World Travel - by Craig Hill

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The Mendut is one of three exactly aligned Buddhist Temples, located in Central Java, and each a mile apart. The exact religious relationship between the three is known to exist, but is a long-forgotten mystery. Mendut is a ninth century Buddhist temple, located in Mendut village. It is loca...

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The Pawon is one of three exactly aligned Buddhist Temples, located in Central Java, and each a mile apart. The exact religious relationship between the three is known to exist, but is a long-forgotten mystery. The Pawon is located exactly central between the Borobudur, one mile north-east, ...

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Sometimes, there isn't need to write a lot, so I'll just post a video of myself and my friends at Sea Life Park in Honolulu. Here, we went swimming with dolphins, sea lions, stingrays, sharks, turtles and lots and lots of fishes. ltobject width"425" height"344"gtltparam name"movie" ...

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The Parliamentary Triangle in Canberra doesnt refer to an anomaly in the time and space continuum, where ships and planes disappear without a trace (though many political careers have). It is a scenic and picturesque precinct, containing some of Australias most important national and parliamentar...

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While there is much to see in Shanghai, these night time shots of the citys lights, including from helicopter, rooftops and restricted locations, are particularly spectacular. Shanghai has grown from a small fishing and textiles town, to become one of the largest cities on Earth, with a population...

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Rockhampton is the unofficial capital of Central Queensland, and proudly declares itself the 'Beef Cattle Capital of Australia'. Yet it is also a proudly independent city, and, since the 1860s, has had a strong secessionist movement thriving in the city. It is located 638 km north of Brisbane, ...

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Of all the places I've ever been, few are as inspiring as Pearl Harbor, on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu. We all know the story, and we've seen the movie, but it is not until one visits the place that the enormity of what happened there really sinks in. What happened in this place changed the cour...

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Goulburn today is a world renowned fine wool area, symbolised in the city by a three story high concrete castrated sheep, but it also has a secret in its grand old buildings and magnificent cathedrals, which look like they were transported stone by stone from Britain. But Goulburn also holds the s...

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Bangkok is the political, social and economic centre of not only Thailand, but much of South East Asia and Indochina as well. It is also the city that produced the most special woman I have ever met in the world (her name is Angie, and she now lives in Hawaii). Bangkok is generally regarded a...

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Whenever I visit the city of Sydney, the first thing I do is walk from Central station down to Circular Quay, and around the citys CBD. The area around Circular Quay is my favourite. Sydney was the site of Australias first established European settlement, in 1788, when the First Fleet. This c...

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China: Jiading Confucius Temple	Diamond Head, Hawaii	Seattle, USA: Space Needle
Java, Indonesia: Mendut Temple	Java, Indonesia: Pawon Temple	Waikiki, USA: Honolulu Tavern Karaoke
Honolulu USA: Sea Life Park	Australia: Canberra's Parliamentary Triangle	Fucking, Austria
Shanghai, China: Shanghai Nights	Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia	Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, USA
Goulburn, Australia	Bangkok, Thailand	Sydney, Australia: Circular Quay

China: Jiading Confucius Temple

December 3rd 2011 05:41

Jiading is an ancient town located in Jiading District, about 20 kilometres northwest of Shanghai. On the southside of Jiading, in South Street, is the famous Confucius Temple, known locally as Jiading Kongmiao.

It is one of the biggest and best preserved temples in Eastern China. It also serves as the Jiading Museum, and provides information about the 1300 year history of the area during Imperial times, as well as the Ancient Qiyuansee period. There are full and accurate descriptions of the beginning, development and disappearance of Imperial China, relevant to the Jiadong area.

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Diamond Head, Hawaii

March 5th 2009 22:55

Diamond Head is the most famous volcanic crater in the world. It is located on the South-east Coast of O'ahu, at the end of Waikiki, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

It was originally named Laeahi by the ancient Hawaiians. The name meant "brow of the tuna" and looking at the silhouette of the crater from Waikiki, you can see the resemblance. The current name was given to the crater by British sailors in the 1800's. When they first saw the crater at a great distance, the calcite crystals in the lava rock appeared to glimmer in the sunlight. The sailors mistakenly thought there must be diamonds in the soil

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Seattle, USA: Space Needle

November 25th 2008 12:02

The Space Needle was built for the 1962 World's Fair, yet even today, it is still the number tourist attraction in all Seattle. The old fairgrounds surrounding the Space Needle house numerous attractions that in themselves attract a lot of tourists.

The Space Needle "complex" where the old fairground was (now called the Seattle Centre) contains a huge science fair, Imax Theatres, showground rides for all ages, shopping and much, much more. There's even a monorail from Seattle's Downtown to get you to the Space Needle and the Seattle Centre.

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Java, Indonesia: Mendut Temple

October 23rd 2008 12:21

Mendut is a ninth century Buddhist temple, located in Mendut village. It is located about two miles northeast from Borobudur. Mendut, Borobudur and Pawon, all of which are Buddhist temples, are located in one straight line. Mendut is the oldest of the three temples.

