Tanya Pham

- Hospitality in Singapore
  
  Posted at 3:36 pm by tanyapham, on March 17, 2015
  
  As I mentioned in one of my last posts, I was starting to feel some of the less glamorous effects of long-term travel after four months of backpacking throughout Southeast Asia. Luckily, Mitch’s wonderful father, Rick, cleverly planned a business trip in Singapore while we would be there.
  
  After a rough day and long journey on a night bus from George Town, we finally arrived in beautiful Singapore. Seeing family for the first time in four months was very emotional, and I may or may not have cried a bit… What a relief to see a familiar face! And you know what else? Since hotels in Singapore are so expensive, Rick kindly upgraded his room to have two beds, and we were able to stay with him at… The Intercontinental! The timing was perfect for an amazingly wonderful break from the backpacking grind. I felt unbelievably relieved and so lucky!
  
  Father-in-law and me! SO, so happy to see him!
  
  Our time in Singapore was packed — while Rick was in town, he showed us around his usual haunts, including an evening at the Singapore marina where we saw our first mer-lion and enjoyed an enormous feast of Singapore’s famous chili crab with a fantastic view of the Singapore skyline. (A mer-lion is Singapore’s mascot. A cross between a mermaid and lion. The mer-lion represents the island characteristic of Singapore combined with some Singaporean history — a lion was purportedly spotted on Singapore in the early colonization days).
  
  An afternoon in Chinatown! Chinatown was very busy and bustling with the upcoming Lunar New Year. Families were purchasing gifts, the town was decorated, and there was a overall feel of excitement and renewal.
  
  Haji Lane! This bohemian/hipster neighborhood was super cute with many trendy shops and coffee shops.
  
  The beautiful mosque near Haji Lane
  
  The three of us in front the famous Marina Bay Sands hotel
  
  CHILI CRAB!!! It was incredibly delicious and not inexpensive… thanks, Rick!
  
  Singapore skyline at sunset
  
  While in this lush country, we were lucky enough to have some friends to show us around. Rick’s coworker who lives in Singapore, Kenny, was so gracious to show us the Gardens by the Bay as well as some delicious local foods.
  
  Giant falls inside one of the large domes at Gardens by the Bay
  
  Walkway above the garden tower
  
  Carnivorous plant display
  
  Mitch, Kenny, and me — thank you, Kenny!
  
  Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay
  
  More flowers in the Flower Dome
  
  We also were so happy to spend two evenings with our friends Alan and Jin who we met while enjoying some Hainanese chicken in Bangkok. These two were amazing hosts and just so generous, and they really know how to give a tour! Our first night, they drove us around the island, showing us some interesting spots like Sentosa (a small resort island off Singapore), Mount Faber where we had some drinks and enjoyed a wonderful view of the city, and the durian district! I tried durian for the first time and didn’t love it but didn’t hate it either. We had such a fun night with these two — it’s something I’ll remember forever!
  
  Drinks at the top of Mount Faber
  
  Jin and Alan teach us about the different kinds of durian.
  
  Because we had so many locals showing us around, Mitch and I learned some interesting bits about everyday life in Singapore. For example, in order to limit the use of cars, the Singapore government requires a special pass to drive a car. These passes are limited and can cost as much as the car itself or more! We also learned that most Singaporeans live in government built flats/apartments, which usually have covered walkways all the way to the nearest metro stop, so citizens have shelter from some of the more extreme tropical weather in Singapore. I also found Singapore’s compulsory savings (the Central Provident Fund) very interesting. We learned so much more about culture and every day life, and we were lucky to get such a generous peek into life in Singapore from all of our friends there.
  
  On our last night, Jin and Alan took us to the most amazing restaurant called True Blue Cuisine featuring authentic Peranakan cuisine. We had no idea what we were getting into, but we soon learned that Peranakan culture developed from intermarriage between Chinese and Malays in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. The cuisine was unlike anything we had ever tasted, especially a tasty chicken dish seasoned with keluak nut. The restaurant was so beautiful, the company wonderful, and the food delicious — I only wish I had taken one photo to remember that night! No matter, we will be back for Singapore round two in the future!
  
  While in Singapore, I don’t think Mitch and I planned a single thing the entire time, and for that, we were truly grateful. The unexpected generosity and kindness of our friends in Singapore truly revitalized my travel spirit and readied me for the next leg of our adventure. Until next time, Singapore! We will meet again!
  
  Miss you two! See you again soon! Thank you!
  
  Posted in Singapore | 1 Comment | Tagged Chili Crab, Durian, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore
- Malaysian Food Fest!
  
  Posted at 3:36 pm by tanyapham, on March 17, 2015
  
  Bon apetit!
  
  I have been absolutely terrible about sharing our foodie adventures, which is actually a huge part of our travels! Mitch and I put in a lot of research regarding what dishes we should try and where we should try them. We’ve had so much amazing food that it’s hard to pick a favorite; however, I could not write about Malaysia without dedicating an entire post to its fabulous food culture.
  
  Malaysia is home to a large Chinese, Malay, and Indian population, and the food boasts flavors from all three cultures, making Malaysia a huge foodie scene. In fact, Malaysia and Singapore both have huge foodie cultures with similar demographics and therefore similar dishes, and there is a bit of a rivalry between the two countries as to who makes the better version of each dish. Not only that, in both countries, the people are known to get into heated debates regarding where one can find the best version of each dish. If you check out some Malaysian food or Singapore food blogs, the discussions occurring about each dish are hilarious and very intense. More on Singapore later, but for now, here’s a list of our favorite dishes from George Town (in no particular order)!
  
  1. Nasi Kandar
  
  “Nasi” in Malay means “fried.” Nasi Kandar is a famous Indian dish consisting of very simple fried rice topped with mouth-wateringly seasoned chicken and a variety of sides. We first tried it at the famous Line Clear Nasi Kandar.
  
  YUM. Our first experience left us bursting at the seams, since we didn’t know the serving sizes were enormous. The second time we went, we just shared a plate…
  
  Picking my sides with the nice host!
  
  2. TOAST!!
  
  I have potentially unhealthy love affair with toast, and I was so excited that one of the recommended breakfast spots in George Town featured toast, which turns out to be “a thing” in both Malaysia and Singapore. Toh Soon Cafe — a small little shop down a side alley — offers toast slathered in butter, peanut butter, or kaya butter (coconut type spread). You can also order some poached eggs (very softly poached) and their amazingly delicious kopi, or coffee. Each table also has a small basket of small, brown paper wrapped packages containing a small helping of nasi lemak (fried rice with tomato and anchovies). Everything at Toh Soon Cafe is delicious.
  
