Japan is, for me, a fascinating country. A place which has kept its past as it embraces a very modern future; a place where so many cultures collide but somehow retain a whole. A country which has defied so many writers to define. A country of contradictions, but one of eclectic delights. A place to be a non-touristy tourist.
Consequently, Japan is the perfect place to do something a little different, to find something a little unexpected.
Opera Inside A Private Venetian Palazzo
I crossed the Grand Canal on the No. 1 vaporetto, alighting at Santa Maria del Giglio. Despite the long name it was little more than a wooden jetty in a quite culdesac. It is a small, relatively overlooked stop, overshadowed by the more flamboyant San Marco. It seemed a place where only locals went.
In true Venetian style, Musica a Palazzo is separated from the stop by a canal. With the Grand Canal behind me to act as a bearing, I passed along the Calle Gritti and into the Piazza Santa Maria del Giglio. At this time of day the piazza was empty, and I followed a network of twisting stairs and streets bearing no resemblance to my map. An arrow on a tiny handwritten sign led me down a dark alley, away from the blazing midday sun and into those days of Venetian glory and intrigue. I could hear water lapping at the buildings, and anything – or anyone – could be hiding in those damp shadows.
I passed an impeccably dressed Venetian. Sporting designer stubble and with his hair elegantly oiled, he sat smoking on a wall beside the canal. “Opera?” he asked, tossing his cigarette nonchalantly into the water.
“Si,” I replied. “Opera.” He grandly gestured me to a doorway. Continue Reading →
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Changi Airport, Singapore
I’ve always been wary of airport hotels, but the Changi Crowne Plaza proved an impressive exception. I literally walked from customs (carry on luggage only as bags were checked through to the next day’s flight), down a flight of stairs and into the foyer. It was that simple. No shuttle buses, no ‘short’ taxi rides.
The subdued lighting of the foyer gave a timeless ambience perfect for international travellers with body clocks running at all different times. Decorations were quiet but elegant, giving character to the place where many airport hotels are completely soulless. Despite being at an airport, our room was quiet – and I even enjoyed looking over the tarmac at the planes. The blinds were heavy to allow for darkness and sleep at any time of day. No noise reached us from the other rooms. Continue Reading →
A Quiet Corner In Florence
On the banks of the Arno, close to the Ponte Vecchio, stands a small and often missed museum. Hidden from the crowds milling outside the nearby Uffizi, the Museo Galileo – Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza sits undisturbed in the quiet of the Piazza de’ Guidici, a tranquil backwater in the heart of Renaissance Florence. The Ponte Vecchio is a few minutes away, as is the Uffizi and the Palazzo Vecchio. In the Piazza del Limbo stands the Santi Apostoli, founded by Charlemagne and one of the oldest surviving churches in Florence.
The museum’s origins are centuries old. It is housed in the 12th century Palazzo Castellini, which was known to Dante as the Castello d’Altafronte. (The Altafrontes were an important Florentine family involved in establishing the cloth trade, fundamental to the city’s growing economy.) In 1657, in memory of the recently deceased Galileo Galilei, the city of Florence founded the world’s first scientific institution, the Accademia del Cimento – The Academy for Experimentation. This beginning fostered a passion not only for the discovery of scientific knowledge and principles, but also for their application in all areas of human understanding.
Singapore – Some Different Things To Do
Even the man’s eyebrows were immaculate. Pencilled on with a delicate touch, they moved of their accord as the taxi driver explained the mysteries of Singapore to me.
As he did so I realised, despite her reputation for sterility, there is the unusual to find in Singapore, even when driving from the airport.
Where A Witch Doctor Eats
Gough St, Central is a small street in the Central/Western district of Hong Kong Island which boasts an amazing, and often changing, range of restaurants and cafes. It is reached by a five-minute walk from Sheung Wan MTR- uphill. Seriously uphill. Gough Street runs through that area of Hong Kong where the steepness of the streets necessitates a footpath more steps than path. Rock walls struggle to stop everything from sliding downhill, with roots of giant trees cascade over the rocks, somehow holding the stone walls together. Walking remains the best choice; many taxis won’t come to this area because of the difficulty negotiating the roads, and the ubiquitous minivans which serve as light buses simply can’t fit.
Yet walk up Aberdeen St, past the Lan Kwai Fong Hotel, and turn right into Gough St. In that short walk lies a snap shot of Hong Kong, from pedlars touting their wares on the street to high-end galleries. A few streets away are the Graham St wet markets; a few streets in the other directions lies Cat Street, famous for its antique stores. Continue Reading →