We had left the fertile Nfis valley a day ago, and have been riding ever since. The hot desert sun beats down on us, making us lethargic and sluggish. The ever durable camel below me is faltering in step, sliding in the sand, it carries the future of a city on its back. Just as … Continue reading A Pocket History of Marrakech
All around the world, over 3000 farm animals are slaughtered per second. The world is eating more animals now than ever before, and a psychological disconnect has been made in between the taking of a life and the consumption of meat. When buying a chicken from the supermarket, few think of the 42-day long life … Continue reading 3000 Per Second
Panting and sweaty, I try my hardest to refrain from collapsing upon the ancient marble of the Propylaea, a great marble gateway. I've climbed the steps to the Acropolis, the centre of Athens, and it's tallest point. My cheek resting on the marble stair, I look up and see the great Parthenon towering before me. I can … Continue reading History Alive
Atlanta is a Greek heroine, a huntress devoted to the god Artemis. At a young age, she was forsaken by her father in the forest but, rather than dying, she was suckled by a she-bear and later stolen by hunters. She pledged her virginity to the god Artemis and, when two centaurs broke into her grove … Continue reading The Greek Hero Atlanta
Ottoman traders yell out across the shipyard, as Acehnese merchants hustle back and forth along the port, selling their goods. A number of trading ships from the Dutch East Indies Company sit in the docks, being loaded with expensive and exotic spices to bring around Europe. This is the ancient Sultanate of Aceh, which was … Continue reading The History of Aceh: War, What is it Good For?
The rocket stove is a new innovation in stove technology. It uses a smart and efficient design to be more suitable than the traditional open fire stove. The rocket stove in the Kul-Kul Farm intrigued me. It was originally designed to be used in less developed countries, where the effluent from open fire cooking and heating … Continue reading Rocket Stoves: Propelling Cooking To New Levels
The deep thudding of drums boom in my ear, the clanging of gamelan strikes across the room. The voice of the dalang is ringing clear, as if the shadows on the screen are speaking directly to me. This was no ordinary puppet theatre; this was a rare occurence that you can only truly experience in … Continue reading Wayang Kulit: History and Tradition
