TravelStream™ news feed for member brad2512 on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/brad2512 en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sun, 10 Aug 2008 04:17:16 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1203598260/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1203598260/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1203598260/tpod.html Sun, 10 Aug 2008 04:17:16 -0400 Brad's 3 and a half month round the world trip.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Punta Hermosa, Peru

The following day we then set off on our short journey south making our first stop at the seaside town of Punta Hermosa which is a famous surfing spot. Bus travel in Peru is easy and services are frequent. If you were making a long trip by bus you may consider booking a Cruz de Sur service; however while these buses are more comfortable they cost around twice as much and the services are inflexible and less frequent.Our trip took us from the bus terminal at Mira Flores, down the Av Costa Verde (which translates as 'green coast', most of it is not green at all, though section by section the councils are transforming the sandy desolate cliffs green with gardens and foliage, the problem is not availability of water, just piping it to where it's needed), as we head further south we passed the constantly improving, ocean front district of Chorillos with new apartment buildings springing up and a yacht club and marina soon to be constructed. The beaches along this stretch are polluted, but that doesn't seem to deter people from swimming.Punta Hermosa translates as 'Beautiful Point' and if you are a surfer you would no doubt agree. The location attracts surfers from all over the world. There are more rideable breaks then there are surfers to ride them. The waves are consistent with ample pauses between, so getting out sort of like paddling across a lake. A good wave caught from out the back will give you about a one and a half minute ride, though I was told about a location 10 hours north where you can get an 8 minute ride. The beach itself is quite attractive though don't expect white sand, it's sort of grey and bringing it back to your accommodation on the bottom of your sandals is not the best idea. This place is popular, we were there midweek and by 10 am the beach was full of people laying under rented beach umbrellas, kids on boogie boards and more kids building sandcastles. If you can catch a glimpse of blue sky here then you're in luck, the sun came out for only 3 hours that day. I'm told that this is due to the cool, moist air descending from the Andes and resting at the ocean as a great stretch of fog.On the second day of our stay at Punta Hermosa I took a surfing lesson. Lessons are one on one and are offered at the beach on a just rock up basis for only $20 for 2 hours. My lesson started with a warm up jog, balance and stretching session with Carlos the personal trainer. Then I was passed the great long orange beginner's board, which I was told was the lucky board, and headed out across the water with Freddy their number one surf coach. My first attempt at catching a wave was almost a success, stood up but not out far enough in front of the wave to get a decent ride. The second go I was up for a good 10 second ride which took me as far in as the swimmers near the shore break. Remembering what I'd been told 'cuidado, no choce con la gente' I jumped off but a little late and clipping some boy in the head with the great foam board... 'mi melon' he said... he was fine though. Just as I was manoeuvring the board around another young boy from the surf school swam up, helped me back on the board and sent me on my way out the back with a push... Freddy was impressed 'bien Australia!!' I managed about 8 good rides and was totally exhausted by the end of the 2 hours. A basic level of Spanish would help when taking one of these lessons though I think that you'd soon work out what they were saying if didn't speak any.That night I ordered Anticuchos again, though this time it wasn't cooked so well and was a bit tough. My friend ordered Chicharrón which was another meat dish and was not too bad, but she also ordered this strange looking white stuff that looked and tasted like a bunch of elastic bands called 'rachi'. I latter discovered that this was the inside lining of the cow's stomach (and like most westerners attempting to be culturally diverse by downing food which in reality they'd rather leave on the plate, I ended up with a crook stomach, though not too bad). Also that night it rained, though for only a couple of minutes which is very rare in this region.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1203893940/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1203893940/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1203893940/tpod.html Sun, 10 Aug 2008 04:16:00 -0400 Brad's 3 and a half month round the world trip.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Huacachina, Peru

Huacachina is built around a small lake in the desert. Called the "oasis of America" The area is marvellous and seeing the sand dunes at first light is an experience in itself. That morning I took a dune buggy and sand boarding trip which is operated by the hostel. This is a must do experience for anyone travelling in this region. The dune buggies are basically a roll cage on wheels with an engine that would put any rev-head in their element. The speed that these vehicles reach is exhilarating and as the vehicle traverse down one side of a dune and then up the other side you'll feel your stomach and perhaps its contents being left behind. Sand boarding, I discovered, is a sport which some people actually take seriously. It's done on what is basically a piece of wood with velcro bindings and is shaped much like a snowboard. The board needs to be waxed prior to every run. Having done a bit of snowboarding I was keen to try make my way to the bottom of the first run