Will I see you July 2 at the Culver City Centennial Westside Food & Wine Festival?

Malaysia: Spirit of Liberation

It was not my usual Sunday to begin with. This was probably the highlight of my 2013 year. After more than 3 decades living in this beautiful land, I had the opportunity to visit Batu Caves during Thaipusam festival for the very first time. Yes! first time. Shocker, right? Well..I’ve visited Batu Caves many times … Continued

Christmas in The Philippines – Part 2

This is Part 2 of a guest post by Johanna Castro: Click here to read Part 1 It’s been said that The Philippines was once a convent, but that it was converted to Hollywood, and no more is this true than at Christmas when lights flash and sparkle from rooftops and houses and palm trees, … Continued

Christmas in The Philippines – Part 1

A Guest Post by Johanna Castro We love The Philippines at any time of year, but if you’re thinking of traveling to The Philippines during the Christmas holidays, you can expect all sorts of festivities and festivals. I was lucky to live in a suburb outside Manila for nearly 4 years and my over-riding memory … Continued

Myanmar: Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival (video)

WATCH: 38 Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival in Nyuang Shwe, near Inle Lake, Myanmar (Burma) All week the people have been preparing for the Golden Buddhas to arrive for the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival in Nyuang Shwe. On October 21, they finished building everything. From 5am on October 22, there was music. At 8am, people … Continued

writing-contest-mongolia

I Crash a Horse Race in Mongolia

This is an entry in the We Said Go Travel Writing Contest written by Susan Fox from America. Thanks for your entry Susan! Our route now took us north, down out of the Khangai Mountains, where, for the last night of a two-week camping trip in the Mongolian countryside, we were going to pitch our … Continued

In PRINT at The Myanmar Times

My article on the Phaung Daw Oo Festival at Inle Lake was featured in print in The Myanmar Times, the English Language Paper of Myanmar (Burma). It begins: When I arrived in Myanmar on September 28, 2012, I planned our 27 days of travel so that we could see the famous leg rowers and Phaung … Continued

Tanalot Temple, Bali, Indonesia (video)

I really loved the ocean temple of Tanalot. We were there on August 30, 2012 with many locals who were enjoying the spirit and sea air. At times, you cannot walk up to the temple due to the sea conditions. It is the first temple I have even been to that had a lifebuoy nearby! … Continued

Galungan Festival Kuta Bali (video)

  We left Southern Bali and returned to Kuta for the Balinese festival of Galungan which celebrates the victory of dharma over adharma on August 29, 2012. There were penjor- bamboo poles or towers with ceremonial offerings at the ends and people worshiping on the streets and in the traffic circles. During this time, the … Continued

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