On our second day we headed to downtown Yangon where you will see countless old colonial buildings in the historical wards. As a result of the country’s isolation for many years, some parts of Myanmar have remained much like they were a century ago. While the buildings look like they have stood still in time, the streets below are bustling with modern day activity. The store fronts are open for business while cars and people jostle to pass through the narrow roads.
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After flying for two days, we finally made it to Yangon. We’ve only been here for a day and we’re already head over heels in love with this country. As my mom likes to point out “you like everywhere you go”, which is true, but there is also something special about this place. At first glance, it reminds me a lot of Thailand, especially the golden pagoda and temples. “Same same but different,” as they say. Here at Shwedagon Pagoda, instead of hoards of tourists, you’ll see Burmese people in their colorful longyi. Visiting the pagoda as a family affair. Even though it’s a sacred religious place, people bring their food and have a family picnic in the temples after praying.
[photo credit: Wikipedia]
Hanoi, Vietnam
Nearby Hoan Kiem Lake is the well preserved Temple of Literature founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong as Vietnam’s first university. Now it is used as a temple, to honor Confucius and many of Vietnam’s finest scholars. It is not unusual to see students in their uniforms coming to the temple to pray for good grades.
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Mae Hong Son, Thailand
This photo was taken on our trip around Thailand. We visited the northern hill tribes near the northern city of Chiang Rai. These indigenous people live the simple lives in remote villages where their livelihood revolves around farming and livestock. The tribes have been welcoming and hospitable to visitors, giving us the unique opportunity to see the ways of life which have been forgotten in the Western world. The tribes women are selling handmade crafts to help supplement their earning. This very happy lady was showing us her colorful bead work and insisted that I try on the traditional hat.
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Bangkok, Thailand
For the last few weeks my sister has been traveling around Thailand, which makes me nostalgic for this great country. I miss the friendly people, the cheap food, and of course the $2 foot massage.
I went through my old photos and found this one taken at the dazzling Grand Palace in Bangkok. The palace is made up of numerous buildings, halls, and pavilions set around gardens and courtyards. This was the royal residence for over 150 years. These intricate golden Garuda and Naga grace the outside of the famous Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
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Chiang Mai, Thailand
A visit to the ancient city of Chiang Mai is not complete without a stop to one of its 300 temples. The wats come in all different shapes and sizes, some are conspicuous with their glittering gold statues while others are crumbling and receded back into history. Each one is filled with wafting incense smoke as people came to make their offerings and pay their respects to Buddha.
This gold bowl with beautiful mums, reminiscent of the orange robes worn by the monks caught my attention. I love the pop of colors against the whitewashed walls.
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Koh Phi Phi, Thailand
Koh Phi Phi island was made famous in the movie and the book, “The Beach.” The story talks of a pristine island in the Gulf of Thailand, uninhabited and forbidden; on which there lies a beautiful hidden beach and lagoon – walled in by cliffs and untouched by the tourist industry. As we landed on the island, we were disappointed to see that the once pristine beach is over-run by tourists and the clear water glistens with oil slicks from the motor boats that truck people in and out every day.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
Arabian Desert, Dubai, UAE
Recently sand surfing has become a popular sport in the Middle East, and while on our short trip to Dubai we had a chance to experience this adrenaline filled past-time in the Arabian desert. We took a 4×4 out to the middle of the desert, strapped on a board, and glided down the soft sand dunes. This picture was taken of my friend Nate as he crushed it, on his first time down the dune.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
Tokyo, Japan
We spent a morning in Tokyo walking through the Asakusa district. Along Nakamise-dori, you’ll find many stores selling all kinds of things; from traditional kimonos, to okashi (Japanese sweets), to souvenirs as pictured above. The streets are crowded with tourists and locals in their traditional fineries making their way to Sensoji Temple, the oldest temple in the city.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
life after 9to5 