ON THE WAY TO THIMPHU: On the way from Paro to Thimphu we visited a small private monastery across the river, TAMCHHOG LHAKHANG. The suspended iron chain narrow bridge, from where colorful prayer flags were hung, was both picturesque and frightening to cross. It was built by a Tibetan saint, composer and engineer who built 108 bridges across Tibet and Bhutan. A 100-year old tamarind tree and vertical white prayer flags completed the enchanting landscape. But what made the visit at this monastery quite special was to find a group of village Bhutanese seating on the yard outside the chapel and kids playfully around the yard, some playing soccer. THIMPHU, the capital of Bhutan: Nothing really special about the capital that doesn't have a single traffic light. The 4th king is responsible for many changes which ... read more

Plenty to do in DC. Museums galore, parks, monuments. Felt as a school kid on a field trip at times, but seeing the cheeryblossoms made up for tinconvenience of being in DC at peak season.... read more

"Oi" (Hi) One can say I am biased to write about Maceio, since it's my hometown (even though I've lived abroad for a very long time), but this city is a true gem if you enjoy a warm destination by an amazing ocean. True that culture is not necessarily "in your face", and if one is interested to go beyond the surface, he has to take the time explore it. Here, it's just a brief overview of one more passage through Maceio and surroundings. WEATHER: I usually come home when it's winter time in brazil, but it's still a great time to visit Maceio. It's warm, from 21-30C, and although it rains intermittently, the sun still appears often enough for one to have a good time. I just returned from a walk under... read more

INLE LAKE and NYAUNGSHWE This was a more tranquil, yet still awesome experience in Myanmar. I feared I’d not enjoy Inle, fearful the area would be crowded with tourists since it’s one of the top destinations in the country. My fear was in vain, as there were very few visitors around and the ones I did meet turn out to be great travel companions. At arrival at Heho airstrip, my pre-arranged taxi driver awaited for me. His vehicle was old and beat-up, his driving too fast for my taste and safety standards, but the 45 minute drive to Nyaungshwe presented me with unexpected treats: - First we encountered a huge procession ceremony on its way to a Buddhist temple. Music, women caring offerings on their heads or arms, little girls to become novices at the ... read more

KENGTUNG I’ll start letting you know what happened 4 hours after I left Kengtung: My plane took off from Kengtung, very close to Tachelet at 2:45pm. At 6:45pm, already in Inle Lake area, while I was having dinner at Smiling Moon, chatting with Pepe and Silvia from Spain, I started to feel very strange. Seconds later, Pepe looked weird, we looked at each other and he shouted: “Earthquake”. The 3 of us run to the streets, from where we could see the lampshades swinging from side to side. The earth moving stopped but we stood there for a while, in panic, without knowing if that was it, or more would come. Calm restored and thinking positively, I suggested: “This was just a tiny earthquake and this is probably common here, as most people didn’t run outside”. ... read more