8. July 2015 09:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Phuket - Muay Thai 8. July 2015 09:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne evening I went to see Thai boxing. I asked the rest of the family if anyone wanted to join me, bShareOne evening I went to see Thai boxing or Muay Thai as it is called locally. I asked the rest of the family if anyone wanted to join me, but they all said no (it is the national sport of Thailand). I had been once before long time ago in Bangkok and wanted to experience it again.I decided to pay the bit extra and get a VIP seat right next to the ring and that was definitely worth the extra money.There were 8 fights that evening. The first fight was between two kids around 11 years old. Especially the kid in black shorts was very strong and was dominating the fight throughout.The second fight was between two older teenagers. Again the kid in black was dominating the match.The third fight was between to women, a Canadian and a Thai. The canadian girl looked very relaxed and was definitely ready to fight. The Thai girl had no chance against her and the match ended in knockout.Before each fight they go through this unique dance ritual.I was privileged to sit next to one of the judges who has happy to talk, so between each round I could ask him questions about the scoring system which is rather confusing.The 4th match was between a French and a Thai. The foreigners are really dominating this sport now and the Thai's were generally struggling.As with all the fights wit foreigners this fight also ended in a knockout.The 5th fight was back to two Thais fighting.One of the last fights was between a brazilian and a Thai. When walking into the ring you could tell that the brazil was very strong.He started by kicking the Thai in the chest and then punched him in the face.The fight lasted less than a minute before a knockout.The last fight was more in the heavyweight class, again between a brazilian and a Thai.This fight was full of power and again it ended up in knockout.After the fights I happened see the winners lining up out the back. I managed to get a photo with a couple of them....yeah, I look really convincing there.This evening was definitely one of my highlights from the trip and if we were going back then I would probably go again. The atmosphere is amazing and if the fighters are good then the experience is phenomenal.
6. July 2015 07:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Phuket - Island trip 6. July 2015 07:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne morning Kim booked a trip out to some of the smaller islands of Phuket.The trip was in a large sShareOne morning Kim booked a trip out to some of the smaller islands of Phuket.The trip was in a large speed boat and initially the family didn't want to go because they were worried about getting seasick, but eventually they changed their minds.The boys loved the experience and were very proud wearing their life jackets.On the island we could feed the fish from the beach.And there was time to play in the water for the boys (and a bit of snorkeling for me).It is also good to see that they are still using their long tail boats for traditional fishing.
5. July 2015 12:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Phuket - Baby elephant 5. July 2015 12:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetAfter visiting the big Buddha we stopped to feed a baby elephant.The kids were a little overwhelmed ShareAfter visiting the big Buddha we stopped to feed a baby elephant.The kids were a little overwhelmed by its trunk, but fun nevertheless.
4. July 2015 14:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Phuket - Big Buddha 4. July 2015 14:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetAfter Wat Chalong we went up to see the Big Buddha on top of a big hill.The Buddha itself is 45 metrShareAfter Wat Chalong we went up to see the Big Buddha on top of a big hill.The Buddha itself is 45 metres tall and is very impressive.They have been building there for the past 10 years and will probably be building for at least another 10.While there we also did a little prayer for Kim's mum.And Aiden being his cheeky self did the 3 monkeys pose.And they loved the big gongs (which you actually rub rather than gong).Surprisingly they also in a far corner of the compound had some indian gods, but maybe not so surprising since we were close to Myanmar with a large indian based population (lots of Myanmar people in Phuket).
