Home > Notebook > Tags > On the road

03. 05. '11

Three Years

Last day in Bangkok. Last day of my trip. It is midnight and I am sitting in the waiting room of Suvarnabhumi airport. Thai exit stamp in my passport. Waiting for a plane that will fly me to Prague. I feel like when I was a kid and the two months summer holiday was ending. More

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16. 04. '11

Water Battle On Songkran

On the mountain road between Phayao and Chiang Khong. Irresposibly, helmet on the backseat of my motorcycle. Not on my head. That is alright. I am driving irresponsibly fast. I fly through a village. Just few wooden houses. Group of Thais is waiting at its end. They are going to throw a bucket of icy cold water at me. Like twenty times today already. The Songkran is coming. Traditional new year. Most riotus Thai festival. Celebrated by three day long waterfight all over Thailand. With enthusiasm that borders on mayhem. More

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23. 11. '10

To The Skies And Higher!

Soft light of hundreds of balloons that are slowly filling with hot air. Orange shimmering light. Just a while ago the air was cold and fresh. Now it's hot and I can smell burning wax and oil and tension and expectation. And then at the same moment thousands of balloons fly in the sky. More

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13. 05. '10

Yuans For Yens

Chinese guy in his fifties stops me in front of a bank. He is wearing a worn jacket of very Chinese indeterminate dull colour. Calculator in one hand, stack of banknotes in the other. He smiles encouragingly at me. I am not much encouraged, though. I don't even know the exchange rate. And we are standing in front of the bank. I shake my head and walk off inside. More

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13. 05. '10

Very Communist Qingdao

Ocean. Columns of smoke on the horizon. From huge freighters, water castles of containers. I cannot see them now. I saw them an hour ago from the deck of ferry from Shimonoseki in Japan. Now the ship is gingerly passing wharfs and cranes of cargo harbour. It is headed to tiny passenger terminal that is hidden betweet warehouses of a industrial zone. I am in Qingdao. I am in China. More

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12. 05. '10

Motion Blur From Shinkansen Window

Acceleration. Countryside turning into motion blur. Chopped by darkness of tunnels. As if you were passing damn fast by a giant barcode. Even though the train is going 300 km/h the ride is quiet and soft. Like the blue plush seats inside. I am in Shinkansen, Japanese high speed train. In the latest and fastest model. The N700. More

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11. 05. '10

Japanese Machines

In Japan they are everywhere. They glow in the big cities and attract passers-by. They stand on lonely corners in remote villages on forgotten islands. Or lost on the meadows and in the woods. They are on ships and in trains. Five and half million of them in total. Bigger number than population of Norway. Every year Japanese spend five trillion yen shopping at them. More

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10. 05. '10

In Osaka People Cross On A Red Light!

„Do people really cross a red light in Osaka?“ Chihiro – character from Japanese cartoon Azumanga Daio – was wondering. „Wait till you get to Osaka. People there are irachi. Always in a hurry. They have countdowns next to traffic lights so they know how long they need to wait for a green light!“ Jun from Tokyo was laughing. Japanese from other parts of the country are simply fascinated by Osaka's traffic lights and crossing on a red. More

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09. 05. '10

You cannot go to Japan and not visit Kyoto

You cannot go to New York and not see Statue of Liberty. You cannot go to India and not see Taj Mahal. You cannot go to Paris and not see Eiffel Tower. And you cannot go to Japan and not visit Kyoto. More

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08. 05. '10

Beware! Deer Butt And Bite

If you have no food deer will ignore you. But take out shika sembei – special deer crackers made from rice bram and cereals – and they will surround you. More then you would want to. They jostle and nudge and nod. People say they imitate traditional japanese bow. But do not be fooled. They are insidious beasts. More

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07. 05. '10

Afternoon At The Big Shark

Early afternoon. Almost dark. Raining since this morning. And so I am at Osaka Aquarium. This time on a working day it is almost empty. Few couples on dates, few families with children. Tunas and penguins and huge manta-rays. And local superstar – giant whale shark. With shoal of fish riding his back, same like promised picture on the ticket. More

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05. 05. '10

Takoyaki tabetai!

Osaka is famous for its people who like to cross red lights and for its good food. As they say in Japan: „Dress up and bow till you drop in Kyoto, eat till you burst in Osaka.“ And as Osakans are friendly – and not cold and aloof as people from Kyoto – so is its food. Okonomiyaki and kushikatsu. But above all takoyaki. More

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02. 05. '10

Until My Fingertips Become Wrinkled

I am floating in a pool of hot mineral water. I can see the ocean across the cliffs. Hirauchi-kaichu Onsen – hot spring in the south of Yakushima. Three tiny pools in the rocks. Accessible only few hours a day, when the tide is out. Rest of the time they under the sea. More

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02. 05. '10

Sakurajima Is Not Your Friendly Neighborhood Volcano

„Do you want to borrow a bike? It takes only four hours around the volcano,“ the reception girl from the hostel under Sakurajima asks me. Four hours? That sounds cool. I might do it… „But on the other side ash falls down, you are going to be all black,“ she warns me. „Aha. No bikes then,“ I change my mind. She smiles and nods. As if she knew from the beginning. More

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30. 04. '10

Princess Mononoke From Enchanted Moss Forest

People come to Yakushima to see „The Big Tree“. More fun, more interesting and less tiring is a trip to Shiratani Unsuikyo. Ravine with fairy tale forrest where Oga Kazuo – the lead artist of Ghibli Studio – spent a lot of time sketching when working on famous animated movie Princess Mononoke. And Shiratani Unsuikyo really feels like magical forrest. More

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30. 04. '10

How many thousand rings the Jomonsugi tree has?

Yakushima. Island sixty km over the sea from Kyushu. All covered by one huge forrest. Few peaks almost two thousand meters high. Lots of rain. The wettest place in Japan. One of the wettest places on Earth. „It rains 35 days every months,“ say locals. In fact, it rains only every other day. But it does rain really lot. On the coast about four meters a year. In the mountains eight to ten. More

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25. 04. '10

Hill of Rice, Sulphur In The Air

Train from Kumamoto changes direction twice. Forward–backward–forward. Climbing up the wall of Aso Caldera. Tourist map I got at the station says that Aso with its 18 km from East to West, 24 km from North to South and circumference of 120 km is the world's biggest crater. That it was formed 100 000 years ago when a huge volcano collapsed. More

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24. 04. '10

Seagulls In Flight

„Quick! Ooutside,“ Eri pulls me to the open deck. To the flock of screaming seagulls. They fly so close. When I extend my hand maybe I will touch them? And what if I touch them? Eri takes out a cup of Jagariko. Will they eat from hand? But they do not want to. I crush the potato stick and throw it into the flock. In flight, birds catch the pieces. Nothing falls in the sea. More

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23. 04. '10

Gunkanjima: Salty Wind Chewing On Ferroconcrete

Cold wind. Gray morning light. Metalic ocean, long waves. Dark Shadow floating on horizon. Island that Japanese know by its nickname Gunkanjima – Battleship Island. Nobody uses its real name Hashima. They say that In World War II crew of an American submarine mistook it for real ship and torpedoed it. Empty crumbling buildings, black holes for windows. Salty winds chew on ferroconrete. Coal mine. Abandoned more than thrity years ago. More

