Hi everybody!
After a very dry and hot season, there were some heavy rainfalls all along Australia's east coast but as I got up the next day, weather changed again and the sun was out as I started a guided city tour at the town hall.
The tour lead us through the streets of downtown Sydney
passing many big sights as the St. Mary's Cathedral in Hyde Park, ...
but also small sights like "Il porcillino", a statue of a wild boar outside the Sydney Hospital. Touching its nose apparently brings you luck.
before making it to the harbour and throwing a first glance on the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.
The tour finished in the Docks, one of the first settlements in Sydney and today a neighborhood with views of the skyline and harbour bridge.
In the evening I met Lincoln a local from Sydney, whom I know through a good friend of mine from Freiburg. We met at the Opera Bar, having some beer and just a good time!
The next day I continued my sightseeing tour with some contemporary architecture (e.i. extension of museum of contemporary art - Arch. Sam Marshall) and with the "must do", the ferry ride to Manly.
The boats depart at Circular Quay, right in front of the skyline of Sydney ...
From there I started exploring the city and one of the first things that catches your eyes are pictures of the king ... everywhere and in all different motifs, shapes and sizes.
The king of Thailand, Bhumidol Adulyadej, reigns the country since 1946 and is therefore the longest reigning king in the world. He is highly respected throughout the country and an inviolable person. Don't even think of a public criticism.
A second even much older institution in Thailand is the Buddhism. Their temples are called Wats (in Thai) and you find them all over the city. The first one I visited was Wat Suthat Thepwararam, one of ten temples of the first royal grade.
The temples all seem a bit similar. They house one or (mostly) many Buddhas and the inside walls are most of the time painted with motifs of Buddhism history (the story of Siddhartha).
Typical for the Wats are the pagode-like shape of its roofs ...
and certains items of other cultures and religions are well integrated (e.i. Ganesha or Chinese figures).
Another frequent element are galleries built around the temple and housing an "army" of Buddhas.
(images from Wat Suthat Thepwararam / Wat Arun Ratchawararam)
Those Buddhas can be identical or vary as it was the case at Wat Benchamabophit where there were Buddhas from many countries brought together, showing (e.i. statue from Lahore, Pakistan) also some rather unknown forms of a Buddha statue.
With Buddhism spread widely in Thailand (apparently 95% of the population is Buddhist), you get used to Buddha statues quite fast ... and moving around Buddha statues like this one is nothing unusual.
In the afternoon I crossed the Chao Phraya River, that floats through the city to discover some further elements of the Buddhist architectural vocabulary at Wat Arun Ratchawararam...
Even though it was hazy, there was a nice sunset that evening!
Looking back from the other side of the river, gives you an idea of the entire complex and on the way back I passed the Grand Palace making me already look forward to the visit on the next day.
And as I returned to Khoa Son Road, the area has switched into its "normal"-Mode. The street was packed with tourists and additionally to the Thai Street food they offer now even Doner Chicken Kebab - no comment.
showing the entire vocabulary and variety of Buddhism temple architecture ...
From the temple zone you reach the Palace, formerly the residence of the royal family, ...
but today just used for great receptions and closed for the public. Two guards block the stairs to the main entrance. The changing is always a neat thing to watch.
In the afternoon I found myself over the clouds again flying from Bangkok to Yangun, Myanmar. The country, formerly known as Burma, will be the next chapter on this blog.
I hope you are all doing fine and with beloved greetings from Southeast Asia!
Boris
After four weeks in beautiful New Zealand, I used two short stops in Sydney and Bangkok to create the link in between the first part of the voyage and the second part leading me to Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Hongkong!
Just a couple days before I went to Sydney, I quickly checked the weather and already thought to cancel the flight: 46 Degree Celsius were measured in town!!
I never checked the weather again and was completely surprised as I arrived at Sydney Central and it heavily rained.
After a very dry and hot season, there were some heavy rainfalls all along Australia's east coast but as I got up the next day, weather changed again and the sun was out as I started a guided city tour at the town hall.
The tour lead us through the streets of downtown Sydney
passing many big sights as the St. Mary's Cathedral in Hyde Park, ...
but also small sights like "Il porcillino", a statue of a wild boar outside the Sydney Hospital. Touching its nose apparently brings you luck.
We had a break at the statue "Waiting" by John Seward Johnson, ...
before making it to the harbour and throwing a first glance on the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.
The tour finished in the Docks, one of the first settlements in Sydney and today a neighborhood with views of the skyline and harbour bridge.
In the evening I met Lincoln a local from Sydney, whom I know through a good friend of mine from Freiburg. We met at the Opera Bar, having some beer and just a good time!
The next day I continued my sightseeing tour with some contemporary architecture (e.i. extension of museum of contemporary art - Arch. Sam Marshall) and with the "must do", the ferry ride to Manly.
The boats depart at Circular Quay, right in front of the skyline of Sydney ...
and drive around the Opera House to leave the city behind.
