Getting to Know Ngapali

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After traveling through Myanmar for 11 days, we were tired of temples and stupas and ready for some R&R at the beach. Ngapali is a sleepy fishing village that has not quite attained the international recognition the beaches in Vietnam or Thailand have. Its white sand and clear blue waters have cemented its status as the premier beach in Myanmar, however. Overlooking the Bay of Bengal, Ngapali beach is located about 7 km from the town of Thandwe. This idyllic palm-lined beach was found years ago by a homesick Italian reminiscing about Napoli.  The laid back vibe here makes it the perfect location for some peace and quiet to recharge for a few days before heading back to reality. Continue reading →

Photo of the Week: Green Space

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IMG_3736Paris, France

This photo was taken at the top of the Eiffel Tower, looking down onto the Champ de Mars.  This public green space is always filled with people playing, relaxing, or picnicking right under the shadow of France’s most iconic landmark.  It’s also a great place to enjoy the dazzling light show at night.  Instead of spending the 4 hours in line waiting to go up the Eiffel Tower, the time is better spent on the green lawn with a bottle of wine, a nice spread of cheese, and a baguette – you know, sightseeing Parisian style.

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.

Bagan in Pictures

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Have you ever fallen in love with a place before you even got there?   Ever since the first time I saw a picture of Bagan at sunrise, I obsessively scoured Instagram  looking through other people’s photos, dreaming of a time when I would be there myself.  My dream came true last year when I finally got to explore the Burmese plains and took  over 3,000 photos during the 3 days that I was there.  Even the great explorer, Marco Polo was in awe of this place, calling it “one of the finest sights in the world”. Continue reading →

Photo of the Week: Prayer

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IMG_5642Sukhothai, Thailand

Sukhothai was the capital on the once mighty Kingdom of Siam, which flourished in the 13th and 14th centuries. This prosperous period is considered the golden age of Thai civilization.  Today, all that remains of the kingdom is the 45 sq km historical park that contains the ruins of ancient sites. 

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.

Getting to Know Bagan

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The ancient city of Bagan,  located on the banks of the Ayeyarwady River,  is home to over 4,000  Buddhist temples, pagodas, and stupas. It is one of the world’s greatest archaeological sites, rivaling that of Angkor Wat, with ruins dating back to as far as the 11th and 12th centuries. Over half of the original temples have managed to survive the years.  The stunning images of temples peaking through the canopy of trees is THE reason why I wanted to come to Myanmar.   The reality was every part as amazing as I imagined. Continue reading →

Photo of the Week: Japanese Garden

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IMG_4432 New York City, USA

This weekend is Sakura Matsuri, the 35th annual cherry blossom festival at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.  It’s the peak time to see all the beautiful spring flowers in bloom. This picture was taken on a stroll of the Japanese garden, a little piece of calmness in the center of chaos.  It was a beautiful Saturday and thousands of people made the trip to Prospect Park not just to enjoy the flowers but to take in the colorful cosplay and and performances at the festival.  

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.

Mandalay: Day Trip

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When you’re tired of Mandalay with all of its heat, smog, and traffic – consider visiting the surrounding towns on the outskirts of the city on a day trip.  Since these places are not too far away, you can either hire a taxi or rent a motorbike to take you around.  To hire a car, you don’t really need an advance booking, just walk to a hotel where taxis are usually parked and haggle with the driver on the price and itinerary.  We went with Mr. Po, our personal cabby, who took us to the villages for 45,000 Kyatt ($38 USD). Here is a breakdown of the places we visited, organized by location: Continue reading →

Mandalay: U Bein Bridge

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There are many attractions in and around Mandalay, but one of my favorites has to be the U Bein Bridge, located in Amarapura, a small town on the outskirts of the city.  The aging structure spans Taungthaman Lake, stretching 1.2km (0.75 mi), making it the longest teakwood bridge in the world. Known for its beautiful sunrise and sunset, this place is easily one of Myanmar’s most photographed sites.

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Photo of the Week: Gibraltar

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IMG_0763Gibraltar, Europe

Gibraltar is a small British Territory (just under three square miles), located at the tip of the Iberian Peninsula and easily accessible from both Spain and Morocco.  One of the main attractions here are the towering limestone ridges that rise to almost 1,400 feet, known as the Pillars of Hercules.  The low hanging cloud creates a mystical effect in the picture taken on our hike up the Rock of Gibraltar.

Every 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.

8 Things to do in Mandalay

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Temples and monasteries are an integral part of life in Myanmar, and so we spent the good part of our visit in Mandalay temple-hopping.  There are so many to visit, and each one is unique in its own way. Most of the pagodas we visited are within walking distance to each other located at the foot of the Mandalay Hill.  Some of the religious sites charge a small entrance fee for foreigners, but you can buy a Mandalay archeological zone ticket that allows you to see all the places within the city and surrounding town for 10,000 Kyatt per person, valid for 5 days.  On our first day we found a taxi driver, Mr. Po, who shared his expert knowledge of the area and helped us navigate the city.  He would drive us to each destination and waited until we were done.  It was especially helpful when we wanted to go to Amarapura and other nearby towns. 

One of the best things for me to do after each trip is to go through my notes and photos as I start to write about my trip.  It allows me to relive my trip and recall memorable experiences.  Here are some of the places we visited in Mandalay:

Continue reading →