It has been a good season for the mango tree caressing my fourth floor kitchen window. It’s branches are heavy with fruit, and two mangoes close enough to reach out and touch, were eliciting so much attention, I had to run in and grab my camera! First it was a furry squirrel who was so […]
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Glimpses of the Moorish imprint on Spanish colonial architecture can be witnessed on a walk through the UNESCO site of Central Lima. Most glaringly in the stylised Mudejar influenced covered balconies incorporated into the facades of colourful 17th & 18th century mansions. Originally built as much for the same purpose as their Iberian counterparts […]
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In an annual phenomenon unique to the region, the natural flow of the Tonle Sap river is reversed back into the lake of the same name, by the influx of the monsoon swollen Mekong into the South China Sea! This expands the area of the lake several fold, making it the largest freshwater lake in […]
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The Wat Sene Souk Haram (from the Sanskrit Sukharam) also known as the temple of 100,000 treasures, is one of many beautiful temples in Luang Prabang. Its facade and doors are heavily gilded and every inch of space on its walls, columns and even under its roof is covered with stenciled patterns. The secondary structures […]
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“Why?” a young American ahead of us asked his friend. “Do you get why this happened?” His Cambodian companion started describing the events that led to his country’s descent into hell, but the young man interrupted him. “No, no…..I know what happened. WHY did it happen?” That question haunted us as we filed past the row upon […]
Read MoreMy attempts to capture movement owe a lot to serendipity. Out of a dozen or more photos clicked while hubby fed these frenzied carp on the Chao Phraya river, I was confident I would have at least one half way decent shot. Depressions in the Bay of Bengal (during the North East monsoons) bring cyclonic […]
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We are not beach people. Not by any stretch of the imagination. Add to that the prohibitive rates for less than appealing hotel rooms and we almost cut Rio de Janeiro out of our vacation plans, the main focus of which were Peru and Argentina. But with flights into South America routed via Sao Paulo, […]
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Every custom, folklore, tradition and value system across Eastern cultures is heavily influenced by religion. Secularisation of society and mass tourism pose real threats to these shared beliefs and traditional ways of life. Traditional dress is already on its way out and language, customs and value systems are constantly under assault from global media. Imagine a […]
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High up on the hills bounding the French riviera, like some lofty nests of birds of prey, sit the villages perchés. The perched villages, originally built as defensive fortifications against marauding pirates and invading armies, fell into disrepair postwar, receiving a new lease of life over the next decade, when coastal residents restored the crumbling buildings to their former glory. […]
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The streets around the glittering malls of Bangkok magically transform into a night market every evening, particularly during the festive season. Walking back from dinner one evening, we were struck by the stark contrast between the little roadside stalls and the luxury brand hoardings on the facades of the malls behind. A contrast of fantasy v/s reality, […]
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Old is when you suddenly find yourself on the wrong side of the generation gap. When you take time to figure out ‘LOL’ does not actually mean ‘Lots of Love’. When your boss is (was) a decade younger than you. When your four year old child/grandchild can make your smartphone do astonishing things, that you would […]
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A collision of intense saturated colours from Bangkok. Have been rather busy – procrastinating – since my return over the weekend. Hoping this dose of chromotherapy will shake me out of the block. Promise to catch up with you all soon. Have a great week.
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The Urge To Wander 