Visitors to Ellis Island are free to roam the halls of the restored Immigration Museum, which features the iconic Great Hall and processing rooms. Most of the island is off limits to visitors, however, including the entire South Side.

I was fortunate enough to have an opportunity to walk past the barriers today, for a tour of the Ellis Island Immigration Hospital, with photographer Stephen Wilkes as our guide. Roughly 1.2 million immigrants passed through the Hospital between the years of 1892 and 1954, and historians hope that the complex will eventually be accessible to all visitors.

Though nowhere as impressive as the photos that Wilkes was able to capture over the course of five years for his book “Ellis Island: Ghosts of Freedom,” click the “read more” link to view more photos from my tour today, and please consider donating to Save Ellis Island‘s South Side rehabilitation project as well.

Workers have already begun rehabilitation of the Hospital, though there is still much work to be done.

Wilkes speaks to a group of donors and volunteers. Having spent many days photographing Ellis Island between 1998 and 2003, he has become an expert on the structures of the Island’s South Side.

The Lower Manhattan skyline can be seen beyond a construction area on the South Side.

While the Hospital was still in operation, this curved corridor led doctors to the infectious diseases ward.

A kitchen in one of the buildings used to house doctors and their families.

The Liberty Science Center, located just west of the South Side.

The Ellis Island Immigration Museum, as seen from the South Side.

Want to see the rest of Ellis Island for yourself? Save Ellis Island hopes to eventually open the South Side to the public, but they won’t have the funding necessary to complete the rehabilitation project without the assistance of generous donors. Please consider making a donation at saveellisisland.com.

The Korean Demilitarized Zone is the closest you’ll get to North Korea without a visa (which I’m determined to get before my Chinese visa expires next May), and a DMZ tour is a must for any visit to Seoul — the border is a mere 45 minute drive from the South Korean capital. Built in 1953, the DMZ is a buffer area extending 2km beyond the North Korean border, and 2km beyond the South Korean border. Since the creation of the DMZ, there have been several incursion attempts by the North, including the creation of the Third Tunnel, which has since become a tourist attraction.

Tourists can take a peek into North Korea at the viewing station in the photo above.

Click the “read more” link for more photos from the DMZ!

Cameras are strictly prohibited beyond the yellow line in the photo above, taken at an observation deck.

This barbed wire fence separates the tourist area from a military guard station.

A South Korean soldier shields his face from tourists (and cameras) as he walks to a guard post.

The bridge in the photo above connects the South and North Korean rail systems, so trains will be able to pass between the two countries if border crossings are eventually permitted.

Dorasan Station is the northernmost train station in South Korea, and will eventually serve as a gateway to the North Korean rail system.

If border crossings are eventually permitted, North Korea will connect the South with rail systems leading to much of the rest of the world, enabling ground-based cargo and passenger transit.

A South Korean official takes a break near Dorasan Station.

The sculpture in the photo above demonstrates South Korea’s desire for unity with the North.

North Korean beer and soju are available for purchase at a DMZ gift shop. The shop manager refused to explain how items arrive from the North — a mystery to tourists considering that border crossings are not permitted.

I’m giving posting by email a try, since Beijing doesn’t seem to like my blog. Or Twitter, or Facebook. This post is out of order (I have two left from Korea), but I couldn’t go another hour without sharing today’s incredible visit to IKEA.

You may remember an LA Times article from last year, titled Beijing Loves IKEA — But Not for Shopping. In summary, the article revealed why there’s a line to get in the front door of the Beijing IKEA, but not one to check out. (Note: there wasn’t actually a line to get in during my visit today.) The picture above tells part of the story — just as many locals visit IKEA to sleep — on chairs, sofas, and occasionally beds — as come for the $2 plates of lox and $1 plate of Swedish meatballs. Oh, and a few actually purchase furniture as well. I thought it might be a bit much to post pictures of kids sleeping, so I blurred out this little guy’s face.

This is the scene when you walk in the door.

Click the “read more” link for more hilarious photos!

This lady is reading a newspaper, while her friend (I assume) sleeps on the adjacent sofa.

Shoppers ignore the non-shoppers. People didn’t even seem to notice as others slept on the piece of furniture they were examining for purchase.

Close-up of the sleeping man in the image above.

(Left to right) reading a newspaper, resting, and fast asleep.

I assume (hope) that this baby’s parents were keeping an eye on her from somewhere nearby.

Pillow talk.

I’m sure the next person to sleep here would be pleased to know that this guy was thoughtful enough to keep his shoes off the bed.

I would at least have switched off the lamps. Getting a tan, perhaps?

Close-up.

Big red.

Bargain shopper.
Reader caption: “Color coordination… I knows it.”

