All in the Stars (Jaipur, India)

All in the Stars (Jaipur, India) - Like a surrealist's children's playground, Jantar Mantar was designed not far away to the outstanding royal Palace of the Winds as an astronomical observatory. designed around 1730 by the Maharajah of the famed Pink town, Jaipur, it absolutely was among the foremost correct and detailed observatory for its time within the world. The star-inspired maharajah designed 5 such observatories across India, four of that still exist nowadays.

To the untrained eye, the structures appear as if inventive and appealing outsized playground rides to climb and jump upon. With some description, they detail a fascination with correct celestial measurements for the sun and moon, detailing the seasons, tracking the orbits of major stars, zodiac constellations and planets, predicting eclipses and measuring time itself. Importantly for the religious Indians, the observatory was utilised to satisfy an obsession with detailed horoscopes to make sure the simplest doable circumstances for weddings, major festivals, conferences and most aspects of life.

The giant among the 30 or so structures is the 27 metre high Samrat Jantar (see background of second photo from the top)with its small covered deck for making relevant announcements. It is the world's largest sundial. The time remains extraordinarily accurate to this day with the cast shadow moving around one millimetre every second or one metre in just over quarter of an hour. You can literally see time move. The guide explains that it is angled at 27 degrees which corresponds to the latitude that Jaipur sits above the equator.

Other equally strange structures include one with two large red disks also used to measure time and a strange structure like a cake with every second slice missing. It is able to measure the angle of the sun to assist with detailing the seasons.


Jantar Mantar is a fascinating work integrating science, astronomy, religion and art. Particularly on a sunny day, wandering and climbing these strange stone travel wonders provides an interesting insight into the 18th century balance of science and spirituality.

A Royal Facade (Jaipur, India)

A Royal Facade (Jaipur, India) - Embedded inside city walls, Jaipur may be a harmonious town of broad boulevardes and strange travel wonders. Today, the bustle of an enormous population, manic traffic, enthused street vendors and meandering cattle overwhelms abundant of this harmony however the obsession with painting the buildings in shades of red (the town is thought because the Pink City) still helps the town exude a sublime charm.

Most putting of all the buildings is that the five-storey honeycombed Hawa Mahal or The Palace of the Winds. Over two hundred years previous and build from red and pink sandstone, this structure sits sort of a regal crown. With an exquisite carved facade boasting virtually a thousand tiny windows, the fine stone latticework lets individuals see out (but not in). the sunshine at totally different times of day changes the palace's moods changing its color from golden bronzes to riotous reds.

The surprises lie behind the scene. Walking through an oversized courtyard, it's clear that this building is merely one slender space wide, additional sort of a five-storey honeycombed wall than a palace. Walking to the highest floor via ramps (there are not any staircases), you'll peer out of the little grills onto the colourful town below. General belief is that this was designed for the ladies of the royal household, who might read the town parades and different activities whereas keeping hidden from public read, their lives being led underneath terribly strict rules of modesty.

Today, the brazen monkey inhabitants steal the best views, keeping a watchful gaze over their domain. They seem somewhat affronted having people wandering through their regal surroundings, though any chance to pickpocket an unwary visitor of food or other items is quickly grabbed.

On the street below, the snake charmers beguile the tourists and locals alike with the cobras rising from their woven baskets and swaying to the mournful music. Similar to their backdrop being a palatial facade, their act is also somewhat of a facade. The cobras have been de-fanged and the swaying following the path of the gently rocking charmer, rather than dancing to the music. After all, the snake cannot hear the music!

Whether a facade or not, the Palace of the Winds is a stunning royal building with its intricate carving and excellent views over the mesmerising Pink City of Jaipur.

guest post by Elegant Resorts

Formed in majority by 22 natural atolls and located in the Indian Ocean, this string of islands could well be one of the new seven wonders of the world. Independent from the United Kingdom since 1965, Maldives boasts of a population of just over 300,000 and one of the worlds best locations for luxury holidays and boasts some of the best beaches in the world.

