Non-Buddhist Bangkok Compared to New York, one of the most diverse cities in the United States, and the place I happen to call home, Thailand is a fairly homogenous nation. 92% of the population is ethnically Thai and the vast majority identify as Buddhist; the northern regions are…
Banglamphu After the royal island of Ratanakosin, which we explored in the previous post, Banglamphu (Old Bangkok) is the next most-visited neighborhood in the capital. Communities built their homes on this formerly marshy tract of land hundreds of years before Bangkok was declared Thailand’s new capital in 1782.…
Bangkok is a thrilling destination and often acts as a visitor’s gateway to the region. The city is jam-packed with things to see, street food to eat and people to meet. The biggest complaint you hear about Bangkok is that its sheer size and hectic pace can overwhelm…
Every time I venture into a new region of the world, my stomach starts doing somersaults and my nerves threaten to get the better of me as I board the plane for destinations unfamiliar. The first time is always the hardest, whether it be to Eastern Europe, The…
Fine Arts and Sweet Treats in a Lush, Natural Setting Georgetown may be the largest urban center in Guyana, filled with government institutions and fascinating colonial wooden architecture, but don’t expect to experience a soulless, concrete-laden city center. The capital fully embraces its natural surroundings and the constant…
Georgetown boasts several excellent museums worth exploring, but a simple stroll through the city limits will also provide you with striking glimpses into Guyana’s past. I already gave an overview of Georgetown’s most famous wooden buildings in my previous post; let’s now look at the series of monuments,…
Oh Guyana, Where Art Thou? It was my maiden voyage to South America, and naturally I would be going to Guyana. Of the twelve countries that comprise the continent, Guyana is the least visited; according to the latest pre-pandemic stats, 2018 only saw roughly 200,000 travelers venturing…
I’ve come to terms with the fact that I often find myself going against the grain when I travel. Even though being a backpacker and staying in hostels is hardly outside the norm these days, to many vacationers who want nothing more than a “holiday,” the idea of…
But what happened after 1962? If it’s not abundantly clear by now, I’m a big fan of visiting museums wherever I travel. Whereas other travelers may quickly write these institutions off as “boring” and “stuffy,” I find them fascinating gateways that weave the historical, social and artistic threads…
It’s difficult for me to wrap my head around the fact that the islands of Trinidad and Tobago are a united country when culturally, historically and aesthetically they feel so distinct and separate. I don’t write this to cause division, but simply to underline the stark contrast between…