The temple’s white outer walls looked purer than the rest of the town.
When I entered I was so immersed in old China that the place seemed idyllic. [click to continue…]
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This village WAS on the map, unlike the Islamic community I explored in the previous day. This one held an outdoor market every 3 days.
I loved exploring it–only locals were there. But I couldn’t resist going off the map again. I found yet more Yunnan magic. [click to continue…]
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I had seen the mosque gleaming over the town from the distant rice fields around Yunnan’s Erhai Lake. After walking uphill through the town, it was time to explore its crowning jewel.
On the surface, the tallest building could have been transplanted from Iran. But I ventured through its door and found Paradise on Earth. [click to continue…]
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I was hungry after exploring villages by Erhai Lake all day–in Yunnan, a little north of Dali. So I headed into a mom & pop grocery shop in the Muslim village which I had just discovered.
The neighborhood’s cleanliness and natural beauty had already impressed me. I was now going to meet its people. [click to continue…]
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Yunnan’s Erhai Lake has been multicultural for centuries.
It was the center of the fabled Nan Chao kingdom which presided over much of northern Southeast Asia during the Tang Dynasty. People from many states came to trade. But while exploring villages along its shores, I got more than I bargained for. [click to continue…]
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I instantly felt connected with Yunnan when my flight from Chengdu landed.
The rugged mountains and the crisp air at Lijiang’s 7,000 foot elevation felt refreshing after being in a big city. Many of the people I saw were Naxi, who are a minority related to Tibetans. The grandiose scenery and the cheerful Tibetan faces reminded me of a trek I did in Nepal way back when.
The combination of sublime nature and human intimacy attracted me to Tibetans a long time ago. My first few minutes in Yunnan immediately brought me back. But Yunnan has many other cultures too, and every day was a new adventure. [click to continue…]
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You’d think that a huge city like Bangkok would have more bridges, but Thais are still spiritually connected with waterways.
I took many river taxis from my hotel in Chong Nonsi, in southern Bangkok, to the central area, where the Grand Palace and Wat Arun (shown above) preside. Each time was a journey into Thailand’s cultural roots. [click to continue…]
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Buffalos, monsoons, riverine villages–why have I been writing about so many ancient things lately?
Because the ancient past still lives in Southeast Asia. Modern Bangkok bustles with skyscrapers and shopping malls, but the past thrives right next to them. You can’t reduce Bangkok to any mental category. It’s so full of contradictions that its sheer abundance reflects the ancient landscape of Southeast Asia which the last several posts explored. I spent more time in Bangkok during this journey than in the previous trip, yet I left longing for more. [click to continue…]
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Everyone who has spent time on the Mekong River has had moments he’ll always remember.
Here’s one that I had. It showed me how rich the origins of Southeast Asian cultures were. [click to continue…]
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Cultural origins are very complex–and fascinating. The great rivers in Southeast Asia, like the Mekong, have had many meanings–probably since anient times.
They give life, and they inflict death. When they rise during the rainy season, they often provide good fun, as in the above shot from Cambodia. We’ll explore some of the deepest currents in Southeast Asian cultures in this post. [click to continue…]
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