Inside the Mahjong Cult There are easier games to learn, quieter games to play, and games whose devotees are less likely to correct your terminology before you’ve finished your drink. Mahjong is not one of them. Walk past a mahjong table and you hear the clatter of tiles and a strange vocabulary. “Three bam.” “Soap.”
Bams, Craks & Secrets: Inside the World of American Mahjong Read More »
From Rajasthan’s Painted Courts to the Objects We Live With There are things made quickly. And then there are things made by people who seem to have an entirely different relationship with time. In Rajasthan, painting has been one of those things for centuries. Look closely at a traditional Rajasthani miniature and the first thing
Before the Brush: Rajasthan’s Secret Art of the Pinhole Read More »
There are certain moments in travel when enthusiasm collides rather abruptly with bureaucracy. Applying for a Chinese visa is one of them. China has changed its visa application process fairly recently, so much of what you find online—including perfectly confident advice from people who went to China a few years ago—is outdated. For Americans applying
Applying for a Chinese Visa: How to Insure a Smooth Process Read More »
On Bali’s quieter southeastern coast, my visit to Sanur felt less like a performance and more like an exhale. And honestly, I was ready. No frantic scooter chaos, just soft sea breezes, fishermen pushing colorful jukung boats into the water before dawn, and sunrises so beautiful they almost seem staged. No filter, no edits. THAT
Sanur, Bali: Spectacular Sunrises & the Slower Side of Paradise Read More »
Set in jungle near Tampaksiring, Tirta Mengening Temple is a quieter alternative to Tirta Empul—same sacred spring concept, far fewer people, and a more local rhythm. What You’re Participating In (Yes—It’s Hindu) The purification ritual is called melukat, and it sits within Balinese Hinduism, a blend of classical Hindu philosophy and indigenous Balinese spiritual practice. Its purpose is practical
Tirta Mengening: Bali Water Purification & My Soul Cleansing Read More »
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 »