Lam Pin Foo

The shorter edited version of this article was published in Singapore’s English language newspaper, The Straits Times, in September 2006. I now share with my viewers the longer original version of it under the above caption. It is dedicated to our good friends, Thomas and Margaret Yeo, for inspiring my wife and I to discover this delightful and tranquil town and through us to many others.

When I told my good friend Thomas Yeo, a leading Singapore artist who and his wife Margaret are avid travellers in Asia and beyond, that my wife and I were looking for a new and less touristy destination in this region for our next travel. he spontaneously suggested Luang Prabang, knowing our preference for places that are rich in history, culture and scenic charm. I must confess that I had no idea where it was and is it in Northern Thailand or a border town in Cambodia? If this same question was posed to most other Singaporeans you are likely to draw a blank from them too. Thomas then told me that he and Margaret had been so smitten by this old royal capital of Laos that they had been going there almost annually for many years now and were still not jaded with it. As they are more adventurous travellers than my wife and I are, they would spend about one week to ten days there and discovering its manifold splendour and its unchanging countryside and villages on bicycles and truly got to know their natural beauty, tranquility, traditions and un-demanding way of life. Inspired and fascinated by the Yeos’ love affair with this historic and alluring town, we decided to go to Luang Prabang and its surrounding villages to experience their charms for ourselves. Our artist friend was absolutely right and we were completely captivated by this gem of a place which is still largely unknown to most mainstream Asian tourists.

When I mentioned to my regular traveling companions that we were planning to go to Luang Prabang, they too had no idea where it was but decided to join us as they shared our preferences and judgment. So the party of eight of us, all senior in age, arrived there via Bangkok looking forward to the adventure ahead of us for the next four days. For creature comforts and its convenient location, we chose to stay at the Maison Souvannaphorma Hotel, a boutique inn operated by Singapore’s Angsana Hotel Group, the junior arm of the internationally renowned Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts Group. Its main building is of pre-World War Two vintage. It was the former residence of Prince Suvanna Phorma, who was the Prime Minister of Laos before his government was overthrown by the communist regime of Pathet Laos in 1975 and the prince and his family were put under house arrest together with the king who was forced to renounce his throne. The Prince’s original suite of rooms were offered to our group and we all gladly agreed that Dr Chee and his wife, the oldest among us, should be lodged there to savour the royal ambiance that it offers. The rest of us were accommodated in the new wing at the rear of the original residence. The hotel has an elegant dinning room, with a small swimming pool fronting it and the guests could choose to take their meals in the air-conditioned dinning room or at the open air tables by the side of the swimming pool area, which afford guests a good view of the scenic beauty of this town. The hotel serves very tasty meals, including a couple of Singaporean dishes reflecting its Singapore connection.

Laos has had  a turbulent recent history. It was, unfortunately, being dragged into the bloody Vietnam War as parts of its territory bordering North Vietnam was under the control of  Vietnamese armed forces who used it as a foreign base for  its war needs and as a shelter from the pursuing American and South Vietnamese forces. Consequently, it suffered massive American aerial bombing of its landmass from 1964 to 1973. On a per capital count, it was the most heavily bombarded nation in the world since World War II as more than 260 million bombs landed there. Millions of the unexploded bombs are still scattered over a vast area there. It is a  grisly reminder of the horrors of warfare and man’s inhumanity inflicted on his fellow men.

Immediately after the conclusion of the Vietnam War, another national calamity befell the hapless Laotian people. This country was taken over by the communist Pathert Laos regime who overthrew the ruling royal Laotian government  headed by Prince  Suvanna Phorma, and the Laotian king was forced to abdicate his throne. The King and  Prince were placed under house arrest and the former subsequently died in captivity.

