I am back in Shanghai after a great honeymoon. When I checked my weblog last night I found that it did not load. But loading it using a proxy was no problem. Ergo, my blog is blocked in China, although I can still upload. Welcome home!

Then I tried to use Skype. My wife told me that she could not log in, but my Skype seemed to work fine (I had not logged off from the Skype application in days, only hibernating my computer). I called our home number with SkypeOut to see if it worked, and the phone rang. But when I logged off and tried to log on again I could not start Skype anymore. I hope it is just a temporary glitch. I read the reports that SkypeOut would be blocked in China, but not that the whole application would not work anymore. This really angers me. I use Skype intensively, both privately and for my work. If it suddenly does not work anymore I have a serious problem.

On Sunday we went to visit some friends (Josie and Mark) who are living in Discovery Bay. Although I have been to Hong Kong many times I had never been there, and it was an interesting experience.

Discovery Bay is a luxurious community on Lantau Island (not far from Disneyland – you can watch the fireworks every night!). Cars are not allowed in Discovery Bay, and you can only get there by ferry (25 minutes from Central) or by bus from other parts of Lantau Island. DB consists of many low- and highrises around the coastline and the beaches, with a central area with restaurants, shops and the ferry terminal. It looks a bit like a resort, but one where people live full-time, and is a huge contrast to the crowded city. Because there is a ferry several times per hour (after midnight less regular) it is a good alternative to living in the city.

DB has its own club with swimming pools, tennis etc., and there is a marina with some very nice yachts. Residents get around in golf carts (that apparently sell for around EUR 60,000 (!) because they are limited and need a license) or by walking or biking. You can literally start hiking in the mountains from your back door. I had a one hour run in and around the community and was impressed. There is still a small fishing village next, and from there the hiking trails start. Within a few minutes you are in the middle of nature! After my run I had a short swim in the sea to cool off. I loved it.

During the afternoon we took a small ferry from DB to Peng Chau where we had a one hour hike to the top of Finger Hill. The view from there over the surrounding islands (and Disneyland) is great. Peng Chau is still very laid back, and still is a bit like Hong Kong 50 years ago. Also here no cars, but that probably also had to do with the fact that there are no real roads, but only foot and bike paths.

Just before 7 PM we took ferry back to Central, and half an hour later we were shopping again in downtown HK. Should I ever decide to move to HK, then I will certainly consider living in Discovery Bay.

The last leg of our honeymoon brought us to Hong Kong. One thing we wanted to do there is check out the new Disneyland (opened on Sept. 12). After reading several negative reports in the newspapers (overcrowded, long waits, bad behaviour of ‘mainlanders’) I was prepared for the worst. However, we had a fantastic day, and I would recommend everybody to visit. Although Disneyland in Hong Kong is much smaller than Disneyworld in Orlando (the only other Disney park I have been to), it is big enough to spend a whole day there. We went there on Friday, Sept. 30, just before the weekend and the start of the national holiday in China. Because of the expected crowds we were there just before 10 AM, which was the opening time. Buying the tickets went very efficient, we had to wait less than 5 minutes. The price (HKD 295, about EUR 30) was quite reasonable in my opinion. We started by taking the train to Adventureland, in the northern part of the park. It is only a few minutes ride, as the park is much smaller than I expected. When we arrived we first watched a Mickey Mouse as a music conductor 3D show. We could walk in without waiting, which was nice, especially because I still remember the long lines from past visits to Disneyworld. The show was really good, and the 3D effects amazing. The show also used smell effects and you get a bit wet on occasions when water is sprayed on visitors. I recommend this attraction to experience what is possible in animation.

After this we went to Tomorrowland for a ride in Space Mountain. Also here the wait was very reasonable (about 15 minutes). In case you find that too long you can use the FastPass service. For this you insert your ticket in a machine that issues you a coupon with a time on it. When you return at that time you can immediately enter the attraction. This system was used for several attractions, but because there were not many people in the park we did not use it. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was so quiet. Probably we had chosen a good day? Space mountain was great, and similar to the ride in Orlando. It is basically a roller coaster ride in the dark (in space, surrounded by stars) with great music and light effects.

We went to almost every attraction in the park, and did not have to wait anywhere more than 15 minutes. The highlight was the Disney Parade at 4 PM, a perfectly orchestrated parade from Tomorrowland through Main Street USA to the railway stations. This was the only time during the day that we saw some crowds. What surprised me was that there was no real waiting time in the restaurants either (articles in newspapers had warned about long queues there). The weather was also great, sunny and about 30 degrees, and all of this contributed to a great day out. A magical day, as Disney calls it.

Getting to and from Disneyland is very easy. It is located on Lantau Island and accesible by metro. By MTR you can be in the park 30 minutes after leaving Central. Soon there will also be a ferry service to the park. Tickets can be bought online, in some MTR stations and at the entrance of the park. We did not check out the two Disney resort hotels, but from the outside they looked great. Once there is a direct ferry to HK Island they may even be a good substitute for a hotel in the city center.

