Just go, C!
I'm Charity, a proud auntie, wine lover, semi-nerd, and dreamer who can't stay in one place for too long.
Quick personal note from me: RIP to Anthony Bourdain, 61, who lived a life far richer than most of us could ever imagine. While I will admit that he rubbed me the wrong way sometimes, I looked at his life and work in total admiration. I still do. At my former job, we'd have an occasional meeting where questions like, "If you weren't doing what you're doing now, what would you be doing?" were brought up. And my answer was, "I'd be like Anthony Bourdain." Thanks, man, for inspiring me and countless others to get out into the world, get our hands and hearts dirty, eat some fucking amazing food, and be graced by the kindness of souls all over the planet. You won't be forgotten. ********************************* My time in Phnom Penh could be best described as a roller coaster. The highs were tasting delicious Cambodian food for the first time, getting some wonderful hospitality, and admiring beautiful Khmer-style temples and French colonial architecture. The lows were visiting monuments from the days of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot, which were emotionally draining, but in my opinion, a very necessary learning experience. Read on to find out more about what I was able to see and do in Phnom Penh, Cambodia! Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21 Prison) and Choeung Ek (The Killing Fields) Okay, let's get the dark and depressing stuff out of the way first. I had watched First, They Killed My Father on Netflix a couple months before I visited these places, which gave me a bit of background on what happened during the Khmer Rouge regime, but nothing can prepare you for what you see and hear when you visit. While I won't get into all of the historical and gory details, I'll summarize in my own words by saying that Pol Pot took advantage of a suffering country much like many of the deranged lunatic leaders who preceded him in history. In pursuit of Pol Pot's so-called "agrarian utopia" mission, nearly 3 million Cambodians were slaughtered at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. Many died of starvation and extreme physical conditions. Thousands were beaten, hung, beheaded, you name it. Those most likely to die were the elderly, children, the disabled, religious folks (monks, etc.), the educated, and even those who wore glasses or had soft hands, which meant that they had "white collar" type jobs and were likely to be educated. All of these people were a "threat" to the Khmer Rouge. Ironically, even the Khmer Rouge was a threat to the Khmer Rouge, as many of its own members were executed on grounds of suspicious behaviors or whispers of their disloyalties to the regime. If and when you ever visit Phnom Penh, I would strongly suggest that you visit both of these monuments. I promise you, that if you have even a sliver of a conscience, it will not be easy for you. You will need to make sure to get the audio guide when you go, so you can hear the details of each place and hear personal accounts from those who lived to tell the gruesome tales. It is absolutely heart-wrenching, but it's essential to understand what happened here. It's not just about Cambodia. This sort of thing has happened, and CONTINUES TO HAPPEN, all over the world. I'm sure Cambodians prior to the 1970s thought, oh this sort of thing could never happen to us. Don't most of us think the same thing? We need to wake up before it's too late. I remember leaving and having SO many questions, all of them starting with the word, "why." I'll never get most of those answers, unfortunately. The Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda The residence of Cambodia's king is certainly eye-catching and is often compared to the Grand Palace in Bangkok (though, in my modest opinion, Bangkok takes home the winning prize). Khmer-style, compared to temples in, say, Thailand or Laos, tends to be a bit more ornate. The temples themselves tend to have greater height and less width. The pagodas are also distinctly different, with Khmer-style often having more details and a squared-off base versus a rounded one common in other Buddhist countries. The palace grounds aren't nearly as expansive as the ones in Bangkok, so I was able to navigate and cover all of it within about 1.5 hours. You can hire a tour guide when you enter if you wish to have more background and details, but I opted to just walk around and take some photos. The entrance fee is $10 USD. After you leave, I'd recommend walking around the Royal Palace Park which is just opposite the palace grounds. It's a really nice setting with a view of the river. You can watch locals relaxing and having fun, little kids playing and running around, pigeons pooping on everything; it's awesome. (Joking aside though, check it out!) Where I stayed I had the best experience staying at La Lune Hotel in Phnom Penh. The owner is a native Cambodian who spent a good deal of time in France, so she speaks French fluently as well as Khmer and English. I arrived later in the evening and hadn't eaten dinner, so she insisted on whipping up a delicious dish for me. She always checked on me to make sure everything was going well with my stay and we would always greet each other and make a funny comment or something. She is just one of those good energy type people. I would definitely recommend staying here to anyone visiting. Other places and things worth noting
Daughters of Cambodia Visitor Center: Daughters is a faith-based organization that exists to empower young women who are caught in the cycle of poverty and human trafficking. They offer classes to teach real-life skills and also offer employment opportunities to keep them out of the sex tourism business. The Visitor Center has a café with delicious food and drinks/coffee, a nail spa (I treated myself to a nice pedicure), and a shop that sells clothing, jewelry, scarves, etc. made by their clients. Everything is very reasonably-priced and of course, it's a great cause. They have a convenient location along the river promenade, close to many of the attractions in Phnom Penh. Wat Phnom: Phnom Penh translates to "Hill of Penh" and this temple area is a tribute to the history of the city. Lady Penh discovered some Buddha statues in some trees or logs that were floating down the river one day and she encouraged some folks in her village to build a hill and temple to house the statues and provide a place for respect and worship. Hence, Phnom Penh. I will say that the story is pretty cool, and it's a nice shady place to hang out when you have been subjected to the typical weather conditions of the area, but unless you're really interested in seeing another temple, you could probably skip this place and not miss out on too much. Markets: There are at least three or four large markets in Phnom Penh, the Russian Market and Central Market being the more popular ones. I did not visit the Russian Market at all, but did briefly visit the Central Market, really just to walk around the outskirts and admire the Art Deco architecture. Other than that, it's very typical of all other SE Asian markets. So unless you've never really experienced a market in this part of the country, it's also probably ok to pass on. If you do visit, just remember that you need to bargain, bargain, bargain! Wat Ounalom: I did very briefly visit this temple because it looked really interesting and beautiful, but didn't stay long because there were a few guys chatting and looking at me and chuckling amongst themselves, which needless to say didn't exactly give me the warm fuzzies, so I quickly skedaddled. But, I would still suggest that people go and visit and hopefully get a little more time (and privacy) to enjoy it! Other than that, as I almost always recommend, just walk around and admire the French colonial architecture and soak up the locals doing what the locals do. For transportation, I would suggest using Grab, or there's another app called PassApp that seems to be popular with the locals. I downloaded it but saw that the prices were about the same as with Grab, so I stuck with my tried and true. Phnom Penh is a hustle-and-bustle city, but I didn't find it to be as overwhelming as, say, Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City. It's a great place to start your adventure in Cambodia, or in SE Asia. It's big enough to have a lot of cool cafés and shops, and small enough that you get a nice dose of Khmer culture. Thanks for reading and let me know if you go!