  Toh Soon Cafe
  
  Toh Soon Cafe alley
  
  Nasi lemak (fried rice with tomato sauce and anchovies)
  
  Poached egg with butter toast. Kaya and peanut butter toast in the background
  
  3. Roti Canai
  
  One evening before heading to the Penang Philharmonic’s Film Scores night, Mitch and I stopped in Little India to wander the streets and taste the renowned roti canai, Indian flatbread eaten with different curry dips. We had some amazingly delicious and authentic chai along with our roti canai. I couldn’t get over how tasty the chai was, and then I couldn’t sleep all night after having it at around 6 pm!
  
  Vibrant Little India
  
  Mitch, his chai, his roti, and his beard.
  
  4. Hokkien Mee
  
  Hokkien mee, also known as prawn mee, is a prawn based soup broth with egg AND rice noodles (noodle fans rejoice!), shrimp, pork, squid, vegetables, and lime. It’s an explosion of flavor and one of my favorite dishes we enjoyed.
  
  5. Wonton Mi
  
  Okay, so many this photo isn’t the best (it was taken at night under terrible lighting), but the dish itself is fantastic! We found a very busy street vendor and settled in for our first Malaysian meal. Wonton Mi is a delicious bowl of egg noodles, wontons, barbecued pork, and vegetables in a savory salty sauce — yum!
  
  Our first dish in George Town: Wonton Mi
  
  6. Mi Goreng
  
  Fried egg noodles with tomato-ish sauce, egg, octopus or squid, and some root vegetables. The best mi goreng is known for having a very smoky flavor, created from years of using the same wok without washing. This was one of my favorite dishes in George Town.
  
  7. “Fish” Ball Kuay Teow
  
  This light soup is a breakfast dish in Malaysia, consisting of a mild but very delicious broth with rice noodles, and small amount of sliced meat, and fish balls. What made this restaurant special, though, was that they used eel to make their fish balls, and WOW, it was phenomenal. The fish balls were so light and delicate, they almost melt in your mouth. This specific, well-known restaurant is just called “Fish Ball Kuay/Kway Teow.”
  
  Delicious!
  
  This soup was the perfect morning meal — very light and delicate.
  
  We tried so many more dishes assam laksa, seafood popiah, cendol, curry mi, Hainanese chicken, and more, but those were our favorites from Malaysia! More food updates when I post about Singapore!
  
  Posted in Malaysia | 0 Comments | Tagged Food, George Town, Malaysia, Penang
- Artistic Inclinations in George Town
  
  Posted at 3:35 pm by tanyapham, on March 17, 2015
  
  Streets of George Town, Penang in Malaysia
  
  Hello, dear readers! It has been quite some time since my last post. Where my last update left us lazing and relaxing in the warm
  embraces of the Andaman Sea, we next found ourselves amidst the vibrant, pulsing George Town, Penang in Malaysia.
  
  Covered walkways that line most streets remain from the British colonial period. I loved the beautiful tiling that has — for the most part — been well preserved.
  
  Beautifully preserved building entrance
  
  George Town is the capital of Penang state in Malaysia, and the inner portion is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site where preserved British colonial style streets and buildings infuse the town with an old-style charm. In contrast, you will see streets lined with food vendors and hawker centers selling their nibbles amidst intensely aromatic plumes of mouthwatering steam and smoke. Malay, Chinese, Indian cuisines dominate the food scene and create some of the world’s best street food, which all taste like an eruption of expertly combined spices and flavors. We were in foodie heaven. I’ll have to dedicate another post entirely to our Malaysian food extravaganza, but for now, more on our stay in George Town.
  
  Mitch and I found George Town to be a surprise in its artistic sensibilities. Buildings are vividly adorned with vibrant street art. We spent an afternoon checking out some of the most famous murals and continued to enjoy many more during our entire stay.
  
  While visiting a beautiful art gallery and museum featuring batik paintings (invented in Malaysia), we saw a flyer advertising a short film screening and eagerly headed over later in the evening. The screening took place in an empty courtyard surrounded by beautiful old buildings and charmingly decorated with bulb lights and, of course, a beautifully painted street mural. The screening turned out to be part of a few small events leading up to TropFest SEA, a large film festival featuring short films from around the world. We had a blast, planned on seeing a few more screenings while in town, and ended up winning the coffee prize — which was bestowed upon us with great reverence — for that evening.
  
  Being introspective in the Batik Art Gallery & Museum, which showcased beautiful works featuring strong women
  
  Entrance to the short film screening — how picturesque is this set up!?
  
  We won the coffee drawing, haha! Yes, Mitch’s beard and hair are out of control!
  
  While we missed the actual TropFest SEA by one day, we were able to attend three screenings beforehand and saw many lovely short films and some full length films as well. One that struck me deeply was called “Lost Loves,” the true story of a fiercely strong Cambodian woman who lost her husband and many children during the bloody reign of the Khmer Rouge. The movie, directed by Cambodian Chhay Bora, was written by one of the woman’s surviving children who also starred in the film as her mother (and is also the director’s wife). While it was a bit rough around the edges, the movie was very moving and sobering. This is a part of world history I barely touched upon in school, and while I had read about this horrific part of Cambodia’s history online a bit, seeing a true story was powerful and painful.
  
  In addition to our art-filled days, we took some time to see the typical tourist attractions like Si Kwon Ki Temple with its beautiful vistas as well as the Penang Fruit Farm towards the center of the island. Of course, driving a motorbike along the coastline then into the mountains to see the fruit farm was so fun. We love renting a motorbike because it allows us to be self-sufficient with transportation and see parts of cities we would never otherwise be able to experience.
  
  View of Penang on the way up to Si Kwon Ki Temple.
  
  Buddha at Si Kwon Ki Temple
  
  The path up and down the mountain leading to the temple was festively decorated with lanterns in preparation for Lunar New Year.
  
  Beautiful mountain views from the fruit farm
  
  Passion fruit — my favorite! The plastic bags around each fruit protect them from insects.
  
  Some of the fruit farm landscaping. The grounds were extensive, and our tour guide was wonderful in explaining the tastes, uses, and care for each type of fruit grown at the farm.
  
  Our time in Penang was wonderful, but our favorite aspect was the amazing food! Next, I’ll dedicate a post to some of our favorite dishes — don’t forget to check it out!
  
  By the time Mitch and I left George Town, Malaysia, we had been traveling for four months, and I was starting to feel it. I have learned a lot on our travels and appreciate all of my blessings even more, but that didn’t mean I was immune to missing some of my creature comforts and family back home. After four months of traveling, I was a bit run down and missing not having to wear flip flops in the shower every day, not having to pack and unpack all the time, my bathroom that never emanated the faint smell of a sewer, my own personal space, sheets that only I have ever used, routine, and family and friends.
  
