Tucked just beyond the hum of central Ubud lies Peliatan Royal Palace, known locally as Puri Peliatan, one of the island’s oldest and most culturally intact royal compounds. This isn’t a museum dressed up for tourists. It’s very much alive: a family residence, a ceremonial center, and a quiet guardian of Balinese tradition. Walking through […]
Bali: Peliatan Royal Palace and My Dinner with a Prince Read More »
Sacred places nestle into your soul and remain. Borobudur is one of the places I vowed to visit after experiencing Angkor Wat. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s great Buddhist monuments, Borobudur rises from the lush plains of Central Java, monumental and serene. Built in the 8th century, this artistic and
Borobudur: 500 Buddhas, 2600 Stories and a Little Gamelan Groove Read More »
The road to Yogyakarta, or Yogya, as the locals call it, is half the experience. Emerald mountains, tropical rainforests, terraced rice fields, and sleepy villages slide past the window like a travel documentary you didn’t plan but were happy to stumble into. Yogyakarta sits at the base of Mount Merapi, one of Indonesia’s most active
Yogyakarta & Prambanan: Temples, Volcanoes and a Little Java Magic Read More »
Indonesia wasted no time making an impression. My journey began in Jakarta — a city of striking contrasts, where skyscrapers, mosques, motorbikes, and street food all compete for attention. It’s busy, noisy, and a little chaotic — but that’s part of the charm. Jakarta doesn’t ease you in… it wakes you up. One of the
Jakarta to Surakarta: A tale of two Javas Read More »
If there is a corner of Turkey that blends ancient history, turquoise seas, forested mountains, and island-dotted horizons, it’s Fethiye. Tucked along the southwestern part of the country on the famed Turquoise Coast, Fethiye is serene and adventurous, a place for paddling across crystal coves, walking through Lycian ruins and, (one of my favorites) browsing
Blue on Blue on Blue: Amazing Fethiye and Its Islands Read More »
Ankara: Then and Now, Through My Eyes It’s hard to believe fifty years have passed since I first walked the streets of Ankara, a college student on break with waist length hair and a backpack stuffed with 6 weeks of “essentials”. The city was simple, yet magnetic and foreign. My traveling companion, a multi-lingual American
Ankara: A Fifty Year Lookback and Now Read More »
Turkey’s spirit is one of contrasts — the living mysticism of Konya and the haunting silent ruins of Sagalassos. One hypnotizes with the spinning, haunting prayer and poetry of Sufism; the other stands in solid, still testimony to the genius of Greek and Roman empires. Click on images below to enlarge. Sagalassos –
Whirling Spirits, Silent Stones: From Mevlana to Sagalassos Read More »
I had to remind myself to breathe. It was that amazing! Cappadocia appears pulled from a dreamscape, especially during the pre-dawn hours on an October morning. Located in the heart of Anatolia, the land ripples with rock formations called “fairy chimneys”, sculpted by volcanic eruptions and centuries of wind and water massage. Beyond the famous
Floating Over Turkey’s Moonlands: Ballooning in Cappadocia Read More »
To Start… A city forever suspended between east and west, at once Asian and European, one of the most historically textured cities I have ever visited! Magical, mysterious and crowded with over twenty million inhabitants. Called a “jungle” due crowded streets and traffic but clean with little street crime. I felt safe and welcomed throughout
Istanbul’s Magic Jungle: A City on Two Continents Read More »
The walls of the Khiva’s Ichan Kala or “Old Town” are a living museum and one of the most intimate ways to connect with the city’s soul is through its woodworking tradition, an ancient art form that continues to flourish today. A Legacy Carved in Wood Wood has long held a sacred and functional role
Khiva’s Ancient Art of Woodworking Read More »