3. July 2015 13:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Phuket - Wat Chalong 3. July 2015 13:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne morning we ventured out to see one of the islands biggest temples, the Wat Chalong.It is a magniShareOne morning we ventured out to see one of the islands biggest temples, the Wat Chalong.It is a magnificent temple with lots to see and it was a pity that the rest of the family didn't want to join us.The temple contains what is said to be a bone fragment of buddha.And the temple itself is full of golden buddhas.Outside there are some elephant sculptures and across from that an areas where they fire of ceremonial fireworks which really scared the boys ( Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 3. February 2017 08:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Flying out 3. February 2017 08:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetLeaving Zimbabwe we had the experience of the aircraft (an old B737) breaking down with engine problShareLeaving Zimbabwe we had the experience of the aircraft (an old B737) breaking down with engine problems prior to our departure. Although this is not uncommon, most international airports would have a team of aircraft mechanics along with spare parts to fix problems.Victoria Falls do not have all the same facilities due to the low volume of aircraft, so in our case the pilot and co-pilot stepped up and went out to fix the problem themselves. With just a two hour delay we were back underway.I doubt a pilot from a big international airline would step up and get his hands dirty or even have the skills to fix basic and common problems....credit go to bush pilots! 1. February 2017 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Victoria Falls 1. February 2017 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe main reason why we made the trip up to Zimbabwe was that our trip to South Africa would be our bShareThe main reason why we made the trip up to Zimbabwe was that our trip to South Africa would be our best opportunity to see and experience the Victoria Falls (and also give Kim and the boys to opportunity to visit another African country).It is an amazing sight as the entire area around the falls is completely flat. The Zambezi river is at the point of the fall over a kilometer wide and the entire river suddenly drops into this narrow gorge.The falls themselves are on the Zambian side of the border, and most of the lookouts are on the Zimbabwe side.The effect is that the water spray gets pushed several hundred meters into the air above the gorge and creates a perpetual plume of rain clouds and spray making it impossible to stay dry.This also meant that it was a challenge to keep my camera gear dry. I did bring a waterproof case for my camera, but after a few minutes a stopped using it because I couldn't mount the camera on a tripod at the same time. Instead I opted for covering the camera with a microfibre towel that somewhat helped, but otherwise I had to rely on the weather sealing on the Nikon camera and lenses.To make it easier to dry we had dressed the boys ourselves in rash and sports shirts. This dried very quickly after getting wet unlike cotton clothing. We did bring some disposable ponchos but only Kim used hers a little. 31. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Big (Baobab) Tree 31. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetJust outside Victoria Falls there is this Baobab tree that they keep showing to tourists (behind fenShareJust outside Victoria Falls there is this Baobab tree that they keep showing to tourists (behind fencing so tourists don't vandalise it). We were brought there on the way to the Boma restaurant because the other people in the bus wanted to see it.They all went Ooooh and Ahhh by seeing it, but I must say that it is neither big or beautiful as far as Baobab trees go...even the fig trees here in Australia are bigger (and better looking). 31. January 2017 12:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe & Zambia - Sunset cruise on the Zambezi River 3 Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 22. August 2019 13:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden - awards card 22. August 2019 13:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIt is not often that Aiden gets an award for good work at school, but when he does, he is very proudShareIt is not often that Aiden gets an award for good work at school, but when he does, he is very proud. 10. August 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Camping - Barrington Tops 10. August 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetEarlier in the year at Easter time we went camping up at Barrington Tops 5 hours drive north of SydnShareEarlier in the year at Easter time we went camping up at Barrington Tops 5 hours drive north of Sydney.It is a very tall mountain range with some excellent walks, rivers etc.We had a great weekend with friends sitting around the fire roasting marshmellows, walking and canoeing. 23. July 2019 10:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Kyoto - Fushimi Inari Shrine 23. July 2019 10:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetShare 8. July 2019 12:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Karate - Boys getting their red belts 8. July 2019 12:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetFairly recently we started the boys on Karate.We thought it would be a good activity for them to buiShareFairly recently we started the boys on Karate.We thought it would be a good activity for them to build strength, motor skills and discipline.Especially Aiden is really enjoying it and putting in the hard work at home practicing. He has become stronger throughout the classes which is great. Before we started he had almost no core strength and now he is able to do sit-ups and pushups.This weekend both Aiden and Lucas were pulled up for their first proper graduation from the white belts to the red belts and they both passed. 17. June 2019 20:06 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Bali - 2018 17. June 2019 20:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetPhotos from out trip to Bali with a couple of friends and kids.SharePhotos from out trip to Bali with a couple of friends and kids. 2. April 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Japan - Osaka aquarium 2. April 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe Osaka aquarium is massive and very impressive. The centre piece is the massive tank in the middlShareThe Osaka aquarium is massive and very impressive. The centre piece is the massive tank in the middle with two large whale sharks and which is also full of other sharks such as hammerheads. 