I'm back in town

That was lots of fun, and hopefully we did some good. In Sydney for the time being, but stay tuned for lots of fun and more glamour desinations in early 2008.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

A change of focus

What happens when they have an earthquake?

Tokyo is full of big, big buildings. The Mori tower has almost 60 floors, and there are plenty of other bigs ones, as these shots show. I hope they are well designed.

Me and some other semi-retirees

It seems that lots of middle aged men go to Ueno Park in the mornings. I think they had a system - each one had a double seat to himself, leaving no room for this semi-retiree.

What were they thinking!

This is the Asahi beer building in Asakusa, Tokyo. I stood on the bridge with my mouth open for several minutes thinking to myself, "What on earth were they thinking?"

Having fun in Tokyo

Tokyo is so much fun. Everything, just about, is funny. Lovely mild weather, and so much to do. And to eat - I am beginning to look like a raw fish. One of the best things is the new-ish Prada store near Harajuku, which is just amazing. Here are a few shots, but for some much better ones, have a look at this web site: http://architettura.supereva.com/files/20031023/
(You will have to paste into the browser because I can't work out how to do the link.)

Goodbye snowy Europe

I had almost perfect weather the last week in Serbia and Bosnia, and just as I was leaving, the snow started to fall in Sarajevo. Very pretty when you don't have to live in it.

Sarajevo has still got a way to go

It is more than a decade since the fighting stopped, but lots of Sarajevo is still burnt out and covered with bullet holes - even the bits that a Sydney developer would have jumped on years ago. Very sad. But such a wonderful location in the valley, with snow on the mountains around.

En route to Sarajevo

I went in a car across the mountains from Belgrade to Sarajevo - all mist and snow and pines.

Belgrade is Beaut

As you all know, it is about my favourite city, and things have not changed after this last brief visit. Here is a shot of my hotel, built in 1906, with a shot of the little sitting room and view across the street. And it is not just the architecture that is impressive in Belgrade.

Prayers for good weather

En route home from some visits to local registration offices, the team stopped at a rather beautiful church. As you can see, the weather has been challenging. It lacks variety too - cold and foggy, cold and wet, cold and windy. But better than Sydney's humidity.

Closer to God in Macedonia

Here I am with Jakup, who appears to be offering me a deal I couldn't refuse.

Return of the native

Mission accomplished. Kittens are very happy.

Farewell Belgrade

It was a fun few days, but now it is time to head home to Australia - a mere two days of travel (but worth it). Gavin and Peggy are heading to Rome for a conference.

Finally, a big city: Belgrade

We have reached the last destination before I come home, and it is a very nice one. There are traffic jams, pollution, big buildings - everything that makes a place liveable. Here until Friday lunch, then home through Bangkok.

Off to Belgrade

Peggy, Gavin and I are taking a leisurely tour through the Bosnian and Serbian countryside this afternoon (Tuesday). By dinner time, we will be in Belgrade, which you all know is one of my favourites.

More highlights of Sarajevo's architecture

Another triumph of 20th century architecture, and a very beautiful mosque, with the mild autumn sun on the freshly cut marble grave posts.

Sarajevo: home of WWI and fine architecture

Students of history will immediately recognise this piece of road as the spot where World War I started.
Of course, students of architecture do not miss out either in Sarajevo - here is a shot of me in front of one of my (many) favourite buildings.

No title necessary - the shot says it all: classy

A cloudy afternoon in Mostar

We drove up from Dubrovnik today, saw some registration offices and talked about surveying (just for a change), and then ended up in Mostar to see the bridge. You may remember that the 500 year old bridge was destroyed during the recent war, but it has been rebuilt. Here is a shot of Gavin and Peggy standing on it.

This is a shot just near the bridge - the old Turkish part of town, which is the new tourist part of town. Anna (on left) thinks I am shotting a 1960s Italian movie.

And some ideas from Mostar for the home builder - enormous, heavy pieces of rock for tiles, and big big doors that say "not welcome".

Dubrovnik is so good!

Dubrovnik is excellent. The whole city is impressive, but the old town inside the fortress is wonderfully impressive. Here are a few shots, the first one with me, Peggy (far right), Anna (right), me and Rumuyana (left) just about to go inside the old city. Inside there are plazas, public buildings, churches, narrow alleys and hundreds of little houses. Take a look.

En route to Dubrovnik

Out of Podgorica, over the mountains, across on the ferry, along the coast, and then we should be in Dubrovnik (plus a few immigration stops). Beautiful country, but the signs are a little confusing.

Looks like we just got here in time

Real estate in Montenegro is big time. Apartments on the coast are more expensive than in the centre of Prague (we were told). All the real estate agencies have signs in Russian and English. I wonder if they are looking for a good lawyer?

Where are we going? Are we there yet?

Just so it is less confusing, here is a map. We (Gavin, Peggy, Rumayana and me) are driving from Podgorica in the south, up into Croatia (yellow) then on to Sarajevo in Bosnia (green). Next week we are driving across to Belgrade in Serbia (pink). Who chose the colours? Sadly, I will miss seeing my close friends in Skopje, Macedonia (orange) but expect to be there at the beginning of December.

Adriatic or bust

Slowly moving across the world, from Sydney to Singapore to Bishkek to Podgorica, I have finally hit water (in the form of the coast off Montenegro). A lovely spot, with lots of expensive boats and history. See for yourself. The group photo is me, Victoria, Angelo and Paula - all very serious World Bank types.

This hotel rocks!

We are staying at the Podgorica Hotel in Podgorica, Montenegro. Montenegro is just around the corner from Greece (after Albania) and it has a lot of coast. The Podgorica Hotel was built in the 1960s with a theme of rocks. It is right on the river and surrounded by trees. Very nice. We are here on mission (with Gavin - see unposed shot on the deck below) for a week.

Kunst as far as the eye can see

They sure do love their art in Vienna. I had a great time wandering around and taking it all in.

My second home: Istanbul airport

If you have to have a second home, perhaps this one is not so bad. Here are some shots of the business lounge at Istanbul airport. Louis XIV meets 20th century modernism, with a touch of the Ottoman empire. Not your average blend, but it works very well. Off to Vienna this morning.

The mosque in Karakol

The mosque in Karakol is a beautiful and intriguing building. It was designed and built in the early 20th century in the style of a Chinese temple, WITHOUT A NAIL (as everyone told us). It is not that surprising, I suppose - the Chinese border is only 100 kms or so away.