Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb

Unearthed in 1955, the Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb is a stellar example of a Han Dynasty burial chamber, nearly 2,000 years old.

Discovered while excavating for the present Lei Cheng Uk estate, the tomb has undergone extensive study and renovation since its opening to the public in 1957.

The tomb shows ample evidence of the influence of the Eastern Han Dynasty, including an inscription of Panyu on the tomb bricks. Panyu was a province of the period encompassing what is now Hong Kong. The design and other calligraphy establishes its age and history.

Now enclosed and visible through a large glass panel, the tomb contains four chambers in the shape of a cross. The design has no Christian religious significance, since Christianity was unknown in China at the time (Han Dynasty: 25AD-220AD).

Artifacts from the burial site, such as food storage, pottery and cooking vessels show the Chinese emphasis on food goes back millennia. Two of the recovered objects were bronze utensils and all are authentic. Also discovered were bronze bells, washing basins and mirrors, but oddly no human skeletal remains.

Next to the tomb is a large exhibit hall with photos, videos and other displays showing the history of the tomb and the excavation and conservation efforts.

A 3D digital animation video provides visitors with a detailed, 360 degree look inside the tomb. (There's also a life-sized replica of the tomb at the Hong Kong Museum of History.) Since you can no longer enter the actual tomb, the video provides a 'next-best' view of the domed vault at the center and the four barrel-vaulted chambers.

Visitors will get a thorough explanation, through audio and text, of the efforts undertaken to preserve and understand the tomb. You can read all about how the inscriptions were deciphered and the means by which the artifacts were dated.

Next to the museum, you can stroll through the Han Garden. Completed in 1993, the Chinese garden follows the style of the Han Dynasty and adds to the re-creation of the atmosphere of the period. The garden includes pavilions, fishponds, terraces and rock sculptures typical of the times.

The tomb and grounds were once at the shore, but owing to modern land reclamations they are now over a mile inland. Don't expect an Egyptian-style or ancient Scottish-style burial site, though. The tomb is surrounded by modern streets and buildings and covered with a modern protective canopy.

Getting to the museum and tomb site is easy. Simply take the West Rail to the Nam Cheong Station. Board bus No. 36A toward Lei Muk Shu and exit at Trade Square. Or, take the excellent MTR subway train to Cheung Sha Wan Station (A3) and walk along Tonkin Street to 41 Tonkin.

Sydney Opera House

Like many large public projects, the building of the Sydney Opera House was bathed in controversy. But the final result is nonetheless breathtaking. While the interior has many flaws, such as the stage being blocked from portions of the seating area, inside and out it's an architectural marvel.

The exterior is now known the world over, owing to the distinctive series of overlapping 'sails' that form the basic shape. The architect says they were inspired by palm fronds, but they're technically sections of a sphere. The design is so different and astounding that the buildings have become a symbol of Australia to the whole world.

Erected onto a series of ribbed arches, the white granite surface is covered by over a million tiles, which are 'self-cleaning'. A relatively recent innovation, they're made of a stone that tends to extrude dirt which then blows off, though they still require some maintenance.

The roofs underneath are formed from over 2,000 pre-cast concrete sections. Each roof section weighs up to 15 tons and the different sections are held together by a series of tensioned steel cables, over 350km (210mi) in total length.

There are several such shells, one housing the Opera venue, another for the Concert Hall, another smaller one for theatre and others for several restaurants. The Concert Hall, seating nearly 2,700 and the Opera Theatre with over 1,500 are housed in the two largest shells. The Drama House contains 544 seats. The Playhouse, added in 1999, holds almost 400 and the Studio Theatre 364.

Sited on Bennelong Point, jutting into the harbor, the view from the steps is as spectacular as the building itself. Looking out over Sydney Harbor (technically, Port Jackson) one can readily see the equally distinctive and iconic bridge, along with the lush green hills.

The interior is also quite impressive. Though, to its detriment, the architect's original plans were scrapped mid-way through, much that was left is awe-inspiring. Begun in 1963, it encompasses five theaters, five rehearsal studios, the two main halls, four restaurants along with shops and other rooms.

Completed in 1973, over 10 years after construction began and almost seven after the original architect, Jorn Utzon resigned over numerous disputes, its final cost was more than $100M Australian. The original estimate was $7M, just one of the many sources of acrimony during the project.

But the controversy, after 30 years, is now finally winding down, with the architect invited back to supervise renovations a few years ago. Some of the interior has been re-worked to his original plans.

Today, the facility conducts tours for over 200,000 people each year through much of the facility, including a walk over the stage. Performances in the complex are attended by two million annually.

Have lunch in the Green Room then take a stroll around the steps outside. Marvel at the wonderful way in which the very high-tech looking buildings complement the natural scenery in perfect harmony.

Rome - The Sistine Chapel

Though named after Pope Sixtus IV, who commissioned the chapel construction, the Sistine Chapel was given everlasting fame by Pope Julius II. For, in 1508, it was he who commissioned Michaelangelo to paint frescoes to cover the 10,000 square foot ceiling.

But on the way to the ceiling there are many delights for visitors to Rome and Vatican City, of which the Sistine forms a part. The chapel is nearby the Vatican Museum, itself worth a day or two. And, St. Peter's is also not far away with another Michaelangelo masterpiece, the Pieta not to mention the dome of the basilica.

The chapel itself is on the small side, only 41m (135 ft) by 13.4m (44ft). But within these walls are works of art that would happily be acquired by any of the major art museums in the world. All have benefited from a large restoration project carried out from 1979 to 1999.

Many famous names are represented and many others that should be better known. There are several Botticelli works here, including the 1482 Life of Moses and The Punishment of Korah. Alongside and nearby are Perugino, Ghirlandaio and Rosselli, master artists of the period.

Of course, the main attraction - and properly so - remains the Sistine Ceiling. Formerly decorated only with a bland covering of painted stars, after four years of literally back breaking labor, Michaelangelo transformed it into the glorious nine-panel magnum opus it is today.

Drawing from stories in the Old Testament, Michaelangelo festooned the ceiling with Sibyls, prophets, Noah, obscure nude males, and - not least - Jehovah giving life to Adam with the touch of a finger.

Cleaned and restored in the 1990s, the ceiling shows the magnificent colors of one of the five greatest painters the world has ever seen. As Goethe described it:

"Without having seen the Sistine Chapel one can form no appreciable idea of what one man is capable of achieving."

Spending four years on a specially constructed scaffold, the paint nearly making him blind, the great artist had to devise and supervise a dozen innovations. Just as one example, an entirely new plaster - intonaco, still in use today - was created to resist mold and hold the paint properly.

Though the main sections were completed in 1512, Michaelangelo returned to the work more than 20 years later to paint the Last Judgment, beginning in 1535 and finishing the work in 1541. It too is not to be missed. Nor can it be, really, since it covers the entire wall behind the altar of the Sistine Chapel.

Among other fascinating aspects is the depiction of St. Bartholomew, a self-portrait that shows the figure having his skin flayed. Michaelangelo was heavily criticized at the time, and by powerful figures, for his frequent depiction of nude figures. Though he won a temporary victory, the genitalia were later painted over.

Even those not usually interested in fine art come away from seeing the Sistine Chapel with a sense of awe. No visit to Rome is complete without a viewing of this site of so many masterpieces.