Singapore Botanic Gardens & Our Golden Jubilee

Singapore is having our Golden Jubilee this year. Yes, we're having our 50th birthday bash, and a month before the day, the nation received our birthday present - our very own UNESCO listed World Heritage Site!

While there are over 1000+ World Heritage Sites in the world, there are only 3 Botanic Gardens in them. So, we're indeed honored to be one of the three, and not only that, we are the first and only tropical Botanic Garden in it (the other 2 is in England & Italy). Since establishment in 1859, the development of our Gardens from a British tropical colonial botanical garden to today's multi-faceted site for conservation, cultivation, education and recreation certainly proved its worth for inscription into the World Heritage Site list.

Beautiful Light in our 1st UNESCO World Heritage Site

Visitors to Singapore would be delighted to know that admission to our Botanic Gardens is free (with the exception of the National Orchid Garden), and is open whole year-round, right till midnight! Within the Botanic Gardens grounds, there are various other gardens like the National Orchid Garden which is the only one that charges an admission fee. There are also a few historic buildings, many meandering paths to enjoy the flora and picnic spaces for family gatherings and outings. Particularly, the space n front of the Symphony Lake is especially popular as there is a stage set up there for performances during weekends.

Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage

Watching a concert in the Botanic Gardens during our Golden Jubilee

Of course,  for botany enthusiasts, there is a Botany Centre where a library on Botany & Horticulture, a Herbarium and an Orchid breeding centre is. There are also heritage trees within the park, in particular the Tembusu tree that is pictured in our Singapore 5-dollar note. It is also estimated that 70 per cent of all rubber latex in the world originates from the 11 rubber trees originally planted in this garden in 1877. The Singapore Botanic Gardens was truly a test bed for economic plant cultivation in early Singapore.

One of many types of orchids in our Botanic Gardens

Beautiful atmosphere in the Gardens

Check out their website for more information, especially the guided tours to the gardens. They are very informative, and are conducted by very passionate guides. And tomorrow is our National Day! Here's wishing Singapore a

Happy 50th Birthday!!!

Val d'Orcia & Pienza

The landscape in Tuscany is well-known, and many breathtaking images had been made there. Aside from the famous Chianti region, famed for its wine, there are other areas with equally enchanting landscapes. In particular, I am somewhat enamored with Val d'Orcia.

Val d'Orcia is added into UNESCO's World Hertiage Site list only in 2004. According to wikipedia, one of the criterions is :
"The Val d’Orcia is an exceptional reflection of the way the landscape was re-written in Renaissance times to reflect the ideals of good governance and to create aesthetically pleasing pictures."


I am absolutely won over by the "aethestically pleasing pictures" part. Indeed, with the rolling hills, the varied shaded fields, and well placed trees, the light play during the early morning and late evening hours is truly mesmerizing. The light and shadows on display create endless possibilities for a stunning image. A landscape photographers' dream scene.

Tuscany is a region that is best experienced with a vehicle. Public transport is limited to buses with limited schedules and only certain towns are linked by trains. However, it is still possible to appreciate Val d'Orcia on public transport and come away with its beautiful landscape pictures. One of the possible village/town to stay is Pienza, which has bus connections with Siena. The town itself was declared a UNESCO site even earlier, and perched on a hill overlooking the valley, it is an excellent site for photographing the landscape right within the town itself!

Pienza, a beautiful old town with beautiful views

Pienza is also situated between Montalcino and Montelpuchiano, both famous wine town/regions. Hence Pienza benefits from their success as well. Good selection of the Brunello Montalcino and the Nobile Montelpuchiano (both very highly regarded wines) are available everywhere, and it is a good life staying here with different wines for each of your meals. Pienza itself is also famous for its pecorino, a kind of Italian sheep cheese. Thus a stay in Pienza entails enjoying Italian food with great wine, sampling pecorino with great wine, and photographing stunning landscapes with great wine. What is there not to like about Pienza? :)

Check out Pienza and Val d'Orcia when you next visit Tuscany!