2. April 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Japan - Dontonburi Osaka 2. April 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetTontonburi is know as the chefs/kitchen area. Here you can buy everything needed for a japanese restShareTontonburi is know as the chefs/kitchen area. Here you can buy everything needed for a japanese restaurant.It is also full of actual restaurants and other oddities such as more exotic places. It has what is known as Osaka's best Ramen restaurant (the one with the long counter in the photos below) - and Yes, the Ramen was very good.Here it is also possible to eat specialties such as the Puffa fish.It was also one of the few places where I saw real Samurai swords for sale. Aiden is now 16 Months and he is now able to crawl and stand up. He is slowly starting to walk (a few metres at a time) when supported by a walker but he is still not able to walk unsupported. He also likes sitting on this little car we have for him, racing around the lounge room. He favourite foods are Strawberries, Mango, Durian and Yoghurt. We did another photo shoot the other day with his favorite teddy called 'Scout' 25. August 2011 03:30 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zagreb Inner City - Croatia 25. August 2011 03:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetzagreb part 2 croatiaShareThe next day was spent exploring the inner city itself. Surprisingly there are not a lot of turists in Zagreb. Most of the places were went to seemed to be mostly locals. It is not loke other capital cities where you see a lot of tour groups etc. Here we sometime had the feeling that we were the only tourists. The In the morning we explored the horse shoe shaped parks and all their buildings. These parks are have a lot of buildings such as the University and the National Theatre located in them. This is the National Theatre with the Fountain of Life in front of it. One of the statues is of St George slaying the dragon. We also had a look at the Dolac market in the middle of the city. In the afternoon we also explored some of the churches although some of them were closed for us to visit inside (Maybe because it was Sunday). This is the St Marks church. The roof tiles show the coat of arms of Croatia and Slovenia. The church also has the Croatian Parliament located next to it so a lot of police and security looking at me suspeciously while setting up my tripod. We also made it to the big cathedral which apparently is under constant renovation. We also went to the Stone Gate that contains a status of the Virgin Mary that micraculously escaped being destroyed in a fire. All the locals would come here to light a candle. In the late afternoon we went to the Strossmayer Promenade. This is a place where the local artists sell and display some of their work and also contains a rather special statue. Aiden was very facinated by this strange man sitting on a park bench. ...And next day it is time for the long journey back to Australia. ShareIn Osaka we went to the Toei Film Studio.This is an area where they have filmed lots of traditional Japanese movies and where they have all the old houses and also some theaters.It is also used as a bit of an entertainment and cultural area to teach the Japanese about their culture. Surprisingly we seemed to be the only foreign tourists there and it was definitely worth the visit even though we didn't understand a word of what they were saying. << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...5678910111213...9293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you zagreb croatiaShareBefore heading back to Australia we spent a couple of days in Croatias capital Zagreb.Kim had found us accomodation at the Best western which was centrally located very close to the centre of Zagreb and just across one of the big parks.One of the advantages of this hotel was that there was plenty of parking at the hotel and it would have been difficult/expensive to park on the street otherwise. Driving in Zagreb was a real challenge. It was full of one way streets with lots of road works. There were lots of bicycles and there were trams everywhere. After arriving we went for a walk across to the park and square and along the way we didn't see many restaurants so I stopped at a tourist information to ask them where we should go to find a selection on places. When we went to those places later in the evening there were hardly any restaurants. There were a lot of bars serving drinks and the places were packed, but they were not restaurants. We eventually found a place and the food was very nice, but this was pretty much the trend for Zagreb, lots of people going out for drinks, but very few people going out dining. I am not sure if this was a cultural thing or just because of the costs associated with going out.Next day we did find the one of the old streets had loads of restaurants but still nowhere the variety we had seen elsewhere on our travels.Next morning we decided to first visit some of the places that were on the outshirts of the inner city and required us to have transport. We first went to the Maksimir Park which also has a zoo. The park itself doesn't have much in terms of scenery and facilities although it is nice enough. The building for the cafe (Kiosk) in the middle of the park was was in bad need of some maintenance with large pieces of rendering and paint falling off the building. The Zoo was pleasant and they had a large selection of different animals. It was really hot in there so the zoo keeper were spraying them with water to cool them down a bit.The most exciting specimen in the park was this lot of Homisapiens...very rare and irreplaceable. Next was the Mirogoj cemetry. This is the oldest cemetry in Zagreb and is absolutely amazing in terms of the graves there. Some of the graves belonged to old families and I counted some that had 15 family members buried there dating back to the early 18 hundreds. The place was huge, the really old section would have been at least 500 metres long as was very beautifully set up. The following day we decided to explore the inner city of Zagreb. at the hotel we had picked up a "Zagreb Step-by-step" guide. This turned out to be the best tourist guide I have ever seen. It was very comprehensible and provided us with a very logical route to follow. It was so good that I was able to provide ongoing commentary to Kims video. I brough back a copy of the guide which I intend to send to NSW tourism when I am done with it. 23. August 2011 02:04 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Lubjiana - Slovenia 23. August 2011 02:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweet
3. February 2017 08:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Flying out 3. February 2017 08:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetLeaving Zimbabwe we had the experience of the aircraft (an old B737) breaking down with engine problShareLeaving Zimbabwe we had the experience of the aircraft (an old B737) breaking down with engine problems prior to our departure. Although this is not uncommon, most international airports would have a team of aircraft mechanics along with spare parts to fix problems.Victoria Falls do not have all the same facilities due to the low volume of aircraft, so in our case the pilot and co-pilot stepped up and went out to fix the problem themselves. With just a two hour delay we were back underway.I doubt a pilot from a big international airline would step up and get his hands dirty or even have the skills to fix basic and common problems....credit go to bush pilots!
