It was the second week of my visit to Hong Kong earlier this year, the weather was rather gloomy and the temperature dropped significantly. Around the same time the Sochi Games had just started, yet Hong Kong was even colder than the 2014 Summer Olympics […]
It was 7 pm, James and I were seated in Ubud’s wantilan, a shaded traditional pavilion open on three sides with a stage set up for the night’s performance, flanked by Balinese gamelan – a set of traditional musical instruments originally created to lull kings […]
Red, spicy and addictive. Sambal Panggang Pe (smoked ray covered with ground chili paste and spices) look not only visually appealing, but also menacing to some for its generous spread of chilies. Widely available throughout Central and East Java, Sambal Panggang Pe is highly popular […]
A towering water fountain stands amid decorated pools, water flows from one pond to another, carps meander around beautifully-laid stepping stones, all under the beautiful morning sun and skies. As we enter the grounds of the water garden a pool welcomes us, rimmed by intricately […]
Gangsters running around dark alleys, carrying automatic weapons to shoot any raiding policemen they see. Prostitutes standing under neon signboards, in claustrophobic settlements where the sun hardly penetrates. Meanwhile, residents doing their daily activities, indifferent to the madness around them, carry on with their business […]
Bali, a land with towering volcanoes and pristine rivers flowing out onto turquoise water of the Indonesian seas. Its fertility not only brought welfare to its residents but also sparked wars between Bali’s many small kingdoms, fighting for as many lands to control as possible. […]
We step out of Diamond Hill MTR station in Kowloon, walking towards a walled area surrounded by tall housing estates and bordered by overlapping flyovers. A gilded pavilion emerges behind the walled enclosure, standing on a small island in a pond, glowing under the midday […]
We are standing at a bus stop in Sai Kung, a town with relaxing ambiance in the New Territories, anything but similar with the busy downtown of Hong Kong Island. It is a Wednesday morning in January with clear blue skies, a nice break from […]
The moon. For millennia it has been a perennial source of fascination for humans from almost every culture in the world. The celestial object – often perceived as a gentle balance to the mighty sun – plays an important role in many mythologies: from the […]
Nyiur melambai di tepi pantai ǀ Palm leaves waving on the beach Menghias indah wajah tanah airku ǀ Adorning the beautiful face of my homeland Siulan burung di puncak bambu ǀ Birds singing on top of bambo trees Berirama pujaan tumpah darahku ǀ Rhyming with […]
Hong Kong Island is a small piece of land constantly bustling with round-the-clock activities, keeping its inhabitants living a fast-paced life. It is where new skyscrapers are built, often over the rubble of older ones, to continuously change the face of one of Asia’s economic […]
Four young men sat on a platform before a pool, barechested and cross-legged. They raised their hands while holding a flower on the tip of their fingers, eyes closed and focused. “First you raise your palms and put them together above your head, without any […]
What an Amazing World! 