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History enthusiasts would have an absolute field day exploring the city of Hue, Vietnam. Hue is situated along the central coast of Vietnam, and initially rose to fame as the imperial capital of the Nguyen dynasty which ruled much of central and southern Vietnam for about 150 years between the 17th and 19th centuries. Hue later became well-known to the rest of the world as the site of one of the most devastating battles of the Vietnam War during the Tet Offensive of 1968. Knowing there were several places I wanted to visit during my stay in Hue, I hired a private motorbike taxi driver through my guesthouse to take me around the city for the day. (For those interested, I paid 500k VND, or about $22, for a full day of transport, which included lunch, fuel, and a tip for the driver. It did not include entrance fees to the various sites.) In hindsight, I probably paid a bit more than average for what I got. I would have been willing to pay more to have someone give me some historical narrative behind the places I was visiting, but due to language barriers at my guesthouse, I wasn't able to properly communicate what I really wanted. Oh well. Speaking of entrance fees, for anyone who might be planning a trip: You can opt to pay on a per-attraction basis, or what I did is pay 360k VND for a pass that grants access for up to four sites which includes the Imperial Palace, Minh Mang tomb, Tu Duc tomb, and Khai Dinh tomb. Visiting those four sites plus a free visit to the Thien Mu Pagoda as suggested by my moto-taxi driver took the full day for me, so if you are thinking about doing the same thing, this is probably the best way to go. They also have a 3-site pass for 280k VND, just FYI. You can purchase either of these passes at any of the entrances to the main sites. My first stop was the Khai Dinh tomb. I remember us pulling up on the bike and feeling that wonderful, fluttery, "this is gonna be awesome" excitement when I took my first look at the place. Khai Dinh was the 12th emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty. He was the first Vietnamese monarch to visit Europe, and he developed a special affinity and admiration for France. His political philosophies strongly reflected this, much to the chagrin of the Vietnamese people, who saw his interest in the French ways as a betrayal to the people of Vietnam. Many blew him off as another spoiled, rich monarch. Most likely, he was just ahead of his time and his ideas just weren't ready to be received by a very stubborn population. However, it would seem that Emperor Khai Dinh had the final laugh as is evident in the construction of his tomb. The emperors of that time would plan and construct their tombs while they were still alive. Khai Dinh used mainly French materials during the construction, and he took care to ensure that people would have to work to pay their respects by carving the tomb site into the side of a mountain and building well over 100 steps to reach it. And as what would seem like a final "F you" to the naysayers, he designed the tomb itself to be a spectacular fanfare of porcelain and glass displays, complete with a majestic bronze statue of the emperor himself, which was cast in France. Khai Dinh actually passed away from tuberculosis while the tomb was still under construction, so his son finished the job and the result is jaw-droppingly beautiful. The next stop on the tour was the tomb of Minh Mang. Minh Mang was the 2nd ruler of the Nguyen dynasty, his reign lasting from 1820-1841. Like his father, Minh Mang was a strict conservative Confucian who described Christianity as "perverse" and "corrupt". He had several Christian missionaries executed during his reign. He was also a staunch isolationist, opposing any kind of European involvement in Vietnam, keeping a wary side-eye on France, who renewed their interest in Vietnam following the Napoleonic Wars. In stark contrast to his rigid character, the tomb grounds he chose are quite lovely and peaceful, surrounded by lots of trees and small ponds. He requested several pavilions to be constructed, each with a special purpose in mind, like fishing, reading books, and even just getting some fresh air. Next, we visited the tomb of Tu Duc, otherwise known as the Khiem Tomb. Tu Duc was the fourth emperor of the Nguyen dynasty, and he also claims the longest reign of all thirteen Nguyen emperors at 36 years. Tu Duc rise to the throne is an interesting story. His eldest brother was supposed to become the emperor following his father's death, but his father instead had the law of succession changed while he was alive so that he could choose his successor. His father felt that Tu Duc would be better suited to keeping strict Confucianism alive and well, and would be better adept at keeping foreign powers at bay. This choice actually angered many of the strict Confucian leaders, as well as the eldest son, understandably so. Rebellions ensued, but were quickly suppressed and the eldest brother, Hong Dao, was arrested and tried for treason. His mother intervened which prevented his punishment, but Hong Dao committed suicide while imprisoned nonetheless. Ironically, it was Tu Duc's opposition to Christianity that beckoned France under the guise of "intervention" and ultimately led to the invasion and colonization by France. The Vietnamese laud this tomb as a romantic second Imperial City of sorts, as a nod to the "poetic" nature of Tu Duc. After a delicious lunch, the driver took me to the Thien Mu Pagoda, recommending highly that it was worth a visit. And I have to admit, he was right. The pagoda itself is remarkable with a nice view of the Perfume River from the top of the steps. What was also very enjoyable was walking around the grounds behind the pagoda. I also didn't realize, but later discovered, that this place houses the car that was driven by Thich Quang Duc, the Buddhist monk who martyred himself by setting himself on fire in a busy Saigon intersection in 1963. This was the car he drove to Saigon. Our final stop for the day was the Imperial City itself, also known as the Citadel. If you look at Hue on Google maps, you'll see various square-shaped water canals marking off the Citadel, which encloses the Imperial City. The Imperial City was home to the emperors of the Nguyen dynasty and was the political, cultural, and religious epicenter of Vietnam during Hue's capital period. You can't go through the main entrance without passing by and noticing the massive Flag Tower, which is a three-tiered structure proudly waving the nation's flag, flanked by cannons. It's quite intimidating with a thunderstorm brewing in the background. The Imperial City of Hue is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it's bound to be a fascinating exploration for anyone with an interest in Vietnamese history, or in Vietnam War history. You could easily spend hours wandering through the various pavilions, temples, hallways and corridors, exploring nooks and crannies. It's hard to believe that relentless battle occurred on this site not all that long ago. Hue was incredibly vulnerable during the Tet Offensive due to its location only about 50 km from the DMZ and its purpose as a U.S. Navy supplies base. Local officials pleaded with the U.S. Marines to hold off on any kind of destruction of the Imperial City due to its significant historical importance to the Vietnamese. However, the fighting and losses became too intense and the Americans had no choice but to fight back. Restoration efforts have obviously paid off, with very little indication that bloody battles were fought here, other than an occasional ruin and the bullet holes you can still see in the walls of the Citadel, and the eerie feeling I experienced by just being there, most likely fueled by the looming thunderstorm nearby. I believe a visit to the Imperial City is important to understand Hue's (and Vietnam's) long and storied history. While the locals seem more focused on the future of their country, foreigners and other visitors could benefit greatly by learning about the rulers of the distant past and the hard-fought battles of the not-so-distant past.
