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Introduction

I had not initially meant to write a trip report as this was mostly a business trip but with the business being cut short, I was able to visit some of the sights in these 2 cities, as well as to visit the homeland of my ancestors who migrated from Quanzhou to Indonesia. And since we are already in the area, we made a side trip to visit the Tulou (or Earth Mansion literally speaking) which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Xiamen.

This trip report will mainly include photos taken on my iPhone and a base model Canon DSLR that was used to take photos of factory sites and product samples. Flights to and from Singapore would be on Cathay Pacific and Dragonair via Hong Kong, with all legs flown in Y (well it was just a 4+ hour flight, and CX Y is pretty good too!) I would post the following instalments regarding my visit:

Cathay Pacific SIN-HKG
The Wing and Dragonair HKG-XMN
Le Meridien Xiamen
Quanzhou Hotel
Villages in Quanzhou
Westin Xiamen
Gulangyu and the Fujian Tulou
Lounge in Xiamen and Dragonair XMN-HKG
Cathay Pacific HKG-SIN

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CX734 Singapore SIN - Hong Kong HKG
STD-STA: 1625-2010
Actual: 1646-2015
Airbus A330-300 B-LAN
Seat 63A

Being a frequent flyer with Cathay Pacific, I chose the airline to fly to Xiamen, from where we will base our visit to my family's ancestral village in Quanzhou, China. Since we will be transiting via Singapore as well, we chose a flight from Singapore which is also cheaper due to the higher frequencies of flight between Singapore and Hong Kong. Cathay Pacific is one of the airlines still using the old Terminal 1, but the terminal has been renovated and it was a comfortable day to be travelling via Changi Airport since there was no queue at the check-in counters. Perhaps we were also early from our arriving flight onboard Garuda Indonesia from Jakarta.

Cathay's Airbus A330 at Singapore

Even with a slow walk and the need to switch from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1, we still had time to spare. A little bit of shopping later, and we headed to the Skyview Lounge to wait for our flight. When boarding was called, I was surprised to see an Airbus A330 at the gate. Usually Cathay Pacific sends in the older 777s for regional intra-Asia flights, and with this A330, it even came with the new cabins in all 3 classes (Business, Premium Economy and Economy). However the full flight meant we still had Economy Class seats. My parents had a window and aisle seat in the front section, while I obtained a window seat in the back section of the Economy Class. The Economy Class onboard the A330 is configured in a 2-4-2 array while Premium Economy is a 2-3-2 setup. The plane is also fitted with the new 'Cirrus' business class seats.


New Economy Class Seats on Cathay Pacific

Seated beside me was an Singaporean businessman of Indian descent. Upon being seated, Cathay's Airbus A330 is a comfortable plane especially with the new seats which has comfortable padding, storage on the seatback for my travel documents, and a very clear personal touchscreen entertainment system. This would be comfortable enough for a 4 hour flight!

Take-off with a view of Changi Village

Upon take-off, the stewardess distributed peanuts to passengers before the proper meal service one hour later. I do not really remember the meal choices, just that I had this fish dish with rice which was pretty good as it had a sweet and slightly spicy sauce. In addition to the main dish, there was a fruit platter, a plain bun and a Haagen Dazs ice cream cup. No one's complaining about having 2 desserts instead of an appetizer, so it was an Economy Class meal I truly enjoyed.

Fish in chilli crab sauce with rice

Coupled with a nice dinner, there was a beautiful sunset outside the window as we crossed the South China Sea. And just one more hour to go before the aircraft is due to land. The rest of the time is spent on the inflight entertainment system while the stewardess goes around asking passengers if they are interested in any duty free items.

Sunset over South China Sea

Approaching Hong Kong International Airport

Descent into Hong Kong was very smooth and even after the delay in our departure to some traffic along the taxiway, we landed just five minutes late. This still provided us with adequate time to head down to The Wing Business Class Lounge for some Dan Dan Noodles and BBQ pork bun before boarding our next flight to Xiamen.

