Showing posts with label Travel (Not Synth Related). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel (Not Synth Related). Show all posts

Friday, 4 September 2015

Balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings - Luxor - Egypt

Luxor is on the west bank of the Nile, near the valley of the Kings. The 3rd of Jan is my birthday.
This was a perfect way to begin a perfect day.

Video 1:

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Close your eyes if you're afraid of heights.

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Video3

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Video 4
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Video 5

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Video 6

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That's the Nile river.






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Thursday, 20 August 2015

Disco Ayala - the cave nightclub in Trinidad Cuba


Even if you're not into nightclubbing it's a must see when in Cuba.


 Housed in a natural cave Disco Ayala is lot's of fun.
At 1am every night there are live shows -- firewalkers & acrobats. This guy's got very tough teeth.

Cave nightclubs would never be allowed in Australia so lap up the atmosphere while you can.

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Wednesday, 5 August 2015

Cuba - Manaca Iznaga estate - Sugar & Slaves

Manaca Iznaga Estate is today part of a UNESCO world heritage region called Valley de los Ingenios or Valley of the Sugar Mills.

It's part of a series of three interconnected valleys (San Luis, Santa Rosa, and Meyer ) about 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) outside of Trinidad, Cuba. Sugar was the most important industry in Cuba from the late 18th century until the late 19th century.
At it's peak there were over 30,000 slaves working on these plantations.

"To prevent the sugar from spoiling, rapid transport was necessary, and to this end a special railway line was laid down through the valley in the late 1880s, connecting the Valle de los Ingenios with Trinidad and the port at Casilda, 6 km (4 mi) from Trinidad, on the coast." (Wikipedia).

The "Iznaga Tower"

The "Iznaga Tower" was built in 1816 by the estate owner, Alejo Maria Iznaga y Borrell.
It's in a rather poor state, but we still managed to make the climb up to the top.

 These wooden stairs are 199 years old.

A view of the homestead from the tower's summit.


This bell used to be hung at the top of the tower. It was rung at the start & the end of the work day as well as the times for prayers or when the slaves escaped. It must have been a desperate existence for the slaves. I can't possibly imagine the suffering they must have endured.


Part of the sugar mill

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Tuesday, 21 July 2015

Karnak Temple - Luxor - Egypt

This is the second largest ancient religious site in the world, after the Angkor Wat Temple of Cambodia.

It's a vast site full of decayed temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings.
Most of the extant buildings date from the New Kingdom.

These are pillars of the Great Hypostyle Hall from the Precinct of Amun-Re.










Wednesday, 1 July 2015

Santiago de Cuba - Cuba Trip

The news today is all about the thawing of relations between the US & Cuba.
It's about time. I visited Cuba in 2010/11. Lovely people.

Santiago de Cuba was the fifth village founded by Spanish conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar on July 25, 1515.
The first cathedral was built in the city in 1528. From 1522 until 1589 Santiago was the capital of the Spanish colony of Cuba.

The city was plundered by French forces in 1553, and by British forces under Christopher Myngs in 1662.
Casa de Diego Velazquez - this is the oldest colonial house in Cuba & probably North America.
Address: Francisco Vicente Aguilera, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
Dating from 1522 - it was the residence of the Island's first Govenor.

 Excellent Beer.

 Dance Classes :-)








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Friday, 19 June 2015

The White Desert - Egypt

The White Desert is located 45 km (28 mi) north of the town of Farafra. It has massive chalk rock formations ... the main reason for going there ... apart from the the great sunsets & the fun that is
camping in the desert.


An uplifting and unearthly place. Beautiful wind-carved rock formations shaped in the form of giant mushrooms ... we could be on another planet.

unearthly and beautiful wind-carved rock formations shaped in the form of giant mushrooms - See more at: http://en.egypt.travel/attraction/index/the-white-desert#sthash.EMuMzKKL.dpuf
unearthly and beautiful wind-carved rock formations shaped in the form of giant mushrooms - See more at: http://en.egypt.travel/attraction/index/the-white-desert#sthash.EMuMzKKL.dpuf
These deposits were formed during the Mesozoic era and are part of the ancient Tethys Ocean. They are calcium carbonate (a form of limestone). The Mesozoic Era covers a pretty broad expanse of time (262 - 66 million years ago). So this place was once under the ocean.

Great sunsets ... these pics don't do the place justiice.



We spent one night sleeping under the stars.When the camp fire went out the temp dropped and it was freezing. The water in those bottles is frozen.

A warning to all would be travelers.