Freshly off a sweltering, barely-running bus, I’m poised at the entrance to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, or as it’s known to most visitors, S21. This was a former schoolhouse turned torture prison from 1975-79 during the Khmer Rouge’s notoriously brutal, merciless, yet hasty, reign of Cambodia. I hand over the small entrance fee, and am instantly clouted by the deceptively pleasant grounds. Aromas of freshly planted flowers punctuate the insane … [Read more...]
Reflections on Bangkok
I initially came to the "City of Angels" in 1996. It was my first big trip outside of the United States - to a country that was so different compared to the lifestyle I was used to. I was in my early 20's; everything about the city was new, exiting and unfamiliar. Mundane things I take for granted when traveling in Asia now - made a huge impression on me at the time. Writing these words while sitting under part of the Sirat Expressway near … [Read more...]
Lariam Dreams: Malaria or Madness?
John M. Edwards wonders whether taking the world’s strongest antimalarial drug might be worse than getting the dread eldritch disease itself? “I dared to dream with my eyes wide open. . . .” --T.E. Lawrence, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom In Nairobi, Kenya, a man from Philadelphia loses it and leaps from a hotel’s second-story window. . . . He is now a paraplegic. At a Waldenbooks store, an ex Peace Corps worker goes … [Read more...]
Café Hopping in the Hot Spots of Indonesia
I went out to get a cup of java in Java and ended up on an infernal coffee odyssey through the Indonesian archipelago. Stretching out like a Komodo Dragon some 6,400 kilometers across the Ring of Fire, from the coffee plantations and wild orangutans of Sumatra to the primary rainforests and decorative penis gourds of Irian Jaya, Indonesia is the ideal launching pad to crash land into some of the most dramatic sights in Southeast Asia. … [Read more...]
How to Make the Best of Night Buses
It was about 3 in the morning and I pulled out of the hazy half-sleep I’d goaded myself into, there was a small commotion over the aisle where my friends were sitting –hurried whispers, rearranging and by the time my brain caught up with what was going on my friend was sitting in the aisle, half asleep himself, soaking wet. I tried to steady myself to figure out what happened, but any way I shifted threw my balance. We had the last row of … [Read more...]
An Indian Wedding at Kuala Lumpur’s Batu Caves
When wandering through temples anywhere in Asia, it’s not unusual to stumble across some sort of celebration, ceremony or ritual as it carries on. Used to tourists, those participating carelessly overlook those slinking around, hugging the walls and doorways. But there was something different about the atmosphere and its undeniable activity swirling through the Hindu temple – one of the oldest in Malaysia – at the base of Kuala Lumpur’s famous … [Read more...]
What to do in Seoul
When traveling to East Asia Western tourists often hawk to Tokyo or cities in China, not to mention Hong Kong, which attracts an astonishing 50 million visitors per year. Largely left off the itinerary is Seoul, acting often as a stopover point (which is appropriate, as Incheon Airport has been named the best airport in the world.) But tourism in South Korea is gaining traction. It’s repeatedly been voted the world’s most wanted travel … [Read more...]
Visa run to Cambodia
My visa within Thailand was expiring in 2 days. Time to make another run for the border. Usually we are off in another country at some point during our time in Thailand so this is not an issue. But this year we just stayed domestic. Poipet on the Cambodia border is the closest border crossing to our village so we headed out that way. We reached this dusty chaotic border town in 2 hours. As is always the case we were met with enterprising men … [Read more...]
Ring in the New Year all Over Again in Richmond BC
Authentically Asian city readies for two-week Chinese New Year festivities Richmond, BC, Canada (January 23, 2014) – Already abandoned or forgotten those New Years resolutions? Don’t despair. Chinese New Year, celebrated this year on Friday, January 31, is just around the corner. It’s a second chance to say good riddance to nagging bad habits and usher in good ones. Also called the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, Chinese New Year is the … [Read more...]
Cock-a-Doodle-Don’t, Cockfighting in the Philippines
John M. Edwards attends a horrific “cockfight” on Bantayan Island in the Philippines, only to end up wondering what exactly were the ingredients in the national dish of adobo. . . . The roosters swaggered around like Mick and Keith, with dangerously sharp spurs attached to their legs. While the apocalyptic poultry sussed each other out with malice, the excitement began to build. My two new Norwegian backpacker friends snapped photos with … [Read more...]
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