Grand Palace and Reclining Buddha

Of course I couldn’t stay at this slow pace too long and so dragged myself out of bed after a long night to rendezvous with PJ downstairs for a cab ride across town to view the Grand Palace.
Now I had read the websites advising of scams where “guides” say a certain place is closed and persuade you to follow them to another site. Well we almost fell for one but I better explain the first scam of the day.

PJ was given some bird seed to feed the birds, no problems he thinks except after the fact he is told it is 50 baht which can buy you a small local meal here…

Anyway we rock up to one of the gates of the palace and are told by a scruffy (this was odd I thought) guard that the palace is closed until 2pm for religious reasons and that we should hop on the tuk tuk waiting just 5m away to go to other sights before returning.
We said we first go across the road to look at a small temple and then come back for the tuk tuk. However while crossing the road back we noticed a main gate further down the road that is open and has tourist flowing in and out. Scam avoided but we could still see the tout trying to convince others at the other gate (its closer to the main intersection hence everyone passes it) that the palace is closed, blah blah blah…

The Grand Palace is the home of the king but also is site of several major temples aspiring to various faiths, mostly Hindu and Buddists to no doubt safeguard the well being of the residence.

Afterwards we managed to walk and find the Reclining Buddha temple, where a giant gold reclining Buddha rests plus numerous other entities of Buddha. By this time we were a bit templed out on what was a typical hot and muggy day and so the call was made to go back to the hotel where we passed the Giant Gate on the way back.

Grand Palace and Reclining Buddha

Bangkok

Got into Bangkok early morning on a 1/3 full Thai flight, was able to stretch out across 3 seats across the back and enjoy superior service. Arrived in Bangkok to meet up with an old work colleague PJ aka Paul. Anyway PJ has been here many a time and so he slowly showed me around on what would be my holiday from my holiday. I slowly adjusted to the tourist way of life here where for once the AUD was stronger than the local currency, this meant late starts to the day, an afternoon and evening meal accompanied by some Chang or Singha.

There are temples everywhere of which one we did visit up the road and of course many shopping malls with magnificent air conditioning.
One day I decided to visit the Independence Monument but it starting raining monsoon buckets that even the raised footbridge just below the skytrain was flooded.

But otherwise basically didn’t really do much in Bangkok except a few long nights out when both PJs older twin brothers were in town...

Bangkok

Zurich

20/07/09

Possibly the most expensive city in Europe, Zurich's cost of living was noticeably more expensive than continental Europe and so I decided to save some $ by couchsurfing, my good host was a guy called Sam who had an apartment only a kilometer and a bit from the main train station.
Had one full day and so walked up to the local university for some skyline views before taking the Polybahn down to walk around the old town which meanders around the river Limmat. The river eventually reaches its source, lake Zurich where I boarded a vessel for a 90min cruise around the lake with the swiss alps in the distant horizon.

After the cruise had to have the local fare, veal sausage with a local beer before walking the other side of the river where further downriver locals swim in the river in what is essentially an urban beach, think no sand but grass and concrete and a pier with bars too. There was still hundreds on a Tuesday afternoon plunging into the currents slightly upriver to be slept downriver about 100m by the currents before swimming out. Plus the odd person jumping from the road bridge several metres above into the river before. All good fun.

The next day before the long flight to Asia took a free bike rental (thats right its free here in Zurich as they have a 1st rate public transport network, they have too much $ here) and biked around some more of Zurich as far as the east lakeside foreshore. Unfortunately it wasn't a great day and it actually drizzled a bit. I guess it was a sign, so farewell Europe and hello Asia next...

Zurich

London III

03/07/09 Goodwood Festival of Speed

I had heard of it from Top Gear and other auto mags but had forgotten about the Goodwood Festival of Speed until upon chancing a billboard advertisement in London.
Persuaded Tony to join me and so we had an early start catching the train out to Chichester which is about 1.45 hr on the train out of London. Boarding the special chartered buses to take us out to the estate to view the cars on show and the practice laps on the circuit on what was the first day of the festival and this avoiding the weekend crowds. The highlight of the day was the Red Arrows display which actually lasted a good 30 mins and which commentary was provided through particular FM radio channel too. All in all, a long day on another blazing summers day.

Goodwood Festival of Speed

Last week in London and Sig had already left to go back to Canada for summer, so here goes...


15/07/09 Imperial War Museum

A guy from London staying in my Dublin hostel recommended this museum which is not near the other main museums in London so I decided to check it out with Tony.
The Imperial War Museum is wholly dedicated to the perils of war and therefore promoting peace, it’s a small but effective museum with tanks, planes, arms and a special trench experience with authentic smells!

Imperial War Museum

16/07/09 British Museum

Decided to finish viewing the British Museum during my last few days in London, we actually went there to visit a section on my second or third day in London many weeks ago.

British Museum

18/07/09 Greenwich

My last weekend in London and we decided to visit Greenwich which none of us had been to before. Greenwich is site of the Royal Observatory and the National Maritime Museum. Greenwich is also famous for the Greenwich Meridian Line, where the longitude is 0 and where all time is measured from. This line separates the western and eastern hemispheres. Before that we had time to wander the Greenwich markets where we had lunch.

After the observatory we visited the nearby National Maritime Museum where various exhibits of the empires glorious maritime past were on show.

Greenwich

Thanks to Tony and Lauren again for their hospitality, don't know when I will be back in Europe...

London II

01/06/09 London Monument and Tower

Sig was back from his short trip out of London and so we went to visit the London Monument, dedicated to the great fire of 1666 (if ever a bad year) and onto the Tower of London. We thought we start with the free tour by the Yeoman aka as the Beefeater but gave up and did our own exploration due to the large crowds of tourists. We did see the Crown Jewels (no jokes thanks) but of course no photos allowed.

