Singapore Chinatown – The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple And Hainanese Chicken Rice

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Singapore Chinatown is located right in the centre of Singapore and is very easy to get to. A trip to Chinatown is a must if the country I’m visiting has one.

I’m not interested in browsing Chinatown market stalls or having anything from Singapore Chinatown food street so the main focus on my visit to Chinatown Singapore was on Temples and trying the traditional Hainanese chicken rice from a hawker stall that has the best reviews. Yep, being a crazy hungry Asian, my focus is always somewhat on food.

You might know by now I have a thing for temples – old ruins, perfectly maintained or newish ones. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple turned out to be grander than I’d expected. It was raining by the time I got there so using mobile phone to take photos became a better option.

Here are a few photos from my visit to Singapore chinatown the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. Can you see the rain drops?

Singapore Buddha Tooth Relic Temple Singapore Buddha Tooth Relic Temple Singapore Buddha Tooth Relic Temple Singapore Buddha Tooth Relic TempleSingapore Buddha Tooth Relic Temple Singapore Buddha Tooth Relic Temple Singapore Buddha Tooth Relic Temple Singapore Buddha Tooth Relic TempleSpeaking of temples, there’s another beautiful temple that is right on top of the list . Sri Mariamman Temple
is the oldest shrine in Singapore and one of the most prominent places of worship for Tamil Hindus in the country. It was built to honour Goddess Mariamman – the deity of disease and protection.

It’s smaller than the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in size but equality amazing.

I googled traditional Singapore dishes before and found out that the Hainanese chicken rice is actually originated from Singapore. There are so many restaurants in Sydney that offer this dish so I’m super curious to taste it in Singapore. Of course I googled again to see where’s the best Hainanese chicken rice served in Singapore. Tian Tian Hainanese chicken rice came up numerous times. It seemed like an easy choice as it’s in the Maxwell Food Centre, just across the road from the Buddha Tooth Relic temple.

It turned out there was quite a bit construction work going on so it was not that straight forward to go in the Maxwell Food Centre that day. Still it was just a short walk from the temple and Tian Tian hawker stall is right at the entrance. Hainanese Chicken rice from Tian Tian was serviced in 2 sizes, one small, one large. The large size is not that large and small is indeed, quite small in portion.

As you can see, the presentation was extremely plain but it tasted really good. The price of Hainanese chicken rice dish from Tian Tian Hawker stall is noticeably higher than other hawker stalls in Singapore. Maybe because it’s gained good reviews on the internet over the years hence the premium being charged. Is it worth travelling all the way to have this dish from Tian Tian? In my opinion, it’s not worth it. The surrounding has a rather cheap feeling, there’s no tissue provided with the dish. Truth be told, we could easily get much bigger portion, equality tasty Hainanese chicken rice served with proper cutlery in Sydney for the same price, if not cheaper.  Sorry Tian Tian, maybe I’m just spoilt, haha.

Visit Petra: Highlights And Tiny Letdowns

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It wasn’t a short journey to visit Petra travelling all the way from Australia. Ever since I saw a picture of the Treasury at Petra, my desire of seeing it in person started to grow stronger and stronger. That dream trip of mine finally came to fruition this year after years of fantasising and a lot research + planning. Was it worth the effort? Absolutely.

Going to Petra from Israel

I entered the the Kingdom of Jordan through Israel/Jourdan boarder after an overnight stay in Elate Israel. Security check to go in Jordan was very fast and straight forward compared to those stringent processes in Israel. A driver and tour guide met me on the other side of boarder and my trip to Petra started officially.

A stop over at the breathtaking Wadi Rum dessert on the way from Aquba to Petra is highly recommended though a lot visitors to Petra are here for the Treasury. It’s only a little over 100 kilo meters from Wadi Rum to the city of Petra so it’ll take less than a couple of hours travelling by car.

The Dead Sea stretches across Israel and all the way to the Jordanian border. I’ve ticked off my bucket list item floating in the Dead Sea while in Israel. However I wonder if it could have been a better experience if it was done in Jordan. My tour guide proudly told me that the first hotel on Dead Sea was actually built in Jordan. So if any of you have floated in the Dead Sea in Jordan, please do share your experience!

The City of Petra

Whenever Petra is mentioned, most people would immediately think of the movie Indiana Jones. For some reason, I can’t remember that particular Indiana Jones movie. Maybe it’s because I’ve never seen it? Now that I’ve visited Petra, perhaps it’s the time to find that movie and watch it haha!

