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
People from all over Turkey and other countries come to Istanbul for the very same reason with the Afghan boy, looking for a better living.…
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…
Raw Beauty of Papandayan
Living in a place with the highest number of historically active volcanoes in the world (as per USGS), most Indonesians (except for those living in…
Petra the Magnificent – Part 2
Petra has been amazing so far, and the Treasury is even more impressive in person even though I have seen countless pictures of this famous ancient monument…