It's dark out now, and the narrow, dirty streets of Varanasi are crowded with revelers blaring music so loudly we hear it straight through our barely-there hotel walls.
Read MoreStories about finding your heart and soul around the world.
Filtering by Tag: beauty
Surviving Agra to Visit the Taj Mahal
"There are three things you need when driving in India," says our rickshaw driver after nearly colliding with another taxi. "A good horn, good brakes, and good luck!"
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A hand-painted semi truck hauling goods in southern India
Hand-painted semi trucks of India
India is a land of beauty and adornment with colors, textures, and patterns abound. It's also a place of curiosities. Mash these two things together, the surprising with the decorative, and you'll find some pretty unique things.
One of my favorite examples of this is the beautifully incongruous hand-painted semi truck.
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Mengwi royal Balinese temple palace, from old times
One month of impermanence + Farewell Bali
It's been one month on the road, but it feels so much longer. I am in southern China now, and after days of being blocked out of my own blog (even with a VPN), miraculously the Great Firewall seems to have peeked open for a moment, time enough to post a farewell to beautiful Bali.
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Colorful empty offering platters found at a temple near Ubud
Spirit, ritual & dance in Bali
Part of the reason I find Bali so beautiful, besides the typical appeal of all things tropical (daily fresh mangos anyone?), is that the Balinese practice of Hinduism permeates almost all aspects of life.
Bali is an anomaly in Indonesia since the island remains almost entirely Hindu in a predominantly Muslim country. Their practice of religious ritual has such beautiful manifestations and follows a rich, artistic tradition. I see it everywhere. From the countless temples to the small backyard shrines, every house or building has a sacred structure designed to honor the many spirits of the island. That even includes gas stations and 7-11s!
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