I have always been captivated by images of this marvelous, triple roofed, vibrantly painted building. Supposedly built entirely of wood without using a single nail, ‘The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests’ is considered one of the best examples of traditional Chinese architecture. Imagine my surprise then, to discover that this building is not actually a […]
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The cable car whisked us up through the lush green hills to tower 14 of the Wall snaking deep into the hazy horizon. According to legend the Great Wall was built along the tracks of a ‘friendly’ dragon that helped trace its course. The meandering ramparts interspersed with beautiful watchtowers, did seem to lend credence […]
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Our first sight of the Forbidden City from the panoramic vantage point of Jingshan hill (above) was a great introduction to its immense scale! This place is huge…..I mean HUGE! Considered the world’s largest palace complex, consisting of nearly 8704 rooms across 980 buildings spread over more than 72 hectares of land!! Did I mention huge? […]
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Day trip to Abydos and Dendera – Part I, where we explore the Temple of Seti I in Abydos, one of the most beautiful Egypt temples.
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Past emerald plains and furrowed mountains old,Whose violet gorges snare the wandering eye,The pillared palms day’s dying embers hold,Like shafts of bronze against the crimson sky, And every cloud mirrors its rosy foldIn tremulous waves which blush and wander by We float, and feel the magic penetrate,Till all our soul is colored by the hues, […]
Read MoreThe ICBC building* rising in stark contrast against the traditional roof tops of Yu Yuan Garden in Shanghai’s old city. Thank you for visiting and have a great weekend! * The building in this image is actually the ICBC building in Puxi and not the Jinmao Tower as mentioned earlier in my post. Apologies for […]
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Complete guide to the Abu Simbel Egypt Temples with tips on how to get there, facts, history and travel tips to help you plan your visit.
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Ramesses II – The Pharaoh whose fallen statue is said to have inspired Shelley’s Ozymandias.
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What to see and do in Aswan, Egypt and how best to experience the Nubian city and its beautiful landscape.
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La Boca in Buenos Aires is a colourful barrio full of brightly painted houses and interesting graffiti. This distorted caricatures of street performers is a particular favourite. Read my full account of this Barrio of Kitsch here. Graffiti, La Boca – Buenos Aires, ArgentinaHave a great weekend!
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Small is relative in this country of superlatives, but Xian (pronounced Shi-Aan) wasn’t small by any stretch of the imagination. With a population of over eight million* and the wrecking balls in full swing, Xian is fast catching up with its larger counterparts. Despite all this, despite our surprise at its bigness, the constant grey skies and […]
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Although the Terracota army of Emperor Qin is the main attraction in Xian, there is another lesser known subterranean army that is just as, if not more, impressive! The underground army of Han Emperor Jing Di Liu Qi and Empress Wang Zhi at Yangling, is six times larger, houses around 40,000 individual figures, and is supposed to have […]
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The Urge To Wander 