This is my blog where I share things or places that we saw on our travels that were unique or unusual. I like finding quirky things or places that are off the beaten path that give me a unique perspective of the culture or country I am visiting. Sometimes I find quirky things when I go for a run/walk in the early morning before the world wakes up.
It is called wabi-sabi which is a deeply poetic and philosophical Japanese worldview that embraces the beauty of imperfection, impermanence, and simplicity. At its core, wabi-sabi is about finding grace in the naturally flawed and transient aspects of life.
Embracing Wabi-Sabi on the Road and in Life: The Beauty of Imperfect Travel
Not every trip will go as planned. You missed the connecting flight. Rain clouds ruin views. But what if—rather than seeing these moments as disruptions—you viewed them through the lens of wabi-sabi? When you embrace wabi-sabi while traveling, every detour becomes part of the story, and every “imperfection” becomes a cherished memory. So ditch the pressure to do it all or capture the perfect shot. Slow down. Wander. Let the journey surprise you. Because sometimes, what you didn’t plan for becomes the most beautiful part of all.
Quirky Tree stories
Wabi-Sabi teaches us to embrace the imperfect, the transient, the quietly profound. Stumpy was all of that—and more. He didn’t stand tall or symmetrical. He stood anyway. And now, even in his absence, he leads the race.
This is wabi-sabi in its purest form: the beauty of what remains after loss. A tree that once bore the weight of war now offers a place for reflection. Tourists pause, not just for photos, but for silence. For story. For the reminder that even in decay, there is dignity.
Travel isn’t always about big monuments or bucket lists. Sometimes, it’s about allowing yourself to be moved by something small, strange, and sublime. That’s Wabi-Sabi: the cracked edges, the rain-soaked sidewalk, the way people choose to hold on to stories that have no legal weight but carry immense emotional heft.
Unusual and Quirky History
Sahat-Kula: world’s only public lunar clock
And that’s the heart of wabi-sabi—not the perfect tick of a quartz watch, but the weathered hands of a man who climbs for time. A clock that needs a human touch. A ritual that has lasted because it’s flawed, fragile, and yet enduring.
Where modern life seeks precision, Sahat-Kula answers with presence.
From Palace to Prison- Heart-breaking story of Shah Jahan
It is said that during his final years of imprisonment in the chambers beside the Burj, Shah Jahan was supposed to have looked longingly out at the distant view of the Taj Mahal he had built for his empress Mumtaj
Peaks to Palaces 