  After four months, I was having a moment of being just tired. I hope this does not come across badly, but sometimes it’s hard to travel long-term! I know how lucky we are to be on this trip, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with any challenges. What I mean by that is that I was becoming tired of constantly being “on” all the time. Mitch and I constantly have to think of everything: of where to eat breakfast, where to eat lunch, where to eat dinner and how to get to each of those places in unfamiliar cities. We are always planning what to do next and how to get there, thinking about exchange rates with every transaction, finding places to stay that don’t have bed bugs, figuring out the best modes of transportation, and being aware of our surroundings at all times. It takes a lot of energy to be a prudent and efficient traveler, and the effects were starting to hit me. I needed a break and respite from our budget hotels and planning.
  
  It’s a good thing we were meeting Mitch’s dad in Singapore next!
  
  Posted in Malaysia | 0 Comments | Tagged Art, Chhay Bora, George Town, Lost Loves, Malaysia, Penang, Street Art, Tropfest SEA
- Reflection
  
  Posted at 1:24 pm by tanyapham, on February 19, 2015
  
  Throughout our travels, we have become increasingly aware of how lucky we are in so many respects. Before we left on this journey, I think we were both very grateful and thankful for our lifestyles, but traveling throughout Southeast Asia has really forced us to look more closely at the smaller things that we take for granted. Here are some (but not all) of the items we don’t take for granted now. (This list is not intended as criticism to the beautiful countries we have visited and love. Every country has its own story and develops in its own unique way. This is just a reflection on the luck and privileges I previously sometimes took for granted).
  
  1. Electricity, especially 24-hours a day, 7 days a week
  
  Mitch and I have stayed in many places that didn’t have electricity all day long. If you recall, we stayed in a scary little town on the Mekong on our way to Laos that had random blackouts. (To be clear, the town wasn’t scary because of the blackouts, haha 😉 ). Throughout Burma and in one of our home stays, we experienced random blackouts, and in many of our beach huts, electricity was only available via a generator for six hours a day. Because we didn’t have to live like this permanently, we were generally fine, but these experiences really made us think about the people who don’t have access to electricity because of scarcity (like in our island beach huts) or because they can’t afford it. How else does this affect them? It probably affects:
  
  – Access to information: If people can’t listen to the radio, read the news online (if they have access), or watch the news on a television, they are probably less able to remain informed and educated about what is happening around them, which is detrimental in general but especially in countries with an oppressive government.
  – Health: What happens if someone in your family is ill and needs to stay warm? Without access to electricity, more illness and medical costs abound.
  – Education: similar to access to information, but additionally, how likely is one to study when access to proper lighting is unavailable? This, of course, affects opportunities to make a better living for one’s family.
  
  2. Water (much less warm, clean water)
  
  In Oakland, I am so lucky to be able to be able to turn on the tap for some water when I’m thirsty. I can drink the water and brush my teeth with it, knowing it is tasty and clean. I will always remember our home stay host in Thailand telling us about the dead rat in the town water that people had been drinking for about a week…
  
  3. Free Speech
  
  Many of the countries we visited do not have freedom of speech. In Burma, the press has only been able to publish without pre-approval from the government since 2012! Singapore strongly censors political and religiously sensitive material.
  
  4. Healthcare
  
  Mitch and I have experienced food poisoning twice so far, and I cut my toe pretty badly (borderline needing stitches) during this trip. There are also many other scenarios where the possibility of needing to use healthcare abroad entered my mind (getting mowed down by a motorbike, for example, is actually a large possibility). While the U.S. has room to grow in terms of its healthcare system, I have to say that I am grateful that I can trust the ingredients label on my medications, that I have access to healthcare, and that public hospitals have decent equipment and facilities.
  
  5. Food
  
  Not only do I have access to good, clean, healthy food on a regular basis, I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, home to some of the best food in the country! When I get home, I know I’m going to appreciate my meals, my farmers market produce, my Safeway produce, so much more. I admit to sometimes being a food snob in the past, but those days are over. I will still enjoy delicious meals and even celebratory fancy meals, but every time I eat, I will always try to be mindful of what’s happening. I’ll think about where the food came from and how it arrived on my table and who was involved in this process. I’ll savor the flavors and remember to be grateful for my meal, knowing that so many others eke out a living with so much less and many others don’t survive.
  
  6. Education
  
  I am lucky to say that not only did I attend good public schools from K-12, I attended the best public university in the world (Go Bears!). Not everyone can say the same; we have met many young students desperate to learn without access to or opportunity to attend a solid educational institution.
  
  7. Stuff
  
  Let’s not kid ourselves here, I am not a fashionista, but I do enjoy the occasional (OK, maybe more than occasional) addition to my closet. Well, for the past four and a half months, I have been living out of two backpacks with a fixed number of clothing articles, shoes, makeup, hair stuff, and general accessories. This is definitely a challenge for me, which is sad because we have seen tons of people living with much less. I have worn the same sweaty outfits more than once before being able to wash them and “survived” with just one beach cover up when in the past, I have been known to bring one or two cover ups per day for a beach trip because I told myself I couldn’t be in the same coverup in all my photos. Ah, the ugly truth comes out. I have way too many clothes and I cared way too much about clothes (and this didn’t even result in being anywhere near fashionable!).
  
  Before I left for this trip, I actually performed a relatively successful closet purge in which I donated about four or five large trash bags of clothes and accessories. After this trip, I know I could have done more. When we return, I plan to do another massive closet cleanse as well as a “stuff” cleanse. We honestly don’t need all the things we have, and I truly believe we would actually be happier with fewer things and more positive experiences.
  
  When I think about what makes me happy, I think about this once in a lifetime trip with my husband; the dinner at James and Sarah’s before we left; hiking with my friends; that time Jarrett couldn’t stop laughing in Yosemite cabin; skinny dipping in Big Sur (definitely didn’t involve clothes); staying up until 2 am whenever I’m in San Diego because I can’t get enough time with my mom and Joey, Arra, and David; teaching Hannah to knit in college; giant Thanksgiving dinners with my Dad’s family; crazy evenings and delicious dinners at Jeana and Bob’s; evening strolls around Lake Merritt.
  
  Which brings me to my last point:
  
  8. Friends and family
  
  Guys, as much fun as we’ve been having on this trip, we miss you. This was pretty evident when we met up with Mitch’s dad in Singapore (post to come soon), and I started crying the second I saw him. You are so important to us, and we miss you all so much and can’t wait to return to spending quality time with all of you.
  
