India (December 2016) – I met my cousin at Kalighat, we rambled around through the temple grounds offering respect for the ancestors. The evenings delight was our puchka stall marathon-hop; we sampled from several stalls, before hitting a sweet shop on our evening walk around town.

Cambodia (December, 2002) – We loaded ourselves into a hollowed out log, that had some semblance of a canoe. Unable to speak with the captain we floated quietly, while he navigated the mangroves of Tonle Sap lake. At some point our captain started to sing a tune; which I instantly recognized from my grandmother, it occurred to me he might speak some French. Naturally he spent the rest of the mangroves tour, giving us names of fauna and flora in my mother tongue, I relayed what I could to the rest of the contingent.

India (March, 1998) – After the hectic chaos of Agra, I found myself in Khajuraho. I spent a few days kicking in the back of a rickshaw; roving around to the various temple ruins. The highlight of the foray was my encounter with a fossilized specimen wearing bottleneck glasses and an notorious ability for divination.

Morocco (September, 2014) – Roaming the medina; one shares the cobblestone passageways with a multitude of merchants hawking life's staples: food, pottery, apparel, carpets. Within the confines of the walled city cars are prohibited entry; and as such all goods are transported by carts, most hauled by lively beasts.

Morocco (September, 2014) – Marrakech offered a surreal culinary experience; we spent the week indulging on amazing fresh fruits and unusual spices, lots of tajines, several pastilla, and an evening of gluttonous shashlik. My only disappointment was my own expectation due to a childhood Disney fantasy; Baloo's melodic lyrics describing the bare necessity of life. Prickly Pears while intoxicatingly beautiful, failed to deliver on taste.

Uzbekistan (November, 2019) – We walked past a rather intriguing facade several times, but failed to realize the magic inside. After several days and building curiosity, we finally found ourselves inside the Gilamar Carpet Museum. While the aging structure showed signs of generational restoration; as we looked up towards the cupola, evidence of the former mosque was apparent. While I have a rather profound love of carpets, I was drawn to the reinvented geometry adorning the ceiling.

India (December 2016) – I had the privilege of celebrating the right of passage for a "youngster into manhood". Brahmin men go through a ceremony for which they enter into priesthood permitting them to perform socio-religious rituals; including prayers, weddings, birth and death rites. We gathered together for both the religious declarations and to party late into the night.