Luang Prabang was the former royal capital of Laos. A World Heritage Site since 1995, this tiny ancient town of about 50,000 residents has many well-preserved  old Buddhist temples and stupas, a royal palace now a museum, numerous French colonial buildings and hundreds of atmospheric old shop houses and residences of eclectic architectural styles. Well endowed with scenic mountain ranges, and strategically located at the junction of the mighty Mekong River, the life blood of this country, and Nam Khan River, Luang Prebang is undoubtedly the most fascinating boutique town in Southeast Asia awaiting a discerning tourist’s discovery and exploration. I can well understand why the well-travelled and adventurous Thomas and Margaret Yeo never get tired of going there year after year and still finds much pleasure in doing so. As an added bonus, I guess this tiny town and its surrounding unspoiled countryside must have given him the much needed inspiration for some of his creative landscape paintings which are well liked by art collectors.

Before 1995 very few tourists ventured to Luang Prabang. It now attracts a steady stream of them, mainly from the West, and the number will increase exponentially as the fame of its allure is spreading. Most of its famous sights and monuments are conveniently concentrated within the old town, and these are best savoured leisurely on foot or by bicycle. It takes only 30 minutes to stroll from one end to the other.

Right smack in the centre of town is Phou Si Hill (the Holy Hill), which has 330 winding steps leading to its 105 m summit. It is topped by an old Buddhist stupa that is visible from most parts of town. After huffing and puffing, we reached the peak, and our efforts were amply rewarded by a breathtaking view of this pristine town, the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers and the surrounding countryside. It is the favourite place to watch the beautiful Luang Prabang sunset. One has to jostle for a good spot in competition with other visitors. Adjacent to  Mount Phou Si is the Royal Palace Museum. Completed in 1909 in French and Laotian architectural styles, we enjoyed viewing the splendid royal art collection, the ornate throne and state rooms and the  tastefully furnished royal living quarters. I was most impressed by the brilliantly carved mosaic murals adorning the walls and ceilings of the palace. They depict the traditional life of Laos and these were the works of the best Laotian craftsmen of  the early 20th century.

The view from Phou Si Hill (Photo credit: Thomas Drissner, Wikimedia Commons)

We also visited several of the town’s leading temples. Three of them, each with differing architectural styles and characteristics, are outstanding and worthy of highlighting. Wat Xieng Thong (built 1560) is the most majestic of them all. It is richly decorated with exquisitely carved glass mosaics and gold-stencilled wood columns. It has survived the vicissitudes of time to glorify Buddhism. Wat Mai (18th century), a rare jewel among the temples there, has a unique five-tiered roof and is renowned for its bas-relief works with religious themes. Formerly an exclusive royal temple, it is now open to all devotees and is the most popular temple in Luang Prabang. Wat Wisunalat has had a chequered history. Its original 16th century main chapel was destroyed in warfare, but was rebuilt in 1898. This temple now houses a large collection of 16th and 17th centuries images of Lord Buddha. Miraculously, an ancient melon-shaped stupa still stands on its grounds as a reminder of its turbulent and glorious past.

The gorgeous That Chomsi (Photo credit: Ondřej Žváček, Wikimedia Commons)

One highlight was our two-hour boat trip down the Mekong River to view the Pak Ou Buddha caves, about 25 km from town. This famous and fabled river, with its muddy-coloured water, is the twelfth longest in the world and is shared by several other countries including China’s Yunnan Province, Fortunately, we visited these caves in perfect weather, otherwise the path leading to them would have been slippery and therefore dangerous. Inside the cavernous caves were numerous antique wood Buddha images of different periods, deposited there for safekeeping by the Laotian kings and devotees in times of strife.

On our last day, we got up at 5am in order to witness the daily alms-giving by devotees to monks from various temples at different parts of town. We followed one group of orange-robed monks in semi-darkness to watch devotees putting a handful of rice from a container into each monk’s begging bowl as they passed them. Tradition dictates that female devotees must perform this ritual kneeling as a gesture of respect as they must not tower over the monks, even though many of whom are teenage novices. The alms-giving is usually completed by 6 am and the monks would then return to their respective temples to eat their only meal of the day. Food is forbidden after noon until the next day.

