Wicked places in Asia
Just the bare existence of the theatre troupe The Moustache Brothers is a sensation. The tree brothers U Par Par Lay, U Lu Zaw, and Lu Maw make funny banana, slapstick comedy mixed with classic Burmese dance with a strong flavour of sarcastic government criticism. Several times they have been arrested and put in jail for many years, but somehow they manage every time to get back to their little show in their private home. These days the daily show is only for foreigners and an institution in Mandalay. Don't forget to buy the T-shirt, the money is well spent.
If you are going trekking in the Everest region in the Himalayas, a flight from Kathmandu to the tiny mountain town of Lukla is almost inevitable. This airport, renamed Tenzing-Hillary Airport, is on the top 10 list of the world's most dangerous airports - and there is a good reason for that. You fly to and from Lukla in small propeller aircrafts that do not even have life jackets aboard. But, of course, there is not much sea in the mountains, should you be unlucky. The airport is located at about 2800 m altitude, and the runway is only 460 m long. Upon landing, there is a risk of crashing into a cliff if the pilot is not quick enough on the breaks, and, at departure, you just pray the plane will take off when it drives out over a one-kilometre steep hillside. So hold your breath and pray for good karma.
Nowhere on Earth can you experience such a spectacle as the Mass Games in North Korea. Synchronized mass gymnastics and choreographed military parades performed by tens of thousands of NK's best youth, all accompanied with card flicking propaganda inside the world's biggest stadium, Rungnado. A mind-blowing show that only Kim Jong-Il could pull off (though we doubt he himself found it interesting). The shows are held annually and normally in August or September. Foreigners are welcome (through a booked tour).
Hussaini Suspension Bridge is a great sight for the daredevils. The suspension bridge is 193 m long and 43 m at the highest point. There are big gaps between the planks, but you can hold onto the wire. Though the bridge has been improved, be very careful for visitors have still fallen in and died
At the mud wresting school you can watch the young men pratice the vey traditional mud wrestling. The training facilities are very Mr Miyagi (Karate Kid) style, with the wrestlers digging holes, dragging heavy logs and climbing ropes. At the end of the practice, there are usually training wrestling matches.
The lowering flag ceremony at the border at Wagah between India and Pakistan has been going on since 1948. It's a wicked theateral show, where the border guards try to out-do each in down steering, shouting, and silly walks. It's a big attraction on both sides and there are stadium size sitting area on both sides (though the Indians is way bigger). When the border closes at 4 pm you are allowed to enter the sitting area. Both sides start to blast patriotic music on max volume out of big loudspeakers, while cheerleaders (males) are getting the crowd pumped. The actual flag lowering ceremony starts a sunset at around 5:30 pm and is free of charge. Times might change whether it's summer or winter, check before going, and remember your passport.
You might be wondering how a suburban street like this can qualify as an attraction, and what it has to do with a cemetery. Well, it's a cemetery and all those fine little houses are not for the living, quite the opposite. They are mausoleums for some of the deceased wealthy Filippinos, and they come in all sizes from mailbox size to multi-storey houses with toilets and air-con. The cemetery is actually made up three different cemeteries; the Chinese Cemetery, La Loma Catholic Cemetery and the North Cemetery. And they are not just for the dead, as there are thousands of people living within the cemeteries. Some are caretakers living inside the mausoleums, while others are squatters living in shacks between the graves. It's best to visit on Sundays, when families come by to honour their ancestors, and it gets really lively on All Saints Day, the 1st of November.
Filipinos are naturally very superstitious people. People from all classes and walks of life will happily tell you about the various different goblins and flying demons they have seen and believe in. This is perhaps why the practice of psychic surgery has become so popular. During an "operation", the psychic surgeon's finger penetrates the patient's skin and extracts bad energy that is making them ill, materialised into some sort of bloody lump. It leaves a bit of blood but no scars. No matter how much you bend over and get up close while watching an operation, it really does appear that the surgeon's finger is inside the patient. However, a couple of documentaries have proved that the psychic surgeons they followed were just scammers. There are plenty more of these people out there though and one thing is for sure: the man who performed the "operation" pictured was working for free in a church in a poor area of Manila, "operating" on patients because of his and their belief that it would help them.
A wicked free park with more than 1,000 statues and dioramas depicting Chinese folk tales, beliefs, and legends. There are so many odd creatures and scenes, but the information boards do a good job explaining. The "Ten Courts of Hell" is particularly vivid. It shows in details what will happen in hell if you do a crime - everything is considered; cursing (thrown onto a tree of knives), cheating during exams (organs pulled out), take exorbitant interest rates (thrown onto a hill of knives), possession of porn or wasting food (body sawn into two) and of course more serious crimes like murder (head and arms chopped off).
The Hill Club is a quirky resort located at the cool hill station of Nuwara Eliya. It was established by British coffee planters in the late 19th century as a real gentlemen's club. Here could the colonial masters enjoy a cup of tea and some fresh strawberries among stuffed animals and mounted fish. The fine English country house was originally off limit for women, but everyone is welcome today - but there still is a men-only lounge. There is a dress code for men, meaning tie and jacket. If you don't have the appropriate attire, you will be led by a white-gloved waiter to a closet with an obscure selection of ties in kitsch colours and ill-fitted jackets, as a complimentary service. The Hill Club is a living relic, a Sri Lankan "Fawlty Towers".