Travel Letters
Posted December 17, 2014 by admin
2023 Bhutan
2023 Thailand: Southeast
2023 Thailand: Islands and Beaches
2023 Philippines
2023 Thailand: Central
2022 Iran
2022 Iraq
2021 Thailand: Isan
- Khao Chan Ngam: Temple and Geopark
- Tham Dao Khao Kaeo Cave Temple
- Phimai Historical Park
- Sai Ngam Banyan Tree Grove
- Wat Luang Phor Toh
- Two Ancient Khmer Temples
- Prasat Muang Tam: A Parade!
- The Elephant Parade
- Scenic Isan
2020 United States
2020 Thailand: Islands and Beaches
2020 Egypt
2020 Egypt: Western Desert
- Siwa Oasis
- Siwa Oasis Temples
- The Great Sand Sea
- El Alamein
- Mersa Matruh
- The Bahariya Oasis
- The Crystal Mountain of Egypt
- The Black Desert
- The White Desert
- Desert Towns, Tombs and Temples
- Medieval Islamic Town
- Khentika Tomb and Hibis Temple
- Al Bagawat Christian Necropolis
- Amenhotep. Deir El-Medina. Ramesses
- The Temple at Edfu
2020 Sudan
- Welcome to Sudan
- Museum and Mausoleum
- Omdurman Markets
- Sufi Spiritual Frenzy
- Nubian Wrestling
- Khartoum to Karima
- The Ruins of Karima and El-Kurru
- The Royal Pyramids of Nuri
- Across the Desert
- Kushite Temples: Gods, Lions, Elephants
- Royal Pyramids of Meroe
- The Dam at Jebel Aulia
- A Marvelous Day
- Faces of Sudan
2019 Tajikistan
- Iskanderkul
- Hisor Fortress
- Nurek to Darvaz
- Free Shower. Free Car Wash
- The Rushan Valley
- Khorough - Ninety-Three Percent Mountains
- Alexander Fortress
- The Wakhan Corridor
- Bulunkul
- Traffic in Tajikistan
- Alichur and Highway M41
- Goodbye to Panj and Pamirs
- The Folks of Dushanbe
- The Watermelon Man
2019 Thailand: Southeast
2019 Thailand: Bangkok
2019 Thailand: Central
2019 Cambodia
2018 Kazakhstan: Almaty
- Almaty: Fountains and Steppe
- Two Lakes: One Ride and One "Ride"
- Petroglyphs
- Camels: A "Curious" Encounter
- Three Canyons
- Dependent - Independent Part One
2018 Kazakhstan: Mangystau
- Depression, Desert, Depression
- Secret Places
- Desolate. Not Empty.
- Paratethys Sea
- Chalk Cliffs and Salt Basin
- Valley of Castles
- Giant Stone Balls
- Boszhira Valley
- Dependent - Independent Part Two
2018 Thailand: Bangkok
2018 Ukraine
- Kiev: Two (Incorrect) Assumptions
- Kiev: Andriyivsky Uzviz
- L'viv: Morning Glow - Evening Shadows
- L'viv: My Guide Nataliya
- Uzhhorod: "Border Town"
- Palanok Castle
- En route - À la table
- You Can Read Cyrillic
2018 Suriname
2018 Guyana
2018 Grenada
2018 Trinidad and Tobago
2018 Saint Lucia
2018 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Saint Vincent: Passage to Bequia
- Saint Vincent, Bequia: "Livin' the Dream"
- Saint Vincent, Mayreau: Saltwhistle Bay
2018 Thailand: Bangkok
2017 China: Xinjiang
- Nan Shan: Welcome to Xinjiang
- Korla: The Dusty Pass and the Fragrant Pear
- Kucha: The Ancient Ruins of Subashi
- Kuqa: Old Town and Night Market
- Tianshan Grand Canyon
- Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves
- Aksu to Kashgar
- Kashgar: The Sunday Livestock Market
- The Karakorum Highway
2017 France
2016 Germany
- Ulm: Stolpersteine Ceremony
- Der Ulmer Spatz
- Blautopf
- Nuremberg: "Organized"
- Cologne: Cathedral and Synagogue
- Siegburg/Bonn: The Very Best Welcome
2016 China: Silk Road
- Xi'an: Shocked
- Baoji: The People's Park
- Tianshui: Maiji Shan