Bulkhead economy class seats

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Hong Kong and Singapore are probably one of the easiest airports in the world for a transit. Not only are they easy to navigate, they are essentially one huge terminal linked together with the addition of people movers. Once we were out in the terminal, not only was there free wifi but it was kind of intuitive on where to go next. One tip when transiting in Hong Kong International Airport is that there are several transit security checkpoints for arriving passengers to use to get to the departure concourse. If one is busy just head onto the other one as there would usually be one without much queues. This allowed us to get to 'The Wing' in time for a meal and some refreshments. Cathay Pacific has just completed the renovations at 'The Wing' lounge which is located close to gates 1-4, and it has been fitted with the new 'Solus' chairs that was introduced in 'The Cabin'. The Noodle Bar has also been renovated with a small bamboo grove in the center and a lot more open seating space. In addition, there is also a Bakery and quieter reading corner at the end of the lounge. The shower area in the lower floor has also been refurbished.


Entrance to The Wing lounge


The Wing business class lounge

I will add in older photos from my first visit to 'The Wing' since its renovation as I did not take any new photos of the facility in this visit.


Sink at the shower room

The shower room in the lounge is equipped with amenities by Dermalogica, while the shampoo and body wash are those mounted on the wall dispenser. Other bathroom amenities like toothbrush, cotton buds and shaver, with many others available on request from the bathroom attendants who are always eager to help. The shower room would definitely not be out of place in a 5-star hotel, and that was all that matters.


Rain shower cubicle in The Wing Lounge

As I mentioned earlier, the Noodle Bar is now more spacious and over my last few visits, it was never fully occupied. Besides cook-to-order noodles, there was also a buffet counter serving soup, several hot dishes and fried rice or noodle. Guests could also get cracker, fruits, water, soft drinks and beer from this counter.


The new Noodle Bar

Though my favourite feature of the lounge is probably the bakery area where there is a bar counter serving various coffee and tea beverages along with some cocktails. There was also assorted pastries from the counter and Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream available here. Fronting the bakery counter is a shelves stocked with newspapers and magazines catering to business and lifestyle genres. The variety is probably one of the widest I have seen anywhere and this alone makes it one of my favourite place to spend time by catching up on the news while sipping some espresso.


Bakery and coffee corner

Anyway this was a reltively short transit as it was close to 8:45pm by the time we arrived at The Wing, which left us just enough time to get a bowl of noodles and ice cream before heading out for the short flight to Xiamen.

KA616 Hong Kong HKG - Xiamen Gaoqi XMN
STD-STA: 2145-2250
Actual: 2204-2320
Airbus A320-200 B-HSD
Seat 23H

We were able to obtain priority boarding due to Marco Polo Club status and thus got settled in the seat quite fast after reaching the gate. The load for this late flight out of Hong Kong seems to include several shoppers who were buying a lot of stuff from the luxury boutiques in Hong Kong and were stuffing the overhead compartments with the results of their shopping spree.

There was a small business class cabin in the front which is configured 2-2 while economy is in a 3-3 seating arrangement. Nothing special here for a narrowbody but Dragonair still manages an inflight snack service for this one-hour flight. The snack service was obviously distributed in a hurry after take-off which was delayed by the air traffic in Hong Kong at this time of the night. Service was fast but friendly and the meal tray includes a bag of minced meat sandwich which was delicious, a pack of crackers and a small container of orange juice. Definitely more than enough for a short one hour flight.


Inflight meal service on Dragonair

Descent into Xiamen Airport followed soon after the stewardess cleared the trays and this meal service seems like a perfect distraction for the short flight. From landing to the gate, it was a relatively quick affair and that is the good part of arriving in a small regional airport I guess.


Dragonair Airbus A320 at Xiamen

While this flight is really short, it maintains the high standards of Dragonair and shows that Cathay Pacific is really competent in managing an airline. The transit in Hong Kong was easy and wonderful which adds on to the whole experience while Cathay Pacific's lounges in Hong Kong would really entice people to pursue status in the Marco Polo Club.


Xiamen Gaoqi Airport

quirrow

Smaller cities usually have airports closer to the city centre and Xiamen is no exception. From the exit of the terminal, we were able to charter a minivan for 4 passengers and luggage to Le Méridien Xiamen. It was a short and uneventful 15-20 minutes drive to the hotel. For those visitors on a first time visit to Xiamen, I suggest choosing another hotel closer to the city centre. Le Méridien Xiamen is located on top of a small hill around a residential neighbourhood, thus the hotel feels more like an urban resort. However we were only staying for a night before heading out to the city of Quanzhou the next day, thus this hotel located close to the airport made perfect sense, since rates in this hotel is usually lower than that of the Westin.


