Travel Letters
Cebu City
Posted May 20, 2023 by JanIn the News: Ukraine and Sudan
Posted November 1, 2023 by JanIn the News: Ukraine and Sudan
Jomtien Beach
Thailand
May 1, 2023
In downtown Kiev, both sides of the main boulevard are lined with an assortment of busy restaurants and cafes. (I visited Ukraine in June 2018.)
One outdoor restaurant is my favorite. For lunch and dinner, I usually order a refreshing bowl of borscht, a salad overflowing with fresh vegetables, and a second plate with a generous portion of herring in cream sauce and onions.
For my entertainment, every afternoon, a stylishly dressed, posture perfect young couple proudly parades along the sidewalk as if they are auditioning for a fashion magazine and waiting to be discovered. Their smart outfits change every day. Twice a day?
Kiev is blessed with marvelous residential architecture and splendid cathedrals.
Kashan to Tehran
Posted May 31, 2022 by JanKashan
Isfahan Province
Iran
May 30, 2022
Yes, that’s me, second from the left wearing a black shirt and scarf.
The man on my left is holding a 1000 Thai Baht note. Two young men are holding books.
Here’s the story:
In Kashan, my guide Mehran and I stroll down a busy street in an area popular with tourists. Outside an international book shop, I spot a rack filled with books in English. A “must stop!”
Vision 2022
Posted December 11, 2022 by JanAyutthaya
Posted January 2, 2023 by JanPhra Nakhorn Si Ayutthaya
Phra Nakhorn Si Ayutthaya Province
Thailand
January 2, 2023
“Dress-up Day” at Wat Chai Wattanaram
Hello,
After he read one of my recent posts, a friend in Bangkok wrote, “I learned something.” A comment like this is most rewarding. The goals for my website have always been “To Entertain, To Educate, To Encourage.”
On my return trip to Ayutthaya, I also decided to learn something. I carefully read the guide in the hotel lobby. Here is a bit of history:
“Ayutthaya was founded in 1350 following a smallpox epidemic that ravaged the neighboring city of Lopburi. According to the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya, King U-Thong and his troops trekked for days before arriving at a river. On the other side they found an island surrounded by rice fields and three merging rivers. The king established his new capital there.