Tag Archives: ian burnet

East Indies (update)

Posted on April 21, 2016 by ianburnet

The book East Indies tells of the struggle of the East India Companies for trade supremacy in the Eastern Seas over two centuries. It follows the trade winds and the trade routes to the port cities across Asia and the … Continue reading →

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Terra Australis 1606 ( podcast with maps)

Posted on April 11, 2016 by ianburnet

Please follow the link to see a talk given recently at the Royal Australian Historical Society on the first European discovery or sighting of Australia in 1606 by the Dutch voyage led by Willem Janzoon and the Spanish voyage led … Continue reading →

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A Journey Across Flores

Posted on March 28, 2016 by ianburnet

Beyond Bali, much of Indonesia is unknown to many Australians. But in many respects, Indonesia is Australia’s most important overall relationship.  Yet the historical and cultural differences of our nearest neighbour are vast, possibly among the widest of any pair … Continue reading →

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Durian – The King of Fruits

Posted on March 10, 2016 by ianburnet

The durian is known as the ‘King of the Fruits’ a label that can be attributed to its huge size (up to 7kg for some varieties), formidable look, and (for some)  an overpowering odour. With this size and this crazy … Continue reading →

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A Little Flight Reading

Posted on January 20, 2016 by ianburnet

Archipelago: A Journey Across Indonesia Ian Burnet, Rosenberg Press, $39.95 An article from ‘The Australian’ – January 16, Travel Section – Graham Erbacher Is your body back at work but head and heart still on holidays? Time for a good … Continue reading →

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Spicing things Up! – with Spice Art

Posted on January 12, 2016 by ianburnet

  Jameel Prize 3 Laurent Mareschal was born Paris, where he is still based. Much of his work is underpinned by a preoccupation with incommunicability, and therefore invites audience involvement. Mareschal lived in Israel for several years, and his work … Continue reading →

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The (almost) Forgotten Founder of Singapore

Posted on December 15, 2015 by ianburnet

I posted the following blog about William Farquhar and Singapore a year ago. I have always been surprised by the lack of recognition in Singapore for its co-founder William Farquhar. Please correct me if I am wrong but I cannot … Continue reading →

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Giant nutmegs found in Singapore!

Posted on December 3, 2015 by ianburnet

Long before it became a temple to the gods of conspicuous consumption, Orchard Road in Singapore was named after the orchards and nutmeg plantations that were developed there in the early 1800’s. Nutmegs only grew in the Spice Islands of … Continue reading →

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The Tropical Spice Garden and Clove Hall- Penang

Posted on November 25, 2015 by ianburnet

It is lovely to visit Penang Island again and explore the historic streets of multicultural Georgetown, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Row after row of the historic shophouses are being converted into boutiques, restaurants, museums, coffee shops, and whatever … Continue reading →

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Franklin Naik Pinisi

Posted on November 7, 2015 by ianburnet

Franklin is a loveable tortoise character who gets involved in various adventures and in the process gives young Indonesian children access to reading as an early learning experience. There are both a yellow and green series for different age groups, … Continue reading →

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