Reception Lobby of the Le Méridien Xiamen

The hotel has a pretty magnificent lobby that can be described as vast or empty. But it was comfortable entering, though the check-in staff was one of the most inflexible I have seen and they were processing our rooms slower than usual when I really wanted it faster to have a rest in this late time of the day. The good news was that one of the rooms had been upgraded to a Junior Suite. The other room assigned to us was a Deluxe Twin Room, while as SPG Platinum, I was given the option of having breakfast at the Club Lounge or the Latest Recipe restaurant just opposite the reception counter in the lobby level. Now this was interesting since this is the first Le Meridien hotel where I have been to that has a club lounge!


Artwork at elevator lobby

Le Méridien is perhaps one of the lesser known hotel brands under SPG, but I have always enjoyed their hotel especially with the hotels having an 'art' theme but yet not as fancy as the W brands. The one in Xiamen has a very beautiful artwork in the elevator lobby and the hotel showcases how Chinese art can be translated in a modern manner.

Junior suite couch and work desk

The Junior Suite was more like a real suite and a foyer greets guests upon entrance while there was a small side table with 2 bottles of minibar. The main living area has a glass-topped work desk, a 2-seater couch, an armchair and work chair. I would term the decor as modern contemporary with the red furnitures making a stark contrast with the surrounding black decor.

Panorama of the Junior Suite

The eclectic theme follows into the bedroom with the headboard by the bed that has changing colours. There is another comfortable armchair in the bedroom. The attached bathroom has see-thru glass windows but there is a curtain by the window that could be operated from inside the bathroom. Besides a bathtub, there is also a walk-in rain shower and an enclosed toilet cubicle.

Junior suite bedroom

Junior suite bedroom with changing headboard lights

Junior suite bathroom

For the deluxe twin bed there was 2 beds in the room while the bathroom is decorated with white marble and in a different layout to that in the junior suite. There was also an enclosed walk-in shower though the shower area was just beside the bathtub, and not in separate sections like that in the junior suite. The bedroom, though feature the same decor and the changing headboard lights. Personally I thought it was a bit gimmicky and cheapens the whole feel of the room.

Bathroom sink and toilet


Rainshower and bathtub in the deluxe room

Since we arrived late at night, it was already dark but the view from the rooms were pretty good in the morning. In addition, the hotel is located in a hilltop which meant cooler temperature and a quiet and serene environment that is far from the bustle of the city.

The next morning, we had breakfast in the lobby restaurant and the buffet spread was fantastic like many SPG hotels and resorts in China. There was a large variety of Chinese dishes like fried noodles, cook-to-order soup noodles, vegetables along with the usual western spread ranging from egg stations to bacons and hams. Finally the restaurant also has a variety of sweet treats like crepes and waffles with a range of toppings and healthy juice shots.


Peanut butter and chocolate crepe with juices in a shot glass

Check-out from the hotel was handled professionally and since we had made no prior arrangements to head to Quanzhou, we ended up using the hotel minivan for a charge. While our initial plan was to try out the high speed rail, using the minivan service was just slightly more expensive and less of a hassle. The minivan was a Buick if I am not mistaken and this is one of the most common form of hotel transportation for guests in China as I once had this car while staying at the Fairmont Yangcheng Lake.


Le Méridien Xiamen 厦门艾美酒店

Given the one night stay, I could not really say whether I liked or disliked the hotel. Considering the upgrades and the good variety in breakfast, this is a nice enough property. But the service levels in the hotel can certainly be improved while the location seems to be more fitting for visitors with their own mode of transport as it can be a hassle driving up and down the hill to access and exit the hotel.

quirrow

Quanzhou is a small city today, but at one point in history, the city used to be one of China's biggest ports and have played host to Marco Polo. This city is also where my ancestors came from before they migrated to Indonesia. There is definitely a certain symbolic meaning to return to one's roots. In this instance, a distant relative helped us reserve a hotel in the city and he certainly booked us in one of the top hotel - the Quanzhou Hotel. The first glance at the exterior is that it was perhaps built in the early 1990s when it was fashionable in Asia to follow European palace design and decor. Well it does sure look gaudy even though it looks imposing due to the large scale of the building compared to its smaller neighbours. The hotel is located in the older part of the city but it is centrally located and close to the main tourist attractions. In addition, guests staying at the hotel can find some grocery and convenience stores around the hotel which makes it convenient to purchase snacks, fruits and beverages if necessary.