The last day of our stay on Boracay I decided to go sailing with Charlie one more time. We met up right after lunch, but made a small mistake with the tides. The low tide was quickly coming in and we had to hurry to get the boat off the beach and get out of the laguna. It turned out we really were too late and had to get the help of some local fishermen to get the boat into deeper water. About 10 minutes later we came to the reef, but here we really faced a problem. Some parts of the coral almost came out of the water and the waves had white foam on top of them showing that the water was extremely shallow.

Charlie knew a place where the reef was a bit deeper, but we could not reach it anymore due to the low tide. But going back wasn’t an option either, we had to continue. So both of us jumped off the boat, but not before attaching ourselves to the boat with ropes (you don’t want to be stuck on a reef with the boat sailing away on its own). We then climbed over the reef, trying to push the boat over it. Luckily the boat was only about 50 cm deep (it is a trimaran), otherwise this would have been impossible. It was very difficult, the coral was very sharp and we got some cuts from it. Due to the surf it was difficult to see where the coral exactly was, and the height difference between the coral and the sand below was up to about 1.50 meter. When we almost were through I managed to step into a sea urchin. Luckily I wore slippers that protected me from most of the needles, but some ended up in my heel. Quite painful. Sometimes you hear stories of people getting very sick because of these needles, but I was lucky. Except for some pain and some difficulty walking later I was fine.

Not longer after this we were through the reef and had a nice afternoon of sailing. We went far our into the sea, and had some pretty big waves (2-3 meters). Charlie let me sail most of the time, and I was impressed how well the boat handled the waves. We ended the afternoon with a beer on a remote beach. Just before sunset we sailed back and arrived back at the beach in total darkness. A great afternoon, but next time I will make sure the tide is high enough to get over the reef!

On Boracay I met a Dutch guy, Roland, who had quit his job in Holland a couple of months ago looking for more adventure than he had in his job selling roof tiles. So he used his savings to build a glass bottom boat in the Philippines and started a business on Boracay to show tourists the beautiful underwater world around the island. He designed the boat himself, and he did a good job. The boat had room for about 30 people and all of them have a great view of the corals and fishes. His boat was delivered 2 months ago, but he could only start his business 2 weeks ago, due to the slow bureaucratic process of getting the necessary permits. Business was not that good yet, mainly because nobody knew about the boat. I heard about it from Charlie, but when I asked at the tourist center they had no idea what it was or where and when it would leave. Roland told me he distributed plastified flyers all over the island, and gives a pretty good commission to resellers, but for some reasons tourist are not yet coming. I told him to try to get in touch with the South Korean tour groups, they have money and like to be entertained. He said that he tried but that it was very difficult. I told him that increasing prices for these groups and giving a higher commission to the Korean organizers might do wonders. The high season has not started yet, and I think his business could take off quickly once people know about it.

The most interesting person I met on Boracay so far is Charlie. I met him on our second day early in the morning at the beach. Charlie is about 60 years old, originally from Germany, and living full-time on Boracay. He lost his job in Germany 9 years ago, and because he could not find a new job he decided to move to Boracay. He bought himself a wooden (sail) trimaran, and now lives by sailing tourists around the island. Although Charlie is German, he looks more like a local. Spending every day on a sailing boat made his tan darker than the average Philippino, and his hair has been bleached by the sun.

I spend a day sailing with Charlie early during our honeymoon. His boat is one of the fastest on Boracay, and he even won a regatta around the island. I did not realize how famous he is locally, when a few days later when I was hiking with him on a nearby island, we met a farmer in the middle of the jungle who knew him and his boat. The name of his boat is “Sugar Brown Reggae”. Charlie told me that the name describes his whole life: he likes everything very sweet, loves brown women and reggea is his music. Charlie has a young daughter, Caroline, who always goes with him on all his trips. She is only 5 years old (almost 6), and she is very skilled running around and climbing in the jungle.

I like to meet people like Charlie and talking with them about their life philosophy. In a way I admire the decisions he made in his life. Most people would have probably stayed in Germany, and live off social benefits. But he decided to start all over again, and do what he likes to do. He is in a very good shape and looks much younger than his real age (I guess he is about 60 as he also has kids in Germany that are in their mid-30’s). He may not earn much, but it is enough to pay for a small house on the beach, a boat and enough to eat and drink (lots of) beer. He seems to enjoy life a lot more than many other people I know.

In case you should ever go to Boracay and are looking for a good sailing or jungle guide, go to the Paradise Bay Hotel and ask for Charlie. Another way to reach him is by going to the Red Pirates bar (on the south end of White Beach), where he normally has a beer after 8 PM. He does not have telephone. And don’t forget to send him my best regards!

