pal·imp·sest /ˈpaləm(p)ˌsest/ noun something reused or altered but still bearing visible traces of its earlier form. The Chao Phraya winds through Bangkok like a serpent, muddied waters twisting through the haphazard urban sprawl before emptying into the Gulf of Thailand. The canals are lined with communities and open spaces; as we walk up, children play basketball …
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Hiking the Seven Lakes Basin
Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity.” ― John Muir When it comes to loop hikes in the Olympic National Park, the High Divide Loop around Seven Lakes Basin is one of the best. Clocking in at 18.2 miles, it …
Walking Among Legends in Bryce Canyon
When lighted by the morning sun the gorgeous chasm is an immense bowl of lace and filigree work in stone, colored with the white of frost and the pinks of glowing embers. To those who have not forgotten the story books of childhood it suggests a playground for fairies. In another aspect it seems a …
Auraji: the Place I Think Of
When I think of Auraji, I think of the rice fields. Criss-crossed by tiny roads more often walked than driven upon, they fill the valley with brilliant green leaves rustling in the breeze. Mountains ring the valley, visible with the absence of the haze which can plague Korea’s urban areas. It is a valley where …
Meatballs in Stockholm
It was barely past 3:00 p.m. and the sun was setting. That’s the thought that kept coming to mind as I walked to my hostel from the bus station. Wandering through Stockholm’s maze of canals, each twist and bend seemed to offer a new view of the Scandinavian city at dusk.
The Town that Time Forgot
“Whatever you do, don’t take pictures.” As we passed anti-aircraft turrets and razor wire fences, none of us felt inclined to even make the attempt. There are some places where a warning to abstain from photography merely stokes the desire to sneak a shot. Driving past a nuclear facility in the middle of Iran was not …
Eight Things to See in Esfahan
Esfahan nesf-e jahan. Esfahan is half the world. That’s the old adage you’ll hear thrown around within minutes of entering Iran’s cultural hub–the treasure-filled, but surprisingly modernized city of Esfahan. Like Samarkand in Uzbekistan, Esfahan is more than a historic city, it is a commercial hub and one of the largest cities in the country. …
Tea on the Bosphorus
The old man pushes the tea at you; not like he’s a tout trying to sell his wares, which he is, but like you really need to try it, which you do. So you do, because you’re thinking of the Bosphorus and the fog of history that settles on it like a mist settles over the …
The Natural Beauty of Arslanbob
It being my first full day in Arslanbob (the mad dash there from Bishkek and an evening of delicious food not counting), I had two desires: to hike and to relax in the massive walnut grove Arslanbob is famous for. In one day, I planned to accomplish both of those. I stopped at the local …
Cheonjeyeon Falls in Jeju
Located nearby the Jungmun Resort outside of Seogwipo, Cheonjeyeon Waterfall (천제연 폭포) is an easily accessibly, cheap wonder to experience. As it turns out, there are not one, but three falls tumbling in succession down to the sea. If you choose to go, be careful with the name; there is another waterfall known as Cheonjiyeon (천지연 폭포) …