 Flowers for Peace, Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum, Kanchanaburi (Photo: 29/12/2010) ANZAC Day is the official “Remembrance Day” for Australians and New Zealanders. First observed in 1916, it started as a tribute to the Australia New Zealand Army Corps (the ANZACs) on the anniversary of their landing on the beaches of Gallipoli in Turkey on April 25th, 1915 during World War I. It is said that as many as 650 ANZACs died that day, with about 2000 casualties – and a legend was born.
Today the meaning of ANZAC, while not entirely uncontroversial, has come to include all Australian and New Zealand service personnel. According to official Australian Army documents, ANZAC Day is celebrated “all over the two nations and wherever Australians are overseas. It is our day – a day to remember with affection the courage of people and the value of friendship – to honour the dead and to acknowledge those who suffer still from the effects of war. We do not celebrate victory or glorify war – we celebrate the human spirit – the spirit of ANZAC.”
 “His duty fearlessly and nobly done – ever remembered.” I am no fan of war. But, I take no issue with paying respect to those who serve their countries and who either come back changed, or don’t come back at all. I have no doubt that many who serve do NOT live up to the stereotypes that are bandied about as part of the the ANZAC myth: courage, endurance, irreverent good humour and egalitarianmateship. But then, until we are under the same pressure, none of us know how we might behave.
“I have a conviction that it’s only when you are put at full stretch that you can realise your full potential”
– Sir Edward (Weary) Dunlop
Thailand was caught in the middle of World War II. In a bid to retain some independence, the Thai government allowed Japan ‘safe passage’ in the country. In practice, this meant that the Japanese stationed 150,000 troops on Thai soil and were able to force the building of their proposed supply line to Burma: the infamous “Death Railway”. About twenty-two thousand Australians were captured defending British territories in Asia and 13000 of these were among the 180,000 conscripted Asian labourers and 60,000 Allied Prisoners of War (POWs) transported to Burma and Thailand to work on the 420 kilometre Burma–Thailand Railway.
 Kanchanaburi Allied War Cemetery (Photo: 09/02/2008)  “In honoured remembrance of the fortitude and sacrifice…” Kanchanaburi Allied War Cemetery (Photos: 26/12/2010) The brutal conditions under which the railway was built cost 90,000 Asian labourers and 16,000 Allied POWs (including 2,815 Australians) their lives. Almost 9000 of these are interred in beautifully maintained cemeteries in Kanchanaburi where people can visit and pay tribute.
Life Among the Headstones Kanchanaburi Allied War Cemetery (photo: 26/12/2010) It is somewhat ironic that the most notorious stretch of railway was started on ANZAC Day in 1943. The Japanese were running out of time, and this, coupled with the difficulties of the sheer expanse of rock to cut through, the remoteness of the area and the lack of proper tools, led to unimaginable conditions and a horrendous loss of life. For twelve weeks in tropical summer heat, POWs worked 12-18 hour shifts to build a 17 metre deep and 110-m long cutting through solid limestone and quartz using eight-pound hammers, steel tap drills, explosives, pinch bars, picks, shovels, hoes and bare hands. Work continued through the night, and the combination of the noise, the heat, the light from fires, bamboo torches and carbide lamps, gave rise to the name: Hellfire Pass (Thai: ช่องเขาขาด, Chong Khao Khart; Japanese: “Konyu Cutting”).
Jungle Vines Looking To The Tennasarim Mountains (Photo: 12/09/2009) “… to all the men and women who suffered and died…” HellFire Pass Memorial Museum (Photo: 29/12/2010) The Descent into Hell … … is much easier these days, thanks to the modern Australian Walkway. (Photos: 12/09/2009) The beautifully laid out and maintained Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum, co-sponsored by the Australian and Thai governments, and managed by the Office of Australian War Graves, sits at the top of Hellfire Pass. Complete with air-conditioning, quiet, and clean toilets, it is a far cry from what the POWs endured. A wooden staircase takes you down into the Hellfire Cutting area. An area of the cutting has been cleared and one section of track from the original rails and sleepers has been relaid by Australian forces.
Konyu Cutting Short section of track, recovered in 1989 and relaid in 2006. (Photo: 26/09/2010) Tribute to those who built the Thai-Burma Railway (Photo: 12/09/2009) Against the odds, in spite of starvation, malnutrition, beriberi, pellagra, dysentery, malaria, overwork and beatings, many men survived. One of the best known Australian survivors was a Captain in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps (R.A.A.M.C.), surgeon Ernest Edward Dunlop. In true Australian fashion, he was nicknamed ‘Weary’ – a pun on ‘Dunlop’, the makers of tyres/tires, and ‘tired’.
