ÿþ<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> <!-- Last Updated: November, 2011 --><!-- Copyright © 2000-2011, all rights reserved --> <!-- Created in Notepad --> <head> <title>My Travel Blog</title> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen, tv" href="../styles/articles.css" /> <meta name="description" content="Travel blog" /> <meta name="author" content="Paul F Hamlyn" /> <meta name="copyright" content="(c) Paul F Hamlyn, 2000-2011" /> <meta name="keywords" content="Dubai, Vittorio Veneto, Serravalle, Ostend, Bruges, Brussels, Aódz, Lodz, Washington D.C., Gettysburg, Kavala, Würzburg, New york, Treviso, Barcelona, Valencia, Rochester, Charles Dickens, LaGrange, Delhi, Agra, Thessaloniki, Xanthi, Mumbai, Kuala Lumpur, Oslo, Bergen, Shanghai, Athens, Rome, Bolivia, Peru" /> <style type="text/css"> TD.helpBod { BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 11px; BORDER-LEFT: #9cf 1px solid; COLOR: #404040; TEXT-INDENT: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, sans-serif, Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fafafa; TEXT-ALIGN: left; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px } TABLE.foray { margin:auto; BORDER-RIGHT: #b9bb94 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #b9bb94 1px solid; FONT-SIZE: x-small; BORDER-LEFT: #b9bb94 1px solid; WIDTH: 440px; COLOR: #404040; BORDER-BOTTOM: #b9bb94 1px solid; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fafafa; TEXT-ALIGN: center; border-spacing: 0px } TABLE.foray TH { BACKGROUND: #dee1a8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #c8c8c8 1px solid } TABLE.foray TD { BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #b9bb94 1px solid; PADDING-TOP: 5px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #b9bb94 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fafafa; TEXT-ALIGN: left; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px } TABLE.foray TD.head { FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 11px; BORDER-LEFT: #6699cc 1px solid; COLOR: #404040; TEXT-INDENT: 5px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #6699cc 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #6699cc 2px solid; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #bec8d1; TEXT-ALIGN: left } TABLE.foray TD.pnk { BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fcc } TABLE.foray TD.grn { BACKGROUND-COLOR: #adff2f } #box { margin-bottom: 30px; border: 0px dashed #333; width: 640px; padding: 8px; text-align: center; } .space { padding: 0px 0px 40px 0px; font: 0.72em "Verdana", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color : #333; line-height: 40%; text-align: justify; } img { padding:1px; border:1px solid #021a40; background-color:#ff0; } div.hr { height: 15px; background: #eeffee url(hr1.gif) no-repeat scroll center; } div.hr hr { display: none; } </style> </head> <body> <div id="wrap"> <h1 class="center">My Travel Blog</h1> <p class="textmain">I do quite a lot of travelling these days and this page details some of the places that I have visited  when I have remembered to take my camera along that is. However, if you came here looking for a blog about fungi check out &nbsp;<a href="../nwfg/newslinks.htm"><b>Fungal Snippets from MykoGolfer</b></a>.</p> <div id="box"> <table summary="" class="foray" cellspacing="0"> <tr><td class="head">Date</td><td class="head">Place</td></tr> <tr> <td></td> <td><a href="#q"><b></b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>November 2011</td> <td><a href="#q25"><b>Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>November 2011</td> <td><a href="#q24"><b>Vittorio Veneto, ITALY</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>September 2011</td> <td><a href="#q23"><b>Ostend, Bruges and Brussels, BELGIUM</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>June 2011</td> <td><a href="#q22"><b>Aódz, POLAND</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>May 2011</td> <td><a href="#q21"><b>Washington and Gettysburg, UNITED STATES</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>April 2011</td> <td><a href="#q20"><b>Kavala, GREECE</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td></td> <td><a href="#q"><b></b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>June 2010</td> <td><a href="#q19"><b>Würzburg, GERMANY</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>June 2010</td> <td><a href="#q18"><b>New York, UNITED STATES</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>May 2010</td> <td><a href="#q17"><b>Treviso, ITALY</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>May 2010</td> <td><a href="#q16"><b>Barcelona, SPAIN</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>February 2010</td> <td><a href="#q15"><b>Valencia, SPAIN</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>February 2010</td> <td><a href="#q14"><b>Rochester, UK</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td></td> <td><a href="#q"><b></b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>June 2009</td> <td><a href="#q12"><b>Dordogne, FRANCE</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>May 2009</td> <td><a href="#q11"><b>LaGrange, UNITED STATES</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>April 2009</td> <td><a href="#q10"><b>Delhi and Agra, INDIA</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>March 2009</td> <td><a href="#q9"><b>Thessaloniki and Xanthi, GREECE</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td></td> <td><a href="#q"><b></b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>November 2008</td> <td><a href="#q8"><b>Mumbai, INDIA</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>August 2008</td> <td><a href="#q7"><b>Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>July 2008</td> <td><a href="#q6"><b>Oslo, Flam & Bergen, NORWAY</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>June 2008</td> <td><a href="#q5"><b>Shanghai, CHINA</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td></td> <td><a href="#q"><b></b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>December 2007</td> <td><a href="#q4"><b>Athens, GREECE</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>October 2007</td> <td><a href="#q3"><b>Lake District, UK</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>May 2007</td> <td><a href="#q2"><b>Rome, ITALY</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td></td> <td><a href="#q"><b></b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td>1999 & 2000</td> <td><a href="#q1"><b>BOLIVIA & PERU</b></a></td></tr> <tr> <td></td> <td><a href="#q"><b></b></a></td></tr> </table> </div> <h2 class="center"></h2> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q25"></a><b>November 2011 - Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">I had a stopover in Dubai just enough time to visit some tourist sites including the 'At The Top' Observation Deck in the Burj Khalifa. It is best to book your ticket for the Observation Deck in advance from the website to save disappointment if you have only limited time in Dubai.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Jumeirah-Mosque_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Jumeirah-Mosque.jpg" width="400" height="346" alt="Jumeirah Mosque" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Jumeirah Mosque<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Al-Fahidi-Fort_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Al-Fahidi-Fort.jpg" width="400" height="416" alt="Al Fahidi Fort" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Al Fahidi Fort<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Burj-Khalifa_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Burj-Khalifa.jpg" width="400" height="451" alt="Burj Khalifa" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Burj Khalifa is currently the worlds tallest building<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Burj-Khalifa-view7_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Burj-Khalifa-view7.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Burj Khalifa lake" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Looking down on Burj Khalifa lake from the Observation Deck<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Burj-Khalifa-view4_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Burj-Khalifa-view4.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="View over Dubai" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">View over Dubai from the Observation Deck<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Burj-Khalifa-pic_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Burj-Khalifa-pic.jpg" width="400" height="286" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/souk_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/souk.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Souk Al Bahar" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Souk Al Bahar is located on an island in the Burj Khalifa lake<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Dubai-plants_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Dubai-plants.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Plants in Dubai" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Sophisticated irrigation systems allow plants to survive in Dubai<br /><br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q24"></a><b>November 2011 - Vittorio Veneto, ITALY</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">Vittorio Veneto is a small city located on the border between the Venetian plains and the mountains. The city was formed from the union of the towns of Ceneda and Serravalle in 1866. I had the chance to explore the old town centre of Serravalle during a recent visit to the area.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Piazza-Flaminio_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Piazza-Flaminio.jpg" width="400" height="518" alt="Piazza Flaminio" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Piazza Flaminio the central square of the old town of <br />Serravalle is paved with stone slabs from Istria in Croatia<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Comunita-Lodge_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Comunita-Lodge.jpg" width="400" height="533" alt="The Comunità Lodge" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Comunità Lodge (built 1462-1476) <br />or town hall now houses a museum<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Comunita-Lodge-facade_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Comunita-Lodge-facade.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="The facide of the Comunità Lodge" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The highly decorated facade of the Comunità Lodge <br />has the winged lion symbol of the Venetian Republic<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Meschio_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Meschio.jpg" width="400" height="533" alt="The river Meschio" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The river Meschio passes down through Serravalle <br />(the river wall is braced as a flood defence mechanism)<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/StAugusta-steps_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/StAugusta-steps.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="View from the Sanctuary of St. Augusta" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Steps and a long winding path lead to the Sanctuary of <br />St. Augusta situated on a hill overlooking Vittorio Veneto<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/StAugusta-path_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/StAugusta-path.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="The path to the Sanctuary of St. Augusta" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The path is quite steep and you pass seven <br />small chapels on the way to the Sanctuary<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/StAugusta-tower_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/StAugusta-tower.jpg" width="400" height="533" alt="St. Augusta tower" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">A tower not far from the Sanctuary of St. Augusta<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/StAugusta-cats_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/StAugusta-cats.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Colony of cats" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">A colony of cats lives by the tower<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/StAugusta-view_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/StAugusta-view.jpg" width="400" height="315" alt="View from the Sanctuary of St. Augusta" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">You get a good view from the top of the hill<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/StAugusta-church_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/StAugusta-church.