- Tianshui: Melons and Myths
- Xiahe: The Labrang Monastery
- Gansu: Tibetan Grassland
- Lanzhou: Night market
- Bingling Temple
- Gansu Province: On the Road
- Tongren: Town and Temple
- Xining: Silk Road Hub
- Qinghai Province
- Qinghai Lake
- Zhangye: Grand Buddha and Flaming Cliffs
- Rainbow Mountains
- Jiayuguan: The Great Wall
- Dunhuang: National Geopark
- Hami: Palace and Market
- Turpan: The Raisin Capital of China
- Turpan: Essence of a Place
- Turpan: Flaming Mountains
2016 United Arab Emirates
- Dubai: Tall
- Sharjah: The Souk
- Sharjah: University City and Cultural Center
- Umm Al Quwain: Before Oil - Pearls
- Ras Al Khaimah: Abandoned Fishing Village
- Abu Dhabi: Oil and Education
- Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
- Liwa: Moreeb Sand Dunes
- Al Ain: The Day Off
- Al Ain: Jebel Hafeet
- Al Ain: The Camel Market
- The Al Ain Zoo
2016 Iceland
- Iceland: An Introduction to a Special Country
- Into the Mountains
- Snaefells Peninsula
- "Fire and Ice"
- Black Sand Beach
- Skógáfoss
2015 Greenland
- Greenland: Prelude
- Expect the Unexpected
- Icebergs: Big and Blue
- The Story of Glaciers
- Whale(s) Spotting
- Ikateq: Debris and Discovery
- Semiliqaq - Tupilak
- The Story of Icebergs
- Last Days
2015 Norway
2015 Svalbard
- Svalbard: Prelude to The Arctic
- Svalbard: At Sea
- The Arctic Ocean: Searchin'
- Svalbard: Arctic Wildlife
- Svalbard: Outstanding!
2015 Sweden
2015 Faroe Islands
2015: Denmark
2015: Czech Republic
2015 Croatia
- Zagreb: Capital City
- Dalmatian Coast: Zadar
- Plitvice Lakes National Park
- Sibenik: A Worthy Day Trip
- Dalmatian Coast: Split
- Escape to Hvar
- Dubrovnik: My Favorites
2015: Bosnia-Herzegovina
2015: Macedonia
2015: Albania
- Shkodra: A Pizza and A Fortress
- Berati and the Citadel
- Gjirokastër and the Blue Eye
- Butrint: Archaeological Site
- On the Road: Apollonia
2015: Greece
- Athens: Museums
- Athens: The Fun Ride
- Athens: The Acropolis
- Athens: The Local Scene
- Epidaurus: Did Sophocles Have the Jitters?
- Kythira Island
- Monemvasia and the Sea
- Olympia: The Marathon
- Peloponnese: Nemea and Mycenae
- Three Castles
- Vartolomio - Population 4271
2015: Indonesia: Kalimantan
2015 Oman
- Muscat and the Mutrah Souk
- Muscat: Sultan's Palace and Grand Mosque
- The Nizwa Souk
- Misfat
- The Desert
- Salalah: Part A. Copper
- Salalah: Part B - Frankincense
- On the Way to the Empty Quarter
- The Empty Quarter
- Duqm: The Mountains and the Sea
- The Sinaw Souk
- Bahla: Two Castles and a Souk
2015 Thailand
- Koh Chang: Jan and Joe and Chinese Tourists
- Chao Phraya River and Ko Kret
- Kanchanaburi: Hike to Waterfalls and Caves
2014 Lithuania
- Vilnius: Night and Day
- Trakai: Island Castle
- Orydas Garden: Oddities
- Palanga: "Jan Chatted Her Up!"
- Kaunas: The Eyes of Israel
2014 Belarus
2014 Latvia
- Castles in Segulda and Cēsis
- Salaspils Memorial
- Ventspils: Gliding Over the Baltic Sea
- Kuldiga: Unique Sites
- Riga: Old Town
- Riga: Vermanes Park Stroll
- Riga: Art Nouveau
- Riga: Central Market
- Riga: Smiling Faces
2014 Estonia
- Tallinn: Old Town
- Tallinn: The Human Touch
- Lake Peipsi: Rainbows
- Castles and Manors
- Tartu: Jewish Cemetery
2014 Finland
2014 China - Yunnan Province
- Kunming: A Vow to Renew?
