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Andrew's Travels
Andrew's Travels

Andrew's Travels

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  • Andrew's TravelsRoots - where I grew upViaggiatore

    Erith 2 - Riverside

    24 agosto 2020, Inghilterra ⛅ 19 °C

    We start at Riverside and Erith Pier; many years ago, there were plans to make Erith a resort because of its location - these did not work out, although it still has the longest pier in London as a result of this and it is popular with anglers. There is talk of a proposed ferry connection between Erith and Rainham in order to close the missing link of the London Loop, but what goes round comes round - there was once a ferry to Erith from the other side of the Thames which was mainly used by pilgrims on their way to Canterbury! Close to this plaque is an interesting sign showing that Robinson Crusoe stopped at Erith on his way home…

    Further along and through the Erith Riverside Gardens , we reach the place where the Swimming Pool used to be (I learnt to swim here - it was demolished in 2010 and replaced by flats) before reaching the older part of Riverside.    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsRoots - where I grew upViaggiatore

    Erith 1 - Town

    24 agosto 2020, Inghilterra ⛅ 18 °C

    I was born in Erith; it was then within the historic county of Kent, but has formed part of the London Borough of Bexley in South East London since 1965.
     
    In Victorian times, Erith enjoyed a brief spell as a riverside resort due its pier and the day-trippers arriving on Thames pleasure boats.  The town suffered heavy bomb damage in the Second World War, mainly due its position on the riverside near the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. This bomb damage and a gradual decline in local trade prompted major redevelopment in the 1960s; in 1961, plans were put forward to redevelop Erith into a modern, sleek shopping and working environment.....
     
    One of the first films I saw with my mother was the 1963 version of "Jason and the Argonauts" - with its amazing dynamation sequences by Ray Harryhausen - at the Erith Odeon cinema (it is still one of my favourite films ). I used to go there and see A and B films for sixpence (6d) and did not appreciate at the time that the building was in the Art Deco style.  The Odeon became a large Bingo Hall before being demolished and rebuilt as flats and office units; the picture shows things as they are now on the same site.
     
    The old Erith High Street and its side streets are long gone and this area has been replaced by the Riverside Shopping Centre.  Walking towards the river, we reach the end of what was the High Street; the White Hart pub is still there (albeit a restaurant now with a Thames Barge mural on one side), as is the Erith Playhouse and the Cross Keys pub (also a restaurant now).  At the river, we see Erith Pier (more correctly Erith Deep Water Wharf) - the longest pier in London (see Erith 2 - Riverside); from here, it is a short walk up West Street to see the Church of Saint John the Baptist. Doubling back and proceeding up Walnut Tree Road we reach the old library - Grade II listed and in a state of disrepair - before reaching the main roundabout, which has a De Luci fish mosaic sculpture at its centre; behind it we see the tall spire of Christ Church.    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsNorfolkViaggiatore

    Norwich; Urban Ramble - revisited

    15 agosto 2020, Inghilterra ☁️ 18 °C

    I went back to Norwich with friends from Duxford ("Friday Forum" Plough group) and treated them to the Urban Ramble Tour (parts 1 to 3); there was also time (and inclination) to visit a few of the fine pubs that are present in Norwich, the "City of Ale". Here are a few supplementary images of this beautiful city, presented in the order of the original posts, together a couple of pub highlights..

    Part 1 - The Maids Head Hotel really is a fine place to stay and highly recommended (we were in the Premier Inn, Nelson this time!)
    Part 1 - With care and a good zoom camera you can see Norwich Castle in some detail from St James Hill
    Part 1 - The modern Jarrold Bridge seems to float over the River Wensum (the posts are not part of the structure)
    Part 2 - On the corner of the market square is the Jarrolds Department Store, established since 1770

    The Adam and Eve claims to the be the oldest pub in the city.
    The Fat Cat is usually packed out and serves 30 real ales - in these Covid-19 times, we were able to get a table and choose from only 15 real ales! A wonderful place.    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsEssexViaggiatore

    Saffron Walden - Castle and Town Centre

    2 agosto 2020, Inghilterra ☁️ 20 °C

    Just a few miles south of Duxford, you cross the border into the Uttlesford area of of northwest Essex and reach the beautiful market town of Saffron Walden. Originally called Chipping Walden and then just Walden, the Saffron part comes from the valuable saffron crop which was cultivated here between the 15th and 18th centuries and was used as a dye, flavouring and medicine.

