Zen Buddhism came to Japan from India in the 13th century. There was no direct conflict with Shintoism, so many temples honor both religions. The Kyoto Zen Buddhist complex was financed by the Shogun, the richest and most powerful man in Kyoto at that time.
There are many hamams in Istanbul, both ancient and modern. The hamam we visited was built in 1741 and bills itself as the last hamam constructed during Ottoman Empire.
Global warming is happening every day. I happened to witness it firsthand during our recent visit to Svalbard.
Ha Long Bay Vietnam is a unique location, famous for its thousands of scenic islands in the bay. Our tour took us to a magnificent cave inside one of the islands. The photos from this area will tell the story better than my words.
The Vietnam War, as it is known to Americans, is known in Vietnam as the American War. Vietnam has suffered through wars with the French and the Chinese. But Vietnam's victory over the US military in 1973 demonstrated the limits of US military hardware against a people defending their home territory. The US faced this lesson again in Afghanistan. The United States of America's military budget is larger than the combined military budgets of the next nine countries. We cannot trust that we will remain safe in the world solely because of our tremendous military expenditures.
Corfu, Greece, is Greece's northernmost island. It is a popular tourist destination, especially for northern Europeans. It lies opposite Albania in the Aegean Sea. Greek food is legendary. The secluded beaches and verdant mountains are beautiful. What's not to like? Only the over-crowded airport.
Words are inadequate to describe India, absent firsthand experience. But I’ll try…
Once again as I arrive in Europe, I’m overwhelmed with the long rich awareness of history and the rich culture. This is the first time I’ve visited Portugal. Susan and I are traveling with our friends and regular travel companions, Bill and Linn, from Georgia...