I really enjoyed spending time in Hue to learn more about this city's very important role in Vietnamese history, and indeed in American history, as well. Thank you for taking time to read more about my journey and some of what I learned during my time here! There's nothing quite like experiencing a brand new country to help you recover from the depression of leaving one you adored. (I guess you could say that Myanmar is my "rebound" country...?) Yangon (formerly Rangoon) has exceeded my expectations in many ways and it's been a great way to get my feet wet in the rapidly-developing country of Myanmar! Myanmar, formerly known as Burma until 1989, has had a very rough go at opening up to tourists. It has really only done so within the last decade. And even then, tourists haven't flocked, but have increasingly trickled in. And now, after the ethically-controversial actions of Buddhist extremists in the Rakhine State against the Rohingya people, many are either afraid of traveling here or refuse to do so with the concern that they will somehow be supporting the actions of the extremists, and supporting a government that has not taken swift and strong action against the extremists. I, too, struggled with the decision to travel here, but was pleased to learn from the accounts of others that the majority of the economic benefits of tourism were granted to the local people versus the government. Not only that, but the Burmese have been largely isolated from foreigners for decades, and I believe that tourists can provide the Burmese a lot to learn about people from other countries (and we have much to learn from them, as well, I can assure you). I have to admit that this infancy of tourism has only added to the magic I've experienced thus far. This has been an optimal time to visit, as tourists will undoubtedly continue to trickle in and the country will have to change to accommodate it. If you're ever fortunate enough to travel to Myanmar in the coming years, here is a description of some of the things I was able to see and do (and eat) while I was here, perhaps to give you some inspiration! Shwedagon Pagoda You will see this on every "must do" list for Yangon and I am not going to argue with the majority on this one. I hate telling people they "must do" something when they travel somewhere, but you know what? You have to visit this place. There are plenty of reasons why, if seeing the pictures isn't enough for you. The first is that it may be one of the oldest Buddhist pagodas in the world at over 2,500 years old (this hasn't been 100% confirmed, though). The second is that it houses a very important Buddha hair relic. The third is that it is coated with OVER 60 TONS of pure gold. It's the most important Buddhist site to the Burmese. I caught my first glimpse of Shwedagon as I was in a taxi on the way to my hostel from the airport, and this was at night. The pagoda just towered over the city and glistened in pure magical golden glory. I was floored seeing it from a distance, so you can only imagine how it was to see it up close and personal. The best way to see the pagoda, in my opinion, is to watch it transition from late afternoon to night. I arrived around 4:30 pm, walked around and watched the many Buddhist worshippers and monks make their merit. As the sun fell, the pastels in the sky became a beautiful backdrop for the increasingly-glowing pagoda. And at night, the pagoda takes on a brilliant personality that simply cannot be missed. You can also witness monks lighting hundreds of candles at the base of the pagoda which is simply beautiful to observe. Chauk Htat Kyi Pagoda and the Reclining Buddha This is a very well-known Buddha among the Burmese, and also one of the largest reclining Buddhas in the world. I thought the feet of the Buddha were the most interesting, with many different symbols and scenes depicting scenes from Buddha's life or Buddhist principles. And I must say, this Buddha looks rather "fabulous" to me. Also, it's worth a visit to another Buddha across the street from here - the Ngar Htat Gyi Pagoda. Unfortunately, the Buddha was under repair and surrounded by scaffolding when I visited, but I think under normal circumstances would be a very impressive Buddha to see. The Yangon Circular Train If you want to see how the Burmese in the area really live, there is no better opportunity to do so than by taking the circular train from Yangon Central Railway Station. The Station by itself is worth a visit as it is a very interesting piece of architecture, though it could certainly do with a facelift. The price of the ride is only 200 kyat as of now which is only 15-20 cents in USD. The ride is 3 hours long, which feels a bit much at times, but you can always hop off at any of the stations and take a taxi or a Grab if you feel so inclined. I opted to wait it out. During the ride, you'll watch several food and snack vendors hop on and off, offering fresh fruit, drinks, and popular Burmese snacks to the passengers. It's fascinating to watch them balance their trays and baskets on their heads while trying to maintain their composure during the bumpy train ride. Along the way, you'll see things that will warm your heart, as well as things that you may struggle with. The best part for me was all the kids waving at the train as it passed by, and as soon as they see a foreigner, their interest level piques and they will shout "hello!" or "hi!" to you while waving frantically. You'll see many kids laughing and playing, seemingly unbothered by their extremely minimal shelters and possessions. These Burmese live a very simple life. The more disturbing side is seeing all of the trash and pollution. This is unfortunately an all-too-common reality in SE Asia. There is a lot of cleaning up to do and not a lot of initiative to make it happen. You see barefoot children carrying baskets, walking on top of the mounds of garbage. Kids will play in the trash and swim in the filthy ponds and streams. This acceptance and adaptation is only making the problem worse, in my opinion. On the train, expect to be stared at by nearly everyone. Some people are better at hiding their curiosity than others, but there will definitely be glances and looks in your direction. I never got the sense that I was intruding, though. They just carried on with their business, chatting with other locals, hauling their produce and wares off and on the train, or perhaps catching a snooze. It's worth the glimpse into the daily life, in my opinion. Be aware that this is not an air-conditioned train and it gets very, very hot here, so plan accordingly and bring plenty of water with you. Sule Pagoda If your accommodation is somewhere in the central Yangon area, you're most likely within a short distance of Sule Pagoda, and it's certainly worth a visit, especially considering its history and significance. When the British reconstructed Yangon back in the late 19th century, they used Sule Pagoda as the centerpoint from which to design the rest of the city. Sule Pagoda has been a central gathering place for many protests and rebellions throughout Burma's history. It also houses important Buddha relics. It costs USD$2 to enter and a leisurely stroll through will take maybe an hour. While you're there, you can also scope out some of the interesting architecture in the surrounding area, including the City Hall which is just across the street. British colonial and Art Deco styles can also be found within a short walking distance. Kandawgyi Lake If you need a break from the noisy hustle and bustle of Yangon, then consider a nice evening stroll through the Kandawgyi Lake area. The artificial lake was constructed by the British and channels water from Inya Lake to the north. There is a really lovely boardwalk that goes around the lake, and is generally easy to navigate. You'll also find plenty of little cafes and restaurants if you work up an appetite. **Super awesome sorta secret tip**: For sunset, make your way over to the Esperado Hotel on the southeastern side of the lake, across Kan Yeik Tha Road. There is a rooftop bar on the 9th floor which was virtually empty when I was there, and you can enjoy a glorious sunset view of the lake and Shwedagon Pagoda. The service was pretty slow but the views made up for it! Where to eat and drink Ah, yes. Here we are at the most important part - the eating part. Seeing as how my stomach is also quite the tourist, I sampled a nice array of dishes and drinks during my time in Yangon. I was able to stay mostly vegetarian or vegan, as well. Rangoon Tea House This is a very popular sit-in restaurant with the foreigners, but it still features classic Burmese and Indian dishes that any local would respect. As the name suggests, they are also well-known for the varieties of tea on offer. The menu lists various ways to order your tea from not sweet at all up to very sweet. They use sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk to varying degrees depending on your order. It's not something I could drink every day, but fun to try! I also recommend the samosa salad and the pickled tea leaf salad. 