The United States declared independence from England in 1776. Maybe you heard about it, it was kind of a big deal. Quick, which was the first country to recognize the new nation? If you answered France you would be almost correct; France was the second country to recognize the United States, in February of 1778. But the very first country to recognize the United States was Morocco in 1777. Of course, the Americans, being busy with the Revolutionary War with England, didn’t get around to formalizing a treaty with Morocco for another decade or so .The first US consul to Morocco arrived in 1797. Morocco occupies a unique position on the northern coast of Africa where the Atlantic and the Mediterranean meet. Add in its proximity to Spain and Gibraltar, along with a protected, deep water ... read more

After an uneventful, rather boring train trip from Fes, I arrived in Casablanca. My train compartment was full this time around, but it’s still more comfortable than the average airline seat in economy class. Unlike in Tangier and Fes where I stayed in a dar, or guesthouse inside the medina, in Casablanca I stayed in a proper business hotel. There are advantages to both types of accommodations, but I was happy to have an elevator to get to my sixth floor room. Hassan II Mosque One of the reasons I chose this hotel was because of its proximity to the Corniche, a broad walking path along the Atlantic, as well as to the Hassan II Mosque. I could see the mosque from my hotel window, and even though I was on the sixth floor, the minaret ... read more

If you have been following along, you know that I like Singapore. I like Singapore a lot, to the point where I’ve visited Singapore just about every year since 2007. Over time, I’ve developed a bit of a routine: the first morning in Singapore I usually walk down South Bridge Road past the mosque and the Hindu temple, to Nanyang Old Coffee, for an iced coffee and a slice of pandan cake. Then I skip to the next block and visit the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, where I drop a few coins into the offering box in front of the Buddha dedicated to my birth day. I’ll wander through the little stalls that line Sago Street, and stop into the Chinatown Visitor Centre. At some point during my stay I’ll walk along the river, visit Merlion ... read more

“Why did you come here?” A young Thai woman asked me that during a tour of the Phya Thai Palace. In fact, she asked me that twice during the tour. “Not many people come here; even Thai people don’t come here.” It’s a shame, really, that more people don’t come to the Palace – not to be confused with the Grand Palace, where the press of sweaty tourists can try one’s patience. It certainly tried mine; I split off from the crowd before I even got on the ferry to go upriver. The Phya Thai Palace has some interesting stories, and the buildings and grounds are beautiful. Getting here isn’t that hard, though it takes some perseverance. The directions I had said to take the Skytrain to the Victory Monument, go past the Queen Sirkit Children’s ... read more

Willie Wonka had his Golden Ticket. I got to see the Gold Buddha. In a country that has a plethora of temples and Buddha statues, the “minor temple” Wat Traimit stands out for the gold Buddha ensconced within it. Nobody knows for sure who had the statue made, or exactly when. The style is from the 13th or 14th century, and best guess is that it was installed in the city of Ayutthaya around 1403. During this time, Thailand and Burma took turns declaring war on each other, and invading each other’s borders. At some point, the gold Buddha was covered in plaster and bits of colored glass, probably to keep it from being stolen by Burmese invaders. The secret of the gold Buddha was kept, and eventually the gold was forgotten. Ayutthaya was destroyed by ... read more