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Protected: Ho Chi Minh City 1987

14th September 202014th September 2020 The Mango Road

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A hefty strand of spider silk stretched across the A hefty strand of spider silk stretched across the footpath slammed into my face as I set off on my walk this morning. A reminder that Summer is just around the corner and that soon the trees in my neck of the woods will be festooned with nephila pelipes or golden orb weavers. Their name comes from the yellow sheen on the webs of mature spiders.
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They are quite majestic beasts but for those unfamiliar, they are the stuff of nightmares. Fully grown the body is about the size of my thumb with a leg span a little wider than my outstretched hand. The webs are commonly about a metre across, though I have seen some that were easily 1.5 metres, and are spun from some of the strongest silk known. Though they do look very pretty when caught in the sunlight. Multiple spinnerets at the blunt end of the spider mean they are quite capable of making spider rope and they are also able adjust the composition of the silk according to their environment. 
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These huge spiders are always female. The males are a rusty brown color and little bigger than a fingernail. They hang about on the edges of the web waiting, presumably until she has a meal large enough to hold her attention so that he can dart in, do the business and retreat without becoming a light snack himself. I’ve read that a bite can be quite painful but the venom itself is not considered dangerous. I have no plans to put it to the test.
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#spider #spiders #spidersofinstagram #spidersoftheworld #spiderlove #instaspider #bigspider #orbspider #spiderweb #arachnid #arachnidsofinstagram #arachnidsoftheworld #goldenorbweaver #nephilapilipes #nephila #wildlife_perfection #wildlifephotos #wildlifelovers #naturelovers #nature #naturalworld #naturephotography #earthfocus #earthofficial #awesome_earthpix #creepycrawly #lifeonearth #wildasia #asia #hongkong
The Eiffel Tower and the Big Ben tower. There's a The Eiffel Tower and the Big Ben tower. There's a photo essay at: https://www.smarttravelasia.com/Special/CotaiPhotoEssay.htm

#bigben #eiffel #macau #cotai #cotaistrip
Ruishi Lou towers over the village of Jinjiangli a Ruishi Lou towers over the village of Jinjiangli about 12 kilometres southwest of Chikan town, Kaiping in southern China. The towers, collectively known as diaolou, were built mostly during the late 19th and early 20th century, though there are a few that date back as far as the 16th.
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The older diaolou were built specifically as watchtowers to guard against invading bandits and to give refuge during floods. The more recent ones still served that function but also served as family homes. These were built by returning emigrants who had made their fortunes in other parts of the world. The designs reflected the newly acquired cosmopolitan tastes of their owners combined with traditional Chinese elements.
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Ruishi was built in 1926 by Huang Bixiu, a villager who had left and made his fortune in Hong Kong as a merchant. It has nine floors each with it's own living space kitchen and bedrooms.
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The Jinjiangli village and it's diaolou along with several other clusters in the region were made UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2007
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#chikantowm #kaiping #diaolou #oldbuildings #building #architecture #architecturelovers #architectureporn #heritage #unesco #unescoworldheritagesite #history #watchtower #village #oldvillage #villagelife #bygoneera #ig_china #chinalife #china #ig_asia #seetheworld #doyoutravel #travelgram #mytinyatlas #beautifuldestinations #traveldeeper #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld
Tian Tan Buddha at the Po Lin Monastery, Ngong Pin Tian Tan Buddha at the Po Lin Monastery, Ngong Ping
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#tiantanbuddha #bigbuddha #天壇大佛 #天坛大佛 #lantau #polinmonastery #ngongping #昂坪 #hongkon
Cotton grass and limestone karsts not far from Yan Cotton grass and limestone karsts not far from Yangshuo, Guangxi province in southern China.

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#moonhill #yangshuo #guangxi #阳朔 #中国 #nature #naturetravel #nature_seekers #landscape #limestone #karst #geology #awesome_earthpix #earthofficial #earthfocus #beautifuldestinations  #stayandwander  #earthoutdoors #landscapelovers #landscapehunter #fantastic_earth #landscapephotography #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld #wanderlustsyndicate #traveladdict #travellife #lensbible
The Great Mosque of Central Java, Semarang. . . . The Great Mosque of Central Java, Semarang.
