I bought my first Syrian carpet in 2001, while on assignment in Aleppo. The burst of colourful textiles caught my eye as I was wandering around the rustic and historic neighbourhood of Al-Jdeida. Each carpet features different designs and colours which I was told represents the regions it is produced in. The ones in Damascus…
Tag: travelblogger
Andorra La Where?
Andorra La Vella? Andorra? Sounds familiar but where is it? That was the question we got from most people when we told them of our visit to our three night stop at this tiny nation of just over 78,000 people in the Pyrenees mountains. Andorra was off our radar. Like most people I had heard…
Centuries Old Stopover
Apartmentos Abat Marcet (Cel.les Abat Marcet) has been housing pilgrims visiting Montserrat for centuries. It was refurbished in the 1960s and named Apartmentos Abat Marcet after the Abbot of Montserrat – Abbot Marcet (1912-1946). It is a simply furnished apartment with a kitchenette (including a fridge, stove, microwave and cutlery), bath and toilet, hall cum…
Evening Walk: Blackburn VIC
Blackburn is a quaint neighbourhoods about 20kms outside Melbourne. I believe it is a place that city folk seek solace away from the bustling capital of the state of Victoria. It was a pleasant walk through the quaint neighbourhood along and around Bindi Street where our family spent the recent holidays in a rented home….
Black Madonna of Catalonia
The Black Madonna of Montserrat (La Moreneta in Catalan which means the little dark skinned one) is the patron saint of Catalonia together with St Jordi (St George). The dark features of this statue currently at the Montserrat Basilica is courtesy of the pigment from wood it is carved out of – believed to have…
Bon Nadal Andorra La Vella
Folks in the highest capital city in Europe Andorra La Vella (3,356ft) gear up for the Christmas market at Placa del Poble in the historic quarter of the city this weekend. The Christmas season festivities will start this weekend all over this small country (just over 450sq km) in the Pyrenees mountains – with a…
Sunrise from Montserrat (Video)
Good morning Montserrat! Who would have though a random purchase of Dan Brown’s ‘Origin’ by the other half would lead to a memorable stay at the Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey in Catalonia, Spain? The view of a beautiful sunrise on a crisp morning over the Llobregat Valley is a great start to the day…
Traditional Tiffin Take-Away
I spotted these beautiful tiffin carriers that used to be a common sight in most Malaysian kitchens at one time. Unlike the stainless-steel Indian tiffin carriers, the Malaysian version is usually in plain pastel colours or adorned with beautiful motifs – usually flowers. I’m not entirely sure, but I think these originate from the kitchens…
Flashback Friday: Paris at Dusk
From my file pix: This shot was taken in 2009 from the viewing point between the bell towers of the church of Notre Dame in Paris. Am not sure if I’ll want to make that claustrophobic & physically challenging climb up the winding steps of the bell tower to the lookout point again. But to…
Eerie Ruins by the Sea: Al-Jumail
Qatar does not have much of a rich and spectacular history as it’s neighbours in the region. This county was once home to migratory Bedouin tribes, fishermen and pearl divers who built small settlements along its coastline – trading their finds with passing land and sea traders. Unlike the surrounding regions, this area does not…
Mythical Langkawi (via Ferry)
It’s been 15 years since we last visited Langkawi Island, the mythical island believed to have been cursed for seven generations by a young woman – Mahsuri – who was falsely accused of adultery. Locals believe the curse has been lifted as the island began to prosper over the last few decades after at least…
Heritage Trail: Assumption Church, Penang
The Church of the Assumption on Farquhar Road in Penang was built in 1786, the year Captain Francis Light and British settlers landed on Penang island. They settlers set foot on this tropical island just off Butterworth/Seberang Prai on the mainland of Peninsular Malaysian on Aug 15th – the feast of the Assumption of the…
Maria Dass the World 