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22. 04. '10

A-bomb, Slow Trams, And Sponge Cakes

„Try this one,“ chef dressed in white offers me few pieces on a plate. Damn, this one is real tasty. „With cheese,“ he explains, „but most importantly frozen. Frozen is best,“ he chuckles. „Here, tea flavoured, also frozen,“ he hands me more. And then honey, chocolate… More

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21. 04. '10

Fukuoka Hides Aztec Ruins

Tenjin – the shopping district and centre of Fukuoka – is anonymous glass and concrete. Same like centre of any japanese modern city. I walk to the river. Then through inconspicuous glass bulding to the park on the other side. Black creaking of crows. Drizzle. Despite the wind aluminium clouds do not move. Wet grass paints abstract patterns on my shoes. I turn around but the building is gone. I can see only Aztec pyramid that is being eaten by jungle. More

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20. 04. '10

For Dinner
Go Eat Somewhere Else

In Japan, whenever I said „Fukuoka“ the answer I got was „ramen“. Yellow chinese noodles in broth about which are all Japanese crazy. Those from Fukuoka come in distinctive white broth made from pork bones. Tonkotsu ramen. You can eat them in one of hundreds ramen shops. Or exotically for Japan at one of many yatai – street foodstalls that open at night. More

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18. 04. '10

Reality Is Always Smaller

Not far from Hiroshima, on the Miyajima island is Floating torii. One of the three best views in Japan – according to the list that was compiled by Japanese scholar Hayashi Razan in the seventeenth century. Which has been adopted by Japan Tourist Organization. More

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17. 04. '10

More Tourists Than In Kyoto

Hiroshima. The first of two cities that were razed to the ground by atom bomb. Today it looks like ordinary japanese city. Flat. And not mentioning hiroshimayaki – the local special dish – not very interesting. And yet you meet here more tourists than in Kyoto. More

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13. 04. '10

Yakuza from Shin Sekai

Shin Sekai and streets around it, behind the train tracks. The most dangerous in Japan some say. Many Osakans claim they would never step in that area. Guidebooks warn tourists to be careful. When this neighborhood in the south of the city was built in 1912 it was the bright new world, though. Shin Sekai. New World. More

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12. 04. '10

Cherry Blossom Front Will Be Moving To The North

„Blooming sakuras? People say that Shinjuku park is the best. I like Ueno better, though. There will be crowds of people on weekend,“ Jun was recommending Tokyo parks. Then chuckled: „Crowds of drunken people too.“ He was right. Park at Ueno is crowded. Before noon. People flow like rivers along the paths, photograph blossoms and photograph themselves in front of blossoms. The ground aroud is covered with blue tarpaulin. Every spot where you can spread a blanket, every spot where you can sit, is taken. More

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08. 04. '10

Red Underwear in Slow Motion Tokyo

Fashion stores. Purses. Hats. Shoes. Underwear. No, this is not Harajuku. Eventhough Sugamo gets that nickname sometimes. But here you will not see high heels. Or gothic lolita make-up. Or hair died pink or green. Here hair are naturally gray. Sugamo's nickname is Obaachan no Harajuku. Harajuku for Grannies. More

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08. 04. '10

Cutting Fish At Tsukiji

Narrow alleys. Sixteen hundred stalls. Wet floor. Containers of ice. You do not pay attention for a split second and forklift runs you over. Naked neon tubes. Naked bulbs. Early morning. Before sunrise. Yawning. coffee, cigarates. Rubber boots. And fish. More

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06. 04. '10

Akihabara: Electric Town And Otaku Central

Japanese girl, under twenty. Black dress and white lacey apron. French maid. With cat ears hairband. She hands me flyer and makes a curtsy. Says few words in Japanese that I don't understand. Her voice unnaturally high. As if she was a character from Japanese animated movie. I keep on walking. White noise metalic roar of pachinko parlour. Group of people hunched over crates of second hand manga on the pavement. Computers, game consoles, robots, cameras, gadgets. More

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05. 04. '10

Tokyo Subway Is Lot of Fun

One look at the plan of Tokyo Subway lines and I know that it is going to be no fun. And that at the same time it is going to be a lot of fun. Lines of Tokyo Metro and Metro Toei are swirling all over like noodles in a bowl of soup. Between them make their way thin lines of private railways and connecting suburban trains, Japan Railways, tram and monorails. More

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04. 04. '10

Heated Toilet Seats

Not only that traffic lights and parks talk in Japan. They have toilets with heated seats. Better models can even lift up the seat themselves. All have bidet that extends itself from beneath the seat when you press the right button. More

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03. 04. '10

Nostromo Hibernation

Warm. Quiet. Soft carpet. Muted lighting. Two rows of capsules stacked on top of each other along a corridor two meters wide. I am not in Tokyo anymore. I am on board of Nostromo space ship. In the dark corners Aliens may be lurking. More

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02. 04. '10

Yokoso! Japan

Angry Godzilla does not run around Tokyo bitting off skyscrapers. Everything else you heard about Japan is probably true. It looks exactly as I imagined. That never happened before. Well, maybe it is because I read too much manga and watched too much anime. More

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31. 03. '10

Can I See Your Return Ticket?

13.1 kg. Red numbers light up the display. My bag lies on the belt at the check-in counter of Bangkok airport. I am flying to Japan. Changing in Taipei. My passport in hand of Thai girl behind the desk. But instead of expected smile I see face of stone. Instead of usual „Window or aisle?“ I hear „Can I see your return ticket?“ More

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20. 03. '10

Red Shirts March Through Bangkok

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16. 03. '10

Give Back To Thaksin His Stolen Billions, The Red Shirts Demand

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16. 03. '10

Notes About Red Shirts Protests

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16. 03. '10

About Thaksin for people who don't know a thing about Thai politics

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08. 02. '10

T-Shirt For My Thai Girlfriend

„When we go somewhere together everybody surely thinks that I am your Thai ‚Girlfriend‘,“ Eri – my Japanese classmate – was complaining. „Well, that is probably true… Alright! I make t-shirt that says ‚khonyipun‘ (Japanese)!“ And so I made it. Even thought it is a little otaku. That's OK, though. Eri admitted that she herself is a little otaku and at home se has bookshelf full of manga (^_~). More

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15. 11. '09

Travelling in Thailand With Parents Who Have Been To Italy Only

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11. 11. '09

You Will Wreck The Bike Anyway II

I am inspecting black Honda in Kanchanaburi. I want to rent it and drive it to waterfall and to a museum at Hellfire Pass. It is the same one that Sigi crashed beautifuly half a year ago. And really all the owner did was to stick a sticker on scratched gass tank. I wonder if it cost five hundred baat which he charged us for damage. More

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07. 11. '09

Sukhothai Nothing Much

I have been to Thailand many times. But until now I haven't seen Sukhothai. Same like travelling around Britain for a year and not seeing Stonehenge. I was always told by other foreigners that Sukhothai is amazing. That I must see it. Nonsense. More

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05. 11. '09

Now We Have KFC!

