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by Maddie
Posted on 4 Apr 20185 May 2018

Iran – behind the walled gardens

by Maddie
Posted on 6 Mar 20181 Dec 2018

In every darkness, we see the light

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Photo Gallery: Penang Peranakan Mansion

Pyongyang Metro – an underground museum in DPRK

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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 #🇺🇿

“Inside, we are all really Zoroastrians,” says my Uzbeki guide. Zoroastrianism is an integral part of Uzbek beliefs and rituals. The holy fire sanctifies the Uzbek marriage even till today and in several Mosques, the eternal fire has been kept burning just as Zoroastrians belief. Zoroastrianism was born in ancient Persia and was widely adopted in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan as well as in Uzbekistan where I saw several monuments that were once Fire Temples. This Fire Temple in Bukhara was converted into a mosque and now houses a carpet museum. Quite a few Fire Temples were destroyed to make way for Mosques. This was spared as the pillar resembled the Holy Qoran. Yet, the Uzbekis carry Zoroastrian beliefs within them while at the same time being true to Islamic teachings. #Uzbekistan #Khorasan #Zoroastrianism #FireTemple #EternalFire

There is something very nostalgic about shaved ice. Here in Singapore, it is called ice kacang and you can find it in hawker centre but in the kampungs and villages across Asia, the vendor would actually come by ringing his bell on a hot summer afternoon, his bottles of sugary and colourful syrups attracting a horde of children. He was the modern day candy man who made summers more bearable with his balls of shaved ice on a stick or in a bowl. Of all my childhood memories, the shaved ice vendor stands out to be the most distinct. #icekacang #shavedice #childhood

My Chinese taxi driver in singapore is an ardent believer of Hindu deities. He is fasting now and looking forward to observing #deepavali on Tuesday. He recited Sanskrit hyms and told me their meanings. He is teaching his children to be #freethinkers. One of his sons has married a Muslim, another a Christian. “So long as there is faith, religion doesn’t matter,” he tells me. In all my travels, I have never seen more beautiful intermix of cultures than in Singapore. The country can teach other countries so much about tolerance and acceptance. #OnlyInSingapore. #beautifulsingapore

Daybreak - what starts as a thin slither in the distance brings bountiful sunshine through the day. #newbeginnings #daybreak #slitherofhope

Admiral Cheng Ho, the mariner who is known to precede Columbus, built an armada of 3,500 ships (compared to Columbus’ 85 ships) and sailed from Nanking to Malacca to Calicut to Hormuz. Persian by birth, his voyages are known to have inspired Adventures of Sindbad. Read more about him on my blog site here: https://worldwithoutcompass.com/2017/10/19/mariner-of-the-east/

A regular morning in #bangalore where I spotted a beautiful young calf with his/her mummy. They look so angelic and kind. I don’t understand why anyone would slaughter them to make bags and shoes. #ibanleather #notoleather #definitelynotocalfleather

Happy mid autumn festival. . . . #mysonismymoon #midautumnfeatival #winterequinox #pumpkinsandallthingsnice

This is Estella, a lovely taxi driver I met. Her gift to me was a mulberry shoot. According to her, mulberry trees bring health and well being and she wants to spread that in this world. She told me her mulberry shoots have travelled to japan, Taiwan and even Tibet where they grow bringing people good health under its shade. She gave me a shoot too and promised it will blossom very quickly. Some people are like that. They sow their love in simple ways. They give you things unexpectedly and without any expectation in return. I said to her that i will plant the tree and name it Estella, a way to remember her. I hope you will meet Estelle in one of your trips. #whengenerositytakesroots #spreadinglove #shootsoflove #🌱🌿🌳

Recent Posts

Fave 5 places to eat in Hong Kong 10 Nov 2018
Hong Kong – life in movement 9 Nov 2018
The stories of the greatest superheroes is often untold 8 Nov 2018
Lest we forget: Kranji War Memorial 6 May 2018
Photo Gallery: Emerald Hill, Singapore 6 May 2018

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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