People of Kolkata

Many many people... the very young, the very old, the very healty, the very sick.

The King's birthday

We made it back to Bangkok just in time for the King Bhumibol Adulyadej's birthday celebrations, but unfortunately he lay ill in the hospital so the festivities were a bit lite this year.  Fortunately they didn't forget that they had the opportunity to riffle off some serious fireworks right outside our window in the heart of Bangkok.  Happy b-dizzle King Adulyadej!

Bangkok tuk-tuk revisted

I don't care how bad of a rep these guys get, I still love the challenge of the haggle and adventure of a traverse across Bangkok on the back of shiny moto-chariot.  Yeah sure they will try and drag you around town for hours to gem and suit shops for their gas vouchers... but that's only if they sense you are a novice.  Who wants to be toted around town in a pink taxi when you can feel the wind in your hair, and beard!  It's great to be back in Bangkok.

Keeping your feet on the ground

Just in case their is some confusion here...

Singapore revisted

Who doesn't like cheap fried food. The hawker center is alive and well in Borneo. For not much more than a buck you can land yourself soup, rice, citrus drink, and the damn tastiest crispy fried pork or duck this side of Shanghai. The open air style restaurant is something that I hope catches on in the US... its a great way to take you back to the feeling of eating in a middle school cafeteria which you have been missing out in your dining experiences lately.

Borneo attack fish

In the foothills of Mt. Kinabalu you must be weary when crossing streams and rivers by foot. Something lurks beneath the surface...

Crown of Borneo

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, tallest peak in South East Asia, and the youngest granite mountain in the world... Mt. Kinabalu. Traveling a few hours into the jungle from the coast you really feel like you are entering Jurassic Park. First you realize you are entering some serious jungle territory, then you start climbing into the mountains, and then you get the first glimpse of this amazing mountain of rock that emerges from the green forests like a crown on a king overseeing his kingdom below.  Our guide hailed from a former head hunting tribe in Tambunan in the interior of Borneo.  If you every really want to learn about the culture of a new place a local private hire guide is a great way to go, and often you find they are as interested about your culture as you are theirs.  We lucked out on this trip.

An evening on a river in Borneo

Our first critter hunt... southwest Borneo. On the lookout for monkeys... your average run of the mill macaques to your big honkin' proboscis monkey. We hired a boat and took a cruise down a river near Kota Klias. The monkeys are interesting, but the river we choose is also known for a type of firefly which swarm in the thousands on certain trees. What makes these unique is their apparent ability to communicate and flash in unison as if they are all operating as one organism. And then of course Borneo has some crazy critters of the amphibious sort. Me: "What the f*$# is a crocodile doing in that tree above us", Guide: "The crocs stay in the water. The water monitors are in the trees". Yeah that's right, not only do you have to mind your arms hanging over the sides of the boat in Borneo but 7ft lizards can climb trees. Christ! And apparently the adult monitors grow up to 9ft.

Borneo hustle and bustle

On the coast of this jungle land lies Kota Kinabalu, with all of the fixin's of any other East Asian city. The pubs and restaurants, the music and sports cars, as well as the malls and markets sporting everything from Polo to Burger King. It represents a very interesting convergence of the agrarian culture that supports the majority of the populace and the prosperity found in many larger Malaysian cities. You can buy conch shells and stinky fruit; in one market stand and Timberland boots and a Spears CD in the next (not that I was looking).

Singapore colonial

Singapore is a real melting pot. Much more so than NYC or any other city I have lived in, let alone visited. Not only can you find transplants from all over the world working here or walking the streets, but you can find some noticeable evidence in the real bones of the city. The Malay, Chinese, Indonesians have played an integral role in building this nation to what it is today and it shows in the layout of the city, the textiles, the food, as well as the architecture. The architecture of the Chinese colonial period is probably one of the more visual notable points, and luckily the government has done more in recent years to help ensure the old world is not completely engulfed by the new.