The Huvafen Fushi Hotel located in the Maldives, is one of it's finest, and is just 24 km from the international airport. Geographically located 300 miles south west of India and Sri Lanka, Maldives is ideal for honeymoons or just to lose yourself in complete relaxation for a few days or weeks.

With temperatures ranging anywhere from seventy five to ninety one degrees year round, this is the ideal environment for any and all beach and water sport activities. For your private use, plunge pools are a staple with every room and beautiful views across the lagoon come as standard.

If fishing is your desire, you may join others on a fishing trip on a boat properly equipped, or rent a Dhoni (a boat that uses either sail or engine power), leave the hotel for a few days to experience the adventure and excitement of Maldives fishing. Clear crystal waters and 60 meter visibility make the Maldives ideal as a scuba diving destination. With over seven hundred species of fish and large quantities of underwater coral reef the Maldives ensures endless hours of fun for the passionate snorkeler.

Once you have arrived on the island your breath will be taken away by the beauty and serenity of this world class hotel. Visitors are welcomed by natives as a gesture of friendship and introduced to a relaxing atmosphere, second to none. Rooms are spacious and open, with direct access to the beach. All rooms are equipped with overhead fans, safe and telephone. A private bar, Espresso machine and 32” plasma television are also included in the amenities. If you prefer to spend your time in seclusion, a DVD player with Bose surround sound are provided for your pleasure.

Should you decide to make this a “family getaway”, children (although limited) are also catered to, with endless beaches and plenty of activities including dolphin and whale spotting. Spend the day on Male, visiting the day market, the National Museum, the Presidents Palace and the Republic Square. While you could lunch at the restaurant located in your hotel, while out and about, why not experience dining at its best at one of the many local cuisines. Besides scuba diving and snorkeling, should your preference be outdoor activities, Maldives aims to please, with golfing, waterskiing, jet-skiing, body surfing, boarding and parasailing.

If you just want to lay back and enjoy the beauty of the islands, you can take a sunset cruise around the uninhabited islands, on a Dhoni while snacks and drinks are being served to you. If you are not quite relaxed enough, how about the spa for a massage and some pampering. The time is now, the place is The Huvafen Fushi Hotel at the Maldives and the goal is Paradise.

Photo Credit: 1, 3, 4, 2, 5

Peter Rudiak-Gould is an American student studying for an anthropology doctorate at Oxford University in climate change and its effect on the Marshall Islands. He recently published his first book titled Surviving Paradise describing his year on a remote atoll in the Marshall Island teaching English.

This interview discusses Peter's attitude to global warming, especially focussed on how the Marshall Islands are handling this global issue.

Travel Wonders: The population of Marshall Islands appear to have little fear of global warming yet their islands are clearly slowly "drowning". Is this consistent with the way they lead their lives or their faith or what?

Peter Rudiak-Gould: Thankfully, there is more Marshallese interest in the threat now than two years ago. Still, when I was recently in the Marshall Islands and asked general questions about life or about the future, people didn’t usually spontaneously bring up climate change, even though they were familiar with it. It’s probably #10 on people’s list of worries. There are probably several reasons for this. One is that, while people can see some signs of local environmental change (erosion, for instance), these changes are not yet extremely obvious, and they are not affecting people in a big way - by and large, life goes on as it did before. Another is that, when people hear about the problem, there seems to be nothing they can do about it, so there is no point in thinking about it. Another is that some people are skeptical of the threat because they don’t trust scientists - some people say that the country won't be flooded because God promised Noah that he wouldn't flood the earth again. So many of the reasons that Marshallese people don't think about climate change as much as we might hope are the same reasons that Westerners don't think about it as much as we would hope. There might also be a certain amount of fatalism in the country, due to millenia of living in a precarious environment and more recent experiences like nuclear testing. Luckily, there’s a new awareness raising strategy in the Marshall Islands which puts attention on more manageable, present impacts of climate change rather than the possibility of future inundation, and this strategy seems to be succeeding in getting people more engaged with the problem.