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03. 11. '09

Up To The Skies!

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31. 10. '09

mS Will Arrive Tomorrow

Tomorrow in the evening mS will arrive to Bangkok. To see me. Two weeks trip. I hope she does not get lost at the airport and she gets on the right bus. I hope she will find me in the cafe where I am going to be waiting. I hope she will arrive with a bag of reasonable size and weight. Not like when she goes to Italy. And I hope she will like Thailand. More

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23. 10. '09

Rain At The Northern Terminal

As if somedy opened door a let inside the street noise, the smell of fried rice and coffee. The smell of wet tarmac. But I do not about it yet. Now it is only a dream. I am still sleeping. „You you you! Morchit! Bangkok!“ Smiling face in the door wakes me up. More

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20. 10. '09

Can You Make Sounds
at Your Workplace?

Some get free lunch. Others get free language courses. Gym subscriptions, cars, memberships in golf clubs. You name it and such a perk exists. I was allowed to make sounds. More

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15. 10. '09

In China
They Have Don't Have Logos

They have mascots. When it comes to Olympics or Expo, that's normal anywhere in the world. But in China only the biggest of companies actually have logos. Everybody else bets on the power of mascots. Mascots have long tradition. Gateways to ancient palaces are guarded by lions, dragons swirling across walls and columns protect temples.  More

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12. 10. '09

China Is Not India

In the West China is often mentioned together with India. Both countries have a population of more than a billion. Both are in Asia. Both are developing and fast growing economies. Both have a space program. But these countries could not be more different. Go to India. You will find out that Indians like just to loaf and nap all day, doing nothing – all that because future does not exists and therefore it does not really matter. Go to China. Nobody loafs around. More

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06. 10. '09

Rabid Mad Dragon

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05. 10. '09

Like Eggs Under The Red Flag

„Money floats in the air – We have no ideals. Although the air is fresh – We cannot see into the distance. Altough the chance is here – We are to timid. We are wholly submissive – Like eggs under the red flag.“ Sings Cui Jian – one of the most famouse Chinese rockers – in the intro track of Hongqi Xiade Dan album. Recorded in 1994. An I here, on the from Shanghai to Chongqing, feel as if nothing changed over those fifteen years. More

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23. 09. '09

Blue Skies In Classic Chinese Painting

„This country hasn't seen blue skies for couple of decades.“ So I heard from other foreigners in China every time I talked with them. And they would be right. „The pollution is absolutely appalling,“ they would go on. But that they don't know what they are talking about. This country hasn't seen blue skies ever. More

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22. 09. '09

Halfway To Heaven

As the legend has it when Confucius climbed Tai Shan and looked around he said „World is small.“ Few thousand years at the same place Mao uttered „East is red.“ Though most people are happy enough to actually climb all the way up. Tai Shan is the holiest of Taoist mountains. Half way between Beijing and Shaghai. Near Qufu where Confucius was born. More

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18. 09. '09

Stroll Along The Great Wall And Chinese Propaganda

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16. 09. '09

Beer, Chess, Gray Dust

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13. 09. '09

Bird's Nest, Water Cube

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09. 09. '09

Hong Kong's Very Curious Bay

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07. 09. '09

25 000 Yuan In Bank of China

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04. 09. '09

Beijing's Red Capitalists

Glowing shopping malls. Fast-food chains. Skyscrapers. And kids wearing uniforms and red scarves. The only ones I have seen in all of China. Lot of „insignificant“ details. Red image of capitalism. When you plan and order something that is supposed to grow on its own. When you stay on the surface. More

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31. 08. '09

Profit Margin And Chinese Brands

I was standing at the ground floor of Block 4. Around me nothing but socks and stockings. More than a thousand stores. More than a thousand manufacturers. In China, this applies to everyting. Name a product and it will be manufactured by a few dozen companies. Or rather by few thousand. And yet I do not know single Chinese brand. Not only when it comes to socks. More

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26. 08. '09

We Love The Fake Shit

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21. 08. '09

431 km/h

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18. 08. '09

World's Highest Plushie Crane

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17. 08. '09

Sinking Shanghai

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16. 08. '09

My Chinese Name

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09. 08. '09

Mona Lisa Overdrive

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08. 08. '09

Russian Aircraft Under Chinese Pornographer Command

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07. 08. '09

Welcome to Shenzhen Special Zone

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02. 08. '09

Mobiles And Curry

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27. 07. '09

Mong Kok Dreams of Electric Sheep

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21. 07. '09

Between Tram Line And Sea

„Everything between tram line and Victoria Harbour used to be sea.“ So I was told at the tourist information office. That's half of the city! More

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20. 07. '09

Hong Kong Escalation

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19. 07. '09

Sssss … Sssss, Custom Tailor? Copy Watch?

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17. 07. '09

Hong Kong Did Not Remind Bangkok At All

The amount of concrete is rougly the same in both cities, In all other ways Hong Kong is totally unlike Bangkok. Bangkok is lively, Hong Kong is busy. Bangkok is hip and pop and cool, Hong Kong seems to be just rich and stylish. More

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06. 07. '09

Hardening Of The Arteries

Thanon Khao San feels louder and narrower every time I arrive. As if getting clogged with plaque. More

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24. 06. '09

You Will Wreck The Bike Anyway

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18. 06. '09

C & C Closed Down So I Stay At T & T By 7–11

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13. 06. '09

Bangkok Gets Crazier And Crazier

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11. 06. '09

For Data Romantics Eight Gigs Is Not Enough – Pt II

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09. 06. '09

They Do Still Like Me

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08. 06. '09

WTF, There Are ATMs In Laos

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05. 06. '09

The Great Firewall of China

It really exists. The Great Firewall of China. You can forget about evil capitalist sites like youtube.com and blogger.com. All you get is timeout. Or google Dalai Lama in China. More

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05. 06. '09

We Fuck The Fake Shit

Made in China. More stripes more Adidas. Not at all. Try to find fake Adidas sneakers in China. You will have hard time. But if you are after real Armani suit and Bvlgari ring to match you're going to have it easy. More

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03. 06. '09

Do Not Free Tibet!

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02. 06. '09

Noodle Soup From Hell

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01. 06. '09

Leshan's Buddha Has Seven Metre Long Ears

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01. 06. '09

Around Leshan in Police Car

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30. 05. '09

For Data Romantics Eight Gigs Is Not Enough – Pt I

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29. 05. '09

Am I In Japan Full Of Chinese?

