It was almost midnight in the southern Thai city of Trang, and I was staring into an oven the size of a tuk-tuk. Flames and smoke were shooting out of the top, and men were carefully lowering two full-grown, slaughtered pigs into the fiery abyss. An hour later, they would...
Bolivia’s La Paz is the highest capital in the world. At 3,690m in elevation, its air is cold and thin, leaving many visitors gasping for oxygen and experiencing altitude sickness, known locally as soroche. But if you push past the chaotic traffic and drive 100km north-east, descending into the sub-tropical...
“Why?” It’s a simple question, and one that people ask Angela Maxwell frequently. Yet until recently, the American struggled to answer why, exactly, she upended a perfectly fine life in pursuit of a big dream. But for Maxwell, “why” is a question worth answering. After all, she embarked on a...
Why did you buy your car? When we start to examine the basis of our life choices, whether they are important or fairly simple ones, we might come to the realisation that we don’t have much of a clue. We might even wonder whether we really know our own mind,...
In the busy schedule of our lives, it is difficult to find time to tidy up or de-clutter our bedrooms or office rooms. However, a quick impromptu cleaning session can be not only fun but also mind-refreshing. Having the wooden and marble surfaces properly dusted, mopping the floors, getting rid...
One cannot but wonder, looking back at the ancient architecture. Thousands of years ago, ancient people created some structures that still amaze people. Egypt, the land of the Nile and the Pyramids, is at the centre of interest for all its wonders. Many ancient architectures, including the Egyptian pyramids and...
The images of al-Hajar al-Aswad, or the Black Stone, are up to 49,000 megapixels in size and took more than 50 hours to photograph and develop, the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Saudi Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque said in a press release Monday. The General Presidency...
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo da Vinci “The aspects of things that are most important for us are hidden because of their simplicity and familiarity.” – Ludwig Wittgenstein I love simplifying my life. It makes me more effective and life less stressful. It makes me calmer and happier....
Baitul Hikmah is one of the testimonies to how Islam contributed to this world. The House of Wisdom, built in the 8th century, was an epicentre of learning in the golden age of Islam. The Abbasid Caliph Harun ur-Rashid established it in Baghdad as his personal collection. Later his son...
To a visitor travelling south from Mombasa to savour the rich culture of the Swahili, the village of Gazi passes for a sleepy settlement in an almost forgotten stretch of the rapidly developing Kenyan coast. Inside the closely built mud-walled houses of the village, the day begins with a prayer...
Dates are one of the most common dry fruits consumed all across the world. It is more popular among the Muslim community for its origins; nonetheless, people from all nations savour the various kinds of dates available for consumption. In the Middle East, they are considered Holy Fruit, and the...
“Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go.” – Herman Hesse I often write about finding lightness in life. It can come from an unhurried but effective day at work or from uncluttering your home. Or from learning how to let go and...
Canals are manmade. It is reported that the first canals were constructed some 3,000 years ago. Those canals were for constructed for the purpose of irrigation, allowing water reach to some place where it is necessary for human use. Later, canals have been constructed to help boats and ships pass...
In the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, there’s a beautiful city on the bank of the river Yamuna called Agra. At present, Agra is a major tourist destination of India because of its rich culture, history and beautiful monuments built by the ancient Muslim rulers. Today, I would like to...
Breakfast, lunch or dinner – as a sweet-tooth, I always have room for desserts. I like both traditional eastern sweet dishes like rice pudding and gulab jamun, and western fusion desserts like trifle and tiramisu. But among all, one of my all-time favourite desserts is baklava. The first time when...
Nauru is a small island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. With just 21 square kilometres, it is the 3rd smallest country in the world. Its population is also limited to only 11 thousand. Currently, Nauru does not have any cultivable land, nor do the people have a secured...
What is violence? At its most obvious, it is a bullet fired at flesh, a knee pushed into a neck, or a mob storming the Capitol. In law, it is criminal, domestic, sexual, alcohol-fuelled. On the battlefield, it is state-sanctioned. Often violence is understood by the adjectives appended to it:...
Stop Doing “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” – Confucius This article is about a few mistakes I’ve made. About a few destructive habits that can make life quite messy and unhappy. And it’s about what you can do instead to replace those mistakes and...
It has been hundreds of years since the Mughal’s sun set in the heart of India. The once-mighty Mughals are no longer alive in India. The huge empires of the world-famous emperors Babar, Humayun, Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb and Akbar have vanished in the evolution of time. However, despite the loss...
In the vast land of the United States of America lies a magnificent castle. It is called The Hearst Castle. Located on the Central Coast of California, Hearst Castle is a landmark that signifies Mediterranean Revival architecture. Its story began in 1865, when George Hearst, a man of substance from...
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