standing up; which I basically pulled off. Though I'd say that this is not a lot like snowboarding and turning and stopping are difficult. Fortunately there is no walking back up the hill as the dune buggy runs down to collect everyone. By the third or fourth go most of the group had taken to riding the board down the sand dunes face first on the belly; it's faster, easier and more fun!That afternoon we took a trip by taxi to a local winery and distillery where high quality pisco spirit is made. The tour was interesting and the wine tasting was ok, but the 43% proof pisco spirit was phenomenal! This spirit is so pure and refined that I bought a small bottle of the stuff. There was also a nice restaurant where we had something to eat prior to returning.That afternoon it was back to Ica to find a bus for Nazca; home of the mysterious Nazca Lines. The trip takes about four hours, most of which is straight through the desert. There are also some impressive mountain crossings during the route.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1205804040/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1205804040/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1205804040/tpod.html Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:53:19 -0400 Brad's 3 and a half month round the world trip.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Cusco, Peru

I turned out to be the only non American in our group of 7, plus our guide Aldo. This wasn't such a bad thing as it turned out to be a great group of 30 something's and we all seemed to have quite a bit in common. There was Jeff and Amy, Steve and Mel, and then we had Nathan, Kurt and myself. Day 1 (12km): On day one our trip along the famous Inca Trail began with a 3½ hour scenic trip to the point at the rail line known as kilometre 82. This drive took us through the picturesque villages of Chinchero, Urubamba and Ollantaytambo where spectacular terraced fields and ancient store houses can be seen in the surrounding hills. At the start of the start of the trail we crossed the Vilcanota River then climbed steeply up from the river and soon passed the ruins of the Inca hill fort of Huillca Raccay. Our first nights camp was great. Can you believe it... when we arrived our tents were set up, plus the kitchen and meals tents complete with table and stools for us to eat from. And dinner consisted of 3 courses every night. The porters move so fast it is sort of unbelievable, they just pass everyone. They hardly stop and most of them only wear sandals on their feet. These are only little people and before there were regulations on how much they can carry porters would lug up to 75 kg along the trail, now they carry only 25kg, though this is still heavy. My little pack for the trail weighed only 8kg.Day 2 (18km): Each morning we wake to a hot cup of coca tea to help get us get started then it was time to get the pack ready and have breakfast. Today was our longest and hardest hike which began by climbing up from Wayllabamba for about 3 hours through steepening woods and increasingly spectacular terrain then it was another 1½ hours climb to the highest pass of the trail (Abra de Huarmihuañusca or 'Dead Woman's Pass) at 4,200m. This climb was hard, though much harder for the porters. The view from the top of Dead Woman's pass is fantastic and tends to be a popular spot to take a rest. Also as we started today's hike, we began walking on the original Inca Trail which is made of full stone to last and it is virtually maintenance free due to the path's sturdy construction and drainage channels. Though be warned, when going up and down the trail is all steps so hiking polls would have been a good idea, I'd wished I had hired some from Cusco. After lunch we began the second climb up to the ruins of Runkuracay. These small circular ruins occupy a commanding position overlooking the Pacamayo valley below. A further climb brought us to the top of the second pass: Abra de Runkuracay (4,000m). After descending we arrived at our 2nd camp site. Day 3 was only 8 km since we'd covered so much ground on the previous day. On this day, not only were we able to sleep in, we also had more time to enjoy some of the most spectacular scenery of the hike which is seen from this section of the trail. It had been raining that night and we woke to find the rain had now stopped and had been falling as snow on the surrounding mountains making the views even more amazing. We began by climbing the 3rd pass crossing high stone embankments and passing through two original Incan tunnels. This day's hike also took us through the ruins of Sayacmarca, an old Incan town which was also spectacular with so many terraced fields. From this point we descended through the magnificent cloudforest full of orchids, hanging mosses, tree ferns and flowers to our final campsite.Day 4 (6km): The last morning is like a race along the trail from the hostel to Machu Picchu which took only about 2 hours. We woke at 4.30am so we could leave camp at 5.30am to get to Machu Picchu at sunrise. The sky starts getting light by 6am and the first rays of the sun reach Machu Picchu at about 7am. The trail contours the mountainside and drops into cloudforest before coming to an almost vertical flight of 50 steps leading up to the final pass at Intipunku (The Sun Gate). It's kind of like a race up to the Sun Gate, and then people seem to relax after that and take the last part a bit slower. As we continued around the corner we reached the spot where you can get that perfect postcard picture of Machu Pichu. Being the wet season it was a bit iffy as to whether we were going to see much at all. So far the morning's walk had been shrouded in mist, then, as if on cue the mist cleared and the whole of Machu Picchu was spread out before us. We then continued to the luggage check in point to drop off our bags and Aldo took us for our tour around this stunning archaeological site. Following our guided tour the others in the group climbed Mt Winapichu. I was so exhausted that decided to spend the time exploring the rest of the site and had a bit of a rest on the grassy slopes of Macha Pichu's terraces. We later met for our final meal together in Aguas Calientes town before returning to Cusco by train and bus. The train line follows the river all the way back to Ollaytantambo and it's quite scenic, it is also the only way to get to Machu Pichu as there is no road. From Ollaytantambo you are better off to travel back to Cusco by bus or share a taxi as it is much quicker as the train line is very slow and winding.The following day I travelled back to Lima by plane then off to Santiago de Chile on a late evening flight.