A typical market scene (Photo credit: Zaphod Beeblebrox, Wikimedia Commons)

Most of the 160 French colonial buildings and houses have been converted into boutique hotels, guest houses, restaurants, government offices or diplomatic residences. One of these elegant houses is now the official residence of the provincial governor. It is very interesting and revealing to view the original interiors of these old colonial buildings whose ornate and attractive ornamental wooden and concrete decorations contrasted very starkly with the very modest but comfortable and spotlessly clean dwellings of the majority of the residents there.

Buddhism is deeply rooted in Laos and largely influences the Laotian way of life and their relationships with one another. This is reflected in their natural warmth, gentleness, hospitality and  spontaneous smiles shown to visitors. These qualities, coupled with their contented and laid back lifestyle, contrast starkly with the more materialistic and stressful city life elsewhere. So peaceful and safe is Luang Prabang that women folks can walk or cycle alone even late at night in deserted back lanes or unlighted paths without fear of being molested. Can you imagine this happening in many big cities around the rest of the more affluent societies? This is because the crime rate is extremely low there, and hence  the chances of any tourist being mugged or hurt at anytime are quite remote. On top of these, the local people always made us feel warmly at home as honoured guests in their midst.

For the more history and culture-oriented Singaporeans and other tourists who are jaded with the more popular destinations on the mainstream tourism, a trip to this delightful town will be a rewarding and stimulating experience. The best times to go are between the dry and cooler months of November and February. Bangkok Airways has a direct daily flight there from Bangkok to Luang Prabang.

Five things to do:

• Few tour operators offer package tours to Luang Prabang. It’s easy to tour the place independently. There are expensive and budget hotels to suit all pockets. Have a good guide-book and you can cover the major sights by yourself. Tuk-tuks (like trishaws) are everywhere for those who prefer taking them to walking or bicycling.
• Take a boat trip to Pak Ou Buddha caves and Whisky Village (do sample this native potent drink) to enhance your holiday. For nature lovers, Kuang Si waterfall, 32 km from town, is a perfect place for a refreshing picnic. Local travel operators can arrange these.
• With a bicycle, you can conveniently traverse the nearby tranquil villages and observe the natives’ lifestyle closely. Or you can take a short boat trip across the Mekong and visit a number of the less frequented, but significant, old temples like Wat Long Khun and Wat Tham Xieng Maen. They are still in a good state of preservation and give one a spiritual and serene feel.
• Surprisingly, tiny Luang Prabang boasts of many excellent restaurants, especially for Laotian, Thai and French cuisines, at  very reasonable costs. Some serve a combination of these foods. These restaurants are well-known there and easy to find. Our group had a delightful French dinner with wine at a restaurant owned by a resident French owner, who had sunk his roots there, at less than half the cost in a good French restaurant in Singapore, Hong Kong or Bangkok.
• Night life is confined mainly to wine bars, pubs, karaoke lounges and jazz clubs, which stay open till late and won’t cost a bomb. Shopping at the nightly open air night market is a must-do for all tourists. With numerous vendors selling their goods by the roadside, it offers a vibrant and convivial shopping experience. Good buys include textiles, handicrafts, souvenirs and handmade tribal products. Do bargain for fairer prices, but with good humour. High quality silk, textile, gold or silver articles are available only in better quality shops in town or at expensive hotels.

… as well as two don’ts:

• Avoid eating street food at all cost, as it tends to be unhygienic. Eat and drink only at places which practise acceptable standards of cleanliness and food management. Do bring along a medical kit, including mosquito repellent, as a prudent precaution in a country where the public health standard is inadequate.
• Never lose your temper if the service staff in some restaurants, shops or other establishments do not meet your expectations. If you are curt or aggressive, you will forfeit their respect for you as a guest in their country. Accept that their ways may differ from yours and all will be fine and you will have a good and refreshing holiday in this land of gracious, warm-hearted and welcoming people.

