After a long military ruling that kept Burma (now known as Myanmar) complete blocked from the rest of the world, the country is waking up to a new reality. With its decaf democracy has come a new era of economic development. Tourists, mainly Chinese, are starting to come by the masses, and a country that barely 4 years ago didn’t even have ATM’s is now preparing itself to be the next big destination in Asia. Changes are coming, and the country that now is will never be again.

Gray is a neutral color, it can either be a bright, cheerful and happy color, or it can be a dark, melancholic and sad one. Paris gray. If you are happy, it is a blessing, a beautiful city that cheers you up, if you are sad, it can be your worst nightmare, a place that will only bring you down.

I had the opportunity to live in Paris for around 3 years, and as Ernest Hemingway says, “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”

A nostalgic, genuine, and lively city, Lisbon embodies to me the spirit of Portugal like no other. Its cobbled streets, filled with music, art and melancholy are the perfect stage for a city that has a million faces. It reminds me a lot of Paris for some reason, yet it has a certain I-dont-know-what attached to it that keeps attracting my attention.

What can there be said about a city as vast and popular as Rome? The warmth of their people and the romanticism of its historic architecture create a melange in which it is difficult to feel uncomfortable. I feel comfortable in Rome and would see myself living there at some point in my life. Who knows what the future will bring.

The island of Penang, in northern Malaysia, is a melting pot of cultures, traditions, and history. Georgetown, the capital, bears the marks of history on its torn down facades. While its streets are an explosion of modern urban art and the most delicious street food you will ever taste in your life. The coexistence of seemingly unbridgeable differences between Indians, Malays, and Hokkien Chinese, forces this city to be a witness of different new worlds waiting to be discovered at the bend of every corner.

With a history splashed by war and continuous conquers, the people of Vietnam have developed a pride and strength that is completely unique to their character. From all the countries I have visited in South East Asia, I have never encountered such a strong and non-conforming population as the Vietnamese. Although this might turn a lot of people off from visiting, for me it is always refreshing to see and experience it.

From Angkorian empires to Khmer dictatorships Cambodia has, without a doubt, one of the richest and bloodiest histories on this planet. Although it bears the marks of its past, like a kid proud of his scars, modern-day Cambodia, nonetheless, looks over its past in search of a better future.

Despite being one of the poorest nations in the world, Laos probably has one of the richest ecosystems on the planet. Its lush valleys and abundant waterways are home to some of the nicest people I have ever encountered in my travels. During the year 2011 I spent a full month traveling through Laos, and have since then visited regularly a country that I have in very great esteem.

Thailand is the perfect amalgam of modernity and tradition, enveloped in a beautiful, almost magical, setting.  My first visit to Thailand, in 2012, made me fall in love with the country and its people to the point I ended up moving there in 2014 and living there for almost 2 years.

Being torn apart by a 26-year civil war motivated by religious and ethnic differences, in 2012, only two years after the end of the war, Sri Lanka remained one of the most virgin paradises to be discovered. During a month I had the opportunity of visiting this nation-island to find not only beautiful landscapes but also incredible people that struggled to leave their conflictive pasts behind.