A place comes alive to a traveler when it's geography, living species and monuments speak of it's history. I remember seeing little ones run to the purported school building in Angkor Wat in my mind's eye. I also recall imagining artisans from 12th century India working on the friezes depicting the Mahabharata in the main complex. It's that experience of bring transported back in time to make a connection with people from a distant time and place that makes traveling so meaningful and enjoyable. Ami Bhat makes such an experience possible for armchair travelers with every story in her charmingly penned When Places Come Alive. She takes her readers and their imaginations on a journey traversing the Indian states of Kerala, Ladakh and Rajasthan to Venice in Italy and crisscrossing to Australia, Indonesia and Thailand. A thoroughly enjoyable read!