Posts by Calaf

Hello everyone,

What a joy to wander while savoring the fluid prose of Monsieur and the fleeting moments of life captured by Madame. No need to take a plane—"we’re there" already. A big thank you to both of you.

Hi Marie-Jo,

Unfortunately, I’m wrapping up this travel journal... if only you could have stayed longer!

A region unknown to me and a magnificent discovery of West Bengal... so many wonders in their simplicity. Here, no opulent architectural marble adorned with precious stones, but brick buildings with such beautiful, lively sculptures that touch the heart, move you, and are perfectly integrated into daily life.

This is an art that some might call "modest"—like the MIAM in Sète—but to me, this sophisticated art speaks across the centuries.

Thank you sincerely for the time-consuming share.

Alain

Hello,

I’ve been following your wanderings through these little-known regions/states with great interest and joy.

You find artistic—and spiritual—wonders in the most remote places, far from any hustle and bustle, on the simplest of surfaces.

A huge thank you for introducing me to places, landscapes, and ways of life I never knew existed.

Calaf

Hello,

Don’t get me wrong—I’ve always followed your travel journals—fast-paced and full of energy!—with as much interest as pleasure. Thank you for that.

Best regards,

Hi there, and thank you for this lovely travel journal that brings back so many amazing memories from ... 17 years ago! Laos, along with Cambodia, from north to south, is—was?—one of my favorite countries... without the strong Chinese presence.... I love everything about this country: the people, the landscapes, the monuments, the food, and... that laid-back vibe!

Hello

Thanks for this travel journal of "time passed"—careful, I didn’t say "bygone times"— And then seeing that dear Kasbah of the Oudayas again, where I took my very first steps as a baby, back in the day, on Sunday afternoons... Morocco, it must be said and repeated, is one of the most beautiful countries in the world... along with so many others! Thanks again

Hello,

I experienced the Ben Ali era and the post-Ben Ali period... (I was there in 2011 when he fled)

Indeed, as long as you didn’t get involved in politics or were part of the RCD, you were left alone. Of course, the so-called "secret" police constantly patrolled in unmarked Isuzu pickups—though everyone knew who they were. You’d give a *bakchich* to the officer at an intersection—especially at the end of the month when they stopped a lot of people—or on the road. They tried with me, circling the car, looking for an excuse, but I didn’t understand... ;-) Or at the Governorate or Municipality for a document—no luck, guys! But Tunisians were used to it and saw it as an unavoidable fate. Yes, life was peaceful and easygoing, and it wasn’t expensive because basic food was subsidized to keep the peace. Afterward, for many Tunisians, the word "democracy" meant "anything goes—I do what I want, and now it’s my turn to get rich and swindle my neighbor."

The golf course, overpriced as usual—all major projects were in the hands of "The Family"—wasn’t very green, even if it was *too* green for my taste. It dried up a beautiful nearby waterfall that kids used to swim in and killed thousands of palm trees.... Ras El Aïn is now a wasteland. The *oueds* that ran through nearby hamlets and served as washing spots are dry and filled with plastic "sachets" and waste! And some hidden corners of the oasis are used as dumping grounds.... No one seems to realize it—it’s heartbreaking.

Sorry for the long post

Hi there

Great travel journal, thanks! Tozeur: the golf course was wanted by a son-in-law of Ben Ali, a way to "inflate the bill" according to locals who weren’t fooled!

Hi Jojoone,

A huge thank you for this travel journal—it brings back so many memories! And especially thanks for the accuracy and relevance of your comments on Arab-Muslim culture and society, which are still so timely...

Calaf

Hi Olivier,

I just finished reading your trip—all in one go—it’s so packed with all kinds of info and it really captivated me.

Thanks for taking the time to write this travel journal, it’s been such a pleasure for all of us.

Best regards,

Hi

Hitchhiking in Douz should be done on Wednesday evening because Thursday morning is the weekly souk, which is very picturesque. Worth seeing.

Calaf

Oh no!

Kratie is in Cambodia, of course...

To me, these two countries were one in the love I had for them... or rather "the love I used to have," because China was already making its moves—its trains, its dams that didn’t exist back then.

And from what I’ve heard, the Cambodian coast has been disfigured by rampant real estate development, then left abandoned and in ruins on Xi’s orders, since he’d rather his billionaires invest at home... (except for massive military installations and ports, of course!)

Everything must come to an end, alas...

Like many of you, while Thailand has plenty of attractions—if only for its stunning beaches—I fell in love with Laos (and Cambodia too)... Muang Sing and its opium-selling tribes, who looked totally baffled when I didn’t buy any; Nong Kiaw, Muang Noi, Luang Prabang with its temple ceremonies led by a kind monk surrounded by mischievous young novices; and of course, its waterfalls, where the visit was ruined by nearby tourist buses... Vang Vieng—just off the main street—and its caves; Kratié with its dolphins and mountain temple; and, of course, the 4,000 Islands...

Everything enchanted me, and thanks to you four, I relived this trip from... 2007!

A huge thank you to the authors who generously shared their time to take us along with them.

Finally, some good news in this crazy world....

Hello Pagaljavab,

I had to go back to last year—December 14th, to be exact—to find your journal again. I log into VF twice a day, and I was hoping...

"I don’t think people are really frustrated over this journal being interrupted, let’s not exaggerate..." you later wrote. Sure, that genuine humility does you credit, but may I disagree?

The adventures of your family—and others like those incredibly lively journals from Jojoone, Richard-Kate, Montagnard, Aleph, Solene, and of course our dear Marien—are like TV series; they’re addictive! We end up knowing the characters’ psychology, predicting their reactions, guessing what they’ll like or dislike... in short, you make us feel part of your group!

So, you might ask, have I made a journal myself? I confess: no! It takes a certain storytelling and photography talent that I don’t have, and I know writing a page that "holds together" takes forever. If you decide to stop, I’ll be disappointed, along with other members, but I’ll understand.

So I’m hoping... that one day, maybe, I’ll get to know the end of your journey...

But whatever you decide, a thousand thanks for sharing your Rajput family adventure and your passion for India with us.

Calaf

Hello,

In such a rich, precise, poetic, and vivid language, you take me back to my childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood—reliving what I experienced during those years, both for me and my family... which I recognize! As a result, I’m sinking into a gentle, melancholic nostalgia on this beautiful sunny Languedoc afternoon, with smiles, sure, but also regrets and even a few remorseful thoughts...

Thank you for all of this.

Calaf

In my childhood:

"Kiravi, your favorite wine"

Hello

and thank you for this such pleasant and well-documented travel journal—always a delight—which brings back so many memories, though a bit distant now... (I love Laos and Luang Prabang in particular)

Calaf

Hi there,

I completely agree with Solene 40, who suggests "keeping it less detailed"—less time-consuming—and maybe leaving a bit of time for us to give a quick rundown of the next trips....

Calaf, just another voice in the crowd...