2023-04-09 16:50
I squinted in the pre-dawn grayness, searching for signs of the tropical pink water lilies that carpet the surface of Nong Han Lake every winter. A few minutes earlier, my friend Anne and I… Read More
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Hole In The Donut Cultural Travel Blog
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After 36 years in corporate jobs that paid the bills but brought no joy, Barbara Weibel abandoned her successful career to travel solo around the world. Since 2007 she's been sharing stories from around the world on her blog.
2022-09-04 08:59
Picture thousands of people dressed up as monsters, roaming the streets of a tiny village in northeastern Thailand. Giant ears, huge hooked noses, and foot-long spiked teeth sprout from thei… Read More
2022-05-14 19:01
There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic was a scourge on the earth, however for me there were a few silver linings amongst the lockdowns and quarantines. One of those silver lining… Read More
2022-03-18 13:00
Thai society erupted in controversy last month when the government approved a proposal to change the official name of Thailand’s capital from Bangkok to Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. Wh… Read More
2022-01-18 14:00
March answered her phone, even though it was from an unknown caller. Maybe it would be her lucky day. Perhaps it would be someone asking to see one of the properties she’d listed in Ba… Read More
2021-11-30 13:03
A couple of months ago I struck up a conversation with a young man at Cozy Coffee and Bistro, my home away from home in Chiang Mai. He was surprised to learn that after 18 years of visiting… Read More
2021-08-12 13:00
There’s a new attraction north of Chiang Mai that only locals seem to know about. Fortunately, I am blessed to have wonderful Thai friends who invite me along on day trips around north… Read More
2021-08-05 01:14
Most people barely give Krabi Town a second glance. If they visit at all, they stay overnight on their way to Railay Beach, Koh Lanta, or the Phi Phi Islands. But during a recent visit to Ra… Read More
2021-05-29 15:13
Every spring, when farmers burn their fields, a thick blanket of smoke descends upon my home in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Most years, I’m traveling at this time, but this year COVID-19 put… Read More
2021-05-15 13:00
The first time I saw the Dton Yaang Naa trees I was transfixed. I was returning from a press trip to learn about the care of Elephants in the Kingdom of Thailand, when our van driver turned… Read More
2021-03-24 12:49
Here’s something new and fun and (for me) very exciting. A few days ago I received an email from Leslie Parsons (@montrealsketcher), an artist from Montreal. “I have a strange re… Read More
2021-03-13 17:27
Most people have seen gorgeous photos of the cherry tree blossoms in Japan and Washington D.C. Far fewer have heard about the flowering cherry trees in Thailand. I was among the ignorant, un… Read More
2021-03-03 16:34
It may have been nearly 14 months since I’ve been able to travel internationally, but that doesn’t mean I’ve been sitting at home here in Chiang Mai. I’ve taken advan… Read More
2021-02-24 14:39
I’ve always heard it said that when I don’t know what to do, I should do nothing. Though it may sound simplistic, that idea has always worked for me, and the past year has been a… Read More
2021-01-16 12:54
Not long ago, if anyone had asked me if I believe it is acceptable to ride elephants, my answer would have been a resounding “NO!” My point of view was challenged this past Novem… Read More
2020-11-27 14:25
They say timing is everything. Certainly, timing was my main consideration when visiting Armenia. Truthfully, the three countries that make up the Caucasus region in far eastern Europe were… Read More
2020-11-08 14:00
Khor Virap. The name refers to the famous monastery in Armenia that is the number one pilgrimage site in the country. But the name has a deeper, hidden meaning. The church stands on a low hi… Read More
2020-11-01 14:00
In the dim light of Saint Astvatsatsin chapel at Khor Virap Monastery in Armenia, I carefully picked my way over the uneven stone floor. I was concentrating so hard on where to put my feet t… Read More
2020-10-18 13:00
There was no escaping the imposing presence of Mt. Ararat as I traveled around Armenia. The mountain was always visible, whether driving through the lush green countryside or walking around… Read More
