This gallery contains 28 photos.
Across the Kali Mas (Mas River), East of the Jembatan Merah (or Red Bridge), sits a different world altogether from the one the Dutch lived and worked in. Here, there is a sort of dignified stillness and anonymity, associated with … Continue reading
This gallery contains 25 photos.
The colonial is everywhere in Surabaya, even as it lies buried underneath a layer of outwardly nationalistic symbols and slogans. Behind the banners in Bahasa, and past the hordes of chugging motorcycles and cars, the Dutch East Indies still lurks, … Continue reading
This gallery contains 11 photos.
Paradise on Earth If it weren’t for the Hotel Majapahit, I would have had trouble remembering that Surabaya even existed, so entirely overshadowed has the city been by the Indonesian capital Jakarta, and by other tourist hotspots like Bali, Lombok … Continue reading
This gallery contains 7 photos.
“ ‘What do you think of that?’ asked Rienkie’s mother, pointing at the painting. ‘A real Indies sky, don’t you think?’ And only a few people could reproduce an Indies sky, she went on to say. To do that you … Continue reading
This gallery contains 1 photo.
When September ends, my story will be complete – at least for now. The pieces are falling into place: I’ve put my deposit down for a rental apartment; my flights to and back from New York have been booked; the … Continue reading
This gallery contains 22 photos.
Rue Catinat is the most historic street in Saigon, the Champs Élysées of the city in its heyday, housing the city’s most famous hotels, restaurants, bars, boutiques and retail establishments. It was named for Nicolas Catinat, a maréchal of France … Continue reading
This gallery contains 18 photos.
I came to Ho Chi Minh City expecting to find the essence of Saigon in all the noise and the pollution. I came away from Ho Chi Minh City thinking I had seen nothing but Ho Chi Minh City – … Continue reading
This gallery contains 11 photos.
One to rival the French In Ho Chi Minh City, I chose to accommodate myself in the Hotel Majestic, rather than the older and much much more legendary Hotel Continental. In Graham Greene’s The Quiet American, the Majestic is mentioned … Continue reading
This gallery contains 7 photos.
“I’ve known you for years. Everyone says you were beautiful when you were young, but I want to tell you I think you’re more beautiful now than then. Rather than your face as a young woman, I prefer your face … Continue reading
This gallery contains 2 photos.
And so it has come to this at last… The end of my days as the Happy Wanderer, travelling the world, seeing its sights, visiting old friends, racking up miles, and just generally doing whatever it is I want in … Continue reading
Dream Of A City 