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27. 05. '09

Over Permafrost To Real China

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26. 05. '09

Yak Steaks

Yak is the Tibetan national animal. Huge thing with curly horns and hair all the way to ground. Hanging out in herds on plains around highway. You find it in every restaurant's menu. More

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25. 05. '09

Lhasa: Concrete, Glass, Black Audis

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25. 05. '09

It Is Very Dark In Potala

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24. 05. '09

Tibet From The Landcruiser

Maps show it clearly. Tibet is mountain plateu. Something flat high in the mountains. Go there and it looks different. It is high in the mountains. But Tibet is far from flat. Mountains with snowy peaks. Passes five thousand meters high. Roads cut in canyon side – but winding through wide valleys, along the rivers, tak heards, furry sheeps and goats. More

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22. 05. '09

In Gyantse They Have A Drum Made Of Human Skin

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21. 05. '09

The Big Chinese Panchen Lama Fraud

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21. 05. '09

Dried, Without Head

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19. 05. '09

I Have Swine Flu

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17. 05. '09

Nepali Hammers And Sickles

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16. 05. '09

Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

In Nepal, near the Tibetan border, there is the world's second highest bungee jump. From the suspension bridge. Into the canyon one hundred and sixty meters deep. Almost four seconds of free fall. More

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14. 05. '09

Corpse Cremators Of Kathmandu

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10. 05. '09

Among Potheads Kathmandu Is More Famous Then India

Kathmandu looks kind of Maoist. As if you transplanted the eighties shabbiness of Prague under Himalayas. Throw in developing country. And hippies and goretex cald trekkers. More

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10. 05. '09

Indians Live Now

Indians will tell you: „You foreigners think too much. What to do, what happened. You are not spontaneus as we are. You should try it – it is more fun.“ But there is a but… More

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03. 05. '09

Corpse Cremators Of Varanasi

Hindu holy town. The holiest. More than one million pilgrims comes every year. They believe that bath in the Ganges absolves of all sins. More than hundred ghats. Most of them bathing, few cremating. If you die in Varanasi your soul is released from the cycle of its transmigrations. More

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27. 04. '09

…and Calcutta Shabby

Calcutta has metro. Soviet style. Marble, reliefs and mosaics in foyers. It is kind of shabby looking, though. As if unfinished and quickly thrown together. Victoria Memorial is all marble too. Not a bit soviet. But somewhat shabby looking nonetheles. More

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26. 04. '09

Calcutta Intro

Bangalore may be the most Western city in India, Bombay obsessed with celebrities, showbiz, money and fame, Chennai anonnymous and uninteresting, but Calcutta is XXXXXXXX More

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25. 04. '09

Excuse Me Sir, What Is Your Good Name?

You hear that in India all the time. „What is mother country, sir?“ usually follows. Or kind of gangsta style „Which country do you represent?“ Never ordinary „Where are you from?“ More

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24. 04. '09

Stamps And Pens Rulez!

At least at the Port Blair's airport. On Andaman Islands. Staff at the check-in counters fills the boarding passes by hand and loudly stamps them. More

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19. 04. '09

Beach Is Nothing Much But It Is Much Better Getaway

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15. 04. '09

Thinking About Chocolate On Havelock Island

They say that Andaman Islands are paradise on Earth. Ultimate tropical backwater. Beautiful beach, torquise crystal clear ocean, white soft sand. More

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31. 03. '09

Pink Panties Strike Back!

Shopping malls. Expensive shops selling soap by weight. Everybody speaks English. People here have money. Girls wear string shoulder tops showing bare shoulders, tight jeans or shorts. Unthinkable anywhere else in India. Couples hold hands, here and there fleeting kiss. Pubs and bars where you see girls drinking beer, no problem. More

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28. 03. '09

One Of Those Days… In Ooty

Trip on the toytrain with a steam engine to Ooty was nice enough. Although far from spectacular. I did get a seat on the side with less views. I had to get up at half past five because of that train so I could queque up at the station at six. Half of the trip I slept through. Damn. More

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21. 03. '09

Do You Suffer From Any Mental Illness? When You Were Last Treated?

It starts with filling of check-in form. Name, passport number, type of visa. As usual. Then before you sign: do you suffer from any mental illness and if so when was the last time you were treated? More

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20. 03. '09

Something Is Eating My Computer

Computers at internet cafés are living zoos. All are infected. Viruses. Trojans. The moment you plugin your USB pendrive something copies itself onto it. But you are cool 'cause, hey, you are not that stupid to run anyting of it on your own computer. And you have switched off autorun for all media. And otherwise you are safe. Right? More

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19. 03. '09

Varkala Case Study: Indian Garbage Management

Garbage management in Varkala must have been inspired by Simpson's episode… In which Bart and Lisa swept all the trash under the carpet. More

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14. 03. '09

Giant Statue Watches Sunrise And Sunset

When you get to Kanniayakumari you are at the end. Tip of the Subcontinent. Further is just ocean. Three oceans, actually – Arabian Sea to the west, Indian Ocean to the south and Bay of Bengal to the east. More

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12. 03. '09

Bombarded With Water And Coloured Powder

„Holi, two day festival held in February or March to celebrate the beginning of spring. Expect to be bombarded with water, paint, coloured powder and other mixtures. They can permanently stain the clothing so do not come out in your Sunday's best.“ Says guidebook. More

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06. 03. '09

Komm, Süsser Todd: Utopian Cult Of Auroville Plans End Of The World

Giant golden space sphere in the forrest. You hear words „Human Unity“ a „acceleration of evolution“. As if you were in an opening sequence of apocalyptic sci-fi. More

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02. 03. '09

Why Do Indians Have Bellies

There can't be enough oil and butter in Indian meal. Or so it seems. Breakfast is deep fried. With every dish Indians devour at least five chapatis. With lunch. And with dinner. Indians are fat More

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29. 02. '09

Ham And Croissants

Pondicherry, capital of former French colony. People say it is just like France in India. And they have real croissants! And Ham! And icecream! More

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26. 02. '09

Showroom In Mamallapuram

„I take cave like this. But with this relief and in front a temple like the on the hill over there. And statues like those by the entrance.“ More

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25. 02. '09

Thump-Thump-Thump And Shining Chrome

Enfield Bullet. The most stylish motorcycle made in India. 350 cc. Single piston. Gearshift on the right. Teardrop tank. More

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23. 02. '09

If I Lived In India I Would Be A Terrorist

India is full of terrorists. Muslims shoot people in hotels and at railway stations in Bombay. They plant bombs wherever possible. Hindus burn down mosques. They murder Muslims. If I lived in India I would be a terrorist too. More

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17. 02. '09

Antarctica On The Horizon

Dondra. The southermost point of Sri Lanka. Village and the lighthouse. No tourists, no souvenir shops, just inconspicuous sign pointing to the lighthouse. The geographical extremity unmentioned. More

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13. 02. '09

Mackwood's Tea Factory

If British had their way there would be no Ceylon tea. There would be Ceylon coffee. But hemileia vastratrix virus saw it different way and killed all coffee plants. James Taylor the tried growing tea and when he was joined by the others – including Thomas Lipton – tea became a hit. More

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12. 02. '09

Corrupted Taxi Drivers And Evil Government

„Do you know how much is the ticker?“ every rikshaw driver at Pollonaruwa was asking me. „Yep. Twenty five dollars.“ – „It is very expensive, yes?“ – „Yeah, it is.“ – „But here we have different ways. I can take you inside, show everything. Only for twenty, with rickshaw,“ they were offering. More