2020-09-27 19:13
From the moment I set foot in Baku, I knew there was something very different about Azerbaijan’s capital city. Mirror-clad skyscrapers and modern shopping centers stood juxtaposed agai… Read More
2020-08-30 18:17
Mtskheta, the original capital of Georgia, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the place where the country first adopted Christianity in 334. Today, not only… Read More
2020-08-20 13:00
I just finished watching day three of the Democratic National Convention. One sentence in Nancy Pelosi’s speech caught my attention. Speaking about women, she said, “Our diversit… Read More
2020-08-11 13:45
For the past few years, my fellow travel writers have been waxing poetic about Tbilisi, the capital of the of country of Georgia. This tiny nation, hampered with a name that is often confuse… Read More
2020-07-15 13:00
It happens to me a lot. I arrive in a new place with no plans and little knowledge of the country. I do this purposely. I want to see every country I visit with no expectations. I prefer to… Read More
2020-07-08 13:00
There is so much to see in Buenos Aires that it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Visiting Buenos Aires must be done slowly. It must be savored, neighborhood by neighborhood. I could write… Read More
2020-07-01 13:00
I debated whether or not I wanted to skip seeing Perito Moreno Glacier in El Calafate, Argentina. After all, I’d just returned from Antarctica, where I’d seen dozens of glaciers… Read More
2020-06-24 13:00
After seeing dozens of glaciers and icebergs in Antarctica, I began questioning my decision to visit the Perito Moreno Glacier in El Calafate, Argentina. After all, it’s just another g… Read More
2020-06-17 13:00
I hardly knew which way to look. One magnificent vista after another unfurled as my transport shuttle sped toward Patagonia, the Argentinian region so famous for its spectacular mountains, v… Read More
2020-06-10 13:00
As I close my series on Antarctica, I’d like to offer one more image of this dramatic destination. This blue iceberg is one of my favorite photos from Antarctica. Our two rubber Zodiac… Read More
2020-06-03 13:00
Like any travel writer worth his or her salt, one of my life’s goals has been to visit all seven continents. Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the price of Antarctic cruises&helli&hell…Read More
2020-05-28 13:00
My time in Antarctica was coming to a close when the captain announced we would arrive at the Lemaire Channel early the next morning. Located on the western side of the Waddell Peninsula, be… Read More
2020-05-24 17:04
Antarctica. The coldest, driest, windiest, most severe place on the face of the earth. It’s hard to imagine that any creature can exist in such a harsh environment. But the animals of… Read More
2020-05-16 04:47
I saw hundreds of thousands of penguins in Antarctica. I saw thousands of icebergs. I even saw hundreds of penguins on icebergs. But this sole Adelie penguin on an iceberg in Antarctica was… Read More
2020-05-07 13:00
Deception Island, the first expedition of my Antarctica cruise, lived up to its name in every way. From afar it looked like a solid chunk of barren rock, but when we circled around to the ba… Read More
2020-05-05 13:00
In 2018 I was invited to be interviewed for Marc Miller’s very interesting Career Pivot podcast. The subject, “Repurpose Your Career,” might have been custom made for me, s… Read More
2020-04-29 14:20
Wilhelmina Bay in Antarctica was a serene study in blue and white, with barely a ripple on the water. We were motoring slowly around the bay, soaking in the stunning scenery, when the captai… Read More
2020-04-22 13:00
I woke at 5 a.m., drew aside the drapes to my cabin balcony, and gasped. Overnight, we had sailed up the west side of the Weddell peninsula to Paradise Harbour, Antarctica. Named by ancient… Read More
2020-04-16 13:00
Recently, the Prime Minister of Thailand imposed a curfew from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. throughout the country. He added that a 24-hour curfew was under consideration if the number of infected case… Read More
2020-04-13 03:47
Yesterday I participated in a Webinar organized by Tony and Leanne Argyle of Travatical Magazine that included panelists Ian Usher from House Sitting Magazine and Jane and Duncan Dempster-Sm… Read More
2020-04-07 08:35