TW: With their limited resources, did you speak with Marshall Islanders that you felt were taking positive steps towards reducing the threat of global warming?

Peter: I was just in the country again, from May to September, and there is much more engagement and action than there was in 2003-2004 or 2007 when I was there before. Like in the First World, the man on the street isn't doing very much to prepare for climate change (which is completely understandable!), but there is a sizeable and growing community of activists. First and foremost are the leaders of Women United Together Marshall Islands, which is a women's advocacy organization. They have been organizing workshops to educate women around the country about the threat of climate change. This has made a huge difference. The Ministry of Education, an environmental NGO, and a Catholic church have also helped to raise people's awareness. Interestingly enough, one of the responses that is being advocated is to reduce one's own carbon emissions, even though the Marshall Islands has such a small carbon footprint, both as a nation and per capita. It is a kind of self-blame - these organizations are taking attention away from the culpability of the big polluting nations, and putting attention on the small contribution that Marshall Islanders add to the threat. In some ways this is blaming the victim, and exaggerating Marshall Islanders' power to solve the problem, but it may be succeeding in helping people engage with the problem - and every little bit of emissions reduction helps. The Marshallese government hasn't been as proactive as other low-lying island nations, such as the Maldives which has pledged to go carbon neutral in ten years, held a government meeting underwater to get media attention, and looked into the possibility of buying land overseas in case the islands are flooded. But the grassroots efforts in the Marshall Islands are taking off in a serious way.

TW: How big an issue do you personally believe the threat of global warming is?

Peter: I think the seriousness of the threat is about halfway between the two extremes that we often hear. The two extremes I'm talking about are the idea that global warming is a hoax (what the denialists like to say) and that global warming is an apocalypse that will destroy humanity and much of life on earth (what the alarmists like to say). Halfway between those two viewpoints equals: a big problem. Although low-lying island countries like the Marshall Islands seem to be the worst off, I think that other, poorer countries are in a more dire situation. The worst case scenario in the Marshall Islands--total uninhabitability and mass exodus--is very bad indeed, but not as bad as what some other countries might face. If worst comes to worst in the Marshall Islands, some country would surely allow the 60,000 inhabitants to immigrate. But in various African countries with much larger populations, many of the people would have to stay despite massive crop failures and starvation. So, in summary, climate change won't destroy the world, but it will make it harder for people to live on it, and it could kill millions of people in the Third World. We don't need sensationalistic proclamations of ecological Armageddon in order to care about the problem or appreciate its seriousness.

TW: What personal changes (if any) have you made since the experience of seeing parts of Ujae Island lying underwater in the way you lead your life in Oxford?

Peter: I can’t hold myself up as an example of what to do right. I conserve energy in small ways, I don’t eat very much meat, and I carbon offset my research-related flights. That’s not much, though. But I hope that by studying how people in vulnerable countries react to the idea and reality of global warming, I will be able to help people design more effective awareness and adaptation programs. I do believe that we can make a difference in global warming, but the best thing we can do is not to repent for our carbon sins but to pressure government to sign a climate change treaty that will actually tackle the problem. The ozone hole wasn’t solved by guilt-tripping people about using air conditioners and hairsprays, but by governments passing laws against CFCs and industry finding suitable alternatives to them. The same could be true of climate change, although it's a much harder problem to solve. I do admire people who voluntarily stop flying, for instance, but I worry that the emphasis on guilt and fear has turned many people off to the climate change movement. If people associate environmentalism with feeling bad about themselves, that's going to hurt the movement.

TW: How big do you see the threat and do you think the world's leaders are setting us on an appropriate course for recovery?