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1210868160/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1210868160/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1210868160/tpod.html Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:19:00 -0400 Brad's 3 and a half month round the world trip.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Xi'an, Shaanxi, China

Xian became a must see for tourists after the discovery of Emperor Quin's Terracotta Army in by a farmer who was digging a well in 1974. The farmer was paid 14¥ by the government as a reward for the find and at the time he thought was a lot of money. He later worked out that he'd been short changed for his important find and now makes his living by sitting in the museum's souvenir shop signing books. The museum which houses the display is located about an hour's drive from the city. We charted a bus for the day and also picked up a local guide named Mike who spoke perfect English and knew everything there is to know about China's history and geography. Emperor Quin who unified China and completed the Great Wall in 221 AD, decided that he needed an army of approximately 7000 made out of terracotta to help him in his next life.  The warriors are distributed across three massive pits and the whole site covers an area of over 22,000 square km. When uncovered, the warriors were found almost completely destroyed due to the collapse of the timber rooves which were covered with soil to disguise them becoming rotten and caving in. I was surprised to learn that the warriors were originally painted, though exposure to the elements has resulted in the colours fading. The display also features a bronze chariot with mini horses to carry the emperor's soul and another bronze chariot, complete with weapons, which was to precede and provide security.Once inside the complex expect to be swamped by souvenir vendors who are mainly selling mini terracotta warrior figure sets. Prices for these little boxed sets will start at 120¥ though the actual going rate is 10¥ so make sure you don't get ripped off; if buying two sets you can get the second one for 5¥. You can also pick up a full sized warrior for your garden which can be shipped to your home.The city of Xian has expanded in response to the tourist influx and is now home to about 3 million people, 7 million including the outer areas. Other things worth checking out while in Xian include the bell and drum towers which date back to around 1380 and are approximately 35 meters high. They were once used to help the people know what time it was with the bell sounding during the day and the drum used at night, though it'd be a bit pointless now since you wouldn't hear it over the traffic noise.That evening we took a walk into the city's Muslim Quarter which is best visited at night to enjoy the lights which decorate the streets and the night markets where you can get a great deal on handicrafts made from local jade stone or other items.On the following day I took a trip up to the 13 meter high city wall, hired a bicycle and rode around the 14 km rectangular circuit. The trip takes about an hour at a moderate pace and the position offers some great views out across the city.Another place which is certainly worth a visit is the Wild Goose Pagoda. This place is a Buddhist Monastery which was built in 652 during the Tang Dynasty and originally had five stories. One of the pagoda's many functions was to hold sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by the Buddhist translator and traveller Xuanzang. The centre features gardens, statues and buildings which are pleasant to wander around. Certainly a bizarre if not cruel sight is the custom of putting a cat in a cage and hanging it from a tree for 49 days after someone passes away. This is supposed to help someone's soul pass over to the next life. I mentioned that this practice may be a little disturbing for the poor cat though I was reassured that the cat receives food and water and is set free at the end of the 49 days... probably to end up being then nabbed by one of the local restaurants and served up as some kind of chicken dish.We made our way that afternoon to the airport to catch our internal flight to Gui Ling. On reaching Gui Ling we were met by another bus we had charted which transported us to the beautiful tourist town of Yangshou.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1210631280/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1210631280/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1210631280/tpod.html Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:16:09 -0400 Brad's 3 and a half month round the world trip.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Beijing, Beijing, China