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#mosque #masjid #placeofworship #indonesia #loves_united_indonesia #icu_indonesia #ig_world_colors #dusk #nightphotography #nightphoto #nightlights #addicted_to_nights #travelblogger #travelbloggerlife #traveller #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld #wanderlustsyndicate #traveladdict #travellife #total_asia #lensbible #ig_reddit #redditphotography #canon5dmarkiv
The crab with the pretty green and black back is p The crab with the pretty green and black back is paraleptuca crassipes or the thick-legged fiddler crab, I’m not sure about the other one but they were both sharing a hole on some tidal mud-flats, though I think it was more to hide from me rather than for co-habitation. If one stands completely motionless for a few minutes they think you’ve gone and gingerly venture out. But the slightest click of the shutter and they dart back in again.
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#crabs #paraleptucacrassipes #fiddlercrab #crustaceans #mangrove #mangrovecrabs #mudflats #wildhongkong #lantau #newterrtories #exploringhongkongsnewterritories #hongkongphotography #explorehk #visualhongkong #discoverhongkong #amazinghongkong #hongkongphoto #discoverhongkong #picsofhk #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #earthoutdoors #fantastic_earth #lifeonearth #wildlifeonearth #wildlifecaptures #wildlifelovers #naturephotography #natureshots
Another shot of the Tengger Highlands in East Java Another shot of the Tengger Highlands in East Java where villages cling to narrow ridges whilst vegetables, growing in the rich volcanic soils, tumble down the sides.
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One of Java's best known attractions, Mt Bromo, is nearby but most people just come to see the sunrise over the crater and leave again before breakfast. But it is a great place to chill out in the cool mountain air for a few days.
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#kampungpelangi #rainbowvillage #colorfulvillage #tengger #nature #agriculture #terracedfields #offthebeatenpath #earthpix #landscape #earthofficial #awesome_earthpix #earthfocus #earthoutdoors #landscapelovers #landscapehunter #fantastic_earth #landscapephotography #loves_united_indonesia #icu_indonesia #travelblogger #sceneryporn #traveller #amazingworld #mountainscapes #traveltheworld #wanderlustsyndicate #traveladdict #besttravelpics #letsgosomewherenew
The prows of pinisi rear up along the old harbour The prows of pinisi rear up along the old harbour front at Sunda Kelapa in north Jakarta, Indonesia. Pinisi are a type of two-masted schooner built by the Bugis of South Sulawesi. Most of them are motorised now but they are still used to transport cargo around the Indonesian archipelago. In previous times that included bringing timber from the forests of Sulawesi and Borneo to Jakarta and returning with everything from bags of cement to bottled water and anything else that is not readily available on the islands.
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The art of building Pinisi was recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in December 7, 2017.
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#pinisi #ship #boat #traditionalboat #sundakelapa #schooner #oldboat #harbour #jakarta #icu_jakarta #indonesia #loves_united_indonesia #icu_indonesia travelphotography #travelblogger #travelbloggerlife #traveller #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld #wanderlustsyndicate #traveladdict #travellife #total_asia #lensbible
The centrepiece of the Yuen Yuen Institute in the The centrepiece of the Yuen Yuen Institute in the hills above Tsuen Wan is said to have been inspired by the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. The institute is the only place of worship in Hong Kong dedicated collectively to the territory’s three major religions, Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism.
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#YuenYuenInstitute #temple #monastery #chinesetemple #shrine #religion #hongkonghistory #tsuenwan #hongkongphotography #hongkongphoto #hongkong #hkig #discoverhongkong #travel #travelhk #explorehk #visualhongkong #visithongkong #amazinghongkong #ilovehongkong #discoverhongkong #discoverhk #awesomehongkong #picsofhk #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld #traveladdict #exploringhongkongsnewterritories
#shaplong #香港 #hikinghk #chimawan #chimawancou #shaplong #香港 #hikinghk #chimawan #chimawancountrytrail #lantau #lantauisland #hkig #hkiger #ilovehongkong #discoverhongkong #discoverhk #awesomehongkong #visualhongkong #hongkongphotography #spider #spiders #spidersoftheworld #nephilapilipes #nephila #earthfocus #earthoutdoors #landscapelovers #landscapehunter #fantastic_earth #lepidoptera #lepidopteraofinstagram #insectphotography #insectworld #insect_perfection
Overlooking Stonecutters Bridge with the Hong Kong Overlooking Stonecutters Bridge with the Hong Kong island skyline in the distance.

