Tag: temple

Beijing

The city is criss-crossed by wide avenues lined with skyscrapers, but in between there are still remnants of the hutons, the old neighbourhoods of low, grey brick houses, where old people drink tea in the shade or play board games in the narrow alleys; coal sellers cycle their wares to customers… The centre of the … Continue reading “Beijing”

Sukhothai

The charming 15th century ruins of this town (and of Si Satchanalai, another one a little further north) are set in a large park that blends into the green of the surrounding hills. As you would expect, it’s all about Buddhist temples and monasteries, stupas of all shapes, sitting, standing, walking Buddhas…. The kingdom of … Continue reading “Sukhothai”

Chiang Mai

The much-vaunted flair of Chiang Mai is somewhat relative compared to Luang Prabang, but there are some pretty corners and a few nice temples. An image for the gods is the “Fuck off wankers” shirt by the punk band Exploited, worn by the boy sweeping the floor in front of the golden pagoda. To praise … Continue reading “Chiang Mai”

Angkor Wat

Angkor: hundreds of temples from the 9th to 16th centuries are scattered across the plain here, Angkor Wat is only the best known and largest. Depending on the whim of the respective ruler, they are dedicated either to Buddha or Hindu gods, but in any case to the god-king at the same time. In most … Continue reading “Angkor Wat”

Bangkok

So much for plans: as the Vietnamese consulate is on holiday for a week, I’m stuck for the time being, or rather I can’t leave for Cambodia until half a week later. So I’m going to take a trip through central Thailand first, because what am I going to do in Bangkok for so long? … Continue reading “Bangkok”

Kama Sutra in Stone: The Temples of Khajuraho

This small village, completely removed from any city, is home to some of India’s most exciting temples – known mainly for the many erotic depictions dating back almost 1000 years. Better than the Kama Sutra. All the possible and impossible positions stand in stark contrast to modern Indian society, where (except perhaps in Bangalore, Mumbai, … Continue reading “Kama Sutra in Stone: The Temples of Khajuraho”

Mount Abu

Mount Abu is a kind of Indian honeymoon resort. We didn’t come here for that, though, but for the impressive Jain temples nearby. These temples, almost 1000 years old, are carved out of marble in such detail that it’s hard to believe they took only 14 years to build. LP aptly writes that it looks … Continue reading “Mount Abu”

Udaipur

How fabulously beautiful Udaipur must be when the old city and palaces are reflected in the lake! It’s just too bad when, in a dry year like this, all that’s left of the lake is a sad puddle. The City Palace is nevertheless impressive, the rooms grouped around beautiful courtyards. The rooms themselves reveal that … Continue reading “Udaipur”

Gujarat

Ahmedabad is a rather noisy and smoggy city. Well, some interesting mosques and pretty old houses between Le Corbusier concrete, a fascinating fountain house, but never a quiet place to linger. The bugs I discover in the morning when I take down the mosquito net finish me off. But I only get one bite and … Continue reading “Gujarat”

Kerala

A man who comes to Kochin immediately forgets his wife, because of the beauty of the city. So they say. Indeed, there is something about the cosmopolitan flair with a mix of Portuguese, Dutch, British, Jewish and Indian culture. The city, situated on a narrow peninsula, is very green and the best thing is that … Continue reading “Kerala”

Sri Lanka

Six weeks in Sri Lanka: the small town of Kandy offers more than the temple with Buddha’s tooth, above all also beautiful surroundings. We drive past the cave temples of Dambulla to the impressive fortress of Sigiriya, perched on a rock. In Polonnaruwa we admire the wonderful semicircular moonstones that mark the entrances of the … Continue reading “Sri Lanka”