Read this blog: The one where we are talked into a three course meal Monday 9th March 2026 Today we had a date with pachyderms so we knew we needed to leave our hotel promptly. Breakfast service started at 07:00 and we were downstairs in the restaurant right on time. We had been forewarned that it would be an a la carte service rather than a buffet. This was not explicitly stated but we assumed, with so few guests due to the events in the Middle East, that this was a sensible decision intended to save wastage. We also assumed, mistakenly as it turned out, that with only a few people to cater for, the service would be swift and efficient. Despite allowing 30 minutes for breakfast and checkout we were slightly delayed and left just shortly after time we had planned. Returning along a route we had already travelled we saw the same elephant in almost exactly the same place and once again stopped to admire him. Dilanka suggested a slight detour off our route to visit the Nalanda Gedige said to be the centre of Sri Lanka. As Robert is fond of telling people that Solihull, where he […]
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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 […]
Read this blog: The one where Robert eventually gets the literary references Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd March 2024 We had identified several historical sights we wanted to visit, predominantly temples and pagodas. First we passed the Temple to the Hung Kings which is a small modern shrine in Công viên Tao Đàn or Tao Dan Park. Built in 1992, it already needed some renovation work in 2012, and is dedicated to the first Kings of Vietnam. It stands in one of the largest parks in the city quite close to the Independence Palace where mature and well-established trees provide some welcome shade. The Hung Kings are venerated for, among other things, teaching the Vietnamese how to grow wet rice. This small temple also has the dubious privilege of being the place where Matilda saw her first rat running past. It should not be confused with the much more imposing monument in the Hung Kings Memorial Park. Next we passed the Xá Lợi Pagoda [below left] which is the largest pagoda in the city. Built in 1956 it was the headquarters of Buddhism in South Vietnam and the centre of the Vietnamese Buddhists’ protests against religious persecution by the predominantly […]
Read this blog: The one where we remember the fallen of WWI Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th October 2023 The following morning, we left Brugge and drove towards Ypres and the Sanctuary Wood Museum and the nearby Hill 62 where the memorial bears the inscription Here in Sanctary Wood and on the Hooghe-St. Elooi, the British fought for the defence of Ypres. This is a very sparse description for such a huge military undertaking and the considerable and tragic loss of life. The place was named Sanctuary Wood because of the extreme quietness there. However it was also the site of extreme conflict. From 2nd to 6th June 1916 the German army mounted a ferocious and determined attack. A week later on 13th June 1916, the British unleashed a counter-attack which, according the leaflet we were given, ‘annihilated the German gain’. There is an extensive display of munitions, equipment and uniforms from WWI and trench periscopes have been adapted to show photographs almost as though you are looking back in time. Having been forced to keep our distance from people during lockdown, the instruments of hand to hand combat seemed particularly shocking. However, by far the most striking exhibit has […]
Saturday 14th May 2022 Bourbon Street was considerably emptier and much quieter when we set off on our sightseeing walk the following morning. This makes it far less hazardous when you stop suddenly to gaze upwards and admire the beautiful buildings and balconies although we did have to avoid stepping on a few revellers who were still sleeping it off on the sidewalk. The delicate ironwork on galleries and balconies in the French Quarter is apparently a later addition from the mid 1800s and is derived from Spanish architecture, designed to mimic the delicacy of Spanish lace although the French fleur-de-lis is also a common motif. By contrast, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar is housed in a typical early Creole cottage, believed to be the oldest structure continually used as a bar in the south of America. It was built in the 1720s and supposedly served as a front for slave trading, contraband and other illegal activities. There are no electric lights so this bar is especially atmospheric lit solely by candlelight. Robert planned a return visit after dark, just to be sure the descriptions were accurate. The French Market spans six blocks from Café du Monde downriver from Jackson Square […]
Monday 21st to Wednesday 23rd March 2022 Having received updates on the state of the canal from Martin the day before, Robert decided that he needed to check whether it was navigable before we left as we did not want to become stranded in “bandit country”. He set an alarm for 06:00 and set off on a reconnaissance mission down the towpath. There were so many empty cans and so much broken glass that Robert swiftly decided that it was not a suitable place for us to walk Ralf. Vandals had opened both the top and bottom paddles on Lock 77 so there were stretches that were almost totally devoid of water. Robert managed to close and lock the top paddles but without a windlass could not close the bottom ones. Robert walked down to Castlefield looking for suitable mooring spots then, having revived himself with a hot beverage, caught the tram back to Lock 77 to see whether his closing the top paddles had made any difference. Nothing had noticeably changed so we had to accept that we could not possibly travel any further until the Canal and River Trust staff managed to open sluice gates and send more […]