Arriving at Manly Wharf brings you into a completely different world. It's not only the scale of the buildings that (slightly) changes ...
It's also the "way of life": the busy, pulsing downtown area finds in this laid-back and chilled small town at the shore of the ocean its perfect counterpart. Not to mention the surfing culture which you can notice in the sea (every black dot on the picture is a surfer waiting for the next set of waves) as well as on land (interesting modifications made on all sorts of means of transports)
I did a little walk along the shore and through the bushland (in a big area burnt) to arrive on a lookout point with a great view of the entire harbour and the Sydney skyline in the background.
The ferry ride back to Sydney in the evening sun was a big pleasure as well.
And also during night, the city's great setting next to the water is stunning!!
(Waterfront Circular Quay, Harbour Bridge and Opera House)
My last day I started wandering around through the botanical gardens, also home of the Government House.
The botanical gardens are placed along the harbour offering great views of the eastern part of the downtown area.
The western part faces Darling Harbour, a former industrial zone modified into a huge entertainment area in the course of the 2000 Olympic Games.
The afternoon I spent in and around the Opera House ... some impressions and pictures made that afternoon as the days before leading you from the inside of the building to the outside. (I hope not too many pictures for the non-architects among you!)
At the end it was quite a short trip to Australia. No kangaroos have been seen but at least one Koala (in front of a wild life center at Darling Harbour)!
Despite the short time I really enjoyed it, especially the evenings, beers and time with Lincoln. Thank's for taking so much time for me.
After four and a half weeks on the southern hemisphere, I left the southern cross behind and flew to Bangkok, starting point for my trip to Southeast Asia.
I arrived late at night at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport and the day was slowly starting as I had to change buses at the Victory Monument. As I found my way to legendary Khoa San Road, it was probably curing its hangover - hardly anybody on the street.
Being the first time in Bangkok and additionally traveling with a backpack, I just had to stay in this legendary "backpacker ghetto" that offers everything from a BigMac (even Ronald welcomes you in the Thai way) to a Massage or Tattoo.
From there I started exploring the city and one of the first things that catches your eyes are pictures of the king ... everywhere and in all different motifs, shapes and sizes.
The king of Thailand, Bhumidol Adulyadej, reigns the country since 1946 and is therefore the longest reigning king in the world. He is highly respected throughout the country and an inviolable person. Don't even think of a public criticism.
A second even much older institution in Thailand is the Buddhism. Their temples are called Wats (in Thai) and you find them all over the city. The first one I visited was Wat Suthat Thepwararam, one of ten temples of the first royal grade.
The temples all seem a bit similar. They house one or (mostly) many Buddhas and the inside walls are most of the time painted with motifs of Buddhism history (the story of Siddhartha).
Typical for the Wats are the pagode-like shape of its roofs ...
and certains items of other cultures and religions are well integrated (e.i. Ganesha or Chinese figures).
Another frequent element are galleries built around the temple and housing an "army" of Buddhas.
(images from Wat Suthat Thepwararam / Wat Arun Ratchawararam)
Those Buddhas can be identical or vary as it was the case at Wat Benchamabophit where there were Buddhas from many countries brought together, showing (e.i. statue from Lahore, Pakistan) also some rather unknown forms of a Buddha statue.
With Buddhism spread widely in Thailand (apparently 95% of the population is Buddhist), you get used to Buddha statues quite fast ... and moving around Buddha statues like this one is nothing unusual.
Ups wrong picture ... I was further talking about the stupa-like tower called prung,
You can climb on its top having a great but quiet hazy view down the Chao Phraya River and onto the other side to the Grand Palace - the former royal residence.
Even though it was hazy, there was a nice sunset that evening!
Looking back from the other side of the river, gives you an idea of the entire complex and on the way back I passed the Grand Palace making me already look forward to the visit on the next day.
And as I returned to Khoa Son Road, the area has switched into its "normal"-Mode. The street was packed with tourists and additionally to the Thai Street food they offer now even Doner Chicken Kebab - no comment.
As already mentioned, the big point on the next day was the Grand Palace. So far I just saw it from the outside behind a high wall hiding the tourist stream, that passes through the ensemble every day.
The Great Palace is divided into the temple and the residential zone. The temple area is a collection of temples that were added over the centuries, ...
and some amazing details.
The highlight though is the "emerald" Buddha, a 45cm high statue made out of jadeite (not emerald :-). It is the most important Buddha statue in Thailand. As you can see he wears a golden mantle, which is his winter cloth. He has two other types of clothing, one for the summer and the other one for the rain season ... the king being the only person allowed to change them.
In the afternoon I found myself over the clouds again flying from Bangkok to Yangun, Myanmar. The country, formerly known as Burma, will be the next chapter on this blog.
I hope you are all doing fine and with beloved greetings from Southeast Asia!
Boris