According to the Karang Tengah inscription, the temple was built and finished during the reign of King Indra of the Sailendra dynasty. It may have originally be called "Venuvana" (bamboo forest).

It was rediscovered in 1836 as ruins covered with bushes. Restoration commenced in 1897, and was completed in 1925. The roof part is still unfinished, as can be compared with the roof of the Pawon. This is because some of the original stones are missing.

The temple is 26.4 metres tall and faces west.The stairs also emerge to the west, and are have Makara statues on each side.

There were originally two chambers inside the temple. The roof and some parts of the smaller front chamber walls are missing, but the large central main chamber is complete. This large main chamber contains exquisitely carved statues, which are the main Buddhist divinities in Mendut, and explain the spiritual purpose of the temple.

The 3 metre tall statue of Dhyani Buddha Vairocana was meant to liberate the devotees from the bodily karma. To the left is a statue of Boddhisatva Avalokitesvara to liberate from the karma of speech. To the right is Boddhisatva Vajrapani to liberate from karma of thought.

The Vesak annual ritual is observed by Indonesian Buddhists during the full moon in May or June, by walking from Mendut, passing through Pawon, and ending at Borobudur.

I visited the Pawon, the Borobudur and the Mendut on my first trip ouside Australia in 1977, flying Garuda Airlines. The mystery of these three temples has always amazed me, just as the mysteries surrounding many ancient monuments continues to astound people throughout the world.

Other related stories by this author about Central Java and Indonesia

01 "Java, Indonesia: The Borobudur" posted on World Travel
02 "Java, Indonesia: The Pawon" posted on World Travel

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Java, Indonesia: Pawon Temple

October 23rd 2008 12:07

The Pawon is located exactly central between the Borobudur, one mile north-east, and the Mendut, one mile south-west. There is a strong relationship between the three, all of which were built in the eighth and ninth century, during the Sailendra dynasty.

The original name of the temple is lost in time. The popular adopted name, Pawon, literally means "kitchen" in Javanese. To the local people, it is known as "Bajranalan", from the name of the village. This name derives from the Sanskrit words "Vajra" (meaning thunder) and "anala" (meaning fire or flame). Perhaps this is a clue to the origins of the temple, or perhaps not. No one is really sure.

"Anala" is also a Buddhist ceremonial tool.

Reliefs of boddhisattvas (beings that compassionately refrain from entering nirvana in order to save others) and taras (female deities representing enlightened activity and fearlessness) are carved into the outer wall. There are also reliefs of the kalpataru (tree of life), flanked by Kinnara-Kinnari (celestial musicians, half human and half bird).

The square chamber inside is empty, in contrast to the Mendut, which has statues inside.

The Vesak annual ritual is observed by Indonesian Buddhists during the full moon in May or June, by walking from Mendut, passing through Pawon, and ending at Borobudur.

I visited the Pawon, the Borobudur and the Mendut on my first trip outside Australia in 1977, flying Garuda Airlines. The mystery of these three temples has always amazed me, just as the mysteries surrounding many ancient monuments continues to astound people throughout the world.

Other related stories by this author about Central Java and Indonesia

01 "Java, Indonesia: The Borobudur" posted on World Travel
02 "Java, Indonesia: The Mendut" posted on World Travel

More stories by this author after the following important information

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Waikiki, USA: Honolulu Tavern Karaoke

October 14th 2008 15:27

It was just about a year ago, we were sitting at my favourite bar in the world, the Honolulu Tavern. Since there's karaoke there every night, we decided to have a YouTube party, and this is the result (with apologies to Creedence Clearwater). It was October 16th 2007, to be exact.

Now none of us are real good singers, and I put that down to two things. Firstly, the Americans have really funny accents, and I was the only one there who talked with a normal Australian drawl. Secondly, it's hard to sing in tune when you've drank a certain number of pints of Budweiser.

Still, the bar's owner and myself came up with the idea, and we thought it would be good if everyone sang a couple of lines. Sort of like a poor man's version of We Are The World, or something like that.

It took a little planning, but it worked reasonably well. We even got quite a few of us singing our favourite songs solo. Everyone had a great time later sending the links home to friends and family all over the world, to show off the local bar we all liked to meet together in.

Click here to go to the Honolulu Tavern YouTube Party Site to see all the songs that were recorded

Anyway, this is the video (I'm the eighth singer, by the way, the cute, young-looking blond guy).