Quanzhou hotel facade

The hotel is comprised of up to 3 wings or sections and we were booked into the 'Nan Xin Building' section, which is supposedly one of the newer buildings. Our 2 rooms have been pre-assigned and is located on the same floor with just one room separating us. The rooms were similar in size and decor, being fitted with wooden beds with intricate European style design. There was an armchair by the window and guests were provided with a welcome amenity of a fruit platter. There is also a large work desk and chair that is on par with western hotels.


King bedroom in classical European style

During the stay, I had a peek into the rooms in the older Dong Hui Building which is decorated in a more sparse manner but still comfortable nonetheless. The bathroom is fitted with white marble and also features a separate bathtub and walk-in shower. As far as I was concerned the room was clean and was nicely furnished. One of the more interesting amenity was a Chinese porcelain tea-set and I thought it fit the city since Fujian province is known to be one of the prime producers of tea in the world.


Tea-making set in the room

As we were situated on one of the higher floors, the view from the room was also pretty good. We were able to enjoy the sunset over the city during the stay as there was not much tall buildings in the vicinity blocking the view.


Quanzhou city panorama in sunset

During our stay, we ate 2 of our dinner meals in the Thai Restaurant and they do serve some really tasty dishes though I would say some of their dishes are more Chinese-oriented than Thai. But they do have coconut juice and some Thai desserts too like mango with sticky rice that was good! The rate for the room also includes breakfast and like always it was buffet style with a good variety of dishes that did not really lose to the one we had in Le Méridien Xiamen. Though the better part of the breakfast buffet caters more to the Chinese palate and it includes some traditional Fujian dishes like rice vermicelli in soup and some Fujian pastries.


Chinese dishes for breakfast at the hotel

Given that I did not have high expectations for the hotel from the start, it was refreshing to experience a Chinese-run hotel. It was well managed with the rooms kept clean and tidy while service at both the front desk and the restaurant was up to standard. It goes once again to show that some hotels do get it right even when not managed by an international chain.

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I was told by my parents that my grandfather migrated from Quanzhou to pursue a better life due to hardships in the village. However the development of China's economy have certainly allowed the villagers to gain access to better amenities. In addition to new industries hiring local workers, many from the villages have moved to tiled and air-conditioned apartment complexes. Even road access to the villages is paved today compared to 10+ years ago when my parents visited the area. As the old village homes start to get demolished to make way for nicer apartment complex to hold the increasing population, it was great to be able to visit the home that my grandfather and his siblings helped to build in the village a few decades ago.


Archway gate to a village home


Village home facade

The construction of the ancestral home was built in a traditional style with an arched gate that greets visitors to a front courtyard. A brick facade with interesting roof details and door ornaments makes a note to bless the family residing in the home. After the main door is a main hall where the altars of ancestors are placed and the hallway is decorated with photos of family members in their marriage. Along the main hall are some rooms that are used as bedrooms or study rooms. Sofas and side tables are placed by the main hall where visitors are usually looked after.

Living room in the main hall

Behind the main hall is a small foyer where the staircase to the second floor where there is yet another hall that serves like a family room. It was fascinating to see the potraits of Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, the first President and Premier of the People's Republic of China.


Second floor hall with the potrait of Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai

While the exterior of the village home is made of bricks, the roof and room separators are built of wood, and the traditional wooden beam construction can be seen all over the house. Some of the wooden beams feature intricate carvings and decorations.

Wooden beams in the home

Similarly the bedrooms have cupboards that have beautiful carvings though they are often found with some odd decorations like a the national flag. As the rooms are not air-conditioned, the beds also have nettings around them to ward off mosquitoes. These are all artifacts that would be found in a museum, so it was definitely to see them being used in the village residence.


Chinese cupboards in a village residence

At the back of the home there is a smaller courtyard where more living quarters are situated. However as mentioned earlier, this house is only occupied by the old caretaker and a couple of his grandchildren. When it was built, the house was designed to fit in most of the family members as it has been tradition for families to live together. Today, many of the young adults have moved into the cities in search of jobs and a better career.

