Wat Hup Ta Khrot temple left an indelible mark on my psyche. Not only because it was the first major temple complex we visited in Thailand, but it also introduced me to Thai polytheism. The idea that different gods and even religions could be worshiped together, side by side in peace and harmony simultaneously baffled …
In honor of visiting my 50th World Heritage Site, I will be posting several articles in the coming days listing my favorite and least favorite sites visited on my trip. Starting today I will also be featuring the World Heritage sites which I’ve visited as my next 50 daily photos. (Actually, by the time I’m …
If you have been paying attention to the news the last several days, you have probably heard about the tsunami which struck American Samoa. If you are also like most people, you have heard absolutely nothing about American Samoa in the news, maybe your entire life. Most Americans are probably not even aware that American …
Guam isn’t something you think about much, so I had no idea what to expect. I was mentally using American Samoa as my measuring stick for Guam. Both are American territories in the Pacific, so I figure that would be as good a benchmark as any. (Actually, I do have one thing when I think …
As I previously mentioned, I had no preconceived notions about Guam. Having nothing to compare it with, I sort of used American Samoa as a benchmark. American Samoa is a US territory, but it seems very subdued about it. You will see American flags flying here and there in American Samoa, but it is first …
The last 60 hours have been interesting to say the least. To tell the story will take a bit of time and is a great reminder of how things on the road are totally out of your control. The plan was to leave Luxor on Friday evening hoping to take a bus to Hurghada on …
I’m writing this at a Taco John’s with free Wifi in Sheridan, Wyoming. The last several days since I left Minneapolis have been busy. Very busy. My days have consisted of driving, taking photos, editing photos and sleeping. Today I’ll be crossing the Big Horn Mountains and should arrive in Yellowstone in the later afternoon. …
I’m leaving Jakarta today. I”ll be taking a short flight to Yogyakarta later in the afternoon. I consider myself a pretty knowledgeable guy. I certainly have become very knowledgeable about the places I’ve visited, and before my trip I considered myself pretty up to date on what was going on in the world. I have …
You cannot discuss Brunei without talking about the Sultan of Brunei. Not talking about the Sultan is like not talking about an elephant in the middle of the room. Brunei is the Sultan and the Sultan is Brunei. It is a form of government unlike anything in the world today. The Sultan is one of …