Oman: Essence of Arabia
In a courtyard of the Sultan Qaboos Mosque Muscat, Oman, April 10 — Set between the Arabian Sea and the rugged Western Al Hajar...
Incredible !ndia: Part Four
Mumbai, April 7 — I confess some trepidation about visiting Mumbai. Twenty+ million people. Legendary traffic on tires and hooves. Even...
Incredible !ndia, Part Three: Goa
16th-c. Basilica Bom Jesus, built by Jesuits Goa, April 6 — Unbeknownst to me, Goa had gained its independence from Portugal and become...
Incredible !ndia, Part Two: Kochi… aka Cochin
Cochin, April 4 — This ‘Queen of the Arabian Sea’ is known as Kochi in the local language. Located on 7 islands, it is in the Indian...
India: Facts and Figures
Cochin, April 4 — Tidbits I've picked up at lectures: • India’s population is 1.3 billion (vs. the U.S 323 mm) • 400 million are...
How to Pronounce ‘Phuket’
Phuket, Thailand, March 29 — It’s not what I thought. It’s pronounced ‘poo-kette,’ and is often called the ‘Pearl of the Andaman Sea.’...
Visiting a ‘Kongsi’ in George Town... or is it Georgetown?
Sweet ride George Town aka Georgetown, March 28 — Locals can’t agree how to spell it, so I’ll do it the Viking way. Once again, I...
‘Muddy Waters,’ Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, March 27 — Before this trip, the name Kuala Lumpur (translated roughly as ‘muddy waters’) didn’t conjure up much except the...
Singapore’s Paranakan Culture
Go make another cup of coffee and learn some more about Singapore. As you’ve already deduced, I found it a fascinating place... On our...
Singapore Night Safari: Lions and Tigers and Pangolins, Oh My!
Singapore, March 25 — Because we were docked in the city overnight, I could go on the Night Safari excursion to the Singapore Zoo....
