Arles, France

Just north of Aix-en-Provence is the charming tourist destination village of Arles. Occupied first by Celtic tribes, then by a Greek colony, Arles became Roman when Julius Caesar gives the colony to the veterans of his legions. It became one of the Roman Empire's most important cities and religious center. Destroyed and ravaged by invasions during the Middle Ages, Arles was rebuilt during the 12th century. The magnificence of its medeival monuments is evidence to the vitality and wealth of that period. Arles has an extraordinary well-preserved Roman arena, Les Arènes, which is located in the city center and backed by an impressive variety of sother stones and monuments from the Roman and medieval era. Arles was also made famous by painters Van Gogh and Gaugin in the late nineteenth century. The area around Arles is famous for its natural beauty, especially in the Camargue. Arles is today a staid and conservative place, but comes to life for the Saturday market, which brings in throngs of farmers from the surrounding countryside, and during the various festivals of tauromachie between Easter and All Saints, when the town's frenzy for bulls rivals that of neighboring Nimes.



Les Arènes is the most important Roman monument of the old Roman colony. The amphitheatre's architecture is entirely conceived in keeping with its role as a place for important events and accommodating a large audience. The Roman area stands at the quiet heart of historic Arles and is the most visited monument in the city. The amphitheater of Arles occupies the twentieth place among those of the Roman world. It has the shape of an ellipse. The facade is made up of two levels of sixty full-curve arcades, separated by massive rectangular supporting walls. A broader opening emphasizes the ends of the two axes of the monument. Much damage has been done over the years to its structure; it was even largely dismantled in the 1820's to be used as building stone and in the 12th century was turned into a walled village. The medieval towers at each end are a relic of that time when there were 200 houses and even a church within the arena. The main entrance was not in the north like today, but on the west side where the remains of a staircase towards the city can be seen. The initial capacity of the monument is considered to be some 20,000 people. To allow visitors to reach the various terraces, a clever system of circular galleries, horizontal passages and alternatively laid out staircases had been developed. Enough remains of this circle of ancient walls, corridors and steps to be an awesome sight. The arena is still used for bullfights and performances.

Near the arena on Rue de la Calade is the large Théâtre Antique, or Roman theatre. Only the bare bones have survived thanks to years of destruction as the stonework was gradullay removed to build houses and churches. All that remains are two columns of the stage wall and twenty rows of seats. Even this remnant creates a powerful impression. The theatre ruins are used for concerts, drama and the July folklore festival. Most of the relics brought to light during excavation can be seen in the Musée d'Art Païen - the most important of these is the "Venus of Arles", a representation of the goddess Diana, which was discovered near a fountain in 1651 and is now in the Louvre in Paris.



Arles is closely connected with the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh. It was the luminosity that attracted Van Gogh to the south of France. The Dutch painter, Van Gogh, arrived in Arles in February 1888 looking for the outside light but also seeking an interior illumination. Here he started a period of intense and impassioned work under the bright sunny sky of Provence. His stay in Arles was the most productive period of his life : the more than 300 paintings and drawings done in his 15 months here form one of the most brilliant chapters in the history of art. Even though there are no original paintings by Van Gogh in the city, the shadow of his presence is everywhere. Just off the Rue du Forum is the Place du Forum and the Café at Night, still there almost as Vincent painted it over three balmy days in September 1888. This place evokes a great sense of theatre and reflection. Still operational today and now named Café Van Gogh, most visitors part with their dollars to have at least one drink in the Van Gogh café.

After cutting his ear, Van Gogh was admitted to a hospital, which has now become the Espace Van Gogh. It stands opposite the Museon Arlaten, and still has the garden seen in his painting Jardin de L'Hopital a Arles. The 16th C. building has been made into a cultural center and equipped as a "School of Books".

A short drive northeast of Arles is the ruined town of Les Baux-de-Provence, situated in the extreme west of Provence on the southern edge of the Alpilles. This unique ruined citadel occupies the high stony plateau which rises above the Lower Town. The entire place can be visited only on foot; parking is available outside the entrance to the Lower Town. This medieval fortress village receives up to one million visitors a year and has almost no permanent residents. The dominant feature is the gaunt and impressive walled enclosure of the medieval citadel whose ruins occupy most of the site. Inside the enclosed area are about a dozen buildings still standing, including a 13th centruy keep and other medieval towers, an olive musueum, a chapel and a pigeon house cut out of the rock. Les Baux has little to offer except atmospheric alleys and exceptional views across Vallon de la Fontaine to the hills all around.

