Archive for Culture
One of the reasons I keep travelling is because I have this long list of places I want to see that I’ve probably read about or seen on TV. Ayers Rock is one of those places. No matter how many photos or documentaries you’ve seen about this huge sandstone block, nothing compares to seeing it in person. Located in the Northern Territory of Australia, it’s actually quite a pain to get to. But seeing that huge rock from my window seat as the plane was landing made the domestic flight and the reaaally long international flight worth it.
If you ever find the urge to just stop talking to people but still have the comforts of the modern world then Japan is for you. Everything is automated– it’s essentially the vending machine capital of the world. You can get everything you need without having to converse with a real person and I mean everythiiiiing. Convenient? Yes. Can drive you mad after a while? Definitely.
As promised, here are some close-up shots of a few relief sculptures in Prambanan Temple in Central Java
In case you still haven’t seen that tearjerker of a movie, Hachiko is perhaps the most famous dog in all of Japan. His owner was a professor at the University of Tokyo and they would walk together to Shibuya Train Station every morning back in 1924. At the end of each work day Hachiko would meet the professor back at the station and then go home together. This routine continued on for about another year until the professor suffered a fatal haemorrhage at work. For the next nine years, Hachiko returned and waited patiently at Shibuya station for his owner that would …
Unlike some people, I’m really not big on theme parks. This is hugely because I’m terrified of the rides. Yep, I’m a wimp so shun me now! One of the things I do like about theme parks though is their attention to detail. They say the devil is in the details but as with Hong Kong Disneyland, apparently so is Mickey! Safety handrails with Mickey We should all see the world through Mickey shaped windows– and slowly go insane. Mickey blatantly discredits the expression “Poor as a mouse”. He’s worth billions of dollars! He does however, give joy to thousands …
It took me a while to make up my mind on whether I should post this photo or not. Maybe because the past few days have been an especially trying time for this region and I don’t know exactly what to say but an exasperated “Can’t you all just get along?” To hear about all the aggression going on in the news after having been there only a few weeks earlier is partly sad but mostly maddening. Like most people in the world, what I know of the Israel-Palestine region is whatever the news feeds me. I had a lot of …
As a wise man once said “To alcohol… the cause of… and solution to all of life’s problems!” Truer words have never been spoken. In line with the holidays, here are a few drunken bottle shots. Can you guess which countries these are from? (Hint: They are all from the same region) Nothing spells vacation like daytime drinking. Bottle or mug? Ice cold Alcohol– best condiment to any dish really If all the light beer doesn’t cut it for you, then perhaps go for this one… aaaaand promptly say goodbye to your liver. Enjoy the weekend!
Located on the slopes of Mount Carmel is the Carmelite nunnery of Stella Maris Monastery in Haifa, Israel. The monastery serves as a sort of spiritual headquarters throughout the world with sisters coming in from many different countries– some spend a few years to help while others stay on permanently. Now the monastery itself has a rich history but I’d like to focus on their dining room behind. They aren’t exactly running a restaurant business and I’m not exactly a food critic but I’m gonna write a review nonetheless: They serve the best roast chicken I’ve ever tasted! There you go.
We met while walking around Petra. Although I suspect deep down that he has swindled a couple of dinars from me for a few postcards, I can’t help but think it was a bargain. I’m blaming that smirk and shirt. The Bedul tribe are a Bedouin group that inhabit Petra, Jordan. While they still maintain their traditional method of farming and agriculture, most nowadays are involved in the Petra tourism business– selling souvenirs, organizing guided tours and taking care of camels and horses used by the heftier tourists for transport. While tourism is no doubt a good source of income, conservation …
“Not until we are lost do we truly understand ourselves.” – Henry David Theroux Travelling, especially alone, forces you to: Embrace your fears, Unlearn prejudices, See through a child’s eyes once again, Seek comfort in the unfamiliar and if you are lucky… Fall in love with a stranger. Note: Thank you for the many wonderful comments. They really do mean a lot. As I’m currently lost in the Middle East (Jordan), anyone want a postcard? (Btw, picture above is not from Jordan)
