A glimpse of Venezuela
U.S. made school bus
U.S. made school bus
A small Caribbean Airlines plane quickly gains altitude. Shortly after the
takeoff it performs a rapid turnaround in a surprisingly limited space. Twenty minutes
after leaving
Trinidad I notice scattered islands, green hills and large, two or three thousand meters
high peaks
on mainland South America. These are the remote territories of north-eastern Venezuela.
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Two tribes in Laos
People use hot springs not only to bathe but also to do the laundry, Muang Vieng Thong
Hot springs to bathe and do the laundry, Muang Vieng Thong
I still cherish a hope that an already delayed bus would take me to the east.
Luckily it arrives. The journey starts in the early afternoon and lasts until
darkness. I carefully observe changing scenery. Mountains, plateaus and valleys of this vast land
are all covered with lush green vegetation.
There are bustling villages scattered along the road. A group of young boys
skillfully pass a small ball to each other making sure it doesn't hit the
ground. Girls play on a skipping-rope and some women prepare dinner.
Men perform
minor repair tasks around and when there is nothing to fix, they sit by a bamboo wall, talk and
as the evening sets in, it is already time to sip homemade lao-lao.
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Khmer Empire
Świątynia Praha Khan, Angkor Wat
Prah Khan temple, Angkor Wat
The history of Cambodia dates back to 2000 years ago. The former Kingdom of Funan
grew in power
over the years to become the Khmer Empire in the ninth century. Many problems plagued the empire,
but still it had been consistently
gaining the importance in the region. It is also notable that the royal family lived to see almost forty
successive kings. So powerful and historically rich civilization
could have never be simply forgotten. Well, apparently and ironically it has been
forgotten! Until the second half of the nineteenth
century the great complex of Angkor Wat was hidden under cover of dense
jungle, thus invisible for the western world.
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The unique Abyssinia
Kids on the roads less traveled are curious, throughout the world
Kids on the roads less traveled are curious, throughout the world
I get up at crack of dawn. Logically reasoning, a new day has just started.
While a European
would say it is six, according to Ethiopian time it is zero hour. The notional concept of time
we are used to may be delusive. What does the term 'yesterday at four o'clock
at night' refer to, depending if the speaker mentions it right in the early
morning or in the evening the same day. May be confusing. When does one day come
to an end and when does the other start, once again, since many of us do not
switch thinking from Saturday to Sunday terms just when the clock indicates it
is past midnight. Ethiopia's concept of time is a no-nonsense idea. Just like
several other vagaries of its unique culture.
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San Fermin in Pamplona
Bull chasing people in the streets of Pamplona
Bull chasing people in the streets of Pamplona
San Fermín is an annual week-long festival taking place 6-14 July in Pamplona. The history of bull
chasing goes back to the fourteenth century and since 1592 has been in the same
form every year. I travel half of Spain for a nearly twenty-four hour adventure
in Pamplona.
During San Fermín week the whole town turns into a massive feast. The streets of Pamplona are
completely filled with enthusiastic mass of people in red and white. The singing, shouting,
dancing and spilling sangria everywhere around are essential parts of this
lively tradition.
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The Spanish Corrida
Capeador waiting for the enraged bull to charge
Capeador waiting for the enraged bull to charge
Corrida at the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas in Madrid brings
the essence of Spanish tradition. A massive 65 meter diameter arena makes it one of the largest sites of
that kind in the world. It has a simple design. Sandy area with a well-marked range, a secure
hideout for toreador and a substantial stand for audience. The show
starts. As a rule it usually lasts six rounds.
It is a deep-rooted Spanish tradition. The long before unchanged course of the show
lets you understand its essence. Corrida is about bulls being killed by
toreadors in an exactly planned fashion.
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Experiences 
