Friday, April 25, 2008
Berlin, Germany, 11-15 Oct 2006: Pergamon Museum
Processional Way & Ishtar Gate
  New Year Feast Day, 200 BC. Ancient Babylonians parade on the Processional Way towards the Ishtar Gate. Fortress walls surround the city, towering on the left and right: a sea of cobalt glazed tiles punctuated every few feet with menacing growling lions. Both were built during Nebuchadnezzar II's reign, c. 600 BC. In the 1930s, German archaeologists at Berlin's Pergamon Museum completed a reconstruction of these structures using tons of fragments excavated in Iraq. |
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Labels: antiquity, architecture, art, Berlin, Germany
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Chicago, USA, 28 Mar-2 Apr 2008: Art Institute
Pictures at an Exhibition
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Bordeaux, France, 25 Oct 2006: Bacchanalia Burdigala
A Day Of Wine & Roses
Burdigala is the ancient Roman name for Bordeaux, famous for her climate, soil (perfect for growing grapes) and blended vintage wines. A total stranger to oenology, I went on a organized wine tour of three vineyards in the Médoc region: Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande and Château Lynch-Bages in Pauillac, and Château d'Arsac in Margaux. The wine-growing regions are divided by a strict classification system into appellations, each comprising adjoining vineyards that share similar microclimatic conditions, soil, grapes and wine-making art that impart unique identity and personality to the wine. So important is the impact of the terroir on wine quality, that each vineyard, or château, is rigorously ranked into first, second, third growths, etc in descending order of prestige based on this. Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande produces fine second growth vintages. The female owner injects her personal touch and love of beautiful things into the château: rose bushes lining the borders of the vine fields, painted wine barrels, extensive art collection exhibited on the premises, a handsome private residence. From the patio of the château, the famous tower of the premier cru Château Latour beckons alluringly from the distance while we sipped the proffered red. After lunch, we made our way to the fifth-growth Château Lynch-Bages, also in Pauillac. More libation rouge. It also boasts a museum of antique wine-making equipment. Our last wine tasting of the day, Château d'Arsac, sits on two different appellations separated by a foot path: Margaux and Haut-Médoc. Previously fallen on hard times, the vineyards and wine production have since been painstakingly restored by new owners, with the château grounds reinvented as an open-air modern art museum. Wine tasting, Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande |
Labels: art, Bordeaux, food, France, wine
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Istanbul, Turkey, 16-21 May 2007: Iznik Tiles
Ceramic Jewels
Labels: art, Istanbul, religious site, Turkey
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Vienna, Austria, 4 Sep 2007: Kunsthistorisches Museum
Gemaldegalerie, Egyptian, Greek & Roman Collections
Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum boasts continental Europe's largest collection of art and antiquity, the fruit of the Habsburg rulers' predilection for amassing choice pieces throughout the expansive Austrian-Hungarian empire during their long 800-year domination.  Antiquity from ancient Egyptian, Greek, Hellenistic and Roman civilizations are exhibited on the ground floor of the heavy neoclassical museum building. The painting collection, Gemäldegalerie, is on the first floor.Canova's oeuvre Theseus Battling the Minotaur, marble made flesh, sits on a landing midway up the central staircase to the art gallery. Stand in awe of the life-like muscular tension between the hero and the struggling Minotaur. Flinch at the monster's agonized grimace moments before the fatal blow. The Gemäldegalerie comprises paintings by Northern (Nederlandisch, Flanders) and Southern (Italian, Spanish) European artists displayed in the north and south wings, respectively. The collection features the world's biggest cache of works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder (including the fascinating Hunters in the Snow), rooms full of Rubens, Rembrandt, Titian, as well as rare Giorgione (filled with poetry and mystery), Velázquez (well traveled  court painter-cum-art procurer to the Spanish Habsburg King Philip IV) and one sublime Vermeer.The antiquities collection of Egyptian, Near East, Greek and Roman ancient artefacts resides in the south wing on the ground floor. Highlights include the largest assembly of papyri in the world, several noteworthy statues and carvings - e.g., fragments from the famous Parthenon Frieze, the Amazonian Sacrophagus with its dramatic battle scene relief - and an unmatched prized treasure trove of Roman cameos and jewellery. The museum's remaining section, the Kunstkammer, features sculpture and the decorative arts. An unbridled orgy of rococo excess, the collection acquired some notoriety from the bizarre circumstances surrounding the theft and subsequent recovery of its celebrated centrepiece, Cellini's Saliera. |
Labels: antiquity, art, Austria, history, museum, sculpture, Vienna
Monday, September 10, 2007
Paris, France, 7 Sep 2007: Abbesses Metro
Upstairs, Downstairs
The Abbesses Metro station in the heart of Paris' Montmartre district is famous for the art nouveau entrance as well as the wall murals decorating the staircases that go more than 30 metres below ground level. It was recently extensively renovated. Colourful cartoons of Parisien scenes line the walls of the ascending stairwell (left column) while photographs of the Montmartre area are seen in the descending stairwell (right column). These eye-catching murals offer more than enough inducement to skip the elevator and take to the stairs. However, the effect and ambience are very different from the original murals before the latest revamp. I personally prefer the old look ... but what do you think?              |
Labels: art, France, painting, Paris, transport
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Bali, Indonesia, 18-23 Apr 2007: People & Faces
South to North - Nusa Dua, Kuta, Ubud & Beyond