New year decorations in a village residence

Visiting this ancestral home allowed me to offer prayers to my ancestors as well as appreciate the way local villagers used to live in the past. And before many of these old village homes get demolished, it was interesting to note old village style architecture for myself. Due to my visit coinciding with the lunar new year, there was some decorations in the village and we were treated to bowls of eggs in sugar syrup, which is one of the traditional dishes served to guests in the village.

quirrow

Since we were on a business trip in Quanzhou, we returned to Xiamen early and decided to spend the weekend exploring the city before our return flight to Singapore. This meant a last minute booking of a hotel. Fortunately rates were still relatively affordable and I decided to try out the Westin Xiamen which is a brand new hotel tower. We took a minivan courtesy of the business associate we were visiting to the Westin Xiamen and it was another smooth journey across the highway into Xiamen.


Westin Xiamen reception lobby

Upon reaching the hotel, our luggage was collected and I proceeded to the check-in counter. Walking across the beautiful lobby, it felt familiar with the Westin scent providing a relaxing ambience. Check-in this time was more straightforward since I was only booking one room with a double bed. As expected I was upgraded to a nice Studio Suite with Double Beds. This is one of the few times I have obtained a suite with 2 beds. The room was located on a high floor that provides good views of the surrounding neighbourhood. The hotel is located in Wu Yi Plaza and just beside the traffic overpass, but it is the tallest building in the area so the view is naturally stunning. There is a convention centre, museum and a shopping mall around the hotel, but tourists might need to take a taxi to visit the main places of interest in Xiamen.


View from the bedroom at the Westin Xiamen

The studio suite assigned to us was a very comfortable room and there was a luxurious marble-tiled bathroom with dual sinks. The bathroom also featured a bathtub at the end along with separate glass-enclosed cubicles for the walk-in shower and toilet.


Luxurious bathroom

In addition to a super huge bathroom, the room itself is large with space for 2 double beds that has a TV console that swivels between the beds and the small sitting area in the corner. At the end of the room is a work desk and Herman Miller office chair that was similarly featured in the Westin Guangzhou. The decor of the Westin Xiamen was nicer due to the softer hues and felt more comfortable. I would definitely rate the rooms in the Westin Xiamen to be better than that of the Le Meridien Xiamen.


Double beds in the studio suite


Swivelling TV in the studio suite

One reason the Westin is one of my favourite hotels in the SPG chain is perhaps because of the Westin Heavenly Bed and this property has very comfortable mattresses for a good night sleep. The room, the view and the lobby are all things to like about the Westin Xiamen, but another good reason to stay here is perhaps because of the Westin Club Lounge located on the 43-45th floor. Due to the unique architecture of the building, the top floor has a smaller footprint and thus the club lounge occupies a total of 3 floors giving guests a bird's eye view of Xiamen.


Private check-in area at the Club Lounge

The club lounge is perhaps one of my favourite, as it has separate sections like a reading lounge complete with telescopes, a TV lounge, a private check-in area, a boardroom for meetings, the main dining area with a separate buffet counter as well as a private dining room.


Private dining room

With breakfast included, I chose to have it in the Club Lounge and they have an average spread of food choices. Though the lounge attendants did mention that we can order noodles and egg dishes for breakfast as well. Just for the view alone and the more private ambience, I think it is worth it having breakfast at the Executive Club Lounge. On the second morning, I had breakfast in the 2nd floor 'Seasonal Tastes' restaurant and the food spread was fantastic! In addition to the usual spread in the club lounge, there was a variety of rice and noodles dishes and international selections of entrees. The best part would be the wide variety of dessert for breakfast including bread pudding, sweet mochi with peanuts and of course this includes ice cream, which is why I find it amazing!


Reading area with telescopes providing a great view of Xiamen


Night view of Xiamen from the lounge


Ice cream and fruits for breakfast

The twin bedroom with 2 double beds is really quite comfortable even for up to 4 people occupying the room. With a nice view and a beautiful club lounge, it is recommended one pays the premium for the club rooms that would include breakfast, evening cocktails and a lot of space to lounge at while in the property. I do believe that guests have the choice for breakfast in the restaurant as well which should have a wider selection of food. Even though the hotel is not located close to the main tourist attractions, this is one property I would return to if I am ever in Xiamen again.

quirrow

With 2 nights in Xiamen, we went on a tour of Gulangyu on the first day after checking in at the hotel. But before our ferry trip to Gulangyu, we had lunch by the lakeside at this vegetarian restaurant called Samadhi Art & Cafe 三摩地素食. The food here is tasty and delicious with many dishes delicately presented to diners. I would recommend a meal in this restaurant especially if you are bringing a guest who is vegetarian. In addition the location of the restaurant faces the Yundang Lake and several cafes are its neighbours with al-fresco seating that is perfect for a cool afternoon out.