Monument and London Tower

02/06/09 Tower Bridge

After meeting up with my old boss Burgo, started a small section of the Square Mile walk (as featured in the Lonely Planet) before meeting up with the bros to watch the Tower Bridge open. Thereafter me and Sig continued inside the Tower Bridge Experience, a self guided tour of the workings and history of the iconic landmark.

Tower Bridge

03/06/09 Square Mile

Finished the Square Mile walk, this is basically a walk around old London City taking into account the following:
St Pauls, Australia House, Royal Court, Temple Church, Temple of Mithras, Royal Exchange, Leadenhall Market, Lloyd’s of London building (the building that outside looks like the inside of a factory), “Gherkin” building, Spitalfields, Christ Church and Petticoat Lane.

Square Mile Walk

06/06/09 Natural History and Science Museums

For once an overcast showery day, perfect for staying indoors and so the call was made by me and Tony to go and visit the Natural History and Science Museums, both are close to each other near South Kensington underground.

Natural History and Science Museums

07/06/09 Abbey Court and Lords

With Sig back in town after a sidetrip, he wanted to see Abbey Court Rd and Lords, the home of cricket; so off we all went. After dodging traffic and numerous attempts we got that pic…
Afterwards back to the old days of playing cricket in our driveway but this time outside the home of cricket. Just like our XI high school days I was wickie and Sig was the medium pacer bowling inswingers, all imaginary of course.
Lastly we went to the house of my brother's namesake, the Sigmund Freud mansion (now converted into a museum). The last pics are from the rooftop of Tony's building to catch the sunset and views from Putney.

Abbey Court and Lords

London I

Thanks to Tony and Lauren for having me and Sig over at their place in London, which we used as a hub for short trips across Europe. Will miss playing PS3, watching "Greys" and that addictive Strawberry and white choc cereal...

26/05/09

Finally in London but I was so exhausted that that I spend my first day in Europe having a midday nap at my youngest brothers Tony’s flat and did not venture out.
The next day was a late start and we just dipped down to Piccadilly for some tourist info and a quick walk through to Coventry Court passing Trafalgar Square and into Chinatown and wrapped up by a visit to the British Museum.

London - First Day

28/05/09

Nice day so caught the tube to Hyde Park Corner and walked through all the tourist spots like various memorials (including a NZ one), Buckingham Palace, Downing St, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, etc till Westminster where I caught the tube just before the afternoon peak starts.

London - Hyde Park

29/05/09 Southbank

Today tackled the Southbank trail starting from Westminister where I had left off the day before and continuing along till Cannon St. A detour was required to view St Paul and to cross the Millennium Bridge in what was a glorious summers day! The pictures speak for themselves about the major sights on either bank of the Thames River.

Southbank

30/05/09 Trooping the Colour

Trooping the Colour first rehearsal was on today so went to enjoy it with the relative sparse crowd; I am guessing it will be at least 10 fold more on the actual day. Afterwards met up with Tony and Loz to go to Harrods at Knightsbridge, with the day still perfect we went to Hyde Park where all Londoners go to when nice weather. I joined the friendly family atmosphere in and around Princess Diana’s memorial pool and had a lazy stroll around The Serpentine. Sideswipe, we saw a Bugetti Veyron on the street while walking back to catch the tube home…what GFC!!

Trooping the Colour

31/05/09 Richmond Park

Another glorious sunshine day, where is the crappy English weather that people always go on about? We made our way to Richmond Park for a bike ride around the perimeter and a well deserved ice cream at the end.

Richmond Park

South Ireland

Southern Ireland, three words…rain, rain, rain!

10/07/09

Joined a 3 day coach tour of south Ireland with Shamrockers, starting with a visit to The Rock of Cashel, Mitchelstown Caves and Blarney Castle to receive the gift of the gab by kissing a dirty brick in the castle wall while supported upside down! All this time there would be prolonged showers with short fine intervals, no doubt this is why the Ireland countryside is so lush and green. Our overnight stop would be Killarney.

11/07/09
Second day of the tour and this time it would rain the whole day, I had not seen this much rain since living in Auckland but enough whining about the weather, starting to sound like some other people across the Irish Sea.
Along we went on the scenic coastal route while viewing the most western point of continental Europe towards the fishing town of Dingle, where Fungi the dolphin resides. An ice cream to enjoy the liquid sunshine before catching a glimpse of “the sleeping giant and three sisters” (an island whose contours look like a big belly person asleep and 3 hills). Then a short ferry ride across the Shannon River towards the Cliffs of Mohar. Our stop that night was Doolin where I had some Irish stew in a local pub watching the weird weird sport of hurling (cross between AFL and hockey).

12/07/09
Our last day of the tour started with trips to Clonmacnoise (an old monastery) and Burren plateau which is a raised ancient limestone seabed.
However our first activity was a quick stop to walk around a fairy ring, an abandoned mound ruin like a ring where the middle had scrub inhabited by fairies, true! We were sternly warned not to walk through the middle otherwise something bad could happen…

Now the coach we were on was not the most modern and in fact there was a problem as it could not engage 1st gear from the 2nd day onwards. While on a slight incline it started to roll backwards towards a parked car while trying to pull out onto the road outside Clonmacnoise. Everyone out and a big stone for leverage did the trick but there was only inches between the bus and the car.

One more stop for some Irish whisky at Locke’s Distillery Museum at Kilbeggan and then back to Dublin where I will catch the overnight ferry back into London.

South Ireland