Asia
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Angkor Thom’s Main Temple: Bayon
More Details: Angkor Thom’s Main Temple: BayonWhile Angkor Wat is the better known of all the temple complexes in Cambodia, there are others that are a must. Bayon is one of those. It is imposing and a veritable maze, making it fun to explore. Bayon (built in the 12th-13th century period) sits in the middle of Angkor Thom which was the capital of…
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Sunset over Tonlé Sap Lake | Off the Beaten Path Cambodia
More Details: Sunset over Tonlé Sap Lake | Off the Beaten Path CambodiaAs I mentioned in an earlier post about arriving in and exploring Siem Reap, we had asked the hotel to organize a drive that took us out of the town and into the countryside. We were looking to experience off the beaten path Cambodia. We were hoping to see more than seeing the fantastic and…
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Siem Reap – Cool Place in the Tropics
More Details: Siem Reap – Cool Place in the TropicsThe plans for my visit to Cambodia were anchored, as you may well imagine, in seeing world-famous Angkor Wat. For that, we planned to spend 1.5 days and 2 nights to explore the town of Siem Reap which is just less than a few handful of miles from the historical sites. There are many many…
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Visiting Temples in Bangkok – Wat Pho?
More Details: Visiting Temples in Bangkok – Wat Pho?One of the neatest things for me about visiting Bangkok was seeing Buddhist temples everywhere. I am no student of their faith and much less of all the specifics of the architecture of these temples but they are impressive and that’s why I am glad I made the time for a stop -however brief- in…
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Cycling around the Thai Countryside
More Details: Cycling around the Thai CountrysideOne of my friends mentioned how in her time in Bangkok, she enjoyed bike rides in the countryside. As I mentioned in an earlier post, she also recommended visiting the unique railroad market by the Mae Klong rail station, about 1.5 hrs. outside of Bangkok. My friend and fellow traveler Phil and I agreed that…
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Bangkok – A City of Amazing Food!
More Details: Bangkok – A City of Amazing Food!Thailand is well-known for its diverse cuisine and great flavors. One does not have to have been to Thailand to know this or to experience the greatness of the cuisine. Enjoying the food was certainly one of the things I planned to do in my short visit to Thailand a few weeks ago. With guidance…
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A Unique Railroad Market in Thailand
More Details: A Unique Railroad Market in ThailandAs I was researching all that there was to do in Bangkok so I could narrow down the options to fit our time there, a friend who had spent a few weeks in Bangkok recently gave me an excellent pair of recommendations on what to do off-the-beaten path. Liz, my friend, suggested that she put…
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Bali – Getting There Is (or Isn’t) Half the Fun
More Details: Bali – Getting There Is (or Isn’t) Half the FunI arrived in Bali after a long journey that started in the U.S. (about 37 hours, to be more precise). The airfare to Asia was a steal at $750 from Chicago to Singapore round-trip with Delta, my main airline (so all the points counted towards status!), so after getting to Chicago and spending a couple…
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A Trip around Southeast Asia Is Born
More Details: A Trip around Southeast Asia Is BornThis month I was able to spend two weeks on vacation traveling to Southeast Asia. Clearly, two weeks far from enough time in an area as diverse and rich in experiences as Southeast Asia but if I waited until I had ALL the time it merits, I may never get started. An opportunity arose a…
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Swayambhunath – A Special Place in Kathmandu
More Details: Swayambhunath – A Special Place in KathmanduKathmandu is an amazing city. Colorful and busy. Yet, somehow spirituality seems to permeate it. Among the many places that back that impression is the Swayambhunath site – also just known as the monkey site. I don’t know that it is technically a temple but it is certainly an important Buddhist religious site. Claims about…
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Hiking in Nepal: To My Turning Point – Deboche (Day 4)
More Details: Hiking in Nepal: To My Turning Point – Deboche (Day 4)After a restful and relaxing day in Namche Bazaar, it was time to hit the “road” on the trail to Everest Base Camp for the last leg of my trek before turning back. As I explained in an earlier post, I was shy a few days in my vacation bank so I would not be…
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Hiking in Nepal: Namche Bazaar and a View of Everest (Day 3)
More Details: Hiking in Nepal: Namche Bazaar and a View of Everest (Day 3)After the grueling climb to Namche Bazaar, it was REALLY nice to arrive at the Khumbu Lodge for a two-night stay as an acclimatization day for the group headed to Everest Base Camp. I liked the Khumbu Lodge as it had all the amenities I “longed for” (sounds so dramatic!) and the staff and service…