    The remains of the 12th century Walden Castle can still be visited; it was destroyed by Henry II. Originally a motte and bailey, the current market square, a short walk away, is located just external to what would have been the outer bailey (markets are still held every Tuesday and Saturday). A half timbered Guildhall is one side of the market cross and the Corn Exchange - now the library - is on the other.

    Walking down from the castle along Castle Street, we see some of the many timber framed historic buildings in the town; many are brighly coloured and others, such as the 14th century Old Sun Inn - once used as Oliver Cromwell's HQ - feature an external display of decorative moulded plasterwork, known as pargeting; in this case, there are two figures which are said to represent a local hero who killed the Wisbech Giant!

    Saffron Walden is a lovely town - more in a separate post.    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsDuxford and Local WalksViaggiatore
    The former Red Lion
    The former Red LionThe former King' s HeadThe former Three HorseshoesThe former WheatsheafThe former FlowerpotThe former Butcher's Arms

    Duxford Village 2 - Lost Pubs

    19 luglio 2020, Inghilterra ☀️ 20 °C

    There is an excellent website that details the decline of the Englsih Pub - The Lost Pubs Project (https://www.closedpubs.co.uk/). I thought it would be a good idea to look into this for Duxford - time for a walk round the village and up to Whittlesfod Parkway station to see what is listed below....

    After consulting the website and then that for the Duxford Parish Council, it appears that in 1900 there were eight places that supplied alcohol to the village of Duxford.
    There were:

    - four public houses: The Red Lion, The King’s Head, The Three Horseshoes and The Plough
    The Red Lion is now The Red Lion Hotel, but has been part of Whittlesford Parish since 2010 due to a boundary change
    The King's Head and The Three Horseshoes are now privately owned residences
    The Plough is still active as a Public House (for picture, see "Duxford - Village" FindPenguins entry)

    - four beer houses: The Wheatsheaf, The Flowerpot, The Butcher’s Arms and The John Barleycorn (beer houses were set up from earlier in the 19th century to provide beer, regarded as healthy and nutritious at the time, to the working population)
    The Wheatsheaf is now closed and trading as Graystones Cafe Deli & Bistro, since Spring 2018
    The Flowerpot and The Butcher's Arms are now privately owned residences
    The John Barleycorn is still active - as a Public House now (for picture, see "Duxford - Village" FindPenguins entry)    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsNorfolkViaggiatore

    Norwich; Urban Ramble, part 4

    15 luglio 2020, Inghilterra ⛅ 17 °C

    This walk is from an old booklet we have called "North Norfolk Rambles" and covers a circular route from Cow Tower and passes through Mousehold Heath, Waterloo Park and Sloughbottom Park before doubling back to the Wensum. We diverted here to see some other interesting sites of Norwich.

    From Cow Tower, we followed the route and had more fine views of the city. We diverted from the Gilman Road perimeter and into Mousehold Heath itself. Crossing through this mainly wooded area we eventually arrived at Lazar House; this 900 year old flint building was originally a leper hospital, became Norwich's first branch library and is now part of Norwich Assist. From here we proceeded to Waterloo Park, originally considered the finest park in East Anglia due to its lovely gardens,, and dominated by the its bandstand and art-deco central pavilion. We walked to Sloughbottom Park for completeness - sports fields, playgrounds, BMX track, pavilion - and then proceed back to the river and crossed over the Dolphin Bridge to walk along a track which follows the old railway route to the site of the old Norwich Station (now long gone - it is now a main roundabout). There is an interesting building near the roundabout - "the 10-sided toilet on St Crispin’s Road dates back to 1919 and is believed to be the oldest surviving concrete urinal in the UK. It has been granted Grade II listed status, and is now being renovated". Not open for use yet!