Peter: The threat is big, and so far the response has not been terribly impressive. But that's not a reason for despair. We have to realize what a huge endeavor it is to get every country in the world to sign a climate change treaty. And it does need to be every country in the world, because both the causes and the consequences of climate change are global, not respecting any national border. An environmental issue like smog is much easier to solve because the pollution doesn't travel very far, so it's mostly the same people who create the problem who also suffer from it. That means that there is more incentive for people to solve the problem, and it can be tackled on a local or national level, rather than a global one. You don't need everyone in the world to agree to stop the problem, only a certain subset of people. But with climate change, every country in the world needs to sign on. That's an incredibly ambitious goal to set, and it's not surprising that it's taken a few decades. Fingers crossed for Copenhagen. If an agreement is made, it will be a wonderful precedent for international cooperation, and a good sign that we're starting to realize that we're all living on the same planet. Taking the long view, the fact that we're even anywhere close to such an agreement is amazing.

TW: What role do you believe that well-off western nations (Europe, USA, Canada, Australia,...) should be playing in protecting low lying islands such as the Marshall Islands with the threat of global warming?

Peter: First and foremost, they should be trying to prevent the threat. But this might fail, and even if it succeeds there is a certain amount of warming locked into the system from the greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere, so the Marshall Islands will have to deal with certain impacts no matter what. So First World nations are obligated to help low-lying islands adapt. This can involve both traditional and non-traditional methods. Traditional methods of securing shorelines are great, but at a certain point they might not be enough. At that point, seawalls might be the only option, and these low-lying countries couldn’t afford these themselves. A richer country would have to help, and would be obligated to do so. In a worst case scenario, if people in low-lying countries have to evacuate, the rich countries should allow them to immigrate. Someone argued that rich countries should allow "climate change refugees" to immigrate in proportion to the amount of greenhouse gases they emit (and therefore their share of causing the problem), which seems reasonable to me.

TW: As individual travellers, what do you believe are important steps that we can take to reduce the effect of climate change?

Peter: Do you think the travel industry doing its fair share facing this global issue? The most significant link between traveling and climate change is, of course, the carbon emissions caused by flying. My feeling on this one is that there are two things that you can do that make sense. One is to cut back on flying, or stop flying altogether. The other is to fly and carbon offset those flights with a reputable carbon offsetting organization. I've heard a lot of people say that only the first of these options is ethical. They say that carbon offsetting is unethical because you are paying to eliminate the sin of flying, and you shouldn't be able to pay money to earn moral credit. Or they say that carbon offsetting makes climate change seem like an easy problem to solve, so people will just carbon offset and not get involved with actually solving the problem. I appreciate these arguments but don't really agree with them. If you are carbon offsetting with a reputable company (like Climate Care - www.jpmorganclimatecare.com), then you really are eliminating an equivalent amount of greenhouse gas emission. Your net effect is zero because it doesn't matter where the emissions are coming from - they all go into one big system. And at the same time, you are creating an incentive for people in various industries to devise ways of reducing carbon emissions and get paid for it. This is a good thing. Carbon offsetting won't solve climate change by itself, but it's better than nothing. What really baffles me is when people decide to fly AND to feel guilty about it, without carbon offsetting. This seems like the worst of all worlds to me: all of the feeling of guilt with none of the action to reduce your impact.

TW: Thank you Peter for your time.

Read my review of Surviving Paradise and Peter's website for more details of his studies and time on the Marshall Islands.

In the midst of a skyline of glassy, towering skyscrapers, this quaint colonial relic tries to preserve the times of yesteryear. Especially grand at night, visitors flock to the colonial Long Bar with wicker chairs and elegant bartenders for the over-priced syrupy Singapore Slings and a chance to shamelessly throw peanut shells on the floor. If you close your eyes, it is easy to believe that you could be enjoying afternoon tea as the owner of a tea plantation. By contrast, the Writer’s Bar is an elegant, regal affair that summons the memories of authors past, including Rudyard Kipling, James Michener and Joseph Conrad.