Sitting on the beach in Boracay now, looking at sailboats passing by and tourists arriving by wooden trimaran ‘ferries’. A nice breeze, and very comforable temperatures (around 30 degrees). The first days here the weather was a bit mixed, sunshine mixed with an occasional rainshower, and also some heavy winds. But now the weather has become very nice, with clear blue skies.

Boracay is a small island. I rented a mountainbike and drove from north to south in just over an hour (most of it was either up or downhill). From east to west takes only a few minutes, at some points the island it only a few hundred meters wide. Although the island has no airport there is quite some tourism here. The quickest way to get here is by plane from Manila to Caticlan, then by tricycle to the harbour, and then on one of the many local wooden trimarans to Boracay. Because there is no pier you will have to wade through the surf (or ask a porter to carry you). An interesting way to arrive here.

The main attraction is the White Beach, a stretch of 4 km of fine, white sand dotted with palm trees. The northern and southern parts are the least developed, but the middle is very touristic. Well, compared to the rest of the Philippines that is. Compared to many places in Thailand it is still quite OK. Most resorts are very small and give you a very personal feeling. Qi and I are staying at the Boracay Regency, one of the bigger places (but still not that big), directly on the White Beach. We first stayed at Paradise Bay, but found its location on the other side of the island not that convenient, so we decided to change hotels. I looked at many of them, and found Boracay Regency to be one of the very best. Big modern rooms with large balconies (and both sea- and poolview in our case). And they even have free wifi on the beach!

Most tourists on Boracay are either expats from Manila or Hong Kong, or they are South Koreans. Probably half the guests in our hotel are from South Korea! Most are here only for 4 days, and these days are fully filed with activities. This morning I went running on the beach at 6:30 AM, and all Koreans were already having breakfast in order to be on time for their first activity. No clue what they do all day, but I have not seen them at the pool or beach yet, which makes those places nice and quiet.

The first stop on our honeymoon was Manila. It was our first time here, and we decided to go for a classical hotel. We decided on the Manila Hotel. This hotel, founded in 1912, used to be one of the top hotels in Asia, and it is still quite impressive. But the service… We arrived around 10 PM due to a several hour flight delay and quickly checked in. We walked to our room, but were surprised that the key did not open the door. Then the bell boy arrived with our luggage and he also gave it a try. No luck either. At that moment the door is opened from the inside and a half-naked man is asking us what we are trying to do. The hotel assigned us an occupied room!

Then they wanted to give us room 1413, but Qi did not like the number very much for the first night of our honeymoon (for the same reason that many Chinese buildings do not have a 13th and 14th floor). So then we got room 1425. After we unpacked everything we find out that the safe is not working and the airconditioning temperature cannot be controlled. So a worker comes up to work on this, but cannot fix it. The result: the manager comes up with the message ‘you get another room sir!’ Because we had just unpacked everything and it was now 11 PM we were not very happy with this, and I told him so. He then made some phonecalls and upgraded us to a suite. That was very nice. At least here everything worked.

So then we ordered some room service. A ceasar salad for me and tuna bruschetta for Qi. When it finally arrives we find out that the tuna bruschetta is a tuna steak. This is strange, as the bill says tuna bruschetta and the menu does not have a tuna steak on it. The waiter comes back to the room and tells us he has no clue what a bruschetta is, and it is not ordered often so maybe the kitchen does not know it either. Sounds like China!

But the best thing was the internet connection: after arriving I called housekeeping for a cable (there was no wifi). A few minutes later I get a call that I have to wait until 6 AM because there is noone who can plug in the cable. I tell her that I can plug it in myself, and don’t need help. But no, I have to wait until the next morning. OK, I am tired anyway, so forget it. Next morning 10:30 I call housekeeping again. Shortly after a worker arrives. He starts unplugging the telephone cable and gives that to me. I tell him that I was more looking for a broadband cable. Well, he has no clue what that is and talks to the IT manager over the phone. He then hands me the phone and I talk to the IT manager myself. He tells me someone will install the cable. So I wait 30 minutes, still noone. I call housekeeping again, and they promise to call back right away. After 15 min. still no call, so I decide to go out. In the lobby I tell the story to the assistant manager, who promises me that when I come back broadband will be available. Well, coming back at 14:00, but still no broadband. Another call to housekeeping, but that does not help. So I go down to the lobby again, and this time the manager himself goes with me to oversee that I will receive a cable. Indeed 10 minutes later someone arrives with a 20 meter long cable. I wonder why, but find that out quickly: there is no broadband plug in our room, and he has to plug it into the wall in the corridor. So now the Manila Hotel has a broadban line accross the hallway, under my door, to my laptop. At least it works.

Except for these service problems the Manila Hotel is a very nice hotel, although a bit old or old-fashioned. Our wing was built in 1977 and had not been renovated since. But it has a nice feeling to it. And the location is great. From our room we looked directly at Manila Harbour and on the other side of the hotel was the old city Intramuros. A good place for first-time Manila goers, and a good place to start our honeymoon.