Tuesday 14 January 2020 Kadriorg Palace was founded by Peter the Great in 1718 and the name means Catherine’s Valley in honour of his wife Catherine I of Russia. Designed by an Italian architect, it was drastically renovated by Tsar Nicholas I in 1827 and it is now an art museum. Although not at all on the scale of The Hermitage, you get a better flavour of the rooms as they are not overwhelmed by the art on display. The Great Hall which features Catherine’s initials and ornate stucco decoration is said to be the most intact original room to survive from Peter I’s time. We saw several school groups making use of the small oval pads which are provided so that you can lie on the (clean and highly polished) floor to appreciate the fresco on the ceiling. From the Kadriorg Palace you look down the avenue towards the seafront and the Russalka Monument, which was erected in 1902 to mark the ninth anniversary of the sinking of the Russian warship of the same name in a storm in 1893 with the loss of all on board. Walking along the seafront, we returned to town, where there was a […]
Monday, 25th November 2019 Matilda, having thrown up on the ferry the crossing the Straits, was particularly disappointed to be feeling under the weather on the first morning in Gibraltar where the breakfast reflected “The Rock’s” close links with the UK and tempting “full English” cooked fare was on offer. However, she contented herself with some plain toast and enjoying the views from the dining room, hoping to be able to do the meal justice the following day. We felt that the management might wish to update their “rogues’s gallery” in light of recent royal developments and we offered to help. Despite feeling fragile, Matilda was determined to see some of Gibraltar so we went on the cable car, passing almost directly above our hotel . . . . . . to the upper station at Signal Hill Battery, on Gibraltar’s second highest peak. Signs as you queue for the cable car advise you not to take food or plastic bags with you as the infamous apes will make these a target. Sure enough, as soon as we disembarked, an ape leapt onto the cable car to assess the pickings and then, having spotted a carrier bag, made friends with […]
Sunday 14th July 2019 We arrived at the Gare de Monaco in Monte Carlo which, given that space it as a premium in the small principality, is underground. Monte Carlo has built itself a reputation as being a playground for the conspicuously rich, and wealth is flaunted everywhere from the world-renowned casino to the luxury high-performance cars roaring round the narrow streets as if they are taking part in the annual grand prix. The Casino in Monte Carlo is perhaps the most famous gambling establishment in the world, an Art Nouveau palace dedicated to gaming and chance. The city also has the ubiquitous tourist train to take foot-sore visitors to the various sights including . . . . . . the casino and the neighbouring Cafe de Paris which are both beautiful soaring monuments to indulgence. Inside the casino, in the grand atrium alongside shops selling exclusive Graf jewellery and Ferrari merchandise, with somewhat less class, you can pose with outsize betting chips and a roulette wheel. And around the streets you can see much evidence of the annual grand prix, which first took place 90 years ago in 1929, from the frequent statues to past champions and the exceptionally […]
Tuesday 19th March 2019 Udaipur, a city with four man-made lakes, seems to be a popular resort with Indians as well as international tourists. We were told that the island cafe which we can see from our hotel is closed for six months for refurbishment. We therefore planned to take a boat trip on Lake Pichola and, having bought our tickets at the entrance to the City Palace we walked through the Palace grounds, past the Suraj Gokhda and out of the other side with views of the Fateprakash Palace and the Shiv Niwas Palace which have both been converted into heritage hotels. Passengers must wear life jackets in a rare acknowledgement of health and safety regulations. The boat ride is more expensive after 15:00 as this includes the sunset hours. The trip we took left from the City Palace Jetty and takes you past the Lake Palace, which is now a luxury hotel. And there are good views back towards the Fateprakash Palace and the Shiv Niwas Palace . . . . . . and the City Palace . . . . . . and the Gangaur Ghat. We had been given various conflicting pieces of advice by staff […]
Tuesday, 23rd October 2018 Trier lays claim to being the oldest city in Germany having been capital of the Western Roman Empire in the third century. Several of its buildings have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and it is also the birthplace of Karl Marx. We left our aire on the banks of the Moselle and made our way into town, past the remains of an ancient synagogue, . . . . . . .the Kaiserthermen [Roman Imperial Baths – dogs not allowed] and the ornate eighteenth century Rococo Kurfürstliches Palais [Palace of the Electors]. . . . . . to the Konstantin Basilika [Imperial Throne Room]. The Basilika was originally built about AD 310 as the Aula Palatina or audience hall of the Roman Imperial Residence of Constantine the Great. Modified many times since Rome fell, it has subsequently been used by the Frankish counts of this district and then by local archbishops. Latterly it was restored to its original size and has been a Protestant Church since 1856. It was burnt out in 1944 during WWII but it was rededicated as a place of worship in 1956. We alternated going inside with staying outside in the comparative […]
Saturday, 18th August 2018 After breakfast we took the metro to see Ceauşescu’s Palace which is an extraordinary monument to one man’s power and sense of self-importance to put it mildly. To put this building into perspective, it took only six years to build, from 1983 to 1989. However, it is still not finished, of the 1,100 rooms only 400 odd are complete, and some of these are not carpeted or furnished. It is the second largest building in the world. It is huge [330.000 m²] and would take an hour to walk around. Ceauşescu wanted to prove to the world how wealthy and powerful the Socialist Republic of Romania was. Although the Palace is smaller than the Pentigon, it is heavier. This is probably due to the one million cubic meters of marble used to clad the interior walls and floors. As it is a functioning parliament building we had to take photo ID with us and go through airport style security to gain entry. We were also given individual badges with a visitor number on. As we left the security area we walked in to a corridor… The two houses of the Parliament of Romania: the Senate (Senat) and the […]