Most of my followers know that I’ve temporarily stopped publishing travel stories during the Coronavirus pandemic. However, while there may be less interest in my reading about my trav… Read More
2020-03-31 13:00
There’s a controversy brewing here in Thailand. In a nutshell, Thais are becoming increasingly upset about farang (Caucasian foreigners) who refuse to wear a face mask during the COVID… Read More
2020-03-27 06:31
For the past 13+ years I’ve traveled the world to bring my readers stories about far-flung places. Eight of those years were spent traveling with no home base, just me and my suitcase… Read More
2020-03-12 13:00
On a jaw-droppingly beautiful morning, I climbed into a tiny inflatable zodiac boat at Paradise Bay in Antarctica. Wide swaths of sea ice stippled a dead calm ultramarine sea. On the horizon… Read More
2020-03-04 14:00
The giant, ice-covered landmass at the bottom of our earth may be the remotest, coldest, driest environment on earth, but it’s paradise to the penguins of Antarctica. I was fortunate t… Read More
2020-02-28 14:00
After the decline of Moai culture on Easter Island, a new cult emerged that revolved around fertility and the worship of migratory seabirds. As the Moai had represented the idea of ancestor… Read More
2020-02-18 17:33
For years, friends have raved that Easter Island is the most spiritual place they have ever visited. This speck of land in the eastern Pacific, known to locals as Rapa Nui, had been on my wi… Read More
2020-02-13 14:00
The tour guide promised the trail to Salto Grande Waterfall in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park was easy. “Just a 20 minute walk,” he said. As a casual aside, he advi… Read More
2020-02-11 14:00
What struck me most about Torres del Paine National Park in the Patagonian region of Chile were the colors. Depending upon the angle of the sun, the mountains of the Cordillera Paine Massif… Read More
2020-02-07 10:55
Torres del Paine National Park in Chile is one of the world’s beautiful places. The centerpiece of the park is a branch of the Andes mountain range known as the Cordillera del Paine. L… Read More
2020-01-30 14:00
When my tour van entered Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonian Chile, our guide enlisted us as wildlife spotters. She ticked off some of the species we might see. The Patagonian Puma… Read More
2020-01-28 14:00
The pretty little town of Puerto Natales is perhaps best known as the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park in the Patagonian region of Chile. But I discovered an intriguing backstory. T… Read More
2020-01-21 08:28
Pop-pop-pop-pop!! I was staying in a guest house less than two blocks away from Plaza Italia, the epicenter of political protests that happen most evenings in Santiago, Chile. Sirens had bee… Read More
2019-12-28 14:00
For years, I’d been searching for a bronze Buddha statue to place on my home altar. I knew the pose I preferred, the one known as Calling The Earth to Witness. It depicts Buddha sittin… Read More
2019-12-14 14:00
I admit it. My travel stamina is not what it used to be. As I’ve aged, long-haul flights have become more difficult. I can tolerate eight or nine hours but anything longer than that an… Read More
2019-12-07 14:00
A salty sea-scent hung in the air as I strolled around the historic Hanseatic Wharf in Bergen. In earlier centuries, the fragrance would have been a bit more, well…ripe, to be kind. I… Read More
2019-11-30 14:00
A still photo can barely convey the magnificence of the Norwegian landscape, but this view from the Geiranger Skywalk, perched on the craggy peak of Dalsnibba Mountain, comes close. We&rsquo&hell…Read More
2019-11-27 14:00
It’s a tale of eternal, unrequited love. Deep within Geiranger Fjord, Seven Sisters waterfall plummets from vertical cliffs into the ultramarine waters of Norway’s most stunning… Read More
2019-11-23 14:00
I’m in love with train travel. I never miss an opportunity to ride the rails. During my many years as a travel writer and photographer, I’ve been blessed to take some of the worl… Read More
2019-11-17 16:28
If I had to choose one word to describe Viking civilization, it would be mystery. The popular TV series by the History Channel paints Vikings as bloodthirsty warriors. While it is true they… Read More
2019-11-13 14:00
Glaciers might be a dime a dozen in Norway, but I know of no other place in the world where I could get to one in a “Troll Car.” Actually, these 7-seater open-air buggies have on… Read More
