The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is the main Mosque in the Sultanate of Oman. In 1992 Sultan Qaboos directed that his country of Oman should have a Grand Mosque. A competition for its design took place in 1993 and after a site was chosen at Bausher construction commenced in 1995. Building work, which was undertaken […]
04:18Swayambhunath is an ancient religious architectural stupa atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley, west of Kathmandu city. A UNESCO World Heritage since 1979. Each morning before dawn hundreds of Buddhist (Vajrayana) and Hindu pilgrims ascend the 365 steps from the eastern side that lead up the hill, passing the gilded Vajra (Tibetan: Dorje), thunderbolt sceptre, […]
Tinos is a place of pilgrimage and hope, whitewashed towns of marble and stone, and beaches that are never crowded. Famous amongst Greeks for the Panagia Evangelistria church, with its reputedly miraculous icon of Virgin Mary that it holds, a yearly pilgrimage that takes place on the date of the Dominion of the Virgin Mary […]
04:28Dambulla Cave Temple, also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla is a UNESCO World Heritage since 1991. It is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. A sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries, this cave monastery, with its five sanctuaries, is the largest, best-preserved cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka. The Buddhist mural paintings are of particular […]
05:40A return trip and stop-over to Bangkok before heading south to Rai Leh and onward to fascinating Myanmar. The air is thick and the traffic terrible as usual, but Bangkok is a vibrant and colourful place. Night markets, river tours, pagodas and the Royal Palace are just a few of the many things to do here. […]
09:57In Singapore‘s circa-1820 Chinatown stands the red-and-gold Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, said to house one of Buddha’s teeth. It is claimed that the relic of Buddha from which it gains its name was found in 1980 in a collapsed stupa in Myanmar. The relic can be viewed by the public at the 4th floor of the temple. The […]
Famous for the religious appearances of 1917 and a place of hope and faith, Fatima remains one of the most intriguing places to visit, being recognised by the church as worthy of belief. I passed through Fatima on my journeys through Portugal, being a fan of all things strange and wonderful I couldn’t pass up […]
06:48The Old City of Jerusalem is a holy place to three religions – Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. The City of Gold, as it has come to be known in Hebrew. Located in the Judean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea, modern Jerusalem has grown far beyond the Old City’s boundaries. The walled area of Jerusalem, […]
16:35Yangon, formerly Rangoon, was the capital of Myanmar until it was superseded by Naypyidaw in November 2005. Today, with a population of over 5 million people, it remains the largest city and main economic hub of Myanmar. Although Yangon’s infrastructure is undeveloped compared to those of other major cities in Southeast Asia, it has the […]
A minutes walk from the railway station at Portsmouth Harbour, opposite the bus station, and within view of the historic dockyard, Boris the giant dinosaur greets you at the entrance of the Genesis Exhibition, a Creation Museum, the first of its kind in the UK, run by the Creation Science Movement. The Creation Science Movement, […]
This is not tea. It is prohibited to sell alcohol on religious days in Sri Lanka . My beer is delivered discretely I wasn’t aware when I entered the restaurant and my driver informed me that it would be unlikely I would get a beer on this particular day. Despite my protest, the waiter made […]
02:42Mount Popa is a volcano 1518 metres (4981 feet) above sea level and located in central Myanmar, perhaps best known as a pilgrimage site, with numerous Nat temples and relic sites atop the mountain. Fifty kilometres southeast of Bagan in central Myanmar at the base of Mt Popa is a solitary peak, Taung Kalat, topped by gold […]
A unique place to visit in Delhi is Hijron Ka Khanqah, a story of India‘s age-old tolerance to the transgender(ed). Hijron Ka Khanqah is a pre-Mughal, Lodhi period, monument dated to the 15th century known for being the burial place of eunuchs of Delhi during the Lodhi dynasty’s reign. An Islamic monument, a Sufi spiritual retreat […]
According to legend, the Shwedagon Pagoda was constructed more than 2,600 years ago, making it the oldest Buddhist stupa in the world. Officially named Shwedagon Zedi Daw, the 99 metres (325 ft) tall pagoda is a gilded stupa that dominates the skyline of Yangon, Myanmar. This sacred site was so impressive I easily spend a few hours here, […]
02:36A little way down Temple Road, not far from Negombo town lies the Angurukaramulla Temple (Bodhirajarama Maha Viharaya – මීගමුව බෝධිරාජාරාමය), well known for its Buddha statue standing 6 metres high and its odd and colourful interiors. The massive seated Buddha and the gaping lion’s mouth of some weird creature from the entrance to the temple, a gigantic sculpture of […]