For the last few months, bloggers such as Lifecruiser conduct an international cocktail party where writers highlight a notable drink from their travels or experiences. With a recent visit to Singapore Zoo, this month's drinks takes to the steamy climes of south-east Asia.

The Singapore Sling was famously introduced at the luxurious Raffles Hotel in the early 1900s and where it is still available today for an eye-watering price over US$20). Many other bars around also offer the almost sickly sweet cocktail at a lower price but without the colonial ambiance.

It is made with two measures of gin and a measure of cherry brandy, mixed with a measure of lime juice, half measures of Benedictine and Cointreau and a generous half measure of Grenadine. Add a dash of bitters, fill with pineapple juice and garnish with the traditional pineapple and cherry.

So a hearty cheers to all at this month's cocktail party.

Other Drinks of the Month
Pisco Sour
Chimay Beer
Becherovka

I have always had mixed feelings about zoos trying to balance the feelings of seeing magnificent animals in restricted sad cages against the beneficial scientific and conservation activities that many conduct. As an individual visitor it can be a chance to see, experience, watch, learn from and photograph in real life some of the planet’s most fascinating and awe-inspiring creatures – some of those almost impossible to see in their natural habitat. Equally it can be the chance to see disenchanted, constrained animals living in unnatural areas.

By far the best zoo I have visited is Singapore Zoo. With natural barriers such as moats, ditches and waterways replacing the usual bars and barriers for most displays (a few still have glass), the zoo has an open harmonious feel to it. Displays are thoughtfully landscaped and more generously sized and there is a general mood of satisfied, contented animals throughout the zoo.

Like all zoos, there are a number of highlight displays. Singapore Zoo boasts an impressive primate collection including a wide variety of monkeys, lemurs, chimpanzees, mandrills and the endangered golden lion tamarin (with its striking facial features) which are spread over a couple of island with a variety of forests, bamboos and grasses. A large group of endangered orang-utans have a large expanse of trees, ropes, vines and platforms to keep them entertained on a carefully designed island of their own.

Over fifty Hamadryas Baboons from Ethiopia live in one of the most impressive displays simulating the harsh deserts and the rocky escarpments of Ethiopia which they so nimbly access, climb and clamber for key strategic positions. The area is a riot of noisy screeches, clouds of dust, sharp dashing movements, revenge attacks, peaceful gazing and cautious grooming. As in the wild, caring mothers piggy-back their youngsters from the slightest hint of danger while young males stage mock fights in preparation for more senior roles.


The zoo also houses a rich collection of cats including lions, leopards, pumas and jaguars. Most notable are three white tigers (not albinos) which only occur in nature around 1 in 10,000 births. Similarly rare king cheetahs which have a different pattern to the normal spots (caused by a recessive gene and mainly bred in captivity) are included among the cheetahs. With bigger areas and more natural settings, some were tricky to spot highlighting the impressive camouflage techniques of these large felines. Nearby are a number of traditional African animals such as giraffes, zebras, white rhinos, hippos, warthog and antelope.

Though heavy on air-conditioning, iced water pools and large lumps of ice, the idea of a polar bear display in a tropical zoo is questionable. The display is cleverly designed so that you can watch these bears both above and below water, polar bears being impressive and powerful swimmers (a similar method is used with the hippos). Live fish and food frozen into ice is included in their diet to maintain some natural instincts. Being a hot, humid day when I was there, these majestic animals appeared completely sapped of energy.

Though I didn’t visit the area as I have seen them all back home, the zoo features an extensive and popular Australian zone including kangaroos, wallabies and emus (though no koalas), along with the usual collection of Australian lizards, snakes, spiders and other weird creepy-crawlies. The world’s most venomous snake – the taipan – is included though safely stored behind glass.