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#stonecuttersbridge #bridges #bridge #bridgesofinstagram #bridgeporn #civilengineering #cityscape #urbanlandscape #cityview #citiesoftheworld #architecturelovers #skyline #asiancities #asiatravel #china #hongkong #tsingyi #hkig #hkiger #ilovehongkong #discoverhongkong #discoverhk #awesomehongkong #visualhongkong #hongkongphotography #postcardplaces #seetheworld #doyoutravel #traveldeeper #exploringhongkongsnewterritories
A black-crowned night heron relaxing on the Tsuen A black-crowned night heron relaxing on the Tsuen Wan waterfront.
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#tsuenwan #newterritories #hongkong #blackcrownednightheron #wildbird #egretsandherons #catchoftheday #fish #bird #birdsofinstagram #birdphotography #birdstagram #birdwatching #birding #bestbirdshots #birdphotography #birds #birdlife #featheredfriends #birdsofhongkong #birdsofchina #birdsofasia #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wildlifeonearth #wildlifecaptures #wildlifelovers #naturephotography #natureshots
Hire a bamboo raft and cruise down the spectacular Hire a bamboo raft and cruise down the spectacular Li River. towards the ancient village of Xingping, near Yangshuo, China. Towering limestone karsts, sculpted by the elements, rear up from an otherwise flat plain. The riverbanks are fringed with bamboo and the occasional hamlet.
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#karst # limestone #geology #landscape #earthofficial #earthfocus #earthoutdoors #landscapelovers #landscapehunter #fantastic_earth #awesome_earthpix #landscapephotography #liriver #丽江 #lirivercruise  #riverfun #raft #boat #riverlife #yangshuo  #chinadestinations #raw_china #china #chinatravel #loves_united_china #chinalife #chinatrips #ruralchina #traveltheworld #traveladdict
Looking south from Moonhill across the limestone l Looking south from Moonhill across the limestone landscape of Guangxi province in southern China.
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#moonhill #阳朔 #中国 #guangxi #karst #limestone #geology #landscape #earthofficial #earthfocus #earthoutdoors #landscapelovers #landscapehunter #fantastic_earth #awesome_earthpix #landscapephotography #yangshuo #nature #naturetravel #nature_seekers #chinadestinations #raw_china #china #chinatravel #remoteplaces #chinalife #chinatrips #ruralchina #traveltheworld #traveladdict
The interior of Man Mo Temple on Kong Kong's Holly The interior of Man Mo Temple on Kong Kong's Hollywood Road. The temple is dedicated to Man Cheong who is the god of literature and Mo Tai, also known a Kwan Tai, who is responsible for martial arts, justice and war.
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#manmotemple #temple #文武廟 #manmotemplehongkong #文武庙 #historicbuilding #historictemples #chinesetemple #hongkonghistory #hongkongphotography #hongkongphoto #hongkong #hkig #discoverhongkong #travel #travelhk #explorehk #visualhongkong #visithongkong #amazinghongkong #ilovehongkong #discoverhongkong #discoverhk #awesomehongkong #picsofhk #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld #traveladdict #themoderndayexplorer
The little fishing village of Po Toi O towards the The little fishing village of Po Toi O towards the southern end of Hong Kong's Clearwater Bay peninsula. There are a couple of seafood restaurants and a temple dedicated to Hung Shing Tai Wong. The temple is believed to have been built around 1663. Parts of the movie, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life, were apparently filmed here. I never saw the movie so I couldn't tell you which parts.