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Church dedicated to St. Augusta" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Coming back by a different route I paused to look up<br /> at the church on the hill dedicated to St. Augusta<br /><br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p <p class="textmain"><a name="q23"></a><b>September 2011 - Ostend, Bruges and Brussels, BELGIUM</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">I am on holiday in Belgium staying in Ostend. Currently there is a lot of building work being carried out on the seafront with the construction of two new breakwaters to make the harbour of Ostend accessible to larger container ships and to protect the city against flooding. Historically Ostend was a strategically important port and the remains of defence structures built by invading armies are still evident on the outskirts of Ostend today.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/view-from-pier_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/view-from-pier.jpg" width="400" height="323" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">View of Ostend from the pier<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Spanish-Inn_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Spanish-Inn.jpg" width="400" height="533" alt="The Spanish Inn" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Claiming to be the oldest house in Ostend the <br />Spanish Inn is located at Kapucijnenstraat 42<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Spanish-Inn-2_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Spanish-Inn-2.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Inside the Spanish Inn" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The live music starts at 9.30 p.m.<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">Part of the Atlantic Wall constructed by the Germans during the Second World War has been preserved as an open-air museum just south of Ostend. You can get there by taking the coastal tram from the centre of Ostend to Domein Raversijde. After getting off the tram cross the main road and you will find a path through the sand dunes. At the end of the path turn left and it is only a 5 minute walk down the road to the museum. Here you will find bunkers interconnected by a series of trenches and tunnels dating from both World Wars. Fortifications from the First World War were utilised and expanded in the construction of the Atlantic Wall. In reality the Atlantic Wall was not a continuous structure like Hadrian's Wall or the Great Wall of China but consisted of a chain of fortified strong points.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/PAK-36_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/PAK-36.jpg" width="400" height="334" alt="PAK 36" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The PAK 36 a 37 mm anti-tank gun had become obsolete <br />by 1944 however it could still pack a punch when armed <br />with more recently developed hollow-charge grenades<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/PAK-40_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/PAK-40.jpg" width="400" height="279" alt="PAK 40" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The 75 mm PAK 40 is a more formidable anti-tank gun<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/K-370_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/K-370.jpg" width="400" height="296" alt="K 370" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Captured artillery pieces such as this 120 mm Belgian field gun <br />were used to bolster the defences of the Atlantic Wall<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/FLAK-28_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/FLAK-28.jpg" width="400" height="449" alt="FLAK 28" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The FLAK 28 is a 40 mm anti-aircraft gun<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/trench_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/trench.jpg" width="400" height="365" alt="Trench" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Trench constructed during the First World War<br /> to conceal troop movements<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Image1_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Image1.jpg" width="400" height="319" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Soldiers of the German Naval Corps constructed the First World <br />War defences and are depicted here in a bomb proof shelter<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/tunnel_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/tunnel.jpg" width="400" height="329" alt="Tunnel" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Tunnel with escape hatch dating back to the Second World War<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Image2_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Image2.jpg" width="400" height="298" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Depiction of German soldiers during the Second World War<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">Constructed between 1810 and 1814 Fort Napoleon lies to the north of Ostend. It is just two stops by tram from Ostend railway station and well worth a visit as it is the only intact fortress of this type remaining from the Napoleonic era.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Fort-Napoleon-welcome.jpg" width="400" height="366" alt="Welcome to Fort Napoleon" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Welcome to Fort Napoleon<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Fort-Napoleon_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Fort-Napoleon.jpg" width="400" height="238" alt="Fort Napoleon" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Fort Napoleon doesn't look that impressive from a distance<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Fort-Napoleon-inside_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Fort-Napoleon-inside.jpg" width="400" height="326" alt="Inside Fort Napoleon" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">A killing zone was created between the outer and inner walls<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Fort-Napoleon-top_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Fort-Napoleon-top.jpg" width="400" height="324" alt="View from top of Fort Napoleon" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The view of Ostend from the top of Fort Napoleon<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Fort-Napoleon-lookdown_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Fort-Napoleon-lookdown.jpg" width="400" height="458" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Looking down into the courtyard. The windows were <br />designed to allow maximum light into the fortress.<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">Bruges (the Flemish name is Brugge) is almost completely ringed by parkland sited on the remains of the earthwork bastions constructed to defend the city centuries ago. The well preserved historical centre with its system of canals and many examples of medieval architecture is reasonably compact and quite easy to walk round.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Minnnewater_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Minnnewater.jpg" width="400" height="302" alt="The Minnnewater" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Minnnewater is a natural broadening of the river Reie<br /> used as a reservoir to control the water level in the canals<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/lock-house_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/lock-house.jpg" width="400" height="307" alt="The lock house" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Sashuis (sluice house) houses the gates used<br /> to regulate the water levels in the canals<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/swans_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/swans.jpg" width="400" height="325" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Swans are a common sight on the canals<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Monastery-gate_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Monastery-gate.jpg" width="400" height="475" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Entrance gate to the Béguinage of Bruges which <br />is now a monastery for the Benedictine sisters<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/gate_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/gate.jpg" width="400" height="298" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Beguinage1_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Beguinage1.jpg" width="400" height="321" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Inside the Béguinage where béguines <br />(members of a sisterhood) used to live<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/silence_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/silence.jpg" width="400" height="435" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/half-moon_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/half-moon.jpg" width="400" height="402" alt="half moon" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Half Moon family brewery<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/horse-drawn-carriage_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/horse-drawn-carriage.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Horse drawn carriage rides are popular<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/alms-house_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/alms-house.jpg" width="400" height="477" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Almshouse in the centre of Bruges<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Dijver_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Dijver.jpg" width="400" height="327" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Dijver is one of the most attractive canals in Bruges<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Bruges-belfry_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Bruges-belfry.jpg" width="400" height="466" alt="The belfry of Bruges" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Belfry of Bruges - there are 366 steps to the top<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/belfrytop_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/belfrytop.jpg" width="400" height="285" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">At the top of the Belfry<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/belfry-view 2_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/belfry-view 2.jpg" width="400" height="350" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">View from the Belfry<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/rooftops_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/rooftops.jpg" width="400" height="263" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Stepped-gabled buildings in the Markt (Market square)<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/old-church_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/old-church.jpg" width="400" height="320" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Basilica of the Holy Blood in Burg Square <br />dates back to the 12th century <br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/lion_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/lion.jpg" width="400" height="551" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/city-hall_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/city-hall.jpg" width="400" height="345" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Stadhuis (Town Hall) has statues and elaborate windows<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Stadhuis-facade_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Stadhuis-facade.jpg" width="400" height="312" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Part of the façade of the Stadhuis<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/church_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/church.jpg" width="400" height="318" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Church of Our Lady with its flying buttresses<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">The Grand Place or Grote Markt is the central square of Brussels and a major tourist attraction with its Gothic town hall and wealthy guild houses many dating from the 17th century. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Brussels-townhall_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Brussels-townhall.jpg" width="400" height="686" alt="Brussels Town Hall" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Gothic Town Hall of the City of Brussels<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/guild-houses_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/guild-houses.jpg" width="400" height="352" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Guild houses in the Grote Markt<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/maison-des-brasseurs_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/maison-des-brasseurs.jpg" width="400" height="414" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Maison des Brasseurs with its monumental <br />façade was occupied by the Brewers Guild<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Manneken-Pis_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Manneken-Pis.jpg" width="400" height="533" alt="Manneken Pis" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Manneken Pis a famous Brussels landmark <br />is only a short walk from the Grote Markt<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="../imagesblog/Manneken-Pis-dressings_b.jpg"><img src="../imagesblog/Manneken-Pis-dressings.jpg" width="400" height="274" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Manneken Pis is dressed in costume according to a schedule <br />posted on the railings in front of the statue<br /><br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q22"></a><b>June 2011 - Aódz, POLAND</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">Aódz (pronounced 'Woodge') has been called  the Manchester of Poland for its historic links with the textile industry. This is evident from the renovated 19th century mansions and townhouses found in Piotrkowska Street (Ulica Piotrkowska) many of which were originally built for the wealthy owners of textile factories. Today Piotrkowska Street has become one of the longest shopping streets in the world with a good selection of restaurants and outdoor cafés. The street also has a number of sculptures depicting prominent citizens who once lived and worked in Aódz.</p> <p class="textmain">The northern part of Piotrkowska Street from Pilsudskiego Avenue (Aleja Pilsudskiego) to Liberty Square (Plac Wolnosci) is a pedestrian zone and if you get tired of walking there are plenty of bicycle rickshaws available. From Liberty Square it is only a short walk to Poznanski Palace which contains the City of Lodz History museum. Next to Poznanski Palace is Manufaktura a large shopping, leisure and cultural centre.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="137-139_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/137-139.jpg" width="400" height="390" alt="Kindermann's Palace" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="mosaic_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/mosaic.jpg" width="400" height="139" alt="Mosaic" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Juliusz Kindermann's Palace (ul. Piotrkowska 139) has a mosaic <br />illustrating the transportation of cotton decorating its facade<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="trunk_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/trunk.jpg" width="400" height="403" alt="Reymont s Trunk" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">WBadysBaw Reymont s Trunk (ul. Piotrkowska 137)<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="bicycle-rickshaw_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/bicycle-rickshaw.jpg" width="400" height="433" alt="Bicycle rickshaw" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Bicycle rickshaws are readily available in Piotrkowska Street<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="piano_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/piano.jpg" width="400" height="403" alt="Rubinstein's Piano" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="piano-inscription_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/piano-inscription.jpg" width="400" height="365" alt="Inscription on Piano" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Arthur Rubinstein's Piano (ul. Piotrkowska 78)<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="53_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/53.jpg" width="400" height="492" alt="Herman Kondstadt s house" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Herman Kondstadt s house (ul. Piotrkowska 53) with<br /> its mansard roof and atlantes support columns<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="factory-owners_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/factory-owners.jpg" width="400" height="391" alt="Three Factory Owners" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Three Factory Owners (ul. Piotrkowska 30/32)<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Scheibler-house_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Scheibler-house.jpg" width="400" height="516" alt="Scheibler's House" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Scheibler's House (ul. Piotrkowska 11) <br />has a large oriel window and dome<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="square_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/square.jpg" width="400" height="313" alt="Liberty Square" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Liberty Square (Plac Wolno[ci)<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="palace_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/palace.jpg" width="400" height="364" alt="Izrael PoznaDski's Palace" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Izrael PoznaDski's Palace<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="manufaktura_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/manufaktura.jpg" width="400" height="474" alt="Manufaktura" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Manufaktura was originally established by Izrael PoznaDski <br />as a textile factory and has now become one of the <br />largest shopping, leisure and cultural centres in Europe<br /><br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q21"></a><b>May 2011 - Washington and Gettysburg, UNITED STATES</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">I am in Washington D.C. for the weekend staying at The Latham Georgetown Hotel about 15 minutes walk from Foggy Bottom Metro station. I queued up at the Washington Monument Lodge just after 07:00 in the morning to get a free ticket to take the elevator up to the observation deck of the Washington Monument at a height of 500 feet.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="Latham-Georgetown-Hotel_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Latham-Georgetown-Hotel.jpg" width="400" height="317" alt="Latham Georgetown Hotel" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Latham Georgetown Hotel<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="C&Ocanal_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/C&Ocanal.jpg" width="400" height="305" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The historic Chesapeake & Ohio Canal is <br />just down the road from the hotel<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="old-stone-house_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/old-stone-house.jpg" width="400" height="502" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Also in Georgetown the Old Stone House built in 1765 <br />is the oldest standing building in Washington<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="downtown_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/downtown.jpg" width="200" height="281" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="white-house_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/white-house.jpg" width="400" height="310" alt="The White House" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The White House<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Washington-Monument_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Washington-Monument.jpg" width="400" height="476" alt="The Washington Monument" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Washington Monument and Monument Lodge<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="view-from-Monument_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/view-from-Monument.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="View from top of the Washington Monument" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">View of the Lodge and Mall from the top of the Monument<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="US-Capitol_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/US-Capitol.jpg" width="400" height="533" alt="The United States Capitol building" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The United States Capitol building<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Capitol-Rotunda_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Capitol-Rotunda.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="The Rotunda" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">I went on a guided tour of the historic Capitol building <br />and viewed the rotunda located below the Capitol dome<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Korean-Memorial_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Korean-Memorial.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Korean War Veterans Memorial<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="fishmarket_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/fishmarket.jpg" width="400" height="283" alt="Washington s historic Fish Market" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Washington s historic Fish Market known as "the Wharf" is located <br />on Maine Avenue just past the Interstate 395 highway overpass<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Jefferson-Memorial_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Jefferson-Memorial.jpg" width="400" height="298" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The memorial to Thomas Jefferson is <br />based on the Pantheon in Rome<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Potomac-River_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Potomac-River.jpg" width="400" height="302" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">View of the Potomac River and Georgetown<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">Gettysburg in Pennsylvania is less than a two-hour drive from Washington and there is plenty of historical interest here. The Battle of Gettysburg cumulating with Pickett's Charge took place just outside the town and is thought to be the turning point of the American Civil War. The battlefield has been preserved as part of Gettysburg National Military Park and you can do a self-guided auto tour by getting a map from the visitor centre. It takes about 2  3 hours and at specified stops tablets describe the most significant events during the three day battle.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="Wills-house_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Wills-house.jpg" width="400" height="313" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Wills House in the centre of Gettysburg<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Wills-sign_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Wills-sign.jpg" width="400" height="432" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Lincoln-statue_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Lincoln-statue.jpg" width="400" height="542" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Statue of Lincoln outside Gettysburg National <br />Military Park Museum and Visitor Center<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="period-food_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/period-food.jpg" width="400" height="486" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The roasted peanut soup was very tasty<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Meade-statue_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Meade-statue.jpg" width="400" height="373" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Monument of Major General Meade on his horse<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Meade-sign_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Meade-sign.jpg" width="400" height="251" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Major General Meade commander of the Union forces<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="picketts-charge_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/picketts-charge.jpg" width="400" height="518" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Tablet describing Pickett's Charge the climax of the battle<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="High-Water-Mark_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/High-Water-Mark.jpg" width="400" height="276" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The High Water Mark Memorial marks the site where <br />Confederate soldiers briefly breeched the Union line<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="highwatermark_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/highwatermark.jpg" width="400" height="294" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Gettysburg-mem-1_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Gettysburg-mem-1.