Mixed vegetables wrapped in beancurd skin

Our trip to Gulangyu begins at the ferry terminal where a crowded waterfront promenade greets visitors. Besides the guides offering tours of Gulangyu for a fee, there are locals gathering in the park offering taxi rides and ferry tickets. We decided to hire one local guide and it should be noted that official guides wear a uniform so do not be duped. The official guides also has a fixed rate for a day tour and visitors pay at the office opposite the counter where one gets the ferry tickets. I would have to say the guide was very good for the duration of our visit and we even gave her a tip at the end of the tour.


Waterfront view of Xiamen from the ferry to Gulangyu

Xiamen waterfront

While the ferry is crowded when we boarded such that there was barely enough seats, there was a nice view for those passengers standing. It was a short 10 minute ride to Gulangyu and along the way we were treated to the skyline of Xiamen. Our guide suggested some places of interest we might be interested in for our tour and since we were only visiting for half of the day, we had to choose just some of the best attractions. In the end we chose to head to the 2 main villas which have been converted to quasi-museums with exhibits showcasing the development of Gulangyu over the years. Along the way to the villas, our guide pointed out the major buildings such as the consulates of foreign nations that opened in Gulangyu. Many of these colonial-era buildings have been converted to cafes, restaurants and shops catering to tourists. There are also some buildings that have been refurbished to become youth hostels and boutique hotels. The walk was pleasant since Gulangyu is a pedestrian-only island!


Gardens in Gulangyu

The first villa we visited was known as Hi Heaven or 海天堂, and there was an extra admission fee to enter the compound. This fee included entry to a puppet show and a music show. This particular villa was built by a tycoon for his residence in the island. However it has changed hands multiple times and today it houses a mini-museum depicting the lives of people in Gulangyu over the years. The attraction here is the main residential building which is built in a mix of Chinese and Western style. The second floor of the villa also houses a statue of the Goddess of Mercy or 'Kuan Yin' as it is known in China.


Roof detail of Hi Heaven Villa 海天堂

Opposite this place of interest is the Huang Rong Yuan Villa 黃榮遠堂, another villa in a totally different architectural style. This one was built with western influences and has a large garden instead of a courtyard. This particular villa was built by the Huang family, an Indonesian Chinese tycoon who made his fortune from sugar.

Gulangyu beach 鼓浪嶼沙灘

In addition to the 2 villas we visited, we visited some shops selling local souvenirs and snacks on the way to the beach. By the time we arrived at the beach, it was just in time for sunset. The beautiful sunset at the beach truly marked the end of our tour in Gulangyu before we parted ways with the guide back at the Ferry Terminal.


Xiamen night skyline as seen from Gulangyu

The next day, I had arranged for a driver and a car for a tour of the Tulou or 'Mud House' which is a characteristic of the communal housing built by the Hakka clan. The drive would take 2 hours at least and this also meant we would need to make a stop in the middle for lunch. The food at the small restaurant the driver brought us was a bit overpriced and the food quality was not that great either. However the highlight was visiting the Tulou 土樓. The one we were brought to was the Hongkeng Cluster in Yongding County 永定縣, of which the largest Tulou was near the main entrance to the village called Zhencheng Lou 振成樓. Outside the Tulou was a plaque inscribing the entry of this architectural marvel into the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.


A UNESCO World Heritage site - Zhencheng Lou 振成樓

These tulous are significant in that whole multi-generation clans used to live in one building which can usually be circular in shape. In the centre would lie a courtyard or an ancestral hall. Such construction places an emphasis on family ties and values and is something that is familiar in Asian culture. This particular large tulou we visited was actually built by a rich tobacco tycoon to house his family over several generations and there are still villagers showing how these tobacco are hand-rolled. Another famous commodity in this region is tea and tourists may visit some of the villagers to sample the tea they sell and buy some to bring home.


Ancestral hall of Zhencheng Lou 振成樓

There were a couple of other tulous we visited including Kuiju Lou 奎聚樓 and Fuyu Lou 福裕樓. Kuiju Lou is an older tulou that is more rectangular in shape and was the smallest one we were able to enter. Fuyu Lou on the other hand is a much larger rectangular tulou that was built by a retired official to house his family and it was interesting to see the difference and similarity in interior between the circular and rectangular tulous. There was also some other shapes of tulous like a semi-circular one that was meant to blend into the hilly landscape of the region.