There are numerous other animals on display from butterflies and birds to reptiles and Asian elephants. It is easy to spend a rewarding full day wandering the paths and tracks (see map) either enjoying the posted feedings spread throughout the day or simply watching the wide variety of nature’s kingdom in what is surely one of the finest zoo settings of any. To escape the harsh Singapore humidity, there are plenty of places to sit and simply enjoy the animals at play. Attached to the zoo is a Night Safari but that is a story for another day.

Other SE Asia Posts
Breakfast at the Floating Markets (Thailand)
The Intrigue of Thai Massage(Thailand)
The Petronas Towers (Malaysia)

Actually 100 kilometres south of the Thai capital and very touristy, a morning trip to the travel wonder of Damnoen Saduak is still worthwhile. Similar to the highway chaos in central Bangkok but on water, small canals (klongs) are packed with long narrow boats piled high with fresh produce or simple stoves and a surprisingly varied menu. Expertly piloted by determined straw-hatted women, boats jockey for prime position ready to stop at a moment’s notice to barter their goods or sell their breakfasts.



Undoubtedly, the favoured method to arrive at these colourful, noisy, congested markets is long-tail boat through backstreet klongs past tranquil fruit orchards and local people going about their daily lives – kids jumping excitedly into the dirty water or parents cleaning or cooking from their small traditional teak houses or tiny ramshackle huts.

All styles of breakfasts are possible from luscious fresh tropical fruit, through small round pastry dumplings, deliciously strong spicy noodle dishes, satay sticks and tasty seafood to unidentified sweets rich in colour.

Having changed from my first visit many years ago, today the market boats also happily flog various souvenirs, ranging from elegant silks and handicrafts to tourist trash, to willing travellers, losing a little of the market’s older appeal.

The market is humid and hectic with visitors so it warrants being particularly early. After breakfast as traffic peaks, it is worth hiring one of the boats for a while and enjoy the market chaos from the water and marvel at the manoeuvring skills of the paddlers.

Consider spending the afternoon having a Thai massage to recover from the rigours of a market morning. However the day is completed, Bangkok’s floating market makes for an entertaining and fun early morning provided your expectations aren't for too authentic an experience and offers a small insight into life on the Thai canals.

Her hands explored my back with the assurance of a surgeon. An elbow eased into a knot in my shoulders brings a sharp shot of pain followed by a strange sense of relief. My arm is stretched backwards into an unnatural position, seemingly loosening tension from my stiffened frame.

I am in a corner of a plain room full of dozen thin mattresses, surrounded by the tuneful singsong conversation of masseuses, punctuated by occasional yelps of pain or relief. It was a relief simply to escape the suffocating humidity that wilted the most hardy of people and lay down in an air-conditioned room in loose-fitting cotton clothes which resembled hospital fare. A simple sign offered one, two or three hour sessions for the equivalent of a few US dollars per hour.

The masseuse started on my legs, working from the feet, stretching, prodding and probing every joint. Each toe is stretched and pressure is expertly applied to points of the calves and hamstrings often with a gentle rocking motion. Her hands, elbows, knees and feet are all utilised as she methodically works up and down my back and neck as if exploring for the solution to a complex puzzle. No square inch of my body is untended as the therapy continues down the arms before I am gently rolled over and the massage starts again from the legs.

The extraordinary feature of the massage is that the masseuse is blind. There is a belief that Thai massage is better performed by the blind, their sense of touch being attuned to locating the slightest irregularity in the body. I was impressed that the masseuse commented in broken English about the state of my lower back, long a source of mild pain and discomfort, working this region with a greater intensity and focus.

Many train at a Thai massage school several blocks away on the grounds of the stunning travel wonder of Wat Pho. Among the whirring of fans, masseurs and masseuses, both sighted and blind are trained in this ancient art.

