Tuol Sleng – Another sad Memorial Site of History

Tuol Sleng - Another sad Memorial Site of History

When I crossed the border to Cambodia , it was hard not to think about what had happened here in the late 70’s … The Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot – also called “Brother No. 1” – started a cruel “experiment” by creating a purely agrarian-based Communist society. Speaker of the Red Khmer announced the beginning of a new revolutionary era in which every form of oppression and tyranny would be abolished. However, within the first months of this revolutionary era the country was transformed into a giant labor and prison camp.

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The South – From Hanoi to Saigon

The South - From Hanoi to Saigon

Blue sky, bright sunshine and I gave my brother a “free ride” from the airport to the old quarter of Hanoi. Shortly before his arrival I ended up in a discussion with the police who wanted me to leave the public parking area at the airport. Motorcycles are supposedly not allowed here and they just asked me to go back to the city. No way!

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The green North of Viet Nam

The green North of Viet Nam

The north offers spectacular scenery, often characterized by its paddy fields carpeting the rolling slopes of the mountains. I stayed the first night in Dien Bien near the border and spent the next day traveling north to Sa Pa. August is one of the very rainy months in the monsoon season and it came to no surprise that heavy rainfalls left its marks on the road.

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A momentous Incident

A momentous Incident

It has been silent for weeks now, without any updates on this blog but there were good reasons… Sometimes the blink of an eye is enough and the world around you appears in a different light. On July 9, in the Chinese province of Sichuan several tragic events occurred, all more or less at the same time

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Uzbekistan – Splendor of bygone Days

Uzbekistan - Splendor of bygone Days

In Bukhara and Samarkand I used the early morning hours at sunrise to explore the deserted streets and squares before the tourist life took its usual course. There are once again the big architectural masterpieces, which refer to power and glory of past empires, often built by unspeakable violence and excessive urge to rule.

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Central Iran – A Journey through Persian Culture

Central Iran - A Journey through Persian Culture

Esfahan, with it’s tree-lined boulevards, Persian Garden and a number of important Islamic buildings makes it probably the most beautiful city in Iran. My favorite place was the Naqsh-e Jahan Square. In the afternoon, the place was quite empty but in the evening and especially on weekends it gets crowded with people who pick nick, walk around or simply enjoy the atmosphere of this amazing spot in town.

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