• The pathway to the temple
    Asia,  Blog,  Sri Lanka,  Travelogue

    Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

    It involves a princess on the run smuggling across land and sea. It had the protection of kings, eager to retain power over their kingdom. With an air of mystery surrounding it, it is one of most well-protected sites anywhere in Sri Lanka. This is the Temple of the Sacred Tooth relic in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The royal palace complex The Temple of the Sacred Tooth relic, also known as Sri Dalada Maligawa, sits north of the lake, within the palace complex of the former Kandyan kingdom. Thanks to its historical, cultural and spiritual significance, the temple is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, one of eight sites across Sri…

  • Bhairava Nath temple
    Asia,  Blog,  Nepal,  Travelogue

    Bhaktapur – the city of devotees

    As the minibus gets out of Kathmandu city and weaves its way through heavy traffic to Bhaktapur, you know you are journeying back in time. And long before you reach your destination, the first sights that catch your eye is the rooftop of the magnificent Nyatapola Temple. Narrow alleys inside Bhaktapur Immerse yourself in culture Depending on who you speak with, Bhaktapur or Khwopa, is known variously as the City of Culture, Living Heritage, Nepal’s Cultural Gem, An open museum and City of Devotees. There is a reason why it would have so many names. With its great architecture, detailed woodcarvings and intricately designed statues, the Malla dynasty did well…

  • Temple of Stratum Bodhisattva and Temple of Relatives
    Asia,  Blog,  Travelogue,  Vietnam

    The Pagoda of the Celestial Lady

    Thien Mu Pagoda, also called the Pagoda of the Celestial Lady, is a must for all those who visit the imperial city of Hue. Garden behind the temple with bonsai trees For reasons best known to us, we chose to walk the distance from town. While I would ordinarily walk around 7 kms without too much of a hassle, so long as it’s an easy walk, this proved to be a bit tedious for other reasons. It was drizzling and chilly, like it had been all that week, both in Hanoi, and now in Hue. Except for the Huong river, or the Perfume river as it is famously known as,…