999 Shan Noodle Shop The Burmese love their noodles and this is possibly the best place to go in Yangon to get your slurp on. It's a small, cramped restaurant so it's best to get there during "off" times if you can manage. It's got a surprisingly extensive menu. I tried the tofu noodles with their house-made chickpea tofu and it was delicious. Lucky 7 Tea House (49th Street) It's not big and it's not air-conditioned, but you get to sample to the tea-drinking culture that is a huge part of the lives of the Burmese. You can't walk down any street, it seems, without seeing little tea stands dotted here and there. This place is a great introduction to that tea culture. They have a menu in English, but be aware that they don't list the prices on the menu. But fret not; I ordered parata (sweet bread) and their signature Lucky 7 tea and only paid 1000 kyat (75 cents). 50th Street Café and Restaurant Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name. Or, at least where you will be in the company of other foreigners and expats. 50th Street is a popular hangout for the expat community and they feature several Western dishes for anyone needing a fix. They also have a happy hour from 3pm to 8 pm daily, and every night they host a new activity (it was pub quiz night when I was there!) so it's a great way to meet other people. If you've run out of things to do, Yangon is a great city to explore by foot. Some of my favorite moments in the city entailed just walking down the streets, watching the locals at work in the fruit & vegetable markets or in their small family-owned shops. There are so many sights, smells, textures, and sounds to be experienced by wandering the streets. And it doesn't cost anything! To get around otherwise, Grab (a taxi hailing app similar to Uber) is a popular and cheap option with most rides costing around USD$1.50-$2 each way. You'll see (and hear) taxis everywhere, just make sure to agree on a price before you ride. What do you think, does Yangon seem like a place you'd like to visit? Let me know! Thanks for reading! Before I started writing this post, I took a minute to read the post I wrote just before I left Australia to come to Thailand. It made me want to travel back in time to that person and give her a huge hug and tell her she was about to have the experience of a lifetime!
I was so terrified, then. I had never been in a country that didn't have English as one of the primary languages, and that was so very different from the culture that I was used to. When I arrived in Bangkok, I thought I'd made a huge mistake. I definitely didn't love Bangkok, and I thought, well if this is how Thailand is going to be, I'm really not sure I want to spend a year of my life here. And while my opinion of Bangkok has softened only slightly since then, I am so glad I gave the rest of the country a chance. And more importantly, and I'm glad I pushed myself and gave myself a chance to prove that I could manage and work my way through it. I am amazed at how much I've learned in the 14 months I've spent in this country. I can say with a load of pride and confidence that I'm not the same person who flew into Bangkok for the first time. Without a doubt, I've been molded and strengthened, and even a little softened in the heart region, thanks to my students and the kindness of the Thai citizens. I think what I've learned about myself is true for many of us. I believe we have a tendency to sell ourselves short. Humans are highly adaptable creatures. In less than a year, I figured out how to function in a country that couldn't be more different than the one I came from. I think many of us could accomplish this sort of thing if we just made the decision to give it a shot. On the flip side, I've learned, and am still learning, about how much I've allowed fear to control nearly every aspect of my life up until now. It's gradually getting better, and there's nothing like throwing yourself into a developing country to set changes into motion, but there is a lot I still need to do. I struggle with people telling me that what I'm doing is "brave" because there is still so much that I'm afraid of. But, being in Thailand has allowed me to let go of some of that mental baggage, and for that I'm extremely grateful. Most of the problems we have follow us no matter where we go. There isn't any "escaping" the mental battles that I've been fighting for most of my life. The only way to deal with them is to confront them. However, one of the many gifts I've been granted by traveling is the gift of perspective. I knew before coming here I was fortunate in many aspects of my life, but wow, I really do have a lot to be thankful for. So no matter what battles I may be fighting, I believe this compounding sense of gratitude will give me a lot of the ammo I need to work through them. So, that's a little snippet about what I've learned about myself. I've learned a lot about Thailand and the Thai people, as well, of course. Thailand has such a rich history, and I'm astounded at how many of their traditions have withstood the test of time. It's also a land of contradictions. 99% of the population is Buddhist, yet the country has among the worst track records of sex tourism and human trafficking in the world. (It's currently ranked Tier 3 according to the U.S. Department of State - not good.) Pollution is a huge problem here. Ethical treatment of animals is also a glaring (and often heartbreaking) problem. I try not to be too judgmental, because Lord knows we definitely have our fair share of issues back home, but these are critical issues that I genuinely hope that the country fights to improve in the coming years. Drawbacks aside, I could easily list at least a hundred things I love about Thailand. The best memories I have are of the interactions I've had with Thai people and with my students. I have a mental treasure chest just overflowing with moments that captured my heart and soul. And, I have seen some of the most beautiful landscapes and historic monuments in my time here. One of the most frustrating things about not living somewhere for a longer period of time is wishing you could have had time to see everything, but I'm satisfied with all that I was able to see. I think I got to sample a little of everything that Thailand has to offer, so I'm pleased with that. In just a few short days, I'll be flying out of the country that I'll always consider another home. I am determined to come back again, even if just for a visit. I want to thank my Thai friends who read my blog; I'm so thankful that I was able to meet you, and I want you to know that you're special to me and you've touched my life in a very meaningful way. I'm so glad that my journey crossed with yours, and I hope to reconnect with you at another point in our journeys! To my friends back home, you were an important part of my time in Thailand, too, whether you realize it or not. Thank you for being a source of familiarity, love, humor, and support during this time. I hope to see you in a couple more months! Farewell, Thailand - I hope I was able to leave something good behind in exchange for the countless blessings you've bestowed upon me. Kob khun maak kha. With only six weeks remaining of my glorious year+ in Thailand, I wanted to pay tribute to my home for the past several months. Phayao was not originally part of my "plan" - I wanted to stay in Tak for another six months and teach there. I was reluctant to leave, but I didn't have much of a choice. In retrospect, I'm so glad it happened the way it did. As you may recall, I had to have an emergency appendectomy back in early November and the staff at the school where I hadn't even yet begun to teach were with me every step of the way and showed me what it meant to be truly, unconditionally loving and caring human beings. I learned a lot from that experience and I'm so grateful that I was here in Phayao when it all happened. I wanted to document some of my experiences here, not just because I want to help myself remember this place, but because Phayao is actually slowly becoming more popular with tourists. There isn't a lot of information out there right now about the