Outside Kuiju Lou 奎聚樓


Panorama of Fu Yu Lou 福裕樓

Another attraction in visiting these tulou cluster is to experience the fresh air in China's country side and enjoy the tranquility of village life. It was definitely a relaxing afternoon sipping tea, and looking at how people in China's rural countryside eke out a living. We actually had a local guide that was arranged with the driver and the car who brought us around and thus we were able to better appreciate the lives led by these villagers.


Panorama of Jinfeng Creek

Initially, I had never thought of visiting Fujian province for tourism in China since there are so much more interesting sights in China. But this visit let me appreciate the pace of development in China and showed some of the architectural marvels of old Chinese construction that ties in well with family values that have always been held in high regard in Asian society.

Waterwheel in Hongkeng village 洪坑村

BuildingMyBento

Was the mattress at the Quanzhou Hotel rock solid?

I had a brief visit there a few years ago, since I read about its role in China's maritime history just before. Did you visit the mosque?

mkjr

nice TR. i always try to get at least one day off during business trips to do something for me...

daftboy

This is a a really excelllent TR, thanks for a glimpse of some Chinese cities that are not often seen around here!

quirrow

The mattress was actually alright, it is just the wooden decor that I did not like... Perhaps I was given a room at the newer wing of the hotel?

As it was mainly a business trip we did not really visit any of the places of interest, but should have passed by it as we travelled around the city at night.

Thank you mkjr! And yes, since one is already in a new city, why not explore it a bit? And we decided to spare the time for the more well-known sights of the Tulou close to Xiamen.

You're welcome daftboy. Precisely because I thought it offered a look at a rarely reported city that I decided to write a TR out of it!

quirrow

Since our flight to Hong Kong did not leave until the afternoon, we managed to have a nice breakfast and visit another tourist attraction in Xiamen which is the Nanputuo Temple 南普陀寺 or the South Putuo Temple located in the southwestern part of the city just beside the Xiamen University. Xiamen University is famous by being an educational institution founded by Tan Kah Kee, a well known overseas Chinese philanthropist who also help found several institutions of higher learning in Singapore.


Lakeview of Nanputuo Temple 南普陀寺

Nanputuo Temple, meanwhile is a well-known place of worship for Buddhist and it was crowded in the morning we visited. We had a nice walk around the temple and made some offerings before heading to the SM City Mall near the Westin Hotel for lunch. We made our way back to the hotel to retrieve our luggage before hailing 2 cabs to the airport.

KA603 Xiamen Gaoqi XMN - Hong Kong HKG
STD-STA: 1450-1620
Actual: 1514-1607
Airbus A320-200 B-HSG
Seat 30A

With all the travelling, we were cutting it a bit close for our check-in at the airport and we were amongst the last to check-in for our flight. At the check-in counter, the agent was having some difficulty in checking us in for the whole flight due to seat assignments and we had to wait around 20 minutes before boarding passes were issued including those for our connecting flights to Singapore. Lounge passes were also given to all 4 of us, and for my brother because he will actually be connecting to Singapore on Business Class.

The queue for the security and immigration was light fortunately and we were soon airside in the relatively small international terminal. As we still had time to spare before boarding commences, we head to the so-called 'First Class Lounge', which was odd since there doesn't seem to be true international First Class departing from Xiamen. Dragonair uses this lounge for its premium passengers and it was a comfortable space to have some snacks while enjoying the views of the tarmac.


Inside the lounge in Xiamen Gaoqi airport


First class lounge seating facing the tarmac

I was able to spot Dragonair's A320 from the lounge as well as an All Nippon Airways Boeing 767 beside it. Other airlines seen that afternoon was a Xiamen Airlines 737. Inside the lounge, there was a variety of snacks and some pastries for guests to enjoy. Since we had lunch earlier on, I just picked some snacks from the counter and enjoyed it while catching up on news using the wifi in the lounge.


Snacks in the lounge

We only enjoyed the lounge for a while before boarding was called and it was a short walk to the gate. There was a long queue in the aero-bridge and this allowed me the opportunity to take a panoramic photo of the jet we will be boarding to Hong Kong.


Panorama view of Dragonair A320 at Xiamen

This afternoon flight would also be nearly full and Dragonair operates a twice daily service to Xiamen which seems to be a profitable route for them. Similar to the previous flight, the take-off was fast and the crew went to work after the seat belt signs came off to distribute the meal tray. Today's flight will have a meat-filled sandwich, with a small container of apple juice and a small pastry. There was also a pack of wet towels inside the tray.


