Blogs from Asia

Flying into Bhutan on a clear day is a thrilling sight. The view of the Himalayas, peaking above the clouds, is beautiful and awe-inspiring. Then, there’s the landing into one of the most dangerous airports in the world. Fortunately, we were able to land on the first approach. After nearly two years of discussion and planning, Brigitte and I had finally arrived. From the moment we stepped into the airport until the moment we departed we were enchanted with this beautiful country and the gentle, kind-hearted people. Our tour, with Bhutan Travelers, provided us with a guide and a driver. They accompanied us from Jakar, in the east, to Paro and Thimphu, in the west. Our road trip, of 11 days, took us to multiple Dzongs (temple fortresses), monasteries, chortens, museums, a dance festival, valley and ... read more

I still miss the little boy (and girl) on this special day. May 5, formerly known as Boys Day in Japan, is now called Children's Day. (Written in 2009) Many of you think of May 5 as Cinco de Mayo. But May 5 is a big day in Japan as well, for it is an annual event, now called Children's Day, or originally Kodomo no Hi. It is set aside to respect children's personalities and to celebrate their happiness. It became a national holiday in Japan in 1948. It was always a special day when my son was a little guy. And of course, like most Asian families, the boys are favored with gifts, toys, sporting goods, and money. Originally, May 5 was called Tango no Sekku, or Boys' Day, and known as a Feast of ... read more

And we are back on the coast, enjoying the cooling sea breeze, relaxing in a hotel before our flight home. We are all desperate to get out of the heat, and I’m not sure my sweat glands or clothes will ever be the same again, but it’s been an amazing two weeks, topped off by yesterday’s fantastic leopard experience!... read more

Ten Square For Good I usually stay at the same hotel on Bencoolen Street when I go to Singapore. This is an interesting area, with plenty of reasonably priced restaurants around, and right behind the hotel is a Hindu temple and the Kwan Im Buddhist temple. Like many people who find themselves in familiar surroundings, I tend to follow the same familiar pathways to get around. This year I was looking out my hotel room window and saw this tall, skinny building with an immense video screen that I hadn’t seen before. Now I’ve seen big video screens before, notably the video screen at the Tokyo Race Course which is 218 feet by 37 feet, but this one was almost 4 stories high and wrapped around the building. Curious, I turned to ever trusty Google Maps ... read more

Checked out at 10:00 and were allowed to leave our luggage at the hotel as our plane wasn't leaving until 21:25. We thought we would take a taxi because I'd put in Osaka Airport and estimated cost was about $80, but the very helpful hotel receptionist said the cost would be about $250. I showed her what I had on Google Maps and it was then she pointed out that we had to go Osaka Kansai International, not Osaka Airport. I thought they were the same, so it was lucky I checked. She told me that the best way for us to get to the airport later was to catch a bus or taxi to Osaka Station and then an Airport Bus from there. She said they would a order a taxi for us. That sounded ... read more