    We now diverted to see the last remaining sections of city wall on Grapes Hill and then a little further to visit The Cathedral of St John the Baptist outside them. This is the second largest Roman Catholic Cathedral in England and is one of the dominating features of the Norwich skyline we saw from St Jame's Hill (see earlier post).

    A good morning of exploration to see some "hidden Norwich".    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsNorfolkViaggiatore

    Norwich; Urban Ramble, part 3

    14 luglio 2020, Inghilterra ⛅ 17 °C

    Just opposite the Cathedral close is Tomblands, originally a pre-Norman market place, and the oldest part of Norwich. Passing through the Erpingham Gate, you reach the west entrance of this magnificent Norman Cathedral and vast expanse of the close - the cloisters are second only in size to those of Salisbury Cathedral. We had a look around the cathedral and then walked down The Close to Ferry Lane and the River Wensum. Here is Pulls Ferry, an old ferry house where the monks built a canal under the arch to ferry stone from the river to their construction site.

    From here it was back along the river the railway station to complete the urban ramble around and in the wonderful city of Norwich    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsNorfolkViaggiatore

    Norwich; Urban Ramble, part 2

    14 luglio 2020, Inghilterra ⛅ 18 °C

    After crossing St George's Bridge, we passed the Old Technical School to reach The Halls; comprising St Andrew's Hall and Blackfriars Hall (14th century), they make up the most complete friary complex in England. St Andrew's is the centre piece, as it is constructed in the local flint. This area is known as the Norwich Lanes and is full of interesting little shops.

    Next we arrived at the Marketplace - this has the beautiful 15th century Guildhall on one side and the art deco City Hall, guarded by sleek bronze lions, on another with the market - the largest open air market in the country - nestling in the middle. We walked along the Memorial Gardens to the Church of St Peter Mancroft, opposite the Guildhall, and then proceeded down to and through the splendid Royal Arcade, a beautiful and covered shopping street. This brings you out to Norwich Castle (now a museum and unfortunately closed for the time being) situated on its mound; it was founded by William the Conqueror and was originally a Motte-and-bailey castle.

    Leaving this lovely area we walked to Elm Hill, a historic and cobbled lane and the most complete medieval street in the city; it was derelict and decaying one hundred years ago, but fortunately the Norwich Society was able to change the plans to demolish it    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsNorfolkViaggiatore

    Norwich; Urban Ramble, part 1

    14 luglio 2020, Inghilterra ⛅ 17 °C

    This urban ramble finds us in the beautiful medieval city of Norwich and is just over an hour from Cambridge. It is the first "big trip" since lock down!

    After checking in at The Maids Head Hotel - claimed to be the oldest hotel in the UK - we walked down the riverbank to the station to start the walk by going up the hill to pass through Rosary Cemetery which was the first non-denominational burial ground in the UK. It was interesting to walk around, before navigating through the ancient woodland of Lion Wood - a remnant of Thorpe Wood which was mentioned in the Domesday Book. Eventually we reached the old Brittania Barracks located on St James Hill, close to Mousehold Heath, with spectacular views of the city; the barracks were the former home of the Royal Norfolk Regiment, but now form part of HM Prisons Norwich.

    From here we proceeded down the hill to the city and the River Wensum, which passes through it. On the far bank is Cow Tower, built in the 14th century as part of the city's strategic defence systems. We had a short walk along the river before crossing the Bishop Bridge (1340) - one of the oldest bridges in England - before doubling back to Cow Tower. We walked along this bank passing the modern and attractive Jarrold Bridge before reaching Norwich Quayside, the heart of the city in medieval times.