The city of Petra is nested in a dirt covered, secluded valley. There were a row of restaurants on the street leading to Petra visitor centre. Someone asked me if there were any KFC or Macca’s in Petra when I got back to Sydney. Well, I don’t record seeing any. The thing is, you won’t want to have fast food from KFC or McDanald’s in Petra any way. I had some amazing middle eastern feast there. So when you go, make sure to take time to enjoy the local cuisine.

What you need to know about visiting the ancient city of Petra

You don’t really need the local currency.

As long as you have sufficient US dollars on you, you don’t really to go through money exchange to get the local currency because US dollar is widely accepted in Petra.

You don need a lot of small bills on you though

The biggest inconvenience for me at the time was that I had quite a few $100 US dollar notes on me when I entered Petra and  I was having a VERY hard time to break it into smaller notes. You won’t be able to go far without smaller bills. You need them for tipping, buying drinking water and taxi fares etc. People won’t help you without being tipped and you can’t tip them with $100 notes.

Do you need a tour guide?

I booked a private tour guide before my Middle Eastern trip because I was travelling alone. But in reality, Petra is so straight forward to explore and the chance of getting lost there is really slim. Without a tour guide you’ll be able to stop whenever you wanted and take as much time to absorb everything. Many times I wished my guide could stop talking and singing like a crazy person but hey, that was just part of the experience. I was extremely glad that I had a full day all to myself without a guide so that I could really take my time to appreciate those sights without being interrupted or taken to a souvenir shop. So you’d better off without a tour guide, even if you are travelling solo.

Don’t get the single day ticket

It’s certainly not enough time to explore the best of Petra and enjoy it in just one day, so allow yourself at least a couple of days in the area. In stead of getting the single day tickets, buy a two day pass to save money and hassle.

Have plenty of water

You’ll hike a lot and weather is try. In order to keep yourself hydrated through out the day, make sure to drink plenty of water.

The horse riding

Though it’s said the horse ride is included in the entry ticket, I didn’t take the horse ride because I wanted to explore the ancient city by foot. If you opt to take a horse ride, make sure you have a US$5 note to tip the owner. If you hand over a $10 or $20 notes and expect your change back, you’ll be disappointed. Hence the importance to have plenty of small bills on you all the time.

Be aware of the hawkers

There will be a lot people trying to sell something to the tourists. Just be careful not to be the easy target. Don’t believe it that you’d buy authentic silver jewellery for $5. Don’t follow those little boys who promise to take you to places with the most amazing view. Don’t ride the horse, the camel or the donkey if you don’t want to…The best way is to stay firm and say “No” straight away without eye contact. People normally go away. That was a lot easier to deal with than what I’ve experienced in Egypt (where people would chase you all the way and force their service on you, then grab you for money).

The dress code?

Sure, 90% of the population in Jordan is Muslims. But Petra is occupied by tourists from all over the world. As long as you don’t dress offensively and overly expose yourself, people don’t really care what you wear.

The Siq

The Siq is a gorge, a 80 meter split in the rock. It’s the ancient entrance to the rose city. Walking through it wasn’t as long or boring as some people might have experienced. It was nice and cool under the gorge even in a hot Summer day. Not to mention, it’s so amazingly beautiful.

Watch out for the roaming horse carriages though while going through the narrow gorge though. Horses don’t really care about sharing the roads with the pedestrians, either do their owners. The smell of horse droppings through Siq could also be a little overwhelming.

Check out this blog post to see more photos of the beautiful Siq:

Jordan Photo Dairy – From Wadi Rum Jordan To The Siq, To The Treasury Petra

The Treasury:

The best time to see Treasury is in the afternoon, while the sun is shinning on that majestic ancient stone structure. The breathtaking moment to see the Treasury appearing at the end of Siq to me is simply unforgettable. There it was – all mighty, rose coloured and grand, just as beautiful and magnificent as I have imagined, even more stunning in real life.

visit Petravisit Petra

visit Petra

visit Petra

visit Petra

visit Petra

visit Petra

visit Petravisit PetraPetra at night

Petra at night happens 3 times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday night when candle lights will be lit in front of the Treasury. You might have seen some magical photos of Petra at night on the internet. The true is, Photoshop could have something to do with the beauty of those photos. A lot people got quite disappointed seeing the whole event in person. But the main thing is to just enjoy the moment and manage our expectations:).

Petra during the day however, doesn’t require any Photoshop’s help. Every single snap would turn out to be a post card worthy photo.
visit Petra visit Petravisit Petra

The hike to Monastery

Local people said if you haven’t been to Monastery, you haven’t really been to Petra. But the hike to Petra Monastery is no easy task. It takes at least 6 hours going up and down, from midway, you need to climb nearly 900 steps all the way uphill. But no matter, when it comes to travel, I’ve never been lazy! After days of hiking and touring, my body was feeling the pain, I kept pushing and made it all the way to the top, in 40C + degrees heat. 🙂 Oh mine. How grand is Monastery! The hike to the Monastery took the my trip to Petra to a whole new level. It looks similar to the Treasury but much bigger. See that lady in green top behind me? That’s how small a person looks next to the Monastery.

