Countries

Cambodia dominated the entire Indochinese peninsula during the Angkor era, when it was the Khmer Empire. This glorious era stretched from the 9th to the 15th century. This domination ended in favor of the Siam Empire, which was to be succeeded in the 19th century by French colonization. 

The recent history of the country is very painful. After the Vietnam War, the Khmer Rouge ruled the country with an iron fist, destroying much of the country's social and intellectual fabric. A new war with Vietnam put an end to this regime and subsequently numerous rebellions against the invader ended up giving a little stability to this martyred country. 

Many architectural wonders were destroyed by the Pol Pot regime, but fortunately there remain the gems of Angkor, real wonders long buried in the tropical jungle,

Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean, is a very astonishing country and its contrasting history makes it one of the places you must have seen at least once in your life. How can one imagine such hospitable and friendly inhabitants after such a long period of international embargo. What treasures of imagination the Cubans had to deploy to stay afloat. And where else in the world can you see such shiny old American cars?

India is a huge country with nearly a billion and a half inhabitants. India is a subcontinent on its own and experiences a great diversity of cultures. Its history is extremely rich. Many cities were founded more than 2 millennia ago and it shows in the richness of the historical monuments of this great country. Palaces and temples displaying their extraordinary refinement contrast with the poverty of a large part of the population. Here the simple villages have as much charm as the big cities praised in the tourist guides.

Indonesia is a huge archipelago made up of some 17,000 islands, most of which are uninhabited. The three most visited islands are Sumatra, Java and Bali. Of the three, Java is by far the most populous and Sumatra the largest. Bali is tiny compared to the other two. These islands are very different from each other. Sumatra is wilder and offers more nature, Java, heavily populated is the economic heart and Bali, the most touristic, is the only one to have retained Hinduism as the main religion.

Jordan is a semi-desert country in the Middle East which is a bit of a haven of peace between countries experiencing turbulent living conditions. The region has one of the oldest settlements in the world and this biblical land has invaluable archaeological treasures. Several Greco-Roman towns are in a remarkable state of conservation. A troglodyte city former capital of the Nabataeans, Petra, is world famous and at its doorstep stretches the magnificent desert of Wadi Rum which has served as the backdrop for many films.

Kyrgyzstan is a former Soviet republic in Central Asia surrounded by mountains. The country has a long history and was once prosperous because it was on one of the Silk Roads between China and the Mediterranean. Kyrgyzstan also has the second highest altitude lake in the world, Lake Issyk Kul on the banks of which there are amazing petroglyphs. The Kyrgyz people, a people of great pride, have preserved many of their ancestral traditions, including that of eagle hunting.

Mauritius is located in the Indian Ocean and is part of the Mascarene Islands with Reunion. The Republic of Mauritius is made up of Mauritius and Rodrigues Island mainly. A paradise island, Mauritius is especially renowned for the quality of its hotels and the beauty of its beaches. Even if the tourism sector is sometimes invasive and deprives the locals of the most beautiful beaches. Besides the landscapes, there are long-lived traditions in Mauritius, especially in the Indian community. Big festivals (especially Tamils) are organized annually on the Island.

Myanmar, which was previously called Burma, is a Buddhist country with a very long history. Buddhism is present everywhere, whether it is through the monks strolling at dawn in the streets or through the pagodas and stupas, some of which are covered with gold, or the many statues of the Buddha, some of which measure tens of meters. What a pity that a country with such a long tradition is still dominated today by a military junta which has no intention of letting the people take their destiny into their own hands.

Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean is a French department. The island is of volcanic origin and still has one of the most active volcanoes in the world, the Piton de la Fournaise. The landscapes of this island are breathtaking and the inhabitants of this France at the end of the world are extremely warm and welcoming. The towns, mostly located on the coast, have kept the memory of this typical colonial style and the most important have a colorful and fragrant market.

Turkey is a large country spanning two continents. 3% of its territory and 10% of its population for the European part and the rest constitutes Anatolia, the Asian part of Turkey. Turkey dominated much of the known world during the Middle Ages when the Ottoman Empire encompassed most of Southeast Europe, large parts of the Middle East and North Africa. 

The country has a lot of cultural wealth and there are Greek and Roman ruins of great beauty.

Uzbekistan is a vast country in Central Asia that is largely desert. A few large oases are home to cities that are several thousand years old, the most famous of which is certainly the mythical Samarkand, capital of the no less legendary Amin Tamur who built a huge empire in the region during the Middle Ages. It is also a former Soviet republic and its capital was among the largest cities in the Soviet Union, Tashkent. The other famous cities are Bukhara and Khiva.