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Battery K held this position on July 3<sup>rd</sup> 1863 <br />and assisted in repulsing Pickett's Charge<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Gettysburg-mem-2_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Gettysburg-mem-2.jpg" width="400" height="533" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Sharpshooters armed with telescoped rifles played <br />an important role in delaying enemy attacks<br /><br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q20"></a><b>April 2011 - Kavala, GREECE</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">On this trip to Greece I had a chance to explore Kavala. The historical part of Kavala called Panagia (old town) is surrounded by medieval walls and has a well-preserved aqueduct known as the Kamares (arches). An acropolis sited on the rocky headland of Panagia contains a circular tower preserved from the Byzantine period. Mehmet Ali who was later to become Pasha of Egypt was born in Kavala and there is a statue of him near the house he once lived in.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="Kavala_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Kavala.jpg" width="400" height="283" alt="Aegean Sea" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The acropolis and medieval walls of Kavala<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="plan-walls_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/plan-walls.jpg" width="400" height="411" alt="plan of the walls" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Plan of the walls<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="the-walls_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/the-walls.jpg" width="400" height="296" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="sign_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/sign.jpg" width="400" height="404" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The way to the acropolis is well signposted<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="narrow-street_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/narrow-street.jpg" width="400" height="533" alt="narrow street" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The roads of the old town are narrow and steep<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Kavala-cat.jpg"><img src="../blog/Kavala-cat.jpg" width="400" height="309" alt="Kavala cat" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">There are plenty of cats around must be all the fish<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Kavala-castle_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Kavala-castle.jpg" width="400" height="557" alt="Kavala castle" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Byzantine tower<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Kavala-aqueduct_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Kavala-aqueduct.jpg" width="400" height="415" alt="Kavala aqueduct" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">You get a good view of the aqueduct from the acropolis<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Kavala-view_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Kavala-view.jpg" width="400" height="297" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Kavala harbour and the new town viewed from the acropolis<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Mehmet-Ali_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Mehmet-Ali.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Statue of Mehmet Ali" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Statue of Mehmet Ali, Pasha of Egypt<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Mehmet-Ali-house_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Mehmet-Ali-house.jpg" width="400" height="329" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The house where Mehmet Ali once lived<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Aegean_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Aegean.jpg" width="400" height="273" alt="Aegean Sea" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The crystal clear water of the Aegean Sea<br /><br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q19"></a><b>June 2010 - Würzburg, GERMANY</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">The day after getting back from New York I am in the city of Würzburg in Bavaria and there could not be a greater contrast - not a skyscraper in sight. Although most of city was destroyed during a World War II air raid all of the important historical buildings have been rebuilt.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="Wuerzburg_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Wuerzburg.jpg" width="400" height="242" alt="Würzburg" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The city of Würzburg viewed from Fortress Marienberg<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="bridge-over-main_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/bridge-over-main.jpg" width="400" height="265" alt="Alte Mainbrücke" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Würzburg's Old Bridge (Alte Mainbrücke) over<br />the River Main is lined with statues of saints<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="bridge-statue_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/bridge-statue.jpg" width="400" height="510" alt="Statue" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Statue on Alte Mainbrücke<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Festung-Marienberg_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Festung-Marienberg.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="Festung Marienberg" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Festung Marienberg (Marienberg Fortress)<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Marienberg_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Marienberg.jpg" width="400" height="579" alt="About Marienberg Fortress" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="alter-kranen_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/alter-kranen.jpg" width="400" height="298" alt="Alter Kranen" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The old cranes (Alter Kranen) dating back to the 1770's are<br />a reminder of the importance of the River Main for trade<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="tram_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/tram.jpg" width="400" height="403" alt="Tram" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Trams run through the centre of the city<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="falkenhaus_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/falkenhaus.jpg" width="400" height="283" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Haus zum Falken (Falkenhaus) with <br />its splendid Rococo stucco facade<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="town-crier_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/town-crier.jpg" width="400" height="425" alt="Town crier" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">A town crier leads a walking tour of Würzburg<br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">In June the pfifferlinge (chanterelles - yellow mushrooms that grow in association with certain species of tree) come in season and are often served in a delicious cream sauce. The ones I had in Würzburg were still quite small indicating that the season had only just started. I also enjoyed a glass or two of the locally produced Silvaner wine at the Würzburger Ratskeller.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="Ratskeller_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Ratskeller.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Ratskeller" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Würzburger Ratskeller<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="pfifferlinge_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/pfifferlinge.jpg" width="400" height="318" alt="Steak with pfifferlinge" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Steak with pfifferlinge<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="apfelstrudel_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/apfelstrudel.jpg" width="400" height="364" alt="Apple Strudel" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel)<br /><br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q18"></a><b>June 2010 - New York, UNITED STATES</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">I am staying at Park Central and it only cost $7.25 to get to Midtown Manhattan from JFK airport using the AirTrain to get to Jamaica Station and then E line on the New York City subway. Pay for the journey when you get to Jamaica Station by buying a MetroCard before going through the turnstyle. Beware on the subway that you will have to lift your suitcase over some of the turnstyles so if it is very large or heavy you are better off taking a taxi.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="human-statue-of-liberty_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/human-statue-of-liberty.jpg" width="400" height="460" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">A human Statue of Liberty at Battery Park<br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">You can get a good view of the Statue of Liberty from the free ferry to Staten Island however it is worthwhile paying for the ferry to visit Liberty Island with its panoramic views of New York Harbour and Manhattan. Be sure to visit the museum located inside the pedestal which gives details about the history of the monument, how it was constructed and recent renovation work.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="statue-of-liberty_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/statue-of-liberty.jpg" width="400" height="591" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Statue of Liberty viewed from the ground on Liberty Island<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="statue-of-liberty-plaque_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/statue-of-liberty-plaque.jpg" width="400" height="215" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Liberty-island_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Liberty-island.jpg" width="400" height="264" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">View of Manhattan from Liberty-island<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Brooklyn-bridge_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Brooklyn-bridge.jpg" width="400" height="285" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Brooklyn Bridge connecting Manhattan to Brooklyn has<br /> a central raised walkway for pedestrians and cyclists<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="cable-wrapping_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/cable-wrapping.jpg" width="400" height="455" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">A plaque gives details of how the cables were constructed<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Brooklyn-heights_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Brooklyn-heights.jpg" width="400" height="479" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Elegant houses in Brooklyn Heights<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Empire-state-building_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Empire-state-building.jpg" width="400" height="373" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Empire State Building<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Empire-state-building-in_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Empire-state-building-in.jpg" width="400" height="493" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Inside the Empire State Building<br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">You get a very good view of Downtown Manhattan from the observation deck in the Empire State Building however for unobstructed views of Central Park it is worth visiting the 'Top of the Rock' observation deck located at the historic Rockefeller Center.