1. February 2017 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Victoria Falls 1. February 2017 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe main reason why we made the trip up to Zimbabwe was that our trip to South Africa would be our bShareThe main reason why we made the trip up to Zimbabwe was that our trip to South Africa would be our best opportunity to see and experience the Victoria Falls (and also give Kim and the boys to opportunity to visit another African country).It is an amazing sight as the entire area around the falls is completely flat. The Zambezi river is at the point of the fall over a kilometer wide and the entire river suddenly drops into this narrow gorge.The falls themselves are on the Zambian side of the border, and most of the lookouts are on the Zimbabwe side.The effect is that the water spray gets pushed several hundred meters into the air above the gorge and creates a perpetual plume of rain clouds and spray making it impossible to stay dry.This also meant that it was a challenge to keep my camera gear dry. I did bring a waterproof case for my camera, but after a few minutes a stopped using it because I couldn't mount the camera on a tripod at the same time. Instead I opted for covering the camera with a microfibre towel that somewhat helped, but otherwise I had to rely on the weather sealing on the Nikon camera and lenses.To make it easier to dry we had dressed the boys ourselves in rash and sports shirts. This dried very quickly after getting wet unlike cotton clothing. We did bring some disposable ponchos but only Kim used hers a little.
31. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Big (Baobab) Tree 31. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetJust outside Victoria Falls there is this Baobab tree that they keep showing to tourists (behind fenShareJust outside Victoria Falls there is this Baobab tree that they keep showing to tourists (behind fencing so tourists don't vandalise it). We were brought there on the way to the Boma restaurant because the other people in the bus wanted to see it.They all went Ooooh and Ahhh by seeing it, but I must say that it is neither big or beautiful as far as Baobab trees go...even the fig trees here in Australia are bigger (and better looking).
31. January 2017 12:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe & Zambia - Sunset cruise on the Zambezi River 3 Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 22. August 2019 13:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden - awards card 22. August 2019 13:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIt is not often that Aiden gets an award for good work at school, but when he does, he is very proudShareIt is not often that Aiden gets an award for good work at school, but when he does, he is very proud. 10. August 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Camping - Barrington Tops 10. August 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetEarlier in the year at Easter time we went camping up at Barrington Tops 5 hours drive north of SydnShareEarlier in the year at Easter time we went camping up at Barrington Tops 5 hours drive north of Sydney.It is a very tall mountain range with some excellent walks, rivers etc.We had a great weekend with friends sitting around the fire roasting marshmellows, walking and canoeing. 23. July 2019 10:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Kyoto - Fushimi Inari Shrine 23. July 2019 10:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetShare 8. July 2019 12:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Karate - Boys getting their red belts 8. July 2019 12:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetFairly recently we started the boys on Karate.We thought it would be a good activity for them to buiShareFairly recently we started the boys on Karate.We thought it would be a good activity for them to build strength, motor skills and discipline.Especially Aiden is really enjoying it and putting in the hard work at home practicing. He has become stronger throughout the classes which is great. Before we started he had almost no core strength and now he is able to do sit-ups and pushups.This weekend both Aiden and Lucas were pulled up for their first proper graduation from the white belts to the red belts and they both passed. 17. June 2019 20:06 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Bali - 2018 17. June 2019 20:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetPhotos from out trip to Bali with a couple of friends and kids.SharePhotos from out trip to Bali with a couple of friends and kids. 2. April 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Japan - Osaka aquarium 2. April 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe Osaka aquarium is massive and very impressive. The centre piece is the massive tank in the middlShareThe Osaka aquarium is massive and very impressive. The centre piece is the massive tank in the middle with two large whale sharks and which is also full of other sharks such as hammerheads. 