Expensive taste! This mattress has a price tag of $2,999 CNY (about $450).
Reader caption: “Mom, that guy snores… don’t make us sleep here.”

This looks comfortable! Any takers?

Some people really are there to shop…

And finally, before you get too excited, it’s important to note that everyone has to head home when the store closes every night at 10, so don’t plan on skipping the hotel during your next visit to Beijing.

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If you need to get away from the big city during your visit to Bangkok (as I did after just one day), a quick trip to the Ayothaya Floating Market and Elephant Village is a great option. Ayothaya is located in Ayutthaya — Thailand’s capital city until 1767 — about 50 miles from Bangkok. Even though 50 miles may seem like a reasonable distance to travel, Bangkok is plagued by some of the worst traffic I’ve seen anywhere in the world, and while we managed to make it to the market in about 90 minutes, the drive back took more than twice as long. It rained during much of my visit, which likely had an effect on the tourist presence at the floating market, but all of the shops were still open for business. Luckily, I visited the market with a Thai friend (who also happens to own a car), but guided tours are available departing from Bangkok.

Click the “read more” link for more photos from the market, elephant village, and Ayutthaya ruins!

If you’re planning to visit Thailand during the rainy season (as I did), bring an umbrella. It will rain.

Boat rides are available at the market — the driver appears to be adjusting the direction of the boat using forced water.

Even baby goats are available for purchase…

Visitors can feed the goats even if they’re not able to take one home.

Massage prices at the market are even more reasonable than those in Bangkok — hour-long massages start at just under $7.

A fish spa is also available (yes, those are my feet above). I’ve never seen a fish spa before my trip to Thailand — $3 buys you 15 minutes in the tank, in which tiny fish chow down on the dead skin on your feet and legs.

A variety of savory and sweet items are available at the market, including Phat Thai, of course.

Only one elephant was out and about at the nearby elephant village, likely due to the rain.

Bananas are available for purchase, which the elephant was more than happy to grab out of the basket I’m holding in the photo above.

One of Ayutthaya’s historic attractions, Wat Chaiwatthanaram was a Buddhist temple built in 1630. It was destroyed by the Burmese in 1767.

We even had a chance to meet a Thai farmer, out feeding his water buffalo (!). The man provided directions to my friend after an accidental detour.

If you hate tourist traps, you might want to skip Ngong Ping. After a 25-minute cable car (gondola) ride from Tung Chung (about 30 minutes from Hong Kong Station on the Tung Chung line), you’ll arrive at Ngong Ping Village, complete with a Starbucks, Subway, and of course a 7-Eleven, as well as some interactive “themed attractions.” Completed in 1993, the world’s tallest outdoor bronze seated Buddha (prior to 2007) is located just a few steps from the village, as is the Po Lin Monastery (I didn’t see any actual monks).

As always, click the “read more” link for more photos!

I’m going to start this post off with a warning: If you hold a U.S. or UK passport, don’t bother trying to go to Shenzhen without a Chinese visa. Temporary “day pass” visas (valid for the city of Shenzhen only) are available to most other passport holders, but for whatever reason, U.S. and UK are specifically excluded. That said, if you’re able to get a visa, a visit to Shenzhen is a must, if only for an hour or two. I have a one-year multiple-entry Chinese visa, so I was able to cross the border into China, while the two friends traveling with me were not permitted to leave Hong Kong.

If you fall within the “able to get a visa” category, then getting to China couldn’t be easier. Simply take the MTR East Rail Line to Lo Wu station. The ride takes about 45 minutes from one end of the line to the other. Assuming you don’t already have a visa (and you’re not a citizen of the U.S. or UK), look for the “China Travel Services” desk before exiting the MTR fare zone. You’ll know very quickly whether or not you’ll be able to get into China (the agent simply told my friends “no no no no no no” when she saw their U.S. passports). If you get the same response, head on back to Hong Kong WITHOUT passing through the MTR fare checkpoint. If you don’t cross the fare gates, you’ll avoid paying a fare of about 39 HKD each way (totaling more than 10 USD roundtrip). You can simply return to a station in Hong Kong and pay a much more reasonable fare.

If you do manage to get a Chinese visa (or already have one), then you’ll first pass through the MTR fare gate (you can use your Octopus card), followed by Hong Kong immigration.

Click the “read more” link for many more photos of Shenzhen, shopping, and information about the immigration process.

After you leave Hong Kong, you’ll cross an enclosed bridge into China (notice the significant security presence in the photo above).

After crossing the bridge, you’ll continue on to Chinese immigration.