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07. 02. '09

Climbing Adam's Peak After Midnight

There is a footprint in a stone at the fifth highest mountain of Sri Lanka – Adam's Peak. Buddhists believe it was left here by Buddha. Muslims claim that Adam is responsible as this is supposed to be the first place where he set his feet on Earth after the eviction from Paradise. Hinduists maintain it's Shiva's. And Portugese tried to ascribe the footprint to St. Thomas… More

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04. 02. '09

Tanks Park At The Seafront

Colombo. Green. Clean. Coming from India unbelievably clean. Army on every corner, more machine guns than in streets of Quetta. Fort (former city centre) feels like a war zone. Weeded with razor wire, road blocks. Checkpoints. More

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25. 01. '09

Dharavi Dreams

Half of Bombay's residents lives in slums. The biggest one – Dharavi. One of the Asia biggest. Between half milion and milion people. 175 hectars. More

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25. 01. '09

Wait A Minute, Sir, I Arrange A Car For You

Driver in a uniform, with white cap with black plastic peak, white gloves. „Welcome to Leela Kempinski, sir“, he smiled at me. White leather upholstery, wooden dashboard, aircon pleasently cooling/not freezing, absolute silence, we floated along the palm trees. More

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23. 01. '09

Using Local Trains In Bombay During Crush Hour Is Not Recommended

Crush Hour. Like a war. People who are getting off battle with those getting on. War cry. So you do not always get off the train. Or get on. Who falls is stepped on. No matter if he dies. More

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20. 01. '09

Light Blue Shirts Together, Pink Socks Together

Dhobi ghat. Huge washing machine under open sky. At the Mahalaxmi suburban train station. Hemmed between railtracks and two highways. Water and soap. Barrels of bleach. And some more water. More

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19. 01. '09

Cats, Yawning Dogs, Fat Pidgeons And Cheeky Crows

Bombay. Suprisingly friendly people. Yellow and black. Taxis. Cats. Yawning dogs. Fat pidgeons. Energy. Mad energy. Green. Clean. Incense and rotten fish. Skyscrapers on the tiniests plots. Red buses that never close door. Doubledeckers. No rickshaws. More

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14. 01. '09

Data Saviours

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09. 01. '09

Gokarna: Pilgrims And Freak Central

„You are going to Gokarna? I have a present for you,“ Ditch was handing me a jar of Tiger Balm over the Bar in Agonda. „You are going to need this,“ he explained. „The town smells like shit. Seriously. Too many people there taking too many shits. And the sewers are open.“ He opened the jar and quickly rubbed some balm on his upper lip. „Do the same and you will be fine,“ he winked at me. More

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03. 01. '09

Litre Of Metadone, Half A Litre Of Ketamin And Monkey In Fatigues On Coke

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01. 01. '09

This Year Is Going To Be Oysters And Jumping From Bridges

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31. 12. '08

Portugal In India

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30. 12. '08

Turtle Will Hatch On 13th Ferbuary

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29. 12. '08

Petrol From A Bottle In Cabo da Rama, Without A Map Through The Jungle

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28. 12. '08

Girls Would Sit On That Motorcycle On Their Own

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25. 12. '08

Eight In Opposite Pocket And Merry Christmas

Fish for dinner, game of pool after dinner. More

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20. 12. '08

Dolphins For Breakfast

Two kilometrs of golden sand. Frolicking dolphins in the morning. Palm trees and casuarinas. Compared to Palolem heavenly peace. More

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17. 12. '08

Flying Saucers And Grilling In Bamboo Costa Brava

Frisbees, racket ball in the surf, bodies grilling in the midday sun. Sunchairs, merchandise umbrellas. Sun lotion in the air and fried fish. Fishing boats and cows. Palolem. Beach in the southern Goa. Bamboo Costa Brava. With a little of India thrown in. More

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13. 12. '08

Along Marine Drive To Beach

Evening tide goes out few hundred meters. Exposing black sand. Indians wade in the shallows. Women run away from the incoming waves. Giggling. More

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13. 12. '08

Bhel Puri Is Sweet, Crunchy and Contains Chilli

Bhel Puri. Bombay speciality. The best is supposedly at the stall at Chowapatty Beach. More

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12. 12. '08

Bombay's Message For Terrorists

I arrived to Bombay only few days after the terrorists in Taj Hotel were shot dead or captured and taken to hospital. More

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05. 12. '08

What Happens When You Flush A Toilet In Bundi

In Bundi they have open sewers. So you can flush a toilet and follow it all the way. More

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04. 12. '08

Palaces And Goblins In Bundi And End Of Boredom In Rajastan

Jeypore Palace may be called the Versailles of India; Udaipur's House of State is dwarfed by the hills round it and the spread of the Pichola Lake; Jodhpur's House of strife, gray towers on red rock, is the work of giants, but the Palace of Bundi, even in broad daylight, is such a palace as men build for themselves in uneasy dreams– the work of goblins rather than of men. More

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31. 11. '08

Absolutely No Natural Ingredients!

Text on the Pepsi bottle informs you that it „Contains no fruit“. Packet of biscuits proudly states that they „Contain synthetic flavourings and colourings“. In a box with a picture of happy mango swimming in mango juice is no mango – Text on the packaging says „Contains no fruit juice“. More

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30. 11. '08

James Bond Will Be Late

Rickshaws swerve around the bends tipping the fruit stalls over, oranges roll on the street. It is not any more quiet at the lake either. Boats manically chase each other and James Bond is shooting at the bad guys. More

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26. 11. '08

Work Of Giants And Angels

Kipling once wrote that Jodhpur's fort „is a work of giants and angels.“ Compared to that one in Jaisalmer it is truly imposing and looks impenetrable. And really, nobody even thought about taking it and everybody was rather into diplomacy when it came to Jodhpur. Until Aurangzeb overrun the city, took the fort and converted everybody to Islam. More

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22. 11. '08

In Late Afternoon Jaisalmer Is Built Of Gold

They say that to get to Jaisalmer you need horse of wood, legs of stone and carriage of steel. And they are right. It is far away from everywhere, the railway ends there and the roads do not lead much futher. More

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18. 11. '08

Mouse Is Hanging On My Back

One of the most bizare things I have ever seen is Karni Mata Temple in Deshnok. It looks like Italian palace from outside but step in and it is clear you are in India. This thing could be nowhere else. More

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17. 11. '08

Over There Is Haveli But Let's Have A Chai First

Bikaner lies at the edge of Thar Desert. It is recognizable by smog filled streets, honest rickshaw drivers, desert dust, camels and very friendly inhabitants. More

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15. 11. '08

Black Saturday In Pushkar

Disaster. One of the worst things that might have happened. More

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13. 11. '08

Bathe And Hooray To The Circus!