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="top-of-the-rock-view_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/top-of-the-rock-view.jpg" width="400" height="390" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">View of Central Park from the Top of the Rock<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="top-of-the-rock-me_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/top-of-the-rock-me.jpg" width="400" height="301" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">I asked a Japanese tourist to take a picture of me<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Belvedere-tower_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Belvedere-tower.jpg" width="400" height="555" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Belvedere Castle (or Tower) a folly in Central Park <br />once housed a meterological observatory that <br />has now been moved to the Rockefeller Center<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Belvedere-tower-pl_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Belvedere-tower-pl.jpg" width="400" height="254" alt="Plaque giving details about the Belvedere Tower" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Times-square_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Times-square.jpg" width="400" height="553" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The statue of George M. Cohan in Times Square is <br />eclipsed by the massive electronic billboards<br /><br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q17"></a><b>May 2010 - Treviso, ITALY</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">I was in Barcelona last week now I am visiting Treviso in Italy. This small city is surrounded by the remains of its extensive Venetian walls (le Mura) and is also characterised by a system of canals and the rivers Sile and Botteniga. The town centre is noted for its colonnades and the remnants of painted frescoes on some of the historical buildings. I am staying in the Hotel Continental situated near the railway and bus stations. You can take the number 6 ACTT bus from Treviso Canova Airport to Treviso at a cost of only ¬ 1 (if ticket bought inside the airport or pay ¬ 2 on the bus). There are good bus and train connections to Venice so if you are on a budget Treviso would make an excellent base for visiting Venice. At the self-service restaurant Brek I had a generous helping of lasagne and half a litre of wine (on draft) for only ¬ 7.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="botteniga_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/botteniga.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The river Botteniga flows underneath the city walls after<br />which it is split into three canals which pass through the city<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="canal_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/canal.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The water flows under numerous bridges inside the city<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="water-wheel_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/water-wheel.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Water wheel" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The canals were once used to drive water wheels<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="loggia-dei-cavalieri_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/loggia-dei-cavalieri.jpg" width="400" height="361" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Loggia dei Cavalieri was originally a meeting place<br />where nobles met to take part in parlour games<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="loggia-frescoes_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/loggia-frescoes.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Frescoes located under eaves of the Loggia dei Cavalieri<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Brek_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Brek.jpg" width="400" height="312" alt="Brek" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The restaurant chain Brek offers good value for money<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="winged-lion_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/winged-lion.jpg" width="400" height="324" alt="Winged lion" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The winged lion is a traditional symbol of the<br />Venetian Republic and appears all over Treviso<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="porta-san-tomaso_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/porta-san-tomaso.jpg" width="400" height="295" alt="Porta San Tomaso" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Porta San Tomaso is one of the 3 remaining city gates<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="porta-altinia_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/porta-altinia.jpg" width="400" height="500" alt="Porta Altinia" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Porta Altinia another city gate has a stark appearance<br /> due to the limited resources available when it was built<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="porta-altinia-pic_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/porta-altinia-pic.jpg" width="400" height="297" alt="Picture of Porta Altinia" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Picture of Porta Altinia in its heyday<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="old-walls_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/old-walls.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Fiume Sile" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">A section of the old city walls (le Mura)<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="fiume-sile_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/fiume-sile.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Fiume Sile" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">A quiet spot on the river Sile just outside the city walls<br /><br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q16"></a><b>May 2010 - Barcelona, SPAIN</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">I am back in Spain again this time with Rita. We are staying in the hotel Catalonia Port which has an excellent location not far from the harbour and the start of Las Ramblas.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="human-statue_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/human-statue.jpg" width="400" height="362" alt="human statue" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Human statue in Las Ramblas<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="sandart_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/sandart.jpg" width="400" height="350" alt="sand art" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Sand sculpture being prepared on Barcelona beach<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Casa-Batllo_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Casa-Batllo.jpg" width="400" height="518" alt="Casa Batlló" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Casa Batlló designed by Antoni Gaudí<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Casa-Mila_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Casa-Mila.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Casa Milà" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Casa Milà another building designed by Antoni Gaudí<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Casa-Mila-roof_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Casa-Mila-roof.jpg" width="400" height="339" alt="Casa Milà" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">There is a walkway on the roof of Casa Milà<br />where you can view the ornate chimneys<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Tapac24_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Tapac24.jpg" width="400" height="294" alt="Tapaç 24" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">We visited the famous tapas bar - Tapaç 24<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Bikini-Commerc24_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Bikini-Commerc24.jpg" width="400" height="336" alt="Tapaç 24" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">My favourite dish - Bikini Commerç 24 (Iberico ham & Queso <br />Manchego cheese toasted sandwiches with grated black truffle)<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="xocolata_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/xocolata.jpg" width="400" height="336" alt="Tapaç 24" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">An interesting dessert - Xocolata Amb Pa, Sal i Oli<br />(chocolate with bread, salt & olive oil)<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Sagrada-Familia_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Sagrada-Familia.jpg" width="400" height="533" alt="Sagrada Família" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">I took the lift up one of the towers of the Sagrada Família<br />to get this picture before desending via the spiral staircase<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="pa-amb-tomaquet_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/pa-amb-tomaquet.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="pa amb tomàquet" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Rita enjoying pa amb tomàquet and sangria at the restaurant "Sailor"<br /><br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q15"></a><b>February 2010 - Valencia, SPAIN</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">There are some interesting historical buildings in the Ciutat Vella (Old Town) part of Valencia. I stayed in Hotel Valencia near the Plaza del Ayuntamiento and just a short walk from Xátiva metro station. The two underground lines (line 3 and 5) which link the airport to the city centre both pass through Xátiva and it only costs ¬ 1-90 to get from the airport to the city centre.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="serranos_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/serranos.jpg" width="400" height="351" alt="Torres de Serranos" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Torres de Serranos - the 14th century Serranos Towers are <br />considered to be the largest Gothic city gateway in Europe<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="serranos-view_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/serranos-view.jpg" width="400" height="259" alt="View" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">View of the Ciutat Vella from the top of the Serranos Towers<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="catedral_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/catedral.jpg" width="400" height="314" alt="Cathedral of Valencia" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Cathedral of Valencia viewed from the Plaza de la Virgen<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="lonja_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/lonja.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="La Lonja de la Seda" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">La Lonja de la Seda once used by merchants for the trading of <br />silk is considered a masterpiece of late Gothic architecture<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="lonja-inside_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/lonja-inside.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="The room of columns" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The room of columns inside La Lonja date to around 1498<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="santa-catalina_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/santa-catalina.jpg" width="400" height="632" alt="Santa Catalina bell tower" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The 18th century Baroque bell tower of Santa Catalina church<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="museo-ceramica_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/museo-ceramica.jpg" width="400" height="419" alt="Ceramics Museum" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Built as a luxurious palace for a Valencian noble family <br />this building is now used as a Ceramics Museum<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">The Sagardi restaurant located on Calle San Vicente Mártir has a tapas bar that serves Basque "pinchos" (Pintxos) - bread with toppings. Very tasty with a glass or two of Spanish wine.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="pinchos_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/pinchos.