View from Victoria Peak
Wet market in North Point, Hong Kong
Nightly laser show, the world’s largest permanent light and sound show, according to Guinness
Our scenic breakfast area
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The Central–Mid-Levels escalator and walkway system in Hong Kong is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world. The system covers over 800 metres (2,600 ft) in distance and traverses an elevation of over 135 metres (443 ft) from bottom to top.
Central
Spot the Selfie.
All things soy here!
Yams & chestnuts
Egg waffles
An opera about Mao’s lovelife? 😲
Eggs in the market
Tongue in the market (aka, what we do to guests that backtalk! 😂😂😂)
Domestic help workers from Indonesia leave the house on their day off, gathering to socialize, nap, and share food. Their minimum wage is $600 USD/month and they often have to share a room with the household’s children.
Marinated goose, tofu, and seaweed soup
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Noodle shop
Double-decker tram 🚋
Baked BBQ pork buns at Tim Ho Wan. In 2015, its Sham Shui Po, North Point and Tai Kok Tsui branches had all received one Michelin star. Since then, the restaurant has been dubbed as "the world's cheapest Michelin-star restaurant."
Baked BBQ pork buns at Tim Ho Wan.
Yan explaining the folds on our dumplings.
Black sesame seed paste dessert in a ginger broth.
Heading home on the Star Ferry across Victoria Harbor. (The best part was me, Lauren, missing the ferry by 5 seconds because I went back up the deck to make sure everyone was on board, because i had apparently miscounted—everyone ended up on the ferry but me 😂😂😂 I caught the next one and caught up to the crew before the hotel! 😁)
Our lobby has the best view in town!
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Our local expert Yan 😍
Sharing a laugh with Yan
Dim sum = smiles! (Perhaps these were the black truffle and pork ones!)
Matcha and chocolate ice cream is a great color palate
Taking the tram down from Victoria Peak
Lotus root & garlic (heavy on the garlic!)
The crew at Victoria Peak!
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Sneaking a quick photo on a staircase decorated for a wedding!!
This is Certainly the fanciest honey presentation I’ve ever seen! It drips down from the comb into a beautiful hammered trough, into the bowl
Early morning at Ta Prohm
Ta Prohm
BJ & the “stegosaurus” of Ta Prohm
Bayon
Ta Prohm
The many faces of Bayon
Bayon
One of the gates into Angkor Thom
A shortcut to Bayon temple, through Baphuon (inside Angkor Thom)
Entering Ta Prohm
Apsara carvings at Bayon
Bayon
Did you really visit a place if you didn’t try the local beer? 🍺🍻
Tonight at Bug’s Cafe—a sampling of scorpions, grasshoppers, crickets, silkworms, and waterbugs!! Thanks to everyone for being a good sport!
Scorpion mustache
Gelato to finish our day!! Gelato Lab in Siem Reap has the BEST GELATO—dark chocolate with black peppercorns from Kampot is my favorite!
Angkor Wat at sunrise
Some offerings at Preah Khan temple
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Sunrise tour of Angkor Wat
The stairs into the main tower at Angkor Wat are a bit steep!
A recreation of the lift scene in Dirty Dancing??
Early morning at Angkor Wat!
A memorial at Wat Thmey, a temple that was used as a killing field during the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror.
A Buddha’s lotus leg position was carved into that of a yogini’s during one of the many switches from Buddhism to Hinduism at Preah Khan
We love our Siem Reap expert, Yut!
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A quick picture from our tuk-tuk of a water buffalo on the go.
The area around Siem Reap is a beautiful patchwork of green
Wat Arun, as taken from our hotel room in Bangkok!
A tuk-tuk food tour was first on our agenda this evening!
Colors from Bangkok’s flower market area
This pineapple is life-changingly sweet.
Too much fun on a tuk-tuk!!
The streets of Bangkok
Inside Wat Po at night
#wired
The King & I?? 😂
Clouds over Cambodia
This morning at the Grand Palace! These are our new demon buddies.