area, so I thought I'd help out those who might be looking to come to Phayao in the future, whether it's for an overnight stay or perhaps for an English teacher who might be here for 6-12 months. In any case, I hope someone finds this useful. My aforementioned surgery experience is testament to the fact that the people of Phayao, and indeed all of Thailand, are the ones who make this town (and country) so lovely. Northern Thailand is more well-known for its kindness and hospitality compared to other regions of Thailand. My experience here is that everyone is friendly, warm, helpful, and welcoming. I'll never forget the time I took a tumble off my motorbike and about 5-6 Thai men came running out of a little family restaurant to look after me. One of them kept saying, "Sorry! Sorry!" as if it was his fault that I was a complete novice on the motorbike. Bless his heart. For any prospective tourists, there is plenty to see and do in Phayao to keep your eyes delighted, your stomachs full, and your social media feeds well-stocked. Read on for more. Where to stay: I have stayed in two hotels in Phayao - the Win Hotel and the Sabuy Residence. Both are located in central Phayao city, not far from each other, actually. They're both comparable in quality and price. You can book online (use the link below for $20 off your stay) or you can sometimes get a cheaper rate by showing up in person and asking for a price. If I had to choose between the two, I would probably choose the Win Hotel. Book your stay online here for $20 off: www.booking.com/s/12_6/2e83f8ce Where to eat: Maybe I should have started with this first, because really, is there anything more important than the food when you travel? Exactly. I knew you'd agree. As the Australians like to say, you are "spoilt for choice" when it comes to dining options in Phayao. If you're just passing through town for a short period of time, then you definitely need to choose something along the lake (Kwan Phayao) around sunset time. There's a nice mix of sit-in restaurants, family cafes with your typical Southeast Asian tables & plastic chairs set-up, and there are also some street food stands scattered about if you'd rather get something to go and set yourself up with a picnic by the lake. Some of the restaurants even have menus in English. Otherwise, the ol' "point to the picture" trick works just fine, too. Not far from road that runs alongside the lake is a fabulous khao soi joint. If you hop on Google maps, it's directly across the street from Al Forno restaurant. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that khao soi is likely the meal I would request as my last meal if I were ever on death row. This place has the best in town. Make sure you get there around 11ish because they fill up very quickly for lunch. They are not open for dinner. Incidentally, Al Forno is an okay place to have pizza or lasagna. Bear in mind that in most of Thailand, the quality that you come to expect from Western countries' pizza and "Italian" type food won't be present. But if you have a craving that must be satisfied, it's worth a go. If you're looking for something a bit nicer in terms of ambiance, there are a couple of restaurants further up Donsanam Road - one of the main roads in Phayao that runs parallel to the lake as you're heading north. The best one in my opinion is called So Good. Again, get there around 6pm so you can enjoy that famous Kwan Phayao sunset. Expect the prices to be higher, but the food quality is good and the view is awesome. They generally have live acoustic music in the evenings, as well, so you can enjoy hearing interesting renditions of your favorite English songs. They also have outdoor seating, but bring the mosquito repellant. If you'd like more of an authentic experience, there is a night market each Friday and Saturday evening, starting around 5pm and finishing around 10-11pm, located alongside the lake on Chaykwan Road. Here, you'll find lots of food stands serving all the local favorites: Northern Thai sausage, fried or salted fish, meatballs, papaya salad, smoothies, fish cakes, and plenty more. There is seating just behind the market if you don't mind sitting on a cushion on the ground. Where to get caffeinated: Again, you have plenty of options here, but I will give you my personal favorites. I picked my favorites based on the quality of the coffee, the atmosphere, and the friendliness of the staff. It's definitely difficult to narrow it down to a few - you really can't go wrong here. Pick #1: Phoon Café, at the junction of Hwy 1 and Hwy 1021 Delicious Americano, several choices of beverages, fast Wi-Fi, love the old schoolhouse-type décor. The staff are very friendly and always smiling. Pick #2: Norbulingka Café, along Donsanam Rd near Phayao Hospital Good coffee, great snacks - try the samosas. The owners are a mom/son team who I think are from Nepal or Tibet or have the heritage of some kind. The café is decorated accordingly and it's beautiful. Norbulingka is the name of the palace that housed the Dalai Lama in the summer. Cool, huh? Pick #3: Shine Coffee, along Hwy 1 near the Shell station and Makro It's a small, quiet, and very cozy café with beautiful photographs of hill tribe people. They have a blueberry cheesecake that is dreamy, as well. Owners are extremely pleasant. What to do: Other than hanging around Kwan Phayao, there are many options for sight-seeing around Phayao. The ones I'm listing here are all within a 20-30 minute car or motorbike ride of Phayao city, if they're not within the city itself. Wat Si Khom Kham This temple complex is situated along the lake, just off Donsanam Road. This wat is locally famous for its Buddha statue, which is the largest Chiang Saen (or Lanna) style Buddha in the country. The statue was constructed around the year 1500. What also makes this wat particularly interesting is the sculpture garden located on the temple grounds. The theme of these pieces of art seems to be about life and death, or what can happen afterwards depending on your life's choices. It's a little bit creepy, but still worth checking out. While you're there, you can snap a couple of photos of the Cultural Center of Phayao, in Lanna style, with a lovely view of the lake. Wat Analayo This is another very interesting temple complex outside of Phayao by about 20 minutes. It's easy to get to; just follow the signs as you're heading north out of Phayao along Hwy 1. It's actually a lovely scenic ride on motorbike with views of rice fields and the mountains on a clear day. The temple grounds are in the foothills so you can get some nice glimpses of the lake and downtown Phayao while you're up there exploring. Don't forget to swing around and explore the interesting temple (photo included above) and the tall standing Buddha at the hilltop. I'm not sure of the name of the temple, unfortunately, but it's definitely worth checking out. Champa Thong Waterfall This waterfall is also about 20-30 minutes outside of Phayao, heading in the same direction as Wat Analayo, but instead turning right (going north) on Hwy 1193. There are also several signs leading you in the right direction. You'll pass through the village of Ban Tom on your way if you would like to stop for snacks or coffee. There are also a couple of really beautiful views of the mountains and rice fields, so feel free to stop for a couple of photos while you're at it. Getting to the waterfall itself is a very easy and short hike - I wore my Tevas and did just fine. I would imagine it gets busy on the weekends, so try to get there during the week if you can. It's a beautiful spot to relax and have a picnic, or to soak your feet. It's not good for swimming, though, so don't expect any pools or watering holes to dunk yourself. Wat Pa Dong Bunnak I found this place completely by accident and I was very pleasantly surprised to see a chedi ruin in Phayao. The temple itself isn't anything much, but if you take a short walk through the forest, you'll encounter this beautiful 500 year old ruin. It's like getting a small taste of Sukhothai or Chiang Saen in Phayao. Definitely worth checking out if you're into this kind of thing like I am. The location is not far from Phayao Ram Hospital and you can actually plug it into Google maps to find the specific spot. Outside of Phayao city, it's worth just hopping on a motorbike and exploring some of the surrounding small towns and villages like Mae Chai north of town, or Dok Kham Tai east of town. It's fun to visit some of these villages where they rarely see farangs, and you can find some great deals shopping for local goods since they cater to local buyers.
