Posts from ‘June, 2007’

Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum

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Ho Chi Minh was a revolutionary who later became president of the Republic of Vietnam, he died in 1969 and his body is till on display to the public in a huge granite mausoleum Hanoi the capital of Vietnam which was modeled of Lenin’s Tomb in Moscow. He wouldn’t be too happy lying there like a wax model as he really wanted to be cremated and spread over the hilltops of Vietnam. Thousands of people pass through the mausoleum to honor the man or just to take a look. If planning a visit there are strict rules on clothing and what you can take with you. No cameras and no talking- you must keep walking and don’t stop, this is all part of respect. The mausoleum is open every morning but in November he is taken away for a bit of a makeover.

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QE2 finds a new home

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The Queen Elizabeth 2 is set to find a new home after she retires from duty in 2008. It has been announced by the Dubai government that after her last voyage to Dubai the ship will be purchased and transformed into a floating hotel to be berthed at Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah, the world’s largest man-made island. One of the QE2’s predecessor’s the Queen Mary found a similar fate, and is now berthed in Long Beach California, when the QE2 replaced it in 1969. The QE2 is to be replaced by a new ship called the Queen Victoria. The QE2 was the flagship of the Cunard line until it was joined by the new flagship the Queen Mary 2 in 2004.

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a bit too public, public toilet

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This public urinal was spotted in the canal city of Amsterdam. Amsterdam does things a little different to the rest of the world, they allow hash in cafes, they like tulips and they wear clogs. Well they also like to take a wizz in the open air with only a small surrounds to avoid the embarrassment. Not sure how dwarfs would go here, but its a lot of fun watching the world go by while you are doing what comes naturally. Read the rest of this entry »

Melaka’s Christ Church

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Melaka in on the central west coast of Malaysia is home to the oldest Protestant Church in South East Asia. The church dates back to 1753 when the colony was controlled by Dutch Rule. The Church is quite unique in this part of the world for it’s Dutch building skills, the inside beams have no joins and all the pews are hand made. There is also some beautiful artwork made of tiles depicting the Last Super. The church is situated in what is called Dutch Square which is also home to a really beautiful fountain and clock tower. Read the rest of this entry »

Hong Kong goldfish market

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For a market of a difference when in Hong Kong visit the Goldfish Market which is in Tung Choi street in Mong Kok. This strip of shops sell some of the most beautiful goldfish you have ever seen and a wide range of other water life. There are hundreds of different species of tropical fish, marine fish and critters and also a wide collection of tortoises including some beautiful and exotic bright green Brazilian tortoises and not forgetting the amazing Koi Carp. The markets also carry a huge selection of aquarium supplies and are open daily between 10am and 9pm. The easiest way to get there is a short walk from the Price Edward Road West railway station on Kowloon. Read the rest of this entry »

Mount Saint Michel

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Mount Saint Michel is one of the most spectacular buildings you will ever see. Built on a rocky tidal mountain in Normandy France this UNESCO World Heritage Site is an amazing architectural feat dating back centuries. The inhabitants of the mount were called the Montois, and the buildings were primarily used as a monastery and later a prison throughout its rich history. One interesting piece of trivia, the Mount is said to be the inspiration for the design of Minas Tirith in recent film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Read the rest of this entry »

The Tower of Terror

One of Disney’s most exciting rides from the Orlando’s Disneyworld the tower of terror has now opened in both Tokyo Disney Sea and the California Adventure park in Anaheim. This ride takes visitors on a 13 story fall in an lift to an amazing and thrilling climax through the wonders of the Twilight Zone. Strap your seats in and enjoy this video of the ride.

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Hells Bells – Perth Australia

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If you are visiting Perth in Western Australia it wont belong before you hear one of the world’s largest musical instruments- the Swan Bells. This enormous structure shaped a bit like a cross between a swan (Western Australia’s emblem) and a rocket ship houses some of the worlds most historic bells including 12 bells from St Martin in the Field’s Trafalgar square bell tower dating back to the 14th century and a bell from the parish church of Buckingham Palace. The bells were given to the city of Perth to celebrate the Australia’s bicentenary in 1988. The bell tower is open to the public and houses some great displays and your chance to ring your very own bell. Read the rest of this entry »

Tourist ride plunges 50 metres

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It was nearly tragedy last night in Hong Kong, a tourist cable car which has been dogged with problems since opening had a carriage come loose and crash to the 50 metres to the ground. Fortunately the ride had closed an hour earlier and nobody was hurt but it nearly fell onto a busy road. The attraction is part of one of Hong Kong’s most popular attractions is the giant bronze Buddah ” Tian Tan Buddah” which sits on the Lantau island and attracts over a million visitors a year. The 5.7 km cable car opened just over year ago and cost $HK1 billion to build taking over two years to complete. They have had a series of breakdowns since opening one that left 500 visitors stuck in the air for 2 hours. The project also has had some problems with management. The cable car will remain closed until a full investigation is carried out and the Government officials are sure it is safe.

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Nemo’s new tank at Disneyland opens today

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Everyone’s favorite little clownfish has a new home Disneyland Anaheim visitors can take a submarine journey through an Australian reef to search for Nemo, the famous clownfish, on a new underwater ride, Well not entirely new the 20,000 Leagues Under the sea attraction which was originally built in 1959 has had a $205 million dollar and 3 year makeover to make way for Nemo. The huge pool has been converted into an artificial Great Barrier Reef, just like the one in Queensland Australia only plastic and resin, there’s even a lost civilization under the water. The ride takes 12 minutes and uses the eight 40 seat submarines from the earlier ride, this time they are yellow refitted and the motors have been changed from diesel to electric. The ride uses some amazing cutting edge technologies including projected Nemo animations. There are plans a foot for a quiet a few more new things at the Disney parks over the next few years, attendances are not a huge as they were a few years ago as competition in the theme park market is getting hot up with Universal Studios and others cutting into the audience numbers.

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