The group for our cycling tour is a mixed bunch – two Canadians in their 60s patriotic enough to fly the flag from their bikes, an English couple who look like professional cyclists, and my mate Dave and me. Dave hadn’t ridden more than about 10km in a day before we began our training program.… Continue reading Happy Drink
Escaped Chickens
I’ve travelled a lot in Asia, so my arrival in Vietnam didn’t cause any culture shock, but a couple of experiences surprised me. The first, on the drive from Saigon airport to our first hotel, was seeing guards (they looked like policemen) braving the heavy night-time traffic to drag barriers across the street. When my… Continue reading Escaped Chickens
Distance Education arrives in Bhutan
When I first arrived in Bhutan, I was invited to help the government’s Department of Information demonstrate the power of technology in an effort to get more government funding. Today, I see that Ericsson have begun work with Bhutan’s education department to install videoconferencing into five remote schools so their students can take lessons from a central group of specialists.
WIRES Wildlife Support
A thud at the living room window drew my attention from my book. Not three feet from my head, the impact had left a smear, and there on the table where it had landed after rebounding was a small bird lying on its side. A closer look revealed a long Kingfisher beak, brown feathers tinged with blue, a white collar and a white chest that appeared to be moving. Behind it, an Indian Myna hopped around curiously.
Hummingbirds and Hiccups
We all have our cures for hiccups that work with varying reliability. Some drink a cup of water upside down. Others swear that a fright works. I usually try holding my breath until the hiccups stop. Patrick, our guide, told us that Mexicans have the only guaranteed cure, and we saw it work when we… Continue reading Hummingbirds and Hiccups
Mexican birthday
Our Mexico trip was a way for Fiona to avoid her 40th birthday. By being in a time zone 15 hours ahead of our own, she could pretend that local well-wishers were too early, and when she got messages from Sydney they were too late. She never really had a birthday at all. I think… Continue reading Mexican birthday
Zinacantan Weaving Workshop
Zinacantan men specialise in growing flowers and the women specialise in weaving. We visited a weaving workshop with a number of rooms covered wall-to-wall in bright coloured shawls and table runners and the women delighted in dressing us up in their traditional garments. Fiona wore a skirt, belt and a vibrant blouse that was soon… Continue reading Zinacantan Weaving Workshop
Mixing Religious Traditions with the Mayans
The Mayan sun adorns the front of the church in San Juan Chamula, sharing space with Christian symbols. This mixing of religious symbols is common in Chiapas. When the missionaries arrived with the Spanish, they were surprised to see a cross as a religious symbol among the Mayans, assuming that Jesus had appeared in the… Continue reading Mixing Religious Traditions with the Mayans
Chamula Costumes
Hundreds of people cross the town square at San Juan Chamula while I drink my Mexican tangerine soft drink and Patrick explains about the church on the other side. Most of the people going about their business are Chamula, one of the ethnic groups descended from the Tzotzil Maya. Even we can identify the Chamula… Continue reading Chamula Costumes
one by one
The streets of San Christobal are quite narrow and traffic typically flows in one direction. This doesn’t eliminate the problem of jams at intersections, but the traffic lights have been removed due to increased congestion. Instead, the rule of one has been implemented. This rule means that cars at the two inbound roads at any… Continue reading one by one