Aix-en-Provence, France

AIX-EN-PROVENCE (Aix) is the historic capital and one of the main cities of central Provence. Aix is an elegant city that achieved fame when “Good King René,” count of Provence, and his wife chose it as their preferred residence in the 1450s. Upon his death Aix fell under the rule of the French crown and was made the seat of parliament. The city flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries and became one of the most prosperous metropolises of the region. Much of Aix’s elegant architecture is attributed to this period of affluence. What makes Aix unique is its complacently conservatism and its stunning beauty. The elegant historic university town has an impressive array of Renaissance buildings and an arty youthful feel. For centuries, a town of art and culture, it is famous as the home of Paul Cézanne who was born here and did most of his work in Aix.

Many visitors are content to get no farther than the town's tree-shaded main street, Cours Mirabeau, where it is perfect just to stroll on the wide pavement or sit outdoor table under the trees and watch the crowds. This broad central boulevard is the town's main attraction, appealing for its quiet and bustle walkways. Its double row of leafy plain trees shades hundreds of cafe tables on the north side including the classic brasserie Les Deux Garcons that dates from the 1790's and has been registered as a historic monument. The road is lined with 17th and 18th century mansions with elaborate ironwork balconies supported by huge caryatids that now house banks and offices. Down the middle of the boulevard are four natural fountains, including the moss-covered natural hot-spring Fontaine d'Eau Thermale, and at the southern end, Fontaine de la Rotonde. The Rotunda was erected in 1860. Surmounting this monumental fountain are three statues representing justice (facing Aix), Agriculture (facing Marseille) and the Arts (facing Avignon). For visitor information, the official tourism office is located nearby.

Cours Mirabeau marks the southern boundary of Vieil Aix, the attractive Medieval and Renaissance old quarter and heart of Aix, enclosed by a ring of avenues and squares that have replaced the town's ramparts. Vieil Aix is a place to explore at a leisurely pace; there are markets, pretty little squares with splashing fountains and lively narrow pedestrian-only lanes. The town's main square, place de l'Hotel de Ville, with its Italianate town hall is here. From one corner of the building is a 16th century belfry, the Tour de L'Horloge, its tower adorned with an astronomical clock. Three days a week (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday), the vivid hues and scents of a flower market fill the square. Place Richelme, close by, has a daily produce market and is a main hangout for street musicians and students.



Atelier Cézanne or Cézanne's studio is of interest simply as a perfectly preserved house and studio of the 1900's, although it contains none of the artist's work. The story is that Cézanne was mocked by locals, and with difficulty endured their daily ridicule as he made his way out to paint, carrying his easel and palette and ignoring his tormentors. Near the end of his life and after the death of his mother, Cézanne became highly productive and began to earn an income from sales of his work in Paris, Berlin, and Vienna, but not in Aix. He had this handsome studio-house built on a hill above the cathedral and from 1897 to his death in 1906, Cézanne spend most of his time here. Dozens of paintings, including his last "Large Bathers" were painted in this studio of light and silence. A small collection of minor early Cézanne paintings are on display at the Musee Granet.



The Cathedrale St-Sauveur is located on the route of an ancient Roman road, the Via Aurelia, north of cours Mirabeau. This Roman Catholic cathedral is an interesting mix of styles from Romanesque to baroque, spanning the 5th to th 17th centuries. A 16th-century Gothic portal features elaborately carved doors (opened by a guide on request). The cathedral is flanked on the north by an incomplete tower. Look for the 16th century Flemish tapestries in the chancel, which were stolen from Canterbury Cathedral during the English Civil War. The ancient baptistery , off the right-hand nave, contains traces of the main street of the Roman town. There are superb pieces of medieval art, notably Nicolas Froment's triptych of the Burning Bush in the central nave, painted by King Rene in 1476; the king and his Queen Jeanne are kneeling in prayer on either side of the Virgin, who is poised above a burning bush. To avoid light damage, the triptych is only opened for viewing on Tuesdays from 3 to 4.

Aix has seven annual festivals, including the important Festival d'Aix (Festival International d'Art Lyrique et del a Musique), an opera festival lasting for around three weeks in July.

