Yesterday was the 60th anniversary of the founding of Isráel - a fact that I learned when I wandered into the centre of Munich last night. A few people had gathered around a small stage in Karlsplatz and were dancing. some were waving paper Israeli flags. I watched them for a few minutes and then wandered along Neuhauser Strasse to Marienplatz.
A angry crowd had gathered in front of the town hall (Rathaus). Thez were chanting “Nazis aus, nazis aus, nazis aus” and shaking their fists at small group of people standing behind barriers in front of the town hall. Here I was in Munich - of all places - watching a men and women in black shirts screaming at their protagonists. The leaders of the blackshirts hurled speeches against the crowd and the word that seemed to appear most often in these angry speeches of the leaders was “juden”.
Armed police stood between the blackshirts and the crowd. Nazis? Perhaps, and the appearance of the word “tolerantz” on the t-shirt on one of the speakers did not seem to fool anyone.
The blackshirts were taking photographs and videos of people who reacted negatively to their precence. At a distance of 50m, their animosity was tangible..
April 2008: Dubai is a wonderful place for crane spotters. One sixth of the world’s cranes are here, scatterd across a city that is rising out of the desert. Here, skyscrapers, cranes and electricity pylons crowd up into a sky heavy with sand carried in the wind from Iran. A world in which the sand of the desert is tamed by concrete and reinforced steel.
The shopping malls teem with Arab women hidden behind black veils; Russian women with thrusting cleavages; young Arab blades with baseball caps and flowing white robes; English men with shaven heads, tattoos and football shirts and Phillipina maids staring at the Gucci handbags that they can not afford.
Phnom Penh - do not miss this gem of a city! The Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda are great, but there are many other experiences that draw people to this great little city. The food is exceptional - with expat French hoteliers and chefs creating great dishes with local ingredients. The beggars hanging around the riverfront restaurants looked poor, but some of them earn more by begging than they earn in the paddy fields.
Siem Reap - after the Dead Fish (died in 1999) restaurant, nothing could be the same…the singing was much appreciated by the group of deaf Chinese tumblers. The food on the other hand was good.
Angkor Wat is rightly one of the great wonders of the world. The sheer scale of the structure is almost overwhelming.
Ta Prohm - also known as the Tomb Raider temple gives some idea of what the buildings must have looked like to those who rediscovered them in the jungles of the past. The roots of huge trees looked like snakes wrapping themselves around the ancient stones, literally tearing the ancient buildings apart. In a tropical rain storm, the water dripping from the trees and stones created a surreal atmosphere. Well worth a visit, but get there early…
Luang Prabang - a sleepy town filled with temples on the banks of the Mekon river. Although there is a strong backpacker influence, there are also many eating places that serve excellent Laos dishes. The early morning market is a good place to see some of the local wildlife - albeit in a somewhat deceased state - but be prepared for a 05:00 am start. The tastiest morsels - small mammals, larvae and tortoises - get sold soonest! The hotel was excellent - a few minutes away from the centre of of town but otherwise very well run.
Ventianne - a capital city that hums with some of the energy missing from Luang Prabang. The That Luang stupa is magnificent - built in the 16th century, destoyed by the Thai invasion of the 19th century and later restored to the original design. The Seetha Palace Hotel looks great, but suffers from indifferent staff. Enough said.
Would welcome views on the quality of service provided by Vietnam Airlines. We have had problems (cancellations) on nearly every flight taken this year and last year - the most recent problem being a 7 hour delay that cut our time in Saigin by nearly half. They still owe us a refund for a flight that they bumped us off last year.
Their aircraft seem to be operationally very unreliable and they overbook flights as a matter of course. By contrast, the airlines of their neighbours seem to run on time and without problems. Perhaps a dose of privatisation would help?
They still have not given us a refund for a flight that they cancelled last year. Is is more than a coincidence that this website is blocked in their Club Lounge? Delivering good service would stop people like us complaining……
Saigon…hot, steamy and exotic. Back for a third visit to find the city growing in confidence and becoming an increasingly modern city. The open sleaziness of Saigon of the 1990s has gone - and instead, modern commerce is on the rise. You can buy most things here - fake watches, fake bags and pirated DVDs jostle with hand-made dresses made of the finest silk. The great markets provide a window on to the industrial changes that are taking place in Vietnam - a mix of imports from China and home made products of every kind. We like Saigon.
Sapa…normally cool and fresh, Sapa was hot and humid as a period of heavy rain had just come to an end. Secluded in the northern Highlands of Vietnam, Sapa is an incredibly picturesque village that lies on the Hoang Lien Son mountain range near the Chinese border known as “the Tonkinese Alps”. Home to many ethinic monorities -including the Hmong and the Dao. We wandered through their terraced paddy fields and were invited into their homes. Their smiles and traditional costumes were truely photogenic - as were their country markets. Away from the tourist traps in Sapa and by the main road, there is a community living in harmony with their environment. We all loved Sapa and the people who live there.
Went flying today - just a short hop from White Waltham to The Isle of Wight. Weather not too bad. Lunch at the Crab and Lobster very good.
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