Category: Cultural

  • A Day (& Night) in the Life of Varanasi

    A Day (& Night) in the Life of Varanasi

    A day (& night) in the life of Varanasi is just that. A casual day spent in the Indian town of Varanasi (also called Benares or Kasi). In this video you will see that the town is the canvas and the people are the unique brush strokes. And every day is a new painting. And…

  • Sri Lanka Temples on a Shoe String

    Sri Lanka Temples on a Shoe String

    Busy in Sri Lanka I first heard the name Sri Lanka when I was a wee young lad. I was reading a novel by Arthur C. Clarke. In the novel he mentions Sri Lanka (previously know as Ceylon & Serendipity) quite a bit. Obviously he had fallen in love with this small island nation that…

  • How to See Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam

    How to See Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam

    This is an overview on how to visit Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum and Halong Bay islands. I will provide details that include maps, costs, logistical requirements and facts as well as links to a full written narrative, photos and videos. This is a self-guided activity on a shoestring. Follow the links to dig deeper into…

  • How to see Saigon by Rickshaw, Vietnam

    How to see Saigon by Rickshaw, Vietnam

    This is a how to see Saigon by Rickshaw blog post. I will provide details that include maps, costs, logistical requirements and facts as well as links to a full written narrative, photos and videos. This is a self-guided adventure on a shoestring. Follow the links to dig deeper into the activity. Difficulty Level: Cyclo…

  • How to Visit the Ram Ghat, Kathmandu Nepal

    How to Visit the Ram Ghat, Kathmandu Nepal

    How to Visit Ram Ghat, Pashupatinath Temple This is a quick overview of logistical requirements and facts as well as links to a full written narrative, photos and videos. This is a self-guided cultural experience on a shoestring. Follow the links to dig deeper into the article.   Difficulty Level: Costs Total Cost Range of…

  • Burning Ghats, Nepal

    Burning Ghats, Nepal

    Pashupatinath Temple Hindu Death There is one thing that is certain in this lifetime: eventually we all die. In the Ram Ghats death is viewed as a natural aspect of life. A dead adult Hindu is mourned with a cremation, while a dead child is typically buried. The last rites are usually completed within a…

  • Pakistan India Border Crossing

    Pakistan India Border Crossing

    War of Plumes Wagah Border Ceremony The lowering of the flags, or the Beating Retreat ceremony at Wagah border near Hussainiwala National Martyrs Memorial, is a daily military practice that the security forces of India (Border Security Force) and Pakistan (Pakistan Rangers) have jointly followed since 1959.[1] The drill is characterized by elaborate and rapid…

  • My Tuscan Olive Oil, Italy

    My Tuscan Olive Oil, Italy

    This is a quick post about how to make Tuscan olive oil. I provide details of how we do it every November in the included video. This is a self-guided communal labor of love. Every year at approximately November 1 the picking season begins in the Tuscan hills. The start date varies based on the…

  • Discovering the Headhunters of Nagaland, India

    Discovering the Headhunters of Nagaland, India

    This is a post about my search for the headhunters of Nagaland, India. I provide details that include maps, costs, logistical requirements and facts as well as links to additional details, photos and videos. This is a self-guided adventure on a shoestring. Follow the links to dig deeper into the adventure. The Headhunters of Nagaland…

  • Running with the Bulls in Pamplona

    Running with the Bulls in Pamplona

    This is a quick post about running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. I provide a narrative of my foolishness, photos and videos. This is a self-guided adventure on a shoestring for males with large balls and small brains (most males I guess;-) One cold and dark winter a friend asked me if I would…