- Shilin: The Stone Forest
- Dali: The Old Town
- Dali: Goddess of Mercy Temple and Erhai Lake
- Lijiang: The Old Town and Market
- Lijiang Prefecture: Monks in the Trees
- Tiger Leaping Gorge
- Baishui: White Water Terraces 白水台
- Lijiang Prefecture: On the Road
- Lijiang: Ethnic Minority Markets
- Shaxi: Shibaoshan Cave Temples
- Shaxi: Ancient Tea Horse Road
- Nuo Deng: The Salt Town and Confucius Temple
- Pianma: The Flying Tigers
- Nu Jiang; The Angry River
- Bingzhongluo: Stuck in the Mud
2014 Thailand
2014 Japan
- Sapporo: Ice Sculptures and Snow Structures
- Sapporo: Snow Festival and a "Nice Shot"
- Kyoto: Three Temples
- Otaru: The Details
- Kyoto: Arashiyama - Neat and Tidy
- Kyoto: Higashiyama
- Nara: Daibutsu
- Nakasaki
- Kagoshima: The Sengan-en Villa
- Kagoshima: Sakurajima Volcano
- Warm Volcanic Sand
- Yakushima National Park: Cedar Forest and Unique Shapes
- Japan: Train Spotting and the Perfect Brew
2013 Ecuador
- Quito: The Middle of the World
- Quito: The Plaza Grande and the Basilica
- Saquisili: Thursday Market
- Quilotoa Loop: Gasping
- Hacienda Manteles: Volcán Tungurahua
- Cuenca: "World Heritage" Market
- Alausi: Living Above the Clouds
- Machala: The Petrified Forest
- Puerto López: The Blue-Footed Booby
2013 Portugal
- Lisbon: Navigating the Old and the New
- Sintra: Palace and Castle
- Óbidos: Castles
- Évora: My Lucky Day
- Guadalupe: Ancient Neolithic Megaliths
- The Alentejo: A Trio of Castles
- Alto Alentejo to Beira Baixa
- Belmonte: The Secret Jews
- Coriscada: Countryside Retreat
- Coimbra: Roman Ruins and Mosaics
- I'm not afraid to drive!
2013 Switzerland
2013 Morocco
- Come With Me to The Kasbah
- Casablanca: Market Stroll
- Casablanca: Portraits at Mosque and Market
- Rabat: Oudaia Kasbah
- Chefchaouen: Blue and White and More
- Fes: Slices of Time
- Fes: Tannery and Pottery
- Merzouga: The Dunes at Erg Chebbi
- Southern Oasis: Kasbah
- Southern Oasis: Shrine, Oil, Gorge and Goats
- The Atlas Mountains: On the Road
- Essaouira: The Portuguese
- Volubilis: The Roman City
- Jews of Morocco
- Sebta - Ceuta
- Oued Laou: Seaside Blue and White
2013 Malaysia: Sarawak
- Kuching and the Monkeys
- Kuching to Sibu
- Sibu and the Market
- Kapit: Longhouse and Market
- Bintulu: Similajau National Park
- Niah National Park - The Trail
- Niah National Park - The Caves
- Bario and the Kelabit Highlands
2013 Malaysia
2013 Thailand
2012 Israel
2012 The Caucasus
-
Georgia
-
Armenia
-
Azerbaijan
2012 Argentina
- The Plains of Patagonia
- Ushuaia: Tierra del Fuego
- Beagle Channel
- Glacier Perito Moreno
- Colorful Salta
- Jewish Salta
- Cachi
- Purmamarca
- Humahuaca
- Quebrada de Humahuaca
- Iguazu Falls
- Pilgrimage Part I. Jewish Cowboys
- Pilgrimage Part II. Santa Fe
- Pilgrimage Part III. The Ride
- The Pilgrimage Part IV. The Destination - Moisés Ville
- Buenos Aires
2012 Uruguay
2012 Thailand
2011 Egypt
- Alexandria, Egypt
- The Pyramids
- Sightseeing in Cairo
- South of Cairo: Memphis, the City of the Dead, Dahshur
2011 Thailand
2011 Russia
- Saint Petersburg: Nevsky Prospekt
- Saint Petersburg: Petrodvorets
- Saint Petersburg: The Hermitage
- Saint Petersburg: Pushkin Palace - Smolny Cathedral
- Novgorod: The Kremlin, the Churches, the Cafe
- Moscow: Galina, Oleg, Dasha, Nadia, Natasha, Natalia
- The Golden Ring: Vladimir, Yerev-Polsky, Suzdal
- Nizhny Novgorod: Mother Volga
- Kazan: Tartarstan and the Teenagers
- Moscow: the Metro and the River
- Russia: Challenging Questions
2011 Ethiopia and Djibouti
-
Ethiopia
- North Ethiopia: Holy Week
- Gonder: Passover and the Jewish Community
- North Ethiopia: The Historical Route Part 1 - Statues, Stelae, Structures, Scenery
- North Ethiopia: The Historical Route Part 2 - Rock Hewn Churches of Tigray
- North Ethiopia: The Historical Route Part 3 - Rock Hewn Churches of Lalibela
- North Ethiopia: Coffee and the Coffee Ceremony
- Aksum, Negash, Dire Dawa: Ethiopian Markets
- Eastern Ethiopia Part 1 - Hyenas and Khat
- Eastern Ethiopia Part 2: Mountains, Markets, Meals
- Tigray: A Bit of Flora and Fauna
- Ethiopia: Portraits
-
Djibouti
2010 Mongolia
- Ulaanbaatar: "The Places & The Faces"
- Central Mongolia: "Terelj, Khustain, Zuunmod"
- The Gobi: "Three Camel Lodge, Flaming Cliffs, Petroglyphs"
- The Gobi: "Sand Dunes"
2010 China: Beijing
2010 China
- China: "I am OK"
- Jishou, Hunan Province: "It all sounds so good."