The Monastery

An the view on top? Mind – blowing. I’ll leave it to another post for more photos from the hike to Petra Monastery.

Spending Christmas Away from Home

Christmas tends to be a time of year that we strongly associate with home. It’s when we spend more time within our homes and visiting our nearest and dearest in their homes. But you don’t necessarily have to always spend every year seated around the dinner table eating sprouts and gravy. This is just as good a time of year to go away as any other if you have been struck by a sense of wanderlust, and it can be exciting to see how other countries around the world celebrate this occasion too! So, if you’re considering heading overseas this festive season, here are a few steps that you should incorporate into your planning process!

Choose Your Destination

The first step that you need to do when planning Christmas away from home is to choose your destination. This will cement your plans and help you to make further steps ahead when it comes to planning what you will be doing over the festive season. The location that you choose will fall entirely down to personal preference. Choosing somewhere hot can allow you to escape from cold winters back home and embrace sun, sea, and sand rather than shivering and having to wrap up in multiple layers just to leave the house. Heading somewhere even colder and with more prominent festive associations or ties can help to enhance the festive feel and send Christmas spirit levels skyrocketing through the roof.

Particularly Festive Friendly Destinations

There are, of course, various destinations that prove extremely popular during the festive season. They tend to have links to traditional Christmas folklore or have frosty weather conditions that make for the perfect winter wonderland. Here are a few to consider.

Lapland

Let’s start with the most obvious place that you might like to visit – Lapland. As legend goes, this is Santa’s home, and you can really get into the Christmas spirit by visiting from November right through till January. You can be greeted at the local airport by “Santa’s helpers”, will get to frolic and play in the snow, and can even visit the big man himself! Alongside this, you could incorporate trips to see the Northern Lights and even stay in an igloo.

Iceland

Iceland is another chilly destination that can offer some real winter time magic. Alongside seeing the Northern Lights and traversing the Golden Circle with its icy landscapes, you can check out Christmas markets and learn a little more about the rebellious Yule Lads. If you want a touch of luxury, you could slip in a trip to the Blue Lagoon – a geothermal spa.

Familiarise Yourself with Alternative Local Customs and Traditions

While Christmas isn’t necessarily a huge occasion around the entire world, many countries do have their own Christmas customs and traditions, and you might want to engage with these while you are away. Familiarising yourself with other culture’s way of celebrating is definitely an opportunity worth embracing when it comes to broadening your perspective and understanding of the world beyond your doorstep. Here are a few different traditions from countries around the world that you might be interested in testing out yourself while you are away.

Australia

Christmas falls in Australian summertime, so while other countries around the world will embrace cosy festivities indoors, Australians tend to spend more time outdoors and are topping up their sunscreen rather than throwing extra layers on and huddling up in blankets. You’ll find that many Australians will indulge in a beach BBQ on Christmas Day itself. You can learn more about the perfect way to spend Christmas down under at Bondi 38.

The Philippines

Every year on the Saturday before Christmas Eve, masses of individuals in the Philippines celebrate with the Giant Lantern Festival (otherwise referred to as “Ligligan Parul Sampernandu”). This is usually held in the city of San Fernando, which is renowned for being one of the most festive places in the region. There is competition to build the most attractive and eye catching lantern.

Sweden

Sweden’s best-known Christmas tradition is probably the Yule Goat. This is a goat that measures thirteen metres tall that has been built and placed in Gavle’s Castle Square on an annual basis since 1966. This may sound odd. But what’s more odd is another tradition that has come hand in hand with the presence of the goat – a tradition of trying to burn it down. While it is illegal to burn the goat down and there is now tight security surrounding the goat, it has been successfully burnt down a grand total of 29 times.

Pack Appropriately

Wherever you are heading, you need to make sure that you pack appropriately for the weather. Never just assume that what you are used to wearing at home will do. If you are heading to a hot destination, you will still need your swimwear and sun protection. If you are heading to a particularly cold destination, you will want to stock up on layers, waterproofs, and insulated jackets.

Sure, spending Christmas away from home isn’t going to be the most appealing idea for everyone out there. But it is a great option for those of us who fancy a bit of an escape over the festive period. What’s more? Your work are likely to offer you a little gratuitous holiday during this time too, so you don’t have to worry about booking quite so much time off work to head away!

 

Singapore Photo Diary

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My 3 days short stay in Singapore before heading off to London and Middle East was quiet and peaceful. I got the opportunity to wander around and pig out whenever and whatever I wanted without any distraction.