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

There are many tourist attractions in Croatia, with Dubrovnik and the Adriatic coast as it's undisputed highlights. For a national park junkie though, the highlight would undoubtedly be Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Plitvice Lakes National Park is Croatia's biggest national park, and is also recognized as a UNESCO Heritage site. The park is well organized and set up, with a range of walking trails and interesting boardwalks, all intertwined within a rich verdant stage of trees, lakes and waterfalls. In particular, the boardwalks and all built such that one would be literally immersed within the park's impressive collection of lakes and waterfalls. The walking trails are all marked, and maps placed at various points within the park. One could easily spend a whole day on the trails, which is what I did - a whole 9 hours inside the park. There is also a short ferry ride on one of its lakes, all included in your ticket to the park.

I went to Plitvice Lakes in early spring, and as such, there were less greenery from the vegetation. The colour of the lakes though, were mesmerizing turquoise green. One could imagine then, that during summer, the place would be stunning, if it is not already. I'm sure the winter and autumn sceneries are pretty impressive as well.

The park has 2 entrances, and within the park itself, there are a couple of hotels, all from Entrance 2. For those who are driving, there are some villages near the park where there are plenty of homestays and guesthouses available. For those who are taking buses, and did not want to pay for the hotel prices, the best bet is the small village of Rastovaca, just 800m from Entrance 1. Almost every household in the village provide rooms for rent.

The bus from Zagreb takes just 2.5 hours, while the bus to/from Split takes about 6 hours. Plitvice Lakes National Park can be easily fitted into your itinerary as it's on the way from Zagreb to the Adriatic coast and vice versa. For those who love greenery, lakes, and waterfalls, the national park is a must-visit!!

Bergen, Norway

Bergen - Gateway to the Norwegian Fjords. Norway's second largest city, it is well marketed indeed and why not? Situated on the western coast of Norway, and easily reached from Oslo, it is the launchpad for many cruise ships to the fjords of Norway.

The journey between Oslo and Bergen itself is already a famous and well marketed tourist route. Known as Norway in a Nutshell®, it is a scenic rail cum cruise itinerary that can be flexibly customised. It can be done even in a day, but really, you would want to spend more time on the route. Similarly for Bergen, it is well worth some days to explore.

Bergen's city centre contains many old timber buildings and houses, some which are converted to shops and/or guesthouses. And of course, the highlight is the old wharf, Bryggen, a UNESCO's World Heritage Site. A delightful place with many artisanal shops and cafes, it is a wonderful way to spend a relaxing day browsing and having a cuppa by the water.

Nice timber houses in the city

Beautiful day by the wharf

For me though, the highlight is Mt Fløyen, one of the "seven mountains" that surround the city. Easily accessible via a Fløibanen funicular, the summit provides a spectacular view of the city and the port. Even better, there is a trail going up which seems popular with the locals for their exercises. My recommendation is to walk the trail up in the late afternoon, and when you reach the summit, wait for sunset. After sunset, the magic hour and the night lights over the city is one of the prettiest I've seen! Then take the funicular down, where the station is just beside the viewpoint.

A wonderful way to conclude the day! Check it out if you can!

Sights along the trail up

Sunset views

City and its mountain

Nightscene of Bergen atop Mt Floyen (you can click to see it bigger)

Svaneti, Georgia

The Caucasus mountain region of Svaneti in Georgia was raved about, both in guidebooks as well as by travelers. It is not difficult to see why. Boasting high mountain peaks, unspoilt trekking opportunities, and villages steeped in ancient traditions, it is an out-of-the-beaten-path destination that time had passed it by.

The town of Mestia is the tourism hub of Svaneti, with transport links to the rest of Georgia. But there are smaller villages in the region that could provide an even more authentic stay. I was referred to a homestay in the village of Becho, where indeed I had the experience of traditional living with a Svan family. Unfortunately, it was so "non-touristy" that no English was spoken, and I could not find out more information about their life. But I was treated to a small little "performance" by the little boy in the family, which I believe is a form of their traditional polyphonic singing in the Svaneti region - an art inscribed into UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists!

 

Friendly villagers

Baking Khachapuri the traditional way!

However, what is famous in the Svaneti region is their architectural monuments inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site - the defensive watch towers of the Svans. The Svans, a sub-group of Georgians with their own language, are a fiercely independent people, and during the old days, warring between villages and tribes are common. Thus these towers are built and usually connected to a family's house, and integrated for their protection. Now, these towers are found scattered around Mestia, and can be easily visited.

