The Philippines spent “300 years in the convent, 50 years in Hollywood," Stanley Karnow observed in his book In Our Image: America’s Empire in the Philippines, a turn of phrase now often recited across the archipelago, proof of its resonance in reflecting the Southeast Asian nation's unique colonial history. It is a past that has made the country …
Continue reading America’s imprint on the Philippines — the good and the ugly
Anthony Bourdain recently decided to visit Colombia, and with that CNN dropped me a line to pitch a "10 things you need to know" list to support his new show for the network: Parts Unknown. The snarky, say-it-like-is former host of the Travel Network's hit show, No Reservations, brings a large spotlight to the country …
Bidayuh, Iban, Melanaus, Orang Ulu, Chinese and Malay -- the ethnic composition of Kuching, the capital of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak, can feel as diverse as the exotic flora and fauna showcased on postcards sold in Bornean shops. Similar to many other cities in Malaysia, visitors are hard-pressed to discern the actual ethnicity of …
Continue reading Musing over Sarawak’s tourism appeal, Malaysian Borneo
The above mentioned title is taken from my second piece for the Borneo Post, an ongoing column that I will be writing, which will cover economic and regional relations involving the State of Sarawak, Malaysia's largest state, located on the island of Borneo. As I type away, the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building (pictured left) …
Continue reading Is there no salve Sarawak can apply to Sabah’s scars?
Living in Asia for as long as I have, I've gotten used to the stares that tend to follow the out-of-place foreigner. But every once in a while the context that they come with throws me off. Last week I got to go on a small tour of the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), the second-fastest …
Justin Calderón 