Inflight meal service onboard Dragonair


Economy class onboard Dragonair Airbus A320

After the inflight snack, I pass the time by reading the inflight magazine which has an article on Myanmar. It seems that the liberalization of Myanmar has led to many keen interests in travelling to the country for business and leisure. It was also interesting that Dragonair has a separate inflight magazine considering it is after all part of Cathay Pacific.


Silk Road - Dragonair's inflight magazine

Shortly thereafter the flight started its descent into Hong Kong and it was a nice afternoon flight. This would also be one of the first time in a long while that we were parked in a separate concourse from the main terminal. This meant we had to board a people mover bus that took around 5 minutes to take us to the main terminal. Apparently this separate concourse is mainly used for connections to China during the afternoon/evening departures time-slot which is a busy period for HKIA. There was a few China-based airlines occupying this terminal along with Dragonair and Hong Kong Express jets.


Back in Hong Kong International Airport

quirrow

Our immediate stop once in HKIA's main terminal was to head to The Wing Business Class Lounge for a shower and a meal before our next flight to Singapore. We had more than 3 hours to spare in the airport before our next flight and we spent most of the time in the lounge where I had a bowl of Dan-dan Noodles and a bowl of Japanese Udon with Prawns. Naturally I had them with a BBQ Pork Bun and ended it with a cup of Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream.


Udon with prawn and vegetables at The Wing lounge

CX715 Hong Kong HKG - Singapore Changi SIN
STD-STA: 2000-2345
Actual: 2030-2353
Boeing 747-400 B-HUB
Seat 41H

There was not much to write about for this flight other than it being a common flight between 2 of Asia's financial centres. However, this might just be one of my last 747-400 flights with Cathay Pacific before these jets are retired. Naturally the cabin is in the old design with the fixed shell seats prominent in the Economy Class. While I know many people do not enjoy these seats, I thought they were comfortable since it assures one of a fixed seat pitch. I have been on these seats on a trans-pacific crossing several times and thought they were okay.


Cathay Pacific's Boeing 747 at HKIA

Even with the 747 being scheduled, the cabin was nearly full, and I was able to obtain a seat in the front cabin of the Economy Class. While the plane is pretty old, the cabin was still well maintained and kept clean. Though after having been on Cathay's new 777-300ERs with the brighter cabin and new seats, it felt different.


Bulkhead economy class seats on the 747


Old fixed shell seats on Cathay Pacific's 747

Anyway, as I settled into the seat, there was some wait before we finally pullback and queued for the take-off. As expected, the bigger the plane, the longer it takes for boarding and that is perhaps the main drawback to flying with a larger jet. The benefit is that take-off felt more smooth and it would remain that way for most of today's flight.

Not long after take-off, the cabin crew started to distribute the meals. As the flight was taken some time ago, I only had photos of the choice I picked which was Stir-fry Chicken with Rice. Inflight meals on Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines are always nice because there would usually be some sort of ice-cream or chocolate accompanying the meal service. And this meal is no different with a cup of Haagen-Dazs ice cream. There was a small bun and a fruit bowl in the tray to accompany the main dish. A difference between Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines (SQ) is on the hot towel service. While SQ hands them out to passengers before the meal service, Cathay includes packed wet towels in Economy Class.


Stir-fry chicken with rice

The meal was average but I did enjoy the dessert while watching the inflight entertainment. Since this was a 747, it meant there was audio video on demand (AVOD) like in all of Cathay Pacific's longhaul flights. With the entertainment and the various inflight reading materials onboard the flight, it was really easy to pass the time since it was a less than 4 hour journey between Hong Kong and Singapore.


Inflight reading materials

Before long, we descended and made another smooth landed into Changi Airport. Again, disembarking a larger jet meant more waiting time but it was orderly at the very least. On the way out, I took another shot of the old herringbone style Business Class seats on the lower deck of the 747. Once more, another nice flight on Cathay Pacific, and it was fortunate that both the longer flights on this journey had audio video on demand unlike the really outdated screens in the regional 777 jets that Cathay Pacific frequently uses on routes to Singapore and Jakarta.

SPBanker

Very nice TR! I also visited the Nanputuo Temple while in Xiamen, very impressive place.