Lam Pin Foo

The Republic of Ireland (Ireland) is undoubtedly much less visited by Asian tourists, including Singaporeans, compared with the popularity of England and Scotland. This is partly because it has been under publicised as a tourist destination by the Irish tourism bodies and also because many potential tourists are not aware of its varied scenic beauty and other inherent attractions besides being an ancient civilisation with disparate historic monuments and landmarks. As I have always been fascinated by history in my entire adult life, I am naturally greatly interested in Ireland’s tortuous history, its centuries-old ceaseless struggle to free itself from the oppressive colonial domination of the English rule and the tremendous hardships it had to endure over a long-span of time before finally achieving its full independence after the Second World War.

My wife and I had been wanting to make a trip to Ireland for sometime now, but had postponed going there for one reason or another. However, an opportunity arose during our last trip to England some time ago, and we landed in the Irish capital of Dublin on transit from London. From the airport, we rented a car and in less than 30 minutes we were at our hotel, near Trinity College, in the heart of the city.We had one week to explore this country and to savour its ancient monuments, medieval abbeys, castles, quaint villages and its lusciously green landscape interspersed with meandering rivers and rugged sea coasts. Ireland is most aptly and deservedly called “The Emerald Isle”.

The Irish are of the ancient Celtic race and their ancestral language is Gaelic. The country was colonised by the English from the 12th Century onwards. After a continuous struggle to free themselves from the tyrannical English rule, at the cost of much suffering and loss of lives, they finally achieved its independence after World War II. However, for political and religious reasons, Northern Ireland, which constitutes only one-sixth of Ireland, opted to remain as an integral part of Great Britain for their own future well-being. To this day, the Irish people have still not forgiven General Oliver Cromwell, the ruthless English Republican period dictator in the 17th century, for the cruelties he inflicted on his Irish subjects.

Converted to Roman Catholicism by St Patrick in 431 AD, Ireland is a predominantly Catholic country and 88% of its population have embraced this faith staunchly. Historically, prior to regaining its independence, it had close to 20,000 of its men and women in holy Catholic orders. It was then very common and considered a blessing for families to have sons or daughters who were nuns or priests as a very worthy calling. Many served as life long missionaries both within and outside of the country, particularly in the various colonies and dominions of the then extensive British Empire. This is no longer the case from the 1980s onwards as Ireland became more affluent and materialistic after joining the European Community (EU) and began to prosper over the ensuing years.

Due to historical reasons, English has, long ago, replaced the native Gaelic Language as the common language of the people, as only a very tiny percentage of the population, largely older folks in the rural areas, now still speak it as their own mother tongue. On the other hand, in the Capital itself if an Irishman or woman were to attempt to converse in Gaelic to a shopkeeper or pub tender, the other party would most likely be astonished and wondering what their compatriot was trying to prove or accomplish! Be that as it may, there is now a nascent movement for Gaelic revival as more younger Irish people are becoming more conscious of the need to be more familiar with their own traditions and cultural heritage with the emergence of nationalism and pride in their own native identity.

Ireland has had a long history of migration to the United States and the other English-speaking countries because of abject poverty and widespread famine there following the disastrous failure of the potato production, which was the staple food for the vast majority of its populace, in the 1830s to 1840s. These migrants, perforce, had to leave Ireland in order to seek a better life in America. They were pitilessly exploited, despised by the largely Protestant Anglo-Saxon elite class and were employed mainly to undertake hazardous or menial jobs for a pittance which others would avoid at all cost. However, the Irish economic fortunes started to improve significantly after it joined the then European Common Market in 1973 and its economy began to expand steadily as foreign investments poured in and, over time, the national economy was being transformed from the traditional mainly agricultural one to that of a high-tech and knowledge-based economy. However, its booming economy ended abruptly with the onset of the World financial crisis in 2008 when the economic bubbles finally burst due to this severe impact and the country’s own poor management of its fiscal policies and banking practices. The EU jointly with the International Monetary Fund had to offer it financial aids but the country is still not fully out of its economic woes even today. Nonetheless, Ireland now has a standard of living and per capital GDP which compares favourably with the most affluent European nations. The rapid growth of the Irish economy of the past decades has been likened to the rise of the Asian “Tiger Economies” of South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore over the corresponding period.