Pinch me, I feel like I'm in Sydney, there're Chinese people everywhere! Beijing is China's second largest city after Shanghai and home to over 14 million people. My first impressions were met by a completely new airport which opened in April 2008 in time for the 2008 Olympics. The airport lies around 35 km from the city centre and the best way to get into the city at the time of my visit was by taxi; however an extension of the Beijing metro to the airport will soon provide an alternative option. The city has what appears to be a new highway network and as I'm informed, car ownership is on the increase at an alarming rate which is somewhat disturbing from an environmental perspective given China's population of 1.4 billion. Average air pollution levels in Beijing are nearly five times above World Health Organization standards for safe living. The air pollution on the day of my arrival was practically unbearable and seemed to give me a throat irritation which later evolved into a throat infection. Those familiar with Chinese street culture would be aware of the men's tendency to clear their throats and spit. This is common in Sydney and I normally find this disgusting and disrespectful of western culture; though I guess they're in their own country here and they can do as they please, and they do. At times the throat clearing and spitting could be comparable to a chorus of cicadas. China's extremely inefficient use of coal, the country's main source of energy, is the major cause of this pollution.I stayed two nights at the King's Joy Hotel in Beijing which is ok though the beds are a bit hard; this appears to be the norm in China. The currency here is the Yuan (¥) which works out at around 7¥ to the dollar so being good at doing the old seven times tables in your head is useful. For most things what would normally cost one dollar at home will cost one Yuan; for example a small bottle of water = 2¥; Coke = 4¥; beer = 4¥; a meal = around 15¥ pp. If it costs more it is either considered a tourist service or you are being ripped off. Friendly tourists should beware of young Chinese people who attempt to get the attention of tourists and claim that they want to practice speaking to them in English; they will 'invite' you for lunch or to have a tea with them but it's a game. They will take you to the restaurant of a friend or family member and order for you and then expect you to pay the bill which will be astronomically inflated. I got suckered into some kind of tea house, I asked to see the prices and were 30¥ so I expected to see a bill at the end of 60¥ though it was actually 30¥ for each tiny cup and the plate of fruit and crackers which was bought out was not complementary and the 'room fee' of 150 Y also needed to be added. The total bill came to 500¥ ($71.40) which I thought was ridiculous and after a lot of arguing I ended up getting out of there for 300¥. From then on I ignored all locals. I later heard that this is a regular occurrence and some of these bills can come to 800 or even 1000¥ which is serious money in any currency.China is by no means an easy place to get around and speaking no Chinese would only make things more difficult, therefore I was on a 10 day trip from Beijing to Hong Kong with travel a group called 'Geckos'. That evening I met our small group of 15, which included Australians, Americans, British and Kiwis, and our Chinese guide 'Jenson'. Beijing is situated in the north of China and is one of the country's four Great Ancient Capitals. It is also China's capital and home to the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the Temple of Heaven. On the first day of our trip we visited Tiananmen Square which is more famous for an event in 1989 when a protest from a large group of students was dealt with by military police opening fire. The actual number of students killed is still unknown due to China's tight control on media. Also, whilst I was in China and writing this journal I had no way of confirming any details of this horrific event as internet pages relating to Tiananmen Square are controlled and not available for view within China. Tiananmen Square is basically a huge open space with a length 880 meters and a width of 550 meters covering a total area of 44 hectares. This location is very popular with the domestic tourists. On the occasions I crossed through the square it was teaming with Chinese; in fact this is seen as some kind of pilgrimage for the locals and they will gladly queue for hours to see the tomb or 'Mausoleum' of Mao Zedong who was a Chinese military and political leader that led the Communist Party of China to victory against the Kuomintang in the Chinese Civil War. He became the leader of the People's Republic of China from its establishment in 1949 until his death in 1976. He's held in high regard though some of his strategies, such as the Great Leap Forward, were extremely controversial and resulted in a loss of cultural identity for China's people and the unnecessary loss of tens of millions of lives. There's also a huge picture of Mao at one end of the square which leads into the Forbidden City.The Forbidden City is the largest and best preserved cluster of ancient buildings in China. Over time it has been the home of 23 successive Ming and Qing Emperors. The structures were constructed between 1406 and 1420 by some one million Labourers. It was off limits to commoners for over 500 years and was opened to the public for viewing in 1911. The buildings resemble a Russian babushka doll in that once one clears one set of walls and gates, one is met by an identical sight at the other side and this process is repeated 4 or 5 times before reaching the central palace. It is a shame that the Chinese have little concept of historical preservation; the historic buildings I visited were renovated to such an extent that it was difficult to tell the difference between the old and the new. In recent years, the presence of commercial enterprises in the Forbidden City has become controversial. At the centre of the controversy was a Starbucks store which opened in 2000 and sparked great public objections. The store was eventually closed on July 13, 2007 which is a bit of a shame as I would've loved a Starbucks coffee at the end of this tour... no really, China is overwhelming and there's nothing like a bit of a western escape. Additionally the tea house located in the Forbidden City was a rip off with a very small and tasteless tea or coffee costing 30¥ whereas