Category Archives: Nature Luxurious resort accommodation in developing countries offers up some interesting dilemmas. On the one hand, development for tourism brings money and job opportunities into otherwise under-developed communities. On the other hand, it highlights the contrasts between the have-very-littles and the have-a-lots. The Bintan Resorts complex, on the north coast of Bintan (Negeri Segantang Lada), the largest of Indonesia’s […]  Some people are larger than life. James Harrison Wilson Thompson, more commonly know as Jim, or even ‘Lord Jim’, is one such person. He is, amongst other things, credited with single-handedly revitalizing the commercial Thai silk trade. An Office of Strategic Services (OSS; precursor to the CIA) operative during the second World War, he resettled in […]  The New Year’s period is a time of celebration around the world. Although Songkran in April is the ‘traditional’ New Year in Thailand and is still celebrated in its own inimitable fashion, the transition from December 31st to January 1st is formally recognised as the start of the new year and is cause for parties, […]  “All objects, all phases of culture are alive. They have voices. They speak of their history and interrelatedness. And they are all talking at once!” Camille Paglia I grew up in North America where the artefacts of culture are relatively modern. By contrast, Asian cultural objects speak of time… endless time… with it’s ebb and […]  The only downside, for me, of traveling to up-country Thailand, is that I end up with so many pictures I have trouble figuring out how to organise them! I spent last weekend in Northeast Thailand (Isaan): Ubon Ratchathani, Sisaket and Surin. I was with a group of women from all parts of the world who were […] |
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