  This post has been all over the place, but I guess what my heart is trying to say is that I am seeing more and more clearly now what really matters to me, and those things are family and friends; experiences and memories; and using my advantages and privileges to help others who haven’t had the same opportunities.
  
  We still have two months left on this journey, but I am already excited about my clearer perspective and the changes — even small changes can be meaningful — in my attitude and lifestyle upon our return.
  
  See you soon! XOXO
  
  Posted in Personal | 3 Comments | Tagged Family, Friends, Personal, Privilege
- Surin Island Snorkeling Days
  
  Posted at 1:23 pm by tanyapham, on February 19, 2015
  
  I love snorkeling!
  
  On our relaxing island getaway on Koh Phra Thong, Mitch and I met two girls, Rebecca and Irina, with whom we decided to travel to our next destination: the famed Surin Islands in the Andaman Sea.
  
  From Koh Phra Thong, we took a longboat back to the mainland and then took a one hour speedboat ride to one of the Surin Islands. Although we chose the less modern beach on the island, Ao Mai Ngam, it was still relatively busy, but that didn’t detract from the incredible beauty of the place. Everyone stayed in tents, and we were lucky enough to snag beach front property with incredible views.
  
  We are almost to Surin, and the water is so incredible — it looks like it’s fluorescent or glowing! No photo editing here — this is seriously what the water looked like!
  
  Unreal water. No post-production here and hashtagnofilter
  
  It looks like someone dumped a bucket of glowing paint into the water!
  
  The view from inside our tent… not too shabby!
  
  The island was surrounded with incredible beaches like this one where we landed
  
  Our days consisted of short hikes, snorkeling, and reading on the beach. After supper with Rebecca and Irina, we played the card game “Danger” that Irina taught us that she somehow always managed to win… 😉 The only negative thing I can say about our stay was that the food was sort of… terrible. By night three, all of us were ordering the instant ramen noodles and adding chili and soy sauce to create our own “stir fry.” This didn’t matter so much, though, since we had such wonderful company and were in such an incredible place.
  
  Day 1: A Short Snorkel and an Afternoon Hike
  
  Rebecca and Irina!
  
  It’s Marlin and Nemo!
  
  The clown fish were adorable
  
  Rebecca leads the way on our hike
  
  So, so happy
  
  On the hike, we found this secluded cove we loved. Here it is at low tide.
  
  Rebecca and Mitch hanging out in our secret cove
  
  Beach photo shoot in our secret cove
  
  Day 2: Morning Snorkel Trip and an Afternoon Relaxing
  
  We were so excited to finally be using our GoPro underwater video feature that we didn’t get any photos of our snorkeling from the second day — darn! I have also been having trouble getting enough bandwidth to upload videos to YouTube to share here, so videos will have to wait until later! We saw so many beautiful fish — giant parrot fish who you could hear munching on corals, queen angelfish, moorish idols (Gill from Finding Nemo), and so many more. I’m seriously bummed the video uploading isn’t working and that we didn’t take photos! Anyway, here is a less interesting photo of much less beautiful creatures:
  
  Goofing around on our temporary beach front property 🙂
  
  Day 3: Return to the Secret Cove and Second Snorkeling Trip
  
  The morning of our third day, Mitch, Rebecca, and I returned to our favorite little cove for a quick swim and some sunny reading. In the afternoon, we reconnected with Irina for our second snorkeling session. This time, in addition to filming, we did take some underwater photos!
  
  High tide at the cove means better swimming! Rebecca heads out first
  
  I’m in heaven!
  
  Rebecca and me atop a seemingly high rock that doesn’t seem so high in this photo…
  
  To get to the good snorkeling, you sign up for a boat ride where the driver drops you off in a few different snorkeling locations for about 45 minutes each, which is plenty! I started to get cold after 30 minutes, even in the warm, pool-like water.
  
  Beautiful coral and fish everywhere!
  
  The coral on our second day of snorkeling was so beautiful.
  
  I thought I’d get a bunch of graceful swimming photos, but instead, I generally look like the most awkward amoeba ever.
  
  Incredible coral surrounded by little fish
  
  The underwater photos truly do not do our experience justice — it was so magical swimming amongst hundreds of fish! Snorkeling is one of my favorite things we’ve done on the trip.
  
  Day 4: Morning Mangroves and Goodbye!
  
  We spent our last morning in Surin quietly wading through the mangroves on our beach looking for blacktip reef sharks. We were really lucky and saw quite a few, catching them on the move on video and photo.
  
  Mangroves at high tide in the morning
  
  Shark! The mangroves are great places for baby sharks and baby fish in general. The mangrove roots provide many hiding places and calm waters where young animals can grow without too much external stress from tides, waves, and larger animals.
  
  In the afternoon, we packed up and took a speedboat back to the mainland, and said goodbye to our wonderful friends Rebecca and Irina. We had such a wonderful time on the island, which was made even more special because of the friends we made. Until next time, Surin!
  
  Posted in Thailand | 0 Comments | Tagged Ao Mai Ngam, Sharks, Snorkel, Surin Islands, Thailand
- Koh Phra Thong: My Slice of Heaven
  
  Posted at 1:17 pm by tanyapham, on February 19, 2015
  
  Sunset on Koh Phra Thong
  
  Mitch and I left Bangkok for the last time after returning from Burma and headed toward white, sandy beaches for the first time in our trip after three months in Southeast Asia! I’m not sure how we avoided beaches for so long, but by the time we arrived to our island getaway in the Andaman Sea, we were more than ready for it.
  
  Mr. Chuoi’s, where we stayed on Koh Phra Thong, is still my favorite spot we have visited during our trip through SE Asia so far. Of course I love and appreciate all the amazing places we’ve been, the jaw-dropping ruins, the mouth-watering food, the culture, the people… but I found our days on Koh Phra Thong to be so relaxing and rejuvenating, I just wish we stayed longer.
  
  Anyway, here’s our Koh Phra Thong story:
  
  After another long night on a bus, we arrived at a small-town bus station where we caught a truck ride to the town’s ferry landing and waited for our longboat to arrive. Sharing the longboat with two girls from Germany, Rebecca and Irina, we headed to our island getaway and arrived after a one hour, beautifully calm boat ride. We hopped off the longboat with our packs directly into knee-deep, warm water and were met by Mr. Chuoi, who I can only describe as a Thai island version of Captain Jack Sparrow. We jumped onto Mr. Chuoi’s truck for a fifteen minute drive to his collection of huts and finally made it to our home for the next four days.
  
