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This is the second part of my Best of 2011 – a dash at break-neck speed through New York, Boston, Provincetown, London, Berlin, Singapore, Shanghai, Suzhou…. in search of some deeper purpose to life. My journey ended at an ancient … Continue reading
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Over the weekend, I finished reading celebrity philosopher, Alain de Botton’s (2002) excellent book, The Art of Travel. In it, he very humorously and counter-intuitively examines why and how we travel, using his own experience, and excerpts from travel narratives … Continue reading
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Since my late teens, I have had an enduring fascination with the Middle East, particularly its art, architecture and urban landscape. Every year, I make a pilgrimage, of sorts, to Dubai. The intent is to see how it’s changed, while … Continue reading
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I recently finished reading Edward Said’s memoir, Out of Place (he wrote the seminal book, Orientalism, on Western conceptions of the Middle East). His main theme – how being out of place can be a defining factor in one’s life … Continue reading
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As the saying goes:上有天堂，下有苏杭 – Suzhou and Hangzhou are Heaven on Earth. I had been wanting to visit Suzhou for years, after my first attempt to do so 5 years ago was scuppered by a very bad cold. Hangzhou had lived … Continue reading
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I’m not religious. Not in the least. However, there are some places that spur one into belief; that provide a glimpse of the divine. The ancient Balinese weren’t that far off the mark when they decided to worship their mountain, … Continue reading
Dream Of A City 