See the World Differently
In darkness, we crunched along a gravel path, following the torchlight from our host, Tim, who led the way. As we boarded the ferry, we realised any concerns of missing the boat had been unfounded. It turned out that Tim was our captain. He hopped into the cab and began to manoeuvre the 18-ton hulk […]
The tiny faces glared at us, wild eyes popping and teeth bared angrily. The message was clear: stay away. In the centre of the twisted mass was yet another face, much bigger than the rest. With eyebrows raised and mouth gaping wide it looked more surprised, staring at some unknown curiosity in the distance. We […]
Arriving at Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, we expected to see a temple. Instead we walked into immaculately manicured gardens. Wide lawns were broken up by colourful flower beds, a stupa and the occasional garishly painted animal statue. Most bizarre were the carefully sculpted vines adorned with animal’s faces and ferocious claws. Leafy owls and eagles […]
Bright flowers bobbed down the Ganges in leafy baskets, each with a tiny flame flickering in the centre. The incense from the offerings wafted across the water to the crowds seated on the riverbank. The devotees raised their arms as one, chanting along with the preachers. Across the river, holy men crouched on the steps […]
As we approach in the pre-dawn gloom, the foreboding metal gates of the temple are chained shut, an unexpectedly tangible barrier on our path to enlightenment. Buchi san guides us to an unlocked side gate and we creep into the tranquil gardens, careful not to disturb the air of calm. Among the shadows, silent shapes […]
Ever heard of a religion formed after somebody spoke to God at a seance? Around 100 years ago, a Vietnamese civil servant received a message from a spirit during a seance. Befriending the spirit, they spoke regularly and he finally concluded his new chum, Duc Cao Dai, was God. He introduced some friends to his […]
A constant stream of worshippers made their way up the stone stairs to the split gate that marked the entrance to the temple. The men wore white headbands. The women sported sashes and carried huge woven baskets on their heads. Everyone had a brightly coloured sarong wrapped around their waist. Even the statues lining the […]
At the heart of the Grand Palace in Bangkok lies the most sacred temple in Thai Buddhism. Inside the main hall, Wat Phra Kaew, the translucent green statue known as the Emerald Buddha sits atop a golden pedestal. Each tier of the Buddha’s pedestal is smothered in gold and adorned with glittering statues, silver branches […]
As we tramped along the cobbled path, a high pitched squeal caught our attention. The squealing became increasingly frantic and we finally spotted the source. Four young boys were wrestling with a large and very vocal pig. With some effort they managed to hog-tie the pig and manhandle it onto their motorbike. Two boys carefully […]
The eager tourist patiently held the banana above his head. He didn’t have to wait long before one of the hungry monkeys started to climb up his legs and body. It finally adopted the quintessential photogenic pose on top of his head. As his friend darted around snapping pictures, the monkey suffered a moment of […]