we walked to Dam Market and this was located in a much poorer area but we enjoyed looking round the stalls. Crossing the road was an art form. There were pedestrian crossings and traffic lights but traffic did not obey them. We then negotiated a taxi ride to the Po Nagar Cham Towers for a price of US$20 between the four of us. The entrance fee was US$3 each. What an impressive site. The exterior of the main temple is covered in intricate rock carvings and inside the main chamber was a black stone statue of the goddess Uma with her ten arms. From the site there were wonderful views of the Cai river. We had a local beer for US$1 each. We then decided to visit the Long Son Pagoda on the other side of town. This site contains a huge, white seated Buddha, reached by climbing 152 steps. Very impressive. We then headed back to town by taxi and we strolled along the promenade alongside the beach.

    Nha Trang had exceeded all our expectations. The scenery was beautiful, the beach splendid and the promenade and gardens were attractive and well kept and the people were very friendly.    Leia mais

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    Phu My and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    13 de março de 2014, Vietnã ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    29C and clear skies. The ship docked in Phu My but we had arranged a ship's excursion to Ho Chi Minh City, but the locals still refer to it as Saigon. The coach journey was one and a half to two hours. The traffic was manic. There were no rules on the road and there was certainly no stopping at junctions or roundabouts. On arrival in Saigon, we were taken to a water puppet show, which was actually quite interesting and then we visited the city museum, which reflects the history of the country from prehistoric times throughout he various dynasties which ruled the country. Our guide referred to the Vietnam war frequently, although the Vietnamese refer to it as the war against America. The war still plays on their psyche. We visited a lacquer factory. The prices of the goods were pretty expensive but of high quality. We were shown the site of the previous American Embassy and the iconic CIA building and then the Rex Hotel, where the world's press had their headquarters during the war. We passed the Opera House and then stopped at the Majestic Hotel for lunch, an impressive building. We had a buffet Vietnamese lunch and were entertained by musicians playing traditional music, which was very enjoyable. We then drove along the Saigon river and stopped at a Tao temple before heading back to the ship, tired but very happy.Leia mais

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    Laem Chabang and Bangkok, Thailand

    15 de março de 2014, Tailândia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    The ship arrived in Laem Chabang, basically a large container port, but we had booked a coach tour to Bangkok and by 8am we were sitting on the coach about to depart. The weather was already hot and humid, about 32C. The journey to Bangkok would take about two hours. We were to visit two main sites, the Golden Buddha Temple and the Grand Palace. The temple contained a Buddha, not surprisingly, made out of gold and stands fifteen feet high. The temple itself was stunning, mainly white and gold. We had to take off our shoes to see the Buddha itself. Our first sight of the Grand Palace took our breath away. It looked like a fairy tale come to life or something from the 'King and I', only more so. Many of the buildings are painted with gold dust, covered in mosaics and coloured glass or covered in painted pottery. We had a guide, who was excellent in explaining the significance of what we were viewing. We stopped to see the Emerald Buddha, actually made of jade. It was difficult to decide what to photograph as there was so much of interest. We stopped for lunch at the Bangkok Hotel 'G', a modern and stylish hotel with a very nice restaurant. It was a Thai buffet lunch with a good choice of Thai and European food. On our way back to the ship we stopped at a jewellery factory and bought one or two small items. All round it was a wonderful day.Leia mais

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    Singapore

    18 de março de 2014, Cingapura ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    We arrived at 7.30am. The weather was already hot and humid at 28C and destined to rise to 31C. We intended to tour the city independently and four of us headed immediately to Raffles Hotel. We were not allowed to enter the reception area but a very stylishly dressed doorman directed us to the public areas. What struck me was the way the tropical trees and plants had been allowed to flourish in all the courtyards and open spaces, which gave the appearance of a hotel surrounded by forest. We spent some time wandering around and just enjoying the peace. We then walked to 'Little India', where the streets were narrow and the houses brightly painted. We then took the metro to Orchard Road, the preeminent shopping area, where the road and pavements were bordered by more tropical plants and greenery. Very pleasant.We took the metro again, this time to the harbour to view the hotel, on the roof of which was constructed a very long boat. We then strolled back to the ship for afternoon tea and air conditioning! There is so much to see in Singapore but we did not have enough time.Leia mais

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    Port Kelang and Kuala Lumpur

    19 de março de 2014, Malásia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    It was 26C at 6.30hrs and was forecast to rise to 32C. We were on a coach at 8.30hrs for the one and a half hour journey to Kuala Lumpur. Our first stop was at the city museum, which reflected all of Malaysian history, including the colonial period, which particularly interested me. We then stopped at the UNESCO site of the old railway station, built by a Brit and then the city mosque, also built by a Brit. We passed Independence Square, where, in 1957 Malaysia became independent and then arrived at KL tower for a panoramic view of the city. From the top we had a magnificent view, including that of the Petronas twin towers. We then headed off to the Central Market, a centre for Malaysian handicrafts. The products on sale were actually good quality and fairly priced.Leia mais

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