Phnom Kulen: The Holy Mountain
Two days before our departure to Vietnam we have one last adventure: a visit to Kulen Mountain. We’ve pushed it so far back in our schedule because it has the potential to be the most…
Temples All Around, Barkeep
This region of Cambodia, the beating heart of the ancient Khmer Angkor kingdom, reminds me of nothing so much as Carthage (here and here), in the sense that you can’t swing a cat without hitting…
Arts & Crafts
At first blush, Cambodia seemed to us to be a relatively handicraft light culture. Obviously, that’s not the case. Anywhere. There’s weaving, painting, leather work, ceramics, printing… What fooled us is that the aesthetic here…
Performance Review
One of the most fun things about our adventures is the constant exposure to the, to us, unusual and unknown. Other than Mexico, a culture we were already deeply familiar with, every place else we’ve…
Wats Up
Angkor Wat is many things. It’s an iconic UNESCO World Heritage site, driving Cambodia’s tourist industry. It’s the largest religious structure in the world. It’s a 12th century Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu. It’s the…
The Illustrated Man
This blog is not the only way I have been documenting our travels. I am also using my skin. There’s the first tattoo I got on our voyages, of a traditional Oaxacan floral embroidery motif.…
Limping To Cambodia
I am very, very good at figuring out how to get things done. I may not be the person you want setting the course, but if you tell me what you want done I’ll figure…
The Apartment
We did it. We finished the apartment. Renovations have been completed, walls have been painted, and art has been distributed. This is our safe haven, our sanctuary, our respite from travel. Now, when we’re on…
DTour To AgriCulture
Chicago’s most obvious benefits are Chicago-centric: museums, galleries, restaurants, neighborhoods… The less obvious benefits are regional. Chicago is hard by a ton of really interesting places and beautiful sights. The Indiana Dunes are an hour…
The Old City, And How It Got Its Name
The Old City is home to many of Istanbul’s greatest hits: Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia, The Blue Mosque, and the Grand Bazaar. The problem is that every one of these locations is on the…