Rusty Railway Spikes and Ties (Photo: 12/09/2009) Iron Spike, Railway Tie, Balsa Crosses and Poppies for Remembrance Australian Flag and Remembrance Poppies, Hellfire Pass (Photo: 27/12/2010) When Weary’s hospital in Bandoeng, Java was captured by the Japanese, he was amongst the first men to be sent to Thailand to look after his ‘work crew’ of over one thousand men (‘Dunlop Force’ or ‘Dunlop’s Thousand’). He was a true representative of ‘the ANZAC spirit’, and his ingenuity, bravery, and leadership skills were lauded by all he met, even his Japanese captors. Dunlop was tortured and beaten on numerous occasions, but never stopped behaving with dignity. After the war, said: ‘We must forgive but never forget’.
Memorial for Sir Edward “Weary” Dunlop (12 July 1907- 12th July 1993) (Photo: 12/09/2009) Weary Dunlop survived the war and returned to Australia where he married his sweetheart, raised two sons, continued a distinguished medical career, was knighted, became Australian of the Year and an honorary member of the Returned and Services League, and was an exemplar of Buddhist forgiveness. He died July 1993. His ashes were spread at Hellfire Pass on ANZAC Day the next year .
Red Poppies for Remembrance; Koala for Australia (Photo: 27/12/2010) Koala and Flowers for the POWs End of the Track: Hellfire Pass Another survivor of the Death Railway was Peter Rushforth, who returned to Australia to become an internationally recognised potter, and whose “Peace Vessel” has pride of place at the HellFire Pass Memorial Museum.
“Peace Vessel” by Peter Rushforth, against the Jungle and the Tennasarim Mountains, Kanchanaburi (Photo:12/09/2009) “My three and a half years as a POW influenced me in developing work related to art and the humanities,” says Peter. “The Peace Vessel emphasises the positive values of life where war once raged.”
It looks like there is no end in sight to war. Let us hope we can at least behave with dignity in the face of conflict.
(This post written and scheduled on March 26th, 2011. I’m currently ‘in transit’ somewhere.)
Posted in Australia,History,Memorial,Museum,Nature,Thailand,TravelTags: ANZAC,armed forces,blog,Kanchanaburi,museum,nature,people,Photo Blog,thai,Thailand,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall,war,WWII
Back in October of 2008, my husband and I embarked on a self-guided five-day walk in the Pyrenees. He had meetings in Paris and we took the opportunity to get into the countryside before they started. My intention at the time was to write a short article about the trip. Supported walking trips are becoming more popular, but are still not the most common holiday.
There may be a reason for that! Our trip (which was, in retrospect, a great experience) was fraught with challenges. I needed a bit of time to get some perspective on it, so I never did write that story.
The idea itself is sound: an agency who knows the walking region organises accommodation, breakfast and dinner, and daily transportation of the baggage. They send you topographical maps and walking notes. Of course, the notes come with a disclaimer, and this disclaimer must not be taken lightly!
We opted for the eastern-most section of the Cathare Trail because it was the shortest walk, and therefore fit into our time frame, and for an English agency because they spoke English (duh!). We got out our walking pants, bought new bandanas and walking sticks, and set off with a song in our hearts…
Day 1, Padern to Duilac: Setting off up hill on the first leg of our trek. Padern, Pyrénées-Orientales Getting there is half the fun ~ Well, sort of. You might be forgiven for thinking I am a good traveller, but I have never mastered the art of packing. Our first stop in Paris was to the Monparnasse hotel where we would later stay, to drop off our ‘city bags’ before heading to Bordeaux, and thence Narbonne, at the west end of the Pyrenees. The hotel concierge kindly directed us to the Gare de Lyons, Paris for ticketing. Unfortunately, as we and our remaining bags discovered some time later, Bordeaux trains leave from Monparnasse station, not Gare de Lyons. So back we schlepped.
Day 1, Padern to Duilac: This is, indeed, wine country. Autumn Grapes Pyrénées-Orientales European trains are, as a rule, fantastic, and our trip to Narbonne, once we had managed to sort out the difficulties of ticketing, was enjoyable and uneventful. Although our trip notes were a bit vague about connection details, we had assumed we would be able to manage the next step: getting to our hotel in Tuchan. The cab driver smoking in his van in the Narbonne railway station parking-lot just raised one eyebrow and laughed when I asked where I could find a bus to Tuchan. After half an hour of wandering around in search of anything resembling a bus stop, we broke down and agreed to the cab driver’s highway robbery: 120 Euro fare for a 35 km trip.
Driving from Narbonne into the foothills of the Pyrenees was a delight – the highway winding through the mountains was wide and smooth (albeit bus-free). Every so often we could smell the herbs of the garrigue over the stale smoke in the hot car. Stone castles were visible up rocky cliffs and atop hills dotted with grape vines. Truly magic!
Day 1, Padern to Duilac: Our first building - at the top of our first hill: Chapelle St Roch French lessons 101- “Lundi se fermé”: Tuchan, once we arrived there, seemed deserted. Fortunately, some of my French was coming back as I watched the signposts and I managed to direct our cab driver to our auberge – an old two-story stone building. As we and our bags tumbled out of the smoke-filled car, I looked at the chalk sandwich board at the entry to the courtyard, then at my husband: “We’re in trouble! ‘Lundi se fermé’ – Closed Mondays.” Sure enough, no one was around, no doors were open and there was no note. We had paid reservations, so presumably were expected, but we hadn’t had lunch and there was no telling when someone would show up. Our phones refused to work and I set off to find a pay-phone or a person…
Long story short, after finding only one establishment (an insurance office) open – as it was after two, any place that might have sold food was taking in the chairs and closed for the afternoon – and ascertaining that there was one pay phone several blocks away, we decided to experiment with our own mobiles some more, and finally got one to work. I rang the local agents, and in my best French told them “Nous sommes arrivé – il n’y a personne. (We have arrived – no one is here).” Very helpfully, the agent rang the auberge – we could hear the phone inside – and told me no one was answering! She promised to try and track the owner down. We sat down in the courtyard to lunch on nuts from Thailand and chocolate from the airport duty-free. At least it was sunny!
The auberge, once we got inside an hour later, reminded me of the one where I had worked in Parignargue back in 1979: comfortable enough but dark and with bathrooms squashed into spaces clearly not meant for them. But, we were inside, we had keys, and directions on how to find dinner (three delectable courses with a ‘demi-pichet’ of red wine). Not bad for our first day on the road.
Day 1, Padern to Duilac: Mediterranean garrigue. This took me back to my summer in Provence! Pyrénées-Orientales, Languedoc-Roussilon Day 1, Padern to Duilac: High on the hill amid the autumn colours, the ruins of the medieval Padern Castle was the first we saw on our five-day walk along the Cathar Way. Day 1, Padern to Duilac: Moss. The woods were beautiful... It takes a long time to walk 20km when you stop to photograph everything! Blue Succulents on the Forest Floor Day 1: Château de Quéribus "Le château de Quéribus est le dernier bastion de la résistance cathare à tomber en 1255." Last bastion of the persecuted Cathars, which fell in 1255.
The next morning, we presented ourselves downstairs for breakfast in a room rich with atmosphere, locals and medieval tapestries. Our Host, somewhat gruffly, asked what we wanted. Hmm. No sign of a menu. Coffee? Croissants? I asked, somewhat timidly. So, that’s what we got. I was too intimidated to ask if we might have juice, and of course, asking if there was something vegetarian we might take with us for lunch was beyond my nerve or my French. But surely we’d make it to the next town in time for lunch…
You guessed correctly: we didn’t. By the time we had climbed and descended countless hills through the ‘garrigue’, the sweet-smelling French scrub, and sufficiently explored our first two medieval castles, almost everything in the pretty town of Cucugnan was closed for the day. We eventually found a tavern that agreed to make us cheese and tomato ‘sandwiches’. Never has crusty French bread tasted so good!
Day 1, Padern to Duilac: Finally, we can see lunch: Cucugnan, still almost two hours away, with Château de Peyrepertuse up on the hill in a distance. Pyrénées-Orientales, Languedoc-Roussilon Day 1, Padern to Duilac: Finally fed! A sandwich and a beer and we are on our way again! Moulin à Cucugnan on the hill, Pyrénées-Orientales
French lessons 102- “Il n’y a personne”~ “There is no one here!”: We still had a few hours to walk that first day, over more hills and through more vineyards. As we got close to Duilac towards evening, we came across a field of late grapes where the workers were singing Guantanamera as they worked. More magic!
We finally arrived at our hotel, only to find it locked. At least this time there was a local telephone number to call. They told me the key to our room was on the desk inside. “Yes, but we are outside!” After much linguistic struggling, I managed to understand that there was a key pad and a code to enter. It was rather romantic having an inn all to ourselves! And, once we found our allocated restaurant, we ate and drank well.
The rest of our trek followed the same sort of rhythm. We walked and walked, and stopped to explore. We got a little lost three out of five days, and very lost the other two.
Day 1, Padern to Duilac: Picking Grapes and singing Guantanamera. Pyrénées-Orientales Day 2, Duilac to Cubières: The Château de Peyrepeteuse - Languedoc-Roussilon Day 2, Duilac to Cubières: The Château de Peyrepeteuse Ruins, Languedoc-Roussilon Day 2, Duilac to Cubières: Rosehips in the Rain
Day 2: Duilac to Cubières: Rugged Mountain Road: Long and Windy! Galamus Gorges Day 3, Cubières to Sougraigne: Fallen Mushrooms. Pyrénées-Orientales, Languedoc-Roussilon Day 3: Cubières to Sougraigne: In the Chestnut Forest Day 3, Cubières to Sougraigne: Through the Beech and Chestnut Forests, Pyrénées-Orientales Day 4, Pumpkin Patch, Sougraigne, Pyrénées-Orientales, Languedoc-Roussilon Day 4, Sougraigne to Granes: Everlasting Sunflowers, Languedoc-Roussilon Day 4, Sougraigne to Granes: Blacksmith, Rennes le Château Day 4, Sougraigne to Granes: L'Abbé Saunière, Rennes-Le-Château Day 5, Granes to Quillan: Still Life Found ~ Tractor Day 5: 'Laval' - Pyrenean Village ~ Pyrénées-Orientales, Languedoc-Roussilon Day 5, Granes to Quillan: Pine Cone Day 5, Granes to Quillan: Quillan End of our Trek: Quillan, Pyrénées-Orientales, Languedoc-Roussilon 
You might wonder why I’ve uncovered these memories and photos now… Well, in spite of often being lost, tired, cold and rained-on, we enjoyed the scenery, the walking, and the food and drink in the evenings. We had a really good time – so much so, that when this goes to ‘air’, we’ll be part of the way through the full twelve day walk from Padern to Foiz.
I know we’ll have a good time, and I’m pretty sure we won’t get lost as often…
Posted in Architecture,France,History,Nature,Rural,TravelTags: architecture,blog,France,nature,Photo Blog,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Afternoon view down Rue des Gras, Clermont-Ferrand, to the dormant volcano: Puy de Dôme Clermont-Ferrand, in case you don’t know it, is a charming city with a two thousand year history right in the middle of France “at the crossroads of the main highways of Europe”. It is also at the heart of the Michelin company, so we are here while my husband attends meetings at his head office. As happy as I am to sit at a table on the cobblestones of the old quarter, drinking wine and eating the excellent local cheese, I am at risk of turning into a complete pudding.
Fortunately, Clermont-Ferrand is also within reach of the Auvergne volcanoes: a chain of eight dormant volcanoes (or Chaîne des Puys, in French) at the edge of the Massif Central. Looked after by the Maison du Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d’Auvergne, this area offers some great hiking opportunities. I was lucky enough to find an obliging local resident willing to accompany me on a couple of wonderful forays into the “Monts Dome” range.
These mountains are not particularly high (the Puy de Dôme is the highest at 1465m), but they stand out in stark relief against the surrounding plateau. On Monday, in changeable weather and under ominous clouds, we walked 1.9km up the well-graded Chemin des Muletier or ‘Mule Train’ path, through the hazel, oak and alder trees, to the top of Puy de Dôme. This sounds easy enough, but the 350m rise in elevation is much more difficult with jet-lag and and after a surfeit of wine and cheese!
Driving to the Puy de Dôme from Clermont-Ferrand, you have a continual view of the volcano from the access roads on the flat plateau surrounding it. In 2012 you won't have to walk up the hill. The new crémaillère (rack railway) train will do the job for you. Puy de Dôme, Auvergne Last year's oak leaves remain on their branches until the new buds send them tumbling... The New Season's Alder Leaves Physics Laboratory and Signal Tower Under a Looming Sky: Puy de Dôme, Auvergne Up-drafts from around the Volcano Make it Popular for Paragliding Safely Cocooned over La Chaîne des Puys Ruins of the Gallo-Roman Temple to the God Mercury were Uncovered in 1873. Puy de Dôme A Statue to the Pilot Eugène Renaux, who, with his mechanic Albert Senouque won the Michelin Grand Prix in 1911 for flying from Paris to Puy de Dôme in 5 hours, 10 minutes and 27 seconds. Today (Thursday), we walked up the Puy de Pariou. Not only is the walk relatively easy, with a reasonable gradient and a total altitude of 1209m, but we were blessed with glorious sunshine, clear skies and great views across to the neighbouring Puy de Dôme.
Setting out on the Puy de Pariou Trail with the Puy de Dôme Overhead The French Forest of Puy de Pariou Anenome on the Forest Floor, Puy de Pariou View of the Mountains in the Chaîne des Puys, from the top of Puy de Pariou Whimsy in the Crater Bowl, Puy de Pariou The Path Into the Bowels... Puy de Pariou View from the top of Puy de Pariou ~ looking at Puy-de-Dôme Wildflowers on the Forest Floor, Puy de Pariou It was a beautiful way to enjoy a couple of spring days in the heartland of central France.
Enjoy the season!
Posted in Every Day Life,France,Nature,ThailandTags: blog,France,National Park,nature,Photo Blog,Provincial Park,puy,rural,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall,volcano
Some trips are such a jumble of colours and textures that they more closely resemble a crazy quilt than a tidy tapestry. So it was for me on the short trip to Attapeu Province in Southwestern Laos in January: a mix of Wats (temples), waterfalls and monuments; rural plantations and rough-board housing rubbing shoulders with chic French-style coffee shops; dusty streets with brightly coloured clothing; and ‘peaceful’ monks racing over sun-lit sands.
So, this last post in the Attapeu series is a scrapbook of scattered impressions; a crazy quilt of clashing colours and cultural contrasts.
Washing Away Any Sins ~ Wat Pra-ong San Sukharam, Ban Sakae, Attapeu Monks' Dormitories ~ Wat Pra-ong San Sukharam (วัดพระองค์แสนสุขสําราญ) Airing the Orange ~ Monks' Cloths, Wat Pra-ong San Sukharam, Ban Sakae Morning Blues: Rinsing the Bike in the Xe Kong, Attapeu, Laos Purple and Red! A Child's Coat Brightens the Dusty Street Scene, Attapeu Market Is it Cool Enough Yet? Oye Man Checking the Temperature of the Clay Pit Kiln, Ban La Yao White and Gold Against a Cloudy Sky : With War on One Wall and Peaceful Agrarian Industry on the Other : The Two Nations (Laos and Vietnam) Monument, Attapeu Golden Comrades in Arms: Lao and Viet Soldiers at The Two Nations Monument, Attapeu Colours on the Beach ~ Monks on the Run ~ Attapeu Shades of Lao Coffee, Bolaven Plateau Green and Dusty: Coffee Bush, Bolaven Plateau Contrasting Bedding ~ Airing the Blankets ~ Coffee Grower's House, Bolaven Plateau, Laos The Coffee Planter's Wife Taking Time Out ~ Out of the Heat of the Day C'est Charmante! A Little Piece of France ~ Sinouk Coffee Resort and Café, Lakkhao, Laos Purple Bougainvillea Fresh Green Tea Leaves, Pakxong, Bolaven Plateau Still-Life: Basket of Tools for the Tea Harvest, Pakxong, Bolaven Plateau Still Waters: Kong Dung Waterfall... Waterfall? Where? Bridge to the Pasuam Waterfall: Constructed from Locally Recovered Driftwood On the Bridge: Visiting Soul Sisters ~ The Kmer Buddhist Nun and Her Cambodian Friend Orange and Green: Buddhist Monk from Cambodia at Pasuam Waterfall, Laos Monks' Day Out: Photographing Each Other, Pasuam Waterfall, Laos Nature at Work: Pasuam Waterfall 
‘Till next time ~ enjoy your days in full colour, and happy travels.
Posted in Culture,Every Day Life,History,Laos,Memorial,Religious Practice,Rural,TravelTags: agriculture,blog,buddhism,farming,Laos,nature,people,Photo Blog,religion,rural,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall,work
First impressions count for so much.
On a Clear Day, You Can See Forever… On a Normal Day at The Peak in Hong Kong, You Can See Midlevels… and Almost See Kowloon! My first flight into Hong Kong was a surreal sensory experience: I can still wrap myself in surround-sound memories of listening to Asian flutes in luxurious Cathay business-class comfort, fuelled by love and champagne, as the plane descends through the clouds, allowing the first sight of that beautiful harbour with its sparkling light, junk-sailed boats and triangular karst islands rising out of the mists.