Singapore

Unique is the word that best captures Singapore – a dynamic, cosmopolitan city-state where different cultures, ethnic groups and religions blend harmoniously. A bridge between the East and the West for centuries, Singapore, located in the heart of fascinating Southeast Asia, continues to embrace tradition and modernity today. Brimming with unbridled energy and bursting with exciting events, the city-state offers countless unique memorable experiences waiting to be discovered. Singapore is relatively easy to manuever around town especially for the first time hesitant visitor to Southeast Asia with its state-of-the art infrastructure and modern conveniences.

The island of Singapore lies off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula between the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea. Singapore encompasses 59 tiny islands that lie off its southern coast. About 23 percent of Singapore's land area consists of forest, nature reserves and rainforest, primarily Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. The tropical climate of Singapore is largely characterised by its high humidity and abundant rainfall. Temperatures average around 88° F in the day and 75° F at night.

Stately colonial buildings constructed during British rule mark central Singapore. North of the Singapore River, the Padang is a rectangular playing field where sporting events from cricket and hockey to soccer and rugby are played on a weekly basis. The area is surrounded by City Hall, the Supreme Court, Parliament House and the Singapore Cricket Club. On the Eastern side of the Padang and running along Connaught Drive from Anderson Bridge to Stamford Road is Esplanade Park along the seafront. Esplanade Park also boasts a performing arts center, the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay. The building resembles Asia's king of fruits, the delicious but stinky durian.


Merlion Park, a 2500 square meter park area on the Singapore River and at the Anderson Bridge has become a popular tourist attraction and a famous of great cities of the world. Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the then Prime Minister of Singapore, officiated the installation ceremony of the mythical Merlion on 15 September 1972. A bronze plaque commemorated the auspicious occasion with the inscription, "The Merlion has been erected as a symbol to welcome all visitors to Singapore". The area also comprises a promontory with terraced seating, and a viewing deck to hold up to 300 people as well as a boat landing point that allows visitors to disembark from river taxis. The viewing deck provides photographers with unrivalled vistas of the Merlion against the city skyline and the scenic Marina Bay that includs The Fullerton Hotel and the Esplanade. Today, the Merlion attracts more than one million visitors a year who make the trip to the Merlion Park to photograph this world famous half-fish half-lion icon.

Above Bras Bash Road on Beach Road is the famous Raffles Hotel. Raffles Hotel is a jewel in the crown of Singapore's hospitality industry, renowned and loved for its inimitable style and unsurpassed excellence in service and facilities. In multicultural Singapore, the visionary founders of Raffles Hotel were a quartet of enterprising Armenian brothers: Martin, Tigran, Aviet and Arshak Sarkies. Raffles Hotel opened in 1887 in a rather sombre-looking old bungalow known as the Beach House. It was named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore. Tropical suites and sola topis were as much a part of Raffles Hotel's early style as bentwood tables and rattan chairs. Over the years the hotel has evolved into one of the world's most beloved grand hotels and welcomed innumerable celebrities, writers and royalty including Joseph Conrad, Noel Coward, Somerset Maugham, Charlie Chaplin, and Michael Jackson. It is here that the Singapore Sling, the pink drink originally intended for ladies, was cretated in 1915 by a Hainanese bartender, Ngiam Tong Boon. Declared a National Monument in 1987, the hotel has grown with its restoration and reopening in 1991.


Situated along Singapore River, Clarke Quay is a festival village combining entertainment, waterfront recreation, food and shopping outlets housed in restored warehouses and shophouses, some dating back to the late 1880s when they were runned by predominantly Chinese traders. Named after Sir Andrew Clarke, the second governor of Singapore, Clarke Quay is energetic at night and can usually supply a good atmosphere and free entertainment at the central gazebo.