In the neighbouring building, people admire a gleaming golden reclining Buddha. The gilded statue of almost fifty metres shows Buddha, laying on one elbow and with drooping eyelids, relaxed as if he could be chatting to a friend on a beach or viewing television. His feet (at three metres high and five metres long) are intricately carved with mother-of-pearl detailing multiple pictures with huge flattened toes patterned in spirals. Among the gentle aromas of incense, it has a serene and peaceful ambiance. Visitors worship silently while travellers try to discretely snap the awkwardly angled statue.

Around the temple among other colourful stupas are small statues and stones with carved details of a number of human figures. In the late 1700s , the Siamese king of the time consulted teachers, spiritualists and doctors who with their knowledge pooled with collective know-how on the human body. Lines indicating certain points of the body along with instructions capture the art of healing various ailments. This provides the blueprint for today’s Thai massage.

My head tingles as the face is cautiously massaged, rubbing around the eyes, stretching the ears and stimulating the scalp. Finally I’m asked to sit up, stretching my arms back and chopping away at the shoulder blades.

Changing back into my street clothes, I feel incredibly revived and relaxed. Shop carefully or ask advice, but having a Thai massage is a superb experience. Beforehand, wander the brightly coloured buildings of Wat Pho and the experience the staggering reclining Buddha and the detailed history of this wonderful art.

Bangkok Vacations

I rolled over trying to work out where the alarm was. I'd only got into Hong Kong late the night before so what moron had set the alarm for 5:30 in the morning? Startled from my deep slumber, I suddenly realised it wasn't the alarm but a phone. I flapped about the table in the semi-dark slowly coming into mild consciousness and finally answering this obtrusive device. I scrambled open a curtain to allow a sliver of light to escape into my room.

It was home and it was bad news. It normally is at that time of the morning. I decided there was little I could do about it right at that moment and thought I'd go back to sleep. Sure enough I couldn't sleep, my mind going a million miles an hour. My eyes flashed around the room to get my bearings when I stared transfixed at a small goldfish bowl in the centre of the decorative table - the only room furnishing in the tiny room apart from two rickety wooden chairs. The sole goldfish lay upside-down floating on the surface.

This must be bad karma. And bad things happen in threes...

I decided to get up and go in search of food. Compared with the bustle of the night before, Hong Kong is surprisingly serene at this early hour. The weak sunlight paints the harbour in a dull yellowish glow as it tries to penetrate the heavy haze. I stagger into a small cafe and grab some food and a steaming black tea. I have never trusted the coffee in Asian countries and their tea is always excellent. Both the breakfast and hot drink are surprisingly refreshing and I head back to my room a little better in spirit, ready to face the day. I still have to handle the issue back home but the body feels much better than its shock awakening an hour and a half earlier.

I fidgeted for my room key to find the door ajar to the sound of vacuuming. I stepped in to the fully lit room, curtains drawn open with the bed made. To my surprise, I discovered that Bubbles had miraculously revived, swimming contentedly around his bowl and circumnavigating the single black rock and sad wilted water plant. Do goldfish really sleep and was Bubbles simply resting?

The cleaner whispered to have a good day as she rolled her trolley out the door. And the truth stood before me. Among the little bars of soap and mini-shampoo bottles was a large bowl with two dozen or more of Bubble's relations gliding around. A plain over-sized white ashtray sat next to the bowl with not one but two dead goldfish. They were planning for a goldfish pandemic.

Along with the bed-making and cleaning, it seems that goldfish replacement is part of the standard service at this hotel.

Bad karma or clinical indifference? During the day I couldn't get the goldfish out of my mind. It gave me an eerie feeling. The third bad thing never did occur that day but I have never faced the discomfort of a goldfish in a hotel room ever again.

Do you have your own story of animals and hotel rooms?

Hong Kong Vacations

In a beautiful verdant park on a river in Delhi, a simple, elegant platform of black marble, adorned with floral wreaths and lit with a single lantern marks the cremation of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation of India. The simple words "O God" in Hindi mark the bottom of the platform at Raj Ghat (as the site is called), believed to be Gandhi's last words on being shot. Even today, visiting Raj Ghat brings a harmonious feeling of peace and tranquility and is in sharp contrast to the bustling pandemonium which characterises much of the remarkable Indian capital city of Delhi.

