Nelson King's Blog

After two memorable nights in crowded but exciting Hong Kong, I was looking forward to the slower pace of New Zealand. My immediate family all live in Auckland now, so there was no need to catch an extra flight to Wellington where I have spent the past few winters. Eager to experience an Auckland summer for the first time, I thought I would try and do a comparison between living in British Columbia, Canada, and New Zealand, in general. The province and country are often compared and viewed as having a lot of similarities.Let's start with the beaches. NZ beaches are a lot wider and longer than beaches in BC (Tofino). The sand is also whiter and the water is turquoise as opposed to dark green/black. I have seen giant eagle rays cruising the shallow waters under wharves Down Under, something you wouldn't see in BC. There are also seventy varieties of sharks swimming in NZ waters, including the great white shark, compared to 14 species in BC. BC is, however, occasionally home to the odd rogue great white and the phenomenon might become more regular as climate change warms BC's waters.The forests are also markedly different. Below, we visited the Auckland Botanic Gardens and marveled at the large tree ferns and subtropical undergrowth found in northern NZ. It's different in many ways to the towering trees and lush ferns that grow along the Pacific northwest coast of Canada.In the background below, if you look closely, you'll spot a volcanic island on the left. Vancouver also has a nearby volcano: Mt. Baker in Washington State (shown on the right).In my opinion New Zealand and the province of British Columbia share many similarities. The mountainous, rugged terrain of New Zealand's South Island could easily be mistaken for BC's coastal mountains from afar. Both places were once under colonial rule and English is the most common language. NZ's largest mountain is Mt. Cook at over 12,000 feet, and BC's is 15,000 feet. NZ's coastline measures 15,000 km, BC's: 25,000 km.The largest differences I have noticed between the two geographical regions are NZ's isolation from the rest of the world, the varied and potentially dangerous wildlife of BC, and the generally much larger scale of BC compared to NZ. But rest assured they're two of the most beautiful places to visit in the world!

After nearly four decades away, I am keen to see how much Hong Kong has changed. The last time I visited Hong Kong I was just seven years old. If you read my News & Events column you'll know I'm staying at the Pottinger Hotel (see photo). In the morning I walked down to the ferry terminal and was quite struck by the changes to the central business district. As is the case with many great cities around the world a significant amount of revitalization has taken place. Of note is the enormous new International Commerce Centre on the other side of Victoria Harbour, in West Kowloon.Something that hasn't changed is the Star Ferry terminal and the ferry to Kowloon. It still has that old-world charm.Stepping off the ferry I was surprised at how many new buildings and shops have emerged. Kowloon was once a great place to buy cheap electronic goods, not all of them legit, but now it's more about high-end outlets selling expensive watches, clothing and handbags. It reminds me of the expensive shopping districts in Paris and Rome. The markets, however, have retained much of their charm and are their usual bustling, overcrowded selves.After lunch I strolled through the Mongkok district with its bird and jade markets. I saw many carved jade objects including earrings and jewellery, and dragons and tigers. The next day I took a ferry to Lamma Island and visited one of the beautiful sandy beaches. Very peaceful and a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of Kong Kong. The village is filled with laid-back cafes and after eating I wandered around looking at the boutiques and craft stores.The next day I went for a ride on one of the trams to Kennedy Town and back. The tram system has been in operation for over 110 years and is one of only three non-heritage tram systems in the world that use double-deck cars. Afterwards I walked back down to the waterfront and caught the bus to the iconic cable tram that goes up the side of Victoria Peak. What an incredible view! That evening I relaxed in the hotel and reflected on my two days spent in Hong Kong. In conclusion, even though there have been a lot of changes-new buildings, shops etc.-the city is still a remarkable fusion of East and West, a mix of old and new. I thoroughly recommend calling in when you have a chance.