a large Starbucks is around the same price. That afternoon we also squeezed in a visit to the Temple of Heaven which was originally conceived as a place where heaven and earth meet and were constructed during Ming Dynasty, or 1400's. The buildings which make up the complex are set among parklands and gardens and feature circular roofs on square bases to resemble the belief that the heavens are round and the earth is square. The complex is definitely worth a visit though again the structures have been re-rendered and repainted to the point that their age is not evident.The following day our group charted a small bus to visit a section of the Great Wall of China at Simatei. Contrary to popular belief in Australia, the Great Wall of China was not built during the reign of Emperor Nasi-Goreng to keep out the rabbits. This great moment in Australian advertising history became the catalyst of an amusing moment where our guide revealed this Aussi myth to our British and American travellers who were naturally dumbfounded.The Great Wall of China is actually a series of stone and earthen fortifications in China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 6th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire during the rule of successive dynasties. Several walls, referred to as the Great Wall of China, were built since the 5th century BC. The most famous is the wall built between 220BC & 200 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Little of it remains. This wall was much farther north than the current wall, which was built during the Ming Dynasty. The Great Wall stretches over approximately 6,400 km from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west. At its peak, the Ming Wall was guarded by more than one million men. It has been estimated that somewhere in the range of 2 to 3 million Chinese died as part of the centuries-long project of building the wall.The stretch of wall we visited was a little less touristy and more rustic than other more popular sections which are closer to Beijing, however it does have numerous souvenir venders who roam the car park, entry and the wall it's self. In addition there's a cable car for those who don't want to walk all the way up, though it is actually quicker to walk. The wall is basically a brick wall; I think that what makes it so interesting is the history which surrounds it and the wall's inconceivable length. The views of the wall twisting its way along the mountain ridges are also quite spectacular. There are options to actually hike for two or more days along the wall which would probably be comparable to hiking the Inca Trail.That afternoon our group enjoyed the TianQiao children's acrobatics display. This show is beyond words, I've seen a Cirque Du Soleil show once which was pale in comparison to this. The performances included plate spinning, contortionist acts and boys completing amazing gymnastics stunts. This show costs 180¥ and is an absolute must see for any one visiting Beijing.During that afternoon, 12th of May 2008, at around 2.30pm one of the worst earthquakes in history, measuring 8.0 hit the Sichuan region of Southwest China killing around 70,000 people and leaving at least 5 million others homeless. This became a focus of our thoughts during the rest of the trip with our hearts and some of our cash going out to these people.We spent the night travelling from Beijing to Xian on a sleeper train which is actually a quite comfortable way of travelling. The bunks stack three high and the mattresses are no harder than those found in the hotels.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1207905360/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1207905360/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1207905360/tpod.html Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:10:29 -0400 Brad's 3 and a half month round the world trip.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Abergavenny, United Kingdom

Bath is unique in that the entire city has been decaled a world heritage site. The city is walkable and therefore a walking tour is the best way to see it. Free walking tours are conducted by local history enthusiasts and depart from outside the entrance to the Roman Baths at 10.30 am and 2 pm. Legend has it that the location was originally settled by the Saxons before the Romans arrived in 55 BC, though no one knows for sure. But what we do know is that while the Romans were building a road they discovered the hot bubbling water and, Romans being Romans, they built a large bath facility which featured various hot and cold pools and the location used by the Romans for R & R. Bath is built on the River Avon and until recently flooding was a common event, especially during Roman times due to the street level being around 4 meters lower than its current level. In the mid 1990s the council invested in additional drainage under the city to flood proof it. Our walking tour went for two hours and visited the following locations:Bath Abbey is a replacement of the original and much larger Norman cathedral. Bishop Oliver King began the construction of the abbey in 1499 but the building was not actually completed until 1611 which was after the protestant reformation hence as it was completed it became a Protestant place of worship as opposed to Catholic as originally intended. The building is a good example of neo gothic architecture and is well work a quick visit. The buildings in Bath were mainly constructed in the 1700s during the Georgian era and are of the Palladian style. Spending time in Bath became popular when Queen Ann had gout and visited the baths as she found they had therapeutic effects. What was good for the queen was good for the aristocratic society and they soon began buying properties and passing seasons in the town. The main architect and planner of the city and its buildings was a fellow by the name of John Wood and the style and sheer size of these buildings is impressive. Some