Singapore is a small country in size though their shopping and food malls are huge. I obviously ate too much but being a crazy hungry Asian, over eating is probably what I do best.

I also tried to take a couple of selfies using my new selfie stick before quickly loosing patience. Nevertheless, I did manage to take lots of photos of places so here’s a snippet of it.

 

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Trying to take a selfie with a stick… Yes! finally got my head in the frame #suckatselfie #awkward

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7 Important Reasons Expats Choose Singapore

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Singapore often tops the list of countries expats enjoy. It’s no accident either. The city-state has historically made efforts to attract talent from all over the world, and they aren’t shy about doing things very differently from the rest of the world to make it happen.

Singapore continues to attract expats despite facing many disadvantages compared to other countries that also rate highly among expats, such as New Zealand, Canada, and Germany. For one thing, it’s quite expensive to live in Singapore, and its cost of living is consistently among the highest in the world. For another, it’s also one of the most densely populated cities on the planet. It’s also by some measures, an authoritarian state, which often makes it the target of criticism in Western countries.

However, none of those details seem to dissuade most expats from choosing Singapore. Here are several reasons why the micronation continues to be a virtual giant when it comes to attracting the world’s top talents. For more ideas of what to expect in Singapore, check out Living in Singapore: A Complete Singapore Expat Guide.

1.) Low crime rates.

Singapore has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. That’s not to say it’s crime-free — it does have its share of pickpockets and occasional corruption scandals. But chances are your own hometown probably plays host to more crime in a month than Singapore does in a year. The famously draconian justice system is one of the pillars of Singaporean society, and most citizens and residents won’t trade it for anything else.

2.) A world-leading educational system

Singapore’s educational system has proven attractive to many expats who want their children to have access to an excellent, well-funded education. The country frequently tops lists of countries with excellent educational systems and it is also a regional mecca for advanced education in technical fields.

3.) An advanced healthcare system

Singapore has one of the most efficient healthcare systems in the world, and certainly in the region. Technological investment in this area is among the highest in the world, with cutting-edge equipment and techniques readily available. It’s also incredibly inclusive. All Singaporean residents and those classified as Permanent Residents have access to state health insurance through MediShield Life, which covers basic treatments at public hospitals and other designated centers. You can even pay a little more so you have wider access to different hospitals and procedures.

However, despite the availability of state-backed insurance, medical care is still quite expensive in Singapore. Patients now have to pay at least part of their bill and expats without Permanent Resident status can expect to pay hefty fees out of pocket. In a country where even a 5-minute procedure can set you back over $100, it makes sense to get international health insurance from a specialized insurer such as Now Health International before making the move to Singapore.

4.) High salaries

Even with the high costs of healthcare are comparatively when compared to the high salaries provided within the city-state. This is the chief reason so many expats find their way in Singapore as it has some of the world’s highest wages even while having a reasonable (though not cheap) cost of living. This makes it easy to save up to start a new business back home, travel, and generally have a better quality of life.

To put things into perspective, annual surveys by different companies pegged the average expat salary worldwide at an already substantial $97,000. In Singapore, expats earn an average of $139,000, which is around 43% more than the world average. The city-state, while expensive to live in, isn’t typically as expensive as other world cities to live in, means earners still get to save more of what they get.

The other side benefit to these high salaries is that expats surveyed often note that getting a salary boost in Singapore also greatly boosts their ability to get high salaries even if they move out of Singapore. This makes the country highly attractive to young talents with fresh new ideas as well.

5.) A vibrant culture and arts scene

The country is a hotspot of international world culture. It has this place for the very same reason it attracts so many expats in other industries. The educational level, salaries, and the mix of different cultures of the different people that live in Singapore contribute to a very fertile ground for culture and the arts. People in Singapore generally have the means to spend money on the arts and good artists are more likely to be able to support themselves in the country, in contrast to the steeper uphill battle artists may face in other countries.

6.) Overall better quality of living

If you’re the type of person who likes a bit of poshness in their lives, Singapore gives you access to some of the best food, fashion, and tech items in the world, and often for a much lower price than you expect. Apartments might be expensive, comparatively, but they tend to also be quite luxurious than the norm in the rest of the world. Singapore also has much lower pollution levels than most other dense urban centers thanks to the government strictly regulating and discouraging the use of cars while encouraging the adoption of green technologies.

7.) What might be the best food in the world

Most expats agree that eating out in Singapore is an insanely good experience. You can get a Michelin star meal in Singapore for less than $4 US equivalent. Just let that sink in. And there are tons of comparable, if not arguably better, options for food at that price range or lower. Food is perhaps the only thing that has really bound the different ethnicities that have populated Singapore in its relatively short history, and it still continues to bind and strengthen the Singaporean identity today.

