19th January 2010

Transiting through Singapore usually involves hanging around for a few hours and, delightful though Singapore Airport is, it can be a bit tedious. Which is why, after our last trip to New Zealand, we decided to take advantage of the free tour of Singapore provided at the airport.

Driving is one of the great pleasures of New Zealand. New Zealand has one of those great combinations of beautiful landscape and sparse population. Which means you get great expanses of road more or less to yourself. With scenery like this - why would you want anyone else around ruining it for you anyway?

I must goto New Zealand more often.

Music is a regular feature of the Fêtes des Vendanges in Neuchâtel - which is an excellent accompaniment to the selection of local wine.

Bands are dotted around the town many playing tents others, like this one, playing on the steps of local buildings through the town. An Irish band played in a tent on the opposite of the street from where this band was playing.

An abundance of music, including Guggenmusik, is an essential, effervescent and highly enjoyable part of the Fêtes des Vendanges and it really adds to the atmosphere of the place.

The Grand Buddha at Leshan is one of the highlights of our trip to China. Standing at 71 meters in height - it's the tallest statue of Buddha in the world after the Bamyan Buddhas were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.

Whats amazing, apart from the sheer scale of the statue, is that the statue was carved in Red Sandstone - which is very vulnerable to the elements. An extensive drainage system and that the statue is set in the cliff face (rather than on) it have helped to preseve this wonderful place of pilgrmage.

Several carvings dot the cliff face along the steps to the feet of Buddha - which is where he is most imposing.

From the boat it's possible to really appreciate the size and scale of the project undertaken 1,300 years ago.