Big Buddha

Isn’t it ironic? Is it? Maybe no. Maybe not at all. Is Orwell even read any more or is he fading into the dimming past? He seems more relevant today than ever before in my lifetime. Though he became so politically incorrect, excoriated by both the left and the right, I enjoyed almost everything he

Buddhist Mystery

It’s late, I’m tired… so something simple. With a tricky question… From a temple in Penang… I walked around this thing a few times. There was no one to ask. What is it? What does it do? Why?

Dream job

This was taken at a Buddhist Temple in Penang. Utterly delightful – the daydreaming Buddha and the young disciple spending his days bathing him. Very mind-clearing, calming. Something so pleasingly simple about it. Simple seems so very pleasing at the moment. Not that my life is all that complicated, but it occurs to me that

Holy Books

I’ve always liked the feel of holy books – they have a particular weight, gravity embracing, if you will. These were sitting on a table in a temple in Penang.

RIPping in Penang

I asked Dan, our driver in Penang, to take us to the local cemetery. As he was Chinese, he brought us to the Chinese cemetery. There had recently been a holiday honouring the dead, so many of the graves were festooned with blue and white flags and adorned with flowers and other honouring items. Dan

If you can’t stand the heat…

Penang, Malaysia. 8PM. The night had cooled to a balmy 30 degrees (ca 90F) and we ventured out in search of supper, somewhere the locals eat, authentic food, an authentic experience. Yeah, there I sat at my white plastic table, soaking up the noisy, fluorescent-lit ambience – fanning myself, sipping an ice cold Tiger Beer,