If you manage to exit Hong Kong immigration before obtaining a Chinese visa, you can try your luck on the Chinese side (not recommended). The immigration agent at the visa window didn’t speak any English, and was more interested in chowing down on his boxed lunch than helping tourists.

Congratulations! You’ve made it to China (after passing through another immigration counter, which I didn’t dare photograph).

There are no English signs, English speakers, 7-Eleven stores, or Bentleys here, so brace yourself for immediate culture shock. It was by no means a fair sample, but from the market workers I spoke to, it seemed that many of the locals don’t know much about Hong Kong, and have certainly never been there.

What there are plenty of, however, are stores selling knockoffs. You can buy a knockoff of pretty much anything — designer bags, clothes, even electronics. The prices aren’t nearly as low as what I’ve seen in Beijing, however, so if your travel plans include a stop in another Chinese city, I’d avoid shopping in Shenzhen.

The good news is that you won’t need to venture far from the border to buy them. Luohu Commercial Center is one of Shenzhen’s largest shopping “malls” (your mall at home is nothing like this), and it’s located just a few feet from the Hong Kong border crossing.

See these iPhones above? They’re not real. Not only can you find one knockoff iPhone model in China — there are literally dozens available, with many of them sold in Shenzhen, which ironically is where Foxconn manufactures the iPhone 4G.

There are also legitimate products sold in Shenzhen, such as prescription glasses (though many of the frames are designer knockoffs).

You can also buy jade in Shenzhen, though I’d suggest checking very carefully for fakes.

Oh, and of course clothes as well, including fake Polo shirts, pants, and designer suits. Negotiated prices were significantly higher than those in Beijing, however, so I left empty handed.

When you’re ready to head back to Hong Kong (one hour in Shenzhen was more than enough for me), simply walk over to the border crossing, just around the corner from the market.

You’ll still have another chance to buy a knockoff iPad or iPad Mini (!!!) before crossing the border.

Head on over to Chinese immigration, and be prepared to wait in line for quite a while. The line was only about 20 minutes long when I arrived, but it stretched around the corner by the time I made it up to an immigration officer. Crossing back into Hong Kong is much simpler than exiting China (my passport has never been examined so closely), for whatever reason.

The Shenzhen skyline from the Hong Kong side. Who knows if I’ll ever return…

Our Macau tour guide, Kenny, holds up a magazine cover with a photo of Stanley Ho, the “King of Gambling.” Ho has four wives and 17 children, owns controlling shares of many of the casinos in Macau, and lives in Hong Kong.

Ho’s casinos include Casino Oceanus, modeled after the Water Cube in Beijing. Two casinos that Ho does not control include the Venetian and Wynn resorts, also located in Macau.

Click the “read more” link for more photos from Macau.

Our tour guide Kenny walks to his tour van, parked in front of a prominent Macau business owner’s home. The cars below are located just behind the opulent fence above.

More posts from Macau:

Hydrofoil Ferry from Hong Kong to Macau
Historic Centre of Macau
Macau Casinos: Venetian and City of Dreams
Macau Casinos: Wynn and Encore

Arguably some of the most high-end casinos in Las Vegas, Steve Wynn operates a Wynn and Encore casino in Macau as well — surprisingly, the seemingly quiet and noticeably smaller Macau casinos are significantly more profitable than their Vegas counterparts.

Located on the Macau peninsula, the Wynn complex is much smaller than the nearby Venetian Macau, with 205,000 square feet of gambling space. Table games and slots are divided into many smaller rooms, offering a much more intimate gambling area.

Click the “read more” link for more photos of the Wynn Macau!

A fleet of Rolls Royce sedans is located just one block away from the row of rickshaws seen above.

Chinese visitors toss coins at this musical tree at the Wynn, which accumulate during each performance and magically disappear before the next.

The tiny fishing village of Tai O on Lantau Island refers to itself as the “Venice of China,” though the Venetian in Macau — the largest casino in the city and larger than many cities itself — might challenge that claim. The $2.4-billion, 10.5-million square foot casino offers 550,000 square feet of gambling space (compared to 120,000 square feet of gambling space at its smaller sister casino in Las Vegas).

Just across the street, on the yet-to-be-completed Cotai Strip, you’ll find the City of Dreams — an enormous complex consisting of a Grand Hyatt Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, and the Crown Towers Hotel.

Click the “read more” link for more photos of the Venetian Macau, City of Dreams Casino, and Cotai Strip.

As I mentioned in my post about the hydrofoil ferry, Macau was formerly a Portuguese colony, and became a Special Administrative Region of China after a handover from Portugal in 1999. Now the city has become a hodgepodge of Portuguese buildings, Chinese architecture, and flashy casinos, making it unlike any other city in the world, let alone China.

Click the “read more” link for more photos of historic Macau.