Asia Archives - Page 10 of 12 -

Hawa Mahal - A Pink-Washed Palace of the Wind in Jaipur (Rajasthan, India)

Hawa Mahal – A Pink-Washed Palace of the Winds in Jaipur

February 14, 2017 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Hawa Mahal is a pink-washed “Palace of the Wind” in Jaipur, India. It was built as an extension of the nearby City Palace. Both of these palaces should be visited, one after the other. While the City Palace is used as a residential area for the royal families, Hawa Mahal

, India

Jal Mahal is a Dream-like Water Palace in Jaipur

February 11, 2017 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

On my way back to downtown Jaipur from Amber Fort (or Amer Fort, as the locals call it), I saw dream-like water palace by the roadside. I had to ask my Uber driver sweetly if he’d be kind to stop for a while so I could see the floating palace

I Wasn't Allowed to Bring my Rainbow Wig Inside the Taj Mahal.

, India

I Wasn't Allowed to Bring my Rainbow Wig at Taj Mahal

February 10, 2017 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Yes, that’s true. I wasn’t allowed to bring my rainbow wig inside the Taj Mahal. People with backpacks were sent to the scanner line to have their things scanned. Unfortunately, my rainbow wig was detected and the girl in-charged asked what it was for. I told her “it’s a harmless wig

Japan

Visiting Osaka for Two Days

February 7, 2017 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

With its numerous museums, historical attractions, food markets, and interesting culture, Japan’s second largest city is worth even a brief visit. From the bustling streets to the high-end shopping centers, from aquariums to gardens in the sky, Osaka will never fail to amaze you. If you’re planning a weekend in

Japan

The Neon Lights of Kabukicho in Shinjuku

September 8, 2015 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

The neon lights of Kabukicho in Shinjuku, Tokyo can be blinding to the eye for a first timer like me. On the night I stayed at Green Plaza Shinjuku Capsule Hotel, I decided to explore Tokyo’s famed red light district. Right after dinner in one of tiny restaurants in the

Japan

Inside a Sake Factory in Japan

September 6, 2015 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Your trip to Japan won’t be complete without drinking a sake, right? But, it’s more interesting if you’ll go inside a sake factory and learn how the country’s most well-known, traditional social lubricant is made. Sake, I’ve learned, is a Japanese term for liquor. It is made from rice, thus,

South Korea

This is what an Equestrian Show looks like

September 2, 2015 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

My first Equestrian Show was back in Suwon Folk Village, just outside Seoul in South Korea. I didn’t really expect much from it because I thought it would be just couple of horses horsing around, like doing obstacle runs and stuff like that. What do I know about horses? Nada.

, South Korea

Changdeokgung Palace in Seoul

August 23, 2015 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

I’d suggest that you join the 1 hour and 20 minutes tour of Changdeokgung Palace in Seoul. I was impressed with our tour guide who speaks impeccable English and her knowledge about the palace itself was extensive. The tour doesn’t give you time to take pictures here and there but you

South Korea

The Grandeur of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul

August 22, 2015 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul is South Korea’s first imperial palace. If Beijing has Forbidden City, Seoul has Gyeongbokgung Palace. If you compare both of them, they have similarities in architectural style. And for sure, they have differences, too. Both, however, are listed as UNESCO World heritage Sites. Travel Tips: Come early. When visiting Gyeongbokgung

China

The Largest Glazed Nine Dragon Screen in China

August 19, 2015 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

The largest glazed Nine Dragon Screen in China is found in Datong. It is the oldest one in China. It’s one of the four screens that are found in the country. Two are in Beijing (Beihai Park and Forbidden City) and one in Pingyao. As you all know, though mythical, dragons

, Cambodia

Cambodia’s Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is so Heartbreaking

August 15, 2015 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

As I walked through the gates of Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of heaviness in my heart. The thought of the atrocities that occurred in this former high school turned prison left me feeling saddened and horrified. The museum, also

, Cambodia

Is this the World’s Most Beautiful Open-Air Museum?

August 13, 2015 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

The National Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia might be the world’s most beautiful open-air museum where treasures of old Khmer civilization are displayed without the boring traps of most modern museum you’ve been in the past. The open-air concept goes into the natural, inviting courtyard with a lush green pool,

India

New Delhi – First Impressions

August 12, 2014 KeepCalmAndWander 1 Comments

Stepping outside the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi at the height of summer in May, you feel a blast of hot air surge over you. For a moment you feel detached from your body; as the 50 degree heat presses down, dust settles on your sticky body and

, India

Bangalore Pride Parade 2013

December 8, 2013 KeepCalmAndWander 1 Comments

It’s raining rainbows (mostly umbrellas), if not men, at the Bangalore Pride Parade 2013! A fabulous friend of mine (who happens to be also a traveler) has recently attended the event and he got nothing to say but optimism and pride to demand equal rights for all LGBT communities in India. Escorted

Brunei

Things to do in Brunei – A Country of No Fun?

July 7, 2013 KeepCalmAndWander 8 Comments

(I asked an Aussie friend, Jonathan, to be a guest blogger and write about Things To Do In Brunei where he lived and worked there as a teacher in a local school. We used to work together in Beijing before he moved there. Read on his experiences and find out

, Cambodia

Cambodia: Grand Royal Palace in Phnom Penh

January 23, 2013 KeepCalmAndWander 2 Comments

Phnom Penh is Cambodia’s capital city—and it is a city of contrasts. While the Cambodians are proud of their glorious past as reflected on their magnificent Grand Royal Palace, what you see on the street is the extreme opposite of the lavish atmosphere inside the compound of the impressive palace