Read this blog: The one where we view a thousand different gins Wednesday 19th to Friday 21st March 2025 The forecast for our time in Singapore was not good. We arrived in the dark in torrential rain and were told to expect several days of monsoon weather. Robert therefore researched places we might like to go which were undercover or inside. The following morning after breakfast [see Dish of the day] we set off to see the exhibition The Art of Banksy:“Without Limits”. This was a real treat. As you enter, a useful timeline of the artist’s work sets the scene before you walk through the exhibition [see also Video and Selfie of the day]. Certain images and motifs recur, including the Banksy rats which appeared, amongst other things, as little red carpet doorman at floor level. It has been said that Banksy uses the rats to represent anyone who feels rejected by society. Banksy’s work often subverts more traditional forms of artistic expression, for example classical statues are reimagined as suicide bombers. Bathroom is a working from home [WFH] project produced during the first lockdown. It was first revealed on Instagram and features a series of Banksy’s signature rats […]
2025 Asia
Read this blog: The one where we have to drink beer served in coffee mugs Sunday 16th to Tuesday 18th March 2025 Our flight from Kuching to Jakarta was delayed by four hours and as a gesture of good will as we were waiting in the airport we were offered an extra meal [see Dish of the day]. As Robert had booked our luggage into the hold we also qualified for a free meal on board so we had two airplane meals in one day which Matilda did not feel made much of a contribution to a healthy diet. Jakarta and Dili in East Timor are the only two Asian capital cities located in the southern hemisphere. This is the first time either Matilda or Robert have crossed the equator and we were both excited to tick this off our travel bucket list. The following morning we set off on our usual orientation walk round Jakarta. This first took us to Arjuna Wijaya, a vast copper statue which is 23 metres long and 5 meters tall. It was installed above a fountain in 1987 and depicts characters from an epic Hindu tale as a reminder of Indonesia’s struggle for independence. […]
Read this blog: The one where it wasn’t Robert farting for comedic effect this time Saturday 15th March 2025 We had designated Saturday as the day we would go out to the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre. This was set up in 1975 as a sanctuary for wild animals that had been previously kept illegally as pets, orphaned or found injured in the rainforest. Semenggoh is well-known as a refuge for orang utans. The word “orang utan” comes from the Malay words “orang” [meaning “person”] and “hutan” [meaning “forest”], so literally “person of the forest. We saw it written as one word, two words and with a hyphen so there did not seem to be any consistency or a consensus. Unusually – when it comes to words and spellings – Matilda agreed to acquiesce to Robert: we will be using two words here to reflect the Malay origins of the name. We had noticed that many of the photographs in the exhibition at Fort Margherita were captioned with the word orang before the names of Malay people which we thought might have been a form of address or title, but actually simply designated they were a person. Semenggoh Wildlife Centre is one […]
Read this blog: The one where Robert finds the Drunk Monkey without Matilda’s assistance Friday 14th March 2025 Robert had planned a route to help us become more familiar with Kuching; the capital of the Malaysian state of Sarawak and the largest city on the island of Borneo. It is often referred to as the ‘City of Cats’ and Kuching has embraced this, installing cat statues [see feature photo] and even opening a Cat Museum. The Waterfront Hotel, although not strictly speaking on the Sarawak River, is very close to the waterfront walk along the southern embankment. It is also adjacent to some of the most famous historical buildings of the city including the Old Court House Complex. Many of these old buildings were the product of the rule of the White Rajahs, a British family which became the hereditary rulers of the Raj of Sarawak. James Brooke, the first of the three White Rajahs, helped the Sultan of Brunei to suppress a rebellion against a very unpopular Governor in 1841 and was rewarded with political authority over the area and the title of Rajah of Sarawak. After James Brooke’s death in 1861 his nephew, Charles Brooke came into the […]
Read this blog: The one where we are able to drink in public again but can’t find the Drunk Monkey Thursday 13th March 2025 We had not been particularly impressed with the value for money offered by the breakfast at The Empire Brunei so we agreed we would try and get something at the airport. Once we had gone through passport control, Ramadan restrictions no longer applied and so we were able to get coffee and some brunch from Starbucks. The staff seemed pleased to have something to do and we spent enough to qualify for a free branded hand held fan. The airport seemed almost deserted and we could not imagine that any of the retail outlets were making a profit. Once again, the flight was not full so we were able to have a window seat each. The flight itself was short and low. So low that we were not above the cloud cover and Robert could see the coastline for the whole flight [see Video of the day]. We ordered a Grab from the airport to The Waterfront Hotel. Our room gave us a fine view across the Sarawak River to the New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly […]