As soon as camels start to leave Pushkar pilgrims start to converge. On a full-moon night at the end of October or beginning of November the water in the lake is über-holly and one bath can wash off lifetime of bad karma. More

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10. 11. '08

Camels Nibble On My Collar

Camels look ancients. As if they somehow time travelled from primeval ages. Hairy dinosaurs. Slightly tired faces, slow movements, strange body shape, long neck, beards. More

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08. 11. '08

Brahma Dropped a Flower

And a lake was created. Today there is town around the lake. Pushkar. On of the holiest Indian towns. Strictly vegetarian. No meat. No eggs. No alcohol. No drugs. Appart from everpresent bhang which is legal here  More

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30. 10. '08

Christmas and New Year's Eve, Shaken And Well Stirred

At the end of October or begining of November – depends on Moon's decision – all over India is celebrated Diwali. The biggest amd most important Hindu festival. Something between Christmas, New Year's Eve and and Apocalypse Now. More

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28. 10. '08

Jaipur Is Built of Peach Ice Cream

You walk out of the railway station. And it seems that you are in ordinary Indian city. Rickshaws, honking buses, concrete, biscuit and tobacco stalls, two cows in the middle of the street. But walk through the gate to old city and you are in peach ice cream. More

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27. 10. '08

You Contact The AC Coach

At midnight there is no way to reserve a berth on sleeper coach and the prospect of travelling second class unreserved looms around. Unless, of course, you contact the AC coach. More

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27. 10. '08

Indian Porn: Sex With Animals, Group Sex, Oral Sex…

High definition, amazing details, perfect skin tones. More

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22. 10. '08

Parrots Screeching in Orchha

Cross the bridge and you are surrounded by palaces and forts and temples, with terraces, balconies, spires, domes, courtyards. Above your head fly screeching green parrots and above then silently gliding vultures cover sun with their wings. More

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20. 10. '08

Taj Mahal's Fearful Symmetry

Taj Mahal is as awesome as people say. Perfectly symmetrical, built of white marble, with reliefs, precious stones insets, quranic quotations, and gardens with fountains. Almost everything else is a fairy tale. More

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17. 10. '08

Mediavel Factory Chimney, Booze and Whores

I did not only roam the Old Delhi's bazaars, modern temples and suburban construction sites. I saw a few historical sites too. More

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16. 10. '08

In Delhi's Metro Do Not Touch The Trolleys Not Even With A Bamboo Stick

All unattended or suspicious articles like briefcase, Bag, Toy, Thermos or transistor could be bomb. Next Station New Delhi. More

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15. 10. '08

Sydney's Opera Has Been Stolen, Tourists Discover It In South Delhi

In the southern Delhi, not far from Nehru Place, on a hill hidden behind wall of skyscrapers there is Baha'i temple. More

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14. 10. '08

Gray Dough In The Western Delhi

Huge overgrown spaces where cows graze and where one day will be shopping streets. Wide empty boulevards disappearing into distance, immaculate parks dissected with electric wires. More

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13. 10. '08

Trousers Market Went Up By 27 % Last Year And 45 % of Dom Perignon Imported To India Is Drunk Here

CEOs in Delhi work 57 hours a week and 72 % of its inhabitants think they do not need to exercise. But I found all that after arriving to Delhi. Before that I heard the most scary stories. Absurd traffic. Unbreathable air. Crowds of people. Touts and liers and conmen you can't escape. More

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11. 10. '08

I Won't Kill Him, But I Am Gonna Kick His Ass

Says Hellboy in the Golden Army movie. And is way better movie than the first one was. Maybe because Guillermo del Torro shot it the way he wanted and did not hold back so much. Perhaps half of the movie takes place in supernatural worlds or weird alternative versions of the world of ours. More

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07. 10. '08

Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright

Dutch videoart, indian movie interpretation of haiku about bamboo, brazilian mix-media film inspired by Tyger, tyger burning bright by William Blake. More

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07. 10. '08

Nek Chand is more wicked than Gaudí on LSD

When you have a recurrent childhood dream you either do not bother or – if your sleep is peaceful and uninterupted – you do not remember it at all. Nek Chand, road inspector at the time, did remember and bothered. More

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06. 10. '08

The Head of Chandighar is Well Guarded

Permission may be granted to visit Capitol Complex to Mr. Yan Plihal from Czech and is a Designer who intends to visit the same on 6. 10. 2008 to see and study the Architecture work of Le Corbusier. More

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06. 10. '08

Le Corbusier Unbound

Chandighar works suprisingly well and has that optimistic and little naive feel of fifties and sixties, when people believed in the Brave New World – which did not happen. (And instead of that came Disco and hair grease and then eighties and cocaine.) More

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05. 10. '08

I Look Like An Owl

I finally left mountains and got to low lands. I have got nice suntan. When I take off my sunglasses, I look like an owl. More

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05. 10. '08

They Pretend It Is A Railway But It Is A Rollercoaster

On the moss, through jurassic ferns and deep pine forests, along the mountain ridges, throught ripped clouds… More

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05. 10. '08

Did You Fill The Form F.P.-19 C2/CP3?

You want to send a parcel. From India to Czech Republic. Socks of yak wool. Hat of yak wool. Jacked and gloves of sheep wool. You almost left mountains and you won't be cold anymore. More

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03. 10. '08

Very Colonial Shimla, Hunted House and Hissing Monsters

On the edge of Himalayas and not far from plains of Punjab and Harayana is Shimla. It reminds Carlsbar (in Czech republic). It has been built by British as a summer retreat. And there is a lot of British things left there. More

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29. 09. '08

Protibetan Propaganda In Kindergarten. With Live Music

When we in Tibet, we do not know that song is only five or six minutes. In Tibet our songs never end. We play all day and all night. But we come to India and we realize that song only five or six minutes. So now we play five or six minutes only. More

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28. 09. '08

Betcha I Stop That Train

They have a toy train, little to the south of McLeod Ganj. Built by British during colonial rule. And it seems that the engineers liked bridges – there is more than 950 of them on the line. Some of them are still considered masterpieces. More

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24. 09. '08

Cigarettes are more dangerous than terrorism, says Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama is in town and everybody can go to his teachings. And almost everybody does. More

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21. 09. '08

Monks are drinking expresso in Little Tibet

McLeod Ganj. Travel agents, cooking classes, jewelery making lessons, músli and guerilla yoga. Crowds of stoned Israelis, western tourists and shaven-heade tibetofiles. More

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18. 09. '08

Dinosaurs' Mouths Are Glowing and Mickey Mouse Went Crazy

In Manali there is a Club House and in its yard there is a hut built of corrugated iron. Inside the dinosaurs roam with their mouth glowing, in a corner of oversize podium Mickey Mouse dances all day long, and monkeys in plastic jungle hang human skeletons. More

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13. 09. '08

Skeletons Dancing at Spitok

Monks wear elaborate costumes and dance to the sound of drums and trumpets. More

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11. 09. '08

5602 meters above sea level

Khardung La. The highest motorable road in the world. Fourty kilometers from Leh. I rented a bike and took a jeep up there. More

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09. 09. '08

To Lamayuru via Moon

The guidebook says that "if one thing should sum up Ladakh it would be the gompa at Lamayuru." Hemmed in strange moonscape, above tumbledown village, on top of weirdly eroded rock. More