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#potoio #fishingvillage #clearwaterbay #布袋澳 #清水灣 #hongkong #discoverhongkong #discoverhk #awesomehongkong #visualhongkong #explorehk #visithongkong #hongkongphotography #hkig #hkiger #landscape #earthofficial #landscapelovers #landscapehunter #fantastic_earth #earthcapture #landscapephotography #awesome_earthpix #earthfocus #earthoutdoors #seetheworld #worldnomads #themoderndayexplorer #alwaysexploring #adventuretime
It's hiking season in Hong Kong. But beware the ol It's hiking season in Hong Kong. But beware the old abandoned villages are hungry.

#hongkong #hongkongphotography #hongkongphoto #hiking #hikingadventures #hike #abandonedplaces #abandoned #spooky #spookyseason #architecture
Queen Victoria Memorial, Kolkata, India . . . #vic Queen Victoria Memorial, Kolkata, India
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#victoriamemorialkolkata #queenvictoriamemorial #queenvictoria #architecture #buildings #architecturelovers #architecturelovers #architectureporn #building #buildingporn #history #heritage #streetsofkolkata #thisiskolkata #ohkolkata #oldcalcutta #kolkataphotography #kolkatadiaries #oldcalcutta #india #travelphotography #travelblogger #travelbloggerlife #traveller #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld #wanderlustsyndicate #traveladdict #travellifestyle
New Lucky House on the corner of Nathan Road and J New Lucky House on the corner of Nathan Road and Jordan Road, Yau Ma Tei. Built in 1964 its 16 floors boast 200 units and 35 guesthouses.
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#citynights #addicted_to_nights #nightphotography #nightimages #nightlights #nightphoto #dusk #cityscape #urbanlandscape #urbanromantix #buildings #buildingporn #architecture #architecturelovers #architectureporn #hongkongphotography #hongkongphoto #hongkong #hkig #discoverhongkong #explorehk #visualhongkong #visithongkong #amazinghongkong #ilovehongkong #discoverhongkong #discoverhk #travel #travelhk #華豐大廈
Lantau Peak looking dramatic. At 934 metres (3,064 Lantau Peak looking dramatic. At 934 metres (3,064 ft) above sea level the mountain is the highest point on Lantau island and the second highest in Hong Kong.
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#lantaupeak #鳳凰山 #lantau #lantauisland #southlantau #landscape #earthofficial #awesome_earthpix #earthfocus #earthoutdoors #landscapelovers #landscapehunter #fantastic_earth #landscapephotography #naturelover #ilovehongkong #discoverhongkong #discoverhk #awesomehongkong #hongkongphotography #countrypark #wonderful_places #peacefulplace #bythisriver #estuary #seetheworld #doyoutravel #traveldeeper #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere
Eastern great egret (Ardea alba modesta) making of Eastern great egret (Ardea alba modesta) making off with the catch of the day.
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#egret #easterngreategret #greategret #egretsofinstagram #egrettagarzetta #egretsandherons #catchoftheday #fish #bird #birdsofinstagram #birdphotography #birdstagram #birdwatching #birding #bestbirdshots #birdphotography #birds #birdlife #featheredfriends #birdsofhongkong #birdsofchina #birdsofasia #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography  #wildlifeonearth #wildlifecaptures #wildlifelovers #naturephotography #natureshots
Happy Halloween, may all your nightmares come true Happy Halloween, may all your nightmares come true.

I found these gentlemen cavorting in the primeval forests near Lai Chi Wo in Hong Kong's New Territories.
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#trees #forest #jungle #plants #trees #unitedbytrees #global_nature_trees #ig_shotz_trees #flora #buttressroots #spooky #halloween #laichiwo #hongkong #newterritories #hongkongphotography #explorehk #visualhongkong #discoverhongkong #amazinghongkong #hongkongphoto #hkig #discoverhongkong #picsofhk #exploringhongkongsnewterritories #traveltheworld #wanderlustsyndicate #traveladdict #travellife #lensbible
Incense coils at a Chinese temple in Macau. . #mac Incense coils at a Chinese temple in Macau.
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#macau #incense #smoke #burn #religion #religionsoftheworld #photography #travelphotography 📷 #travelphotography
This is tessaratoma papillosa also known as lychee This is tessaratoma papillosa also known as lychee stink bug, so called because it eats lychees and longans and ejects a foul smelling chemical when it feels threatened. They are about 2 to 2.5 centimetres long.