    We crossed Fye Bridge and walked along Colegate, with its many historic buildings, before reaching St George's Church and crossing the bridge there.    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsDuxford and Local WalksViaggiatore
    11

    Duxford Village 1

    3 luglio 2020, Inghilterra ☁️ 18 °C

    We have lived in Duxford, a village in Cambridgeshire about 10 miles south of Cambridge, for over 30 years now. Duxford is well known for its airfield (now owned by the Imperial War Museum, IWM) and its air shows; the airfield was used as a sector station during the Battle of Britain.

    The village was originally formed on the banks of the River Cam and there is an old Water Mill; this is now a private property, but opens on local garden days.  There are two Grade I listed medieval parish churches, St Peter's Church (with the war memorial outside it) and St John's Church (now redundant, but open for visitors as it contains a variety of interesting wall decorations ranging from medieval wall paintings to graffiti - some of this dates from the Second World War). There is a lovely village green and we have two pubs – The John Barleycorn and The Plough. There is a new village community centre opening shortly; overall, it is a great place to live.    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityViaggiatore
    1

    Cambridge lock down, part 2 - Gown

    2 giugno 2020, Inghilterra ☁️ 17 °C

    As a result of the lockdown, there are no students at the University. The photos show:
    1. The University Library,
    2. Empty punts viewed from Garret Hostel Bridge,
    3. Trinity College chimneys,
    4. The Great Gate of St John's College; the animals are mythical beasts called yales, which have elephants' tails, antelope' bodies and goat's heads with swivelling horns,
    5. The Senate House and
    6. The Mathematical Bridge spanning the River Cam at Queens' College.    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityViaggiatore

    Cambridge lock down, part 1 - Town

    2 giugno 2020, Inghilterra ☁️ 19 °C

    Helen and I thought we would walk around Cambridge mid-week during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown to enjoy a local and tourist free experience - it was not disappointing.

    The town centre was virtually deserted, as you can see from the pictures of Kings Parade, Trinity Street and the Market Square. The statue is William Harvey (he discovered blood circulation, apparently) and the final picture is something we had never visited before - the Ascension Parish Burial Ground located on the outskirts of Cambridge. It was formerly the burial ground for the parish of  St Giles and St Peter's and includes the graves and memorials of many academics.Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsEssexViaggiatore

    Thaxted

    5 maggio 2020, Inghilterra ⛅ 11 °C

    Driving south from Saffron Walden further into Uttlesford via the Debden Road, we reach the town of Thaxted. There is a classic view of the town's church and windmill on this route.

    Thaxted's status as a town is due to its prominent late medieval Guildhall on the main high street - during the Middle Ages, Thaxted prospered as a centre for the production of cutlery. There are many beautiful old houses here, as well as a large and fine English Perpendicular parish church dedicated to St John the Baptist with Our Lady and St Laurence; it is one of the largest in Essex. Just South of the church we see the Grade II listed five-storey tower mill, John Webb's Mill, which has been restored to working order and is open to the public at certain times.

    On the cultural side, Thaxted is also known for its association with Gustav Holst, who lived here from 1917 to 1925, and for its link with Morris Dancing; in 1934, the year that Holst died, the Cambridge Morris Men invited five other teams (Letchworth, Thaxted, East Surrey, Greensleeves and Oxford) to join them in the formation of a national organisation - The Morris Ring - and there is a plaque on the house where this happened. The Thaxted Morris Weekend is a major event on the Morris Dancing calendar and many sides, or teams, visit here each year; it is also a major local tourist attraction.    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsSussexViaggiatore
    1

    Brighton; Urban Ramble, part 2

    8 febbraio 2020, Inghilterra ⛅ 9 °C

    Only two of us for the second and more strenuous half of the walk which takes us up the valley via Richmond Heights to the "Pepperpot", the last remaining element of an Itaianate villa. Passing through the lovely Queens Park, we proceeded up Whitehawk Hill to the aerial mast and then past Brighton Racecourse, one of only two horseshoe shaped courses in the UK (the other, Epsom, does not form a complete circuit either).

    Passing through a tunnel under the racecourse, we walked downhill along the Tenantry Down Allotments to the Brighton Cemetery, way more interesting than you might think! Then it was downhill to The Level, a restored park area where two streams converge, past St Peter's Church and back to the hotel.

