Kamran
The last thing I remember from yesterday was that I was looking at my phone’s screen which said 9:51 pm and indicated 13% battery charging status. I put the phone in silence mode, took the silk liner over me and soon fell asleep in the comfort of my air mattress. Little I knew that I … Read more
As I cross the gate I feel as if I have entered a concert arena and suddenly someone has turned the volume up on my arrival. I close my eyes for a moment and as I slowly open them I see million dots of light flicker and sway left to right in different rhythms. Instead … Read more
Everyone sits on the colourful prayer mats on the floor. The walls are decorated with paintings with the names of Allah written in Arabic calligraphy. In the shelves, Spanish copies of Quran and Islamic literature are stacked. A man in his forties, dressed in a long dark blue robe and wearing a green silk turban … Read more
[stag_dropcap font_size=“120px” style=”normal”]T[/stag_dropcap]housands of waterfalls rush down bouncing through the rocks at Agua Azul. It has started to become dark in the Chiapas rainforest in southern Mexico. The cascading water glistens in the soft blue twilight. A gentle breeze sprays tiny drops of water on my face. There is a certain tranquillity in the tumbling … Read more
The cathedral square in San Cristobal de Las Casas is a popular spot for both residents and visitors. Friends and families come here to pass time; couples lie in each others’ lap; indigenous women with babies on their backs and handicrafts in their arms walk all day long from one person to another and plead … Read more
“What Camera Do You Use?” Dear Sony, I have been asked this question so many times on my Facebook page and in emails that I had to add it to the FAQ section on my website and create a message template with the answer in messenger. It is a question that appears without fail in … Read more
Today I crossed into Mexico (my country#42 by bicycle) and finally began my ride in North America! The border crossing between Belize and Mexico is located on a river bridge. I rubbed my eyes when I saw the “Welcome to Mexico” sign over the bridge. It has taken me about 20 months of cycling to … Read more
It is my second day in Belize. The sun is relentless, beating down on my head all day long. The month of September is supposed to be the peak of the rainy season but there is no rain at all. It feels unusually hot because of high humidity and lack of wind. The locals say … Read more
I push the bicycle through streets and follow the distant sound of music. Soon I reach the central square where loudspeakers are blasting live Marimba music. In front of me are the backs of hundreds of people who are looking over each other’s shoulders. Unable to see anything, I park my bicycle on the side … Read more
Somewhere in the Guatemalan Highlands, there is a lake which goes by the name Lago Atitlan. Considered by many the most beautiful lake in the world, the Lago Atitlan is surrounded by a number of Maya villages, with Santiago de Atitlan being the largest of them. In Santiago de Atitlan, an elderly man guides me … Read more
Carmen is one of the many people who travel from San Antonio de Aguas Calientes to Antigua every day to sell handicrafts. She is of Maya descent and speaks the Maya language Kaqchikel as a native language and Spanish as a second language. Despite half a century of European dominance in Guatemala, most of the … Read more
Marta is from San Antonio de Aguas Calientes and comes to Antigua every day to sell handicrafts here. A few of days ago, I took some photos of her and her friends at the Central Plaza in Antigua and promised that I would come back soon to give them the pictures. So today, after my … Read more
Three tall volcanoes overlook the former capital of Guatemala, Antigua like giant sentinels. The 3763-m Volcán de Fuego (Volcano of Fire) is one of them. It is one of the most active volcanoes in Central America. To see the volcano from up close, I hiked to a nearby Acatenango Volcano with a group of tourists. … Read more
The Mayas are indigenous people of ancient Mesoamerica, which now comprises of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Maya people make up 40% population of Guatemala. The traditional clothing of Maya people exhibits colourful patterned designs on women’s blouses and skirts. The blouse, called huipil in Maya language, is generally hand woven with heavily … Read more
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