Phayao really has a lot to offer, and it's quite likely that they will continue to add and build upon attractions to bring in more tourists in the coming years. The ideal location of the city, only 1.5 hours to Chiang Rai and 2.5 hours to Chiang Mai, ensures that they will get more passers-by and will likely attract farangs who are looking for somewhere to reside outside of the heavily-expatted and touristy bigger cities nearby. I hope you enjoyed this little tour of my home away from home, and that you'll have fun exploring Phayao if you come to visit in the future! Teaching English as a secondary language has been the most rewarding experience of my life, to date. Though I've just been teaching now for one year, I feel as though it is something I was born to do. It comes naturally to me, I enjoy it, and it challenges me.
I'm very fortunate to have found something that I think is a good "fit" for me. I was definitely someone who was trying to "figure herself out" for a long time before leaving home and beginning my teaching adventure. While I am still figuring myself out in many respects, teaching is something that has given me a sense of purpose and passion, something I was definitely lacking in my previous life. Maybe you're at a similar place in life, or know someone who is. Maybe you're trying to figure out what it is you really want out of life. Maybe you feel like the routine of life is giving you a sense of security, but it's also sucking life out of you. Maybe you've always wanted to travel more, but you couldn't justify it financially. Maybe you're just scared to leave the comforts of home and you need the reassurance that you'll be able to "make it" out there in the big world. If you're feeling or experiencing any of these things, or know someone who is, then maybe I can help. First, let me say that teaching English abroad is not for everyone. I'm not naïve enough to tell you that "anyone can do it" because not everyone can. My purpose with this blog post is to help those who think that it might work for them, and the information I give you could help you make a decision one way or another to either take the leap or stay put, or find something else that would work better for your life situation. In my ongoing pursuit of transparency, I will give you the good, bad, and ugly of teaching English in Thailand. The Good
The Bad
The Ugly
I would also like to mention that online English teaching is HUGE right now. If you're not quite ready to jump ship but would like to get some teaching experience, or to supplement your income, then online teaching could be a viable option for you. Just keep in mind that most of online teaching platforms are based in Asia (China, in particular) so you'd have to be able to work with the time zone differences. I hope you found this information valuable, whether it was to satisfy your own curiosity or to help fuel a life-altering decision. One of my greatest pleasures in life is helping others, so if you feel this information would be valuable to someone else, please pass it along. And, please don't hesitate to ask me any and all questions pertaining to teaching English abroad. I'm no expert, but I believe my experience thus far could certainly assist someone in deciding whether or not this path is for them. Thank you for reading! Life takes you to unexpected places. Love brings you home. --Melissa McClone Hello, friends! I thought I would post a quick update letting you know what I've been up to and what my plans look like for the next several months.
It's been pretty quiet here in Phayao; I haven't done a lot of traveling other than just day trips here and there to places close by. I'm still teaching until the end of April. I've sold my house back in Omaha. Oh, and I've been moving to a plant-based diet. This has definitely not been easy for me! I actually haven't missed the meat all that much, but I did eat a lot of eggs and ate more fish and shrimp once I came here to Thailand, so those have been the hardest things to cut. I'm also a sugar and coffee addict so that's a whole other battle. But, I already feel a difference just in the month or so that I've been making the changes. I'm optimistic that I'll continue down this path and eventually become 100% plant-based. Baby steps! (PS if anyone is on a similar journey, please let me know! I'd love to share tips, recipes, challenges, successes, etc. with someone!) Other than that, it's been pretty snoozy around here, honestly. Sometimes I feel guilty because now that I've been here in Thailand for (almost exactly) one year, it feels more like home to me and some of the novelty has worn off that comes with seeing and experiencing a new place. I often remind myself that I'm in freaking THAILAND, for crying out loud, and that I should find joy and excitement in those everyday routine things that were not at all routine to me a year ago. It's crazy how quickly humans can adapt to foreign surroundings. So, here is what I have planned for the rest of this year. I know by now that plans are always subject to change, but I feel pretty solid about my decisions at this point so I don't expect too much to go off course. Once my teaching contract is up at the end of April, I'll be taking a couple of months off to travel through Southeast Asia, including Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. I also plan to spend up to a week or so in Hong Kong to visit a friend from high school and get a flight back to the States from there. Yes indeed, I'll be going home for a little while next summer! My first priority is to spend some time with my sister and her family in Ft Worth, TX, and to meet my baby niece who was born after I left, and who will be celebrating her first birthday in July. From there, I'll visit and spend some time back home in Omaha. I don't know for how long, yet. I'm guessing around 2 weeks. There are several people I'd like to try to visit while I'm in the U.S. so it will just depend on how things pan out, and how much money I end up spending once I'm back. The U.S. is expensive as hell, yo! Speaking of which, I'm hoping that my friends and family will understand that I definitely don't have the same kind of budget I had when I lived in the States. I've been living on a Thai salary for the past year and my living (and traveling) expenses have been quite low by comparison. This is great, of course, until you need to buy international flights and travel in countries with much stronger economies. So, please do not be offended or disappointed if I have to say no to going out to eat or drink sometimes or participate in pricey activities. I definitely will on occasion but I have to be reasonable. Unless you're buying, then yeah, let's get after it. Haha. My plan is to stick around the U.S. until sometime in August, and then I'll be heading off again, this time to South America. I plan to start in Ecuador and work my way around for a year or two, teaching English in various cities. Why South America and why Ecuador? Well, the best I can explain is that I'm drawn there. I've had dreams and other synchronistic events happen which have led me to decide that Ecuador is where I need to go. That might sound silly to some people, and that's ok. I need to learn to trust in myself and in my journey. I hope I'll have a chance to see many (or all) of you when I return this summer. I know that life is what it is and I understand in advance if it can't happen. There's always