"When I decided to move to Chiang Mai, Thailand, I’d never been to Asia,” says Preston Jewett of the decision that changed his life for the better. “I didn’t even know what countries bordered Thailand when I first thought about it."
Five decades after locking itself away from the world, Burma has opened up to tourism in a big way. And Yangon, its capital formerly known as Rangoon, is becoming a major destination for people who want to see the renaissance of what was, a century ago, one of the region’s most beautiful and cosmopolitan cities.
Luckily for me, I’ve yet to encounter a ghost anywhere on my travels. But if I ever find myself frightened of phantoms, I know exactly where to go: The Spice Souk in Marrakech, Morocco.
“The longer I stay here, the more I realize I’ve made a good choice,” says Leo Ellis of his new home in the colorful Thai city of Chiang Mai. Leo moved here in 2012—at the modest age of 87. Four years later, he’s as happy as ever to call it home.
Say “Marrakech,” and a magical world of souks (markets), snake-charmers, and storytellers unfolds like the unrolling of a luxurious Moroccan carpet. Gardens filled with exotic cacti and palm trees lie beside bustling souks awash with the colors and smells of a medieval Moroccan market.