Stephen Lioy

Stephen Lioy is a traveler and photographer who spends much of his time living in Kyrgyzstan and traveling throughout Central Asia. Read more about his journeys on his travel blog Monk Bought Lunch. Or, follow along on social media with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest for tons more photos and updates from across the globe.

Athens Ancient Agora and temple of Hephaestus

Ask GoMad Nomad: What to do on a layover in Athens, Greece?

Ask GoMad Nomad: What to do on a layover in Athens, Greece? This month’s ‘Ask GoMad Nomad‘ column on Athens Travel Tips comes from a situation we commonly find ourselves in – how to spend a long layover in a cool city. Reader Stephen B. is planning a trip to Europe, but has a long wait between flights […]

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Jyrgalan - Boz-Uchuk Lakes Trek

Introducing: Jyrgalan – Boz-Uchuk Lakes Trek in Kyrgyzstan

Introducing: Jyrgalan – Boz-Uchuk Lakes Trek in Kyrgyzstan A growing trekking destination, the Central Asian state of Kyrgyzstan’s rugged mountains and verdant valleys are becoming increasingly popular among independent travelers looking to experience pristine nature and local culture. While traditionally independent international trekkers have stuck to a set few routes around the cities of Bishkek and

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What Its Like In: Texas Rio Grande Valley

What It’s Like In: Texas’ Rio Grande Valley

What It’s Like In: Texas’ Rio Grande Valley Once renown for horse thieves and Catholic missions, U.S. Army forts and a short-lived independent Republic; now the home of a much-maligned border. Called the Rio Bravo in Spanish, populated by a diverse mix of nationalities and backgrounds. Texas is pretty different from the rest of the US,

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Keren Camel Market in Eritrea

Photo of the Week: Keren Camel Market in Eritrea

Photo of the Week: Keren Camel Market in Eritrea   The camel plays an important role in Eritrea’s history and even self-identity, with the long-suffering animals playing a vital role in many of the battles central to the decades of conflict that have waged on and off since the 1960’s. The animal even features prominently

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Winter Travel in Kyrgyzstan

What It’s Like: Winter Travel in Kyrgyzstan

What It’s Like: Winter Travel in Kyrgyzstan For most of the growing number of tourists that are traveling in Kyrgyzstan, the small Central Asian republic is a country of summer mountains and sandy beaches. The majority of visitors come in the warmer months, for the June-September high season when horse riding and mountain climbing and of the

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Art Deco Architecture of Asmara Eritrea

Photo of the Week: Exploring Asmara, Eritrea

Photo of the Week: Streets of Asmara, Eritrea   Researching a trip to Eritrea, the bulk of the (admittedly very limited) information available points to one major draw: the Art Deco Architecture of capital city Asmara. An Italian colony from the 1880’s till 1947, the European influence is notable throughout the country but particularly in

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World Nomad Games 2014

Photo of the Week: World Nomad Games 2014

Photo of the Week: World Nomad Games 2014 A celebration of culture and sports, international cooperation, press passes and sheeps’ asses. Nope, it’s not the Olympics, but the World Nomad Games: a biennial festival of all things nomadic culture on the shores of Issyk-Kol lake in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Contributor Stephen Lioy covered the

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Tagong Horse Festival Sichuan China

Photo of the Week: Tagong Horse Festival

Photo of the Week: Tagong Horse Festival It’s the Wild West, with fast-riding horsemen and long-standing family feuds and even the occasional mineral-rights dispute. It’s not Texas though, it’s China, the Western reaches of Sichuan province where Tibetan culture keeps a firm hold on the ancient region of Kham. And in the town of Tagong, for a

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