http://seanpaulkelley.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Sean Paul Kelley en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 22:43:12 GMT 2010-01-01T22:43:12Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977662708 Well, the time has come to move on from Gather. The last few months have seen readership numbers and commenters drop. I understand that. People are busy trying to survive the financial mess we all find . . . Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:07:54 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977662708 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-04-22T08:07:54Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977656481 If life is like a candle bright/Then death must be the wind You know you can close your window tight/And it still comes blowing in So I will climb the highest hill/And I'll watch the rising . . . Wed, 15 Apr 2009 08:37:57 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977656481 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-04-15T08:37:57Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977655666 Terrible let down today. I went to visit Sinan's masterpiece, the Sulimaniye Mosque and the interior was closed for renovations. But the outside, the exterior? As Jairazbhoy writes in "An . . . Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:23:51 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977655666 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-04-14T14:23:51Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977653763 I work hard to be an ass and it's a full time job. I could make all kinds of excuses about my behavior, like India fatigue, the stress of finding a flat and moving in, a new city, etc . . . but . . . Sun, 12 Apr 2009 13:52:46 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977653763 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-04-12T13:52:46Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977653761 Istanbul is first and foremost a city on water. Even the most cursory of looks at the photos will bear that out. But I was reminded by Nate's post on Mexico City's water problems about a . . . Sun, 12 Apr 2009 13:50:30 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977653761 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-04-12T13:50:30Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977653759 I picked up a copy of Lord John Julius Norwich's "Byzantium, the Decline and Fall" yesterday. I read the first volume many years ago in hardcover got sidetracked, missed the middle volume . . . Sun, 12 Apr 2009 13:43:30 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977653759 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-04-12T13:43:30Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977653172 I went back to Asia today, Kadikoy to be exact, old Byzantine Chalcedon. Up here in Beyoglu on the East side of the Golden Horn and even in Sultanhamet and Sulimaniye it's reasonbly warm--around . . . Sat, 11 Apr 2009 17:24:41 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977653172 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-04-11T17:24:41Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977651966   "Epiphanies, after all, are the easy part--it's the acceptance of the everyday that comes hard." ~Pico Iyer. The last few days have been difficult. For the first time . . . Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:31:23 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977651966 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-04-10T11:31:23Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977651016 If one had but a single glance to give to the world, one should gaze on Istanbul. It's a big city, Istanbul. Ten million people? Fifteen? Is anyone really sure? Modern Istanbul's name . . . Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:50:30 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977651016 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-04-09T10:50:30Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977647131 Today was certainly an interesting day. I walked up the hill from my flat to Dolapdere where it all started, watching the preparations for the police parade here in Istanbul, which I mistook . . . Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:25:16 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977647131 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-04-05T16:25:16Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977646294   The following entry is unedited from my travel journal. Nine days without journaling? That needs to change. The ink spill in my bag certainly didn't help. Whoever heard of a backpacker . . . Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:20:04 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977646294 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-04-04T13:20:04Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977640461 Yesterday I looked at a map of Marco Polo's travels. Ever one to be fascinated by what the great Venetian accomplished (although what Ibn Battuta did was even greater in my opinion), I noted . . . Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:25:27 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977640461 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-03-29T13:25:27Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977639648 Nine months have passed since I left Austin last summer. In the three months since I last looked back upon the genesis and beginning of this journey a lot has changed. The questions I wrestled . . . Sat, 28 Mar 2009 10:15:00 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977639648 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-03-28T10:15:00Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977639619 There was a hurricane here in Oman in 2007. It was a freak event. Never in recorded history, and they have records going a long way back here in Oman and the Arabian Peninsula, had an event like this . . . Sat, 28 Mar 2009 08:53:17 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977639619 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-03-28T08:53:17Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977637840 If you are Indian, or of Indian descent, I must preface this post with a clear warning: you are not going to like what I have to say. My criticisms may be very hard to stomach. But consider them . . . Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:10:52 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977637840 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-03-26T13:10:52Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977636771 I had to leave India. I was at the breaking point. I just couldn't stand the place any longer. If all India could be like Kerala then it would be a truly wonderful place to travel in, but it's . . . Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:13:42 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977636771 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-03-25T15:13:42Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977630701 I'm seriously considering heading to Dubai after I leave India. The Pakistani visa process is not going well at all. And my time, patience and willingness to deal with the sub-Continent are fast . . . Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:05:52 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977630701 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-03-19T16:05:52Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977626369 My photos of Ajanta are now available for your viewing pleasure. There are about three pages of photos. I may get a post up on Ajanta but then again, I may not. So the photos will have to do for . . . Mon, 16 Mar 2009 07:33:18 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977626369 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-03-16T07:33:18Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977625325 Narayan, in his travel memoir of Karnataka "The Emerald Route" quotes Fergusson, an English traveler and surveyor, approvingly on the monuments surrounding Bijapur: "A group as rich . . . Sun, 15 Mar 2009 07:52:44 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977625325 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-03-15T07:52:44Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977624099 Wow, I have totally neglected my duties here of late. Long story and many apologies. I do have may adventures to relate from the last three weeks. Being sick really sidetracked me. However, I know . . . Sat, 14 Mar 2009 07:30:23 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977624099 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-03-14T07:30:23Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977616553 I climbed the Matanga Hill to survey the remains of of Vijayanagar's 'Sacred Enclosure.' It was on this hill, after many years of wandering and after losing his wife to Ravanna, the . . . Sat, 07 Mar 2009 06:42:50 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977616553 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-03-07T06:42:50Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977604059 Nandi, a local Mysore cow (technically a bull) recently learned of California's 'Happy Cow' Campaign and auditions for a 'Fresh Face.' Nandi wants the part. "Every cow . . . Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:25:12 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977604059 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-02-23T15:25:12Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977603966 I've tried to explain to people that the lives Jews lead in Iran aren't bad. They aren't persecuted. I've done what is humanly possible to educate people about Iran and the Jews that . . . Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:25:30 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977603966 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-02-23T13:25:30Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977603768 "About 14km from Mysore the great river Kaveri divides into two branches which meet again about five kilometers further down," writes R.K. Narayan, "and these parted arms enclose a . . . Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:47:46 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977603768 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-02-23T06:47:46Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977602906 If you are like me, you probably find  Hindu mythology bewildering. I mean, how many gods are there? I had a discussion in Calicut and asked just this question. Sanjiv was the first to answer, . . . Sun, 22 Feb 2009 12:45:42 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977602906 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-02-22T12:45:42Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977602032 I swear, there is so much to see and do that it's hard to find time to write. Action, is indeed, the enemy of reflection. Nonetheless, I did manage to take a boatload of photos today and upload . . . Sat, 21 Feb 2009 15:55:16 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977602032 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-02-21T15:55:16Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977599486 I'll have a post up in a while, but in the meantime, I've posted about two dozen new photos from my trip into the Western Ghats today and yesterday's awesome sunset on the beach here . . . Thu, 19 Feb 2009 06:01:08 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977599486 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-02-19T06:01:08Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977595221 "So, why haven't you done what I requested," my buddy asked via gmail chat. "I've been busy," I replied. "Always busy in India." "Whatcha been doing . . . Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:25:13 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977595221 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-02-15T10:25:13Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977594579 I love birds. And I especially love watching birds of prey. At dusk there are usually half a dozen Brahminy Kite's doing circles on the high lifts above the cliffs. Quite impressive. . . . Sat, 14 Feb 2009 17:22:44 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977594579 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-02-14T17:22:44Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977590917 This post is made up of several more random items I've written in the last several days but have been unable to post here at Gather due to difficulties accesing the internet. Semantics and India . . . Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:14:53 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977590917 Sean Paul Kelley 2009-02-11T14:14:53Z