http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/InterEducator/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from InterEducator en-us Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:59:14 +0000 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:59:14 +0000 While Bali doesn't have the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen it does have some spectacular views volcanoes in the background sometimes clouds that reflect in the sand black sand composed of volcanic rocks... http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/blog-391862.html Bali is like that Oscarwinning movie. You've heard so much about it that when you go it can't possibly live up to your expectations. And yet it is unbelievably beautiful.I can't say I was disappointed with my trip to Bali. I had imagined it would be very touristy and that there wouldn't be all that much to do beyond the beach. The unfortunate part was that I had to stay out of the sun during m http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/blog-391882.html We visited Besakih after our trip to Mount Batur. On April 9th two days after our visit the temple was due to have a huge celebration which only takes place every 10 years. We were lucky to see some of the worshippers bringing their offerings a little early. I quite enjoyed their tupperware colorful cubelike baskets filled with food for the temple.And while these offerings were special the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/blog-391880.html Photos of the hike up Mount Batur. A perfect sunrise http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/blog-391875.html I wasn't in Bangkok for long this time. I went there for the Search Associates job fair Jan. 913 so really a long weekend. I arrived at about midnight on the Friday and made my way to the hotel I'd been recommended by the Rough Guide. I was all excited because it's run by South Indians and even has a restaurant But... I think they must really like it rough because Woodlands Inn was nasty. Fi http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-375502.html Religion is everywhere in Thailand. You can't walk three blocks without seeing some kind of shrine. There's usually some kind of food around coconuts pop chicken The gods have got to eat and beautiful gold colored flowers. Here are some photos of the spectacular Wat Pho. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-375493.html The people of Cambodia are the kindest gentlest and most sincere people I've met in a long time. Of course you have people trying to sell you things at touristy places but most of the people seemed so genuine. Despite not speaking a word of the language I think I could actually live there. That's how great the people are there. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Siem-Reap/blog-373486.html There's never a dull moment in Ho Chi Minh City though as you're dodging through the scooters bikes and cars sometimes you wish there were... Beth and I walked around a lot but we also often opted for the quickest way to get around which was to hop on the back of someone's scooter. I have to say that those rides were spent listening to the voices in my head in a dialogue similar to this Oh http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-373517.html Unlike many of the surrounding countries you don't see that many signs of religion in Vietnam but there's the cathedral beside the General Post Office and not too far outside of Ho Chi Minh there's the center of the Cao Dai religion. I don't know all that much about it but one of their main saints is Victor Hugo author of Les Miserables The pictures are from their daily mass at noon. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Ho-Chi-Minh-City/blog-373519.html As I have said over and over again to anyone who's asked me this trip was like a history teacher's dream.The obvious draw to this region of the world was Angkor Wat and its surrounding temples. Beth and I did all the typical things went to this specific temple at sunset and then this particular spot for the sunrise saw all the important temples in the two main circuits and some temples outside http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-373521.html She tried the spider Yup my brave friend Beth tried the fried furry legged sucker. As you can see the look on my incredibly sunburned face I wasn't gonna try them. In fact I was pretty proud of myself just for holding them. But there were a couple of locals who delighted in eating this local treat. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-373528.html Beth and I were really lucky to be in HCMC during the holiday season. Before we'd headed to Cambodia we saw tons of workers setting things up and then when we returned the streets were lit up with amazing Christmas lights and there were all kinds of activities going on including plays and a games area for kids...It was just great being a pedestrian. HK is also a pedestrian city but I guess I http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-373530.html I feel extremely lucky to have visited Luang Prabang in what is probably the best season to go. First of all it was the dry season which right away makes it more pleasant to wander around. And secondly it was during one of the colder months. At night and early morning this meant the temperature could go down to about 1015 degrees. Apparently the week before my arrival it was more like 510 http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Luang-Prabang/blog-373730.html Like Chiang Mai in Thailand Luang Prabang has a wat on every corner. Clearly some are more impressive than others but the presence of all these wats so close to each other gives the city a serene and holy feel. And you can't help being positively affected by a sense of peacefulness and acceptance the Buddhist way.. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Luang-Prabang/blog-373733.html Every morning the people of Luang Prabang wake up and sit in the ready on their mats waiting for hundreds of monks to walk by and take sticky rice tangerines and other treats from them. This custom begins at around 6 a.m. with the striking of gongs alerting the monks that it's time to get going. I believe they've already been awake since about 4 a.m. meditating. Apparently monks are only suppo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Luang-Prabang/blog-373739.html To be honest more than anything else I ate Indian food and Nutellapeanut butterbanana crepes while in Laos. But I did take a cooking course from a local restaurant run by Joy a Laotian and his Australian wife. Most of the food picture come from that day because Joy took us to the market to show us some local ingredients and buy the materials for our class. The class itself was held in bea http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Luang-Prabang/blog-373742.html Well these aren't only scenes from the streets but also scenes from the Mekong and from some villages along the Mekong. As you can see. there's a lot on offer in Luang Prabang and environs drying algae corn papadums mulberry paper and loads of handmade crafts. I was especially lucky to hear some music and entered a courtyard where some teenaged girls were performing this dance that is prett http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Luang-Prabang/blog-373746.html The kids are just phenomenal. When I bent down to say hi to one little guy he reached out to the bush he was near picked some flowers and offered them to me. Some of the kids followed us around town as we walked around and one girl burst into tears when saw me coming over. I guess she hasn't had much exposure to falangs... but in general people just kept doing what they were doing. In this pa http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Luang-Prabang/blog-373788.html Luang Prabang is a sweet little town in Laos. It's full of beautiful wats and colonial style buildings and you can take little day trips to nearby villages waterfalls caves filled with little Buddha figurines etc. The old city has been taken over by travel agents restaurants and hotels but is still quaint. And despite catering to tourists in many ways Luang Prabang keeps up its own traditio http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-373792.html This November HKIS had its PEAK trips. I can't remember what PEAK stands for but it's a week when the school closes down and all the kids are off on trips around China. Sixth graders all do the same trip this year to Beijing and Xian. Eighth graders go on adventure trips in pretty large groups. And seventh graders have the best trips of all they get to choose four of the trips on offer and http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Hainan/Sanya/blog-359651.html