Guide to KANDY and a Temple Hike from Embekke to Pilimathalawa

During a visit to Kandy – geographically and metaphorically Sri Lanka’s navel – I’d like to guide you to the small town of Embekke from where you can take an idyllic temple hike to Pilimathalawa.

Sri Dalada Maligawa, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy before a Temple Hike from Embekke
Sri Dalada Maligawa, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

After having spent four days in Kandy, I ask myself: Why?

Honestly, I didn’t really get it. And after some additional online research, I’m definitely convinced that it is almost hysterically overrated.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

The Highlands: Guide to NUWARA ELIYA and HAPUTALE

Let me guide you to Nuwara Eliya and Haputale in Sri Lanka’s Highlands, an earthly Garden Eden where the world-famous Ceylon Tea is growing.

Tea plantations on the Highlands around NUWARA ELIYA and HAPUTALE
Tea plantations make the landscape seem so soft – albeit, the plant itself is pretty sturdy.

While I was soaking in the dreamy landscape around Nuwara Eliya, the rolling hills covered with tea bushes, the skies opened and within minutes, everything was….soaked.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

A night at the KAGURA

I spent a night to remember – a night at the Kagura.

When travelling, I love to attend folkloristic spectacles. Due to the language barrier, I prefer dance shows. In Kandy on the island of Sri Lanka, I saw a dance show, in Chiang Mai in Thailand it even came with a traditional dinner. On the island of Bali, I witnessed Kecak in Uluwatu and went to see a performance every single night during my stay in Ubud.

Kagura Performance in Hiroshima
Good against evil – a classic in performing arts.

You can imagine my excitement when I found out that on Saturdays, there is a Kagura performance at the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum. Saturday – perfect, I’ll be in Hiroshima on Saturday, so nothing will hold me back from spending a night at the Kagura.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

MALAYSIA – Asia’s Melting Pot – a complete guide

Since the Malayan people consists of various ethnicities and different religions, Malaysia is definitely Asia’s most fascinating melting pot.

Merdaka Square im Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia - Asia's Melting Pot
At Merdeka Square, the colonial past and today’s modernity come together.

Also, when it comes to tourism, the country has been stepping up a notch. However, it’s by far not overrun by tourists. Apart from the fascinating cultural mix, you’ll still find unspoiled nature and empty beaches.

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Guide to GEORGE TOWN in PULAU PENANG

This is a guide to George Town on Pulau Penang, after all, one of my favorite cities in all of Asia.

What makes it so special?
I don’t even know where to start.
It was the first British settlement in Southeast Asia and became – together with Singapore and Malacca –  a British crown colony in 1867.

View of the modern part of the city of George town from the Kek Lok Si Temple on Pulau Penang.
View of the modern part of the city of Georgetown from the Kek Lok Si Temple.

George Town, counting about 710,000 inhabitants, is Malaysia’s second-largest city and the capital of Penang Island.

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How to Visit the Biennale di Arte in Venice 2019

While Venice is a place worth visiting even when nothing special is on, here is how to visit the city during the Biennale di Arte, one of the world’s most important art events, in 2019.

biennale di arte Venice 2019: Ponte Papadopoli advertising for 2019's mega-event.
Ponte Papadopoli advertising for 2019’s mega-event.

However, the Biennials add some contemporary suspense and glamour to all the shiny renaissance the Doges left behind, and this summer, the 58th Biennale di Arte is on.

This Way to the Whole Story ->