On the third night of Diwali, the most celebratory eve of the 4-day Hindu holiday, I sat cross-legged on cushions high above the Rajasthani city of Udaipur at the Soul Meet Cafe, taking in the silky black waters of Lake Pichola, and watching as festivities unfolded below and above my perch. A steady stream of…
Category: Arts and Culture
Everybody Poops. And Dies.
I am fairly certain that it is completely inappropriate to admit to really disliking India’s holiest city, not to mention realizing my great takeaway from the visit will be visions of feces, but alas, here I am. The guidebooks say to “give it a chance”, that for those with patience, Varanasi can be a hidden…
The Taj Mahal & Agra
Nothing I write will ever match all that the Taj is to see. Here’s my attempt to capture some of that magic in photos.
Can’t Touch This: The Hammam and I
I’ve been called a glutton for hammam punishment, and perhaps I am. But who can resist, I ask, when absurdity, nay, downright DANGER lurks behind each scrubbing hand? Now, perhaps friends and family will remember my Moroccan Hammam experience (dirt roads, cement floors, Abu Ghraib-like room, naked North African women climbing on top of me,…
Pantless Mannequins, Harems and Vistas, Oh My!
Today’s mantra: This is not a vacation. This is your life. And that’s a really good thing, trust. That said, I’m growing to realize that wrapping my head around this entire experience, and truly understanding it as my new reality will take a bit of doing — in a good way, of course. I mean…