Today, the International Day of Non-Violence is celebrated on his birthday of 2 October every year and marks a public holiday in India. His peaceful approach to mass people-driven civil disobedience has set the standard for civil rights movements around the world.

In the same area, there are memorials marking the ashes of five Indian prime ministers and several other notable Indian politicians.

Other India Posts
It's All in the Stars (Jantar Mantar, Jaipur)
A Royal Facade (Palace of the Winds, Jaipur)
A Monument to Love (Taj Mahal)
From Dead Duck to Bird Heaven (Bharatpur)

Once the tallest building in the world (since surpassed by a Taiwanese building), Petronas Twin Towers dominates the Malaysian capital's skyline. Most striking is the skybridge which connects the two towers about halfway up and which can be accessed for free (requires a ticket). I think the skybridge and the mirrored twins are what makes this building a truly striking sight. Interestingly, the lifts are double height, servicing two consecutive floors at the same time.

From late March every year, for little more than two weeks, the Japanese cherry trees blossom in seas of whites and pinks across Japan. Visiting Tokyo briefly for work, I managed to squeeze in a quick walk down the alleyways of Tokyo's Yanaka Cemetery towards the end of the short blossom season - the path and ground littered with the elegant pink flowers.

Celebrated as the arrival of spring, the Japanese adore this time of year as families populate parks and shrines full of these spectacular trees for picnics, quiet strolls and family gatherings. Similar to the kaleidoscopic fall colours so popular in North America, the local inhabitants have favourite vantage points to celebrate hirami and sight the magnificent oceans of colour.

In parks, boats can be hired to row gently along the streams to enjoy the tree-lines banks, the blossom-laden branches leaning towards the water weighed down by their rampant blooms.

Other Asian Posts
Symphony of Lights (Hong Kong)
Happy Birthday, Peak Train (Hong Kong)
It’s All in the Stars (Jaipur, India)
A Royal Facade (Jaipur, India)
A Monument to Love (Taj Mahal, India)
From Dead Duck to Bird Heaven (Bharatpur, India)

Notes
Source: Boat Photo

By 8:00pm every evening, darkness has enveloped the Hong Kong sky and the bright lights and advertising of the skyscrapers reflect red, blue and golden stripes onto the waterway. The Star Ferry along with various pleasure boats cruise Victoria Harbour between the “canyon walls” set by the crammed skyline of towering buildings and The Peak.

Right on cue at 8:00pm, the manic shopping and business dealings seem to take a back-seat as Hong Kong launches a dazzling multi-media spectacular of modern music, building lights, searchlights and lasers using the skyline as their stage. Over forty modern buildings along Hong Kong Island and Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon dance with shifting lights and shooting beams choreographed to the electric rhythms of a blend of Chinese and western music. Commentary reveals the quarter-hour show in five themes entitled Awakening, Energy, Heritage, Partnership and Celebration, showcasing the Chinese state of Hong Kong.

Though busy, the best vantage point is Kowloon’s promenade of the Avenue of the Stars, which celebrates over 100 Hong Kong film celebrities in a manner similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Embedded speakers along this walkway ensure that the sound part of the show is clearly enjoyed with the light show (named by the Guinness Book of Records as the “world’s largest permanent light show”).

Don’t miss this mesmerising travel wonder as a kaleidoscope of colours dazzle the sky and reflect through Victoria Harbour to the enchanting composition of Chinese and modern music.

Other Asian Posts
Happy Birthday, Peak Train (Hong Kong)
It’s All in the Stars (Jaipur, India)
A Royal Facade (Jaipur, India)
A Monument to Love (Taj Mahal, India)
From Dead Duck to Bird Heaven (Bharatpur, India)

Notes
Discover more from the show’s designer, LaserVision.