next time. Otherwise, I'll see you in July, and I can't wait to hear about what you've been up to! Holy moly, I am way overdue for a blog post! I know everyone's been chomping at the bit wondering when I was going to get another one of these things out there. Yeah, because the holidays haven't consumed your lives the last couple of months or anything. Not long after my last post, I had to have an emergency appendectomy which put me on the bed and out of commission for a while. But that's another story for another time, kids. Fortunately, it had a happy ending which means more blog posts are sure to come. Please, hold your applause. I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday season! My current school gave us teachers a week off for Christmas and New Year's, which was unexpected but ecstatically welcomed. I decided to hang around Northern Thailand and visit a place that's been on my radar for a while: Pai! Tourists seem to have a "love it" or "hate it" opinion of Pai. Either people love it because it's beautiful and quaint with much cooler temps than the rest of Thailand, or they hate it because it's become a hot spot on the tourist trail (ironic, yeah?) which means hordes of backpackers and all their dreadlocks, man buns, elephant pants, B.O., Chang beer, bro tanks paired with scarves, and Havaianas. It also attracts a lot of the new agey, "woo woo" hippie types who come to eat cleansing herbs and drink detoxing beverages of all sorts to nourish the auras of their chakras and such. Luckily, I was able to get past all of that and just appreciate Pai for what it was - a beautiful country town surrounded by some of the most lush, vibrant, soul-stirring scenery that I've ever experienced. Day 1 - 762 curves, Mae Yen Temple, Walking Street Market Mkay, let me just say this - if you ever happen to go to Pai from Chiang Mai (which is how most people get there), do NOT think your stomach is too cool for school and dismiss the idea of taking any kind of motion sickness medicine. You will absolutely need it. There are exactly 762 curves on the road from Chiang Mai to Pai (someone was kind enough to count them for all of us) and you will feel every damn one of them, especially if your van driver is the Mario Andretti of Thailand like mine was. The gods happened to be smiling on Thai Mario that day and I arrived safely in Pai. First order of business was to rent a motorbike. This TRULY is the best way to see Pai in all its glory if you can manage it. BUT - big disclaimer here - and you'll hear this from everyone else who travels to Thailand and you'll hear it again from me - do not take road safety in Thailand lightly. This past year, Thailand was voted as the #1 country in road fatalities. And if you ever come here, you'll see why. Wearing a helmet is non-negotiable. You'll find a few motorbike rental shops that will give you lessons before handing you the keys, and I strongly encourage you to take advantage of that if you've never been on a motorbike. Bikes cost around 150-200 baht per day to rent and you may have to pay some kind of deposit for the helmet and you'll generally be asked to leave your passport at the shop. After finding a bike and checking in to my hostel, I headed along a short drive to the Mae Yen Temple. Wat Phra That Mae Yen features a giant white Buddha, and the location is ideal for a view of the sunset which attracts both tourists and locals alike each evening. I arrived early enough to walk around the complex for a while and make my ascent up the stairs (insert heavy breathing here). I was also able to enjoy the view of a few backpackers who were dressed not-so-conservatively, holding their Chang beer bottles, leisurely moseying up the stairs. (Please, everyone, don't be THAT d-bag and respect the Thai culture. It's still a religious site, for crying out loud.) The sunset was definitely worth the climb and it was a great introduction to Pai. After sunset, I made my way back down to the Pai town center for the walking street market. For such a small town, I was pleasantly surprised at the number of options for food and shopping. There was something there for every craving, from traditional Thai dishes to pizza, lasagna, falafel, burritos, samosas, and tons of dessert options. What a great way to sample while still eating fairly cheaply. I feasted on a couple of curry puffs and a delicious Burmese tea leaf salad. I would honestly go back to Pai for that salad alone, it was so good. Day 2 - Coffee in Love, Wat Toong Pong, Land Split, Love Strawberry Pai, Memorial Bridge, Pai Canyon, Yun Lai Viewpoint After a hearty breakfast, I hopped on the motorbike and headed south on the 1095 to do some exploring. My first stop was at Coffee In Love, which is one of many roadside coffee shops. I wasn't there for the coffee, but for the views. It was early enough in the day that not all the fog and mist had burned off the mountains so it was a really lovely view. A great way to start off my full day of exploring. Further down 1095 was a temple complex I think could be best described as "quirky" - Wat Toong Pong. The rainbow-colored nagas were pretty cool but they definitely constructed this place with a "more is more" approach! Still, a fun stop-off on the way to the other sites along 1095. Probably my 2nd most favorite attraction behind the Tham Lod Caves was the Land Split. I had read about this place on another traveler's blog and decided to check it out. Thankfully I found out about it ahead of time, because it wasn't on the map I got from my hostel. The "split" can be found on a farmer's land a few km west of 1095. Back in 2008, this farmer found out the hard way that his land was directly over an active fault line. The earthquake split his territory almost literally in half, and subsequent quakes in 2009 and 2011 deepened the rifts that were created on his hillside. I've gotta hand it to this farmer because instead of throwing his hands up in the air and saying F this, he figured out a way to make some money off of this geological "misfortune". He turned it into a tourist attraction and now grows some other crops that don't mind the occasional rumble and shuffle. The split itself is cool to look at, sure, but nothing really to write home about. What was really amazing was the farmer/owner himself and his wife who greet you immediately when you arrive and tell you to either go do the tour and come back and have snacks, or vice versa. They serve you a variety of delicious snacks and beverages which included banana chips with homemade roselle jam, boiled sweet potatoes, peanuts, fresh fruit, roselle juice, and roselle wine. They grow roselle as well as hibiscus on their property, as well as a variety of trees and vegetables. You eat and drink to your heart's content, and they don't charge you for any of it. But, you are asked to kindly give some sort of donation, the amount being up to you based on how much you think is deserved for the experience. The hospitality from the hosts is well worth the trip by itself! Afterwards, I tried unsuccessfully to find a particular waterfall I was looking for so I headed back south on 1095 to yet another kitschy roadside coffee shop called Love Strawberry Pai. If you have a special affinity for strawberries, this is the place for you. It was fun to look around and take some photos, and you can also sample some strawberry-flavored food products and wines while you're there. Don't forget to get a couple