Most of the temples that I visited throughout Laos and Thailand were very old and historical, which added to the draw of their overall beauty. Haw Pha Bang, however, is not old, and in fact it was only completed in 2006, located in the grounds of the Royal Palace Museum in Luang Prabang, Laos. Haw [...]
This week's travel photo is of the head of a carved wooden Buddha statue located in the museum of Wat Phra Kaew, in Chiang Rai, Thailand. This temple once housed the famous Emerald Buddha, and many believe that it originated from here. The museum in Wat Phra Kaew has many interesting and valuable objects, but [...]
This week's travel photo is of Santa Maria Formosa in Venice, Italy. Located in the Castello area of Venice, this church dates back to the late 15th century, while it's campanile (clock tower) was completed in 1688. Getting lost in the Castello District was one of my favourite things I did in Venice. It got me [...]
This week's travel photo is of some rowers on the Mekong River at sunset in Vientiane, Laos. Every day that I was in the small capitol of Laos I went down to the river to watch the beautiful sunset, a time when the locals love to come out and exercise. It's a great time for [...]
One of the things that I love to do when I go to a new country is explore its markets. I find them fascinating and it's always a great way to get to know the local people and culture. This is particularly true in Asia, and when I went to Thailand I tried to visit [...]
This week's travel photo is of the Baptistery of St John in Pisa, Italy. Located in Piazza dei Miracoli next to the Cathedral and the famous Leaning Tower, the baptistery was constructed between 1152 and 1363 and is the largest in Italy. More about the Baptistery of St John Also known as the Battistero di San [...]
I didn't think much of Phuket when we were making our way through Thailand, however I was really looking forward to exploring the nearby Phang Nga Bay, well known for its picturesque little limestone islands and beaches. We joined a full day tour from Phuket to take in the main sights which included visiting some [...]
This week's travel photo is of the old city moat in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The ancient city of Chiang Mai was founded in 1296AD, at which time it became the capital of the Lanna Kingdom. The large square moat and adjacent walls and gates were built to defend the city against the ever-threatening Burmese army. [...]
This week's photo is of the Fontana della Barcaccia in Rome, Italy. The fountain sits in Piazza di Spagna, where the famous Spanish Steps rise up the hill to the Trinità dei Monti church. The fountain was built between 1627 and 1629, thought to have been designed by Bernini.
On my first day in Vientiane, the sleepy little capitol of Laos, I took a walk along the Mekong Riverfront. I was surprised to find that a lot of work has been done in developing the river front into a recreation area. A lot of work is still to be done but the main part in [...]
