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Italy needs no introduction. A magical kaleidoscope of people, food, culture, history, art and fashion. There are so many things to see and do, it is tough to know where to begin and where to end. With a profusion of museums, eateries, cafes, pubs, bars, universities, cathedrals and of course historical sites, the casual traveller … Continue reading Italy: Hail Caesar

Of course, everyone wants to see the clay soldiers. Good for them. But other than that, didn’t really find Xian a great city. It was just too crowded, noisy and with a whole bunch of cars and traffic. There are some nice pagodas for the interested and statues of Fa Hien, which is interesting for … Continue reading Xian

Now, you might well ask, why one should visit a city on the Russian border in the dead of winter? Harbin has an interesting and colorful history, which an interested reader can easily gather online. I won’t talk much about this, except to highlight that there is considerable Russian influence here, and there are some … Continue reading Harbin

Stepping away from politics, let me describe Kashgar as a city. We came here in winter – December /January. Urumqi, the capital of Xingiang was snow covered, but Kashgar itself was free of snow. The air was very dry, it is deeply inland, and weather was cold, though pleasant in the afternoon with the sun … Continue reading Kashgar

The westernmost province in China, a major part of the old silk route. It does not feel like China, rather like a place out of the Arabian Nights. There is a strong Central Asian / Turkic feel to the place. There is definitely a difference between the natives (Uighurs), and the rest of China - in … Continue reading Xinxiang

As India’s biggest neighbor (possibly the most important one too), China had been on my wish list for quite a while, and I finally made it in 2011. Some of the best parts of China are places where tourists might seldom visit. Sure, Beijing, Shanghai and Xian are on everyone’s list, but when you get … Continue reading China: The Celestial Empire

The ruins of Petra are a sight to behold. If one wants to stay close by, I’d strongly recommend the Petra Moon Hotel over the Movenpick resort. The difference is about 200 – 300 meters, and the cost is 50% lower. One can easily walk down to the archeological site, and get in. The famous … Continue reading Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea

This charming city captures your heart. There is a swanky new part of town with posh hotels, broad streets and supermarkets. But I’d recommend spending a day or two in the old town, with its crowds, local markets and narrow streets. The people here are so warm and friendly, that you don’t feel like a … Continue reading Amman

This was my favorite city in Jordan. It is a very ancient place, with a Christian background. That might seem strange, until one remembers that the Middle East was the birthplace of Christianity. Islam came much later. In fact the earliest sites of Christianity are mostly found in the Middle East. There is a large … Continue reading Madaba

There’s something about the Middle East that conjures romantic imagery into people’s minds. Might be a Bedouin on a camel, riding towards an oasis. Or date palms in the desert, or exotic souks, belly dancers, dervishes and Tuaregs. Sadly, in recent times, it’s often been replaced by violent men waving AK-47’s as they battle for … Continue reading Jordan: The Hashemite Kingdom