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We have wild longans in the forest behind the house and every spring these insects emerge from under the bark, where they have spent the winter, to lay eggs and die. The latter quite often on my balcony. When I find them alive I usher them back to some greenery for them to spend their final hours and minutes. Being swept into a dustpan and thrown in the trash is not a very dignified exit for these noble critters.
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#tessaratomapapillosa #lycheestinkbug #stinkbug #bug #shieldbug #insectguru #beautiful_insects #insects_of_our_world #raw_insects #ip_insects #woodlandcreatures #naturalbeauty #entomologie #entomology #uwn_insect #insect #earthoutdoors #fantastic_earth #nature #naturelovers #insectsofinstagram #nuts_about_insects #wildlifeonearth #wildlife #wildlifephotography #southlantau #LantauIsland #LantauLife #amazinghongkong #awesomehongkong
Bronze seated Buddha in the sanctuary of Wat Phnom Bronze seated Buddha in the sanctuary of Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The temple is said to have been built in 1372 but it has been rebuilt numerous times since then. The most recent in 1929.
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#watphnom #phnompenh #phnompenhlife #phnompenhcity #cambodia #cambodiatravel #travelcambodia #beautifulcambodia #visitcambodia #buddha #buddhastatue #temple #buddhisttemple #placeofworship #aroundtheworld #globetrotter #welltravelled #seetheworld #worldnomads #alwaysexploring #adventuretime #travelmemories #traveller #ontheroad #welltravelled #letsgo #travelphotography #traveller #travelling
I took this shot many years ago one foggy morning I took this shot many years ago one foggy morning on the Dieng Plateau in Central Java. Back then there were only two rather simple hotels. Early mornings were always wonderfully misty and mysterious but the sun would shine before lunch. In the afternoons it rained heavily.
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#dieng #diengplateau #exploredieng #terracedfields #offthebeatenpath #earthpix #landscape #earthofficial #awesome_earthpix #earthfocus #earthoutdoors #landscapelovers #landscapehunter #fantastic_earth #landscapephotography #loves_united_indonesia #icu_indonesia #travelblogger #travelbloggerlife #traveller #naturelover #indonesigeographic #volcano #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld #wanderlustsyndicate #traveladdict #travellif
The chrysanthemums, among many others, are in bloo The chrysanthemums, among many others, are in bloom at the Wun Chuen Sin Koon Taoist Temple in Hong Kong’s New Territories.
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#wunchuensinkoon #temple #monastery #chinesetemple #shrine #religion #hongkonghistory #pingche #hongkongphotography #hongkongphoto #hongkong #hkig #discoverhongkong #travel #travelhk #explorehk #visualhongkong #visithongkong #amazinghongkong #ilovehongkong #discoverhongkong #discoverhk #awesomehongkong #picsofhk #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld #traveladdict #themoderndayexplorer
A tourist browses colourful silk lampshades in Hoi A tourist browses colourful silk lampshades in Hoi An, Vietnam
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#lamp lampshade #tourist #tourism #nightmarket #silk #traditional #shopping#hoiantown #hoian #discovervietnam #ig_vietnam #vietnamtravel #vietnam🇻🇳 #vietnamtravelers #igvietnam #vietnamese #vietnam #loves_united_vietnam #asiatravel #unlimitedasia #ecotourism #seetheworld #traveldeeper #doyoutravel #traveltheworld #traveladdict #borntotravel #traveltheworld #travelenthusiast
Found this fellow the other day, he’d sheltered Found this fellow the other day, he’d sheltered out the storm in an old plant pot. I relocated him to the lemon tree and he’s been hanging out there ever since.
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#prayingmantis #giantasianprayingmantis #hierodulamembranacea #prayingmantisofinstagram #mantis #bugs #insectsofinstagram #mantidsofinstagram #bug #mantids #insectphotography #insect #insect_perfection #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #creepycrawly #abugslife #nature #insectworld #bugsofinstagram #insectstagram #insectlicious #beautiful_insects #insectguru #fulgoromorpha #earthcapture #inmygardentoday #colorfulbug #insects_of_our_world #insectlovers
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