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="pinchos" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"> <br /></p> <p class="textmain">The City of Arts and Sciences is a complex built on the old riverbed of the Río Turia (the river was diverted in the 1970's to prevent flooding of the city centre). It includes a Science Museum, the Oceanográfico (currently the largest aquarium in Europe), the Umbracle (an arboretum and car park), the Palau de les Arts (the centre for performing arts) and the Hemisfèric (IMAX cinema).</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="science-museum_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/science-museum.jpg" width="400" height="277" alt="Science Museum" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The futuristic looking Science Museum<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="umbracle_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/umbracle.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Umbracle" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Umbracle has a walkway lined with indigenous plants<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="carnival_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/carnival.jpg" width="400" height="449" alt="Carnival" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Follow the yellow-brick road - its carnival time in Valencia<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="fireworks_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/fireworks.jpg" width="400" height="409" alt="Fireworks display" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">After the carnival there is a spectacular fireworks display<br /><br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q14"></a><b>February 2010 - Rochester, UK</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">I am spending half a day in Rochester one of the Medway towns in Kent. Charles Dickens immortalised several buildings in the town by including them in his novels and today many are still there marked by commemorative plaques. Most are located on the High Street.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="bull-hotel_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/bull-hotel2.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="The Bull Hotel" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /></p> <p class="center"><img src="../blog/bull-hotel-p.jpg" width="300" height="217" alt="commemorative plaque" /></p> <br /> <div class="hr"><hr /></div> <p class="center"><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="jaspers-gate_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/jaspers-gate.jpg" width="400" height="533" alt="Jaspers Gate" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /></p> <p class="center"><img src="../blog/jaspers-gate-p.jpg" width="300" height="178" alt="commemorative plaque" /></p> <br /> <div class="hr"><hr /></div> <p class="center"><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="eastgate-house_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/eastgate-house.jpg" width="400" height="326" alt="Eastgate House" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /></p> <p class="center"><img src="../blog/eastgate-house-p.jpg" width="300" height="205" alt="commemorative plaque" /></p> <br /> <div class="hr"><hr /></div> <p class="center"><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="rochester-castle_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/rochester-castle.jpg" width="400" height="311" alt="Rochester Castle" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The ruins of Rochester castle with its impressive Norman keep <br />lies just off the High Street.<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="mr-tope_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/mr-tope.jpg" width="400" height="533" alt="Mr Tope's Home" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /></p> <p class="center"><img src="../blog/mr-tope-p.jpg" width="300" height="236" alt="commemorative plaque" /></p> <br /> <div class="hr"><hr /></div> <p class="center"><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="pumblechook_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/pumblechook.jpg" width="400" height="462" alt="Uncle Pumblechook's Premises" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /></p> <p class="center"><img src="../blog/pumblechook-p.jpg" width="300" height="169" alt="commemorative plaque" /></p> <br /> <div class="hr"><hr /></div> <p class="center"><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="restoration-house_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/restoration-house.jpg" width="400" height="284" alt="Restoration House" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /></p> <p class="center"><img src="../blog/restoration-house-p.jpg" width="300" height="209" alt="commemorative plaque" /></p> <br /> <div class="hr"><hr /></div> <p class="center"><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="the-vines-p_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/the-vines-p.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="The Vines" /></a></p> <br /><br /> <p class="textmain">Just a short walk from the High Street and opposite Restoration House is a small park known as the Vines. The name derives from its use as a vineyard in times past by monks from St Andrews Priory.<br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="leather-bottle_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/leather-bottle.jpg" width="400" height="479" alt="The Leather Bottle" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /></p> <p class="center"><img src="../blog/leather-bottle-sn.jpg" width="400" height="533" alt="The Leather Bottle" /></p> <br /><br /> <p class="textmain">Departing the area I stopped off for lunch at the Leather Bottle an old inn featured in 'The Pickwick Papers'. The Leather Bottle is located in the village of Cobham about four miles west of Rochester.<br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q12"></a><b>June 2009 - Dordogne, FRANCE</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">In June we took our annual holiday in the Dordogne and Lot region of France an area we had not visited before. We had a lovely time with fine weather every day and the hotel had an outdoor pool so I managed to get some swimming in. Our hotel was the Inter-Hotel Le Relais De Castelnau at Loubressac a small village set on a rocky outcrop surrounded by woods and open fields with an excellent view to Castelnau and across the Dordogne Valley. There is good walking country all around with quiet roads and dramatic scenery.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="Loubressac_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Loubressac.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Loubressac" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Loubressac<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Fr-walk_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Fr-walk.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Country road" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">A quiet country road near Loubressac<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Fr-cliff_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Fr-cliff.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Cliff edge path" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Rita walking a cliff edge path near Loubressac<br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">Places we visited included Cahors with its medieval bridge and Rocamadour a small town with a dramatic setting built on a cliff side. Rocamadour has just a single road lined with houses and passing through fortified gateways. Steps ascend from the lower town to sanctuaries dating from the 12<sup>th</sup> century where seven chapels are grouped together half-way up the cliff. Originally pilgrims climbed these steps on their knees. Today there is an elevator for those who find the steps too difficult. On the summit of the cliff stands a château built to defend the sanctuaries where you get a very good view of the town and surrounding countryside.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="statue-cahors_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/statue-cahors.jpg" width="292" height="449" alt="Statue of Gambetta in Cahors" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Rita by statue of Gambetta in Cahors<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="fortified-bridge_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/fortified-bridge.jpg" width="400" height="298" alt="Pont de Valentré" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Pont de Valentré a medieval fortified stone arch bridge crossing the river<br />Lot and said to be the most photographed sight in France, outside Paris<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Rocamadour_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Rocamadour.jpg" width="400" height="324" alt="Rocamadour" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Rocamadour<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Rocamadour-view_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Rocamadour-view.jpg" width="400" height="378" alt="The sanctuaries and château" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Looking up to the sanctuaries and the château<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Rocamadour-road_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Rocamadour-road.jpg" width="400" height="533" alt="Rocamadour" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Rocamadour - is that a train?<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Rocamadour-defence_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Rocamadour-defence.jpg" width="400" height="648" alt="Defence systems of Rocamadour" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Defence of Rocamadour<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="L'Hospitalet_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/L'Hospitalet.jpg" width="400" height="256" alt="View of Rocamadour" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">View of Rocamadour from the château<br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">Specialities of the region include Rocamadour goat s cheese, foie gras and confit of duck (confit de canard). Unfortunately it was the wrong time of the year for fresh black Périgord truffles.</p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q11"></a><b>May 2009 - LaGrange, UNITED STATES</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">During May I found myself in LaGrange a small town (population around 30,000) in Georgia, USA. I got a flight to Hartsville International Airport (Atlanta) and then took the Groome shuttle bus going to Columbus telling the driver to drop me off in LaGrange. I stayed in the Best Western hotel. The town is named after the country estate in France of the Marquis de La Fayette, a French aristocrat and a general in the American War of Independence serving under George Washington. He is commemorated by a statue in the town square. The statue is a cast of the original that stands in Le Puy, Auvergne, France.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="LaGrange_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/LaGrange.jpg" width="292" height="407" alt="Statute of the Marquis de La Fayette" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Statute of the Marquis de La Fayette<br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q10"></a><b>April 2009 - Delhi and Agra, INDIA</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">April and I was back in India for the third time but based in Delhi for a change so took the opportunity to visit Agra and the Taj Mahal. It was an eight hour journey by car there and back but well worth it  in India you can hire a car with driver for around £20 a day. In Delhi they still have bicycle rickshaws unlike Mumbai where only auto rickshaws are allowed.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="redfort_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/redfort.jpg" width="400" height="303" alt="The Red Fort" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Red Fort in Delhi<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="rickshaws_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/rickshaws.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Bicycle rickshaws" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Bicycle rickshaws<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="tajmahal1_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/tajmahal1.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Taj Mahal" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Taj Mahal at Agra<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="tajmahal_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/tajmahal.jpg" width="400" height="289" alt="Taj Mahal" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q9"></a><b>March 2009 - Thessaloniki and Xanthi, GREECE</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">I had time to explore Greece s second largest city Thessaloniki on a warm sunny Sunday afternoon. Much smaller than Athens there are some interesting historical sites and fantastic panoramic views from the old Byzantine walls of the city. I stayed at the ABC Hotel in Thessaloniki which is placed in an ideal location close to the White Tower, the Rotonda, and the Palace and Arch of Galerius. I travelled to the hotel using a 78 bus from the Airport at a cost of just one euro getting off at the &#935;&#913;&#925;&#952; (YMCA) stop. The hotel is only a short walk away. <a href="http://www.oasth.gr/routes/route_bl.php?routeb=78bs.jpg"><b>Click here</b></a> to download a map of the 78 bus route. You can pay using the machine on the bus and then you have to date stamp the ticket. The bus stop to get back to the airport is near the White Tower since the &#935;&#913;&#925;&#952; stop is on a one way street. The hotel room was adequate for my purposes and clean. French windows opened out onto a small balcony with a good view of the old city walls going all the way up to the Ottoman citadel. The road outside was a busy junction but with the windows closed the soundproofing was effective. I had an excellent pan fried sole in the hotel restaurant accompanied by a bottle of Chateau Lazaridi from the Drama region. The staff were friendly and helpful and bearing in mind the central location of the hotel I considered the cost to be reasonable.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="view-thessaloniki_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/view-thessaloniki.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Thessaloniki - view from the Byzantine walls" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Thessaloniki - view from the Byzantine walls<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="whi-tower_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/whi-tower.jpg" width="400" height="346" alt="The White Tower" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The White Tower<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Galerius-arch_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Galerius-arch.jpg" width="400" height="559" alt="Arch of Galerius" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Marble slabs on the Arch of Galerius depicting the wars against the Persians<br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">On Monday I hired a car and drove to Xanthi much of the way by motorway that was so new it was not on the cars sat-nav system and it appeared as if I was driving over fields! Xanthi is a small city located in the north of Greece close to the border with Bulgaria and about a two hour drive from Thessaloniki airport where I picked up the hire car. Xanthi is famous throughout Greece for its 'Mardi Gras' carnival which had just finished when I arrived. This was fortunate since all the hotels are fully booked up during the carnival. I stayed at the Hotel Z-Palace on the outskirts of the city but you can easily walk from the hotel to the central square of Xanthi then on to the historical Old Town with its mansions originally built for wealthy 19<sup>th</sup> century tobacco merchants.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="square-xanthi_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/square-xanthi.jpg" width="400" height="342" alt="central square of Xanthi" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Central square of Xanthi<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="xanthi-1_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/xanthi-1.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Old Town" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Towards the Old Town<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="xanthi-2_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/xanthi-2.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Xanthi Town Hall" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Xanthi Town Hall<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="xanthi-3_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/xanthi-3.jpg" width="400" height="533" alt="Town Hall" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Town Hall<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="xanthi-4_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/xanthi-4.jpg" width="400" height="338" alt="Cobbled street" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The narrow cobbled streets of the Old Town<br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q8"></a><b>November 2008 - Mumbai, INDIA</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">Just got back from a trip to Mumbai so it is a bit of as shock to hear about all the trouble out there now. Not much time for any sightseeing but did get to see the Hanging Gardens that feature numerous hedges carved into the shapes of animals.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="animal_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/animal.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="The Hanging Gardens" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Hanging Gardens<br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q7"></a><b>August 2008 - Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">Like Shanghai in China, Kuala Lumpur is a very modern and vibrant city. I can t resist going inside tall buildings and therefore had to visit the KL Tower and the Petronas Twin Towers. The Twin Towers are connected by a Skybridge open to visitors. It's free but only a limited number of visitors are allowed in each day and only about 15 people are allowed on the bridge at a time so I skipped breakfast at the hotel to queue up at 07.00 a.m. in the morning. By 09.30 a.m. I was on the Skybridge.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="KLtower_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/KLtower.jpg" width="292" height="436" alt="KL Tower" /></a></p> <br /><br /> <p class="center"><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Petronas_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Petronas.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="View from the Skybridge" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">View looking down from the Skybridge connecting the Twin Towers<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><img src="../blog/tall_towers.gif" width="466" height="397" alt="Worlds tallest towers" /></p> <br /> <p class="center">With the completion of the Burj Dubai skyscraper the Petronas Twin Towers now rank <br />as the 4<sup>th</sup> tallest building in the world but are still the world s tallest twin structures<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">The Batu Caves located just north of Kuala Lumpur have a temple dedicated to Lord Murugan within the caves. Just below the cave with the temple is the 'dark cave' where you can get a guided tour to see stalagmites, stalactites, flowstones and other features of the cave including many different species of animals most of which are invertebrates dependant on guano produced by bats roosting in the cave. To preserve the environment of the dark cave electric lighting has not been installed (and flash photography is forbidden), the guide using a torch to show visitors around.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="batucaves_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/batucaves.jpg" width="400" height="533" alt="Batu Caves" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Entrance to Batu Caves, a Hindu shrine<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="KL-batu_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/KL-batu.jpg" width="400" height="359" alt="Inside the Caves" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Inside the Caves<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="KL-macaque_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/KL-macaque.jpg" width="400" height="440" alt="Macaque monkey" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Macaque monkeys roam freely in the caves<br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">Went to the Saloma Theatre Restaurant one evening for some delicious Malaysian and Chinese cuisine together with a show by dancers dressed in traditional costumes. At the end of the show members of the audience are invited up onto the stage to join in themselves (no pictures forgot camera). Other sites of interest in KL include the old railway station notable for its architecture built in 1910 and now a budget hotel. I also visited Chinatown and just around the corner discovered two old temples. I cooled off in the KL Bird Park and the Butterfly Park.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="KL-railstn_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/KL-railstn.jpg" width="400" height="288" alt="Old KL railway station" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Old KL railway station now the Heritage Station Hotel<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="KL-Chinatown_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/KL-Chinatown.jpg" width="400" height="350" alt="Chinatown" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Chinatown<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="KL-hindu-temple_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/KL-hindu-temple.jpg" width="400" height="533" alt="Hindu Temple" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Sri Mahamariamman Hindu Temple<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="KL- temple_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/KL- temple.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Taoist Temple" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Kuan Ti Taoist Temple<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="hornbill_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/hornbill.jpg" width="400" height="415" alt="Hornbill" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">KL Bird Park - feeding time for the hornbills<br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">Putrajaya located south of Kuala Lumpur was built to be the new government administrative centre of Malaysia to ease overcrowding and congestion in Kuala Lumpur. I found some impressive buildings in Putrajaya such as the Perdana Putra (an office complex for the Malaysian Prime Minister) but there were not many people around. The most interesting thing about Malaysia is the people, a mixture of native Malays (forming about 60% of the population) with large Chinese and Indian minorities all apparently living in harmony.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><img src="../blog/PerdanaPutra.jpg" width="600" height="365" alt="Perdana Putra, Putrajaya, Malaysia" /></p> <br /> <p class="center">Perdana Putra, Putrajaya, Malaysia<br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q6"></a><b>July 2008 - Oslo, Flam & Bergen, NORWAY</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">We did the  Norway in a Nutshell tour for our annual holiday this year making our way from Oslo to Bergen by train, boat and bus all on one ticket! It s a very beautiful country but incredibly expensive a bottle of ordinary wine in a restaurant costing around 40 GBP. The weather was not too bad although rain is common especially on the west coast. The Norwegians have a saying that it only rains between the showers - just like Manchester then! Spent the first two days at the Perminalen Hotel situated in the centre of Oslo  very good value for money considering prices in Norway and recommended by the Insight Pocket Guide to Oslo & Bergen but book well in advance if you want to get a room here. Sightseeing activities included the Akerhus fortress, a two hour cruise of Oslo fjord and the Vigeland Sculpture Park. We also took the ferry to Bygdøy to visit the Norwegian Folk Museum with its old wooden buildings including a stave church and the Viking Ship Museum. Because it was raining on and off I did not take many pictures in Oslo. We then took a train from Oslo to the mountain station at Myrdal and from here travelled to Flåm on one of the worlds steepest railway lines much of the journey through twisting tunnels that spiral in and out of the mountain. Although it was July there were still patches of snow on the mountain. The train stopped at one point so that we could get out and see a spectacular waterfall.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="Oslo-view_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Oslo-view.jpg" width="400" height="261" alt="View of Oslo" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">View of Oslo from the Akerhus fortress<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="myrdal_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/myrdal.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Myrdal station" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The mountain railway station at Myrdal<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="waterfall_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/waterfall.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Waterfall" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Spectacular waterfall<br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">Stayed at the Fretheim Hotel in the village of Flåm for the night and then continued our journey by boat sailing out of the Aurlandsfjord and into the Nærøyfjord, one of the narrowest fjords in Europe before disembarking at Gudvangen. Our journey continued by coach down the steep and spectacular hairpin bends of Stalheimskleiva the steepest road in Norway then on to Voss and finally by train to Bergen where we stayed at the Augustin Hotel near the Bryggen wharf for a couple of nights before flying back to Manchester.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="Flam-view_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Flam-view.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="view of Flåm" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Flåm<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Flam-hotel_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Flam-hotel.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Fretheim Hotel restaurant" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Rita in the Fretheim Hotel restaurant<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Bergen-bryggen_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Bergen-bryggen.jpg" width="400" height="256" alt="Bryggen wharf" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">View of the Bryggen wharf<br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">We took the funicular cable car to the look-out point on the Fløien Mountain for a fantastic view of the city of Bergen.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="funicular_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/funicular.jpg" width="400" height="306" alt="Funicular" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Bergen funicular<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Bergen-view_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Bergen-view.jpg" width="400" height="285" alt="View of Bergen" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Bergen from the Fløien Mountain<br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q5"></a><b>June 2008 - Shanghai, CHINA</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">Just in Shanghai for a week on a business trip but managed to see a few sights. The Oriental Pearl Tower has a space module, revolving restaurant and the Shanghai History Museum giving a perspective of the city s past particularly the colonial period is located in the basement. I enjoyed an evening cruise on the Huangpu River with glorious night time views of both old and new Shanghai (unfortunately I had left my camera on the daylight setting so the pictures are not worth showing). Wendy took us to Lubolang a famous restaurant said to have been visited by Queen Elizabeth II, <br />Bill Clinton and Fidel Castro (but not all at the same time!). We shared an assortment of little dishes all delicious  I tried jellyfish for the first time. The restaurant is near the nine-twist zigzag bridge in Yuyuan Garden. On Saturday we visited Zhujiajiao an ancient water town located near Dianshan Lake about an hour s drive from Shanghai. Regarding the food I am now an enthusiastic advocate of steamed dumplings.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="spacemodule_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/spacemodule.jpg" width="400" height="292" alt="XXX" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">I am in the Space Module of the Oriental Pearl Tower<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="water-town_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/water-town.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Water town" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Water town near Shanghai<br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q4"></a><b>December 2007 - Athens, GREECE</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">I have always wanted to visit the historical sites in Rome and Athens, this year I managed to do both for the first time. In Athens I stayed overnight at The Herodion Hotel close to the Acropolis and although the first week of December it was warm enough to go out without a coat on.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="olive-grove_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/olive-grove.jpg" width="400" height="292" alt="olive grove" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">I walked through an olive grove on the way up to the Acropolis<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="amphitheater_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/amphitheater.jpg" width="400" height="296" alt="amphitheater" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Odeon of Herodes Atticus - the audience <br />stands and stage were restored in the 1950s<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Propylaea_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Propylaea.jpg" width="400" height="301" alt="The Propylaea" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Part of the Propylaea a monumental entrance to the Acropolis<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Parthenon_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Parthenon.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="The Parthenon" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Parthenon<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Parthenon-recon_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Parthenon-recon.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Restoration work on the Parthenon" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Much restoration work is being carried out<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Erechtheum_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Erechtheum.jpg" width="400" height="292" alt="The Erechtheum" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Erechtheum has a porch with six draped female <br />figures (caryatids) as supporting columns<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Athena-recon_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Athena-recon.jpg" width="400" height="288" alt="Temple of Athena Nike" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">More restoration work<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="A-cat_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/A-cat.jpg" width="400" height="317" alt="A-cat" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center"><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="athens-view_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/athens-view.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="View of Athens from the Acropolis" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">View of Athens from the Acropolis<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="A-cat2_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/A-cat2.jpg" width="400" height="366" alt="XXX" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">As in Rome cats live amongst the ancient ruins<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="A-catman_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/A-catman.jpg" width="400" height="350" alt="XXX" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">This man feeds the cats - I left a donation<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="A-catmanbed_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/A-catmanbed.jpg" width="400" height="304" alt="XXX" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">This is where he sleeps<br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q3"></a><b>October 2007 - Lake District, UK</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">I like to visit the Lake District in October at least every other year for walking and collecting fungi. This year I climbed to the summit of Haystacks a favourite of Wainwright whose ashes were scattered here.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="haystacks_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/haystacks.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Haystacks" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">View of the Buttermere valley from the summit of Haystacks<br /><br /></p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q2"></a><b>May 2007 - Rome, ITALY</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">We had our annual holiday in Rome this year staying at the Milton Roma Hotel for 4 nights. It was about a 10 minute walk to the Colosseum from the hotel. There are so many things to see in Rome you need at least 4 days to cover the main sights of interest and expect to do plenty of walking.</p> <br /> <p class="center"><a href="Roman-forum_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Roman-forum.jpg" width="400" height="398" alt="Roman Forum" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The Roman Forum<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Rspagna-view_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Rspagna-view.jpg" width="400" height="342" alt="Piazza di Spagna" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Looking down on the Piazza di Spagna from the top of the Spanish Steps<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Rfountain_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Rfountain.jpg" width="400" height="303" alt="Trevi Fountain" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">The famous Trevi Fountain, Fontana di Trevi<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="RVatican_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/RVatican.jpg" width="400" height="228" alt="Vatican City" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Vatican City<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Rome-bridge_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Rome-bridge.jpg" width="400" height="368" alt="XXX" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Rita on the Ponte Sant'Angelo bridge over the Tiber<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Rcat-sanct_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Rcat-sanct.jpg" width="400" height="374" alt="Cat Sanctuary" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">Good to see that abandoned cats are being looked after<br /><br /><br /></p> <p class="center"><a href="Rcat_b.jpg"><img src="../blog/Rcat.jpg" width="400" height="321" alt="Roman cat" /></a></p> <br /> <p class="center">This one looks contented<br /><br /></p> <p class="textmain">The ancient ruins at Torre Argentina are home to well over 100 cats looked after by volunteers from many different countries. A shop at the site sells cat souvenirs an important source of income for the cat sanctuary. Please do visit the &nbsp;<a href="http://www.romancats.com/"><b>cat sanctuary</b></a>&nbsp; if you are in Rome and give your support.</p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p class="textmain"><a name="q1"></a><b>1999 & 2000 - BOLIVIA & PERU</b>&nbsp;</p> <p class="textmain">Back in 1999 / 2000 before inexpensive digital cameras or blogging tools were available I visited Bolivia and Peru as part of an EU funded research project. For details &nbsp;<a href="../camelids.htm"><b>visit this page</b></a>.</p> <p style="border-top: 1px dotted #800000;">&nbsp;</p> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p> <p class="rhs"><a href="#top"><img src="../images/up.gif" alt="Top of Page" border="0" width="17" height="16" /></a><br /><br /></p> <p class="note2">URL&nbsp;= http://www.fungus.org.uk/blog/ &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Copyright © 2000 - 2011, all rights reserved.</p> </div> </body> </html>