2014 Germany Trip - Worms' Old Synagogue (Alte Synagogue)

Location: Worms, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Worms places I went to

The city of Worms had little attraction that piqued my interest, so I chose to visit a synagogue, which I never did in my past travels before. A synagogue is a Jewish place of worship and although I came across a few in my travels, I had never entered one.

A modern sculpture for commemorating Rabbi Rashi, the founder of Worms Old Synagogue.

2014 Germany Trip - St Gangolf's Church @ Trier

Location: Trier, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Trier places I went to


<- previous: Main market (Hauptmarkt)

next: Church of Our Lady (Liebfrauenkirche) (UNESCO World Heritage) ->

Trier has no shortage of churches just like any other German cities with a long history. In fact they even had their churches differentiated by political affiliations due to the fact that the archbishops of past were both religious as well as secular leaders of a city. The Church of St Gangolf was the citizen's church and the second oldest church in Trier, second only to Trier Cathedral.

The Baroque portal that led me from Main Market square into the Church of St Gangolf.

2014 Germany Trip - Aula Palatina/Basilica of Constantine (Konstantinbasilika) @ Trier (UNESCO World Heritage)

Location: Trier, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Trier places I went to

<- previous: Imperial Baths (UNESCO World Heritage)

next: Electoral Palace and Palace Gardens ->

Most of the UNESCO heritage site of Roman architecture in Trier were in ruins, with Aula Palatina the sole exception. The iconic building of red brick is also called Basilica of Constantine as it was built by Emperor Constantine I as his palace and throne room. Its purpose transformed into a religious one after the fall of the Roman Empire, first used by the Bishop of Trier as his residence during the Middle Ages, and then currently used by Church of The Redeemer.

Aula Palatina as viewed from Konstantinplatz

2014 Germany Trip - Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) (UNESCO World Heritage)

Location: Cologne, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Cologne itinerary | Cologne places I went to

To say that Cologne Cathedral is one of the most recognizable churches in the world is an understatement; it is a symbol of Cologne itself. It impresses onto visitors even before they stepped out of Cologne’s main train station, the structure dominating the view when one looks out of the glass wall. Check out the top sights of Germany on the Internet and it is not difficult to find it within any top 10 list of sights in Germany.

Exterior view of Cologne Cathedral

2014 Germany Trip - Imperial Cathedral of Speyer (Der Kaiserdom zu Speyer) (UNESCO World Heritage)

Location: Speyer, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Speyer itinerary | Speyer places I went to

Finally, I am writing about the focus of my visit to Speyer, a city that is barely mentioned in guidebooks, if mentioned at all. Strolling past the unmistakable Altpörtel (Old Gate), Maximilianstraße afforded me an unobstructed view towards Speyer Cathedral, an edifice listed in UNESCO World Heritage List for being one of the most important Romanesque building in Germany, a status well earned by being the largest Romanesque church still standing to date. Despite it being listed in the said UNESCO list and being hailed by the German National Tourist Board as one of the Top 100 Sights of Germany, it remains relatively unknown to most travelers.

Its official name is the Imperial Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption and St Stephen (German: Dom zu Unserer lieben Frau in Speyer), however it is a mouthful to call it by its full name every time one mentions it. Fortunately it is more commonly known as Imperial Cathedral of Speyer (German: Kaiserdom zu Speyer) or just Speyer Cathedral, a name which my post will use to save my poor hand from typing more.

Approaching from Maximilianstraße

2014 Germany Trip - St James's Church (Evangeliches-Lutheran Kirchengemeinde St. Jakob)

Location: Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Rothenburg itinerary | Rothenburg places I went to

My wife once asked me why I loved photographing churches. My reply to her was that I photographed not just churches, but most of the religious places, especially those which are historically rich in value and pleasing in aesthetics and architecture. To most people one church is no more different from another. For me however they each tell a different story. The stained glass weaves biblical lore and the spires, from the ornate to the simplistic, project the architect’s pride and dreams. St James’s Church in Rothenburg, one of its most important, is so similar yet so different.

St James's (St Jakob in German) Church

2014 Germany Trip - Neumünster Church (Kolegiatstift Neumünster)

Location: Würzburg, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | All Würzburg attractions

I mistakenly thought that this was Würzburg Cathedral, and toured around with that in mind. It wasn't until I was back and checked the photos online that I realized my humbling error. Yet to me it wasn't surprising, even in hindsight, to have made such a mistake. Its façade looked authentically medieval compared to the recently renovated cathedral next door. Even more convincing was the trove of frescoes and artwork adorning the halls of the church, cementing my faith that I was in the cathedral when I was in reality standing within the halls of Neumünster Church.