Our breakfast table across from Wat Arun
Detail at Wat Arun
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Feeding Bangkok’s river fish
You cannot fish outside temples, so these fish clearly know the safe places to hang out!
Touring the Chao Phraya River
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Wat Po
Anatomical charts in the temple at Wat Po, the home of Thai Massage
Guards at the Grand Palace
So many patterns at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha!
Another scene from last night’s food tour!
Rocking the tuk-tuk during last night’s tour!
These two are trouble! 😂❤️😂 and we’d have it no other way.
A little can’t rain can’t stop the fun in Bangkok!
Detail of the porcelain bits used as decor at Wat Arun. The porcelain was used as ballast on Chinese trading ships on their way to Bangkok.
Umbrellas are good for rain OR sun in this part of the world
At the Grand Palace in Bangkok
An ounce of rain prevention... is worth a pound of dry clothes.
At the Grand Palace
Who shines brighter, Wat Arun or Cynthia? I vote Cynthia 😍
Wat Po detail at night
Face to face with a Naga at Angkor Wat
Our beloved guide Yut in Siem Reap
My shoes are a bit ridiculous but they’re perfect for scampering around ruins!
The faces at Bayon in Angkor Thom are mesmerizing.
Ta Prohm temple in Siem Reap
The food tour must go on, as the saying goes.
Last food tour in Bangkok... next stop, Bhutan!
Sunrise somewhere between Bangkok & our stopover in Kolkata
We made it!
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A monastery dog laying underneath a prayer wheel
Paro Dzong is all angles!
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The golden rice fields make the whole countryside glow.
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Turning the prayer wheels at Kichu Lhakhang.
Everywhere you look, chilies are being dried on roofs 🌶
Detail from a painting at Paro Dzong
Fancy South Asian truck!
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Sorry, buddy, you’ll have to wait here!
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😍❤️😍
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Penises abound in Bhutan as auspicious symbols.
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Bhutanese Red Rice lager 😍
Weaving is just magical.
Not the Best tag line for an elevator company
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Paro Taktsang, or Tiger's Nest, is a temple complex was first built in 1692, around the Taktsang Senge Samdup cave where Guru Padmasambhava is said to have meditated for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours in the 8th century. Padmasambhava is credited with introducing Buddhism to Bhutan and is the tutelary deity of the country. Today, Paro Taktsang is the best known of the thirteen taktsang or "tiger lair" caves in which he meditated.
Tiger's Nest hangs on a precarious cliff at 3,120 metres (10,240 ft), about 900 metres (3,000 ft) above the Paro valley where we started our hike.
Tiger's Nest is still just a blip in the distance, hanging on the side of a mountain
Hitchin' a ride part way up the mountain
DIY prayer wheels made of plastic bottles, complete with little "sails" to help them spin in the wind
You can lead a horse to water, but.... wait.
There 5 Tibetan ladies were visiting Bhutan from Boudhanath, Kathmandu--our next stop!
Lots of wonderful dogs along the trail!
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<3
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Phallus paintings are a big part of rural Bhutanese culure, where they are thought to ward off the "evil eye" and malicious gossip.
Paro's dzong lit up at night
Tiger’s Nest
Tiger’s Nest as just a spot in the background—still a long hike in front of us!
Penises are an auspicious symbol that you can find on the outsides of many homes & businesses!
Hitchin’ a ride part way up to Tiger’s Nest
Prayer wheels made out of plastic bottles (complete with plastic “sails” to catch the wind!)
This group of 5 Tibetan ladies were visiting Bhutan from Boudhanath, Kathmandu—our next destination!!
You can lead a horse to water... wait.
Just a few shots from a very long & exhilarating day—we hiked all the way up to the iconic Tiger’s Nest temple in Bhutan! 🇧🇹
❤️
Beautiful dogs along the trail!
