Two amiable men in white shirts smile at me when the car approaches the drop point, near the entrance to Sigiriya Rock Fortress ─ probably the most prominent landmark of the island nation of Sri Lanka. As soon as I get off the car, the […]
All posts tagged: travel
Polonnaruwa: A Timeless Elegance
Almost like reacting to the sound of an alarm, I wake up just at the right time when we arrive at another Sri Lankan ancient town, Polonnaruwa. The sound of rushing water in a canal where local men and women bathe to escape the scorching […]
Fresco Deco of Dambulla
Suresh drives the old minivan with a constant speed, en route to Anuradhapura. It is still hours away from noon, yet I have already felt so sleepy. Suddenly Suresh talks to me while pointing his finger at a rugged landscape to my left. “The cave […]
Anuradhapura: Among The Giant Stupas
In the scorching heat of early June – one of the hottest months in a year, my driver, Suresh, skillfully drives the old non-airconditioned minivan through every turn and crossroads of Sri Lanka’s intercity highway. He has been doing his job for more than ten years […]
Colombo: Tickling The Senses
Noisy streets and old buses spewing thick fumes welcome me from the airport to Colombo, Sri Lanka’s largest city. Like in other big cities in developing countries, modest houses and buildings line the wayside, tarnished by the sun’s heat and pollution. Drivers of vehicles at […]
Shamian Island: The Perfect Conclusion
Elegant French and British colonial buildings abound. Manicured garden, European street lamps, artistic benches and patterned cobblestone courtyard outspread under shady old tress. Statues of a photographer, a group of children with their teacher, two pairs of Asian and European children, a fat lady, a […]
When A Stranger Saves The Day
Towering karst peaks, a lake and two pagodas were the things I used to think of whenever someone mentioned the name Guilin. To some of my friends Guilin is one of the cities in China they most want to visit, thanks to its legendary picturesque […]
Five Colors from What an Amazing World!
Recently James from Plus Ultra has kindly nominated me to join the Capture the Colour photo competition run by TravelSupermarket.com. The idea is to choose five original shots from your travels, each one representing the colors blue, green, yellow, white and red, and publish them […]
Walking The Dragon’s Backbone
In a drizzling afternoon we arrive at the entrance to the village of Dazhai to see the famous Longji Rice Terraces. Nestled between mountains and hills with small, rocky rivers carving their way through the deep valleys, this place is a perfect escape from the […]
Inspired by Xingping
In a dimly-lit wooden room with a window looking to the darkness outside, we find our place to stay in a small Chinese town called Xingping. Two men are busy working downstairs, starting to build something with red bricks and mortar. It is already past […]
Just Passing Through, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia, Southeast Asia’s third richest country – behind Singapore and Brunei Darussalam – came into the international spotlight in 1998 when two of the nation’s greatest achievements occurred: the XVI Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur and the completion of the Petronas Towers, currently still the […]
Awards Season 2012
Receiving an award from other blogger is always a nice thing because that way I know that someone does enjoy reading my blog and furthermore it works as a big support for me to keep writing and sharing stories of places I have traveled (and […]
What an Amazing World! 