Stewart Ayukawa

I visited the Taj in 1987 but it doesn't really matter , does it? It's timeless. I was going to actually give the Taj a pass and skip it. After …

Elephanta caves was a pleasant excursion near Bombay. There were monkeys and a Shiva Lingam

Ayutthaya has abandonned stupas from subsequent empires and buddhist styles. The city must have been very impressive in its day but now it is a quiet place with few visitors. …

I stayed at a budget hotel from which one could see the giza pyramids. Then I hopped on a taxi to make the obligatory stop to see them in person. …

Historic Cairo with it's medieval layout , impressive mosques, and huge traditional market is fascinating. It's quite a large area and goes to show how important cairo was in the …

Bodhgaya was not particularly interesting or visually attractive but was an important and symbolic destination for me. To see the descendant of the tree of enlightenment and to make this …

A visit to the Valley of the Kings and Queens is remarkable. The tombs were mesmerizing spectacles. The chambers might have once be filled with artifacts like the one of …

Visited Venice in 1985 and stayed in the international youth hostel a short canal ride from St. Marks Square. The city was somewhat commercialized, touristy, and expensive. I could only …

Ait ben haddou has been showed in many hollywood productions since it is a large ksar in the remote atlas mountains. sure, things are changing. And the villiages of the …

Marrakech with a Berber heritage and one of the original travel meccas, is a vibrant mix of past and present. The Djema El Fna is an ancient meeting place where …

I visited Trinidad in 1990 while staying at a resort several kms away. I went into town on a motor bike with a group and a local guide. The small …

Nubian Monuments: In 1988 I spent 18 days crossing the Nubian Desert of Sudan. Then I took the run down Sudanese barge crossing lake nasser ending in Aswan. The journey …

The Colonial Area of Santo Domingo is small, pedestrian and worth a couple of hours and then lunch. It's somewhat lacklustre despite its historical significance. Havana is much more impressive.

This is my fourth visit to the Alhambra complex and it remains magnificent and timeless. The gardens in combination with the chambers and courts invite spiritual awareness. The Albaycin is …

I visited old Havana and the impressive fortifications of 'el morro' in November 2008. The old city is really impressive and some of the colonial buildings are being restored. One …

Fez retains much of it's medieval way of life. I first visited Fez in 1985 and again in 2007. Fez 1985 was somewhat intimidating as the souk was a huge …

St Peters was extraordinary and arguably as impressive as any architectural feat in Christiandom. Even more special was a tour of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. The Renaissance …

I visited jebel barkal and karima in 1988. At the time I was not aware of the temples and town which did not appear to have been excavated yet. However, …