The Irish friendliness, hospitality and gregariousness is legendary: if a tourist asks for directions, chances are he will be personally escorted to the destination itself. In pubs, foreigners are often offered drinks spontaneously on the implied understanding that one would return the favour. The Irish gaiety and capacity for enjoying life to the full is quite self-evident and almost everyone, both young and old and man and woman, enjoys drinking a pint or more of the Guinness brew, the unofficial national beverage, on a night out at one of their favourite pubs. Consequently drunkenness in public places is quite commonplace and will not raise an eye brow and street fighting due to excessive drinking frequently happens too.

River Liffey, Dublin (Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Greater Dublin (population about 1.8 million out of the nation’s total population of about 4.5 million) is an elegant city with a good dose of Georgian architecture and handsome old public buildings. It is refreshingly free of the ubiquitous highrises which have become a familiar sight in many cities elsewhere. I was fascinated by its historic houses and cobbled streets which are evocative of a more gracious bygone era. The city is best covered on foot. Most of the historic places of interest are conveniently located within a comfortable walking distance from the River Liffey, which dissects both sides of the city centre. Trinity College, founded by the English Crown in 1591, was intended to be the Oxbridge of Ireland and its premier university. Many tourists would patiently stand in line in order to view the important Book of Kells, an 8th or 9th Century version of the New Testament, written on parchment. For a quick insight into the nation’s history, our visit to the National Museum was both informative and instructive. Our next stop was Merrion Square, home of many of Ireland’s most illustrious sons including some of its most distinguished writers and playwrights such as W.B.Yeats, James Joyce and Samuel Beckett. The Irish creative genius was fittingly recognised by the award of the Nobel Price to Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Beckett. The 13th Century Dublin Castle was the seat of the British colonial government until 1922 when the country achieved partial independence. Its state apartments now serve as the guest house for visiting foreign heads of state. It is open to the public with interesting and informative guided tours. One cannot leave Dublin without taking a stroll in the historic St. Stephens’ Green, the lung of the city with its spacious park and lake. It is the starting point for many public celebrations, including the famous St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The chief delight and quintessence of Ireland is the extraordinary beauty of its varied countryside. However, due to our time constraint, we decided to see only the South-East coast and the inland counties of Killarney, Limerick, Tipperary, Kilkenny and Kildare. Our first stop was Ferns, near New Ross, where we visited the 12th Century Augustinian Abbey, reputed to be the smallest cathedral in Europe. It is so tiny that it can seat less than 100 people. Nearby, in the village of Dunganstown, was the birth place of the great-grandfather of the late US president, John F Kennedy. There is a memorial park in his honour and it is much visited by American tourists.

The city of Waterford’s main draw is its hand-made crystal ware which is renowned the world over and can be purchased from the factory showroom or in the shops there. It is also exported to many parts of the world including Singapore and other Asian countries.

For the fanciers of fine food, the seaside town of Kinsale, with its dozens of Continental and Irish eateries, will delight their palates. They are reckoned to be among the best in the country.

From Kinsale, it was on to Killarney where the top attraction is the Ring of Kerry, a 180 km long spectacularly scenic drive, which is not for the inexperienced or fainted-hearted drivers. The road is winding and extremely narrow in parts, but the breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean, the serenity of the lakes below and the ever-changing moods of the distant mountains made it a highlight of our holiday in Ireland.

The inland counties of Limerick, Tipperary and Kilkenny provide a marked contrast to the rugged charm of the Kerry coast and is extremely rich in Irish historical heritage. One of the most celebrated landmarks in Limerick is the 15th Century Bunratty Castle, which has been skilfully renovated with much of its original contents and ancient flavour well preserved.

Rock of Cashel, Tipperary (Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)

One of the holies of holy is the Rock of Cashel in Tipperary. Upon this 200-foot high limestone rock, the Irish kings from the 4th to 12th Centuries had built their palaces and held court there. Partially intact, its most precious relics include the St.Patrick’s Cross, named after Ireland’s patron saint who preached there, and these are located within the roofless cathedral with its intricate stone carvings and the 12th Century Round Tower to remind the visitors of its original splendour.