Curvature

Wedged between two contrastingly unappealing buildings, the Baroque front of the church is much more recent, built in the 18th century, compared to the Romanesque cathedral which dated back to 11th century. Its ornate and curved façade is immediately recognizable.

2013 Hanoi Trip - Lý Thái Tổ Garden (Vườn hoa Lý Thái Tổ)

Location: Hanoi, Vietnam

Full experience of my visit to Hanoi can be accessed through the list below:

Attractions:   St Joseph's Cathedral | One Pillar Pagoda | Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum | Thang Long Water Puppet Theater

Dining:          New Day Restaurant | Sketch Coffee | Bánh Cuốn Gia Truyền | Dương Hoa Kem Caramen | Thu Nga Kem Xôi & Chè Thái Lan

More about Hanoi can be read through the list below:
Vietnamese Dong

It has been a hiatus from my last entry of our Hanoi trip, but I still vividly recall the little park lying off to a side in the vicinity of Hoan Kiem lake, the famous lake in Hanoi. We were visited by a heavy downpour on our first day of arrival, but fortune was on our side with the rain cut short to just an hour's drench.

Walking around the lake in the evening after the rain was refreshing despite the fact that exhausts spewing from all varieties of vehicles polluted the air as happened in any major cities. On our tour around the lake, we spotted this park tucked across the street facing the lake, a square with a majestic statue. Crossing the infamously unruly traffic of Vietnam, we reached Lý Thái Tổ garden, the focus of this entry.

Life after rain

2014 Germany Trip - Stift Haug @ Würzburg

Location: Würzburg, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | All Würzburg attractions

This is not a church high on most list for a visit to Würzburg, yet it was the first I stumbled onto while on my way to Würzburg Residenz, and its beauty mesmerized me. From afar the dome top of the church was unmistakable, a remarkably beautiful Baroque structure standing tall amongst the modern dwellings and shop houses.

The dome of Stift Haug is inspired by another famous religious building, St Peter's Basilica.

2013 Hanoi Trip - St Joseph's Cathedral (Nhà thờ Lớn Hà Nội)

Location: Hanoi, Northern Vietnam.

Vietnamese: Nhà thờ Lớn Hà Nội (Nhà thờ is Vietnamese for 'church')

Full experience of my visit to Hanoi can be accessed through the list below:

Attractions:   One Pillar Pagoda | Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum | Thang Long Water Puppet Theater | Lý Thái Tổ Garden

Dining:          New Day Restaurant | Sketch Coffee | Bánh Cuốn Gia Truyền | Dương Hoa Kem Caramen | Thu Nga Kem Xôi & Chè Thái Lan

More about Hanoi can be read through the list below:
Vietnamese Dong

It was hard to not be captivated by the neo-Gothic facade which greeted us after we stumbled out of the maze of crowded streets into the expanse of a small plaza. If not for the ever busy street filled with endless motorcycles and dark complexions, we would have thought we arrived in France instead of Vietnam. Digging up the name of the building from my memories of local attractions was relatively easy, for there are no Catholic church in Hanoi more famous or enduring than St Joseph Cathedral.

St Joseph Cathedral in an afternoon, with schoolkids enjoying themselves in the small plaza in front of the church.

2012 HK Trip - Wong Tai Sin Temple (黃大仙祠) Finale

Location: Wong Tai Sin (黃大仙), S.A.R. Hong Kong, China

The final leg of my walk brought me back to where I began, the gates guarding the main temple complex. A further look before I left for my next destination revealed details which I did not noticed when I first marveled at the place. 

The gates guarding the main temple were as beautifully carved as any other areas of the temple, with intrinsic details and topped with the familiar upturned eave which decorated Chinese temples everywhere

2012 HK Trip - Wong Tai Sin Temple (黃大仙祠) Part 7

Location: Wong Tai Sin (黃大仙), S.A.R. Hong Kong, China

Standing in the shadow of the patron deity of the temple was another equally famous and crowd-attracting deity. He was the god of marriage of love, the old man under the moon, the one known as Yue Lao (月老). In Chinese mythology, belonging neither to Buddhism nor to Taoism specifically, he was the equivalent to Cupid, tying the knots between people to form couples and marriage.

The statue of Yue Lao standing in a courtyard, waiting for the right couple to tie his red knot with.

2012 HK Trip - Wong Tai Sin Temple (黃大仙祠) Part 6

Location: Wong Tai Sin (黃大仙), S.A.R. Hong Kong, China

Continuing the walk from the last article, blossomed flowers and running waters extended from one end of the garden to the other. Where ponds of koi and thundering waterfalls greeted us at one end, another pond of tortoises bade us farewell on the other end.

From colorful flowers to whispering streams, one could enjoy the scenic walk through the covered walkways zigzagging through and over the elements.

