Category Archives: Travel “Same, same… but different.” This common Thai expression is one that perfectly sums up my perception of markets in Southeast Asia: they are the “same”, in that they are all densely packed environments full of colours, people, sounds, smells and (usually) oppressive heat. Often wet and uneven underfoot, they are a warren of activity that can be […]  Salt. “Worth ones salt.” To be of value; worth ones pay. The English word “salary” comes from the Latin salarium (where sal is Latin for salt), thought to have been the allowance given to Roman soldiers to buy salt. Since time immemorial, salt – sodium chloride (NaCl) – has been recognised for its critical importance to the life of humans and animals […]  The Masjid-i Jahān-Numā (the “World Reflecting Mosque”), situated in the heart of Old Delhi, is the largest and most important mosque in India. Built between 1644 (or 1650 – depending who you believe) and 1658, it was “the final architectural extravagance of Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort”. Situated on a small hill, […]  “You do know, don’t you, that we don’t live in the mountains? Zurich is in the “Low Country!” my friend exclaimed. We were making plans for our summer visit to their Swiss home, and I was day-dreaming about Johanna Spyri’s Heidi, high-mountain meadows, and hiking in the alps amongst cows and goats with bells on. And, of […]  I’ve said it before (A Living Landscape) – Bagan is a magic place. And, it is amazing how much you can pack into a single day around Bagan – if you get up long before dawn, and return to your room well after dark. The city served as the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan: the first kingdom […] |
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