A Guide for the Ancient Mariner
October 26th, 2010
The Periplus Maris Erythraei (Circumnavigation of the Red Sea)
It was only whilst discussing the location of what the ancient Egyptians called “God’s Land”, or Punt, that I was introduced to the Periplus Maris Erythraei. Although the term “Erythraei” translates as the “Red Sea”, for the Greeks it also included the Persian Gulf and the western part of the Indian Ocean. The original text of this unique document was written by an anonymous Egyptian Greek merchant in the middle of the first century AD. Its content now only survives through a manuscript in the Heidelberg’s Universitäts Bibliothek, which was copied at the beginning of the 10th century. Read the rest of this article »
The Shogun’s Silver Pavilion Paradise
October 21st, 2010
Ginkaku-ji – The Shogun’s Silver Pavilion Paradise
Leaving the temple precinct of Nanzen-ji in central Kyoto, I headed north on foot along the pretty canal-side path that is now more famously known as the Philosopher’s Walk. Come springtime, this delightful walkway is one of the city’s most popular venues for hanami, or cherry blossom viewing parties. This early in the morning the path was eerily quiet, though pleasantly so, allowing me ample time to reflect on my memorable visit the previous day to Kinkaku-ji and its fabulous “Golden Pavilion”. My plan was to arrive at Ginkaku-ji, the “Temple of the Silver Pavilion”, in plenty of time to beat the crowds and to absorb the beauty of its gardens in peaceful solitude.