  Looking a bit disheveled and tired as we wait for the longboat to Koh Phra Thong
  
  To summarize, we took a 10-hour night bus, a ten minute truck ride to the ferry, a one hour longboat ride to the island, and a fifteen minute truck ride to arrive at our beach hut. But it was more than worth it.
  
  Mr. Chuoi’s beach huts are traditional thatched huts housing one queen sized bed protected by mosquito netting and a small bathroom with an unheated shower (this didn’t matter because the water tanks sat in the sun all day, and water was just fine, especially on a hot island), western toilet, and faucet (no sink). They are very similar to the hut we stayed in on the Mekong River many months ago, except they are newer and much larger (at least twice as large). Speaking of being newer, these huts are actually just ten years old, which is the amount of time that has passed since the devastating tsunami in Thailand. In the tsunami, Mr. Chuoi’s old huts were demolished, and he survived by climbing up a coconut tree and hanging on for thirty minutes!
  
  The front of our hut — there’s a lovely porch area where you can sit outside or lay your wet items to dry.
  
  Our queen sized mattress and mosquito net. Notice the floors have gaps between each bamboo slab — this is so sand easily falls through, making cleaning much easier. I think it must also help with wind flow and ventilation on hot, sticky island days.
  
  That’s our shower head.
  
  Toilet and water bucket for flushing. Our faucet was above the water bucket in the corner. We also had an outdoor faucet we used to rinse sandals and wash clothes.
  
  Anyway, the huts were perfect, no sink and all. Seriously. They were actually my favorite accommodations the entire trip! Sometimes you need to stay in a thatched hut to re-evaluate what you really need in life. Apparently, heated water or 24 hour electricity isn’t one of them (the huts only had electricity from a generator from 5 pm to 11 pm)!
  
  On Koh Phra Thong, we spent our days on the beach reading for hours, kayaking to the islands across the small channel, looking for seashells, observing the huge hermit crab population, watching ghost crabs chase each other across the sand, walking along the beach without seeing a soul for hours, practicing yoga, swimming in the salty, warm water, searching for turtles, and generally doing nothing but relaxing.
  
  Wavy sand!
  
  Hermit crab pile-up — they were fighting over housing.
  
  Paradise
  
  More paradise
  
  The island dogs were so friendly, and Mitch loves dogs.
  
  Mitch snoozes on the beach… life is hard!
  
  I like long walks on the beach…
  
  Fiery island sunset
  
  Don’t make me leave!
  
  An island local heading in as the sun sets
  
  In the evenings, we found ourselves at Mr. Chuoi’s sandy restaurant, enjoying the day’s catch (barracuda one evening and red snapper another — talk about eating local food!) and other delicious fare, avoiding coconut beetles as they crashed into lights and fell onto our heads, and chatting with other hut residents and Mr. Chuoi, who had a penchant for teasing all guests.
  
  In the evenings, I also loved watching an interesting ritual: when the lights came on in the restaurant, giant coconut beetles would haphazardly fly in, crashing into everything possible, including our heads. After a particularly bad crash, they’d fall, land on their backs, and were unable to turn over. At around the same time, Mr. Chuoi’s fat, fat ducks that resided in an area next door to the restaurant would come waddling in, heads low to the ground, methodically looking from side to side. They were in search for a dinner feast they knew came at around the same time each night… coconut beetle. The ducks would just gobble up those beetles and march out of the dining area as if on a schedule! Someone told us that in the warmer season, the island would be crawling with even more coconut beetles, which is when locals love to catch them as a tasty fried snack.
  
  Mr. Chuoi’s bar and restaurant where we enjoyed barracuda and red snapper as well as the company of the colorful Mr. Chuoi
  
  The island gave me such a sense of peace and serenity. I felt so happy in our sink-less hut, washing my single beach cover-up each night under a faucet with Dr. Bronner’s soap and setting it out to dry for use the next day. Life truly slowed down and simplified, and we happily did so as well.
  
  Koh Phra Thong, we will be back again some day.
  
  Bliss
  
  Posted in Thailand | 2 Comments | Tagged Andaman Sea, Beach, Huts, Island, Koh Phra Thong, Thailand
- Lamai Homestay in Ko Phet, Thailand
  
  Posted at 10:34 am by tanyapham, on February 3, 2015
  
  Lamai Homestay
  
  While this is a bit out of chronological order, I had to revisit one of our last Thailand adventures. After our wonderful time in Khon Kaen, Thailand and before we headed to Burma, Mitch and I took a short bus ride down to a small town called Ko Phet to stay with a family and experience life in a small, eastern village of Thailand.
  
  We stayed with Lamai, a beautiful Isaan native, and Jimmy, her Welsh husband, and their three children, Lizzy (14 yrs), Jolie (4 yrs, named after Lamai’s favorite actress Angelina Jolie), and Amy (about to be 1 yr). They lived in a larger, bit more western home right next to the village where Lamai grew up, Ko Phet.
  
  Ko Phet
  
  On our first evening, Jimmy and Lamai showed us around Lamai’s hometown, Ko Phet. We met a lot of her extended family and caught a glimpse of rural life in eastern Thailand.
  
  The village lake from which a lot of drinking water is drawn
  
  We saw many homes with red shirts hanging outside. Lamai explained that many believe the red shirts provide protection from phi (ghosts) who wish to kill first born sons
  
  One of Ko Phet’s village water towers
  
  Lamai had so many funny, small-town anecdotes to share, but I thought this one was the most endearing. When Lamai and her husband first started the home stay, the villagers wondered why falangs would not drink the town water. After some observation, they determined it was because falangs only like drinking from water bottles, so they began bottling up their normal water and offering it to visitors, haha! Just a wonderful example of how accommodating, thoughtful, and hospitable the people of eastern Thailand are. Lamai warned us beforehand not to accept any water, including unsealed bottled water, from anyone in town because while their bodies are able to handle the lake water, foreign stomachs could not take it quite as well.
  
  Khmer Ruins at Phi Mai
  
  The next day, Jimmy took us to see the Khmer ruins of Phi Mai, which was a large temple located on one end of a large highway that connected to Angkor Wat back in the day! Crazy! The area of the temple is comparable to that of Angkor Wat, so Phi Mai was most likely quite an important city in the Khmer empire.
  
  Mitch says, “Hi!”
  
  One of the side entrances
  
  Buddha The Khmer people were Hindu, but the temples at Phi Mai were built as Buddhist temples.
  
