Singapore

Tour the Past in Singapore

We stopped for a few days in the city-state of Singapore on our way to and from Kerala, India. In mid- November, Singapore was seriously decked out for Christmas with blue lights and “Have a Glitzy Christmas” banners everywhere. The 3 towers under construction in the picture below are gambling hotels. Singapore wants a piece of the action.

Singapore is well organized, clean, safe,  and new. Some freedoms, such as free speech, are restricted. Drug traffickers get the death penalty. On the other hand, Singapore is an economic success and its 5 million multi-cultural inhabitants enjoy a high standard of living. They seem to be content.    Singapore is not easy to figure out.

Look to the Past
Singapore is so modern, but there are some great museums where you can travel back in time to learn of Singapore history.

The Asian Civilisation Museum in Singapore is a treasure, with focus on cultures that had an impact on Singapore. We spent several hours viewing displays and artefacts from China, India and southeast Asia. The exhibits are well presented, with extensive information about the culture, religion and migration of Asian peoples. We didn't expect to, but we learned lots about India, our next travel destination, in the Asian Civilisations Museum. (There are  beautiful Buddha statues on display, too).

The early days of Singapore are described at the entrance to the museum -the role of the British in the creation of Singapore for the 'Empire', the immigration of Chinese workers, and the brutality of the Japanese in WWII.




The Chinatown Heritage Centre

The Singapore Chinatown Heritage Centre was also exceptional. It is in an old ‘shophouse’ in Chinatown, with realistic re-creations of the lives of Chinese immigrants to Singapore. The displays are artistically and thoughtfully presented and we left with understanding of the tremendous hardships Chinese immigrants faced in Singapore, the poverty, opium addiction, disease, the struggle to survive.

Both museums added depth to our visit to Singapore. We escaped the modernity for a few hours and saw beautiful archeological displays in the Asian Civilizations Museum.  The Chinatown Heritage Centre, by delving into the recent past, provided some insights into Singapore of today.

See more about the displays at the Asian Civilisation Museum.

Lyon, France

Things I loved about Lyon:


It's a great city to walk in.

Two rivers, the Rhone and the Saone, meet in Lyon. Bookfairs and cafes line the shores, and on weekends, crowds wander amongst local artisans and musicians. 

Vieux Lyon has medieval architecture and narrow cobblestone streets.

Croix-Rousse is an old quarter where the silk industry once thrived. 

Art. The Musee des Beaux-Arts has an exciting large collection of paintings and sculptures from all periods.

Roman History.

The Theatre Romain, built by the Romans in 15 BC, and the Musee de la Civilisation Gallo Romaine, tucked into the hillside behind the amphi-theatre were extremely interesting.










Food. Les Halles de Lyon is one of many wonderful markets in Lyon, where you can see fabulous displays of French food in all its glory. Lyon is known for its' gastronomic excellence.

A bouchon is a type of eatery unique to Lyon that specializes in pork, all parts. One of our favourite meals was at the bouchon Cafe Des Federations.

Wine (Beaujolais) is served in a 'pot', a smaller bottle or carafe. Lentils, salad, cheeses, and of course, pork, are common fare in a bouchon.

We had another delicious meal at Le Garet. Here we had a special house pear liquor and chatted with French tourists. Food is plentiful at bouchons, so go on an empty stomach.

Travel can change your daily diet. After Kerala, we crave masala dosa. From Greece it was feta cheese and olive oil. Italy, sardines on pizza, and pesto pasta. In Lyon, it was the salad, made with frisee ( or endive), hard boiled eggs, lardon (chunks of bacon) and a dressing heavy with Dijon mustard.

In Lyon, we also developed a serious romance with cheese. The fresh cheeses of France are hard to resist. Save room at the end of the meal for the cheese course.

Throughout France the cuisine was supurb.

Croix Rouse

Jasper, Canada

Maligne Lake

Jasper National Park, Canada

Summer or winter, Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains is spectacular and dramatic.

Last winter we drove from Edmonton, Alberta to Jasper National Park for a weekend holiday. What a treat to cross country ski in such incredible surroundings. We headed for frozen Pyramid Lake, just a few minutes drive from the town of Jasper and skied on set tracks around the entire lake in about 25 minutes. It was lonely, wild and beautiful, a perfect trail for a beginner skier, too.

Ski or skate at Pyramid Lake

The Park has numerous hiking trails, some easy and others more challenging. You can walk or hike around the town of Jasper, or drive out to the more remote trails. Maligne Canyon (below), Edith Cavelle Glacier, and Athabasca Falls are popular.