And of course, there is the trekking. Fabulous mountain country to trek in, although in summer, the weather is surprisingly humid hot. Even if you can't do the popular 4-day trek between Mestia and Ushguli, reputed to be the prettiest village in Svaneti, simple day treks around Mestia would easily let you appreciate the natural scenery around. 

Transport in Georgia is basically run by marshrutkas or mini-vans. Direct from Tbilisi, it takes 12-13 hours (usually more) and there is only 1 per day early in the morning. What I did was to stop at Kutaisi, where the town itself has several interesting sights. There are then slightly more marshrutkas from Kutaisi to Mestia. 

Check out Svaneti when in Georgia! 

Manjanggul Cave, South Korea

Jeju Island is one of South Korea's main tourist hotspots, and the volcanic island is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Classified under the Natural section, its Lava Tubes are highly regarded and valued around the world.

Walking in the lava tube in Manjanggul

The Geomunoreum Lava Tube System is a series of lava tube caves formed when the Geomunoreum volcano erupted 100 to 300 thousand years ago. The biggest of these lava tube caves is Manjanggul Cave, and the tunnels through the cave runs for 7416 metres! However, only one section of about 1km is open to the public.

Formed by volcanic lava flows, the tunnels and caves are literally "carved" out by lava flows. You can actually see the flow lines on the tunnel walls! So it was quite surreal to think that molten rock created this huge passageway that you are now walking on. There are also many formations within the cave as a result of hardened lava, and many of these provide excellent geological value for scientific studies. There are even lava stalactites formed! Many parts have signs with explanations of the various features, so it's very educational. There are also many species of cave creatures that inhabit the cave, which again provide rich academic value. Luckily, the tourist section of the cave were spared visitations by these creatures :)

Manjanggul Cave is accessible by public bus from Jeju city as well as Seogwipo. However, from the bus-stop on the main road, it's another 30+minutes of walking to the entrance of the cave. Luckily, it's a nice scenic walk. Of course, with a hired car, things get more convenient (and most would agree that Jeju is best visited with a car). Visitors should bring some warm clothings as the temperature inside the cave range between 11-18 deg Celsius. A torchlight may be useful too although the cave and tunnels have some lights, they are unfortunately gawdily coloured (I feel).

Highly recommended visit!

The 30+ minute walk to the entrance is a scenic walk :)

Kutná Hora

For visitors to Europe, churches, cathedrals and chapels are common sights and many are attractions in their own right. But perhaps one of the most interesting and unique chapels I've visited lies in the Czech Republic.

In the town of Kutná Hora, there is a small chapel known as the Sedlec Ossuary. Centuries ago, an abbot from a monastery returned from Golgotha (a holy site in Jerusalem) with a small amount of earth which he sprinkled over the grounds of the abbey cemetery. News soon spread and the cemetery became a very popular burial site. On top of that, the Black Death plague at that time resulted in even more burials in the cemetery. Further down in history, a church was built on the cemetery grounds and a chapel beneath it. During the construction, all the bones from the graves had to be exhumed, and the chapel was then to be used as an ossuary. So what was so special and unique about all this?

Well, in 1870, a woodcarver named František Rint turned all the bones in the ossuary into an unbelievable piece of art. The whole interior of the chapel is now decorated by bones - in fact, some of the furnishings are constructed by these bones (and skulls). Notably, there is an enormous chandelier made entirely of bones, and it's supposed to contain at least one of every bone in the human body! All in all, an estimated 40,000 people's bones are now used inside the chapel.

Kutná Hora itself is also worth a visit as its town centre is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Most famous is the Church of St Barbara, with its impressive spires and beautiful interiors. It is easily reached via train or bus from Prague, and so, can be done just with a day trip.

Do check it out when you visit the Czech Republic. Highly recommended!

Sümela Monastery, Turkey

For those who had ventured to the eastern part of Turkey, or specifically, for those who found themselves in Trabzon on the Black Sea coast of northeastern Turkey, Sümela Monastery is simply one of the must-visit attractions there!

Also known as The Monastery of Virgin Mary, it was a Greek Orthodox monastery built into the face of a steep cliff. Founded by 2 hermit priests who discovered a miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary in a cave in the mountain, the monastery had gone through various restorations in its long history. However, in recent times, it looks like the monastery could do with some preservation, especially the amazing frescoes found in the monastery!!