  Foraging for Dinner
  
  On the last day, we decided to roll up our pants and get dirty. Lamai and her mom, Bua Yai, took us foraging for some traditional Isaan village food: mud crabs, spiders, and scorpions. This was no joke — the townspeople, including Lamai’s family, still fry a pan of these critters up on a regular basis. In fact, Bua Yai is famous in Ko Phet for being the best forager, and she loves being in the fields foraging on a daily basis. This is something that takes all day: villagers literally look for food all morning for lunch, then forage some more all afternoon for dinner. It’s hard work.
  
  Okay, let me start this section off by saying I have self-diagnosed, mild arachnophobia; nothing paralyzing, but I’m more afraid than the average spider-averse person. Sometimes, when I find a spider in my apartment, I call my mom or sister or Mitch (when he lived in Seattle) to help talk me through exterminating the eight-legged creature. Anyway, I thought I was being pretty brave by agreeing to tag along this spider foraging morning. Little did I know, the spiders were poisonous, at large as my hand, furry, and fierce!
  
  The process for spider foraging is as follows:
  
  1. Look for a hole in the ground covered by a web (ugh, I’m getting creeped out just writing about it)
  2. Begin digging using the spear-like shovel while following the hole’s path (eek…)
  3. When the hole suddenly gets larger (gah, shivers!), you’ve reached the creature’s lair!
  4. Use a stick to gently agitate it until it runs out in a rage (AHHH!). Try not to injure the spider — that makes it harder to clean prior to frying…
  5. Allow the creature to climb onto your spear-shovel (oh god, that’s way too close for comfort) and shake it off in the Basket of Evil
  6. DO NOT GET BITTEN
  
  Actually, it was kind of funny when I asked about getting bitten. I was very concerned and asked what you would do, what medications there were, if you needed to see the doctor, etc. Lamai made a big deal about not getting bitten, but then when I asked all these questions, she just said you don’t really do anything — if you’re bitten on the hand, your hand and forearm turn black and you wait for it to heal. WHAT!?
  
  Anyway, I did not participate in spider foraging, I merely documented it, which I would like to say was already very brave of me (tooting my own, brave horn).
  
  Taking advantage of the cooler morning and heading out to forage for some dinner!
  
  Mitch uses the long shovel to dig up a spider >.<
  
  Spider at the end of the pole. Prior to this, the creature was really angry, standing on two (or four?) of its eight, ugly limbs while raising its other legs, baring its fangs and charging Mitch.
  
  Depositing his latest catch into the basket of evil
  
  Sweet baby Jesus, it has fur
  
  They caught about four or five spiders before we continued on for crabs, which I did help catch. The method was the same: look for a hole, dig to the bottom, gentle remove crab. I ended up being a great digger (ability to follow the hole while not injuring the food), while Mitch was the extraction expert. We caught a lot of mud crabs, and on the way home, Mitch caught a scorpion!
  
  That night for dinner, Lamai fried everything for us, and Mitch enjoyed all of it, including the cricket appetizer she got for him at the local market. Well, he actually didn’t think the scorpion tasted that wonderful, but he loved the spiders (I can’t even…) and described their flavor as “crispy chicken skin.”
  
  Mitch’s end of dinner treat
  
  Spidey time
  
  Our stay in Ko Phet was so wonderful, thanks to our gracious hosts. We learned so many things about small town life, general Thai politics and corruption, customs, food, and so much more that we would never have seen had we not stayed in a small village. I definitely take electricity and running water for granted, but I’d like to think I won’t as much anymore, after the village water stopped running mid-shower, haha!
  
  We will never forget our wonderful meals, conversations, experiences, and the hospitality and generosity from Jimmy and Lamai!
  
  I loved feeding the chickens with Lamai and Jolie each morning
  
  Mitch and Jolie loved playing make-believe. Here, Mitch is a headless monster chasing Jolie. This photo makes me smile 🙂
  
  Lizzie, Lamai, Baby Amy, me, Mitch Jolie in the front (she wasn’t too happy to share a photo with her older sister, haha)
  
  Posted in Thailand | 2 Comments | Tagged Homestay, Khmer, Ko Phet, Lamai Homestay, Phi Mai, Spiders, Thailand, Village
- Mandalay Days Part 2: Inwa
  
  Posted at 10:30 am by tanyapham, on February 3, 2015
  
  Breathtakingly beautiful Buddha at Yadama Hsimi pagodas in Inwa
  
  Inwa
  
  We took a day-trip to Inwa, an ancient capital of Burma, and it was probably the best day we spent in the Mandalay area. Although it was quite a tourist-y decision, there was really no other choice but to take a horse-drawn carriage through the old town of Inwa, and we ended up enjoying it a lot. Inwa really consists mainly of old temples and monasteries that you can explore.
  
  Enjoying our horse-drawn carriage ride through the Inwa banana farms
  
  The landscape around Inwa is more like what my naive self imagined Mandalay to be — lush, tropical, and peaceful. The dirt roads were lined by enormous trees, and we also traversed through many beautiful banana farms.
  
  Are we in a tropical Indiana Jones movie? This is another beautiful Buddha statue at the Yadana Hsimi pagodas
  
  Yet another beautiful Buddha at Yadana Hsimi pagodas. Can you tell I loved this collection of pagodas?
  
  Similar to ___ temple in Mandalay, Inwa had a teak temple called Bagaya Monastery
  
  I loved the architecture and the tropical surroundings in Inwa.
  
  Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery in Inwa
  
  Passageways in Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery
  
  U Bein Bridge
  
  After our Inwa exploring, we ended the day by walking over the Thaungthaman Lake on U Bein Bridge. The scenery was beautiful, and many tourists enjoy it during sunset; however it was jarring to see families living in tents or huts beneath the bridge while we enjoyed a leisurely evening stroll.
  
  Beginning our sunset walk over U Bein Bridge
  
  Tanya + Monks
  
  A beautiful sunset at U Bein Bridge
  
  We planned to visit Min Kun on our last day in Mandalay; however… we got food poisoning again 😐 Luckily, I didn’t feel too terrible, but I can’t say the same for poor Mitch!
  
  Burma was a beautiful, interesting, and off the beaten path place in southeast Asia to visit. We learned so much, enjoyed the hospitality of the wonderful people, and really put our needs into perspective. The trip was emotional for me, and heading back to familiar Bangkok (for the third time this trip) allowed me some respite.
  
  Posted in Burma/Myanmar | 0 Comments | Tagged Burma, Myanmar, Temples, U Bein Bridge
- Mandalay Days Part 1: A Palace, Temples, and … More Temples!
  
  Posted at 10:07 am by tanyapham, on February 3, 2015
  
  A Burmese woman sells flower offerings outside a temple in Mandalay
  
  To finish our short two and a half weeks in Burma, Mitch and I headed to Mandalay. Overall, we found city life in Mandalay similar to Yangon, except people utilize their car horns even MORE than in Yangon (we didn’t think this was possible). We did enjoy getting out of the city to the surrounding points of interest, especially Inwa, where the scenery was more natural.
  
