Asia

From the nomadic steppes of Kazakhstan to the frenetic streets of Hanoi, Asia is a continent so full of intrigue, adventure, solace, and spirituality that it has fixated and confounded travelers for centuries.

MANAMA (المنامة)

Bahrain’s capital and largest city lies at the northeast tip of Bahrain Island in the Persian Gulf. About one-fifth of the country’s population lives in the city. First mentioned in Islamic chronicles about 1345 CE, it was taken by the Portuguese (1521) and the Persians (1602)...

KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN (مملكة البحرين)

We arrived at night in a small Arab state (population 1,6 mil) situated in a bay on the southwestern coast of the Persian Gulf. It is an archipelago consisting of Bahrain Island and some 30 smaller islands. Bahrain has only small petroleum stores in one of the world’s top oil...

AL QASAB SALT FLATS (ممالح القصب)

It is a fascinating place to witness the production of raw salt from a vast area of land bordered to its west by the massive dunes of the Ad Dahna desert. Although it has been famous since ancient times for its high-quality salt, it produces about 200,000 tons of salt annually and is...

SHAQRA (شقراء)

The historic courtyards of Shaqra’s heritage village feature beautiful triangular windows, roofs, and ornately carved wooden doors. We strolled around the old market and its traditional shops before our drive to Riyadh.
Parking location – Shaqra: 25.255977N 45.254603E