The deposit is paid, so it's almost official: in August we are going to North Korea!

Wat Arun in Bankok is beautiful during any time of the day and in any weather. At night it shines especially bright, like if it was made of gold. But this is when it also feels least approachable, almost forbidden. 

In my last post I was sort of hard on Damnoen Saduak Floating Market near Bangkok, calling it fake and touristy. Nevertheless, the place is worth visiting just to see how industrious people can be with what's given them by nature. Watching and photographing locals in their element was by far the best part of the whole day at the market. The chaos all around me was actually very helpful for taking candid shots.  

Wooden boats are bumping into each other and aren't moving out of the way. More and more are coming from different directions and we are now stuck in traffic in the middle of a narrow canal. It's either no rules exist here, or no one follows them. Thankfully, experienced rowers push the boats aside in a matter of minutes, and we are moving again only to get stuck in another jam at the next intersection. I enjoy being on the boat, watching the locals, and breathing in the sweet smell of the river. But a persistent thought just won't leave me alone. This place is a text-book example of creative destruction.

By Greg Goodman

Varanasi is a city of wonder, with the holiest river in the world, stunning temples, kite festivals, sadhus, babas, and an aura of mystique like none-other.

My visit to Varanasi came at the beginning of a backpacking adventure across India. While I enjoyed my stay, I would love to go back again; especially now that I've spent more than 6 months getting to know the country and its culture. In the meantime, I’ve had a great time looking through my old journals and photos to come up with these recommendations of must-do’s in Varanasi.

Many Thailand travelers and expats seem to feel very negative about Khao San road in Bangkok. It's trashy, filthy, cheap, and touristy. Sure, I'm not going to argue with this. However, it's also picturesque, colorful, full of life. It's the best place to people watch at night.

Have you been to Bangkok? What do you think about Khao San road?

I have a hard time imagining a traveller visiting St. Petersburg and not going to the Hermitage. And guess what? You absolutely should see it. It's impressive!

As you can imagine, the Hermitage is the main draw for tourists in St. Petersburg. Long lines can be off-putting and crowded rooms can tire you up quicker than you would want it. So I decided to put together a few suggestions on how to make your visit to the Hermitage a little less stressful and much more enjoyable. Knowledge is power, right?  

I've been meaning to learn scuba diving for years. But since Toronto is not necessarily known as a diving destination (for starters, Lake Ontario is FREEZING year-round), the urge just wasn't there. Add to it long practice hours in a pool if you are part of a group or a hefty fee if you are doing it privately, and this would explain why I kept postponing getting a scuba certification.   

Then we booked a standard week-long trip to Roatan, Honduras. And I realized that the time has come.