We had deliberately reserved the medieval city of Kilkenny closer to the end of our Irish adventure in order to have more time to soak up its antiquity and history. Walking in the old part of town was like going back several hundred years in time. The 14th Century Kilkenny Castle, one of the most magnificent in Ireland, dominates the city skyline.

Our last stop was in county Kildare. Apart from seeing the ruins of several early monasteries in the village of Castledermat, we also visited the National Stud at Tully where the Irish thoroughbreds, well-known for their racing abilities, are raised and exported to many countries.

Driving in Ireland was quite pleasurable as its main trunk roads with a reasonable speed limit are not congested. They drive on the left, and the other traffic rules are about the same as in Singapore following the British system. The roads are generally good but can be quite narrow in the country and one must also look out for designated cattle crossings. Irish drivers are not as disciplined as their British or American counterparts, but they are a shade or two more considerate than the average driver in Singapore and in most of Asia. However, as driving test is not compulsory in some towns, this is sometimes reflected in their tardy driving habits. Driving and parking in the major cities is made more difficult due to congestion and lack of adequate parking facilities. This is compounded by the one-way street system in operation there. Furthermore, foreign drivers can be easily confused or disoriented by bilingual road signs, especially in long distance travels.

The tourism attractions of Ireland are grossly under-marketed in Singapore compared with in the European countries. It can easily be combined with a tour of Britain. I am sanguine that, given effective promotion and media and word of mouth publicity, more Singaporeans will take to it like we did. For Singaporeans planning to visit this country, the best time to do so is between May and July when it is in its most luscious green, the flowers are in full bloom and the temperature is comfortable, not to mention the longer daylight hours for touring. A car is indispensable. As there are numerous sights and interesting places to be experienced and digested, these cannot be covered in a single trip. A minimum of one week’s stay will enable one to see a part of the country of one’s choice in a relaxed way and to get to know these warm and open-hearted people better.

Lam Pin Foo

If you ask most Singaporeans, Hong Kongers, Taiwanese, Mainland Chinese or other Asians to name their favourite holiday or migration destinations in North America, chances are Western Canada’s Vancouver and California’s San Francisco will be in the forefront of their preferences. Their reasons are easy to understand. Both these cities have significant Asian populations and this makes them feel more at home there, coupled with availability of various Asian foods at reasonable prices as well as a variety of other built-in attractions which generally appeal to them. It is therefore not surprising that, according to a recent authoritative international opinion survey, both Vancouver and San Francisco have been rated among the most livable cities in the world. I know San Francisco well because my wife and I go there regularly to visit one of our children and family who live in its pleasant and relatively scenic Bay Area.

With glowing recommendations from relatives and friends who had visited prosperous Vancouver (population 620,000), which is the largest city in British Columbia in West Canada, we decided to sample its delights during our last trip to California. From San Francisco, it was a comfortable two-hour direct flight. On the way to our hotel in the city centre, we passed through a very pleasant suburb called Richmond, and we could almost imagine ourselves being transported back to the Cantonese-speaking community of Hong Kong, often referred to by Westerners as the “Pearl of the Orient”.

Vancouver Skyline (Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)

The Asian presence in other suburbs in Vancouver is also prominently visible elsewhere too, due to accelerated migrations especially from Hong Kong and, more recently, from Taiwan and Mainland China itself as well as from India and ASEAN countries. The Chinese residents there now form one of the largest ethnic groups. Numerous of the city’s residential apartments and houses, shops, restaurants, supermarkets and other businesses are now Asian-owned. There is even a Buddhist temple and a couple of churches in the vicinity of Richmond catering to the Chinese-speaking devotees. In the downtown districts too, Chinese and other Asians, particularly those from the Indian Sub-Continent and Southeast Asia, are also well represented in the business community. Vancouver has, by far, the largest concentration of Asians among the Canadian cities.

