TRAVELS WITH JAMES
Some of my favourite Photo-ops along the way-
Cambodia--o6Possibly the coolest place I've ever seen... this is at a temple near Angkor Wat. It's actually where they filmed an "Indiana Jones" movie. The picture below was taken nearby. It shows a Khmer Orchestra made up of landmine victims. Despite their lack of all the necessary limbs, they made glorious music. I got to perform with one of these Khmer ensembles in Pnomh Phen.
Vietnam- 06
This
is Halong Bay... one of the most glorious
spots on the planet. Magical islands emerging from the China Sea.
I had two days off from my tour and spent them on an amazing on
Chinese Junk .... this shot was taken from the deck. I had my
own cabin.. the food was fabulous, the company jovial, and the
price was unbelievable. 50 U.S. dollars for two days, all inclusive.
You must drop what you are doing. Go there. You will quickly see
that other things are not important.
Here's the boat-
Japan 05
Kyoto . I went there of my own accord.......
These are some of the 1001 life-size statues at the Sanju Sagendo...all
images of Kannon Bodhivista but each one unique. Almost 1000 years
old, they are made of wood, and covered in gold leaf, and are
housed in an equally amazing building. Japanese Buddhists believe
that you will be able to find your own face among these striking
images.
Below is Hikone Castle, in the Shiga Prefecture where I spent most of my time. Built in the 1600's, it was a military stronghold, though it's hard to be intimidated by the ferocity of the warlords when you have to take you shoes off at the door and wear prissy little slippers around. Built on a mountain-top, it offers an impressive vista.
Below is the temple bell at the castle... It's a National Historic Sound! When you stand there and hear the bell, the cicadas singing in the trees, and the wind whistling up the hill, you are safe in the knowledge that you will always hear this, for it is forbidden to build any businesses within earshot that would threaten the tranquility of the surroundings!
Blue Rocks, Nova Scotia
Just outside Lunenburg, a place that you all must visit. A perfect little fishing village. That's my son Geordie. Look closely. The poor lad has four legs.
The Medway River, Tonbridge, Kent, England
OK... so I tend to take a lot of pictures of trees reflected in
water. Kent is a real treasure, and the month I spent in Tonbridge
working on a theatre production will give me a lifetime of reflection!
This
is the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, England.
Built by the decadent and deranged King Georges as a weekend getaway,
and sold off by Queen Victoria, who thought it was a bit over
the top. Ya think?
Geordie and I fell in with a group of German tourists to get a
free tour. The interior is not as modest as the exterior.
Brighton isn't as tacky as its reputation.
Manitoulin Island, Ontario
This is the Bridal Veil Falls on Manitoulin Island.-
I've got a thing about Waterfalls as you might know:
These are ( or this is... is a waterfall a singular or a plural?)-
one of my favourites,- there's a great hiking trail from here
into Georgian Bay............
Killarney Park, Ontario -
Just across Georgian Bay from Manitoulin is the
fabulous Killarney Provincial Park, home to the spectacular white
quartz La Cloche Mountains and some of the purtiest lakes that
you ever did see. I try to get there once a year for canoeing
....
My current favourite Killarney shot is below... a great place
for songwriting, since there is so much opportunity for reflection:
This is Carlyle Lake..... I wrote a song for it on my Endomusia
CD.. you've got that one, right?
Staithes, Yorkshire, England
On my tour of England with Sandy Horne, I fell in love with the
beautiful east coast village of Robin Hood's Bay. Just a little
up the road, north of Whitby, this time around I discovered the
little fishing village of Staithes. Captain Cook lived here as
an apprentice in the 1700's. On the March day that Sandy and I
visited, it was lit like a movie set.
Glastonbury, England
These are the ruins of the Glastonbury Abbey, destroyed in the
16th Century by Henry VIII. .. King Arthur is rumoured to be buried
on the grounds.
SEE YOU ALONG THE ROAD
Home is where you hang your @