With the influx of high-earning, highly-educated expats, international cuisine is also quite well-represented in the city-state. New concoctions that combine the best of cuisines from all over the world are also being made in kitchens throughout this small country every single day, making it a vibrant melting pot of culinary expression no other country can quite compete with.

 

Thinking of Relocating?

Whilst the majority of people have their eyes set on Australia as a place to relocate to, there are many Australian people that relish the chance to live overseas for an extended period of time – whether that’s to somewhere exotic like SE Asia or somewhere more cultural such as Europe.

That said, the logistics of this can be pretty taxing to the point they are off-putting, in fact anything from transporting your life overseas (Jayde Transport are a good option to look into) or arranging visas, can feel daunting to the point we tend to put our plans to relocate overseas on the backburner of life.

Of course, there’s a lot to consider when relocating overseas, especially if you have children or pets, but where there’s a will there’s a way and this article highlights five of the key things you need to think about in preparing to take the plunge and relocate overseas.

Here’s a simple checklist of some of the things to think about (presuming you’ve worked out where it is you wish to relocate to):

  1. PAPERWORK

You’ll want to find out what paperwork you need well in advance, as there’s a good chance you’re going to need a specific visa which must be applied for in plenty of time.

If you have an existing business, life can be made a little simpler by applying for a business visa – though sometimes the easiest route is to have your visa sponsored by a company that is wanting to employ you in that country.  Of course, this is made much easier if you already work for a company and they are simply relocating your position from one office to another.

  1.  INJECTIONS

If you’re travelling to some faraway tropical land then you’ll want to ensure your vaccinations are up to date, and check out any specific health concerns within the area, as you might be required to take treatment against mosquito bites, prophylactically.

  1.  LANGUAGE

It pays to start learning the local language well in advance, as even though you will tend to find the immersive learning experience of being in the destination a much faster way to learn, your progress will be catalysed by mastering the fundamentals beforehand.  There are apps such as Duolingo that can greatly help with this.

  1.  FIND A NEW HOME

It might feel tempting to live out of a suitcase for a few weeks or months whilst you find your perfect home, but it pays to head out prior to departure and secure your new home so that when you move – you are moving straight into your home rather than being in a state of limbo for several weeks or months.

In summary, relocating overseas can be an incredible opportunity that provides personal growth for you and your family, but it needs to be planned well in advance and considered carefully – particularly in terms of the financial and family aspects such as education, pets and healthcare.

Sydney Chinese Garden of Friendship Photo Dairy – Part 2

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I’ve finally located other photos of Sydney Chinese Garden of Friendship I took the other day.

There were saved in a different folder with no names so I couldn’t find them straight away. Yep, I’m still learning to be more organised. 🙂

So here are more photos of the Chinese Garden of Friendship in Sydney. Can’t wait for Summer to come!

Latin Quarter Paris – Why You’ll Love It & Keep Coming Back

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Pathon - Latin Quarter Paris

My friend recommended Latin Quarter Paris before my first trip to Pair many years ago. I was curious to find out why it’s such a fascinating area. Conveniently, my hotel located in Saint Germain is only walking distance from Latin Quarter Paris. As you can image, I fully took the advantage of my perfect location and explored the neighbourhood quite throughly and couldn’t get enough of it. What’s so special about Latin Quarter Paris? Here’s why:

History

Since Roman times, the Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter Pairs) has been Paris’s intellectual centre. For 700 years Latin was the language of it’s inhabitants. Hence the name Latin Quarter.

Latin Quarter Paris is where Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Joyce hung out in cafes drinking and engaging in earnest debate. One of the sure shot ways of engaging in a friendly debate about politics, history or just about anything, is to wander the streets of Latin Quarter Paris.

If you are a debate lover or simply bored and can speak a bit of French, you are good to go. The streets here are riddled with intellectuals, who are more than happy to spend hours talking to a complete stranger debating over a topic that is just waiting to be explored.

Famous places of interests of Latin Quarter Paris

If debate is not your thing, don’t worry. Latin Quarter has a nice blend of awesomeness and places of interests. Also known as 5th Arrondissement, Latin quarter is the central district of Paris, and saying it has good architecture is like saying Arnold Schwarzenegger used to lift a little. Monuments and buildings here are larger than life and are sure keep even the most seasoned travellers mesmerised for hours.

Here’s a list of a few must visit places in case you only have limited time to explore this area:

1. Place St-Michel

Napoleon III planned this place and it is famous for it’s fountain: Davioud’s 186o sculpture of St. Michel slaying the dragon. The place St-Michel has ben a centre of activity for hundreds of year. Traditionally, celebrating students from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts go for a swim in the fountain after their annual ball. Hmmm… who knew fountain can also be a bath tub.

