Some Things in Thailand that Seem Ugly Are Actually Beautiful
July 1, 2024
Many historic temples grace the northern Thai town of Nan, so I spent several days there. Wat Ming Muang was low on my list because
Why AI Doesn’t Reveal the Magic in Thai Temples
June 29, 2024
While artists in Florence developed three-dimensional perspective and France’s King Francois I imported the Italian Renaissance to beef up his image, Thais perfected their own art
Why Ancient Greek Cities Were Special
June 24, 2024
Ancient Greek cities were engaging in unique ways. They were so immersive that it was difficult for most people to imagine life outside them, and
Laos at Its Zenith
June 22, 2024
Vientiane has a lot of enchantments besides That Luang. It became one of Southeast Asia’s greatest cities in the 17th century. Lan Xang moved
Facts and Mysteries about That Luang; The Glory Days of Laos
June 21, 2024
Many Laotians consider Vientiane’s That Luang to be their national monument, but the insight guide that the Discovery Channel published called it strange and exotic.
Getting in Step with African Music
June 20, 2024
An earlier article here explored some of the depths of traditional African music. It has often been commercialized, so I’ll now recommend some of my
New Faces from Ancient China; the Sanxingdui Site
June 19, 2024
In 1980 archeologists started to excavate a walled city about 40 km north of Chengdu, at a place called Sanxingdui. What they found revolutionized many
From Line to Spontaneous Flow; Daoism in Chinese Culture
June 18, 2024
A previous article here explored Confucianism, but many Daoists have been critical of its orientation to politics. They have emphasized harmony with nature and not
The Growth of Islam in the Malay World; A Fascinating Cultural Fusion
June 11, 2024
The growth of Islam in Southeast Asia has always intrigued me. The faith has been uncompromising in its basic tenets. God is Tawhid (unity) and
The Worldwide Malays
June 10, 2024
We’ll get back to ancient Greece shortly, but after taking a long voyage to the Malay world. Both cultures were oriented to the sea and