of the best and most sort after properties in Bath include those in the crescent, an elliptical shaped development fronting a large park and the circus, an impressive circular development. The park which fronts the crescent was originally grazing land but later became the world's first public park and the most recent house to be sold in the circle was purchased by movie star Nicolas Cage for 4 million Pounds.Other points of interest include Queen Square, the Jane Austin Centre (she wrote a couple of books while in Bath) and the 'Assembly Rooms' which are particularly impressive. These rooms were the meeting places of the aristocratic and it was here that they enjoyed live music, dancing, theatre, gambling and gossip. Some good foresight was used during the 1930s and the precious artefacts, including about twelve crystal chandeliers and a number of valuable paintings were stored down a mine in Wales for safekeeping. During the Second World War Bath was bombed and the assembly rooms were among a number of buildings which were damaged. The rooms have now been fully restored and the original artefacts replaced.No trip to Bath would be complete without a visit to the Roman Baths and with the walking tour now complete I went to take a look. Entrance is 10.50£ which is not cheap though defiantly worthwhile. There are audio guides available or you can take a guided tour which departs hourly. The original Roman baths had been abandoned when the Romans made their departure in 533 AD and were not discovered until the 1700s. The British did not reuse the old roman baths but constructed a new bath known as 'the Kings Bath' above the original site. The king's bath still exists and entrance to view this pool is free. The Roman baths are quite amazing and the collection of original Roman artefacts which were found at the site are also available for viewing is superb.With my visit to Bath now complete I headed again for the train station I was off to Abergavenny, gateway to the Black Mountains in Wales.I spent the night in the Black Sheep Hostel at Abergavenny which forms part of the Great Western Hotel. That evening I shared the hostel with a group of young people form a theatre group from Conway in Wales called Anvil Productions who specialise in performing plays by Shakespeare. With the pub being so close, down stairs, we got in to a couple of games of pool and had a watch of that night's football match between Manchester United and Roma.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1207818780/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1207818780/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1207818780/tpod.html Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:06:10 -0400 Brad's 3 and a half month round the world trip.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Bath, United Kingdom

On the way out to Stonehenge is Old Sarum which is a huge earthwork raised in about 500 BC by Iron Age settles and latter occupied by the Romans, Saxons and Normans. By the 12th Century the site was a busy town occupied by a castle and cathedral. Lack of water and squabbles between military and church leaders led to the construction of a new town further down the river, now known as Salisbury. Work on the new town began in 1220 with its centrepiece being a magnificent soaring cathedral. Old Sarum was later abandon and fell into ruin. We able to view this archaeological site with its steep embankments leading up to what remains of the military fort or castle. Also visible at the rear of the site are the footings of the original cathedral. Stonehenge is unmistakeable as you approach the site on the A303 for Amesbury. There's a certain 'wow' about the place... it's kind of like 'look mum it's the Big Pineapple!' Stonehenge is probably the most sophisticated stone circle in the world. These giant stones have laid here for over 4000 years. The circle is built on the axis of the midsummer sunrise using bluestone quarried from a location over 380 km away. The actual purpose of the site and how it was that the stones were transported remains a mystery. Entrance to either of these sites costs only 4£, which is quite reasonable.The last point of interest to see in this region was Salisbury Cathedral which took 38 years to build and was completed in 1238. The cathedral was originally Catholic though was changed to a Protestant place of worship after the reformation in the 1500's. This cathedral is Britons largest and features a central spire which towers to a height of 123m. The cathedral is inspiring and is certainly worth a visit.Having now seen Salisbury I made my way to the railway station for the short journey on to the historical Roman city of Bath.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1209510240/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1209510240/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1209510240/tpod.html Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:03:15 -0400 Brad's 3 and a half month round the world trip.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Venice, Veneto, Italy