Just a few shots from a very long & exhilarating day—we hiked all the way up to the iconic Tiger’s Nest temple in Bhutan! 🇧🇹
Just a few shots from a very long & exhilarating day—we hiked all the way up to the iconic Tiger’s Nest temple in Bhutan! 🇧🇹
Just a few shots from a very long & exhilarating day—we hiked all the way up to the iconic Tiger’s Nest temple in Bhutan! 🇧🇹
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Eating dinner with a fine view of Boudha stupa
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Arriving in Kathmandu
Our stylish vehicle!
Boudhanath stupa at night 😍
The crew & our dear friend and guide Prithivi in Bhaktapur Durbar Square
Nepal shop names are the best!
These priests aid in the sacrifices performed during the Dashain holiday.
Our good friend Paddy.
Bhaktapur is famous for its fantastic yogurt, known as King Curd or Juju Dhau
Gurkhas, a special sect of Nepali soldiers, are renowned for their bravery
Nyatapola temple
Our dear friend and guide, Prithivi
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BJ & the infamous magic trick!
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Bhaktapur’s famous Peacock Window, the “Mona Lisa” of Nepal
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Flying a kite
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Prithivi explaining a Ganesha temple
Getting a tikka in honor of Dashain
Getting a tikka in honor of Dashain
Just before our epic Newari meal, served on Sal leaf plates, with our gracious hosts
Beaten rice, a Newari staple and one of my favorite things to eat!
Today was a day to bless vehicles to ensure future safety
Boudhanath stupa, one of the most important Tibetan Buddhist pilgrimage sites
Learning about the art of thangkas from an expert, Tsonamgel Lama
The pigeons of Boudha!
Dorje Bear & a young friend
A view over Pashupatinath temple, an extremely important Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. The Bagmati River flows through it and is where cremations take place. You can see bodies wrapped in orange fabric along the top of the stairs being prepared for cremation.
Cynthia and some new sadhu pals
Cremations along the Bagmati River
Norma and Shiva, a mainstay of Pashupatinath for aeons (seemingly!)
The game here is to close your eyes, walk about 10 feet, and place your hands inside a shallow hole in the wall (no peeking!)—it’s much harder than it sounds!!!
My Boudha spirit animals, street dogs Dorje Bear & his sister Kyi
With our sassy guide Lal!
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Feeding dogs some packed breakfast at the base of Tiger’s Nest
Another of Bhutan’s infamous penis paintings
No scaffolding (for cleaning purposes) for the first time in years—very auspicious!
Early morning in the reflecting pools
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Everyone must wear shoe covers on the upper marble terrace—even the guards!
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No microphones, explosives, toffee, crayons, or wine—got it. ✅
Thanks to Cynthia for the inspiration!
Some beautiful parrots on the Taj grounds
❤️❤️❤️
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The first glimpse of the Taj through the gates brings all the cameras out & up! 📷
A rare group photo with both BJ & me in it!
💪💪💪❤️
Sandeep, our India Expert Extraordinaire
Des absolutely smoked us on the bowling lanes in our hotel!!
Nothing says “Sunday afternoon in India” like beer, bowling & nachos! 😆🎳
A fun shot at the Taj Mahal
Marble relief detail at the Taj Mahal
Taj detail
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Sandeep & the crew on the Yamuna River which runs behind the Taj Mahal
A gorgeous Ganesha statue in our hotel lobby
Agra Fort
A view of the Taj Mahal from Agra Fort
The public reception hall at Agra Fort
Many selfies were requested this morning!!
One of the beautiful rooms inside Agra Fort
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A view of the Taj Mahal from Agra Fort
Quite a sight from our Giza home!
The Sphinx at sunset.
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Practicing singing bowls (from Kathmandu!)
Mohammed gave us all the afternoon off from lugging our luggage
Delhi > Kuwait > Cairo made for a verrrry long travel day, but everyone was a trooper! ❤️
Camel professionals! 🐪🐪🐪
Photobombed by the Sphinx! 😆 From the rooftop of our guesthouse 😍
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Selling his wares at Saqqara
❤️🇪🇬
A carpet weaving demonstration
There are many forms of transport in Cairo!
