Jakarta’s humidity is like a wet, lukewarm towel that someone’s been using to wipe down a grill. You step out of Soekarno-Hatta and it hits…
Into Lebanon’s Snowy Realms
On our final day in Beirut, it was drizzling, just like how the Lebanese capital was throughout most of our stay. While the city had been all…
Killing Time in Semarang
However, on a trip to Semarang toward the end of Ramadan last year, I came to a point where I got a little bored. Not…
Beirut’s Scars and Hope
However, in 1975 conflict broke out in Beirut, and soon afterward it escalated into a prolonged civil war that took 120,000 lives, displaced tens of…
Istanbul’s Bazaars: Beyond Commodities
Everyone tells you the Grand Bazaar is about the gold, the intricate ceramics, or the endless piles of silk scarves that all look suspiciously similar…
The Day when Coldness Brought Warmth
In the midst of the freezing winter wind we walk down a quiet neighborhood of Fatih, a complete opposite of the tourist-overrun district of Sultanahmet.…
Tang Shipwreck: Digging into Controversy
In the ninth century CE, an Arabian dhow sailed from the Middle East to China, possibly bringing precious cargo from Africa, Arabia, Persia, and other…
Sambisari & Kedulan: the Underground Temples
Imagine an alternate world where ninth-century cathedrals across Europe and mosques throughout the Middle East and North Africa were buried deep in the ground for…
Ngawen & Losari: Temples on the Outskirts of Jogja
A pair of big round eyeballs are staring at mine with a curly mane accentuating the creature’s fierce face. Standing on its hind legs, with…
Istanbul, A Prologue
Crisp winter air caresses my face, a delightful sensory sensation after a 14-hour flight escaping the tropical humidity. The sun has just started to peek…