A Hindu Temple in Atlanta: Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
A Hindu temple in Lilburn? We’d never heard of one until this weekend, but sure enough, the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is right there on Rockbridge Road at Lawrenceville Highway in Lilburn, open since 2007. A mandir is a Hindu place of worship, which also serves as a center for community social, educational, cultural and religious activities. […]
Don’t Skip: Gyeongju, South Korea
Intro to Gyeongju Once the capital of the ancient Silla Kingdown, which ruled most of the Korean peninsula from the 7th to 9th century, Gyeongju maintains a concentration of temple and palace remains, Buddhist art, statues, pagodas and other historical sites is unparalleled elsewhere in the country. We spent our time in Gyeongju wandering among […]
Weekly Photo Challenge: Resolved
Starting off a new year, most of us at least think about resolutions. Typically, we want to diet, get a new job, save money, manage stress. Facebook and social media are chock full of these sentiments and promises. While it’s a great impulse to try and better oneself, some of these common resolutions seem a […]
If You Buy, You Buy from Me, Okay?
Cambodia is a country of both stunning beauty and deep sadness. The country’s violent, recent history has left ugly scars, but the resilience of Cambodia’s people is demonstrated every day as they work to put things back on track. There are many international NGOs and aid organizations, as well as locally-owned and operated projects. It’s […]
Jogja On My Mind
No trip to Indonesia would be complete without a visit to the island of Java: not just to sample the coffee but to see how a true Indonesian city feels. After a quick fifty minute flight from Bali, we arrived in the city of Yogyakarta, Jogjakarta or, locally, Jogja. Our best-laid plan for accommodation was […]
Uncovering Ubud
Return to Bali On our return to Bali, we wanted to see something beyond beautiful beaches. Ubud is the center of Balinese culture, ancient and modern, and travelers inevitably make it a stop on any Bali itinerary. There are temples around every corner, interspersed with art galleries and museums, shops featuring carved and sculpted handicrafts, […]
Getting Beneath the Surface: Labuan Bajo
After the 57 hour odyssey, we finally arrived Labuan Bajo, the gateway to Komodo National Park and western Flores. We lined up diving for the next morning right away, and dragged our weary selves down the dusty main street to find a room. We checked a couple out, but passed on dirty sheets, stinky bathrooms […]
Indonesia Intro
Crossing the equator for the first time this trip, we arrived in Bali, Indonesia, escaping the end of rainy season in Thailand. It was time to redeem a few more Marriott points, which made total relaxation simple. We spent a few days on the Tanjung Benoa peninsula in Nusa Dua, the more luxurious tourist area […]
Tagong: Motorcycle Monks and the Yak-men
Intro to Tagong In this high-altitude land of snow-capped mountains and grassy plateaus, priorities revolve around what helps you to get by. Here, two of those things are spiritual beliefs and yaks. We spent most of our time in Tagong wandering. Our hikes took us most of the day, each day, and were worth every […]
Seaside Qingdao
Challenges of the Chinese Train in Summer Summer is in full swing, and it seems like everyone is on vacation. Trains are jammed, with seats sold out weeks in advance. We tried in vain to buy a ticket to Harbin in the north and to Xi’an in the south. Then we started looking into buses. […]