Raafat shows Claudia, our resident ceramic artist, a piece of ancient pottery at Saqqara
Raafat explaining hieroglyphics
❤️❤️❤️
Camel riding victory!
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It’s always fun to see what’s on the local currency in real life! At the Egyptian Museum
Egyptian Museum
Detail of a very ornate inlay
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A mummified dog!
Egypt’s national dish, Kushari—delicious!!!
A papyrus paper-making demo
Well, that’s an interesting name...
So is that!
We have a heck of a view from our modest but mighty guesthouse!
❤️
Just a quick shot before sunset!!
Practicing singing bowls (from Kathmandu) on the roof
Just a few photos from this evening in Giza, Egypt! Today was a loooooong travel day from Delhi (via Kuwait) but all of our amazing guests took it in stride, and we’re finally at our home in front of the pyramids! 😍 🇪🇬
What a treat to not have to move our own luggage today—thanks, Mohammed!
Goodbye to our amazing guesthouse in front of the Sphinx!
Tonight at dinner in Madrid—finally back in the land of cava!!
A 5 AM light check for a big concert coming up at the pyramids!
A 5 AM light check for a big concert coming up at the pyramids!
We took a fabulous Nile River dinner cruise last night—more pictures of that will have to resurface as a throwback next week!!
We started with a glass of cava and a few different variations of ham and sausage
Our stop for Tinto Verano, mushrooms & peppers
The Ham Guys, aka, your most important connection in Spain!
A quick photo-op mid tour!
Toasting with red Spanish vermouth
The start of our tour in Plaza de la Villa
Margit teaching us about Spanish ham
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Spanish wines are just off-the-charts delicious!
Margit and Norma share a love connection 😆😍
Botin, an institution and a delight. In operation continuously since 1725!!
Starting our morning with a proper Spanish chocolate!
That is a LOT of glasses!
Cava sparkling wine with breakfast—hey, it’s Sunday in Spain, why not!?
Servet laying out our plan of attack in Madrid!
Behind the scenes at Botin
Suckling pig is Botin’s specialty
The traditional oven at Botin
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No photos allowed inside the Prado—sorry! 😳
We’ve been traveling together for so long, Norma and I started accessorizing alike 😆
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Madrid’s Terminal 4S Neptune Lounge
Departing Madrid
Somewhere over the Peruvian Amazon
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Posing in Parque del Amor on the Pacific 😙😚😘
After leaving us in Bhutan to take care of some family business, Carol rejoined us in Peru!! It was hard to keep it a secret, but it was a lovely surprise for everyone this morning!
Ceviche lunch 🤤
Parque del Amor
Plaza del Armas with our wonderful guide Maximo
Detail of the unique interior of the Church of St Francis
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Some coca leaf tea, which will come in handy to help adjust to the altitude in Cusco!
Arriving in Cusco
En route to Ollantaytambo
PeruRail
scenes from the train
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The profile of Tunupa in the rocks at Ollantaytambo, among the ancient storehouses; Tunupa is the guardian of this once-Incan stronghold.
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The precarious capsules of the SkyLodge (link in first comment)
Guinea pigs, or “cuy.” This is a traditional Andean delicacy; they are raised lovingly in households, which is the very best you can hope for if you eat meat.
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The ruins at Ollantaytambo
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We were the very first ones in line and got on the first bus to Machu Picchu in the morning at 5:30 (after grabbing our spots at 4 AM!)
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Some stunning flowers growing out of the stones at Machu Picchu
Norma brings her own ray of sunshine to the site!!
We ❤️ Gustavo!
Thanks to Vesna for this photo!!
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We were treated to a very interesting fashion show on our train ride back to Ollantaytambo 😂
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The famous 12-sided Incan block in Cusco