Indeed, the frescoes on the walls and ceilings of the various buildings in the monastery are one of the best I've seen! Unfortunately, poor protection of the site had resulted in most of the frescoes being damaged by wandering shepherds and ignorant tourists. However, there are reports that in 2012, the Turkish government would be funding some restoration works, and it would bode well for the local tourism.  Sümela Monastery is currently in the tentative list of UNESCO sites for Turkey.

There are many agencies and hotels in Trabzon arranging day tours to the monastery, which is basically just shared van transport to the monastery. You can, of course, pay for private tours and guides. You'll be deposited near the entrance of the monastery, and after approximately 1.5 hrs, you can take a short walk down a path back to the carpark where the van would bring you back to Trabzon.

Hopefully, the restoration works would enable the site to revert back to its full glory!! Check it out once you have the chance!

Nemrut Daği

There are some places that just exudes a sense of mystery, or a fascinating past, and one of the main attractions of eastern Turkey - Mt Nemrut or Nemrut Daği, is such a place. Discovered in 1881, and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site only in 1987, it is certainly one of the highlights of Turkey, and some would say, the star attraction even.

A tomb site of a king atop a mountaintop may not seem out of the ordinary, but the statues surrounding the site are the talking point. King Antiochus I, King of Commagene, believed himself equal to the gods, and thus have his own statue made seated together with the likes of Zeus, Apollo and Hercules etc. Somehow, somewhere in time, these statues got beheaded, and now what's left is a scene of headless statues seated in a row, with their heads staring out from somewhere below their feet. And these statues are huge - the heads alone are man-sized! The statues are also placed on both the eastern and western face of the mountaintop, and so, many tourists come up not just to see this eerie sight, but for sunrise and/or sunset viewing as well. And yes, the views are stunning indeed!


There are supposedly 2 routes to the site - Malatya from the north, and Kahta from the south (and not to be confused with another Nemrut Daği near Lake Van at the very eastern end of Turkey). Travel arrangements can be made at both cities. Package tours (typically from 3D2N to 4D3N) are also available from as far as Cappadocia, with a evening/sunset stop atop Mt Nemrut. There are also supposedly some accommodation options in the nearby village but is practical only for those with their own car. Arrangement can be made to stay overnight at the cafe/restaurant at the entrance of the site too (which I did), and then you can catch both the sunset and the sunrise. Bring a good sleeping bag, and you can watch the stars on the restaurant verandah too! Note that you need a half hour hike up a barren rocky path to reach the statues!

There are many many places in the world for watching a glorious sunset/sunrise. But not together with a bunch of beheaded statues... and their heads!

Batad Rice Terraces, Philippines

As part of the Banaue Rice Terraces of the Philippines Cordilleras, the Batad rice terraces are thus also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World" by the Philippines, they are one of the most well-known attractions of northern Philippines.



Situated in the Ifugao province, the Batad rice terraces rises up to the mountains like an amphitheatre draped in green. It is certainly one of the more spectacular of the rice terraces in the region. These rice terraces are created and passed down almost 2000 years ago by the Ifugao tribemen, who are believed to be descendents of Miao people from southwest China. While most tourists take a day trip from Banaue town to see the terraces, I highly recommend staying a night or two in Batad itself to fully enjoy this wonder.
Besides being able to take walks through the village and the rice terrace at a more leisurely pace, staying in Batad also allows you to see the rice terraces during morning and evening hours. During those times, mists descending into the valley gives the place a otherworldly look, and it is no wonder that the Ifugaos call the rice terraces "Stairway to Heaven".



Getting to Batad does require some logistics though. Typically, you take a public jeepney from Banaue town to Batad Saddle, a mountain ridge, before taking a trek down to Batad village itself. However, these jeepneys operate only in the afternoon and if you take the overnight bus from Manila to Banaue, you find yourself in Banaue early morning. You could wait till afternoon, or you could take the tricycles or motorbikes to the Batad Junction, whereby you would have to trek uphill to the Batad Saddle yourself. The trek takes easily 60-90 minutes and its an uphill climb, so be mentally prepared. The trek from Saddle downhill to Batad is relatively easy.

If you enjoy a quiet sojourn amidst a beautiful setting, go visit Batad and stay overnight!