Asia

Postcards on the Dashashwamedh Ghat

"Henna?" The banks of the Ganga were lined with woven umbrellas. There was a festival that day - I never found out exactly what. But it was the reason I came down to Dashashwamedh Ghat again, even though I had already come the previous day. India was abundant in holy...

A Trek to Mount Genyen — Eastern Tibet

Tibet has always been a dream for many travelers. Its giant snowy mountains, endless grasslands, lakes, rivers, as well as its unique local culture make this place like a magnet. It was a magnet for me too. Basically, I always try to travel to new places, to not...

The Heart of Erbil: Ancient Citadel, Grand Bazaar and Animal Market

A few weeks after moving into my new home of Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan, I discovered that it was designed in concentric circles, focused around a central point which happens to be an ancient citadel with the grand bazaar (a marketplace) around it. All the Ring...

Mrauk U: Lost Time and Forgotten Treasures

The medieval ruins are so remote that time nearly left them behind. Mystical fortresses crafted with jaw-dropping architectural panache, towering over rice paddies and rural villages as the petrified remains of a long-lost empire. This is Mrauk U, the enchanting...

The Experience of Walking Beside Laotian Monks

One Buddhist morning with the Laotian Monks. The colour of the air is infused with orange and pomegranate. And still, it is before dawn. Nothing can be heard except for the quiet barefoot steps of two dozen monks dressed in deep orange robes. And the morning song ( a...

Constantinople, not Istanbul

Today's Istanbul is a vibrant and modern city built on top an ancient past. What's the past beneath, you ask? Maybe you remember these lyrics from the early days of rock'n'roll: Take me back to Constantinople No, you can't go back to Constantinople Now it's Istanbul,...

Cox’s Bazar – Sea Foam and Salt Grains

For as long as I can remember, Cox’s Bazar with its endless sandy beach and azure crashing waves almost blending with the horizon, has been a second home to me. Annually, my family goes there to disconnect from the busy life of the capital and spend time mingling with...

Stargazing in the Philippines

Calamansi is a small, round citrus fruit with an aromatic, sour bite. It is served on the side of Philippine meals as a condiment; in a tiny bowl along with small chilies. You squeeze the diminutive green fruit over the chilies, crushing them and adding vinegar or soy...

A Shooting Star Over Baghdad

Tonight's flight to Doha is a bit different than last night's flight to Istanbul from Toronto. Nine out of ten passengers are men over the age of 50 and I'm one of five women. There is a lot of snoring happening compared to this morning's cries of small children. The...

Sailing over the Myanmar’s Plains of Bagan

Bagan Archaeological Zone More than 2,200 eleventh to thirteenth century temples and stupas pepper the forty square miles of Myanmar's plains of Bagan. Why are so many of these graceful, exotic structures clustered in this Southeast Asian country once known as Burma?...

Hoi An, Vietnamese Hand Embroidery

It was a boiling day in Hoi An when I was exploring the tourist attractions in the charming ancient town. After visiting a couple of them, I just wanted to get into an air-conditioning enclosure to escape the scorching heat. Even my shades and sun hat had not been...

My Day in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

In my third month as a Covid refugee sheltering in Taiwan, I finally had an opportunity to venture down south from rainy Taipei to sunny and warm Kaohsiung, the second largest city in Taiwan. In between two other destinations, I could unfortunately only fit in one...