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Post by helen on Jun 9, 2012 23:41:53 GMT -5
I live in the deep southern part of Oz and quite a few miles from Sydney Town, and I would have loved to personally welcome our New Zealand Chinese heritage expert, who so willingly stretch out her hands to help fellow researchers. Regards, Ah Gin Thanks for the kind words Ah Gin. Maybe oneday we will get an opportunity to catch up. I really enjoyed my first visit over the ditch.
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Post by helen on Jun 9, 2012 23:49:16 GMT -5
On page 7, I discovered ......"WONG Yi Po's sons: 1. WONG Nim Baat, born 1131, settled in 1142 in Sha Tou. In 1160, a descendant in the next generation moved to settle in nearby Bak Sek"... How far have you got on into the book? It's great to be able to assist in helping out your Bak Shek Wongs. We went to Luen Fook Tong again a couple of days later, and the man in the office was Biu Wong - he's from Gwa Leng, and left HK over 50 years ago. He told us he was No 4 alley. I will be sending them a book in the post, so hopefully it will help other Gwa Leng Wongs in their search.
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Post by helen on Jun 9, 2012 23:52:34 GMT -5
I have lent the book to the local ex Kiwi chemist. He immediately recognised some of the names & couldn't wait to read more. It's a pleasure helping to spread your valuable research. Geoff - is your Chemist friend a NZ Chinese? What part of NZ is he from? And thanks for sharing
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Post by geoff on Jun 10, 2012 4:06:51 GMT -5
Helen,
Yes, he is NZ Chinese....not Jungseng....i referred him to this site too....will ask more when he returns the book.
By the way...the heavy rains have returned to Sydney this Sunday afternoon.
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Post by geoff on Jun 10, 2012 13:13:32 GMT -5
How far have you got on into the book?
Only up to page 7 at moment...will read more when book is returned.
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Post by helen on Jun 12, 2012 4:03:51 GMT -5
Luen Fook Tong, Dixon Street, Sydney Loong Yee Tong is a joint clan society of people from, and descended from, the neighbouring districts of Dongguan and Zengcheng (Jung Seng) in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong. The society for people from Dongguan is called Goon Yee Tong and Luen Fook Tong is the name of the Zengcheng association. Both societies were formed in the second half of the 1800s, and in 1899 members from both organisations formed a third association, Loong Yee Tong. In 1916, the joint association purchased land in Dixon Street and one year later, the construction of three 3-storey adjoining buildings (50, 52 and 54 Dixon Street) was completed.
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Post by helen on Jun 12, 2012 4:04:33 GMT -5
Mud Crab - shared by two.
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Post by helen on Jun 12, 2012 4:06:08 GMT -5
And the other crab - again for 2.
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Post by helen on Jun 12, 2012 4:15:18 GMT -5
Chinese Garden of Friendship. Initiated by the local Chinese community to share their rich cultural heritage and celebrate Australia's 1988 Bicentenary, the Chinese Garden is the result of a close bond of friendship and cooperation between the sister cities of Sydney and Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, China. The Bridal Carriage - made of jade.
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Post by helen on Jun 12, 2012 4:15:47 GMT -5
Pity the bearers of this massive bridal carriage.
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Post by helen on Jun 17, 2012 0:41:34 GMT -5
Chinatown If the term Chinatown was ever used in earlier decades – and it probably wasn't – it applied to two former concentrations of Chinese traders before it settled on its current location centred on Dixon Street at the southern end of Sydney's central business district. It is often said that Chinatown is like a dragon, with its feet in The Rocks, its belly in the Haymarket and its head in Dixon Street. www.dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/chinatown
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Post by douglaslam on Aug 27, 2017 8:56:17 GMT -5
Time flies. It was five years ago when Helen and her husband visited Sydney in 2012. In May this year I flew to Auckland, New Zealand and met with them again. Now, Helen and husband LC are in Sydney for a short visit. They came to attend a wedding and reception. I welcomed the opportunity to play host as we do a little sightseeing in our city. Helen is full of praise of Sydney's public transport for we are dependent on public transport to get around. I don't have a car. Here is a few of the images of our full day (Sunday)outing today. This is Helen and husband LC on the ferry. We are going to a former dockyard which is now a tourist attraction. It is the first time for Helen as well as me. The dockyard was operational until 1991, and quite some years later it was turned into a tourist attraction. It has everything going for it, the location, industrial relics, isolation from the hustle and bustle of the city yet it is only a short ferry ride away. This is the ferry we travelled on. Fares are incredibly cheap on Sundays. We used the train, ferry and bus for our needs. It beats driving and looking for parking or pay through the nose for parking fees. The site we visited is called C-ockatoo Island. www.thingyatooisland.gov.au/ Soon as we alight from the ferry, we can see camper accommodation for those who want to sleep a little rough under the stars. Tents are available for hire on site or bring your own. You can also hire heritage-listed houses and harbour-side apartments. Something to suit every budget. As a former dockyard, this is what you can expect to find dotted throughout the island. These industrial relics remind us the glory days of the Island as a working dockyard. This is a cavernous hall the size of a aircraft hangar which was a workshop to repair ship turbines and power plant machinery. To the right of the empty workshop,we can see more heavy machinery left languishing on site. This industrial complex was also featured in two Hollywood movies, one was Wolverine and another which I forgot the name featured Angelina Jollie. This was once a dry dock facility which now provides safe mooring for small boats. This is one of my favourites, a steam-powered crane installed in 1891. Its working life lasted well into the 20th. century. This is an observation deck on higher ground which has other attractions and accommodation. We had no time to go over it. I can come back another day. It may be a little impractical for Helen and LC. The Island also provide safe haven for thousands of seagulls as seen by the droppings on the clearing. These are just a few of the images I took. It merits a more detailed tour in future. It is definitely one for those interested in old time technologies to see. The three of us have other places to visit.We moved on.
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Post by chansomvia on Aug 28, 2017 7:08:46 GMT -5
Hi douglaslam
Just returned from a drive from Cairns to Brisbane with my wife and had a fantastic time meeting friends and relatives and Sukmoi's 1959 Malaysian classmates living in Brisbane.
Very noticeable is the large number of Vietnamese restaurants and Southern Chinese style cooking, met a retired Malaysian teacher who is writing and publishing books on her life in old North Borneo, it makes interesting reading especially of her stories of how her parents left China for Malaya. She gave me her unpublished book and perhaps I will let Helen look through it when the opportunity arises. Please pass my regards to Helen and her LC.
Hope your next trip to China goes well and look for another trip report.
Cheers
Joe
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Post by douglaslam on Aug 28, 2017 8:27:46 GMT -5
Hi Joe, it is a surprise to read that you and your wife are in Queensland. It is good to get away from a cold and wet Christchurch to immerse yourself in warm sunshine. I want to thank you both again for the hospitality and friendship extended to me when I was in Christchurch in May.
Helen and LC spent only three nights in Sydney. On the first night I was invited along to their friend's home to dinner. The next day, they were busy with attending to a wedding and reception. The full free day they had, the three of us went out for a bit of sightseeing and of course eating.
Now, they are home.
I am scratching my head trying to decide on a return flight to China. I intend to leave on or before Sept. 22. The highlight undoubtedly will be seeing member lolly's party to their grandfather's village.
I definitely want to do New Zealand again before too long. See you again soon, Joe.
Douglas
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Post by chansomvia on Aug 28, 2017 19:01:21 GMT -5
Hi douglaslam
Nice to hear from you, it was good to get away from the cold but now early spring has come with a bang.
It was nice having you here as you were an excellent guest and we enjoyed your company.
I will visit China again but not again to our village, which has fallen into dis-repair and old house abandoned, I left with a very bad impression of our remaining family, for what they are, and can guess why my parents never went back.
Have a good trip and let us know how you get along, I was stunned by the high-tech with wechat calling and instant payments on the terminals, the use of smartphone-GPS by most drivers, who usually use two, one for directions and one for calling. Taxi and didi, the ubiquitous China UBER is on the second. Highways and High Speed trains, local trains and buses, all seem to work at breakneck speed.
Food was excellent in Brisbane with our Malaysian friends taking us to so many familiar food places.
Best Regards
Joe
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