2. April 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Japan - Dontonburi Osaka 2. April 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetTontonburi is know as the chefs/kitchen area. Here you can buy everything needed for a japanese restShareTontonburi is know as the chefs/kitchen area. Here you can buy everything needed for a japanese restaurant.It is also full of actual restaurants and other oddities such as more exotic places. It has what is known as Osaka's best Ramen restaurant (the one with the long counter in the photos below) - and Yes, the Ramen was very good.Here it is also possible to eat specialties such as the Puffa fish.It was also one of the few places where I saw real Samurai swords for sale. Aiden is now 16 Months and he is now able to crawl and stand up. He is slowly starting to walk (a few metres at a time) when supported by a walker but he is still not able to walk unsupported. He also likes sitting on this little car we have for him, racing around the lounge room. He favourite foods are Strawberries, Mango, Durian and Yoghurt. We did another photo shoot the other day with his favorite teddy called 'Scout' 25. August 2011 03:30 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zagreb Inner City - Croatia 25. August 2011 03:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetzagreb part 2 croatiaShareThe next day was spent exploring the inner city itself. Surprisingly there are not a lot of turists in Zagreb. Most of the places were went to seemed to be mostly locals. It is not loke other capital cities where you see a lot of tour groups etc. Here we sometime had the feeling that we were the only tourists. The In the morning we explored the horse shoe shaped parks and all their buildings. These parks are have a lot of buildings such as the University and the National Theatre located in them. This is the National Theatre with the Fountain of Life in front of it. One of the statues is of St George slaying the dragon. We also had a look at the Dolac market in the middle of the city. In the afternoon we also explored some of the churches although some of them were closed for us to visit inside (Maybe because it was Sunday). This is the St Marks church. The roof tiles show the coat of arms of Croatia and Slovenia. The church also has the Croatian Parliament located next to it so a lot of police and security looking at me suspeciously while setting up my tripod. We also made it to the big cathedral which apparently is under constant renovation. We also went to the Stone Gate that contains a status of the Virgin Mary that micraculously escaped being destroyed in a fire. All the locals would come here to light a candle. In the late afternoon we went to the Strossmayer Promenade. This is a place where the local artists sell and display some of their work and also contains a rather special statue. Aiden was very facinated by this strange man sitting on a park bench. ...And next day it is time for the long journey back to Australia. ShareIn Osaka we went to the Toei Film Studio.This is an area where they have filmed lots of traditional Japanese movies and where they have all the old houses and also some theaters.It is also used as a bit of an entertainment and cultural area to teach the Japanese about their culture. Surprisingly we seemed to be the only foreign tourists there and it was definitely worth the visit even though we didn't understand a word of what they were saying. << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...5678910111213...9293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you
22. August 2019 13:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden - awards card 22. August 2019 13:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIt is not often that Aiden gets an award for good work at school, but when he does, he is very proudShareIt is not often that Aiden gets an award for good work at school, but when he does, he is very proud.
10. August 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Camping - Barrington Tops 10. August 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetEarlier in the year at Easter time we went camping up at Barrington Tops 5 hours drive north of SydnShareEarlier in the year at Easter time we went camping up at Barrington Tops 5 hours drive north of Sydney.It is a very tall mountain range with some excellent walks, rivers etc.We had a great weekend with friends sitting around the fire roasting marshmellows, walking and canoeing.
23. July 2019 10:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Kyoto - Fushimi Inari Shrine 23. July 2019 10:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetShare
8. July 2019 12:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Karate - Boys getting their red belts 8. July 2019 12:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetFairly recently we started the boys on Karate.We thought it would be a good activity for them to buiShareFairly recently we started the boys on Karate.We thought it would be a good activity for them to build strength, motor skills and discipline.Especially Aiden is really enjoying it and putting in the hard work at home practicing. He has become stronger throughout the classes which is great. Before we started he had almost no core strength and now he is able to do sit-ups and pushups.This weekend both Aiden and Lucas were pulled up for their first proper graduation from the white belts to the red belts and they both passed.
17. June 2019 20:06 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Bali - 2018 17. June 2019 20:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetPhotos from out trip to Bali with a couple of friends and kids.SharePhotos from out trip to Bali with a couple of friends and kids.
