Monday, May 31, 2010

UK - Bath

City of Bath is situated within the south west of England. It is a world heritage city renowned for its hot springs, Roman Baths, splendid Georgian stones crescents, beautiful countryside and an abbey. It has been described as one of England’s most beautiful places to visit.

Our group of 5 took a day tour to Stonehenge and City of Bath when we were on a 3 weeks’ vacation to UK and cruise to the Baltic Capitals, while our other 2 friends were busy with apartment hunting at Notting Hills. We arrived at City of Bath around noon after spending a few hours at Stonehenge.

We started our tour on Bath, driving round The Circus and The Royal Crescent.
The Circus, a perfect circle of 33 Palladian-style houses was designed by John Wood in 1754 with inspiration from Rome's Colosseum and parts of it is said to resemble the Roman amphitheatre, with three tiers and Corinthian columns. The Royal Crescent is the other prominent and loved local landmark. It was designed by John Wood’s son, consisting of 30 glorious houses, decorated with a facade of columns and built of pale-gold Bath stone. Most of these properties are apparently owned by the rich and famous in the entertainment world.

Next, we stopped to visit the famous Roman Baths, one of the finest thermal spas with healing power known and used by Celts in ancient time. The temple and baths flourished in Aquae Sulis (The Roman name for Bath) in the first few centuries AD. The site was excavated in 1878 after being discovered during building work. The Roman Baths is below the modern street level and has four main features, the Sacred Spring, the Roman Temple, the Roman bath house and finds from Roman Bath. The Georgian Pump Room (regarded as the social heart of Bath) is on the ground level and admission is free. The Pump Room Restaurant is open daily for morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea.

We begin our visit to the Roman Baths in the magnificent Victorian reception hall, equipped with audio guide. Next, we proceed to the Terrace which is lined with statues of Roman Governors of Britain, Roman Emperors and military leaders, overlooking the Great Bath. The magnificent centerpiece of the Roman baths is the pool. At the very heart of the site is the Sacred Spring. The "sacred area", place of worship and sacrifice and where ceremonies took place in pagan time, surrounds the Temple. It was also the place where the cult statue of the goddess Sulis Minerva was housed. In the Roman Bath Museum, great ornamental pediment survives and re-erected. Many of the objects in the museum tell us about the people who lived and worked in the area and those who visited the great Roman religious spa of Aquae Sulis.

In the heart of the city next to the Roman Baths is the splendid Bath Abbey, a fifteenth century medieval church. The Abbey is the last of the great medieval churches of England and has remarkable carved frontage and amazing fan vaulting. The carvings on the front of the Abbey, depicting the visions of Bishop Oliver King after God appeared to him in a dream were recently restored to their full glory, showing off the honey colours of the unique Bath stone untouched by exhaust pollution. When we were in the Abbey, the church's orchestra was practicing for a concert that night. A special bonus to our visit  Non-flash photography is welcome inside the Abbey and donation is appreciated.

A short walk from the Abbey is the Pulteney Bridge, complete with three classical arches and the dramatic swirl of the nearby weir. It is one of only four bridges in the world lined by shops on both sides. It was designed by Robert Adam for landowner Frances Pulteney. Construction began in 1769 and completed two years later. This structure is now widely associated with the city and a major tourist attraction in its own right, not only for its history and detailed architecture, but also for the bustle of shoppers and sightseers.

Overlooking the River Avon is the Parade Garden which has fine views of Pulteney Bridge and the nearby weir. It’s a nice place to laze around without a care for what’s happening around the world. Bath is my vote, England’s most relaxing and beautiful place to spend the vacation and maybe to further one’s studies as well - Bath is also famous for its university, University of Bath.

United Arab Emirates - Dubai

En-route to Cairo, our group makes a stop-over at Dubai. This accounts for the 30 hours trip before arriving at Cairo.

Our first photo stop was at shoreline where the Burj Al Arab is. This legendary and symbolic hotel was designed to resemble a billowing sail. It sits on a man made island and have attracted international attention and awe. This opulent hotel have been featured on Travel Channel before and I believe it would have been heavenly to stay in but since this is just a quick stop-over, having our photos taken with Burj Al Arab as the backdrop was good enough for most of us.

Next stop was Atlantis The Palm, the flagship resort on The Palm Jumeirah. Since we are not staying guests, we only get to visit the aquarium. We are not complaining as it is free ☺ and good enough to experience the mysterious ruins of Atlantis, lost for thousands of years deep beneath the sea and coming face to face with marine life from around the world including sharks.

After taking in glimpses at the lifestyles of the rich and famous, we took the water taxi which the locals called “Abra”, for an authentic Dubai Creek experience. The Dubai Creek plays an important part of everyday life for people living and working in Dubai. It divides the two major Dubai sections of Deira and Bur Dubai (also known as Dubai city). The “Abra” is a popular transportation not for crossing across to the other side but up and downstream as well. Our guide told us that they do experience traffic congestions during rush hours as well. Looks like no one is spared of traffic these days. Along the river side, there are many shops selling spices, nuts, textiles and other stuffs. To enjoy the beautiful views and fantastic architectures along the creek, I would recommend taking the “Abra”.

Another must see in Dubai is the Gold Souk, located in the heart of eastern Dubai's commercial business district in Deira. 'Souk' is the Arabic word, which stands for the market or place where any kind of goods are brought or exchanged. In Gold Souk, it is obviously gold that’s being brought or exchanged. The number of jewelry shops seems to go on and on forever. Every where you turn, you are blinded by the yellow gold color and not to mention, stunned by different designs and sizes of the jewelry. From where I came from, we have security guards with riffles sitting in the gold shops and items tucked away under locks and keys but in the Gold Souk, we did not see any guards at all and the chunky gold items are displayed in glass windows. Definitely worth visiting even if you have no intention of buying.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Russia - St Petersburg

Highlight of our 12 days cruise to the Baltic Capitals was St Petersburg, home of the czars and their counts, a rich repository of extravagant palaces, brilliant museums and reknowned theaters oveflowing with music and dance. St Petersburg was conceived by Peter the Great and fashioned after his favorite European cities.

To read more about our 2 days St Petersburg's adventures...click on following links:
http://www.dynamitetravels.com/spilled-blood-cathedral
http://www.dynamitetravels.com/st-petersburg-russia
http://www.dynamitetravels.com/catherine-palace-st-petersburg-amber-room

Thursday, May 27, 2010

UK - Stratford-upon-Avon

Stratford-upon-Avon, set in the beautiful rural Warwickshire countryside, on the banks of the river Avon, is steeped in culture and history. When we were in UK last August, we took a train to Stratford-upon-Avon, the birth place of William Shakespeare to get a taste of Olde England.

William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) was born at Stratford-upon-Avon in a house which is preserved intact till today on Henley Street. At the Birthplace, both original and replica artifacts depicting the house as Shakespeare would have known it and Period Guides, dressed in replica Tudor clothing, welcome you to explore what life was like here in Tudor times. Favorite Shakespeare characters and some of his best-loved scenes were also brought to life by actors as we stroll through the house and grounds. You can take part in play if you wish to. No photography allowed in the house except in the garden which features many plants and herbs mentioned in Shakespeare's plays. Visit the gift shop where every purchase supports and preserves the Shakespeare Houses and Gardens for future generations.

Along Henley Street, there are an array of shops and cafes. We stopped to have English scones and tea at Patisserie Valerie (established in 1926) before proceeding to visit Nash’s House and New Place. Nash’s House was said to be the second finest house in Stratford at that time. It was owned by Thomas Nash, first husband of Shakespeare's grand-daughter, Elizabeth. In addition to the exceptional collection of Elizabethan furniture and tapestries, Nash's House also has displays upstairs on the fascinating history of Stratford. Shakespeare spent his retirement years in New Place, next door to Nash's House. Visitors can also enjoy The Knot and Great Garden.

Not too far away from Nash’s House and New Place is the Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare was laid to rest at the age of 52. His widow was buried beside him when she died in 1623.