Read this blog: The one where we avoid man-eating crocodiles, aggressive monkeys and small snakes Wednesday 12th March 2025 Robert would probably have chosen to spend less than four days in a dry country if he had had the option but the length of time we spent in Brunei was dictated by the timing of our onward connecting flight to Kuching. With a few days to fill, and to pander to Matilda’s love of luxury, he decided to book two nights at The Empire Brunei in Jerudong which is variously described as a five, six or seven star hotel depending on which web-site you look at. When we checked in we were advised to beware of monkeys who might be scavenging for food and this was reinforced by the sign on the door out to our balcony. The hotel has lush lawns and a private beach but we were effectively advised against using the beach or swimming in the sea because of the risk of crocodile attack. We had previously believed that crocodiles were fresh water reptiles and were sceptical about the threat they might pose. However, Robert’s research revealed that saltwater crocodiles are indeed found in the backwaters along […]
Read this blog: The one where our breakfast is kept a secret Tuesday 11th March 2025 On the first morning at the Radisson Blu Hotel we had struggled to find breakfast. We later realised that this was probably because tourists like us who were not observing Ramadan were being kept hidden away so as not to offend those who were fasting. We went for our secret breakfast then straight out to the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. The visiting hours for tourists/non-Muslims during Ramadan were between 08:30 and 11:30. The mosque is named after the 28th Sultan of Brunei, [the father of the current Sultan] who helped to design it as well as providing the US$5 million funding from his personal fortune needed to build it. It was completed in 1958 and with a golden dome which dominates the city skyline it has since become the most photographed and iconic site in the country. The construction of the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque used many of the world’s most expensive and sought-after materials including Italian marble; granite from Shanghai; English stained glass and chandeliers and handmade carpets from Belgium and Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest mosques in the […]
Read this blog: The one where we try Butter Chicken Masala pizza Monday 10th March 2025 Matilda has been struggling to remember the name of Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei Darussalam [the official name of the country] but in various places it is simplified to its initials so we considered adopting this convention. Various facts were revealed during our research and background reading. Brunei is one of the few dry countries in the world. Shockingly, fuel is cheaper here than drinking water. This might account for the quite aggressive driving style since there is no need to worry about accelerating and breaking gently to conserve fuel. We frequently heard the sort of throaty roar of a petrol engine which Jeremy Clarkson might enjoy. Alternatively it is possible that the driving seemed more aggressive to us after the relative gridlock in Manila where the volume of cars on the road meant that it was not possible to accelerate away from junctions or drive anywhere at any speed. Despite its vast oil wealth the country has managed to preserve 70% of its forests and owns a cattle farm in Australia which is larger than the country of Brunei itself. The animals are […]
Read this blog: The one where we watch an International fireworks competition Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th March 2025 Robert wanted to tick off his 53rd Hard Rock Café so we ordered a Grab to take us to the Mall of Asia, a large shopping mall built on reclaimed land. Momo the happy Corgi welcomes visitors to the Mall of Asia. The Grab dropped us at the Conrad Hotel and, while Robert was paying the fare, a charming hotel attendant opened the car door for Matilda and asked her if she had come for the fireworks. He explained that there was a competition going on and that there would be fireworks over the bay that night. A quick google search revealed that the 12th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition [PIPC] was taking place on Seaside Boulevard and that on 8th March our home team the UK, represented by Pyrotex Fireworx, would be up against South Korea’s Faseecom. The restaurants in and around the Mall of Asia were gearing up for the crowds and whilst we did not want to stay and become embroiled with the masses, we felt we might be able to see something from the Sky Bar at our […]
Read this blog: The one where we go beyond the walls Friday 7th March 2025 Venturing out beyond Intramuros into Manila for the first time made Matilda feel quite anxious as she had read that tourists are advised to exercise a high degree of caution in the Phillippines. However, there is a very obvious police presence: men (almost exclusively it seems) stand watch in plain pale blue/grey uniforms on street corners and at all the tourist sites we visited and there was a different Manila to be found outside the old city walls, beyond the golf course. The narrow historic streets were replaced by wide multi-lane highways and grand buildings such as the National Museum of Fine Arts [below]. There are plenty of jeepneys on the streets. After WWII the Americans left behind vehicles which the Filipinos modified and have been using for public transport ever since. They can accommodate between 15 and 20 passengers and are often highly decorated with heavy metal inspired names. There are plans to upgrade the jeepneys to make the engines less polluting but people fear this will also mean an increase in fare prices. We looked back across the golf course to the walls. […]
Read this blog: The one where the cracks keep appearing Thursday 6th March We decided to walk the walls of Intramuros as our introduction to Manila. One of the walkways up to the ramparts was conveniently positioned just outside our hotel. The walls are very nearly complete and Robert decreed we should walk clockwise. Our first stop was at Baluarte De San Diego on the southwest corner of the Intramuros walls. The fortification is shaped like an arrow with a circular tower inside and dates from the sixteenth century. There is a small park surrounding the bastion which includes landmarks, monuments and fountains, including the frame of a steam engine which Robert was pleased to see was British made. The bastion was built in 1587 and was meant to be part of a larger fortification which was never completed. The Fort Nuestra Señora de Guia [below] is the oldest stone fort in Manila and is the remains of the central circular tower. Shortly after it was built, in 1593, the upper portion had to be demolished after cracks appeared. Subsequently the rest of the structure was reinforced and integrated into a new bulwark which was named Baluarte de San Diego. […]