The palpable affluence of an increasing number of Asian immigrants has, to be expected, brought with it some social tensions with some local people who resent their opulent lifestyle as a threat to their more simple way of life or simply out of envy, or both. They single out what they consider to be the flaunting of wealth by some Asians, especially the Chinese, who own flashy cars, live in ostentatious mansions, drive up property prices and patronise upmarket establishments in keeping with their economic status. These critics also question the commitment and loyalty of many Asian newcomers who, on attaining Canadian citizenship as a safety insurance, would immediately return to their countries of origin as expatriates to live and work there for better remuneration, using Vancouver as a second home.

While some Asians no doubt fit the above description and have forfeited the respect of their fellow Canadians, the majority of them are unreservedly committed to their adopted country and have made tremendous contributions to its well-being through the infusion of their boundless energies, professional skills, capital and entrepreneurial flair which have greatly benefitted the community in more ways than one. The British Columbia authorities are keenly aware of the beneficial impact of attracting these value-added immigrants into their society for they constitute the highly educated professional or experienced business manpower, which Asia can ill afford to lose and Canada is definitely getting them on the cheap.

Mr Jack Austin, Senator for British Columbia, once summed up the problem perceptively: “Immigration is okay when someone comes over to work as a domestic or in a laundry because the local people can feel superior. But its pretty hard to feel superior to someone in a Mercedes or BMW and live in big houses.”

The Asians are now more conscious of their political and other rights as Canadian citizens, and not a few have become prominent in both the private and public sectors. The foremost among whom is David Lam, an immigrant from Hong Kong, who became the first Asian Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, the second most important man in the province. He was a popular and successful office holder and he has helped to enhance the standing of the Asian Canadians in the eyes of their fellow white Canadians and inspired other Asian Canadians to follow in his footsteps.

Historically, the Chinese first came to British Columbia in large numbers more than a century ago as contract labourers in search of greener pastures. They were exploited and paid a mere pittance for performing hard and sometimes dangerous jobs which European workers would shun and avoid at all costs. They became an indispensable source of cheap, skilled and reliable labour, upon which many a Western fortune was built upon.

For example, the Chinese workers played a crucial role in the construction of the mammoth and hazardous Canadian Pacific Railway, which had contributed enormously towards the prosperity of the country. This is not known to many Canadians until more recent times.

Vancouver has all the necessary ingredients that a good holiday destination ought to have. It is a stunningly beautiful island with a perfect setting, surrounded by deep blue sea waters of the Pacific Ocean and sandy beaches and alluring mountain ranges which greatly enhance its scenic charm. The city is clean, relatively safe, cosmopolitan and its people are generally civil and hospitable. It was largely dominated by people of British descent until the recent decades. But large-scale migrations from all over the world have changed all that. It now boasts of one of the highest foreign-born populations of any city in the world.

Vancouver and San Francisco share many similarities. Both are compact enough so that you can cover most of the downtown areas on foot leisurely. They also offer gourmet cuisines of considerable variety and ethnicity at prices that would not burn a hole in your pockets, compared to the larger Canadian and American cities across the border. On the other hand, Vancouver strikes me as somewhat sedate and seemingly sterile and lacks the flamboyance and buzz of San Francisco. On the other hand, there is less visible poverty in Vancouver, if the relative absence of homeless people sleeping on the sidewalks and beggars is a barometer to go by. It has a lower incidence of crimes and is therefore a safer city for tourists than San Francisco.

One excellent and inexpensive way to tour the principal sights of Vancouver is to board a special tourist bus which would enable you to see some twenty attractions on your own over two days at your own pace and convenience. These include the revamped historic Gastown, which goes back to the city’s founding in 1867; Chinatown and Dr Sun Yat Sen Garden and the well laid out and sprawling Stanley Park with its varied attractions and jogging tracks. Granville Island, which is a smaller version of Singapore’s Clarke Quay, and the most delightful promenade at Canada Place, where you can view the city’s attractive skyline and the seaborne activities from different vantage points. For the more culture-oriented tourists, they should not miss going to the fabulous British Columbia Museum and Anthropology Museum, which have the best and most comprehensive collections of the native Canadian works of art in the world. At least half a day should be set aside to view and savour the extensive exhibits there.

