UK - Stratford upon Avon
It is always the case that when we go on holiday to a new country - we try to see as much as possible, but when back in the uk, hardly go out! So, we made a conscious decision to see some new places, and the first was a drive into Shakespeare Country - the town of Stratford-upon-Avon. The following photos were taken in and around the tourist attractions of Anne Hathaway's Cottage and the Shakespeare Museum, as well as in town.
Gallery 1 (13 pics)
Vietnam - Hoi An
October saw us heading off to Vietnam for a week, staying in a little resort town I visited for one night in 2003! The gallery below will give you a flavour of the trip, but for full details - check out the Vietnam 2015 reports (Singapore reports 45, 46, 47). This is probably one of my favourite spots in the world!
Gallery 1 (38 pics)
China - Macau
To celebrate 50 years of Independence, Singapore announced an additional public holiday which gave us the chance to escape for another long weekend - this time to Macau, a special region of China. In 1557, Macau was rented to Portugal as a trading port. The Portuguese administered the city under Chinese authority until 1887, when Macau became a colony. Macau transferred back to China in 1999.
After a quick trip up the hill to the lighthouse, our first day was spent walking around the Historic Centre of Macau, a collection of over twenty locations that witness the unique co-existence of Chinese and Portuguese cultures in Macau, and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We saw a great water show here - check it out in the show blog!
Gallery 1 (44 pics)
UK - London
Obviously we could not have Shanhong's mum and dad in the UK and not go to London - so off we went! Many pics taken from many places (don't forget there are more details in the reports section rather than this blog), but here are a few as tasters.
Gallery 1 (56 pics)
UK - Dudley Zoo and Castle
Another day out with Shanhong's mum and dad was to Dudley Castle and Zoo. The castle sits on top of a hill, and the zoo is the bit from the bottom of the hill to the castle! This was a place my mum took me to as a child, and I have fond memories of this as one of the most open and 'friendly' zoos I know. I still like it! It was such a glorious, sunny day too, most unlike England.
Gallery 1 (16 pics)
UK - Castle Howard
Castle Howard is a classic stately home, surrounded by formal gardens. The home has iconic architecture and beautiful interiors, with the gardens including lakes, follies, temples and statues. On a nice sunny day, what could be more splendid (and more 'British') to show Shanhong's parents?
Gallery 1 (25 pics)
UK - York
York is a cathedral city in the north of England, containing many historic buildings such as the minster, castle, and town walls. York was founded by the romans under the name of Eboracum in 71AD and has been important as a trading centre and an ecclesiastical centre. Quieter than some of the other cities of England, it was a nice place to take Shanhong's parents.
Gallery 1 (41 pics)
UK - Shrewsbury
Of course we had to pop into Shrewsbury - this was my main childhood home - the place I completed high school and got my first job (washing dishes in a posh restaurant - before moving on to McDonalds). It's quite an attractive town with a large central park, lots of church spires and towers, and plenty of 'black and white' buildings.
Gallery 1 (17 pics)
UK - Ironbridge
A day in Ironbridge today, visiting the bridge itself, the world's first bridge made of iron, made in 1780. Of course, we also went into the Blist HIll Victorian Town - it's simply a great place! What made it even more special for Shanhong's parents, is they recognised much of the machinery as being pieces they had worked on in their youth in China! It's a small world.
Gallery 1 (22 pics)
Indonesia - Yogyakarta
Chinese New Year saw us making a trip to Yogyakarta in Indonesia. Yogyakarta is quite unique as it is the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy. It is famous for classical arts and culture, as well as a centre of Indonesian Education. We were only here for a long weekend, but it was good to see somewhere new - and boy, did we pack a lot in, from UNESCO World Heritage Temples to gardens and palaces.
Gallery 1 (50 pics)