2. Shakespeare & Company

This is a must for book lovers of course. Not Sylvia Beach’s original, this name sake is run by George Bates Whitman. Whitman purchase part of Sylvia Beach’s library, which is housed at the top of a treacherous flight of stairs. Notice the cots located in niches around the shop? They are kind of both for sitting and sleeping. People say Whitman once in a while allows poor writers to spend a little time here until they can secure enough money to get a room elsewhere. You’ll get the offical Shakespeare & Company inscription:”Shakespeare and Co. Kilometre Zero, Paris.” stamped on each book purchased here.

3. Musee de Cluny

At the beginning of the 3rd century a Gallo-Raman building, the Palas des Thermes stood there. Archaeologists presumed the site to be Roman baths. The baths date from between A.D. 161 and 181. Barbarians burned them down several times. About a thousand years later, Piere de Chalus, abbot of Cluny-en-Bourgogne, bought the ruins and the neighbouring land in order to build a residence for visiting abbots. The building we see today is the work of another Abbot, Jacques d’Amboise, who turned it into something of a palace. After the Revolution, the property changed hands several times, until it was finally purchase by Alexandre du Sommerard, a state official and medieval art collector. After his 1842 death, his house and its contents were sold to the state. The museum opened in 1844, with Alexandre’s son as a curator.

Today, thanks to both Sommerards, the museum houses one of the world’s greatest collections of medieval art and artifacts. You’ll find finely wrought jewellery, brilliant stained glass windows and some amazing tapestries in the museum. Most importantly, don’t miss the original Abbots’s Chapel, complete with an incredible vaulted ceiling.

4. La Sorbonne

It is the oldest University in France. In 1253, Robert De Sorbon, confessor of St. Louis founded the Sorbonne (with the help of the king). It was for poor students who wished to pursue theological studies. He wanted it to be a place where they could live and go to school without having to worry about money. Since then, it has seen famous teachers as St. Thomas Aquinas and Roger Bacon and such famous students as Dante, Calvin, and Longfellow.

In 1469 France’s fist printing press was set up here; during the Nazi Occupation the Sorbonne became the headquarters for the Resistance. The courtyard and galleries are open to the public. Statues of Victor Hugo and Louis Pasteur are in the Courd’Honneur.

5. Pantheon

One of Paris’s best known monuments. Built originally as a church, the Pantheon now acts as secular mausoleum the houses the remains of the most individuals in French history. The story about Pantheon’s foundation goes like this. In 1744 Louis XV fell seriously ill. He then vowed that if he recovered he’d rebuild the Ste-Genevieve abbey in the patron saint’s honour. Upon his recovering, he entrusted the job to the marquis de Marigny, who passed the responsibility to  architect Jacques-Gerain Soufflot. The original plan called for a church. But construction stopped due to financial difficulties and Soufflot’s death. After the death of an important Revolution-era, the French parliament decided the Ste-Genevieve church should be changed into a “Temple of Fame” to hold the remains of all the great men of France.

Pathon - Latin Quarter ParisIt’s not only great in its size and stature but also features amazingly beautiful and intricate Gothic architecture. Apart from housing the remains of people like Voltaire, Alexander Dumas and 2 time noble winner Marie Curie, its architecture alone draws in millions tourists from all across the globe. Before you pack your bags and head off to visit the place, be sure that your camera has enough juice and memory. Why? Because there’s going to be some serious clicking all day long

6. Jardin des Plantes

In 1626, Louis XIII began to execute a plan for a medicinal Botanical garden that Henri IV and his minister, Sully had conceived. When Louis XIV became king, his doctor traveled around the world collecting specimens an set the groundwork for the curator, Buffon. Buffon was later able to finish Henri IV’s plans. The original name was the Jardin du Roi (The King’s Garden). Some of Frances’s greatest naturalists have worked in the gardens. Today the gardens include greenhouses and a maze, cover 74 acres. From April to October, Jardin des Plantes is an amazing riot of colours and scents.

The zoo inside Jardin des Plantes is the oldest in France. The first inhabitants were just your average zebra, hartebeest and rhino. Elephants were brought here in 1795.

The park also contains the Museum of Natural History, which possesses a major collection of mineral and insects.

7. Mosquee de Paris and Institut Musulman

Constructed between 1922 and 1926. You can see the grand patio with its cedar woodwork, eucalyptus plants and gurgling fountain as you enter those buildings. On the walls of the mosque are some lovely mosaic friezes with quotations from the Koran. The prayer rooms house an incredible collection of hand woven carpets, some from the 17th century. The Institut Musulman teaches Arabic and Islamic culture.

