Salt, fish and the battle of Tai O Bay
Tagged with the rather grand epithet, the Venice of Hong Kong, Tai O, in the southwest of Lantau island, has become something of a tourist attraction in recent years.
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Stories
Sukhothai, the cradle of Thai civilisation
The Sukhothai era is regarded as the cradle of Thai civilisation. It had originally been a trade centre and part of the Lavo Kingdom which was under Khmer rule
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The Jiayang National Mining Park: Walking the Line
Only one of the mines remains operational but the steam hauled railway which serves the small mining communities that grew up along its route is still running.
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Kebun Raya, Bogor: Gardens in the city
He who plants a garden, plants happiness, says the old proverb. When Casper Reinwardt established his botanical gardens at Buitenzorg in 1817 he did just that.
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Simian City: The Monkeys of Lopburi
It’s early morning in Lopburi, and a monkey has grabbed a bottle of yummy looking yellow liquid and is scampering off along the cables attached to the side of a building.
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The sweet smell of steam: A century old sugar mill in East Java
With a shrill whistle, a cloud of black smoke and much clanking of steel engine No4, Semeru, with it’s one truck load of passengers chuffed through the gates
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A formula for crossing the road in Hanoi
The hotel I stayed at in Hanoi offered this advice with regard to crossing the road: Be relaxed and confident. Look both ways. Walk slowly. Never step backwards
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Art walking in Penang’s living gallery
One of the joys of exploring Penang’s street art is that new works pop up with no announcement while old works fade or are painted over as buildings are renovated
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Five-foot ways: Straits Settlements style
Five-foot way refers to the covered walkways that are common in many parts of Asia. The upper floor of a building extends outwards supported by pillars at the
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War, subterfuge and a nice cup of tea
Tea arrived in the UK in the early seventeenth century but it had a slow start. It was very expensive and was marketed primarily for its medicinal properties.
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