Just back from New Zealand where I am constantly in awe of the art works sculptured by the country’s powerful, glacial fed river systems of the South Island. The power of nature results in art works which are both inspiring and humbling in their beauty. I have shared a few examples, taken only a few weeks ago 
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A while ago I was in Paris which I love and after I had been back a while I had to go to Melbourne (Australia) and it was only after wandering around the centre of Melbourne that I realised why it is considered the most European of Australian cities. I began to see a resemblance.. As you will see, there are in fact a few similarities – Images are of both Paris and Melbourne.
TRAVEL ALWAYS AROUSES THE SENSES – SIGHTS, SMELLS, AND ESPECIALLY THE COLOURS OF DIFFERENT CULTURES AND COUNTRIES….
Children also make delightful subjects especially in developing countries – because when you talk to them and take their photograph, they don’t automatically pose or immediately turn on the cheesy smile.
As much as colour can set a scene I think black and white imagery can set the mood and capture the expression. These a few of my favourite shots from various parts of the world.
London is an amazing, eclectic, culturally diverse, modern city. Yet, on almost every corner there are reminders in monum
ents and buildings, of a history dating back centuries. 
From the air, you begin to realize just how massive and diverse the continent of Australia is. This selection of aerial images show the patterns and colours that can be seen from above and include flooded river systems, Lake Eyre, the Channel Country, Simpson Desert and its Parallel Sand Dunes (largest parallel dune system in the world), salt lakes and coastal landscapes.
Greenland – the least populated country in the world & the largest island on earth. What an incredible country – most of the landmass, certainly in winter, is covered with ice and snow. I was there at the end of 
the European summer and the ice had melted in the south, the grass was green and wildflowers bloomed in profusion. Travelling through the spectacular Prince Christian Sound, we navigated the large and beautiful icebergs, gazed in awe at the hanging glaciers and those that had crept to touch the aquamarine waters of the sound. A small Inuit village was tucked into the shelter of a cove, as usual the large white church dominating the tiny settlement.
The capital, Nuuk is not so beautiful but an interesting capital city and surrounded by spectacular scenery. The small towns of Nanortalik and Qatortok were de
lightful, with their brightly painted houses, small harbours, and friendly Inuit people out and about enjoying the daylight and the occasional warmth from the short summer’s sun.
The 3 islands of Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Cenangan & Nusa Penida are off the coast of Bali in Indonesia. They are islands where the people of all ages work incredibly hard to scrape a living from harvesting the rich, green seaweed around the coastal fringes of their islands. The seaweed is then sent to Japan and China for processing where it is used in diet foods, icecream, cosmetics etc.. Lembongan and Cenangan are becoming a haven for travellers and the islands are bringing more prosperity to some of the population and as a result they are beginning to change. Nusa Penida is the largest and the most intriguing, because it is the most ‘untouched’ and gives the visitor an insight into what Bali must have been like before being discovered by westerners.
MEDAN – Capital of Sumatra.
My last blog was about Singapore – a modern, dynamic, city constantly changi
ng and concealing a lot of its Asian-ness. In total co
ntrast, a few days later I was ankle deep in mud, inhaling the exhaust fumes of trucks jammed abreast on the only road to the port (where my ship was waiting), overturned lorries, traffic clogging the city streets, beggars darting between moving cars and rubbish pickers collecting anything recyclable – this is Medan! Sumatra is a very Muslim Island in Indonesia, but Medan, its capital is not in, or near the radical, Sharia state of Aceh. Medan typifys the old Asia and I was delighted and a little surprised by
the warmth and friendliness of the local people.
Women in their hijabs offered soft, welcome smiles. School girls with their cell phones wanted selfies – well, with us in them and the men in the mosques nodded their acceptance as we admired their place of worship.
At the lavish Sulta
ns’ Palace, families donned for a few hours, the gold clothes of royalty again, for those photographic moments.
The Grand Mosque – is very grand, the old Chinese Temple offers advice for wealth and prosperity and roadside ‘repairers’ fix bicycle tyres from the gutters and trishaw drivers, without passengers, snooze in the sun.
Singapore
I have been going to Singa
pore for many years – usually as a stopping off point on longer hauls or as a cheaper gateway into Asia. It is a city that never seems to stop changing and re-inventing itself. Every time I’ve been back it looks different. Years ago when I used to stay in the cheap dumps that were scattered around Bencoolen St, you knew you were in an Asian country just by walking outside the door. It was exciting and exotic. It smelt of Asia it looked like Asia and it promised adventure, excitement !and cheap shopping – not so much anymore
If you 
want to experience ‘Asia’ – Singapore is not the place. Forget tourist traps like ‘Little India’ – where you are constantly hassled and ‘Chinatown’ which is a tourist precinct of organised stalls selling the worst of cheap bling. Forget the ‘Asia’ thing and enjoy Singapore for what it has become – a dynamic, modern city state that is not only unique but constantly transforming itself. The city heads for the skies with tall buildings show casing amazing design and innovative architecture. Acres of gardens and parklands transform a city of glass, concrete and steel. The preservation of the old colonial buildings is a reminder of its history, while the Changi Museum makes you realise its considerable achievements after years of war.
