Myanmar railroad: A bumpy ride to rebuilding

I've been on some tough journeys before, the kinds of trips that make you thankful to whatever being you pray to when they're finally over, and proud that you were courageous and bold enough to take them in the first place. On the road to Angkor Wat from Bangkok, my hired taxi came to an …

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Glimpse of Innocence (Myanmar photo essay)

Myanmar is an old country with an old way of doing things. Only immaculate US dollars are accepted for exchange, a policy intended to combat counterfeiting (though likely ineffective). Movie stars are treated as royalty, for the words are synonymous (mintha means both 'prince' and 'movie star' in Burmese). Thousand-year-old temples are close enough to touch, and …

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Anthony Bourdain discovers Colombia

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 …

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