Author: Steve

A water town and a garden city

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If you happen to be in the vicinity of Shanghai, a “water town” and/or a “garden city” should be added to your itinerary. We heeded the advice and included both in ours.

P1090546 (2)Xitang is a “water town”, about 85km west of Shanghai, or for us, a 2hr bus ride. If you are a Tom Cruise fan, you will recognise the name because Mission Impossible III was shot here. It’s a quaint town, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the big Chinese cities of Shanghai and Beijing. There are narrow cobbled streets, arched bridges and old rustic buildings, complemented by Continue reading →

A Night at the Beijing Opera

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I’ve only been to the Opera twice in my life. The first time was 40 years ago, as a teenager, when our family neighbour invited me to see Rigoletto at the Sydney Opera House. Our neighbour Tom, was very aware of my interest in music and generously took me to Sydney to introduce me to the Operatic form. My second Opera experience occurred in Beijing last week, when our hosts, Wei and Karin, invited Anne and I to join them, and their friend Alfy, to enjoy Bellini’s “Norma”, on the occasion of their 27th wedding anniversary.

Heading out to the Opera
Heading out to the Opera

I’m glad we accepted the invitation. Attending the Opera in Beijing brings with it three distinct Continue reading →

We deserve an Olympic medal

Steve5 Comments

beijing-cube-fireworksWho remembers those amazing pictures, beamed all around the world in August 2008, when the Beijing Summer Olympics were opened from the spectacular Bird’s Nest Stadium?…………….

Interestingly,  the actual opening ceremony commenced at 8pm, on the 8th day of the 8th month, in 2008.P1090211 In Chinese culture, the number 8 is quite auspicious, being associated with prosperity and confidence. 91,000 specftators filled the stadium on that night, a relatively small number of people, considering 21.5 million people currently live in Beijing.

P1090234Whilst I wasn’t amongst the 91,000 present at the Birds Nest on that night, Anne and I paid the Olympic Stadium and Aquatic Centre (the Water Cube)  a visit during our Beijing sojourn. So why would we deserve an Olympic medal for following the mainstream tourist pathway?    Simple answer…….we rode bikes to get there along some Continue reading →

Go Biker, Hi Taiwan

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The inclusion of Taiwan on our itinerary held two attractors. One was visiting our local friends (Jack & Kitty) and the other was cycling in Taiwan around Sun Moon Lake. Cycling in a foreign place allows you to see things that would otherwise be considered “off the beaten track”, and the bit of exercise that comes with it is an added bonus too.

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The brochures describe Sun Moon Lake as “an alpine lake with serene beauty and tranquility”. In some places around the lake I Continue reading →

A little bit of history & culture from Taiwan

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I hate to admit it, but I am not generally one to get excited about history, museums or culture. At a stretch, I suppose you could call me a philistine.

But, my time in Taiwan has improved my interest in, and my attitude toward, both history and culture. That’s a good thing, considering our next destinations and ongoing adventures. The Island of Taiwan was colonised by the Dutch in 1624, and since that time it has been ruled by the Spanish, Tungning, Qing, Formosan, Japanese and Chinese. If you’d like a little more Taiwan history, just click here.

P1080748Rather than retell their story, I’ve decided to share a couple of my Taiwanese cultural highlights, starting with the Taiwan National Palace Museum. The museum attracts historians and tourists from all over the world, especially those from mainland China, and houses a permanent collection of some 700,000 pieces of Continue reading →

Singapore – it’s Disneyland for Adults

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We’ve just spent four wonderful nights in Singapore, staying with friends in the “expensive part” of town on Nassim Road. They told me that the rent for apartments on this street can be as much as $30,000 per month!

Singapore at Night
Singapore at Night

Whilst chatting over drinks, our host Deanne, described Singapore as “Disneyland for Adults”, and after our day out yesterday, I can understand why. The city has something for everyone. There are hawker stalls, expensive restaurants and bars, high street shopping, local markets, theme parks, museums and public gardens, efficient transport infrastructure defined by lush tropical tree-lined streets, all complemented by the ethnic diversity of Chinatown, Little India and Arab Street.

We didn’t see all the sites, but here is a  Continue reading →

Floating down the river at Coolendel

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The 29th of March 1986 (Easter Saturday) was memorable for two reasons in our family.

  1. Steve and Anne got married
  2. Steve’s Mum and Dad purchased Coolendel

P1080402I could choose to write a story about our wedding, but I’m going to share my Coolendel tales instead.

Coolendel is a unique, and naturally picturesque 52 hectare bush camping ground, bordered by the Shoalhaven River and the Morton State Conservation Area. It’s 30km west of Nowra on the New South Wales South Coast, and only a 3 hour drive south from Sydney.

Over the 29 years that Mum and Dad have Continue reading →

No Easter Bunny on Phillip Island

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P1080303I can’t believe that I didn’t see one rabbit on our Phillip Island Easter break, and that’s a good thing. But what I did see on this Island sojourn was spectacular. Grey geese, penguins, koalas, kangaroos, draught horses, vintage caravans, a grand prix motor cycle circuit, cavorting seals, Aussie surfers, foreign tourists, tangerine sunsets and a lunar eclipse. What an eclectic mix!

No visit to Phillip Island is complete without Continue reading →

Pedals and Paddles

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I never thought my most enjoyable city experience would involve some form of exercise, but as I continue to explore new places, the more I find myself seeking out alternative transport options.

Melbourne has impressed me as a city of diversity, from the new and old architecture, the multi-cultural flavours, the trams, the sport, and of course, the weather. For now, the weather has been fabulous, but I am assured that this is just luck, and am encouraged to make the most of it whilst it lasts. So make the most of it we have.

P1080259Anne and I have incorporated cycling into our daily life over the past few years, and added it as a “must do” activity to most of our holidays in recent years, so it was a no brainer to consider cycling along the Yarra River during our current visit to Melbourne. The tourist information centre was great, providing us three options for bike rental. The Melbourne “Blue Bike” system, “Rentabike” on Federation Square, or “Freddy’s” down on Batman Park. We chose Continue reading →

Shhhhhh….it’s our little secret…..our Little Malaysia

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Whether we live in a small country town or a large city, we all have our favourite little restaurant. 

Little MalaysiaYou know the type I’m talking about. Those restaurants that you always return too….the ones where you are on first name basis with the owner or the chef……the ones where they know what you like to eat before you place your order……..the ones where you don’t need to look at the menu……..the ones where no matter what you order, or how many of you there are,  the bill is never more than $20 per head…….and most importantly……the ones that allow you to bring your own alcohol “BYO”.

Henry is the Chef, and Fania is the front of house manager at Little Malaysia in West End, Brisbane – it’s their Restaurant, it’s their passion, and it’s their life. For us……it’s our favourite little restaurant, where we have spent many of our Friday nights in great company and with great food.

West End is Continue reading →