I am now safely back on Bowen Island just off Vancouver, Canada, after rather a long trip. It's good to be back home again. Six and a half months is a long time to live out of a suitcase, traipse through airports, and sit on long international flights. I have posted several photographs of my last destination, Florence on my website: www.nelsonkingnovels.com if you're interested as well as some in 'News & Events.' In Canada I plan on doing several road trips this year through the beautiful province of British Columbia and perhaps into Alberta so stay tuned. It's great to be back after the turmoil and unrest in Europe. There's a lot going on in this world at the moment and much of it is not good. Let's hope things improve soon.

I revisited St. Peter's Basilica to get some better photos today. The light was a bit dark previously. Here is a view from the dome looking down into the church. The highlight of the trip! The brown object at the bottom is the top of the baldachin directly beneath the dome of the basilica. Underneath the baldachin is the entry to St. Peter's tomb and the grottoes. This scene was used in Dan Brown's Angels & Demons, though the movie scene itself was digitally recreated with a full 360 degree green screen.Here is the sculpted bronze canopy, or ciborium (baldachin) covering the high altar.The grottoes hidden under St. Peter's Basilica. This is the only section open to the public without special permission.

Yesterday I had an amazing time in St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, Rome. Before mass, the Pope drove around the square and came to within 10 meters of where I was sitting. I have asked around a lot and he is very well liked. I thought he was very gentle and softly spoken. As he drove around his Swiss Guard bodyguards hefted babies from the crowd and brought them to him to kiss. The babies were then returned to their ecstatic parents.Here are a couple of cardinals I spotted in the square making their way to a private mass the day before. There were many different clergy from all around the world attending and the huge crowds of priests and tourists were buzzing with anticipation. These two men dressed in red are members of the College of Cardinals and either one could potentially be a future Pope.

Paris was a lot of fun. Now I think I know what makes this such a wonderful city. The exuberance of its youth. They just want to go out and have a good time. I'll definitely be coming back.I flew out early the next morning to a beautiful sunrise over the French Alps en route to Rome.

Off to Paris, Rome, and Florence for five weeks at the end of the month. Then it's back to Vancouver mid-March. I am looking forward to returning home and spending the summer on the islands off the British Columbian coast. Horses were a short walk from my apartment on Belle Isle, Brittany.

Today I discovered these hidden tunnels beneath the fortress. Some of the first inhabitants of the island of Belle-île-en-Mer, where I'm staying till the end of January, were Benedictine monks who founded a priory in the 7th century. In the 9th century the island was devastated by the Vikings. In 1029 the Count of Cornouaille Alain Canhiart entrusted the island to the recently founded Sainte-Croix de Quimperlé Abbey. As it was directly under the authority of the Pope, Belle-Ile benefited from the protection of the duchy of Brittany. Belle-Île was governed by monks until the 16th century when incessant attacks by pirates forced them to relinquish their fiefdom to the king, or rather to the regent Catherine de' Medici, who gave the land in vassalage to the Gondi family - then owners of the Pays de Retz. The land, however, remained under the heavy hand of the regime until the French Revolution.In 1549, King Henri II decided to take on the pirates once and for all. He sent the duke François de Rohan to Belle-île to erect a fortresse fit for the kingdom of France. Later on, Nicolas Fouquet improved the defense systems. For many years, the citadel served as a prison. During WWII, the Germans took possession of it. At the end of these hostilities, the citadel was eventually purchased by a private entity and now is a museum.The tunnels were pitch-black and I had to light my way with the intermittent flash of my camera to make sure I didn't fall down a well or something. Spider webs brushed across my face. But like Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom, I persevered! My next update will be in two weeks when I make my way to Rome for six weeks. I plan on staying near the Vatican to aid in my research for my fourth novel CLUB OF ROME. I hope to attend live mass, or Papal Audience in St. Peter's Square Vatican. Take care!

As the title suggests, one of the perks of living in a centuries old fishing village off the coast of France is the easy access to fresh seafood. About a hundred paces from my front door is a little kiosk that sells fresh fish each evening. I purchased seven fat, juicy scallops for six euros. And yes, I didn't overcook them! Two minutes each side as instructed by the friendly little lady behind the counter (who happens to be the wife of the fisherman who I hear puttering out each morning at about 7 a.m.)Please excuse halo effect caused by background lights. This one definately looks photoshopped!