In its outskirts, two of the must-see sights are the Grouse Mountain which offers a breathtakingly panoramic view of Vancouver and the offshore islands; and the pulsating exciting swinging Capilano Suspension Bridge, which straddles 80-meter across the river, and is definitely not for those suffering from a phobia for heights. Its Chinatown, however, pales compared with the more vibrant and booming counterparts in San Francisco and New York. With newly acquired prosperity, many of the residents there have moved to more fashionable residences and business premises elsewhere, leaving the more sentimental old folks and newcomers to tend the shops, restaurants and other business establishments there.

English Bay (Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Vancouver is a leading North American cruise centre and the gateway for luxury voyages to Alaska and other parts of the Americas. These cruises, which cater to differing tastes and income levels, have become increasingly popular with Singaporean travellers and those from other parts of the globe. Many of these cruise ships berth at the Canada Place port for their passenger arrivals and departures for the various destinations.

While my wife and I had enjoyed my four-day stay in this fair city, I found it somewhat lacking in visible significant historical and traditional landmarks which would certainly have added more stature and soften its modernity.

For those who prefer a greater dose of history and tradition, a side trip to the much smaller neighbouring island of Victoria, the capital of British Columbia and the oldest town in Western Canada, will be a rewarding one and I strongly recommend a visit there to complete one’s adventure in British Columbia. A couple of hours by a comfortable ferry boat from Vancouver, it exudes an abundance of old world charms with its many authentic and well-preserved Victorian era buildings and houses which are evocative of a more gracious bygone age. There are several miniature English theme projects to remind the Victorians of their proud British heritage. A garden city and relatively unspoiled by the relentless onslaught of tourism, there is a touch of class and elegance about the place. Even the old-fashioned hanging street lamps exhibit an air of timeless charm which help to enliven the atmosphere and its carefully nurtured graceful image, especially when seen in the evening. Victoria’s waterfront compares favourably with the best anywhere and one can easily spend hours there strolling and gazing at the sea, watch people go by or just relax and do nothing which is an acquired art not many of us busy city dwellings seem to have mastered. Victoria is the springboard for day excursion trips to its many offshore islands, much noted for game fishing, scuba diving and whale watching.

Another top attraction, which has attracted visitors from all over the world to come specially to Victoria, is the century-old Butchart Gardens. It was originally the family estate of the Butchart family and is still owned by its descendants but who no longer live there. it is opened to the public for an admission fee. Don’t ever miss seeing it if you are a gardens lover or you will live to regret it! This well manicured sprawling garden complex must rank as one of the best gardens in the world. Among the highlights there are the Italian Garden, Japanese Garden, Rose Garden and the fabulous Sunken Garden, the fascinating pond, dazzling fountains and a great array of specially selected and cultivated plants and shrubs from various parts of Canada and other parts of the world. They number more than one million. The allure and beauty of the gardens are best seen during the summer and early autumn when they are in full bloom. In the evening the gardens are lighted up artistically especially around the flower gardens and shrubs so as to enhance their loveliness. There is musical entertainment and fireworks display in the evening to enliven one’s enjoyment of this magnificent garden complex. After a great deal of strolling in the gardens, one can comfortably dine in the restaurant or cafe or just have coffee or other beverages in the more economical kiosks.

Butchart Gardens (Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)

This small island city has so much to offer and one can easily spend two or three days there without feeling bored. It also has a world-class museum, an internationally known botanical garden and a famous 19th century hotel famed for its afternoon English cream tea with scones and cucumber sandwiches for the more tradition-minded visitors.

The best time to visit Vancouver and Victoria is late spring, summer and early autumn when the weather is more pleasant and comfortable and the daylight hours are longer.

Lam Pin Foo