Travel Letters

Cebu City

Posted May 20, 2023 by Jan
Philippines
 
Jomtien Beach
Thailand
June 22, 2023
Thursday
Sunny, Breezy and Warm
 
Mabuhay!
 
I am disappointed.  I decided to shorten my trip to the Philippines last month.  After a day or two, I was not myself.  I felt lethargic and demotivated.  Was it physical or mental or a combination?   After several days on Cebu, I returned to Bangkok.
 
I did manage to visit lovely places:  Plaza Sugbu, Magellan's Cross, and the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.  Later, the Heritage of Cebu Monument and the Cebu Taoist Temple up on a hill with a view the city. 
 
I never miss a local market so I also visited the Carbon Market.  I'll post photos from the market in a few days.
 
By the way, my 'funk' had nothing whatever to do with the Philippines.  My Philippines Airlines flights were excellent.  The Manila Airport staff was kind and considerate as they wheeled me from counter to counter. 

In the News: Ukraine and Sudan

Posted November 1, 2023 by Jan

In 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 Jan
Iran

Kashan

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!”

Ayutthaya

Posted January 2, 2023 by Jan
Thailand: Central

Phra 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.  

Kharanaq and Nain

Posted May 27, 2022 by Jan
Iran

Kharanaq Village

Yazd Province

Iran

May 27, 2022

Hello,

On the desert drive from Yazd to Kashan, I made a detour to the  4000 year old village of Kharanaq to see the 1800 year old Castle.

Then another detour to Nain for another castle, and lunch!

Jan

Kharanaq  Village

This 4500-year-old city is surrounded by mountains on one side and desert on the other. Many buildings in Kharanaq are completely collapsed and ramshackle. But the remaining mosque from the Qajar period, and a shaking minaret from 17th Century, and the caravanserai of the city have been reconstructed.

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