Category: Travel
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Varanasi – You gotta have faith, faith, faith…
You could say that I am not a believer. No true faith. When it comes to religion and faith, I have always flown under the radar as someone who is “not particularly religious.” Occasionally, God and prayer cross my mind. It’s more of a reflex action — something I picked up growing up in a…
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Bangkok – When you‘d rather see the temples
“So, what is Bangkok most famous for?” I asked, trying to strike up a conversation with the driver who had picked me up at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. The pre-arranged airport-to-hotel transfer was in a sleek Mercedes. It was going to cost me twice as much as a regular taxi. But hey, on this trip…
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Like a King, at the Lake Palace
I see the lone speedboat snake its way through the lake, its engine almost inaudible. The telltale ripples briefly break the morning calm as I try to jot down some thoughts for my next blog post. The tea that had just been poured for me is steaming hot. I take a tentative sip and look…
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Delhi, a city that takes your breath away!
The black SUV braked suddenly and veered to the curb as it came to a halt in front of the bank. Two masked men in dark clothing quickly got out and rushed into the bank. The driver, also wearing a mask, remained in the car with his engine running. The passersby didn’t seem to notice…
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Houston Floods – We Have a Problem!
As I watched on TV the devastation caused by Category 4 Hurricane, Harvey, I felt compelled to write this post. I have a personal connection to Houston. My daughter lived there for a few years and I enjoyed visiting the city. It is inconceivable to me that with all the financial, technological, and people resources…
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A Lot to See in Peru Beyond Machu Picchu
The fashion show broke out as I was working on my blog post. I was on a Vistadome train heading back to Cusco from Machu Picchu, Peru. One minute the cabin crew was serving us food and drinks, the next, they were striding down the aisle wearing SOL Alpaca garments and accessories, striking poses akin…
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A 90-Minute Flight to Philadelphia That Cost Me Over $3K
My concerns about flying have little to do with the security screening. I am afraid of United Airlines. For that matter, I am afraid of most airlines. I feel that they always have the upper hand. It may have a “flying while brown” element to it. However, I must admit that these days I am…
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Creative Destruction – Make sure that you have a Plan B
As an economic theory, creative destruction has been around for over seventy-five years. But, its impact hit me during a recent visit to a tea plantation in Kerala, India. Trekking through a lush tea estate in the hills of Munnar, I noticed that there were fewer tea-pluckers than I remembered from a previous visit, nearly…
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Missed call – When hanging up on someone is a good thing!
“Sir, Give me a missed call when you are done,” said the Uber driver. I had just been dropped off in front of the Grand Chola Hotel in Chennai where I was meeting an old friend for lunch. The driver, whom I had arranged through a cousin, was clearly tech-savvy. He had initially suggested that…
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Pride Week – You Have Every Reason to Love Toronto
Last update: June 24, 2022 This post is not about squash, tennis, or social media. It is about pride and Toronto. I had my first exposure to Pride Week when my wife and I stumbled into a wedding. To be more precise, we stumbled into a wedding that was just about to take place. Out…