2019-11-09 14:00
With only a couple of hours to explore Gothenburg, Sweden, I struggled over how to spend my time. My Collette tour manager had suggested a boat tour of the canals that lace the city. Never o… Read More
2019-11-06 14:00
I’m definitely not a fan of being cold, so I thought twice about visiting the Stockholm ICEBAR during my Spectacular Scandinavia tour with Collette. I’d heard the walls were buil… Read More
2019-11-02 13:00
In the 1620’s, intent on making Sweden a mighty military power, King Gustavus Adolphus began constructing a fleet of warships. The Vasa warship, first of the massive vessels to be comp… Read More
2019-10-30 13:00
The Swedish Royal Guards have been protecting the Royal Family for nearly 500 years. First assembled in 1523, the guards were initially tasked with maintaining law and order in the city of S… Read More
2019-10-26 13:00
From an early age, I was fascinated by the art of glassblowing. In those days, my exposure was limited to visiting tourist shops during family vacations, where glassblowers created a menager… Read More
2019-10-19 13:00
Though I’m usually quite lucky with weather during my travels, an occasional storm is unavoidable. But inclement weather isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes, it evokes a mood tha… Read More
2019-10-16 13:00
This view down Frederiksholms Kanal is one of the prettiest sights in Copenhagen. The canal runs along one side of the small island of Slotsholmen, which is home to Christiansborg Palace and… Read More
2019-10-13 17:18
Like thousands of tourists before me, I made my way to Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark. But rather than join the queues waiting to visit the Parliament and Supreme Court, I deci… Read More
2019-10-09 17:30
Since its founding, Copenhagen, Denmark, has been inextricably linked to water. The earliest written mention of the Danish capital is found in a 12th century book, which referred to the city… Read More
2019-10-05 13:00
Challenge anyone to list the world’s most famous architects and names like Frank Lloyd Wright, Antoni Gaudí, and I.M. Pei will likely be bandied about. Most would be surprised… Read More
2019-10-02 13:00
Midway between the cities of Venice and Verona in northern Italy, lies a third “V” – the tiny town of Vicenza. Though smaller and lesser known that its more famous neighbor… Read More
2019-09-26 13:00
I’ve long been fascinated by the idea of the Lakes District in Italy. The roots of my fascination may lie in the many movies that have been filmed there. Casino Royale, Star Wars: Epis… Read More
2019-09-21 06:55
When discussing what to do in Munich, Germany, many travel writers wax lyrical about Octoberfest. Ah, the beer! The sing-alongs! The pretzels, bratwurst, and schnitzel! But the festival also… Read More
2019-09-14 13:00
We humans are fascinated by disasters. We find it impossible to look away from a car wreck. When a disaster of enormous consequence occurs, our first impulse is to tell someone. Cable news s… Read More
2019-09-05 13:00
There is no mistaking the resemblance between Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany, and Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at Disneyland in California. Built in 1886 by King Ludwig II, the… Read More
2019-08-28 13:00
The city of Berlin is a dichotomy. It’s not particularly pretty, but I venture to say there are few cities more interesting than Berlin. It is filled with art galleries, museums, and i… Read More
2019-08-21 13:00
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about my Tibet travel experiences as much as I have enjoyed writing about them. After my last story about how to travel overland in Tibet was published, I… Read More
2019-08-13 14:25
I’d given up on ever traveling overland from Nepal to Tibet. Three times I had tried and failed. The first tour I booked in Kathmandu, a number of years ago, was cancelled when the Chi… Read More
2019-08-03 13:00
On day seven of my overland journey through Tibet, we turned off the main highway and followed a narrow lane to the remote Phuntsoling Monastery. This little-known monastery was built in 161… Read More
2019-07-31 13:00
For nearly 800 years, the walls of Gyantse Dzong (Gyantse Fortress) have scrabbled down a barren outcropping of stone just outside the town of Gyantse. Built as the seat of government for th… Read More
2019-07-27 13:00
