TANKS Travel Tales - a travelogue.......

United Kingdom, England, Wiltshire - UNESCO World Heritage Site Straight out of the history books and right before my eyes stood Stonehenge. That was what I experienced when I visited this neolithic era monument for the first time. Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England, UK (2011) It was the beginning of autumn in 2011 and the morning air was chilly at the site. Despite the cold, I bravely joined the crowd of visitors circling this prehistoric assembly of stones arranged in concentric rings, a monument both to its era and to the people who built it. Slowly observing and studying the site as my walk progressed, I compared what I had read and learned from books and documentaries to what stood before me. This allowed me to better appreciate the depth of the historical significance of the site. And no, I was no selfie-seeking tourist gunning for that breakout viral photo on social media. I was a student of history, at least for that brief moment in time. I remembered circlin

Japan, Hiroshima Prefecture, Hatsukaichi, Itsukushima - UNESCO World Heritage Site Considered one of the 3 best views of Japan, the Floating Torii Gate is part of the Itsukushima Shrine on the island of Itsukushima. The island is also popularly known as Miyajima. As shown in the photograph below, the so-called Floating Torii Gate don't actually float. It is just that when the tide comes in, the partially submerged structure appears to float on the sea because its base is no longer visible to the eye. The Floating Torii Gate at low tide,  Itsukushima,  Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan (2019) Itsukushima Shrine,  Itsukushima,  Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan (2019) The Torii Gate as seen from the  Itsukushima Shrine,  Itsukushima,  Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan (2019) Besides the world famous and tourist-favourite Itsukushima Shrine and its Torii Gate, the island has lots of other renown attractions including magical Mount Mise

Tallinn is both the capital city as well as cultural heart of Estonia. Located on the shores of the Baltic Sea, the city of Tallinn is both a reflection of new and old. The recent economic growth of Estonia has transformed the country greatly. Evident of this is everywhere including in Tallinn itself, mostly represented by gleaming, neat and artfully designed office towers. Yet, with its UNESCO World Heritage Site-inscribed Old Town, the Gothic-style Town Hall and historical Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Tallinn retains much of its medieval heritage to give visitors unique insights into its rich history and culture. Those who are interested in history will be pleased to know that Tallinn itself is home to many museums and galleries. These include the Estonian History Museum, the Estonian Maritime Museum and the Tallinn City Museum. History and Geography The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was built in the late 19th century when Estonia was still part of the Russian Empire. The cathed

Both a national treasure to Japan and a UNESCO World Heritage Site , Himeji Castle and its complex stand tall and proud on a hilltop overlooking the city of Himeji in Japan's Hyogo Prefecture.  Completed in the year 1609, the Himeji Castle complex originally comprised more than 80 different buildings spread out over the complex area and interconnected by winding paths while at the same time, separated by gates.  Visiting the castle complex for the first time in April, I was awestruck by the magnificent castle, its surrounding buildings and well-manicured gardens. This is truly one historic castle complex that made me literally hold my breath as I marvelled at its architecture and grandeur. I shall be following up with a more detailed blog post on my visit to Himeji Castle. But until I get around to writing that article, here is a photo of Himeji Castle that I took with my iPhone X which I would like to share with all of you. Using both my DSLR camera and my iPhone

The city of Haifa is located in northern Israel and is one of the largest city in the country. Haifa is a major Israeli seaport as it is situated along Israel's coastline on the Mediterranean Sea. The climate of Haifa is usually hot and dry with some rains in the rainy season. The rainy season is usually between  the months of November to February. It is about 3 hours by car from Tel Aviv. The most famous tourist attraction of Haifa is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Baha'i Shrine (a.k.a. Baha'i World Center; a religious site of the Baha'i faith). The surrounding gardens of the Shrine, located in Mount Carmel, are also known as the Hanging Gardens of Haifa. The Baha'i Gardens, Haifa, Israel (2002) As this is a religious site, visitors have to observe proper attire, especially when visiting the sites near the buildings. Loud talking are also not advised. The gardens are a delight to walk in and a marvel for the eyes. Designed to be almost sy

Located in Nikko, the Nikko Tosho-gu (a.k.a. Toshogu) is both a Shinto shrine as well as a mausoleum that is dedicated to the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Tokugawa layasu (1543 - 1616).  The Toshogu shrine is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site listing of the Shrines and Temples of Nikko. My visit to the Toshogu shrine on 5th October 2014 was partly clouded by the impending arrival of super Typhoon Phanfone. Although Nikko wasn't in the path of the typhoon, the accompanying rains sort of "wash-out" my day trip to Nikko. I started the day trip early in the morning and the bus journey from Tokyo to Nikko passed through parts of Saitama Prefecture offering picture-perfect views of the countryside despite the drizzle which got stronger as the tour bus neared Nikko. Because of the rain, I was unable to take much photos of the lavishly decorated Toshogu. The most famous of these decorations being the wooden carvings of the Three Wise Monkeys, who toge

Bath is located about 156km west of London and I visited this city in September 2011. Actually, Bath was not on my planned itinerary during my trip to the UK. But I decided to drop by for a short visit as part of my out-of-London day trip which included a trip to Stonehenge. Like Stonehenge, Bath is a World Heritage Site. The city was designated in 1987 and this city is an extremely popular stop on the tourist map. As I arrived at Bath, I can't helped but marveled at the beauty of this city. I can't placed what actually made this city so attractive to me. It was probably a combination of factors; the architecture of the age-old buildings, the little sidewalk cafes, the relaxed lifestyles of the locals, the neat and prettily manicured parks, the clean streets and that romantic river that ran through the city! The iconic Bath Abbey, Bath, England, UK (2011) My first stop was at the Bath Abbey. This was originally a Norman Church and the current building reporte