Treasure and wonders from across the Asian continent ... from the crossroads of the Malaysian archipelago, to motorcycle traffic in Vietnam, thru the fantastic landscapes of India and China. Pearls of the Orient is an ode to the banh mi sandwich and the women who make it possible ... the cultural mosaic of Kuala Lumpur ... the life of the indefatigable 10 Rupee note ... the liquid colors coursing thru Shanghai's neon veins ... how India's roads flow like rivers, and the immaculate beauty which dots their banks. You will find odes to laundry day in China's cities and an onomatopoeia of CNY fireworks ... plus the dangerous threats lurking in Thai kitchens ... the stonework and artistry of India's Taj Mahal; the epic jeweled love letter ... how the monkeys of Agra do things ... the intricacies of incense arranging in Vietnamese shrines ... and how the first Buddha relics found their way from Nepal into an ancient Mon kingdom, and into a monolithic gem-studded, gold-plated temple.