The collected writings of a Renegade Tourist

Month May 2018

The Passive AC build

A while ago I stumbled upon a video showing some people in Bangladesh who had invented a kind of passive air cooler made from scrap bottles that could help poor people keep cool in the summer, you can read more about it here. I think it’s a neat idea so I figured I would try to build one of my own.  The version shown in the video fits in a window but I figured i could fasten it on the front of a fan for increased effect. This post is a build log detailing the process.

Materials:
As can be … Read the rest

Fictionalizing the News No. 7: Through the Hedge

Bertrand Herriot woke up early on October 15, it was only his second time to go hunting this season, his boss had kept him busy at work lately, and he wanted to get out as soon as possible to make the most of the day. He got dressed, ate a hearty breakfast of buttered farmhouse bread and black coffee, wolfing it down two bites at a time, then started preparing his equipment. The ground in the forest was bound to be wet after several days of rain so he brought out his rain boots and packed a pair of water tight trousers in his back pack just in case. He packed the hunting knife, the small first aid kit and a box of ammunition as well as a thermos of coffee, a small lunch consisting of half a baguette, a piece of cheese and an apple, and as a last afterthought, a small hip flask of cognac; he knew the rules said you couldn't drink but he felt a sip now and then to warm you up couldn't hurt. ...continue reading

Macau, City of Contrasts

Macau is most famous for its many casinos and I believe most visitors come here for a day or two to do a bit of gambling. Although the casinos are ever-present, the Cotai Strip defining Cotai island, and the Grand Lisboa looming over the old city like a benevolent golden giant, there is more to this city than just gambling.

Macau is a small country and you can check off the major tourist attractions within a day or two, so unless you plan on spending a lot of time gambling, it’s not really worth it to fly around the world … Read the rest

Grand Lisboa Casino, 9:53 pm

The sign at the door said no photo so I’m on the balcony trying to take it all in. Below me is the main floor of the casino, a large hall with plush red carpets, brown panels on the wall that look like leather and all around the room the fixtures and fittings are polished to a golden sheen. About 50 gambling tables, topped in green or red cloth depending on the game, are spread out in the room. At each one of them sits a dealer clad in dark green a jacket, buttoned all the way up, with golden … Read the rest

Wynn Palace, 8:41 pm

Everyone has seen it in some movie or other, the cast stand in front of that fountain in Las Vegas looking at the show in front of them. This is just like that, except it’s not a movie. In front of me is a large pond bordered on this side by the promenade and on the opposite, the Wynn Palace casion with the central building right in front and the wings set at an angle like open arms welcoming you in, it’s facade bathed in a warm golden orange. From the middle of the pond dozens of water jets, lit … Read the rest

Senado Square 11:51 am

I have wandered into the central square of a European city. Around me are old, European style buildings in pastel colors, their facades covered in the kind of decorations you might see in Italy or Spain, their lower floors fronted by arcades. The ground is covered in worn down, black and white stone tiles laid out in a zebra stripe mosaic. In the center is a fountain surrounded by tourists with their cameras. It’s quite astounding how European the place looks, the only thing indicating that I’m in fact thousands of kilometers from Europe are the Chinese characters on the … Read the rest

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