  Check out Part 1 of our Mandalay highlights below:
  
  The Mandalay Royal Palace
  
  Visiting the Mandalay Royal Palace was interesting… The palace was the old palace of the last king before the British colonized. It was built in the mid 19th century but almost completely destroyed during World War II. After being rebuilt in the 90’s, it is now surrounded by military barracks. Foreigners are only allowed in a very small portion of the grounds and are inundated with messages of power and military might from Tatmadaw. Have you not heard of the Tatmadaw? A quick Wikipedia search will give you a very eye-opening and overview of their history and current practices.
  
  The Royal Palace is still an important symbol in Burma, which is why we still decided to visit it despite its strong military presence.
  
  Umm… should we turn back?
  
  My handsome dude in the Mandalay Royal Temple complex
  
  Sandamani and Kuthodaw Temples
  
  What’s a day in Southeast Asia without visiting at least a handful of temples!? I jest, but really, every city has at least two or three temples on the must-see list. We were quickly becoming templed out, but we made some time to see the unique Sandamani and Kuthodaw Temples which feature hundreds of white pagodas each housing a stone tablet with Buddha’s teachings engraved.
  
  The view from inside one of the pagodas looking down the row of tablets. Each tablet represents a page from the Buddhist Tripitaka (teachings) and is written in the original Pali language in which the teachings where written.
  
  One aisle between the hundreds of white pagodas
  
  Shwenandaw Kyaung Temple
  
  Next up on the temple circuit was the beautiful Shwenandaw Temple, made entirely of teak. It was once completely covered in gold leaf, which has now almost completely rubbed off, leaving the even more beautiful teak exposed. Shwenandaw is the only original building of the Mandalay Royal Palace still surviving today.
  
  The doorways featured beautiful carvings from Buddhist myth I absolutely fell in love with. It was easy to enjoy the atmosphere and architectural beauty of Shwenandaw, as the surroundings were quiet and peaceful with the distant sound of chanting monks wafting through the air.
  
  Shwenandaw Kyaung Temple
  
  In love with the carved doors. Did I ever explain that many southeast Asian temples have ledges/steps you need to step over before entering (see the step I’m sitting on?)? This is to prevent evil spirits from entering the temple space.
  
  Teak door close-up — I just thought the carved figures were so beautiful.
  
  A monk quietly walks through the halls of Shwenandaw Kyaung Temple
  
  Mitch poses in front of the “Men Only, Ladies Not Permitted” area
  
  Mandalay Hill
  
  We ended up picking an overcast day to climb to the top of Mandalay hill, which did have a silver lining, as it was much nicer to climb in cloudier weather. Unfortunately, the views were not as spectacular as they could have been because of the haze. The climb took about an hour and a half including photo taking breaks and had to be done completely barefoot, since there are many temples along the way through which you walk. Our favorite temples were towards the top.
  
  While passing many temples, we noticed that some families lived in or immediately next to the temples. They were temple caretakers, and many had their homes set-up right in the temple as you walked by. Their living quarters were usually a small, square space with a bed or two, a television, and a portable kitchenette set up. Many sold souvenirs to passersby as well.
  
  A view from one of the lower temples on Mandalay Hill: you can see the white pagodas of Sandamani and Kuthodaw Temples
  
  Glamour shots by Mitch
  
  A beautifully peaceful temple towards the top of the hill with Buddhist inscriptions on the aging walls
  
  I loved the vibrant colors used in the wall tiles here
  
  Just hanging out 😀
  
  A view from the top of Mandalay Hill
  
  The Ubiquitous Cane Ball
  
  Each evening in Mandalay at around sunset, we would walk into the streets to see groups of young men playing some variation of ball game using a hollow, rattan looking ball. We learned the ball is actually made out of sugar cane reeds. Some guys played in a circle just kicking the ball around using only their feet; this reminded me of the similar hackey sack game, except these guys were much more talented than anyone I’d ever seen play hackey sack. Other young men had a volleyball-like net set up and were playing a game similar to volleyball using only their feet; we learned the game is called chinlone.
  
  Games with the cane ball begin at sunset
  
  The proper game of chinlone with a net
  
  Overall, we quite enjoyed our time in Mandalay proper. Being in a big city in Burma does take some time to get used to, but after a few days, we adjusted and were able to enjoy ourselves, the food, the people, and the culture.
  
  I think one of the most eye-opening moments for me in Mandalay was being a westerner on vacation, staying in a hotel (granted, it was very budget-friendly and modest) across the street from families living in tents. Walking outside each morning felt like a rude awakening and was hard to see.
  
  I don’t believe I am naive or unaware of how lucky I am, but I do think it’s easy to take our everyday conveniences for granted (even though we may be socially conscious and aware people). Even having some aspects of my personality (the part of me that is particular about cleanliness and hygiene) is a true luxury to have. This is not to mention having access to running water (not even warm water), electricity that doesn’t randomly go out (this probably happened at least six times during our stay in Burma), healthcare (Burma/Myanmar spends about 2% of its GDP on healthcare and is ranked last by WHO in a list of 190 countries with respect to “overall healthcare performance” [Forbes]), true freedom of speech, one could go on… Despite this, everyone we met was incredibly welcoming, and we never felt anything other than warmth and kindness from everyone we met. It really made me think about how I’d like to return the hospitality for each country we visit.
  
  Next up: we take a day trip to beautiful Inwa.
  
  Posted in Burma/Myanmar | 1 Comment | Tagged Burma, Kuthodaw, Mandalay, Mandalay Hill, Mandalay Royal Palace, Myanmar, Sandamani, Shwenandaw Kyaung, Temples
- Inle Lake
  
  Posted at 10:04 am by tanyapham, on February 3, 2015
  
  This fisherman is employing the interesting rowing technique of the Intha, using his leg. He is also wearing the traditional orange pants often seen on Intha fishermen.
  
  Mitch and I spent the holidays at Inle Lake, a large lake in the Shan state of Burma. The people of Inle Lake are called Intha, and there are many other ethnic groups like the Shan that live together around the lake, using it for its natural resources. We stayed in a small township called Nyaung-Shwe, a bit north of the lake, for four days while exploring the breathtaking surrounding areas.
  
  Here are some highlights of our time at Inle Lake:
  
  1. Spending the day on the Lake
  
  Mitch and I spent our first full day at Inle, Christmas Day, on a private long-tail boat exploring the lake. One boat for the day runs about 25,000 kyat ($25 USD), and your driver will take you around several points of interest on the lake, including silversmith shops, textile shops, pagodas, floating gardens, cigar making shops, etc.
  