Hike near Maligne Canyon

Campground at Wapiti

We tent camp in Jasper Park campgrounds in summer, usually at Wapiti, on the banks of the Athabasca River. When you are outdoors all the time, in the fresh mountain air, it's relaxing yet envigorating at the same time. Jasper National Park has amongst the best camp sites in the world. At Wapiti, it is not uncommon for herds of elk to pass through the campgrounds, within a few feet of the tent.

In summer the Miette Hot Springs, on the east side of the Park, are open. These very hot pools are craddled amongst the mountains. We've seen bears and foxes on the winding mountain road up to Miette. A soak in the hot waters after a few hours of hiking, then back to the campsite for dinner cooked over the fire...and out come the stars with the stillness of the night, it's magical. 

I count myself lucky every time I visit Jasper National Park. The mountain scenery and dramatic wilderness are inspiring, but there is also so much to do. Tour Maligne Canyon, visit the Columbia Icefields or the Athabasca Falls. Walk, hike or bike, go fishing, canoe or kayak, soak or swim or just spend a few hours in the friendly town of Jasper.

With timeless, sacred beauty, Jasper National Park is a treasure.

Rent a canoe on Maligne Lake. There is also a tour boat.

On the mighty Athabasca River, view from Wapitii campground

At the beach, the water is clear and cold

Athabasca Falls

Glaciers, Edith Cavelle

Tips for tent camping in Jasper National Park:

-put all food and cooking equipment away in a fully closed vehicle
-only have food out when you are cooking or eating
-no food, cosmetics or soaps in the tent ever
-be sure your tent is protected from rain with a full tent fly
-nights are cool, so have warm sleeping gear

Elk pass through the campground in the late afternoon.

Munnar, Kerala

                                                    Munnar Tea Plantation

The Kerala state, in the southern tip of India, sits just above the equator. Even in November most of Kerala is hot. After 5 warm days in Fort Cochin on the west coast, we travelled up into the hills of the Western Ghats to Munnar where the air was cooler.

Although the distance was only 150 kms, or so, the road trip took 5 hours on the 2 lane highway. That’s India. Our driver, Josie, kept his white Ambassador moving and passing, swerving by tuk tuks and cyclists, through busy towns with crowded colourful festivals, past cows and carts, churches, mosques and temples, and even a festival elephant. Josie stopped briefly to show us rubber trees, cardoman, coffee, monkeys and waterfalls. Kerala is lush and fertile and the people are friendly, hardworking and traditional.

The area around Munnar is tea country. We stayed in a lodge, the Blackberry Hills, at the top of a mountain overlooking bright green tea plantations in the valleys. The panoramic view was splendid. We spent much of our 3 days on the balcony. The air was fresh with tea, the view - astonishingly beautiful, and each morning unusual soft music played from the plantation village in the distance. Behind us were tall woods with wild flowers, morning glory vines, herbs, coffee, birds of all kinds, some we recognized, some not.

We walked for hours through the forest, and came upon men and women working in the tea estates high up in the hills. This looked like backbreaking work, but the natural setting was fantastic. Older folks relaxed nearby, minding pre-schoolers, ready with mid-day refreshments for the workers.

At the lodge the Indian curry cuisine was delicious, and we even managed to get a bottle of local blackberry wine. Most other guests were young honeymooners from Mumbai or Delhi. The beautiful hills around Munnar are known throughout India to be an ideal spot to begin a marriage.

Munnar, India

When Alberta is freezing cold, we can escape to memories of heavenly Munnar. It was a long drive up but in all ways the journey and the destination were tremendously interesting and unique. Loved it.

Kerala, highest literacy rate in India, only freely elected communist government in the world.

Here's a Globe and Mail article about Kerala by Jim Stanford.

And some music to enjoy.

Varkala, Kerala

Varkala

The Arabian Sea rhythmically rolls in on big white waves that span the length of Varkala beach. Travellers from India, and increasingly from other parts of the globe, visit the shores and cliffs of Varkala for the refreshing beauty, the long sandy beach, and for the healing waters attributed to this holy sight by those who worship Vishnu.

We stayed 5 nights at the Varkala Marine Palace, one of the few hotels on the beach, and dined here too. Fresh seafood prepared tandoori or masala, tasty thorans, friendly staff and wonderful views - why not?  Here we totally relaxed, read the local papers, and watched all that was happening on the beach. Birds and sea, fishermen and their boats, women in bright, pretty sarees, yoga practitioners, tourists in search of dinner - the beach was full of life!  Indian families and friends gathered for hours where the water meets the sand, not to swim, but to enjoy the sea breeze, and the pleasing sunsets.