- Expo 2010 Shanghai China: "Populated"
- Shanghai: "Wandering the Galleries, Gardens, and Markets"
- Chengdu: Central Sichuan Province
- Leshan, Sichuan Province: "The Giant Buddha"
- Jiajiang: "The Quintet"
- Chongqing Province: "The Dazu Rock Carvings"
- Chongqing Province: "Ciqikou & Songji - Ancient Towns"
- The Yangtze: "Three Gorges Passage"
- Zhangjiajie: "Avatar"
- Dehang: "Jialong Scenic Area"
- Fenghuang: "The Siege"
- Hunan to Changsha: "Spaces"
- Changsha: "Hunan University"
- Shanghai: "The Expo and the Mansion"
- To Shanghai With Love: Ohel Moshe Synagogue
2010 Malaysia
- Kuala Lumpur: "The Batu Caves"
- Melaka: "Jonkers Walk"
- Kuala Lumpur: "Thaipusam Festival" Reader Discretion Advised.
- Melaka: "Datuk Chachar Festival" Reader Discretion Advised.
- Penang: "Temples, Little India and Chinatown Markets"
2010 Thailand
- Suphanburi: "Just by Chance"
- Nang Rong, Buriram: "The First Haircut"
- Bangkok: "Red Shirts"
- Chiang Mai: “Delightful - Part 1"
- Tak: “Delightful - Part 2"
- Mae Sot: “Delightful - Part 3"
- Ayuthaya & Bangkok: "Utami, My Genial Guest"
- Bangkok: "Loi Kratong"
- Koh Chang: "Where is Barry?"
- Chanthanaburi: "The Rabbit in the Moon"
- Udon Thani: "Cowdow"
2009 The Middle East and The Near East
- Prologue: "The Places I Missed the First Time"
-
Egypt
-
Turkey
-
Greece - Dodecanese Islands
-
Turkey
-
Israel
2009 Uzbekistan
- Prologue: "What's in a Name? Everything!"
- Tashkent: "400,000"
- Tashkent to Samarkand: "Welcome to Central Asia"
- Samarkand: "Dilnoza, Feruza, Ozoda"
- Samarkand: "Dear Ozoda"
- Shakhrisabz: "Graduation Day"
- Bukhara: "Need a Rug?"
- Bukhara: "White Apricots"
- Bukhara: "International Children's Day"
- Khiva: "The Museum City"
- Khorezm: "Castles of Mud"
- Nukus: "Zoroastrianism"
- Chimgan: "Chimgan Mountains"
2009 Hong Kong and Macau
2008 North America
- Miami, Florida: "A Vagabond . . . at Home"
- New York, New York: "Twelve Time Zones"
- Jordan, Ontario: "The Sun Rose in the West"
- Allendale, South Carolina: "That's What I Like about the South"
- Shreveport, Louisiana: "Loo-si-ana and Are-kan-saw"
- Mansfield, Louisiana: "War"
- Barksdale Airforce Base, Bossier City, Louisiana: "Warfare"
- Readers' Reactions to "War" and "Warfare"
- Wilton Manors, Florida: "A Gay Halloween"
2008 Indonesia: Sumatra
2008 China
- Prologue: "Royal Tailors"
-
Beijing
-
Harbin
-
Xi`an
-
Luoyang
-
Datong
-
Beijing
2007 Thailand
2007 Taiwan
2007 The Middle East
- Prologue: "Aliya"
-
Jordan
-
Egypt
-
Israel
2007 India
- Prolgue: "The Sole Country"
- New Delhi Part I: "What is, is"
- New Delhi Part 2: "Happy where I am"
-
The Golden Triangle
- Nawalgarh: "The Haveli and Mundan Sanskar"
-
The Golden Triangle
- On the Road in Rajasthan: "Horn Please"
-
The Desert Kingdoms
- Udaipur and Chittorgarh: "Happy Holi"
-
Gujarat
- Ranakpur: Dilwara, Palitana and the Dohli. "The Jains"
- Mumbai: India's Gateway
- India: "Splendid, Saturated"
- "Five Weeks of Superlatives"
- "Omelet Masala"
2007 Thailand