2. April 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Japan - Osaka aquarium 2. April 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe Osaka aquarium is massive and very impressive. The centre piece is the massive tank in the middlShareThe Osaka aquarium is massive and very impressive. The centre piece is the massive tank in the middle with two large whale sharks and which is also full of other sharks such as hammerheads.
2. April 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Japan - Dontonburi Osaka 2. April 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetTontonburi is know as the chefs/kitchen area. Here you can buy everything needed for a japanese restShareTontonburi is know as the chefs/kitchen area. Here you can buy everything needed for a japanese restaurant.It is also full of actual restaurants and other oddities such as more exotic places. It has what is known as Osaka's best Ramen restaurant (the one with the long counter in the photos below) - and Yes, the Ramen was very good.Here it is also possible to eat specialties such as the Puffa fish.It was also one of the few places where I saw real Samurai swords for sale. Aiden is now 16 Months and he is now able to crawl and stand up. He is slowly starting to walk (a few metres at a time) when supported by a walker but he is still not able to walk unsupported. He also likes sitting on this little car we have for him, racing around the lounge room. He favourite foods are Strawberries, Mango, Durian and Yoghurt. We did another photo shoot the other day with his favorite teddy called 'Scout' 25. August 2011 03:30 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zagreb Inner City - Croatia 25. August 2011 03:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetzagreb part 2 croatiaShareThe next day was spent exploring the inner city itself. Surprisingly there are not a lot of turists in Zagreb. Most of the places were went to seemed to be mostly locals. It is not loke other capital cities where you see a lot of tour groups etc. Here we sometime had the feeling that we were the only tourists. The In the morning we explored the horse shoe shaped parks and all their buildings. These parks are have a lot of buildings such as the University and the National Theatre located in them. This is the National Theatre with the Fountain of Life in front of it. One of the statues is of St George slaying the dragon. We also had a look at the Dolac market in the middle of the city. In the afternoon we also explored some of the churches although some of them were closed for us to visit inside (Maybe because it was Sunday). This is the St Marks church. The roof tiles show the coat of arms of Croatia and Slovenia. The church also has the Croatian Parliament located next to it so a lot of police and security looking at me suspeciously while setting up my tripod. We also made it to the big cathedral which apparently is under constant renovation. We also went to the Stone Gate that contains a status of the Virgin Mary that micraculously escaped being destroyed in a fire. All the locals would come here to light a candle. In the late afternoon we went to the Strossmayer Promenade. This is a place where the local artists sell and display some of their work and also contains a rather special statue. Aiden was very facinated by this strange man sitting on a park bench. ...And next day it is time for the long journey back to Australia. ShareIn Osaka we went to the Toei Film Studio.This is an area where they have filmed lots of traditional Japanese movies and where they have all the old houses and also some theaters.It is also used as a bit of an entertainment and cultural area to teach the Japanese about their culture. Surprisingly we seemed to be the only foreign tourists there and it was definitely worth the visit even though we didn't understand a word of what they were saying.
25. August 2011 03:30 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zagreb Inner City - Croatia 25. August 2011 03:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetzagreb part 2 croatiaShareThe next day was spent exploring the inner city itself. Surprisingly there are not a lot of turists in Zagreb. Most of the places were went to seemed to be mostly locals. It is not loke other capital cities where you see a lot of tour groups etc. Here we sometime had the feeling that we were the only tourists. The In the morning we explored the horse shoe shaped parks and all their buildings. These parks are have a lot of buildings such as the University and the National Theatre located in them. This is the National Theatre with the Fountain of Life in front of it. One of the statues is of St George slaying the dragon. We also had a look at the Dolac market in the middle of the city. In the afternoon we also explored some of the churches although some of them were closed for us to visit inside (Maybe because it was Sunday). This is the St Marks church. The roof tiles show the coat of arms of Croatia and Slovenia. The church also has the Croatian Parliament located next to it so a lot of police and security looking at me suspeciously while setting up my tripod. We also made it to the big cathedral which apparently is under constant renovation. We also went to the Stone Gate that contains a status of the Virgin Mary that micraculously escaped being destroyed in a fire. All the locals would come here to light a candle. In the late afternoon we went to the Strossmayer Promenade. This is a place where the local artists sell and display some of their work and also contains a rather special statue. Aiden was very facinated by this strange man sitting on a park bench. ...And next day it is time for the long journey back to Australia.
23. August 2011 02:04 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Lubjiana - Slovenia 23. August 2011 02:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweet