All Entries in the "Asia" Catégorie
After the waves
One early morning less than two years ago, Sili Apelu had no clue that in a matter of hours his life would literally turn upside down. Literally. On that day fourteen members of his family were washed away by the crushing impact of over twenty foot waves and his surviving relatives were left with their lives in tatters.
A good horn, good brakes, and good luck
In exiting the aircraft at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, it didn’t take long to understand that layers of activity took place consecutively here; and no one layer particularly cared very much about what was going on in the next.
Neighbourly visitation
When regional tourism ministers gathered last week for talks in the midst of masses of zipping mopeds in a bustling Ho Chi Minh City; the world economic crises was the furthest thing from their minds. That is because – fueled by growing inter-regional tourism – leaders here say that they have already moved into post-crisis mode.
Cowboys and elephants
There was something strangely reassuring sitting bareback high above a four-ton Asian elephant in the northern reaches of Thailand. With my legs tucked snugly behind her ears, being on top seemed more comforting than possibly being underneath. Holding on to an elephant’s bristly forehead as she bathed in a slow-moving river was pleasantly contemplative. That my elephant named Ewong was semi-retired and not quite as agile as the rest was just fine with me.
Floating down the Mekong
Things have certainly changed in Ho Chi Minh City. But so have I. The last time I was here, well over a decade ago, I travelled by local bus and cyclo, my heart in my mouth as vehicles and pedestrians mingled at suicidal speed on the ripped-up streets of a Saigon that had aspirations of modernity but was still very much in the chaotic “developmental” stage.
Straddling continents
While Istanbul is not the capital of the country (it is Ankara), it is nevertheless the most visited. The reason is simply geography; it is rich in historical sites and vibrant, colorful streets that make up the only city in the world whose territory lies on two continents.
Her story: a history
“A person cannot be freed of their roots,” said Marta Meszaros during the final days of shooting of her upcoming feature film Little Vilma: The last diary. Largely set in Kyrgyzstan, on the very site where the filmaker spent her early childhood, it was here where Meszaros was orphaned when her parents fell victim of the Stalinist purges of the 1930′s.
Between a Russian bear and the Chinese dragon
The road ahead for the Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan, nestled awkwardly between its powerful Russian and Chinese neighbors, may be equally ambiguous and fraught with potentially hazardous unknowns.
Classical secrets
Orsolya Korcsolan has a secret. The Hungarian-born violinist and her horn-playing husband Gergely Sugar spent the last six years performing with the internationally recognized Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, venturing to this newly assembled international orchestra and bringing with them the classical traditions of the European continent. But a secret passion for the musicians has been preparing her recently released début CD Mosaic – an undertaking produced by her husband and whose traditions are anchored very much at home.
Multiculturalism Malaysian-style
The Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur is a cosmopolitan mêlée. The skyline is dominated by the Patronas Twin Towers, its name given by the state oil company which drives much of the recent wealth of this country; while a stone’s throw away is a tropical rainforest right in the middle the urban sprawl. Here, it’s all about contrasts.