Our next destination was the beautiful city of Venice, though on our way to this city we made a short stopover at Verona, the city which claims to be the origin of the original story of Romeo and Juliet. When in this city one can visit Juliet's balcony. The house which contains the balcony was built in the 13 century and belongs to the Dell Capellos family, but don't be fooled, the balcony was added in 1930. There is a bronze statue of Juliet in the court yard and supposably, if you rub her right breast you get good luck. The tunnel which leads from the street to the courtyard is covered with graffiti and love notes stuck on the wall with chewing gum... it's just a tourist trap.That night our group had a Roman toga party which turned out to be an absolute screamer of a night. The barman at the campsite does this drink called a 'Mick's Special' which is basically a milkshake cup full of alcohol and contained unmeasured shots of vodka, tequila, and other poisons with a Bacardi Breezer to top it off. This beverage was the instant gateway to inebriation.Venice is made up of 117 islands, 150 canals and 400 bridges. The city lies on what was once a marshy lagoon 4 km from the coast in the Adriatic Sea. When you look at a map of Venice you'll see that the islands and the city are in the shape of a fish. This is quite an amazing place; it's a city with no roads but canals which provide access and transport throughout the city. St Marks Square is the city's central meeting place and it's here that you'll find the sacred inhabitants of Venice, Pigeons. Venice was discovered in the 9th century when fisherman noticed pigeons flying out to sea and as pigeons are not sea birds the fishermen decided to follow them with the prospect of finding new lands. Venice soon became the gateway to the east and a major trading port. The city grew in wealth and this is evident from its beautiful architecture and buildings. It's now a major tourist destination and is renowned for its glass, masks and lace. You can buy food for the pigeons for one € which I am told, contains contraceptives to help control their numbers. We began our day with a short walking tour with a local guide followed by a gondola ride; it's relaxing and a great way of seeing the city. I spent the rest of the day exploring the streets and laneways of Venice before returning by ferry to Piazza Roma; the departure point of the busses back to the mainland. The following day we left Italy and headed on to Tyrol, Austria for a short stopover before travelling on to Prague.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1209136140/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1209136140/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1209136140/tpod.html Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:01:18 -0400 Brad's 3 and a half month round the world trip.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Florence, Italy

Nothing can better define 14th C Florence better than Buonarroti Michelangelo's David; young, focused, observant, agile and intelligent. We began a short walking tour of Florence by looking up at the copy of this famous statue which stands in the Piazza Della Signoria. The 1500's were the age of renaissance or rebirth and this time of change in science, arts and politics made its beginnings here in Florence, Tuscany. No longer would artists be told what to paint or sculpt, or science accept the status quo; Florence and its people were moving ahead into the age of modern thinking. At this time Florence was governed by elected representatives who consisted of merchants and bankers (a democracy) and the great minds of this period such as Giovanni Boccaccio, Filippo Brunelleschi and Leonardo Da Vinci met here and changed the path of history. Florence then proceeded to conquer foe greater in number than itself which led to the later unification of the region we now refer to as Italy. Such success requires a robust and dynamic economy and Florence achieved this through its production of fine textiles, clothing, leather goods and jewellery for which the region is still renowned. The Plaza Della Signoria features a number of larger than life marble sculptures including The Neptune Fountain by Ammammati, The Equestrian Statue of Cosimo by Giambologna, Rape of the Sabine Woman by Ambologna and Perseus a work in bronze by Benvenuto Cellini which features the beheading of Medusa. Bronze is an extremely difficult medium to work and to this point in time no work in bronze of this detail had ever been created. This sculpture sent a very clear and chilling message to the adversities of Florence: 'If we can make a sculpture like this in bronze, imagine what kind of artillery we have'. The Plaza Della is situated at the foot of the Palazzo Vecchio with its characteristic powerful square tower thrusting its way above the oversized three story structure which began in 1294 as a fortress. At the heart of Florence is the Florence Cathedral with its signature eight sided domed roof. In 1294 the decision was made to construct a new cathedral which would replace the existing cathedral which was built in the 4th and 5th Centuries over the top of the ruins of the Roman 'Domus'. Construction of the building hit a number of setbacks including death of the master builder, economic crisis, natural calamities and a plague in 1348. 100 years after construction had commenced, the cathedral was almost complete, however the planned domed roof turned out to be much harder to construct than originally projected. However in 1420, Brunelleschi's engineering genius devised a plan to build the enormous arterial structure without the use of a fixed centre thanks to the adoption of interconnected ribbing. The design actually incorporates two domes, an inner circular structure and an outer octagonal shell to fit to the intended design. The lantern which crowns the dome is not simply there for decoration, it adds a weight which presses down from the top and strengthens the whole dome. Brunelleschi passed away before the structure was completed but requested in his will that the plan be carried out as per his instructions or risk the whole structure collapsing. The front façade we now see was added by Emilio de Fabris in the 19th Century and concluded the cathedral.Entry to the cathedral is free. The building itself is impressive though I found it to be something of a vast empty space. The floor is tiled and arts and furnishings are minimal. Of interest is the last judgment fresco on the inside of the domed roof which was added in the 1570's and depicts all manner of demons tourchering the dammed in the lower sections and the Christ, Mary and the Saints in the upper sections with the struggling or undecided in the midway. For 6 € you can climb the cathedral's dome and enjoy the best view in Florence. The climb is challenging