8. Mouffetard Market

Head down to one of Paris most ancient street, Rue Mouffefetard where the famous fresh food market are.Another of Paris’s colourful outdoor food markets, it may become one of your fondest memories of the city. This narrow, winding cobblestone street is lined with ancient shopfronts. With award winning bakeries and some of the best cheese, sausages, olives and oysters, known to mankind, this is a place you might regret not visiting. You can always take a guided tour of the place, however to get an authentic experience, just walk in and act like you belong. By the time you get out, you stomach will thank you for the best food the French has to offer.

Cafe, bars, crepe stores and restaurants

Tired of exploring? There are plenty of cafe, bars and crepe stores in Latin Quarter Paris for you to take a short break. Feeling really hungry? There are restaurants and eateries of different cuisines. Take whatever you fancy: Italian, Vietnamese or Chinese. Wait a minute, what about French? There are lots of restaurants offering set French menus. So if you want to have more of those little slippery suckers, go for it!

Shopping

More shopping? You’ve got it. Latin Quarter Paris is filled with antique shops, late opening bookstores an fashion boutiques. You’ll be spoiled with choices among international luxurious labels as well as shops full of character.

latin quarter paris

A little bit tourist shopping, Latin Quarter Paris. Because, why not?

Latin Quarter Paris has historical sites, food, shops and architecture that screams out “Paris“. Visiting this part of the capital is an absolute must for all, be it hardcore food lovers,shopaholics, architecture geeks or plain old tourists like me.

Sydney Chinese Garden Of Friendship Photo Diary – Part 1

I’ve lived in Pyrmont, a suburb in Sydney within walking distance to Darling Harbour for 10+ years. And walked past Sydney Chinese Garden of Friendship in Darling Harbour countless times. However I only finally went into that garden the very first time this year.

Its beauty and tranquility deeply surprised me and I realised how wrong  I was before.

Sydney Chinese Garden of Friendship is located right in the busy Sydney CBD. From outside, it looks tiny. It costs $6 for the ticket. The ticket is not expensive but I always thought it’s not worth it to go in. After all, I’ve seen the most famous oriental gardens in China and Japan, how good this one could be? I thought it’ll be just a bad copy cat and one won’t have an authentic experience in it.

It was until my mum mentioned that she’d really want to go and have a good look inside when I took both my parents there, very reluctantly. It was one scorching summer day at 35 degrees with no flowing of air. By the time we arrived, all of us were sweating and puffing.

But wait. As soon as we stepped inside the garden, it felt as if we were in a whole different world. I immediately forgot all about traffic and tall buildings surrounding it.  It’s green, beautiful, well planed and oh so pleasant to be in.

Sydney Chinese Garden Of Friendship has a 9 dragon wall, a gorgeous man made lake, a large tea house offering drinks and food, a small hill to climb, ancient treasures and authentic art pieces and many other features. Not to mention the cool breeze of air inside the garden. Temperature seemed to have dropped to a comfortable 25 degrees with lots of shades everywhere. I saw a few people reading and working on the laptops. What a remarkably cool office! No artificial light, air-conditioning to dry your skin and nobody to disturb you. I fell in love.

Whoever built this garden did some a marvellous job – it’s not only authentic but very well maintained.

Guess what? I’m going again this coming Summer. 🙂

More photos will be added in another post.

Last Stop In Israel: Elate – Boarder of Israel and Jordan

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My last stop in Israel is Elate, a resort town located in south Israel on the red sea. From there, I went across the Israel and Jordan boarder to start my journey in Jordan.

It all went very fast, so I didn’t even have the chance to feel excited about seeing Petra in just a couple of days!

Wish I had more time to explore Elate and really enjoy my hotel room which has a big balcony looking right towards the Red Sea. Looking back, I’ve ticked off so many travel bucket list items in such a short period of time and it still feels unreal!

I caught a domestic flight from Jerusalem to Elate and experienced the most stringent security check at the airport. Arriving at the Jerusalem airport quite early alone, with a huge luggage, I quickly became a target in the eyes of airport security staff.

Firstly I was taken to a security officer and asked many many questions. The most asked questions were, “are you carrying any weapon?” “Do you have a gun?” Coming from Australia, where guns are illegal to possess, I don’t even know why to buy a gun if I want. So the answer was always a quick “No.” The second most popular question was, “Who are you travelling with?” I was travelling alone. I guess having a surname nobody could pronounce properly was another problem. I was taken to a second security office. Again they asked me if I carried any weapon. Then they proceeded to open my luggage to scan every single item using an electronic device.