That whole trip, ten years ago, was magical. I must have walked, cabbed, bused and ferried just about every inch of the city and its harbour. My (now) husband was living there at the time in a perfectly-situated high-rise in Midlevels, overlooking the city, where the sight of the mists rolling out and the city lights coming on through the picture windows stopped everything in its tracks.
So, smoggy, cold, windy, and damp… it doesn’t matter – Hong Kong can do no wrong! That first impression entranced me, and I am forever in the city’s thrall.
Our most recent trip to Hong Kong, two weeks ago, was primarily about business and catching-up with old friends, but we did make a point of revisiting The Peak. We (wisely) elected to take The Peak Tram straight up, rather than walking the rather long and circuitous road as we had done when we were ten years younger.
The Track Divides Higher up, for the Double Reversible Funicular System Funicular Trams Operate as two Cars That are Permanently Attached to Each Other by a Cable Here Comes the Funicular Tram: A Smiling Operator and Potentially 120 Passengers 120 Years and Proud: The Peak Tram Company It is only an eight minute trip up to Victoria Peak from Central; considerably quicker than the walk from Midlevels! The incline ranges from 4 to 27 degrees, and the views over Hong Kong, if you are smart enough to get on the right side of the the carriage, must be amazing on a clear day.
Passengers On The Peak Tram I’ve never been in Hong Kong on a clear day, so I take my photographic subjects where I can find them; inside the tram-car rather than outside it, if necessary!
Hong Kong is composed of hills which are made manageable by stairs and escalators. In that respect, The Peak Tower is a microcosm of the city. And, like downtown, the trip up or down the various levels of The Peak Tower is punctuated by food, entertainment and shopping…
Like Hong Kong Itself: Bright Lights, Multi-Levels and Escalators: The Peak Tower, Hong Kong Gray on Gray: On the Escalators, The Peak (太平山頂) Hong Kong ~ Through the Glass ~ The Peak Tower So, we dutifully ate (a lot!) and shopped (a little) before embarking on the 3.5 Peak Circle Walk. I had no illusions about photographing views, as the the combination of overcast from the sea and smog from China showed no signs of lifting. But it is a pleasant circuit and (hopefully) helped to work off the super-sized strawberry shortcake I’d eaten with lunch.
凌霄閣 ~ The Peak Tower (Relaunched in 2006)~ as Seen From The Peak Circle Walk A Break in the Natural Jungle Affords a Glimpse of the Concrete Jungle Below I Love How the Building Contours Follow the Hong Kong Hills and the Karst Islands The Curves of the Iron Banisters on Lugard Road ~ The Peak Circle Walk ‘Old and Valuable Tree’ Says one Sign; ‘Ficus Elastica: India Rubber Tree’ Says Another, More Scientific but Less Poetic Sign People actually live up here, although I think the prices are well outside ‘normal’ ranges. Clearly some of the rambling properties have become too much to maintain and have been abandoned.
Garden Gate on Harlech Rd Rusty Gate Above an Abandoned Greenhouse Taking in the View? Bench on the Peak Circle Walk View Over Aberdeen From The Peak After our perambulation, we returned to The Sky Terrace to see if the view had cleared enough to make it worth while waiting for the night lights to come on.
View from the Sky Terrace Young People on the Sky Terrace It hadn’t, so I satisfied myself with some people-watching before we headed back down The Tram and walked over to The Escalators at Midlevels for drinks and dinner.
Ticket Seller, The Peak Tram, Hong Kong
That’s the thing about Hong Kong: there is always a viable alternative.
And, good wine, good company and good food always makes a good impression!
Photos: 12March2011
Posted in Architecture,Hong Kong,Mass Transportation,TravelTags: architecture,blog,funicular,Hong Kong,people,Photo Blog,rail,railway,train,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
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as always just beautiful… may we learn that from war we actually need to avoid it, not to pursue it. RIP all those who have sacrificed in the name of peace and humanity.
Thanks, Signe! We never seem to learn, do we?
We visited Gallipoli last month. And spent almost 1 week . It was really great to see gallipoli, and troy. We almost saw all historical places of istanbul and then we went to troy for a day and saw the a of anzac. We are very happy and we definitely recommend it http://www.toursingallipoli.com Everything was fantastic and i saw all the places i want to. It was a great trip and i definitely recommend everyone. Thank you so much.
reminder of a time that must never repeat. I was there in 1991
greetings Dietmut
Indeed, Dietmut. A sobering place.