Category Archives: History The beauty (and frustration) of living in Thailand lies in the ability of people to hold mutually incompatible ideas at the same time, and to never speak about some things which everyone knows. Take Sukhothai, for example: that most revered of ancient Thai cities. Sukhothai was originally a trade centre, enjoying a degree of autonomy […]  Battambang is Cambodia’s second largest city. Of course, when you consider that the whole country has a population of less than 15 million, it is not so surprising that this “city” is only about 250,000 people. As small as it is, Battambang, which is located on the Sangker River (Stung Sangkae), has always been the trade hub […]  Khmer ruins are just magic! Moss and lichen make their homes on the piles of tumbled stones, trees grow up and through fallen buildings, holding walls together with their roots, light and shadow play across the whole scene. Wat Ek Phnom, just outside Battambang, may not be the best known of the Angkor ruins, but […]  After bumping along narrow Cambodian roads into oncoming trucks and buffalo carts for what seemed like a very long time, our bus pulled to a stop on the shoulder in the middle of nowhere. Our Khmer guide assured us we were at the back entrance to Beng Mealea, one of the less-visited temples of Angkor. […]  Even with someone else transporting your baggage, a hike in the French Pyrenees is no walk in the park! By Day 10 of our rondonné (“tour”) along the mountainous Cathar Trails in April, we were truly ready for a day off. I guess we are not alone, as the walk organisers have built an extra […] |
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