Orchard Road, the city's most exciting retail and entertainment hub, is a popular attraction amongst tourists and locals in Singapore. Whatever your budget is, you can almost always find something to buy. Most shopping centres have an anchor tenant (usually a major department store) and other smaller retailers. Gems for the picking range from designer labels from around the world, mid-range goods, Swis watches, state-of-the-art Japanese electronics, Italian furniture, and budget items. Some popular department stores and malls to check out are C.K. Tang, touted as Singapore's "Harrods" under the green-and-red tiled Chinese roof and columns; Ngee Ann City, one of the largest malls with seven floors in Southeast Asia packed with upscale shops; Isetan at the blue-colored Wisma Atria; flagship Robinson's at Centrepoint; Scotts; and Plaza Singapura, one of the first malls on Orchard. Even if you are not interested in Singapore's national pastime of shopping, Orchard Road has the most modern mall architecture in the world such as the red temple-like form of Ngee Ann City. On a practical level, Orchard Road functions as Singapore's living room, a place where the locals socialize, shop, watch movies, eat, stroll and flirt with numerous nightspots, bars, major international hotels, lounges, pubs, cafes, and restaurants.



Sentosa is Singapore's most popular leisure and recreation resort, transformed from a military area in 1972. Attractions found on the island include a village featuring Asian food, arts and crafts, beautiful architecture, a butterfly and insect museum, a wax museum, an underwater aquarium and an orchid garden. Enjoy a scenic cable car ride to the island and observe the 37-metre tall Merlion Tower soaring in the sky.

Acclaimed by zoologists and tourists as one of the best zoos in the world, Singapore Zoo is set in 170 acres of parkland next to a lake. There are more than 1600 animals in residence and 170 different species, fifty percent of which are endangered species from South-East Asia. The Night Safari, opened in 1994, is the world's first and only night zoo, which provides a rare opportunity to see nocturnal animals in their active state.





Close to the center of the city and situated near Orchard Road, the 130 acre Singapore Botanic Gardens serves as a peaceful sanctuary combining both primary forest jungle and manicured lawns in a tropical island park setting. Swans, ducks and turtles inhabit the lakes. Orchestral music can sometimes be heard from the free outdoor concerts. There are numerous plant species here, including many rare specimens, that reflect the Gardens' richness and diversity of plant life. The specialty gardens display frangipanis, roses, ferns and desert plants, to name a few. It also houses the 7.4-acre Singapore Orchid Garden featuring more than 3000 orchids.

The ethnic districts of Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India are testimonies to the island nation's rich ethnic, cultural and historical heritage. The districts are home to religious monuments as well as quaint shophouses, from traditional herbs and textiles to decorative items and antiques. Try the Tanjong Pagar area for traditional tea shops, painted masks, waxed paper umbrellas and lacquerware. Then wander over to Smith Street, Trengganu Street, Temple Street and Pagoda Street where the streets are at their narrowest and the bargains at their best. On the southern end of South Bridge Street is the entrance gateway of the Sri Mariamman Temple. This amazing tower depicts some 72 Hindu deities in vivid color. Sri Mariamman is the oldest Hindu place of worship still in use on the island. The complex is surrounded by a boundary wall topped with figures of sacred cows.


If you are in Singapore in the August or September time frame, Singapore celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival that is observed every 15th day of the eighth lunar month when the moon is believed to be at its fullest. Chinatown greets this festival with street light-ups, nightly festive bazaars and colorful street performances. Partake in the celebrations by lighting up a lantern and trying festive treats such as mooncakes, pomelos and specialty teas.

London, England - Part 3

Since the British rock explosion in the 1960's, London hasn't let up on the number of clubs featuring home-grown talent. The West End in general and Soho in particular has a number of intimate places featuring every kind of music known. The term "West End" when applied to theater, refers to commercial theaters around Shaftesbury Avenue and Covent Garden. Major companies include the Royal Court Theatre, Royal National Theatre and Shakespeare Globe Theatre. The Society of London Theatres (SOLT) operates a discount ticket booth on the south side of Leicester Square where tickets for many shows are available at half price or at a discount for over 30 performances every day. They also offer tickets in advance at full price for theatre, rock, pop, sport and other events. Tickets sell out fast, so make sure you arrive early. There is also a discount ticket booth at Brent Cross Shopping Centre. The booths only sell discount theatre tickets for performances on the same day and you have to show up in person. You can bag cheap tickets to a wide choice of productions; big hit musicals, comedy, dance and opera, even hits like Mamma Mia to Billy Eliot. Expect to pay around £10–£25. All West End theaters are closed on Sundays. Check out the listings magazine Time Out that details around 60 off-West End theaters and fringe venues where you'll see some of the most original drama in London. The best-known fringe venues include Almeida Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, and Soho Theatre. Scan http://www.lastminute.com/ for short-notice discounts of up to 50% on theater, musicals, comedy, cinema, concerts, and even VIP entry to nightclubs.