and as you ascend the final stages you'll actually be climbing between the dome's two layers. As with the cathedral at Pisa, the bell tower stands separately and the baptistery stands to the west of the cathedral. Both the baptistery and the cathedral's central structure are eight sided representing eternity or infinity. This baptistery features elaborate mosaics which adorn the interior of its dome and the 'Gates of Paradise' on it eastern side which feature ten bronze gilded panels featuring stories from the Old Testament. These panels are copies; the originals are in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo which is situated at the back of the cathedral. Entry to the baptistery is 3 Eros and the museum costs 6 plus another 4 if you want an audio guide.Florence contains the greatest concentration of valuable art on earth. There are a number of galleries where famous works such as Botticelli's The Birth of Venus can be viewed. Now I usually don't get art... I can appreciate when something looks nice but beyond that I just don't get it... however, so inspired I was by the copy of Michelangelo's David that I went to see the original which stands in the Galleria Dell'Accademia. Michelangelo carved this sculpture between 1501 and 1504 from a block of discarded marble he found in the cathedral grounds. I love these stories of things that were discarded being turned into something great and this sculpture is probably the most valuable and brilliant piece of art in existence. On completion David became something of a statue of liberty for the people of Florence; an identity and symbol of their intellect, freedom and creativity. David is alert and ready with sling in his left hand, concealed behind his back and rock partially hidden in his right. What struck me was the sheer larger than life size of the sculpture, its trueness and the detail of its finish. Even if you're not an art buff, don't miss this.I spent the remainder of the day wandering Florence's the narrow streets and alleyways and eating Pizza and Gelato. Florence is certainly worth a visit.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1209057660/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1209057660/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brad2512/1/1209057660/tpod.html Sat, 14 Jun 2008 05:59:32 -0400 Brad's 3 and a half month round the world trip.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Florence, Tuscany, Italy

Just outside Rome is Fragonard Perfumery which was established in 1926 and to this day creates traditional handmade perfumes, soaps and beauty products from natural flower, fruit and herbal extracts. The guided tour gives you the opportunity to test your snout and see if you can match a group of eight distinctive fragrances to pictures of their origins which was a bit of fun. Did you know that to get just one kilogram of pure rose oil you need, I think it was 3000 kg of roses, that's a lot of roses no? We also learnt that perfume is 24% essential oil and the remainder is alcohol and if it's kept in glass it's only good for one year but if kept in aluminium it lasts up to six years, so throw out your old perfume girls and buy new ones, well I suppose that's what they'd like you to do. Finally there was the most important part of the tour, the shop, where they get you to spend your money. They may have got a purchase out of me at the whisky distillery but I sure wasn't buying anything here, though they did seem to do well out of the rest of the group. We continued our journey into the land of the high heeled boot through more tunnels and across more bridges; in fact as soon as you'd leave a tunnel you'd be on another bridge. This offered some great views up to the mountains and out to the Mediterranean though it can also make you a feel a bit dizzy.The Leaning Tower of Pisa does lean and I can now actually confirm this. If you're along for the ride on a bus tour, as I am, this tower will be a mandatory stop and if you're doing your own thing you'll probably want to squeeze it into your itinerary anyway. The structure has a height of 55 meters and is the freestanding bell tower of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa. It is situated behind the Cathedral and forms the third element of Pisa's Piazza Cathedral Square.Although intended to stand vertically, the tower began leaning to the southeast soon after the onset of construction in 1173 due to a poorly laid foundation and loose substrate that has allowed the foundation to shift direction.This is extreme tourism at its best, there's a coach parking area about a ten minute walk from the site and from there on you'll need to dodge cars, motorcycles and street venders trying to sell all manner of leaning tower memorabilia including phallic leaning tower of Pisa men's boxer shorts. Pisa is also a real town, so as part of their normal lives people actually have to live in and around this continual precession of pilgrims trudging across their streets in search of the holy grail of European tourism. The cheesiest thing of all is unwritten requirement that all visitors must attempt to have their photo taken in such a position that they appear to be holding up the tower, well I did it too. The tower grounds also seem to be the hang out spot for young locals on a sunny afternoon, who gather in groups and sit or lie around on the grass. However there are signs requiring people to stay off the grass and every 15 minutes or so the fun police come along blowing whistles and waving their arms for people to get off the grass. This act of herding the sheep across to the concrete proves to be somewhat futile for as soon as the guards have left, the sheep return to their green pastures. Entry to the baptistery, cathedral and tower are available on purchase of an access all areas ticket which costs 15 €.We spent that night at a campsite just outside Florence where we were fed pasta, pizza and gelato till we all felt Italian.
]]>