2007 Guatemala
- Guatemala: Yahja: "Jan the Survivor"
- Guatemala: Solola, Lago Atitlan: "Thank you Mr. Editor"
- Guatemala: Antigua Tikal: "Café Condesa"
2007 Belize - Guatemala
2006 Miami, Florida
2006 Thailand
2006 Malaysia
2006 Thailand
2005 Epilogue
2005 Singapore
2005 Indonesia - Java
- Yogyakarta: "Utami and Imogiri"
- Parangtritis: "Offerings to Nyai Loro Kidal"
- Yokyakarta: "Don't Miss Borobodur"
- Jarkarta: "The Cruise"
- Bogor: "The Botanical Gardens"
- Bandung: "Franked in Bandung"
- Bandung: "A Date with a Volcano"
- Bandung: "Asian African Conference"
- Yogyakarta: "Return to Yogya"
- Malang: "Birds, Boy Scouts, Ballet"
- Mt Bromo: "A Natural Performance"
2005 Indonesia – Bali
2005 Western Australia
2005 Thailand
2005 Myanmar (Burma)
- Prologue: "I Will See for Myself"
- Impressions: "A Bouquet in My Boat."
- Yangon: "Paya, Nat"
- Inle Lake: "White Socks, Jumping Cats"
- Nyaung Shwe: "Bike Ride to the Hot Spring"
- Mandalay: "Mandalay Hill, the Royal Palace"
- Mandalay: "The River Cruise"
- Mandalay: An Evening Teaching English
- Pyin U Lwin: "Riding Shotgun"
- Pyin U Lwin: "Botanical Garden"
- Inwa, Sagang, Amarpura, Mingun; "Ancient Cities"
- Bagan: "Mt Popa, U Bo Ni"
- Bagan: "Buddha Eternal"
- Yangon: "Shwedagon"
- Yangon, Bago: "A Rich Country"
2004 Thailand
- Miami to Bangok: "One Way Ticket"
- Hua Hin: "Doing (Almost) Nothing"
- Koh Samui: "Be Happy Where You Are"
- Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat): "Prasat Hin Phimai"
- Kao Yai National Park: "Shinola"
- Nang Rong: "Prasat Hin Khao Phanom Rung"
- Kantharalak: "Khao Phra Wihan, Cambodia"
- Kanchanaburi: "The River Kwai; A First For Me"
- Koh Chang: "A Mixture"
2003 Peru
2003 Vietnam
- Ho Chi Minh City: "Young and Noisy"
- Bien Hoa: "Wedding Report"
- Tay Ninh: "Towers and Temples"
- Dalat: "Cool Climb"
- Nha Trang 1: "Beach Sands and Hot Tub Mud"
- Nha Trang 2: "A Sincere Proposal"
- Danang: "Totally Awesome"
- Hoi An: "Shirts"
- Hue: "Muffins and Mausoleums"
- Hanoi: "Ho Chi Minh"
- Ha Long Bay: "The Climax"
- Saigon: "Love and the American War"
2003 Thailand
2002 Spain
2002 Around The World
- Prologue: "Ready, Excited, Anxious"
- Trat, Thailand: "Breakfast with the Monks"
- Phnom Penh, Cambodia: "Serious Police, Serious Mud, Serious Sights"
- Cambodia: "Angkor Wat"
- Bangkok, Thailand: "Small World"
- Vientiane and Luang Probang, Laos: "Rain"
- Istanbul, Turkey: "Turkish Coffee Moments"
- London: "Jolly Green England"
- Ancient Near East: "Letter to Oscar"
- Epilogue: "Happy, Sad, Moved, Determined"
2001 - 2002 Thailand
2001 The Balkans
- Prologue: "Balkan Itinerary"
- Transylvania: "Welcome to Romania"
- Sofia, Bulgaria: "I Can't Read a Sign"
- Thessaloniki, Greece: "Welcome to Greece"
- Greece: "Mountains, Beaches, Mountains"
- Sofia, Bulgaria: "Thank you, Lily and Annie"
- Brasov, Romania: "Thank you, Teodora"
- Cluj-Napoca, Romania: "Hello from Luminita"
- Romania: "Letter to the Editor, Miami Herald"
- Epilogue: "Home Safe"