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Did you know that congee - rice porridge eaten as breakfast in many parts of Asia including #Hong Kong and #Singapore comes from #Tamil word - Kanjee? I remember eating thin rice mixed with a larger quantity of water until it has porridge like consistency when I was sick as it is easily digestible. It is believed the Portuguese brought congee where they went and today we have this humble bowl of thoroughly satisfying breakfast connecting pretty much all of Asia. Tastes all the more delicious with the morning paper - another daily staple. #congee #congeebowl #thedailystaple #heartybreakfast

A new dawn, a new day, a new year in sunny #Gisborne - the city that sees the first light. Located on the easternmost tip of the world, Gisborne is the first city that sees the sun rise. Wishing you all wonderful new beginnings and much success in all that you plan to do this year. #happy2019 #happynewyear2019 #citythatseesthefirstlight #firstlight #nz #nzsummer #newbeginnings #nofilter

Nan’s garden as it is affectionately known, has seen many Christmasas, bird songs, yawning cats and excitable dogs, possums, hoots from the Morpok owl, pool parties, BBQ evenings spotting shooting stars, treasure hunts, squealing children and countless hours spent lazing in the sun with piles of magazines and jugs of lemonade by your side. #nzsummer #nansgarden #endlesssummer #purenz #newzealandvacations #Magnolia #Gisborne #lazydaysofsummer 🌞 🌲 🍋 🍊 🏊‍♂️ 🌊👙⛱🐚🌈

Gisborne or Gizzy as the locals affectionately call it, looks just like an American town. An historic place where Captain Cook first set foot when he discovered New Zealand, it has some of the most beautiful buildings. The white building is where Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth stood at the balcony during their Royal Tour in February, 1977. #gisborne #gisbornenz #gizzy #newzealand #newzealandvacations #americantownscape #captaincook

Fortnite moves are a real rage this Xmas. The #Kiwi kuzis won’t settle for anything else. #fortnite #fortnitedance #theflossdance #xmasdownunder #nzsummer #newzealand

The Kiwis have a wry sense of humour. Flip flops are known as jandals in New Zealand. A house along the beach had converted it into a decoration nailing jandals on its staircase and calling it a Jandal House. Indeed if you live near the beach, jandals, towels and togs or swimwear is all you will ever need. 👙⛱🏝🌊🌞#100%pureNZ #jandals #jandalhouse #nzsummer #xmasdownunder #newzealand #🌞🌊

Pohutokawa or the NZ Xmas tree in full bloom promising a hot summer. #xmasinnz #xmasdownunder #pohutukawa #nzxmastree 🌞🌊🏝

Summer is so inclusive. It allows everyone to have fun. Ice creams, sun, sea and sand in #100%pureNZ. #surfinglife #surfing #waves 🌊☀️🏝 🕶😎🍦🍓 #newzealand #endlesssummers #summerinnz #nzsummer

Temple street in #Singapore’s #Chinatown is one of the prettiest streets. Any day of the week, it has locals, tourists and traffic adding to a wonderful atmosphere. After watching a lot of @maangchi videos, here I am at #soulveggie relishing vegetarian #Korean food. #nomnom #i❤️koreanfood #kimchifriedrice

Hong Kong, a city that never sleeps. I came to Hong Kong in Feb, 1996 and couldn’t get over how vibrant it was. People work too darn hard in Hong Kong. They are always on the move which is why it is rare to see anyone sleeping or resting. There are no benches in parks or in any public places, even at the airport. The “DC” or the Door Close button is Hongkongers’ most favourite button. They are always on the go. This photo of mine was taken in 1996 near the old Kai Tak Airport before it moved to Chek Lap Kok in 1998. Time flies. #hongkong #kaitak #✈️ #cheklapkok #citythatneversleeps #onthego #tempusfugit

Hornbills outside my window making a racket. Hornbills were considered extinct here in #Singapore until a pair reappeared in 1994. Since then the government has been making an effort to protect this bird species via Singapore Hornbill Project that led to its population increase. Two of these protected birds came by and paid me a visit this morning to say they are happily in love. #hornbill #happilyinlove #birdsofafeather #rarebirds #🐦🐦

