CULTURE

SPAIN I thought it might be fun to indulge the Gypsy and decided not to part with more than 2 euros for the experience. At that very moment a passerby came up beside to watch who smiled at me as I returned the gesture. The Gypsy woman, unaware that we were strangers, took my hand, stared into my palm and proceeded to tell me that 'this man' and I would be very happy together for a long time. full story >>>	WALES Last summer, when I visited the St. Fagan’s National History Museum in Wales, I stepped into a small schoolhouse, circa 1910, much like the school my father would have attended. There on the desk beside the text books and slates was a bamboo switch, reminding me of his stories. I also found out the reason he didn’t speak much Welsh was because in those days the English forbade it. full story >>>
EUROPE A people’s culture is defined not only by their traditions and values but also by their food and drink. Food brings people together especially when they gather around the dinner table. Although the food may be prepared differently in Europe, have an open mind and enjoy new flavors and sample the scrumptious delicacies. full story >>>	BANGLADESH We are weaving our way through the heavy Dhaka traffic towards the eastern suburbs. I heard about Jamdani saris a while ago when I admired a woman wearing one at a reception. I was amazed by the delicate designs woven into the floaty gossamer fabric. So I hire Mithu to take me to visit the factory. full story >>>
FIJI After being invited to join a traditional Kava ceremony in this small village on the main island of Viti Levu, Fiji, I discover a most mystifying legend which also seems to be invisible to the outside world. The villagers are preparing for the Sunday ‘lovo’, a Fijian earth oven, used to cook vegetables and on special occasions, a pig. full story >>>	ENGLAND Afternoon tea is a time-honored tradition in Britain, and this is my first proper tea experience. It is believed that the 7th Duchess of Bedford, Anna, started the fashionable trend in the 19th century. The Duchess began ordering tea and snacks to her room to ward off hunger and lift the afternoon ‘sinking feeling'. She then began inviting her friends around, and the trend soon spread like wildfire throughout the country. full story >>>
GREECE One of my most memorable Christmases was the first Christmas I spent in Athens, Greece in December 1982. It was my first Christmas away from my family and without Santa Claus. Christmas the traditional Greek way was very different than I was used to but I managed to find some decorations and tiny lights, bought a small bay-leaf tree and made myself a Christmas tree. full story >>>	INDIA Flying high over the Jaigarh Fort, the colourful flag provides a welcome contrast to the brown, which dominates the landscape. This is the flag of the erstwhile royal family of Jaipur, and flying atop the fort named after one of its greatest ancestors, it signifies the importance of the royal family, which lingers on in spite of the fact that they no longer rule the city. full story >>>