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08. 09. '08

Gompas and Stone Crushers

Monks do not have peace and quiet which is neccessary for meditation so they collect entrance fee instead, More

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08. 09. '08

This Motorcycle Looks Really Evil

I rented a motorbike. Yamaha. All black, every metal part was painted matte black. Including engine. Including exhaust pipe. Gladiator spelled in crimson on its side. More

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07. 09. '08

It Looks Like Hockey with Horses but They Call It Polo

And then the ball ends up at one of the tribunes, players ride like mad, horses are flying raising a dust a players swing the mallets and the audience flees to higher ground. More

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05. 09. '08

In Leh Watching Clouds and Being Cold

High mountain desert, dunes, rocks. Huge deep blue sky. Fluffy clouds that move so slow, it's imperceptible. More

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30. 08. '08

Over the Piles of Dead Bodies to Leh

Trip from Manali to Leh is one of the most spectacular rides I have ever done. 450 km, over Himalayas, two days. More

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27. 08. '08

For Breakfast I Will Have Charas and Banana Pancake

Cafés play Bob Marley and Moloko, there are internet cafés with webcameras, loads of souvenir shops and banana pancakes for breakfast. And everybody is totally stoned. THC intoxication starts before breakfasts and those who do not smoke drink bhang lassis. More

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24. 08. '08

The Golden Temple Floats In Amritsar

First town in India after crossing the border from Pakistan is Amritsar. It is quite clean (not in European standards), traffic is typically subcontinental, though. The biggest – and in fact the only – attraction in town is Golden Temple. More

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22. 08. '08

Monty Python perform at the Pakistani-Indian border

Soldiers with outrageous moustaches and hats which look like overgrown cockscomb salute and march there and back. The audience shouts "Hindustan! Hindustan!" More

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21. 08. '08

Polishing TV Screens and Bomb Making in Lahore

Lahore is Punjab's capital. Home to more than five million people. Hectic, fast, noisy, just enough dirt and just enough clean. Crowded. There is a amazing old town, fort, mosque, gardens… More

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18. 08. '08

How the trucks are made

Trucks in Pakistan are art pieces. They are decorated with wood carvings and little mirros, painted in gaudy colours, its chasis rimmed with bells. More

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18. 08. '08

Refugees are making bricks. Of earth, not of opium

On my way from the Smuggler's Bazaar we were passing countless buses and trucks. They were being loaded with heavy crates, people were getting on the buses. These were Afghan refugees who were repatriated back home. All paid and decided by UN. Most of the refugees did not want to go. More

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18. 08. '08

Brick Of Opium And Lump Of Hashish In My Hand

Chief was sitting on a couch in an air-conditioned room. On the floor were machine guns with magazines strewn around and two or three guys were loafing around. Everybody was watching Looney Toons. More

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13. 08. '08

My Grandma is ninety seven and she still works in the garden

So said Mahmud. I met him on a bus to Raikot Bridge. He was from Karimabad, the capital of ancient kingdom of Hunza. Which is one of the places where legendary Shangri-la supposed to lie. More

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11. 08. '08

Highway to Heaven, Over Karakoram

One of the greatests Pakistanis transport inventions must be Karakoram Highway. Through deep valleys it cuts the Karakoram range, starting in Islamabad and going all the way to China. More

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11. 08. '08

Taking It Easy In Gilgit

If the scenery all around Gilgit wasn't so beautiful and breathtaking, the guidebook would certainly celebrate its setting to no end… More

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10. 08. '08

Once Upon a Time There Was a Fairy Meadow

And all around the meadow there were alpine forests and on on side you could see Rakaposhi in the distance and on the other there was Nanga Parbat, so close you could almost touch it. More

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02. 08. '08

I Cannot Be Trusted Anymore, And Bowling In Islamabad

Today and in all days to come I cannot be trusted anymore. I did celebrate with a game of bowling in western Islamabad. More

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03. 08. '08

Greeks in Pakistan, Marihuana Everywhere

Islamabad. Quiet. Clean. Green. Wide streets. Quite often you wouldn't even tell you are in a city. Drivers respect traffic lights. Marihuana grows everywhere. More

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31. 07. '08

Mehr Express Boldly Goes Where No One Has Gone Before

From Multan to Islamabad I could get only on one train – Multan Express. There were no AC carriages, there was a sleeper however. It went through the remotest places along the North-West Frontier Province border. More

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29. 07. '08

Mr. a Mrs. Smith, directed by David Lynch

There is a four-cinema multiplex in Multan. They screen mostly Pakistani and Indian films, in the largest cinema with DTS sign above it's door you can catch American blockbusters however. More

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29. 07. '08

Multan, The Most Dusty City In The World

Multan looks as it just heaved itself up from the dust and it must be the most dusty place in the world. If not, it certainly is the most dusty place I have seen. More

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27. 07. '08

They Say Brno Brno and They Mean The Guns

In one of Quetta's alleys I stumbled upon a row of gun shops. And so I went to inspect one. It's owner Sarajudin did like to talk and of course, he knew Czech guns. More

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27. 07. '08

Tea with Osama bin Laden

Smog in Quetta's streets is so thick that you can touch it. At the square there is a sign which says "Quetta Clean & Green". Streets are a bit dusty but suprisingly almost every one of them has sidewalks. Around Quetta are supposedly mountains where Osama bin Laden hides. More

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26. 07. '08

Nightbus Across The Moon

We started after dark, gray desert looked like moonscape, road was all potholes. The bus was cramped, air-con screamed as hell and the ceiling was fitted with lights in all colours you can imagine. More

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24. 07. '08

Bam Is Not Shaking Anymore

Five years after the quake Bam is a huge construction site. But if did not know what happened there, I probably would not suspect anything. The missing pavements would be a little suspicious, though. More

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24. 07. '08

Recommended daily dose of colours has not been reached – continued

Iranian food served in restaurants and fastfood joints is surprisingly boring. Home cooking is supposedly much better. More

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23. 07. '08

Cut Down The Hanged, Drain the Balls From The Pool

Kerman's icehouse has been converted into children's playground – pool of coloured plastic balls and effigy of last shah hanging by the neck above it all. In a hat with stars and stripes. More

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23. 07. '08

And How Is The Food in Iran

Iranian food served in restaurants and fastfood joints is surprisingly boring. Home cooking is supposedly much better. More

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22. 07. '08

Wind Towers, Gaudí on LSD

Yazd is quite pleasant town. The only thing missing is a park v hanging out. It's old city is huge, flat and probably designed for getting lost. More

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18. 07. '08

In Persepolis Counting Reliefs

Lonely Planet says "… be prepared to compare Persepolis to better known sights such as Pyramids, Colloseum or Angkor Wat." More

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15. 07. '08

My Name Is Mehdi And I Sell Blankets

I met Mehdi at the teahouse with a view at Imam Square in Esfahan. He told me he has been coming there for past sever years and that the tea is expensive there but there is a view. More

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14. 07. '08

Tea and Loafing In Esfahan

Esfahan must be the best place for just hanging out in Iran. There is even a teahouse with view of the main square. More