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| Night, 18th. Arrived in Denpasar airport, Bali, around 7pm. Pitch dark already. Checked into Nusa Dua Beach Hotel (got an upgrade to the Palace Wing - which was nice). Recce'd shopping area just outside the Nusa Dua compound, found a reasonably-priced 'spa'. Decided to try it out with some friends the next day. Afternoon, 19th. Got a 3-hour session with body massage, hair treatment and foot reflexology (Rp 230K). No aircon, no frills, but still great! |
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| Evening, 19th. Dinner at Kuta. Great Balinese food at Warung Satria - spicy. Chilled out at Hard Rock Cafe with friends (the same spa gang), then the Bounty Disco. Watched while they played pool (I am hopeless with the cue). Near the entrance, there was some energetic hip-gyrating joget dancing set to pulsating Techno Gamelan. |
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| Afternoon, 20th. Went on a tour. Visited the beautiful Pura Taman Ayun, Mengwi, which was set in a sprawling garden (rare for a Hindu temple), and surrounded by a moat. Ended the tour at Tanah Lot. Saw awe-inspiring sunset views of the Indian Ocean and temple complexes. Tourists were not allowed to enter the holy Pura Tanah Lot. Ritual Hindu blessings were dispensed at the base of the temple knoll. Had dinner at a restaurant on the edge of the cliff, with vantage view of the sunset. The grilled seafood was good. |
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| Afternoon, 21st. Checked out of hotel and journeyed to Ubud. Visited a gold and silver workshop in Celuk village on the way (no purchase) as well as an Artists' Cooperative at Ubud. It was raining heavily when I was at the gallery. Hence I spent some time (and money) there. Bought 2 paintings in the Keliki style - detailed miniatures of traditional Balinese scenes. Took a photo of the artist, Sutiawan, aged 28 years, who had been drawing since ten. |
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| Afternoon, 21st. Arrived in Ubud. Driver helped me to find a local homestay, losmen. There were several along Jalan Kajeng, at the centre of town. Decided on Rojas losmen on the second attempt, Rp 70K per day, with breakfast. After putting down my stuff, i had lunch at Ibu Oka 2 streets away (driver's recommendation), which specialized in roast suckling pig, Babi Guling. I had the special set (Rp 20K). Ubud is a quiet town. I rented a bike and cycled around a little, including the Campuhan area and Monkey Forest. |
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| I stopped at a hole-in-the-wall stall along a small alley off Monkey Forest Road. Ordered iced avocado juice. Was entertained by the antics of my 'waitress' who brought me my drink in sassy style. She happened to be in the shop buying grilled fish for her family, and gamely helped out. Also took photos of the proprietress, her daughter (striking resemblance) and another family friend. |
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| Evening, 21st. Returned the bike. Walking along Jalan Kajeng. Saw a another homestay owner packing floral offerings unto his motorbike. Asked for permission to see his losmen, which he granted readily. Realized that his was a Legong (a traditional Balinese dance, danced by prepubescent girls in elaborate costumes) performing family. Saw his daughter doing her make-up. She was due to dance at a nearby temple in an hour. |
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| Morning, 22nd. Woke up early. Walked to Ubud market at 7 am. Saw these mischievous boys as a got out of the losmen, along Jalan Kajeng. They playfully posed and strutted for me. |
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| Ubud market was filled with people. Many women shoppers had already completed their shopping, and were heading home with their parcels balanced precariously on their heads. |
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| Colourful stalls sold fruits, vegetables and flowers. Rose petals in all shades came in large baskets. This lady seller smiled coyly when she turned and saw me taking her photo. |
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| For breakfast, I ate heavenly tuna sate (tuna meat was minced and flavoured with spices before being charcoal grilled, Rp 500/stick) and nasi campur of rice porridge mixed with vegetable-coconut salad and minced fish grilled in banana leaf (Rp 2K). Used my hand to eat it. Messy but good. Also slurped sweet black rice porridge (bubur injin) from the plastic bag. |
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| The Balinese are big on ritual offerings. Canangs, small offerings of flowers and leaves piled onto tiny baskets woven from coconut leaves, are ubiquitous. They either make them themselves or purchase them from the market. |
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| Morning, 22nd. Hired a driver for the day, and went on a tour of West and North Bali. On route to Gunung Batukau, saw a few cremation ceremonies. It happened to be an auspicious day for cremation. Cremation ceremonies often take place long after death, when sufficient money becomes available for the relatives to conduct the expensive ritual and when the date is deemed suitable. Effigies may be substituted for the actual corpse in the ceremony. |
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| Halfway up Gunung Batukau, Pura Luhur Batukau was a tranquil oasis. There was a cremation ceremony going on in the central temple complex (tourist access was expressedly forbidden). Worshippers carried offerrings into and out of the temples. |
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| After Guunug Batukau, I visted the Yeh Panes (hot spring), Jatiluwih, Pacung, Bedugul and Gitgit Waterfall in the north. My driver, Mr Agung, is pictured here having lunch with me at Cafe Jatiluwih - with stupendous views of rice terraces - and at Gitgit Waterfall. |
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| Evening, 22nd. At the losmen Rojas, the family temple occupied a fairly large garden. The matriarch surveyed the grounds in preparation for a ceremony the next day. That night, before bed, the family was up busy preparing the offerings. They do this every 15 days. I did not get a chance to witness the ceremony. Morning, 23th. Flew home. |
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Labels: art, Bali, Indonesia, market, nature, painting, people, religious site, waterfall
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These are the 30 countries that I have ever set foot on. Airport stopovers don't count!
