TravelCommentator

Category: Places

* Review / Places

Le Mura di Lucca

The Symbol of Lucca The massive fortified walls and ramparts that surround the old town of Lucca are what sets it apart from all other Italian towns. It’s the symbol of this charming place. I never cease to enjoy a stroll here, even after many years of visiting Lucca. Definitely one of my favourite spots anywhere to relax. It’s great all year round for walks and jogging, but probably the best way to enjoy “le mura” is by bike at a leisurely pace. Bikes can be hired from several places. Poli and Bizzarri are two of them. Both in Piazza Santa Maria, inside the walls near Porta Santa Maria. Another place is the Tourist Center Lucca, in Piazza Bettino Ricasoli, near Lucca railway station....

* Review / Places

Amsterdam’s Red Light District

Ladies of the Day and Night The Red Light District of Amsterdam. Would I recommend this place? All depends on what sort of person you are and what interests you and whether you get offended or not. If you like erotica and perhaps seediness, yes, it’s the place to get your kicks. If it is the novelty effect, and I guess many people go here for that, it’s just something you’ll need to experience. Like many other places during travels you may even learn something. Me? I look at things from cultural and an historical perspective. As an ex-photojournalist I’m desensitized (if that’s the right word…) when it comes to seeing women like this, I have photographed many in all sorts of states of...

* Review / Cities & Towns / Destinations / Places

Zaanse Schans, Netherlands

An afternoon trip to Zaanse Schans to see the windmills. Not the best day for us as it was grey and windy, not unusual for the Netherlands at the time of year, autumn. It would’ve been nice if we had blue skies with the wind to run the windmills. Best time to visit is in spring (April) when the tulips are normally in bloom. This will add colour to any view. Getting to Zaanse Schans is easy from Amsterdam. We caught the train from Amsterdam Sloterdijk where we were staying but you could easily do it from Amsterdam Centraal. It takes approximately 15 minutes from Sloterdijk to the Zaandijk Zaanse Schans railway station. Then a short walk of approximately 20 minutes to the historical...

* Review / Places

Hong Kong Heritage Museum

Chinese Culture & Art. Worth a Visit! Anyone who loves culture, art, design, etc., should give this place a visit, whether the exhibitions are permanent or temporary, free or paid. I visited during March 2017 and was fortunate enough to catch the Bruce Lee special exhibition: Bruce Lee: Kung Fu-Art-Life. Been a fan of his work as a martial artist, actor and person. A real insight into his life seeing the exhibits and the documentary “The Brilliant Life of Bruce Lee” screened in the theatre. Also the other exhibitions of Chinese, Cantonese and Hong Kong culture, history, art, design and fashion. Here below are several images from the exhibition on paintings adapted from Jin Yong’s Novels. Time wise, give yourself at least 3 to...

* Review / Places

Hong Kong Island Skyline

Asia’s World City Lights Up The skyline can be viewed from many angles at different times of day. Perfect on a beautiful sunny day, better still at sunrise or sunset, but the best time to view the Hong Kong Island skyline is in the evening when the Symphony of Lights show comes on. The show starts every evening at 8pm. Vantage points can get very crowded so best to get in early. The laser light show and led lights, accompanied by music, can be seen and heard from the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and viewed from the Avenue of Stars and the great vantage point of the indoor observation deck of the International Commerce Centre (ICC) in Kowloon. If lucky enough when there’s low...

* Review / Places

Parco Archeologico di Ostia Antica

An Almost Forgotten Roman Gem It’s a pity if one misses the opportunity to visit Ostia Antica. It’s very different from the Roman Forum, Palatine and the other ancient sites in central Rome. Here among the old ruins of the port of imperial Rome one can sense the way people lived and how they worked and traded the commodities that kept Rome alive. The site requires at least a whole afternoon, about 4 to 6 hours. Best piece of advice is to wear good comfortable walking or hiking shoes as a lot of the terrain is hard and rough. Getting there is easy. From central Rome go by Metro to Piramide station and then change to the Roma-Lido train at Porta San Paolo station....

* Review / Places / Shopping

Orchard Road Singapore

Shopaholic’s Paradise & More When I’m in Singapore, three or four times a year (latest October and November 2016), I cannot miss a visit to Orchard Road, the shopping mecca of the city state. My personal favourites are Plaza Singapura, ION Orchard and Takashimaya. Been to others too, like the high-end Paragon and the seemingly rundown low-end Lucky Plaza. Every time I visit I find time to discover something new. Three words of advice for first timers. One, try to score a map of some of the bigger centres like ION Orchard. If you don’t, you’ll lose your bearings. These places are like labyrinths (or worse still rabbit warrens). Two, you won’t see everything in one day. You’ll need to come back at some...