When did the geometric tile patterns become organic? I can’t answer when but I can answer where: In Persia and in Uzbekistan. Arabs were great astronomers and created some the most fantastic geometric patterns. I have seen these beautiful tiles in #Granada and in #Oman. Then I came to #uzbekistan🇺🇿 and #iran and instantly, I could see how the local artisans converted the geometric patterns into organic motifs. This is because Persians and Uzbekis believe that paradise or #firdaus is a garden and make every effort to create paradise on earth. The #Uzbekis will even tell you many tales of #Adam and #Eve who wandered in the Garden of Eden. If you swipe the pics, you can even see the paisley pattern indicating the influence #India had on the majolica tile patterns. #paradiseonearth #uzbekistan🇺🇿 #ancientpersia #firdaus #gardenofeden #silkroute #paisley

Do you see the similarity? The first pic is from Isfahan, Iran and the second from Khiva in Uzbekistan. They are both among the holiest shrines in the country. The similarities don’t just end here. Every mosque, mausoleum and madrasah in Uzbekistan has Farsi letterings on its facade demonstrating the strong influence Persia has had on the country. The blue tile work borrows from the Persian love for turquoise and lapis lazuli. This was extended to the architecture and building of the Taj Mahal - incidentally Shah Jahan brought labourers and the chief architect from Uzbekistan to build the mausoleum for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. During the Soviet occupation, several historical monuments fell into disrepair. The country is rebuilding itself by selling oil and gas to China, Singapore and Russia to give its people their long lost identity. Thanks to that, the Uzbekis can return to pay respects to their saints and revered imams. #farsi #majolicatile #persia #uzbekistan🇺🇿 #turquoisetiles #isfahan #khiva #tajmahal

Zoroastrian dachma or Tower of Silence on the way to Khiva in Karakalpakstan. Northwest Uzbekistan was a part of Khorasan or Khoresm region where Zoroastrianism thrived, with Khiva as its capital. Legend goes that prophet Zarathushtra composed verses of the holy book, Zend Avestan in the fertile delta created by Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers in Karakalpakstan. The dachma was used for funerary ritual up until 10th century until Arab influence came into Iran, Uzbekistan and later to India and spread across Southeast Asia. #zoroastrianism #uzbekistan🇺🇿 #dachma #zendavesta #karakalpakstan #khorasan #khorezm #khiva #zarathustra

Sometimes the moon climbs up high into the sky only to peer into my home like a searchlight. What are you looking for dear moon? What have I lost? Can you find that for me? #aboutlastnight #mooninmylivingroom #searchingforsomething #moonshine #arabiannightsinsingapore

It’s not too often you get assigned a random seat and get to sit next to the charming Gaurav Kriplani of ⁦‪Singapore ‬⁩Repertory Theatre watching #GuardsAtTheTaj. Beautiful picture and sound effects, fantastic narrative and unforgettable acting.

And there he is - the national hero, Tamerlane. The Uzbekis glorify him - a man who is known to have killed some 17 million people during his reign. For mild mannered Uzbekis, glorifying a tyrant seems unnatural. But the country that is trying to find its place in the new world order wants to tell the world and its people that there once was a formidable ruler who conquered the world from Iran to Afghanistan, all the way to India. #tamerlane #uzbekistan🇺🇿 #madeinuzbekistan #worldwithoutcompass

A traditional Uzbek costume I saw in Bukhara. It is always the women who keep the tradition going while the men have adopted uniformity via jeans. The country is at the top of my list when it comes to being beautiful - the people, it’s history and abundant nature. Bukhara was once known as Bihara, which takes after the Sanskrit word, Vihara meaning monastery, probably because of the Buddhist monasteries that may have existed before. Though no one really knows where the word really comes from. All I know is that it gave us so much as an important pitstop along the Silk Route - silk, tea, religion, pottery and ceramic art, woodwork, brass work, filigree, carpet weaving, threadwork and embroidery, and of course food like naan bread, samosas, healthful shorbas or lentil soups and pilaf rice which the Uzbekis call plov. #Bukhara #SilkRoute #Uzbekistan #🇺🇿

About Me

I packed 2 bags in 1996, thinking I will return in a year or two.

That journey has not ended.

I currently live in Singapore and have travelled over a 100 countries. But travelling a country and ticking off a bucket list alone is not enough. I like to experience its culture, understand its history, learn about its people, savour its food and go deep into its roots.

And so, the adventure continues…

Checking In

Uzbekistan Airways

28 Oct 2017
Journeying The Old Silk Route

25 Oct 2017
Flying the so-called “world’s worst airline”

13 Aug 2016
A rare encounter with Tesla in Beijing

10 Aug 2016
10 Epic Rail Journeys You Can Make In South-East Asia – via TheSmartLocal

3 Aug 2016

Off The Beaten Path: Iran

Pasargad – from reverence to irrelevance

Persian Gardens – paradise on earth

Iran – behind the walled gardens

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