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12. 07. '08

I Have Not Been to Iranian Cinema Yet But I Took A Bus

On a bus from Tehran to Esfahan I saw an Iranian movie. It did have everything and leading actor was Robert de Niro look-alike. More

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10. 07. '08

Islamic Fashion Police

Walking around Valiasr square, you can see what women dare to wear in Iran. I saw women wearing colourful manteaux with huge buttons and headscarf to match and a girl in a shiny black tight fitting shirt. More

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10. 07. '08

Huge Small Town

Even though Tehran there are more people living in Tehran than in Czech republic, it is just a small town. Even in the north which is supposed to be lively the atmosphere is sleepy and on Friday (muslim Sunday) half of the shops closes. More

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09. 07. '08

Recommended Daily Dose of Colours Has Not Been Reached

Tehran has around fourteen million inhabitants and is all made of concrete and is full of mad traffic a pollution. And there are no colours. More

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08. 07. '08

Southeast Asia In Northern Iran

Caspian coast and the road from Rasht to Masuleh could be somewhere in Laos. Rice paddies backed by forested mountains with peaks in clouds. More

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05. 07. '08

Picnic At The Ostrich Farm, Genuinely Iranian

Iranian picnic consists of striking of a tent, grilling of chicken, making tea all he time a smoking waterpipe and cursing of the government. More

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04. 07. '08

Half Robin Hood, Half Yasir Arafat

From Tabriz I went to Kaleybar, I wanted to make a trip to Babek Castle. It was cold there, in the whole town there was no restaurant, only kababis, children wanted me to sign them pieces of paper and in the yard of a hotel two guys were tuning Paykan. More

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03. 07. '08

If You Wait For Five Minutes I Invite You For a Tea

In Tabriz there is a Blue Mosque and Covered Bazaar. Biggest in the world they say. More than 35 km of alleys full of shops. The biggest attraction of all, however, is the tourist information office and specifically Nasser who works there. More

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02. 07. '08

Iran Intro

Iran is like Turkey. Modern, civilised, clean and dirty at the same time. All the signs are in Farsi however (same script as Arabic). Sidewalks are not that high but there is a moat filled with dirty water or rubbish around them. More

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28. 06. '08

What To Do In Van When You Have Been There Before

Arriving to Van after few days in Mardin and Şanlıurfa is like time travel. Van is modern city, muslim veils are not fashionable here just as they are not in Istanbul… More

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26. 06. '08

All Smugglers Go To Mardin

From Urfa it is two or three hours by bus to Mardin. It is build on a hill and you can see all the way to Syria from there. In the fortress above the town there is Turkish army's radar and hence the fortress is offlimits. Turks say that Mardin is güzel (beautiful) and they are right. More

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25. 06. '08

Glorious Urfa, in Turkish Sanliurfa

Coming from Fethiye it is quite a shock. Half of the women wear headscarfs and all the shopkeepers are male. There is a lot of tourists from Syria too. More

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24. 06. '08

Boat Cruise Has Been Canceled

I made it to Fethiye, famous resort town in southern Turkey. There is a lot of tourists, foreigners as well as Turks. They all do a boat cruise around ancient sights and beaches. I do not. I went to Kaya Köyü instead. More

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24. 06. '08

Mystery Of Turkish Sidewalks Solved

Cement lobby is innocent More

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23. 06. '08

It is really Turkey

Bus passengers are being fed Danish cake and cologne is poured on them. More

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20. 06. '08

From Istanbul With Love

So how is Istanbul (or Turkey)? Bus is called otobus and hotel is otel. Turkish money no longer have amusing number of zeroes. What used to be one million liras is now boringly one lira. More

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26. 05. '05

Darth Vader in Bangkok

What and Batman's got to say? Where is Snow White? Is golden fish coming?. More

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22. 03. '05

Kuala Lumpur

Year of the rooster is coming which means that all over Bangkok's Chinatown red t-shirts with rooster iron-ons are sold. More

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13. 03. '05

Khîan story mak mâak

Khru phut khîan story mak mâak. More

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13. 03. '05

Four winter weeks

Every morning by boat with orange flag to the end of the route and then two station by sky train to school. More

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12. 03. '05

100% Nylon B52 American Style

Getting ready for Indonesia I bought my own mosquito net. More

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08. 03. '05

Iceskating!

Christmas extraordinaire, most weird. Also ones of the best, though. More

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03. 03. '05

Useful thai phrases

My thai language course goes on well so I will teach you some usefull phrases More

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01. 03. '05

Maha Puja and Crows

Three times around the temple with candle in hands. More

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01. 03. '05

Japanese motorbike, mexican landscape. In Thailand!

Everything's parched, air is hot and glimmers over horizon. More

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12. 02. '05

Kanchanaburi bridges

I got out of Bangkok for a weekend. To Kanchanaburi where the bridge over river Kwai is. More

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10. 02. '05

Happy Chinese New Year!

Year of the rooster is coming which means that all over Bangkok's Chinatown red t-shirts with rooster iron-ons are sold. More

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09. 02. '05

Sugar Cane Juice Junkie

Christmas extraordinaire, most weird. Also ones of the best, though. More

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08. 02. '05

Noodle soup in Chinatown

Noodle soup in chinatown contains two dcl of water, five slices of pork, eighteen pieces of chillies, spoon of fish sauce, two pinches of msg, handful of mungo bean sprouts, two different meatballs … More

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11. 01. '05

That ice cream seller still goes about Savannakhet's streets

And he plays the same song, it sounds a bit worn out however. More

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01. 01. '05

Happy New Year

In the end, we went to Titanic. More

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27. 12. '04

Lost In Translation

Christmas extraordinaire, most weird. Also ones of the best, though. More

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24. 12. '04

Merry Christmas from Vietnam

No christmas cookies to be had in Vietnam, however christmas trees are very popular indeed. I even heard two christmas carols. More

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20. 12. '04

French déjà vu – continued

Well, you know what I mean: „Death from above“, charlie in the jungle, smell of napalm in the morning, Colonel Kurtz. And Apocalypse. Now. More

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15. 12. '04

Saigon. I was still only in Saigon

Well, you know what I mean: „Death from above“, charlie in the jungle, smell of napalm in the morning, Colonel Kurtz. And Apocalypse. Now. More

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09. 12. '04

It's not raining in Phnom Penh anymore, in Mondulkiri the red dust falls

Christmas extraordinaire, most weird. Also ones of the best, though. More

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04. 12. '04

Vrrrm vrrrrrm to Bokor Hill Station

Buildings are quietly falling apart, Porn is still the key. More

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26. 11. '04

Phnom Penh's Water Festival

Ii is raining, boats race on the river. More

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18. 11. '04

Pickup trucks and camels

I am here, really. More

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11. 11. '04

It's snowing in Prague, they say

It's raining in Bangkok although the rainy season is over. More

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27. 10. '04

Dogs, swimming suit and Casio

I am here, really. More

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27. 10. '04

Bangkok, year later

I am back, really. More

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19. 05. '04

High on Freedom

Here comes the text More

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