TLE Travels the World

If Only We All Could

admin — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:48:50 +0000

smile and be as happy as this woman selling her pineapples. I wonder how long she has been plying this trade and how much she makes each day. Is it enough to feed her family? Is her income just supplemental? Are the fruits from her own farm or others? Is she just tending the store or are these the literal fruits of her labor?

Coffee Overload or Underload?

admin — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 15:44:46 +0000

Looking at this pile before me I'm wondering if I had a cup of milk or a cup of coffee.

A Cup of Joe

admin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:15:00 +0000

Sometimes the simplest things are the hardest to make right. For some reason, even though a cafe is really not that difficult to set up, for a lot of people who do put one up, they can't seem to put together just the right mix of elements.

Here is one place that gets all the little nuances right- from the recycled marigold tin cups, cheap buckets hung upside down as pendant lamp shades, canteen like seating but with just the right cushion and pizazz, no wonder people like hanging out at 40 Hands despite the other offerings (although also quite frequented) around the hip and happening Tiong Bahru neighborhood.

And of course, the food and especially the coffee has to be good for all of this to work out. So while some places are trying to be something- 40 Hands seems to just be- and it is this that makes the place authentic in a neighborhood that is gentrifying and trying to find its new identity.

Don’t Travel

admin — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 10:35:54 +0000

My dog hates it when I travel. I'd like to think its because she misses me, but perhaps its because she doesn't get to be entertained as much when I'm not around. While I was in the middle of planning a trip, she decided to plop herself on top of all the maps and junk I had on the floor.

The 3 Legged Dog who Could

admin — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 10:20:15 +0000

She leapt without a hint of fear even though the table was well above 1 metre in height.

We shouldn't limit ourselves by what we think is impossible.

Cleaning up the Highest Mountain in the World

admin — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 04:30:42 +0000

Yes, mountaineers love the outdoors. Apparently, they love to litter as well. The place they most love to leave all their crap is on Mt Everest where they dump all their spent gear, pipes, old ropes, plastic bottles, oxygen bottles, what have you.

Well, recently, appalled by the mountains of trash adding to the mountains girth, the Nepali government finally decided to do something about it. And boy did they haul trash- eight (8) tons worth in a mere 2 months!

What is amazing is that only 29 sherpas were working- they are really supermen. What is also amazing is that there are approximately twenty (20) tons of trash left to haul.

Thankfully, all future climbing teams are now required to carry all of their waste back down for recycling or proper disposal at the waste management plans in Khumbu. Hefty fines await those who flout the rule- and while there's trash in the mountains it's easier to hide, but once the full clean up is done, litterbugs better watch out.

Read more about the efforts here: Save Everest Campaign

MOCA Singapore: Undecided

admin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 06:34:09 +0000

Tucked away in the forgotten army barracks of Singapore at Dempsey sits a private museum called MOCA@Loewen. While the website declares that the series of paintings which "depict the young, talented and capable youth of China with historical scenes moulded into their faces" is something that the artist Xiao Hong proudly shows off as the next generation of beautiful people who are moving towards the contemporary while not forgetting tradition, I actually walked away from the exhibit with the exact opposite sentiment.

Looking at the face up close, you'll see, as with all the other paintings, that the eyes of the people have a translucent sheen over them, as if they are blind.

To me, this speaks of a people who are just blindly following the trends of today, rather than ably bringing a country forward to face the future. The historical scenes depicted in on their faces are not exactly heroic or traditional either but more chaotic and unnerved. Outside, the installations which I believe are part of the same body of work/artist, to me, are saying the same thing.

Each work, while seemingly fanciful in the beginning from far away, up close is a commentary on how money rules the day. I especially like the stick figures lost (camouflaged) in the trees where up close you see that they are all made up of bills of US Dollars no less. It's not even the RMB, it's always the US$, and the same blindness of walking or following the drumbeat of money is echoed.

There's still time to see the actual artwork, which is larger than life, and well worth the time to just contemplate and gaze on as there are only a few pieces.

EVENT Duration: Friday, June 10 at 7:30pm - July 12 at 7:00pm

Penang: the Museum City

admin — Wed, 04 May 2011 23:35:08 +0000

Nothing quite says "old world" charm like the sleepy city of Georgetown, Penang in Malaysia. The small streets are still lined with shop houses and art deco style buildings.

Even the gates exude a uniqueness that begs to be photographed or at least noticed by the passersby. The only thing is, we saw far too many locked / gated entrances reminding us how much of Penang has moved on from its colonial past.

But if you've never been to the town and happen to be in this part of the world, it's definitely a stop that you'll want to put on your itinerary, especially if you're a history buff because it is really like stepping back in time.

Calling ALL Aspiring Travel Writers

admin — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 01:54:22 +0000

Check out this programme by Glimpse.org that gives young people a stipend and gives them a writing assignment, assistance and training in writing and photography, and guaranteed publication while they travel abroad. I wish there were a similar programme when I was just out of college.

Check them out here: glimpse.org/the-correspondents-program
Deadline is June 2011 for the Fall 2011 programme.

French Tiles

admin — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 09:39:13 +0000

Love, love, love, the incredible patterns of French tiles. Here are some in old post offices, cathedrals and buildings in general.

I've never seen the use of so many different tiles on a single floor and it really works. Maybe it will come back into vogue.

So much so it looks like a wonderfully woven persian rug design. It must be pretty hard to measure and lay which is probably why they don't do this anymore.