The other singers, in order, are:

Dan
Oirlie
Darren
Stella
Byron (owner of the tavern)
Ting (Byron's wife)
Char
Me (I sing "Oh Lord, I'm stuck in Honolulu again")
Chicago Bob (the karaoke DJ, dancing)
Brenda
Daryl
Vatala
Dave (aka Elvis, another karaoke DJ)
Oirlie (Dave's wife)
Darren
Char
The whole gang together for the finale

Click here to go to the Honolulu Tavern website, and see all that it has to offer

And, as an added treat, this is just me singing on my own (nah, skip this if you want):

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Honolulu USA: Sea Life Park

October 14th 2008 13:34

Click here to go to the full story of Sea Life Park, on this site

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Australia: Canberra's Parliamentary Triangle

September 16th 2008 08:06

The Parliamentary Triangle in Canberra doesn’t refer to an anomaly in the time and space continuum, where ships and planes disappear without a trace (though many political careers have). It is a scenic and picturesque precinct, containing some of Australia’s most important national and parliamentary buildings.

The Parliamentary Triangle in Canberra, A.C.T highlights the similarity of design between the Australian capital and the American capital, Washington, D.C. Both have Parliamentary Triangles that link up the house of government with important monuments and places. The Canberra triangle was a significant part of the design of the city by American architect, Walter Burley-Griffin.

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Fucking, Austria

September 5th 2008 13:23

British tourists have left the residents of one charming Austrian village effing and blinding by constantly stealing the signs for their oddly named village.

While British visitors are finding it hilarious, the residents of Fucking are failing to see the funny side.

Only one kind of criminal ever stalks the sleepy 32 house village near Salzburg on the German border - cheeky British tourists armed with a sense of humour and a screwdriver.

But the local authorities are hitting back and with the signs now set in concrete, police chief Kommandant Schmidtberger is on the lookout.

“We will not stand for the Fucking signs being removed,” the officer said.

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Shanghai, China: Shanghai Nights

August 9th 2008 13:10

While there is much to see in Shanghai, these night time shots of the city’s lights, including from helicopter, rooftops and restricted locations, are particularly spectacular. Shanghai has grown from a small fishing and textiles town, to become one of the largest cities on Earth, with a population of over 20 million people.

Lujiazui Financial Trade Zone

This important financial district is located on the eastern bank of the Huangpo River, in the Pudong New District, directly across the river from the Bund (the old financial and business district of Shanghai). Until the 1980s, Lujiazui was a was a lower scale area of residential houses, warehouses and factories.

Huaihai Road

Huaihai Road is lined with classical and elegant architecture, as well as modern buildings. The fashionable department stores are well-known for exquisite works, modern design and fine material of dressing and accessories. It symbolises taste, style and fashion.

Looking From Pudong At Bund

An area of Huangpu District, within the former Shanghai International Settlement, The Bund is the old financial and business district. It is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Shanghai, with 52 buildings of various architectural style. These include the Shanghai Club, which was the principal social club for British nationals in Shanghai. It runs along the western bank of the Huangpu River, across the river from Pudong. The Bund usually refers to the buildings and wharves on this section of Zhongshan Road, and some adjacent areas.

Jin Mao Tower

Jin Mao means “Golden Prosperity”. It is an 88 story skyscraper in the Lujiazui area of Pudong. Until 2007, it was the tallest building in Shanghai and China, and the fifth tallest in the world, until it was surpassed by the Shanghai World Financial Center. It contains the Shanghai Hyatt Hotel, and offices.

City Hall

The City Hall (Municipal Building) is located in Huangpu District, along with other major administration units. Huangpu is also a commercial area, and includes the famous Nanjing Road, near Huaihai Road.

Grand Theatre

Located in People’s Square and occupying 2.1 hectares, the building faces the People’s Boulevard in the south, along the Huangpi Beilu in the west, and is nest to the Shanghai City Hall in the east. This makes the People’s Square the centre of politics and culture in the city. It has 10 stories (including two underground) and is 40 metres high.

Pudong Century Avenue Sundial

Century Avenue traverses the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone, the Bamboo Garden Business and Trade Area and the landscaped Administrative and Cultural Centre, and is 4.2 km long and 100 metres wide. The “Oriental Light” sculpture, a large sundial, is an interweaving network of stainless steel pipes. The oval sundial disk represents the Earth, and it functions as a clock.

Circus World

A popular tourist attraction covering 2.25 square km in Gonghe Xin Lu Road. It is a permanent circus, with an Acrobatics Field, an Animal House and a Cultural and Commercial City. It is home to the world renowned Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe, and is known as China’s No 1 Circus World. It first opened to the public in 1999.

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Nanpu Bridge

The total length of the bridge is 8346 metres, with a centre span of 423 metres, and a tower height of 150 metres. It ranks as third among cable-stayed bridges in the world.

Waibaidu Bridge

In English, the Garden Bridge, is one of the symbols of Shanghai’s modern and industrial image, and is regarded as the city’s trademark bridge. It is located on the Suzhou Creek in central Shanghai, and connects the Huangpu and Hongkou districts where the Suzhou River flows into the Huang Pu. The bridge is 106.7 metres long and spans 52.16 metres. The bridge was built in 1907, replacing an earlier wooden bridge built in 1856.

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