Tides can be dangerous at Varkala and lifeguards with whistles warned kids and crowds to be careful. Further north, below the town, were safer swimming waters where tourists from around the world tackled the waves and sunbathed - in typical Western swimwear, themselves a tourist attraction for those used to more modest attire.

Along the top rim of the cliffs at Varkala are shops, internet cafes, restaurants, yoga schools, ayurvedic care and even some hotels offering dental surgery.  Behind this strip lies the town of Varkala, home to about 45,000. It was sunny and hot in Varkala in late November. I had some light clothes sewn up for me on the spot at a tourist tailor shop. Cotton-linen pants and a tunic. A perfect fit.

We didn’t do much in Varkala, but the days flew by.  A masala dosa* for breakfast, maybe a walk up into town to check the internet, an afternoon dip in the sea, to the restaurant to watch the sunset  until dark and then under the mosquito net and fans until morning. The soothing rhythm of the waves, the bright colours of  happy people against the soft blue of the Arabian Sea, Varkala, India is like a dream now.   



Shops in Varkala



Here's a link to a video about Kerala's Worker's Co-operative Coffee Shops. http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/video/2010/apr/01/india-coffee-house-kerala

Lobster purchase in the restaurant



The catch






The beach

Posing for the picture

On the beach at Varkala, Kerala, India

Syros, Greece

A Glimpse of Greek Life

On the beautiful Greek island of Syros, in the Cyclades, we enjoyed a glimpse of Greek family life and culture. We stayed in the port town of Ermoupolis, a hub of economic activity in the Cyclades. During the evenings the magnificent town square was full of children racing around, teens hanging out, and adults of all generations visiting and chatting. On Saturday night the town pumped it up with popular Greek bands. Families dined , danced, played and mingled until after dark.

Picturesque neighbourhoods grace the hills that rise from the town square in Ermoupolis. We took a taxi up to one neighbourhood, the quiet medieval Catholic settlement of Ano Syros where, amidst the chalk white houses on tiny, winding alleyways, we found a 13th Century Church, Agios Georgios. We saw splendid views of the town, the port, the sea and surrounding islands on our hike back down to the main square.

Syros has superb cuisine. Many of the narrow streets of Ermoupolis are home to family run restaurants that dish out delicious local specialities. We loved the baked peppers, stuffed with feta cheese, and have tried to re-create the recipe at home. The Greek salads had capers, a tasty addition. The wine was refreshing and was often offered free to repeat customers.

At the Hotel Hermes we had a room with a balcony that directly overlooked the sea. The bright blue sky, the deep blue Aegean and the sound of lapping waves on the pebbles below was breathtaking.  Siros, one of the loveliest Greek islands.

Peppers with feta, just like we had in Syros....

Arles, France

Starry Night Over the Rhone in Arles, France

The van Gogh Trail

Near the Van Gogh Cafe

From Avignon, France we travelled by train through Provence to Arles, the town where Vincent Van Gogh painted some of his most beloved works. We began our holiday to Europe several weeks before in Amsterdam where the inspiring Van Gogh Museum led us to Arles to learn more about Vincent, his life and his art. The painter moved to Arles in 1888 and stayed for about 14 months. He left Arles in May 1889 and died in late July 1890.Van Gogh was 37 years old when he died. He sold only one painting in his difficult life. 

In Arles, we strolled the Van Gogh Trail, where we stood at some of the very spots where Vincent Van Gogh painted.  We looked over the Grand Rhone River where he painted "Starry Night Over the Rhone". We stopped to eat in the square believed to be the place where Van Gogh painted “Café Terrace at Night”. It was a warm, sunny day in Arles in late April and like much of France, there was an air of celebration here.

Equestrians in Arles

Arles, in and of itself, is charming, with other interesting sights. We sought out the exceptional Roman Amphitheatre, Les Arenes, which was built almost 2,000 years ago by the Romans, and is still used today for events, such as bullfighting. In the old courtyard near the Eglise St- Trophime, a 12 century church, we were surprised by enthusiastic equestrians.


After a few hours of enjoyable traipsing around Arles we returned to the train station to discover we had an hour or so wait for the train back to Avignon. We readily found an outdoor café, where we sipped white wine, watched the pleasant bustle around us and chatted about wonderful Arles.


Arles, in beautiful southern France, a place to return to.

Arles - view from the Amphitheatre