It has clear traffic flows, a super- efficient underground rail system, cafes with excellent coffee, world class hotels and restaurants and designer stores in every shopping mall. It is slightly sterile, safe, with some of the lowest crime figures in the world. Littering, graffiti and chewing gum are all forbidden. It is controlled but its citizens 
seem content with the status quo.
You can still wander the waterfront and see the old ‘shop houses’, find a snake charmer, drink Turkish coffee in the Arab Quarter or just escape in the new and beautiful Bay Gardens fashioned from reclaimed land.
Back in Singapore last week – I have decided that I have great respect for this tiny country. In the years when I visited between the Asia of decades ago and the period when everything ‘authentic’ was pulled down to make more sky scrapers and block housing, I despaired of it. Now, due to lack of space they are still pulling down and pu
tting up – but in this era, with a lot of style and consideration.
Singapore h
as much to be proud of and one outstanding achievement is tolerance and harmony. With its diversity of citizens and religions – Indians, Chinese, Malays and ex-pat Europeans – its people all live as and are proud to be, Singaporeans.
Iceland is now becoming a popular tourist destination but with such a small population and being remote from the rest of Europe it never feels crowded. Iceland is a beautiful wilderness with prolific bird life and amazing geothermal and geological landscapes. Mountains, rivers, lakes, fjords and a wild coastline dotted with tiny fishing villages. The capital, Rekjavik, is a delightful, arty, tiny city with brightly coloured houses and welcoming people.
We commemorate ANZAC day and pay tribute to our veterans and peace keepers as if it was all in the past…whether its instant news coverage or not – there seems to be today, slaughters everywhere in the same names of ideology, nationalism and religion. ANZAC Day is a thank you and a rememberance of those that sacrificed not just their life in war but also in their lives and sanity of their survival.
A few images from Sydney’s Anzac Parade last weekend and public holiday – for those of you that do not recognise the anacronym ANZAC – it means Australian, New Zealand Army Corp and also celebrates the friendship and mateship of Australians and New Zealanders that was forged when they fought together in the trenches of World War 1. 
We commemorate ANZAC day and pay tribute to our veterans and peace keepers as if it was all in the past…whether its instant news coverage or not – there seems to be today, slaughters everywhere in the same names of ideology, nationalism and religion. ANZAC Day is a thank you and a rememberance of those that sacrificed not just their life in war but also in their lives and sanity of their survival.
A few images from Sydney’s Anzac Parade last weekend and public holiday – for those of you that do not recognise the anacronym ANZAC – it means Australian, New Zealand Army Corp and also celebrates the friendship and mateship of Australians and New Zealanders that was forged when they fought together in the trenches of World War 1. 
Australia’s Women (Trees)
The Australian ‘Bush’ is an amazing place with over 600 species of eucalypts (gum trees). Whether it’s Snow Gums with their feet in snow and ice or delicate Ghost Gums in arid landscapes or the Red River Gums in ancient river beds – they are wonderful trees. With some imagination you can see many things in the magnificence of these trees – here are 3 examples titled ‘Women of Australia’.
The Kangaroos Visit Rome Art Exhibition opens in Rome this week. It will be opened by the Australian ambassador to Italy and is very exciting! After much deliberation and useful suggestions the 4 entries I chose to exhibit are being fastened this week to the walls of the contemporary art gallery – the Galleria Guilia in Via Della Barchetta. The selected images are below…
Beautiful patterns from the river systems in Central & Western Australia
Kakadu is a World Heritage Listed area in Northern Australia and one of the most amazing places on earth! 20,000sq klms of wilderness that encompasses; massive escarpments bordering Arnhem Land, stone country, monsoon forest, savannah woodlands, coast, billabongs and floodplains and up to 20,000 years of Aboriginal rock art. Wildlife is prolific and the national park is also a protected corridor for migratory birds. The area is jointly managed by the traditional Aboriginal owners and national parks. Hopefully the images will show some of its extraordinary beauty.
ARNHEIM LAND ESCARPMENT KAKADU NP NT
KAKADU NATIONAL PARK NT
Australia is a huge continent with great diversity and there is no better way to appreciate this than from the air. Even the famous monolith of Uluru (Ayrs Rock) or the sacred site of Kata Juta (The Olgas) are even more majestic when looked down upon and their total size can be appreciated. The salt lakes of the interior and the world’s longest parallel sand dunes are absolutely stunning in colour, texture and natural art.
From the air, you begin to realize just how massive and diverse the continent of Australia is. This selection of aerial images show the patterns and colours that can be seen from above and include flooded river systems, Lake Eyre, the Channel Country, Simpson Desert and its Parallel Sand Dunes (largest parallel dune system in the world), salt lakes and coastal landscapes.
TRAVEL ALWAYS AROUSES THE SENSES – SIGHTS, SMELLS, AND ESPECIALLY THE COLOURS OF DIFFERENT CULTURES AND COUNTRIES….
Children also make delightful subjects especially in developing countries – because when you talk to them and take their photograph, they don’t automatically pose or immediately turn on the cheesy smile.
As much as colour can set a scene I think black and white imagery can set the mood and capture the expression. These a few of my favourite shots from various parts of the world.
Goatshiteambulance: 
