Katravels' Guestbook

The Vatican
How wonderful you could visit without mind numbing queues. Having been an exhibition woodcarver in a previous life I would love to oggle the wood, statues and stone mason mastery of Rome and the Vatican. When you consider a piece is not finished until the last scratch, gouge or blemish is removed, the words patience and dedication take on reverential meaning. Aaaah...to visit the Vatican...to be so lucky!

Terrible behaviour!
One thing that really, really makes us angry is disrespect of ancient monuments...there is really no need to be climbing all over them and the tourists doing it should know better! Hopefully the government will start to conserve these temples and put strict rules in place for visitors before it's too late. We haven't made it to Myanmar yet, people have said 'get there before it becomes too popular', but lately we have been reading of former $10 rooms having gone up in price to $40 in the space of a year. Sadly, we think you are correct - Myanmar is well and truly on the tourist map now.

Sorry to hear about your bout of dengue...
but pleased that you received good care and that you are fully recovered per the NHS. I also had dengue when I was 17...I lived in Thailand. As you say...NOT fun! Never got malaria, but my wife did.

Beautiful Mandalay!
Biggest book indeed, though the "pages" were beautiful and looked like the mausoleums in upscale South American cemeteries. That flower-seller had lotus buds--how fantastic to have bouquets of lotus in your room! Your wonderful photos completely obfuscate the crowds and picnicing families--well done. And you're so right in feeling that Mandalay seems so new--it was founded as a royal capital only in 1857--very new indeed.

Well have you met Nellie the elephant yet??
Well Mandalay evoked many memory from school days with Rudyard Kipling, old black and white movies with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope 'Road to Mandalay' and of course that child hood famous song of Nellie the elephant. Now all you have to do is find a photo for me of an elephant in Mandalay.. not much to ask maybe. Keep blogging and photographing. Your blogs are always a pleasure to read.

The Sahara Desert
There's something about the Sahara that excites my soul. This pic really captures the exoticism that only the Sahara can evoke. Brilliant.

Smile you are in Fez
The Fez may come from Turkey but the Smile you are in Fez pic says it all. Gotta say the carpets would be a drawcard for me. A Moroccan rug would go down well at my place as they are rare in Oz. At this stage I can only dream of getting to Morrocco one day. Thanks for reviving the dream.

Hi there
It's been a while. Both for you and me. Have not been as active on TB too, I confess. But it's good to hear from you and reading your latest adventure in a city I have yet to visit, Budapest.

Welcome back to blogging...
we look forward to reading about your travels. Myanmar will certainly be a change from South America.

pictures
Being able to take pictures of Stonehenge without people in them is quite a remarkable achievement in itself. When I visit a site I sometimes have to wait patiently for quite a bit to get a picture without someone in it, and go during the week at odd times just for that reason. Never on a weekend.

OMG
Purple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amazing photo!