    Brighton is a wonderful place and I look forward to returning.    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsSussexViaggiatore

    Brighton; Urban Ramble, part 1

    8 febbraio 2020, Inghilterra ☁️ 8 °C

    Three of us set off for first part of this "figure of eight" shaped urban ramble based centrally.

    We passed the clock tower on our way up to Brighton Station to start the walk. Walking down Camden Terrace,, a twitten (local dialect for an alleyway), we proceeded to St Nicholas's Church which is the oldest surviving building in Brighton. Another twiten led us to the Montpelier district of the town - lots of classical and Recency architecture here, with Montpelier Crescent (Amon Henry) being the highlight of the area. Crossing the St Ann's Well Gardens, where Brighton's reputation as a health spa began due to the natural spring there being a source of particularly good spring water, we strolled down to the wonderful green expanse of Brunswick Square.

    Proceeding along the seafront - see earlier post - we turned left at the Palace Pier and passed the Old Steine Gardens to walk through the Lanes, a quirky and colourful area with lots of interesting shops. Next we walked through the Cultural Quarter which includes the Brighton Dome, the Museum and, of course, the Royal Pavilion. Designed by John Nash, the palace here has an Indo-Islamic appearance on the outside (very Silk Road); the interior is saved for my next visit to Brighton,    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsSussexViaggiatore

    Brighton; Seafront

    7 febbraio 2020, Inghilterra ⛅ 7 °C

    This trip was with a group of friends based at my local pub - a lads weekend away! It was the first time I have ever been to Brighton in my life and the town did not disappoint - it is a marvellous place and I will definitely return to repeat the urban ramble with Helen and to see things that were missed.

    After a good journey down by car we decided to all go the sea front. First we went to the British Airways i360 viewing tower; this needle like structure was opened as recently as 2016 - normally the "flights" have to be reserved in advance, but no problem with that in early Feb! Lots of good information about how it was built (from the top down!) and excellent views as the cabin ascends to the top. Well recommended.

    Then a walk along the esplanade seeing the various sites - the "Birdcage" Bandstand,, the upside-down house, the remains of the West Pier, the pier arches creative quarter, the fishing museum - until reaching the Palace Pier.

    A great afternoon - thirsty work....    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsLincolnshireViaggiatore

    Lincoln; Urban Ramble, part 2

    25 gennaio 2020, Inghilterra ⛅ 5 °C

    Next morning we visited some of the places there was not enough time for yesterday (or were not on the route).

    The first tanks used in World War 1 were made in Lincoln at the William Foster factory and there is a memorial for this on the Triton Way roundabout, conveniently close to our hotel near Ropewalk. Another tourist "emblem" for Lincoln is the Empowerment Sculpture spanning the River Witham by the City Square.

    No visit to Lincoln is complete without passing through the Guildhall and Stonebow archway along the High Street, then ascending to The Strait and Steep Hill (well it deserves that name) and further up to the Cathedral for more great views. Behind it, on East Gate, are the remains of the North Tower of the Roman East Gate.

    After that, we walked down to the so-called Cultural Quarter via the Usher Gallery, a charming diversion. Lincoln is a wonderful place!    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsLincolnshireViaggiatore

    Lincoln; Urban Ramble, part 1

    24 gennaio 2020, Inghilterra ⛅ 7 °C

    This urban rambles tales us to the beautiful medieval city of Lincoln. Next day was the occasion of my uncle's 80th birthday bash in nearby Woodhall Spa and we decided to make a weekend of it.

    After checking in at the hotel, we proceeded to Brayford Pool, a natural lake formed from a widening of the River Witham; the north side is very modern, but behind it on a hill is the magnificent cathedral. The south side of the pool is the home of the University of Lincoln.

    We walked west along the Foss Dyke, possibly the oldest canal in England, and then cut up north along the expanse of West Common which was the site of the old Lincoln horse racing track as well as being used to test aircraft in WW1.

