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

The Tower of Pisa, more famously known worldwide as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, is located next to the Cathedral of Pisa in Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa, Italy. The Tower was completed in the year 1399. However, its original construction started much earlier, around the year 1173. Although its original height was 60m, the current height of the Tower is now lower, at about 56.6m at its highest point.  The Tower of Pisa is part of a group of four elements of the complex of  monuments in Piazza dei Miracoli ( Square of Miracles). The other three elements in this group are the Cathedral of Pisa, the Baptistry and the Monumental Cemetery.  An interesting fact not known to many casual visitors is that apart from the Tower of Pisa, both the Cathedral and Baptistry are also sinking. The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa, Italy (2007)

Commissioned and built in the first century A.D. by the Emperor Vespasian, the Colosseum was opened in the year A.D. 80 by Vespasian's successor and son, the Emperor Titus, as the Flavian Amphitheater. The Colosseum, Rome, Italy (2007) For almost four centuries after its opening, the Colosseum was actively in use before it fell into neglect. Devastated by an earthquake in 1349, the entire outer south side of the Amphitheater's structure collapsed. Its stones were subsequently used as building materials for Rome's infrastructures including palaces and churches. At its peak, the Colosseum could hold up to 80,000 spectators for public events including gladiatorial battles as well as animal hunts and fights. On the less gory side, the Colosseum was also used to stage dramas based on classical mythologies. Today, the Colosseum lies in substantial ruins relative to its heydays. But it remains an iconic symbol of Rome in its imperial days and a major tourist att

Nepal, Annapurna Region This was and still is one of the most enjoyable trips that I had taken. The trip was a long time ago in 1998 when I was still a footloose twenty-something who was rich in energy but poor in resources. Almost fresh out of military service, I had scraped together a couple of years of savings to afford this trip and went along with two other friends.  The total number of days spent trekking was 6 days although I had spent considerably more time in Nepal during the trip, taking the chance to visit Kathmandu and Pokhara before starting on the trek. After the trek, I also took the opportunity to visit the Chitwan National Park in the Terai Region, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. This is a chronology of the trek from Day 1 to 6. Day 1 (3 April 1998)  - First day of our trek. The day began early at about 7.40am. Driving out of Pokhara (900 meters above sea level), our cheerful driver brought us to the foot of Dhampus Hill. Here, there

Estonia, Tallinn, Old Town - UNESCO World Heritage Site From a young age, I had read countless books on fairy tales where the central characters lived in medieval Europe. The age-old story of Hansel and Gretel quickly came to mind when I was planning a trip to Helsinki and the idea of a side trip to Tallinn cropped  up. Reading up as much as I could about Tallinn, I realised that the Old Town district of the Estonian Capital is considered to be the best preserved medieval city in northern Europe. Pictures of cobblestone streets and buildings with Gothic spires convinced me that I had to make the trip as a personal travel Bucket List item. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, the Old Town of Tallinn has no lack of churches, houses, barns and streets all dating as far back in time as the Middle Ages.  When I arrived in Tallinn onboard the ferry from Helsinki, I immediately headed for the Old Town. Entering the town through the Viru Gates transported me back t

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