By every single item, I mean literally every. single. item. From my flip flop to my dental floss. While I was waiting, a female passenger was asked to layout all her coins to be checked. She got really upset and offended. I wasn’t upset about being checked so throughly at all. I just worried about missing my flight and delaying the rest of my journey. And I felt a little embarrassed by a male officer going through all my personally stuff in my luggage. But hey, at least you know they take the airport security very seriously and the chance of a plane explosion is minimised.

It only took them two hours to finish scanning all my things in the my suitcase. I was the first to arrive at the airport and last to get onto that plane. But I got on just in time. And landed in Elate safely. How I enjoyed the view over looking the Red Sea from my hotel room:

I even started to take some bokeh shots because why not.

Views in the morning is refreshing. I did go in that big shopping centre and went through the most stringent security check entering a shopping centre lol. I wanted to be able to spend more time in Elate but in a way, it was ok to just do a quick stop over because it was just a little too difficult to go anywhere.

Here’s the boarder of Israel and Jordan! Once again, I answered the question of “Are you carrying any weapon?” departing Israel before heading to the Jordan side a couple of hundreds meters aways.

Entering Jordan! Guess what, it only took a couple of minutes to go through Jordan boarder. The security officer even smiled at me. I was shocked.

Israel Photo Diary – Sea of Galilee And Jordan River Baptism Site

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It was a sunny and warm day touring around the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River Baptism site.

I didn’t mind 30+ degree heat at all. And it’s always good to see the sun shine everyday. Sun makes people happy. It surely makes me happy. What I love the most about travelling in the warm countries is walking around in the sun all day and sleeping like a baby at night. Who needs artificial light all day anyway?

Oh look, isn’t this red roofed church the prettiest on the lake site? I first saw it while touring Capernaum.

Truth is, there are so many pretty things in Israel. Like those radom stones with chalk drawings on them, and the cute decorations in the restaurant. This must be the ONLY restaurant in the neighborhood. There were hundreds of people waiting to be fed during lunch hours! Despite the huge crowd, we didn’t wait for long to be served. I had the famous fried whole fish fresh from the Sea of Galilee, lamb kabab, a variety of salad. Then finished it off with large dates and black coffee. That was delicious and I could barely move after the meal.

After lunch and short break waking on the the beach, we went off to baptism site on the Jordan River. Plenty of people get baptised here everyday. If you are not religious and just here for sight seeing, you can still soak your feet in the cool and clean Jordan river. I did just that and it was super refreshing!

Want to see more photos? Here more photo posts from my trip to Middle East.

Israel Photo Diary: Capernaum

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Capernaum used to be  a fishing village located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

A house turned into a church by the Byzantines is said to be the home of Saint Peter. This is a modern Memorial built over the house of St Peter.

The foundations of octagonal 5th-century church, runs of the house of Saint Perter underneath the memorial. It’s also visible through a glass floor of the memorial:

Ruins of the Roman-period town:
Those squares of black stones were windows of ancient people’s houses. Above those black ruins are ruins of of the 4th-century synagogue. Remember I said I love ancient ruins? Capernum is ruins heaven!

Capernaum synagogue:

Look at that – how beautiful is Capernaum?

Israel Photo Diary: Church of the Multiplication

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During the tour to the Sea of Galilee region, we visited the church of the Multiplication in Tabgha. Here are some photos this Roman catholic church. Of course there are lots of fish related objects because this is where 5000 people were fed:)

Nazareth Photo Diary: The Church of Annunciation and the Church of St. Joseph

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Wish I had read the Bible thoroughly so I’d be more knowledgeable about all the churches and Bible stories. But thanks to the tour, I picked up a lot along the way.

We travelled to Nazareth in northern Israel where the Church of Annunciation and the Church of St. Joseph are located.

“The Church of Annunciation was established over the site where the Catholic tradition holds to be the house of Virgin Mary and where angel Gabriel appeared to her and announced that she would conceive and bear the Son of God, Jesus – an event know as the Annunciation.” – wikipedia

 Photos of the Church of Annunciation:

Different versions of Virgin Mary and the Son of God from different countries are displayed along the way to the church as well as inside the church. It was so fascinating to see how countries styled the mother and son in their own tradition.
This door to the Church of Annunciation dissipated Jesus’ whole life:

Inside the church: This the Australia version – without the sign next to it, I couldn’t figure out this is typical Australian. Maybe I’m still not Australian enough after 21 years?

Photos of the church of St. Joseph:

St. Joseph looked a bit sad here, do you reckon? The statues shinning knees reminded me the foot of John Harvard statue at Harvard University. I know why EVERYONE touched Johns’s feet so much at Harvard University but I’m not sure why people touched St. Joseph’s knees so much. Can someone tell me why?