Other Shakespeare locations include Hall's Croft (home to William's daughter, Susanna), Anne Hataway's cottage (family home to William’s wife which stands in the village of Shottery, a mile outside Stratford) and Mary Arden's Farm (the childhood home of Shakespeare's mother) which our group did not managed to see on this trip as it was raining. Maybe we will do that the next time if we will to visit UK again 

Sweden - Stockholm

Stockholm “The Beauty on the Water” is exactly as the name described. Our cruise ship sailed into Stockholm in the early morning hours and I was told, the view and the smell of fresh pine are worth the effort waking up early for. Unfortunately, despite the constant reminders, I still could not wake up early. In life there are not many second chances but I had that second chance as our ship was pulling out from Stockholm. The view was indeed mesmerizing! The sailboats, skimming the waterways that wind around Stockholm remind me that these were and still are Vikings!

The other Stockholm “aha” for me was the Vasa Museum. I’ve watched the movie, Titanic and would not have expected to see another ship with similar fate as the Titanic. The warship Vasa was originally built in the 1620 as one of the Swedish kingdoms regal warships. It sank a few minutes into her maiden voyage in 1628 and lay preserved by the brackish water of the Baltic Sea for over 300 years. It was rediscovered and brought to the surface in 1956.

The Vasa museum (opened in 1990), is one of the newest maritime museums in the world and also one of the most visited museums in all of Scandinavia. It houses one of the oldest vessels in the world, transporting its visitors back to the 17th century Sweden and its age of greatness.

Vasa is a magnificent warship built in Stockholm by Dutch shipbuilding masters for the empire-aspiring Gustavus II Adolphus, called the Lion of the North, in the early 17th century. The ship is 69m long (226ft), a truly awesome sight as it sits gleaming like old gold in its specially designed building. The rich carvings that decorate much of the ship are perfectly preserved, and the layout of the building allows you to get a good look from virtually any angle.

Visitors cannot actually board the ship but are still able to get close to the experience of the Vasa - the moist and darkened museum with its uplights and downlights dramatizing the vast ship, the sound of wind and waves and the undertone of the voices of the crew, bringing it back to life. Spend some time to explore the exhibits in the museum. Each piece gives fullness to life aboard a warship in the 1600s. Make sure you bring a good camera to get good pictures.

The question on how did this majestic warship sank? I’ll not spoil the fun. Visit the museum as it does a much better job of explaining this. The Vasa is definitely not to be missed if you are ever in Stockholm.

Finland - Helsinki

One of our cruise ports of call is Helsinki, the capital of Finland. Helsinki is a place where no guided tour is necessary and walking around is a great way to see the city.

From where our cruise ship docked, we took a bus ride to Temppeliaukio Church, a Lutheran Church in the district of Toolo. It is also known as the “Rock Church” as it’s built into solid rocks, a glorious interpretation of strong faith in one with nature. This awesome and unique piece of architecture was designed by brothers Tuomo and Timo Suomalainen in the late 60’s. Majestic rock wall formed by a withdrawing glacier is set as the back of the altar. Natural light pours in through the glazed dome. Instead of the normal bell found in most churches, Rock Church houses an organ which was built by Veikko Virtanen. Entrance to the church is free. I overheard one of the guides saying that it is also a popular venue for concert.

We later walked down to the Three Blacksmiths Square. The Square was named after the statue donated to the city by the Pro Helsingfors Foundation in 1932. On the southern side is the Stockmann's department store, a 1930s emporium in German style that is almost as big as the Parliament Building. Ladies, another great opportunity for more shopping 

From Three Blacksmiths Square, we walked down to Market Square (known in Finnish as the Kauppatori). Market Square is a colorful and electric spot popular with tourists and Helsinki dwellers alike. Orange stalls between the sea, impressive row of historical buildings and wooden boats with their merchandising displays bouncing between large cruise ships are part of what make Helsinki’s Market Square unique.

Within walking distance from Market Square, is the Esplanade Park which is lined with cafés, restaurants and lively shops, providing a festive atmosphere and great place for people watching. The sitting arrangement is pretty unique to me as in Asia; we sit around the table and not facing the street.

If you are visiting Helsinki in August like I do, bring warm cloths as the wind is quite strong and chilly near the bay. It was a great day for us, exploring Helsinki on foot before returning to our cruise ship for the next port, Stockholm.