Morocco (September, 2014) – I'm unsure if the Art Deco details or the muted hues drew my attention first, but the coral gate was different from its surroundings. I have an intellectual draw towards the romanticism of postcards, letters, calligraphy and all things postage. Cast against the adobe hues, the amusement of a lovely coral letterbox invigorated my imagination. 

Uzbekistan (November, 2019) – I still have flashbacks and glorious dreams calling me back to the ancient fortified city. With our travel in Central Asia; occurring outside the typical touristy times of the year, we appeared to have the benefit of minimal wayfarers and the freedom to roam. After spending the day driving the famed Silk Route; our arrival in Khiva felt surreal. We wandered up to the Hotel's roof to catch a glimpse of the setting sun against the eastern wall of the wondrous Itchen Kala before heading out to explore a little further before total darkness.

Türkiye (November, 2019) – We navigated the Hagia Sophia with extreme enthusiasm, as it is part of my great silkroad bucket list. The combination of architectural styles and varying religious motifs from a number of bygone eras is the precise area of interest... the migration of spiritual beliefs and practices. The museum that we visited had a spiritual energy which felt open and respectful of its mercurial history. Alas the museum has been transformed again into an active religious site. 

India (January, 2017) – Days before my departure; the family reassembled for a joint pre-wedding ritual for a bride and a first rice ceremony for a tiny-tot. As with most cultures, food is an essential part of the ritual process, for Bengali's this means fish curry. Out on the back patio-garden, a multitude of family hands each contributed some effort into preparing a portion of the festive meal.

France (September, 2014) – We spent a nice part of the afternoon rambling around the Jardin des Plantes, including exploration inside several of the glorious galleries. The light cast through the ornate staircase railing was my little moment of mental repose, while my mind attempted to digest the paleontological and comparative anatomical wonders I had just encountered.

Morocco (September, 2014) – We escaped the Medina for a jaunt into a more modern take on Marrakesh. My memory recalls how unexpectedly the glorious sun refracted the metallic surfaces, set against a terracotta colour scheme. Away from the bright mosaics and intricate carpets, the large handworked doorways are a marvel discovery - evidently more pronounced with the dimming of the light.

Türkiye (November, 2019) – We skirted around Istanbul for 36  hours between flights, after a month in Central Asia. The short sejour clearly wasn't enough time to see the city, or overindulge in the culinary delights. We did however have a great time meandering around some of the historical Ottoman sites. We passed the beautiful Fountain of Ahmed III several times, each time it had a different feel and a different pull due to the reflections of light.