Take the trains from Paddington Station for a day excursion to visit Windsor Castle that is claimed to be the largest inhabited castle in the world and it's on a site that has been a home to monarchs for more than 900 years. Located about 20 miles from London on the Thames, the castle is the Official Residence of Her Majesty The Queen and sits on 4800 acres of lawn, woodlands, and lakes. The Castle covers an area of about 13 acres and contains magnificent State Apartments furnished with treasures from the Royal Collection, St George's Chapel (one of the most beautiful ecclesiastical buildings in England and the burial place of 10 monarchs), and Queen Mary's Dolls House, a masterpiece in miniature. During the winter months an additional five rooms, known collectively as the Semi-State Rooms, are included in the visitor route. Standard admission charges apply. The Semi-State Rooms are open to the public from Saturday 26 September 2009 to the end of March 2010.

The British Museum, with it's 2-acre Great Court main south entrance with its stunning steel-and-glass roof, houses an unmatched collecton of antiquities, most of which are the spoils of empire. Important finds from Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Cyprus share this warehouse of history with spectacular collections from Asia and the Middle East. The Rosetta Stone sits at the entrance to the Egyption Sculpture Gallery; the sculptures from the Parthenon known as the Elgin Marbles, are the most famous of the museum's extensive collection of Greek Antiquities which the city of Athens want back. The British Library Galleries include two copies of the Magna Carta (1215), Shakespeare's First Folio (1623), and Gutenberg Bible (1453). Admission is free. Travelling via the Tube, the nearest Underground stations are: Holborn (approximately 7 minutes on foot); Tottenham Court Road (approx. 6 minutes on foot); Russell Square (approx. 10 minutes on foot); and Goodge Street (approx. 13 minutes on foot).

A visit to London isn't complete without a trip to Tate Modern. Britain's national museum of modern and contemporary art from around the world is housed in the former Bankside Power Station on the South Bank of the Thames, opposite St. Paul's Cathedral. The awe-inspiring Turbine Hall runs the length of the entire building and you can see amazing work for free by artists such as Cézanne, Bonnard, Matisse, Picasso, Rothko, Dalí, Pollock, Warhol and Bourgeois. Set aside half a day for this visit.

After visiting the Tate Modern, visit St. Paul's Cathedral across the Millenium Bridge on the other side of the Thames which is the seat of the Bishop of London and a major London landmark. It is located on Ludgate Hill in the financial district known as the City of London. The present St. Paul's Cathedral, which was built between 1675 and 1710, is the fourth cathedral to occupy the site, which was sacred even before Christianity arrived. The cathedral's immediate predecessor was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981 had their wedding at St. Paul's Cathedral. In 2002, the Queen had a ceremony of thanksgiving here to celebrate her Golden Jubilee. The cathedral enjoyed by visitors today was designed by court architect Sir Christopher Wren. Wren's original, grander plan met with considerable resistance from the conservative Dean and Chapter. The present building reflects a compromise, but still reflects the grandeur of Wren's design.

Shopping is a British buzz and with around 30,000 stores, nowhere is buzzier or busier than London. The West End is the heart of London shopping. Its main artery is Oxford Street, a mile of mass-market chains and department stores like John Lewis, Selfridges, and Marks & Spencer. At the eastern end, St. Giles High Street is the gateway into Covent Garden, a warren of narrow streets lined iwth stores selling quirky specialties and the hottest fashion trends. Oxford Circus is the first big intersection walking west along Oxford Street, where it crosses Regent Street. Turning south is Liberty, Austin Reed, and Hamleys. The next landmark westwards is New Bond Street which changes to Old Bond Street as it heads south through Mayfair. It's wonderful for designer window-shopping and for fine art and antiques. Both Regent Street and Old Bond Street run into Piccadilly with its seriously upper-crust shopping. Continue west from Piccadilly and Hyde Park Corner to posh Knightsbridge and the world-famous Harrods department store on Brompton Road. Sloane Street is lined with the most rarified names in haute couture. Sloane Street runs down to Sloane Square and King's Road in Chelsea. King's Road contains a lot of mainstream boutiques and some streetwise avant-garde, but it was the center of Swinging London in the 1960's and of the punk revolution a decade later.