  Inle lake is about 40 square miles but not very deep (average depth is about 7 feet, Wikiepedia tells me). The shallow depths were evident as we glided along — we could see many underwater plants reaching their stringy arms towards the water surface and sunlight. Locals take advantage of the shallow depths by building their homes on stilts, by cultivating floating gardens, and by fishing for sustenance from its abundant supply. Interestingly, the floating gardens have recently played an large role in water loss at Inle Lake, which is beginning to become a major issue. That being said, we were lucky to visit the lake before too much tourism and unsustainable agriculture truly take their toll.
  
  Being on the lake and observing vibrant yet modest lifestyle still felt like being transported to a time long, long ago. Take a quick look…
  
  Not the most beautiful surroundings: our day started off bright and early, but the dense layer of fog carried a sharp chill that we were not prepared for after scorching Bagan afternoons. Luckily, our boat had blankets to keep us warm (sort of)! The fog lifted completely at around 9:30 am, and revealed a magical, watery world.
  
  We stopped for lunch at a local market a and enjoy Shan noodles alongside these novice monks.
  
  One of the most interesting stops was the silk and lotus weaving area. We had never heard of lotus textiles, and we learned it is made from the fibrous centers of lotus plant stems. The stems are lightly scored and bent along the cut. This breaks the stem but not the thin fibers in the center. The two stem halves are pulled apart, revealing the fiber, which does not break and is collected and then woven on a loom. The resulting textile looks similar to linen but feels much softer and stronger. This process is very rare and performed only in Burma. As such, a simple men’s shirt made from pure lotus fiber costs about $500 USD! Also available for those not in the 1% were scarves made from both silk and some lotus fiber, but they were still quite pricey! The lotus textiles were actually very beautiful, and I don’t want to overlook the work that goes into harvesting the fibers and weaving the items. Learning about this practice was an interesting and unexpected new textile discovery.
  
  A lotus weaver shows us the fibers inside the lotus stem.
  
  Talk about a lake house! These homes are actually ON the lake!
  
  These women are hand making traditional Burmese cigarettes and cigars (known as cheroots).
  
  #lakelife
  
  We visited a monastery known for its cats. This little guy was having way too much fun borrowing tourists cameras and playing with the resident felines 🙂
  
  2. Visiting a winery, monastery, and more on bicycles
  
  One of our favorite activities as tourists is renting a bicycle and exploring the surrounding areas on two wheels. The roads around Nyaung-Shwe that lead to Inle Lake are not difficult but require some effort. There are small hills and some dirt roads with rocks. The town offered six speed bikes as well as very sturdy looking mountain bikes with large tires. We opted for the more budget friendly city bike with six speeds and were just fine.
  
  Heading south to the western side of the lake, we cycled through beautiful tree-lined streets and many small villages, catching some humorous vignettes of small-town life around the lake. We stopped in Khaung Daing and easily caught a long tail boat to the eastern side of the lake at Maing Thauk where we visited a forest monastery atop a hill and made our way to a winery. Yes, there is a legit winery in Burma! The wine was okay, but the views breathtaking.
  
  Riding your ox to the neighbors’: Just another morning in Nyaung-Shwe!
  
  Catching the long boat in Khaung Daing
  
  More beautiful gardens and stilted homes on Inle Lake as we crossed from west to east across the lake
  
  Arriving at Maing Thauk on the eastern side of the lake, we exited onto a beautiful pier surrounded by floating gardens.
  
  Robes hanging to dry at a forest monastery. Just outside of Maing Thauk, we visited a forest monastery on top of a hill. This monastery was especially quiet because many of the monks here devoted their lives to meditation.
  
  I heard chanting and cautiously wandered to the entrance of this hall where novice monks were studying.
  
  We weren’t sure if we were allowed to stay near the hall entrance to listen, but as we were leaving, this kind monk came out and happily began chatting with us, telling us we were absolutely welcome and talking a bit about the monastery as well as where we were from. Then he let me snap this quick photo 🙂
  
  Red Mountain Estate Vineyards & Winery Biking north towards home from Maing Thauk, we stopped at this winery for a flight and the view.
  
  Quick flight of wine at Red Mountain Winery
  
  The beautiful hills and vineyards surrounding Red Mountain Estates
  
  3. Exploring Nyaung-Shwe
  
  Spending one day slowly walking around the small town of Nyaung-Shwe, Mitch and I had a wonderfully relaxed time. We explored the local morning market, slowly snacked on samosas and sipped tea, stopped in an art gallery, and made some new little friends at the local nunnery. As usual, the best days are usually those spent off the heavily beaten tourist trail.
  
  Nyaung-Shwe morning market: a Shan woman sells dried herbs and flowers. Inle Lake is located in the Shan region of Burma. The Shan women typically wear dark/black clothing with a brightly colored textile wrapped around their heads.
  
  Mitch and I stumbled across a local nunnery while taking an evening stroll. The young ladies were quite excited and invited us to sit down. They gave us tea and snacks and enjoyed speaking with us. Every time one of them spoke English, the other girls erupted in a fit of giggles, haha! This young lady in the foreground seemed to be the popular group leader of sorts. She showed me her studies when I asked. They loved seeing the photos I took.
  
  Another beautiful young lady sat separately from the group, trying intently to memorize her studies.
  
  4. Seeing a puppet show
  
  Mitch and I didn’t know that Burma has a long history of beautiful puppetry. One evening, we found ourselves in a small, one-room theater that fit about ten to twelve audience members, mesmerized by a traditional Burmese puppet show. The show was set to traditional Burmese music and featured scenes in a forest with a monkey, a magician, a horse, an ogre, and scenes in a court with a jester, and other vibrant characters. The puppets used were made by the puppeteer’s grandfather and passed down through the family. He explained to us that the art of puppetry was dying in Burma, as children now were not so interested in learning it; however, his little nephew pictured below (who served all audience members tea) would be the next in line in their family to pick up the trade.
  
  Like many beautiful areas in Burma, Inle Lake is quickly becoming a popular tourist destination; however, the infrastructure is just not set up to properly preserve its natural beauty. The lake is so shallow that its volume can’t handle the amount of human impact (tourist and local) the way a large, deep lake would. We were very lucky to see the lake in all of its beauty and hope it can be maintained for friends and family to share our wonderful experience there.
  
  Posted in Burma/Myanmar | 0 Comments | Tagged Bicycle, Burma, Inle Lake, Myanmar, Puppets
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