2012 HK Trip - Wong Tai Sin Temple (黃大仙祠) Part 5

Location: Wong Tai Sin (黃大仙), S.A.R. Hong Kong, China

There are certain vistas which challenge even the most established photographer, what more for an amateur like me. To attempt to capture the sense of feasting your sights on a paradise is like trying to describe a beautiful lady you just sighted. Words and images just do them no justice.

There are certain wonderful places which most guide books deemed not worthy of putting their images in the section introducing said area. The backyard gardens of Wong Tai Sin temple is one of those.

2012 HK Trip - Wong Tai Sin Temple (黃大仙祠) Part 4

Location: Wong Tai Sin (黃大仙), S.A.R. Hong Kong, China

To me, the real treasures of Wong Tai Sin temple are what lies behind the temple cloister, an area which rarely gets the attention of most travel guides and websites. The temple cloister may lent a visitor his chance to pray to the deity, but it was the yard at the back which grant one a peaceful mind.

While circling around the temple cloister to reach the backyard, this was the first peaceful area which I encountered - the Nine Dragons Wall. Any koi presence, be it in a statue sprouting water or living swimming entities, holds an important place in East Asian culture.

2012 HK Trip - Wong Tai Sin Temple (黃大仙祠) Part 3

Location: Wong Tai Sin (黃大仙), S.A.R. Hong Kong, China

Sometimes it is worth a visit to popular areas just to get to know the people there. Wong Tai Sin temple's fame for granting wishes drew huge crowds from all over Hong Kong and China, and tourists like me also like to join into the crowd to enjoy the experience.

In the fenced off area in the cloister facing the main altar were a small score of believers who prayed hard for answers in the form of kau cim, where they shook a cylindrical container filled with fortune telling sticks until one fell out. The stick contained a numeral which need to be decoded by a fortune telling master to know the answer to your question.

2012 HK Trip - Wong Tai Sin Temple (黃大仙祠) Part 2

Location: Wong Tai Sin (黃大仙), S.A.R. Hong Kong, China

Images of the main altar were what I saw the most as I researched materials on Wong Tai Sin temple, although I had not an inkling of that. The upturned curve of a majestic roof which is familiar with most Buddhist temples of South-East Asia emulated that of the Imperial Palace, and I felt a kinship to this unfamiliar land with a recognizable slice that was parallel to the place where I originated from.

Wong Tai Sin temple is one of the major tourist attraction of Hong Kong, drawing multitudes of people from various walks of life as well as different part of the world to visit, asking for wishes to be granted.

2012 HK Trip - Wong Tai Sin Temple (黃大仙祠) Part 1

Location: Wong Tai Sin (黃大仙), S.A.R. Hong Kong, China

The temple of Wong Tai Sin is synonymous to Hong Kong, much more so than the Big Buddha despite the fame and sheer size of the latter. All Hong Kongers know about the temple, famed for being able to grant any wish that is requested (有求必應), and no trip to Hong Kong should skip it, if only to just experience the crowd it draws.

Traditional Chinese: 黃大仙祠

Simplified Chinese: 黄大仙祠

Cantonese Jyutping: wong⁴ daai⁶ sin¹ ci⁴

Pin Yin: Huáng Dà Xiān Cì

Pronounced as: wong dai sin cee

Standing in front of the main gates to the temple, it was obvious that that was another crowded day despite it being a weekday. The gate itself is a preview of the Chinese temple architecture expected from my visit. This can be referred to the marking #1 in the map at the end of this article.

Hock Soon Temple (福顺宫) Part 4 - Beyond the Temple

Location: Teluk Intan, Perak, Malaysia

What lies beyond the temple proper of Hock Soon Temple? An impressive expanse of nature that is the riverbanks of Perak River. My tour guide who lived here for the early half of her life commented sadly that the riverbanks had been eroding constantly since her time. What was once a large distance between the river and the temple, is now closing in fast. Within the next few decades the erosion will come dangerously close to the temple, and the future of the temple will be uncertain.

This expanse of wilderness was much larger than it is now. If the reader were to zoom out on Google Map, this particular location lies on a bend of the Perak River, in which erosion happens quite readily. The river could be seen in this photo just beyond the patch of greenery.

Hock Soon Temple (福顺宫) Part 3 - Of Gods and Ancestors

Location: Teluk Intan, Perak, Malaysia

Truth is, these items drawn my attention the most when I saw them in Hock Soon Temple: a few props more suited to Chinese medieval courts than a temple. Still, it was quite a memorable sight to see a few stylized weapons standing along with some announcement boards which were employed in those courts to warn the crowd that court is in order.

Does these not remind you of all those Chinese or Hong Kong movies featuring medieval courts?