Twenty-Five Things about Bangkok

Bangkok is a sprawling, bustling, and cosmopolitan metropolis. The city known to locals as "Krung Thep" is essentially the capital of Southeast Asia, and anyone traveling in the region will likely pass through here at least once. Bangkok can be anything to anyone. So, inspired by this kaleidoscope of a city, here are some random thoughts on Bangkok, Thailand, and the region in general.

Bat Cave of Battambang

Every night shortly before sunset, a mesmerizing spectacle unfolds at a cave in western Cambodia. Over a million bats initiate a symphony of high-pitched shrieking in anticipation for the night's feast. Quick as a flash, they come streaming out of the large opening of their cavern dwelling, and do not stop their procession for over an hour. Locals bring their children to witness the event. Everyone stares up in awe. I motorbiked over here with some other backpackers and we joined in with the gawking crowds.  Too bad none of us remembered to bring a Batman costume. Well, there's always next time...

Mystical Angkor

So many temples dot the landscape of Asia that I thought I'd seen it all, that I was completely "templed out". Accordingly, I didn't raise my expectations ahead of visiting Cambodia's Angkor Wat. But I was wrong. The ancient temples of Angkor are astonishing. I was overcome by a sense of child-like wonder, totally in awe that such a place could exist on Earth. I consider myself fortunate to have visited in the height of the rainy season, when few tourists are around and nature is at its most vivid, adding an extra layer of mysticism to a place that is already as mystical as any. While pictures cannot adequately express the feeling of being submerged in the jungle amongst the ruins, I hope they provide some clue. Please have a look and leave a comment!

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The Mekong Runs Deep

Any travel guidebook on Southeast Asia will issue stern warnings on visiting the region during the monsoon season. Getting from place to place can be a challenge, they say, and carefully laid tourist plans can be ruined by unpredictable weather. Yet here I was, arriving in one of the least developed countries in the region, right in time for the peak of the wet season. Cambodians have been through a lot in recent history, I said to myself. Surely I can handle a little bit of rain!

Ten Surprising Uses for Motorbikes in Vietnam

A Vietnamese person without access to a motorbike is like a bear who hates the taste of honey. You just won't find any. Over twenty million of these machines are on the roads in this country, far outnumbering all other vehicles combined. And you will not just encounter motorbikes transporting their drivers, but everything else and the kitchen sink. Literally. I regularly had the urge to blink, rub my eyes, and ask myself "Did I really just see that?" In the interest of sharing my sense of wonder, here is a list I've compiled of Ten Surprising Uses for the Vietnamese Motorbike!

Journey to the Mekong Delta

Heavy bags by my side and sweat on my brow, I sat in the already scorching morning heat and waited for my bus to arrive. I had spent all of my time in Vietnam on the well-worn tourist trail and I was eager to see a different side of the country. So, I'd impulsively decided to make a bound for somewhere that sees few tourists. The only information that I possessed related to the town of Mekong Delta town of Ben Tre was a couple of skimpy pages in my guidebook, along with the phone number of a local guide who had been recommended by another travel blogger. It felt like I was taking a giant leap into the unknown. By pure serendipity, however, I discovered that I would not be taking this leap alone.

Traces of Old Saigon

Saigon. A mere mention of the name will bring vivid imagery to the minds of many Americans, even if we have never seen the city with their own eyes. We picture surreal visions of an exotic, tense, and war-torn place that is frozen in time. But in reality, this modern metropolis bears little resemblance to the images of old. Saigon has raced into the 21st century with abandon. Vietnam's economic engine has enough skyscrapers, pollution, and urban sprawl to rival any city in the region outside of Bangkok. It may lack the charm of the old city of Hanoi, but definitely not the overwhelming number of motorbikes!

Riding the Rails in Vietnam

I arrived in Vietnam with a strong sense of purpose: to travel all the way from Hanoi in the north to Saigon in the south by train. The "Reunification Express" covers the 1,070 miles between these two cities, making stops at other points of interest along the way. In terms of comfort, reliability, and scenery, I had little idea of what to expect. But there was one thing I was knew for certain. I was in for an adventure.

Street Crossing: Hanoi Edition

This is how you cross the street in Vietnam. If you ever want to get anywhere by foot, you will quickly learn how to do this too. And I thought crossing the street in Syria was an experience!

The Lao Wedding Crashers

James and I took our seats at the table, gazed around at the enormous ballroom hall surrounding us, and shook our heads in disbelief. Three days ago we had arrived in Vientiane without knowing a single soul in the Laotian capital. And yet here we were, special invitees to one of the most lavish wedding receptions that either of us had ever been witness to. It would prove to be a night that neither of us could have predicted nor will ever forget. How had we gotten into this improbable situation?