Read this blog: The one where Matilda finally gets to use her emergency poncho Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th March 2025 Rain was forecast but it was still quite warm so Matilda took her emergency poncho rather than a waterproof jacket. Santa had put the poncho in her stocking about eight years ago just after she retired and she has been taking it on holiday with her ever since. When we emerged from the metro station it was raining heavily and Matilda finally got the chance to make use of this very well-travelled piece of attire. It proved quite successful: the only issue was that, because it was so light-weight, the hood kept blowing off. We planned to visit the Taipei Confucius Temple first. On the walk there we came across bear statues illustrating the “hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil” adage with a fourth one [below left] with its hands behind its back illustrating the principle of “do no evil”. The saying is derived from/attributed to Confucius: “Look not at what is contrary to propriety; listen not to what is contrary to propriety; speak not what is contrary to propriety; make no movement which is contrary […]
Read this blog: The one where we can’t avoid a glass floor Monday 3rd March 2025 We had decided to take a ride on the Maokong Gondola which runs between Taipei Zoo and Maokong [literally translated this means ‘cat area’ probably after the wild cats which lived there]. Matilda was initially expecting a boat ride on water until she realised that the Maokong Gondola was in fact a cable car. We took the Wenhu line to the Taipei Zoo stop then walked the short distance to the gondola station. Having queued at the ticket office we were told that it was “cash only” at the booth and we had to use the machines if we wanted to pay by card. An all day pass costs NT$300. The Maokong Gondola opened on 4 July 2007. Matilda was pleased that she had not known in advance that on the first day of operation in 2007, a faulty door lock left both the serving Mayor and the former Mayor of Taipei suspended in mid-air for 10 minutes. Our ride went more smoothly. The cable car spans 4.3 km or 2.7 miles and has four passenger stations although not all of them were in use when we […]
Read this blog: The one where we experience what we feel is is the longest airport walk in the world Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd March 2025 As we prepared to leave Hong Kong, Matilda reminisced about the last time she had visited around the end of March/beginning of April 1987 when she stayed with her brother-in-law Sandy. He had introduced her to Paul Simon’s Graceland album and on this trip she had enjoyed hearing tracks from it played in several bars and coffee shops. We were to fly from Hong Kong to Taiwan. Our Octopus cards were valid on the Airport Express but we had slightly miscalculated and we both found we had a HK$3 debt on each card but thankfully we were both allowed through the barrier. The new Hong Kong International Airport is huge. When we checked in and looked for our departure gate we saw that the numbers went up to 524. However, not all these numbers actually correspond to gates: there are 89 in total. At Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport you must first pass through the Animal and Plant Quarantine control to make sure you are not importing any banned foodstuffs. We noticed one woman in the […]
Read this blog: The one where we ride the Peak Tram and the Star Ferry Friday 28th February 2025 Victoria Peak, usually just referred to as the Peak, rises 1,811 feet [552m] above sea level and is the highest mountain on Hong Kong Island. In the nineteenth century it provided a natural signalling post for shipping. It was effectively a hill station, like Darjeeling and Shimla which we visited in India, where the wealthier residents could retreat from the oppressive summer heat. Before the tram was built they would have been carried up to Victoria Peak in sedan chairs. The Peak Tram has been travelling the route to the summit since 1888 and is one of the oldest funiculars in the world. It takes passengers up to 1,300 feet [about 396 metres]. The most recent upgrade to the tram was completed in 2022 and nowadays the Peak has over 7 million visitors every year. We opted just to take the tram up for the views rather than pay the entry fee to go to the Peak Tower and Sky Terrace which are above the tram stop. Between 1904 and 1947 the Peak was designated an exclusive residential area reserved for […]
Read this blog: The one where we avoid a glass floor Thursday 27th February 2025 One of the popular sites in Hong Kong is the Big Buddha at Ngong Ping Village on Lantau Island which you can reach by riding the Ngong Ping 360 cable car from the Tung Chung Cable Car Terminal, adjacent to Tung Chung MTR [Mass Transit Railway] Station. We used our Octopus cards for the first part of the journey on the MTR. The cable car ride to get there was definitely part of the attraction for us. It is popular with both tourists and locals alike so of course there was a queue. There were several options: you could pay for the basic experience which involved sharing a gondola [or car] with up to ten other passengers. Those who do not wish to mingle at close quarters with strangers can pay extra to travel with just the members of their own group. The ‘Crystal Experience’ involves travelling in a gondola with particularly transparent, clear glass windows and a glass bottom to allow passengers to truly enjoy the all round view. The ‘Crystal Experience’ is available at a premium rate as either a general group or […]