Linda JW

Cambodia’s landmine problem

Linda — Sat, 07 Sep 2024 11:57:10 +0000

Flipping through my Lonely Planet about Cambodia, I came across a section about what to do when you find yourself in a landmine field. I had never thought I would ever need such information, but in Cambodia, this is reality. Millions of landmines and unexploded bombs are estimated to still be in the country, laid in the Khmer Rouge period or dropped by American planes that wanted to destroy Vietnamese supply lines during the Vietnam war.

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On the Cambodian genocide

Linda — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 23:00:58 +0000

A first-time visitor to Cambodia is inevitably presented with two things: the splendor of the ancient temples of Angkor, which form the country's prime tourist attraction, and a horrific recent history of genocide. In the 1970s, under the rule of the Khmer Rouge, a fourth of the population was killed. How to write about this? What to say, where to start?

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The temples at Angkor Wat

Linda — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 23:00:11 +0000

Number one on my personal must-see list for my trip to Southeast Asia was the temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Once the splendid center of the capital of the Khmer Empire (Angkor was the name of the city; 'Wat' means temple), today attracting millions of visitors per year - to this day, Angkor Wat is the largest religious building in the world.

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Five days with the Mentawai

Linda — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 23:00:22 +0000

"I felt like I boarded a theme park attraction, but no - this was the real thing: we were transported an hour into the jungle, away from any cellular or internet connection, where we would spend the next five days living with the Mentawai tribe."

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France’s second city: Marseille

Linda — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 22:00:28 +0000

I hadn’t seen a beach yet this summer, so I made my way to Marseille, France’s second-largest city. Known for its port and Mediterranean climate, the city is by many also linked to crime and drugs and its rebellious reputation. My tour guide made sure to stress that the city has made great strides using…

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Dubai: world’s least cosmopolitan city

Linda — Sun, 20 Oct 2019 11:25:06 +0000

Dubai is possibly the most international place in the world, with less than 10% of its inhabitants holding the local passport. But calling Dubai 'cosmopolitan' would be a mistake, based on a wrong understanding of the term and of reality of life in the Arab Gulf. In fact, Dubai is maybe the least cosmopolitan city there is.

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Schooling is not learning: the state of education in the Middle East

Linda — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 19:50:00 +0000

Being young is not always easy, but it is even more challenging if you happen to live in the Middle East. In this region, children and youth face more challenges than almost anywhere else in the world. And one of the very things they need to improve their own lives and advance society is what is affected the most: access to quality education.

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Andalusia’s ambivalence: between convivencia and Islamophobia

Linda — Thu, 31 Aug 2017 11:13:50 +0000

The seven centuries of Islamic rule over the southern Spanish province of Andalusia are often romanticized for its convivencia: the peaceful coexistence of Muslims, Christians and Jews. Today, the region exploits this history for tourism, but is not devoid of Islamophobia.

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Identity and nationality in the Gulf

Linda — Fri, 25 Aug 2017 18:00:21 +0000

Few countries in the world have more foreigners than locals living within their borders. It is the case in the Arab Gulf states, where the majority of the population consists of immigrants: up to more than 85% in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. For the locals, this poses unique challenges to their concepts of identity and nationality.

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Amritsar: conflict and harmony

Linda — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 10:53:40 +0000

The city of Amritsar in north-western India is not big, but attracts more visitors than the Taj Mahal. The two main attractions are symbols of harmony and conflict, respectively: the Sikh religion's holiest temple complex where everyone is welcome, and the nearby border with Pakistan where on a daily basis people on both sides assemble to celebrate the gates closing.

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