    We walked to the top of the hill (Lincoln Edge) to see Ellis's Windmill, the last one that remains of five there originally. From here we went to visit The Strugglers Inn (a magnificent real ale pub), The Lawn (a Greek revival building), Lincoln Castle (built by William the Conqueror) and Lincoln Cathedral (nearly a thousand years old).

    We proceeded past the Bishops' Palace (closed at the time) and down to the Lincoln Arboreum, a Victorian park to the east of the cathedral; this was funded by property speculation for the large Victorian houses on the north edge of the park!

    We walked down to the River Witham, seeing the old Ruston & Hornby site, part of Lincoln's engineering heritage and now under the ownership of Siemens, before ending up at the High Street. The 16th century House on High Bridge is one of only three bridges in the UK with shops on them. We went underneath, down and through the Glory Hole passage, before finishing where we started. Another excellent walk - and still more to see in Lincoln....    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsNepalViaggiatore

    Kathmandu Valley – Bhaktapur

    3 novembre 2019, Nepal ⛅ 24 °C

    Along with Kathmandu and Patan, Bhaktapur was one of the three medieval city states that originally occupied the Kathmandu Valley. Bhaktapur was on the old India to Tibet trade route, but really grew during the reign of King Yakshe Malla (15th century) with another growth spurt in the 18th century. The city was damaged in the 2015 earthquake and is characterised by three major squares:

    Durbar Square
    Just like those of both Kathmandu and Patan, the Durbar Square has many temples, as well as a King Malla column, Taleju Bell and a Royal Palace area; the latter is accessed by a magnificent Golden Gate (which has the 55 Window Palace to its right) and in its Mul Chowk is a Hindu only temple.

    Taumadi Tole
    Nearby, the second major square has the tallest temple in Nepal, the five storey Nyatapola Temple wits stairway flanked by stone figures, and the Bhairabnath Temple.

    Tachupal Tole
    The third major square was the original central square of Bhaktapur and the seat of royalty until the 16th century. The Dattatreya Temple is the main building on the square and along from this is a street of ornate houses, one of which houses the Woodcarving Museum with its 15th century Peacock Window facing out on view.

    We also enjoyed visiting the Potter's Square and walking the backstreets. Bhaktapur is an excellent day trip to make from Kathmandu.    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsNepalViaggiatore

    Kathmandu Valley – Two gems

    2 novembre 2019, Nepal ☀️ 22 °C

    Just outside of the Kathmandu ring road are two very different, but culturally and religiously important, sites; Pashupatinath (Hindu) and Bodhnath (Buddhist).

    Pashupatinath
    Nepal's most important Hindu temple stands on the bank of the Bagrati River and is as sacred here as Varanasi on the Ganges is to the Indians; the temple is closed to non-Hindu people so we could not enter, although we did mingle with the crowds. At the side, by the river and two bridges, are the cremation ghats. There were interesting views of all proceedings from the other side of the river.
    After this, we walked up the hill past lingam shrines and other temples and descended to the other side and headed for Bodhnath.

    Bodhnath (aka Boudha)
    Thia is Asia's largest stupa, covering approx 6,700 square meters, and was built originally about 600AD when the Tibetan king converted to Buddhism. It is surrounded now by a huge circle of shops, monasteries and other buildings. We walked round and visited the Guru Lhakhang and tiny Ajima temple before climbing the stupa and circling around it.    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsNepalViaggiatore

    Kathmandu Valley - Patan

    1 novembre 2019, Nepal ☀️ 22 °C

    Along with Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, Patan (aka Lalitpur) was one of the three medieval city states that originally occupied the Kathmandu Valley. Patan has a long Buddhist history; most of its main buildings were erected in the 16th to 18th centuries by the Mallas and are located in the Durbar Square.

