Category: Travelogues
-
Rainy Day at Bangkok’s Wat Pho
Despite the grey skies which prevailed during our visit, Bangkok’s Wat Pho complex showcased its kaleidoscopic colors. The temple complex was founded in 1781 and houses more than one thousand Buddha images. It’s best known for housing the famous Reclining Buddha statue.
-
Culinary, Spiritual, and Architectural Diversity in Melaka, Malaysia
After escaping the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur we were delighted to arrive in sleepy Melaka, a UNESCO World Heritage Site two hours south from Malaysia’s hectic capital city. Melaka was colonized for centuries. Even today, the remnants of Portuguese, Dutch, and British occupation are evident in the architecture — most notably the Dutch…
-
Patience & Passion United: A Visit to a Balinese Art School
The Wayan Gama Painter Group sits on a dusty road connecting agricultural villages not far from Ubud, Bali. At the end of a day trip that took us to a Kopi Luwak ‘poop coffee’ plantation, the Elephant Cave and Rock Cave, our driver, Mowgli, suggested that we visit the quiet art studio directed by his…
-
The Petronas Towers in Black and White
With the aid of their spires, the Petronas Towers rise 451.9 meters (1,483 feet) into the heavens over Malaysia’s capital city, Kuala Lumpur (KL). For six years, they held the title of being the tallest buildings in the world, until they were surpassed by Taipei 101. Today, they are still the world’s tallest twin towers. They have…
-
A Lesson in Making Balinese Canang Sari
On a quiet and serene morning in Ubud, I was invited to learn how to make beautiful Balinese canang sari. These floral spiritual offerings adorn Bali’s temples, streets, home entrances, and any place that the Balinese people believe to be sacred. You might even spot some on trees and statues. The setting for my lesson was the rice paddy-encircled home…