Jewel of the Mekong

There are thousands of cathedrals in Europe and a grand number of mosques in the Middle East, but in quantity these may be surpassed by the Buddhist temples of Southeast Asia. One place in particular has an astounding concentration of practicing monasteries, atmospherically nestled within lush mountain scenery. Luang Prabang, Laos, is hallowed ground and an unquestioned jewel of the far east. 

Such Great Heights

Certain human rituals are so macho, so reckless, so testosterone-fueled, that only men could have possibly come up with them. Spanish men decided it would be a good idea to run down a narrow alley while being chased by bloodthirsty bulls. Red-blooded American males gifted the world with the Monster Truck Rally (we are forever grateful.) Japanese men, possibly after a raucous sake binge, thought it would be cool to pit two severely obese dudes in a ring and watch them smack into each other. Every Tadschikistani male must wrestle a wild bear nude and blindfolded on his eighteenth birthday. OK, ok, I made that last one up. Nevertheless, it should be of little surprise that at some point in their history, enterprising young males from the Tai Lue tribe in Southeast Asia spotted an unwanted bamboo grove and a novel idea was born. Why not chop these stalks down, stick gunpowder on them, and turn them into rockets? And then compete to see who can shoot their bamboo rocket the farthest! I for one am glad that such a wise revelation occurred. Why? Because I happened to visit the town of Muang Sing in Northern Laos just as the Tai Lue rocket festival was getting underway. My inner macho was very pleased, indeed.

Soaking In a New Decade

Turning thirty years old is a watershed moment in life, rich with symbolism. The roaring twenties are left behind, and a more wise and mature epoch of living is entered. The frivolities of youth have by now been replaced by adult worries and concerns. To mark this somber occasion, I decided to attend an appropriately solemn event...I traveled to Chiang Mai, Thailand, to join the biggest water-fight in the world!

Lake of a Thousand Reflections

You gradually open your eyes and begin to soak in the dreamlike scenery that surrounds you. Glimmering water that mirrors dazzling blue skies and all-enveloping mountains. Dozens of silhouettes in the distance which acrobatically row canoes using one leg while deftly manipulating fishnets with free hands. Children smiling and waving from cherry-stained wooden houses comfortably perched on top of  still waters. Farmers harvesting crops which have miraculously sprouted from floating soil. And everywhere you look, mesmerizing reflections which intensify the surreal beauty of it all. This is Inle Lake, Burma. And even the most imaginative of minds could hardly dream up a place like this.

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One Fine Day in Mandalay

I awoke at sunrise, had a quick breakfast, and stepped into the already bustling streets of Mandalay in search of a trishaw to taxi me to my destination. After haggling with a driver for a reasonable price, we began our slow journey through the concrete, traffic, and smog of the city. Bicycles, motorbikes, cars, and pickups whizzed past in a frenetic whirlwind of movement. As we approached the river, our surroundings gradually became leafier and more peaceful. Monks soon outnumbered ordinary residents, and we arrived in a neighborhood where monasteries lie in wait behind every corner.

The Lost Kingdom of Burma

Some one thousand years ago, one of the greatest cities in the ancient Buddhist world arose in a large plain near the center of modern day Burma. The city was called Bagan, and became the capital of the first Burmese Empire. By the time Bagan fell to Mongol invaders in the 13th century, it was home to an astonishing five thousand temples. In the present, little of the city remains, except for the ruins of many of these pagodas. Even now, Bagan contains more temples in an area the size of Manhattan than there are medieval cathedrals in all of Europe. I spent three days touring this magnificent place by bicycle. Many of the pagodas are beautiful up close, but the real majesty of Bagan can only be appreciated from up high, where the full scope of the site comes into perspective. Ancient temples dot the earth for as far as the eye can see, and from this vantage it's easy to forget that inventions such as the car, airplane, and internet even exist. I hope that these photos capture a little bit of the sense of awe that Bagan inspires.  I'd never heard of this lost kingdom before coming to Burma. But after visiting, I will never forget it.

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A Kick in the Longyi

No, it's not hacky sack; it's Chinlone. No visitor to Burma can go long before observing a group of men enjoying a round of the country's national sport. The game is especially popular at sunset, which is when I captured this video in the historic town of Pyay. The sumptuous view from Pyay's Shwesendaw Pagoda was just to good to keep for myself. So, enjoy the clip, grab yourself a ball, and start warming up those feet. You'll need plenty of practice if you hope to keep up with the Burmese!

The Clock That Went Backward

Most people dismiss the concept of "time travel" as an impossibility. They consider it a fantasy of science-fiction; one that will likely never be achieved by man, at least in our lifetime. No one could hope to suddenly surge into the future, and most certainly we cannot leap back into the past. Six weeks ago, I was inclined to agree...but not anymore. 

I have been to Burma.