    There are many temples and monuments in the square and the Royal Palace occupies its eastern side; it is one of the architectural highlights of Nepal. The Royal Palace comprises:

    - the Mul Chowk, with its small, gilded Bidyapith Temple in the centre of the courtyard,
    - the smaller Sundari Chowk, with its carved and sunken Tusha Hiti water tank in its centre and the larger Bhandarkhal water tank outside, and
    - the northern Chowk with the Patan Museum housed around it; entry is via a beautiful golden gate.

    We enjoyed walks both south and north of the Durbar Square courtesy of the Lonely Planet guide book, taking in many interesting sites, including the Golden Temple (Kwa Bahal).    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsNepalViaggiatore

    Kathmandu - Swayambunath

    31 ottobre 2019, Nepal ☀️ 23 °C

    The journey back to Kathmandu was uneventful and we all parted company the morning after arrival. There has been a great group dynamic on this trip and we have had a wonderful time. Now we are on our own for a few extra days in Kathmandu to see more sites here and in the Kathmandu Valley.

    Today we visited the “Monkey Temple” – Swayambunath – which is situated on a lofty hilltop looking over Kathmandu and is a jumble of Buddhist and Hindu iconography; its nickname is due to the hundreds of rhesus macaque monkeys that seem to be everywhere. The Eastern Stairway is very steep and at the top you are greeted by a thunderbolt (dorje), the Buddhist symbol for enlightenment. The Swayambunath Stupa itself is huge, with its white dome representing the earth and its 13-tiered tower representing the 13 stages to Nirvana. The squiggle under the piercing eyes represents unity and the third eye represents all-seeing insight. There are thousands of prayer flags fluttering in the wind; there are many other religious monuments surrounding the Stupa. Further along, we descended slightly to the Buddha Amideva park and contributed to the Peace Pond by trying to throw coins into an aperture. Swayambunath is a must-see site in Kathmandu.    Leggi altro

  • Andrew's TravelsNepalViaggiatore
    2

    Chitwan National Park – Mammals

    29 ottobre 2019, Nepal ☁️ 28 °C

    We arrived at our destination, Rhino Lodge in Sauraha, via the Mahendra Highway and Bharatpur, at about 11:00am. After lunch, we went on a jeep safari to the Bis Hajar Tal wetland area (aka 20,000 lakes) in the Chitwan NP buffer zone. We saw various species of birds and other animals before returning to a community forest on the edge of Sauraha where we saw the heavily plated one-horned Indian rhinoceros in the flesh! We saw another one around 9:00pm as a rhino had wandered into the lodge grounds!

    Next day, we were up early for a dugout canoe trip followed by a 2-hour forest walk in the Chitwan NP. Birds, crocodiles and rhino were seen (see subsequent posts). This was a lot of fun and the 6:45am departure was worth the effort as it gets hot here later in the morning.

    During the course of our visit here we saw the following mammals:
    - Indian rhinoceros
    - Rhesus monkey
    - Spotted deer
    - Tiger 🙄    Leggi altro

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  • Andrew's TravelsNepalViaggiatore

    Chitwan National Park – Sauraha

    28 ottobre 2019, Nepal ⛅ 27 °C

    Chitwan National Park is situated in a huge lowland area in central south Nepal and covers an area of 932 sq km. It was originally a hunting reserve in the 19th century inhabited by the local indigenous Tharu population, but an extensive malaria eradication program using DDT in 1954 meant that many other people could move into the area and the subsequent loss of natural habitat caused a reduction in the diversity and quantity of species. King Mahendra stopped this by making the area a royal reserve which eventually became a national park in 1973 and some 22,000 people were relocated outside of the park. With the Maoist insurgency from 1996-2006, however, the army was unable to protect against poaching and further reduction in species number and diversity followed. Now the army is back – and very much in evidence – and species number and diversity has increased; by 2017 there were in excess of 600 one-horned Indian rhino, characterised by their large plates, and approx 140 Royal Bengal tigers.

    After lunch, it was an ox cart tour through Sauhara to Bhagmara to visit a local Tharu village to see their communal living style and houses; these are built with reed and have a mixture of mud and cow dung smoothed over the surface. They speak a different language to Nepali.    Leggi altro

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