When massive tin deposits were discovered in the Kinta Valley in the 1880’s, the town of Ipoh grew rapidly, creating great wealth and numerous millionaires. The many fabulous colonial-era homes and buildings of modern-day Ipoh are a testament to that heady time. One hundred years later, tin prices collapsed and many mines closed. Ipoh went … More Tin City: The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of Ipoh.
Over the years, Stephen and I have both had our share of unique barbershop/salon experiences while travelling. I usually come away with a no-style older-lady do that does nothing for me but trim up the rough edges. But nothing could have prepared us for the beating Stephen took two days ago at a barbershop picked … More Smackdown in Penang
There are many reasons Penang is well-known – fabulous street food, long-standing history of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and British citizens and its UNESCO-anointed capital city George Town, aka “Pearl of the Orient“. But one of the most entertaining aspects of visiting this Malaysian island it to play the “Where’s Waldo?” game of hunting down famous … More Chasing Murals in Penang
We were so looking forward to our week in Langkawi, attracted in part by Lonely Planet’s assessment that “Langkawi is synonymous with tropical paradise and for good reason.” Perhaps we should have looked closer at that copy (circa 1982, reprinted 2013), and realized that a lot can change in even 13 years. We started out … More Langkawi – We Wanted to Love You
Raffles Hotel, like much of Singapore, began life modestly as a 10-room inn in 1887. From there, it grew and expanded, attracting a colourful clientele with the likes of Somerset Maugham, Rudyard Kipling and Noel Coward warming the barstools in the famous Writer’s Bar. Named after British diplomat and founder of modern Singapore, Sir Stamford … More Fables and Fantasy in Singapore
We were so excited to include Singapore in our travels, but we were also prepared for a spendier excursion. Singapore’s reputation as one of the world’s most expensive cities preceded a visit here; an island filled with glass towers and deluxe shopping malls. It is all of that, of course. We saw a sign posted … More Singapore: Nothing Like We Expected!
After the clang and clamour of Kuala Lumpur, it has been a welcome respite to spend a few days in the beautiful coastal city of Melaka. The Melaka River bisects the city and is both representative of its trading past and its tourism future. Back in the 14th century, Melaka began as a major trade … More Melaka: A River Runs Through It
Petronas Towers are to Kuala Lumpur what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris: the instantly recognizable landmark that graces a million T-shirts, keychains, coffee mugs and shopping bags. “They can’t be that great,” I thought to myself, as I have a deep and abiding aversion to tourist traps. In fact, Petronas Towers are pretty great … More Kuala Lumpur: So Much More Than Petronas Towers
It must be said that we are not Tokyo’s target market. We eat lightly, go to bed early, aren’t huge shoppers and have no idea who Monkey D. Luffy is. Nor have we heard of this movie: Anime, manga, cartoon characters – this is the beating heart of Tokyo that belongs to the youth and … More Tokyo: Japan’s Pop Culture Capital
The mountain town of Nikko is remarkable in that it has combined diverse and dramatic natural landscapes with ancient and ostentatiously-embellished shrines and temples – all within Nikko National Park. Our impressions of Japanese temples and shrines so far has been ones of austerity, simplicity and sameness. So we were not prepared to climb up … More Finding Spirit and Nature in Nikko National Park
Leaving Ourselves Behind 