From the moment I booked my Overland Tibet Tour, I worried how I would handle the high altitude of the Tibetan Plateau. I begin to suffer from Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) the moment I reac… Read More
2019-07-24 13:00
The women pictured above are arriving at Sakya Monastery in the small village of Sakya, Tibet. As is customary, they wear their hair in long braids, which are sometimes coiled around the hea… Read More
2019-07-21 14:52
They lunged, red robes flying and prayer beads swinging. They clapped hands loudly in the faces of their partners. Forefingers shook in front of noses and voices were raised. This sea of red… Read More
2019-07-17 13:00
I take great pride in saying that I have personally taken almost every photo that is featured in this blog. Though it’s uncommon for me to include the work of another photographer, I&r&hell…Read More
2019-07-14 16:52
One of my most indelible memories from India is of cows wandering the streets with impunity, protected by their holy status. Likewise, in Pokhara, Nepal, I was alarmed the first time I share… Read More
2019-07-11 18:15
I didn’t notice him at first. But as my eyes adjusted to the darkness inside the Assembly Hall at Pelkor Chode Monastery, I caught a movement. A maroon-robed monk stood at the base of… Read More
2019-07-03 13:00
Never one to follow the crowds, I wandered away from busy Barkhor Square in Lhasa, Tibet. I had completed an obligatory Kora (clockwise circuit) of the Jokhang Temple, dodging prostrating pi… Read More
2019-06-30 04:39
Tibetans believe that lakes are the abodes of protective deities and therefore invested with special spiritual powers. Yamdrok Lake, located approximately between the capital of Lhasa and th… Read More
2019-06-19 21:03
All across Tibet, I spied kids with black marks on their noses, like this young boy at Sera Monastery in Lhasa. Our guide explained that in Tibetan Buddhism folk tradition, placing a smudge… Read More
2019-06-16 17:43
I’d seen it in pictures, of course. The magnificent Potala Palace, rising vertically from its perch atop Red Mountain in the Tibetan capital city of Lhasa. This number one destination… Read More
2019-06-08 13:00
I celebrated Nepali New Year in Nepal, this past April. My second home of Pokhara sponsored three solid days of performances in the park, including band performances, traditional dancing, an… Read More
2019-06-02 17:50
Each time I return to Kathmandu, Nepal, I find a new craze. This year it was Tibetan singing bowls. Not only were they for sale in shops all over the city, every Yoga studio or meditation cl… Read More
2019-05-09 13:00
When I started this blog, just about 12.5 years ago, it was one of the first travel blogs in the world. Those were the days when no one knew what a blog was. Like everyone else during those… Read More
2019-05-01 13:00
Decked out in spectacular fan-shaped costumes, a troupe of Thai dancers at the Bo Sang Umbrella Festival performed the traditional King Ka-La folk dance. Their mincing steps and fluttering a… Read More
2019-04-24 13:00
Across Thailand, thousands of small craft villages dot the landscape. Each one specializes in the manufacture of a particular handicraft. Especially in northern Thailand, the choices seem en… Read More
2019-04-17 13:00
On April 3, 2019, the Sultan of Brunei imposed Islamic sharia law on all residents of the country, including the 30% of the population who are not Muslims. In a nutshell, this means that peo… Read More
2019-04-10 13:00
Kota Kinabalu City Mosque was the highlight of my half-day tour of Kota Kinabalu (KK), capital of the Malaysian State of Sabah on the island of Borneo. The mirror image of the mosque reflect… Read More
2019-04-03 13:00
It had been a day of firsts for me at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. I’d attended two live feedings in the jungle, where dozens of macaque monkeys and at least six orangutans… Read More
2019-03-27 13:00
Not only is Borneo one of the few places in the world to see orangutans in the wild, it’s also fantastic for seeing endangered Sun Bears, proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants, and monito… Read More
2019-03-20 13:00
The island of Borneo, located just south of the tip of mainland Malaysia, is a natural wonderland. Most visitors come to dive or see the island’s unique wildlife, but the flora has a l… Read More
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