of souvenirs for your weirdo friends back home while you're at it! The next stop was Memorial Bridge which straddles the Pai River alongside the 1095 highway. The bridge has more historical value than visual appeal. It was supposedly constructed during WWII under Japanese orders, which entailed using the labor of POWs as well as local Thais for construction. However, other sources I've read indicate that no one really knows how or where the Japanese crossed over. But, either way, it's interesting to walk over the wooden planks and get a couple photos while crossing the river. Pai Canyon was my next stop, which is probably in the top 3 most visited attractions of Pai. It's often advertised, rather humorously so, as the "Grand Canyon of Thailand" - definitely a stretch but as long as you make no comparisons whatsoever to the real deal, it's worth checking out! It would be beautiful at sunset, but expect crowds since most local tour companies offer the "Pai Canyon Sunset" as the grand finale of their day tours. While staying in Pai, you can never really tire of the spectacular views and scenery that surround you. Another popular stop for tourists is the Yun Lai Viewpoint, just a few km west of Pai town. It's a steep ride up to it, and once you've nearly summited, you're immediately rewarded with panoramic views of pure beauty. You climb up another steep path (a common occurrence around these parts) to access the viewpoint and the small café and shop at the top. It costs 20 baht to enter, but the nice thing about that is that you are welcomed to enjoy green tea served out of a delicate little Chinese tea set for no extra charge. Day 3 - Tham Lod Cave It rained all day long on my 3rd day in Pai, and of course I'd booked a tour to see a few more of the remaining sites I hadn't quite gotten to yet. We visited more than just the cave, but to be honest none of it was really too impressive and/or it couldn't be fully enjoyed because of the weather (Kiu Lom Viewpoint, Sai Ngam hot springs, Mor Paeng Waterfall). I will say, though, that it would be worth booking a day tour that includes the cave because just going to the cave on your own and hiring a guide (which you HAVE to do, there's no option not to) would cost you at least 400 baht alone, and for 500 baht I was able to get the cave as well as the other sites, and someone else did the driving through those crazy mountain roads. Not a bad deal. Now I don't claim to know much (or anything) about stalactites and stalagmites, but I will tell you that this was definitely one of the coolest places I've ever visited! The tour guides lead you by lanterns through the dark depths of this magnificent cave, which was used at least 2000 years ago by early inhabitants of this region. There have been artifacts discovered here like tools and canoe-shaped burial coffins, a few of which are still on display (or, what remains of them, at least) for visitors. Another perk of the cave tour is being able to spend part of it on a bamboo raft floating along the Nam Lang River, which flows through the cave. It was definitely the highlight of my trip, and it saved an otherwise dreary day from being a total bummer! Pai was such a treat for me and I'm glad I had the chance to visit while staying in Thailand. I'd definitely recommend the trip if you'll be in the northern part of Thailand for any decent amount of time. Just remember to bring your motion sickness tablets, wear your helmet, and for god's sake, take a shower, will you?
Those of you who follow me on Facebook and/or Instagram know by the flood of photos I've posted recently that I just returned from a two-week trip to Singapore and Malaysia. There were plenty of other photos that didn't get posted, so please congratulate me on my restraint. (wink) I think my travel "style" has evolved somewhat in the past year. I used to try to pack in as much as possible within a short amount of time and never really take the time to savor and truly understand where I was and what it was I would be looking at. I think that way of traveling is fueled by the Western way of living where you are encouraged to cram as much as possible into short periods, whether it's work, meals, family time, school, etc. Always go, go, go. The Insta-world we live in doesn't help much, either. I've read a couple of articles recently about how people travel to places now based on how Instagram-friendly they are. Agree or disagree, you can't really argue that it probably has more influence than it used to. And I am certainly not an exception, as is evident from the number of Instagram posts I churn out whenever I go somewhere new. But, these days, I try to be a little more intentional about my travels. My "quick weekend trips" have turned into weeks, months, and (approaching soon enough) years in a country or location. I realize that not everyone has this luxury due to jobs and family obligations, but I think I've been there and done that enough to enjoy the blessings and opportunities that are presented to me now. One of the goals I wanted to achieve by traveling the world was to acquire more knowledge. I have always been a curious person. I wasn't really allowed to ask a lot of questions when I was growing up, so now that I have the whole world in front of me, I'm trying to make up for lost learning. I don't want traveling, for me, to be a series of pretty pictures with no substance. I read a lot of travel blogs and visit a lot of web sites that just seem like a lot of younger, mainly white people posing in their "unplanned" "oh so random that I happen to be wearing this lovely dress with heels and broad-rimmed hat that I happen to be touching right now as though there were a strong breeze blowing in front of this placid lake" sort of poses. Haha. I just read that last sentence to myself again and literally snorted. BECAUSE IT'S TRUE! Go visit a few blogs/sites and tell me I'm wrong. I dare you. But that's kind of the perception that surrounds traveling these days, you know? I'm already an oddball in that I'm a nearly-40 (WHAT? eeek), pudgy, never-married, childless, amazing-job-quitting female traveler, so hell, I might as well make sure that my experiences aren't cookie cutter, either. So, all that being said, I wanted to make sure that when I went to Singapore and Malaysia, that I actually learned a thing or five while I was there. SINGAPORE For starters, Singapore is an independent city-state which makes it unique by that fact alone. Initially a British colony, it joined the Federation of Malaya in 1963. A hefty number of tensions and disagreements later, Singapore was voted out of the Federation in 1965 and declared its sovereignty mere hours later. Several things make Singapore truly unique from my perspective, aside from its beginnings and current independent standing. It is one of the most culturally and ethnically rich cities I've ever visited. About 3/4 of the population is Chinese; another 15% or so claim indigenous Malay heritage, and about another 7-8% are from India. With those demographics, you have a number of different religions, styles of architecture, cuisines, and languages that follow suit. My favorite part of Singapore was all of the colonial shophouses. I don't use this word often, but man, they were so CUTE!! You can find them all over the city, but my favorite area with a high concentration of shophouses was Joo Chiat Road. Chinatown was another personal favorite. Yes, it's very touristy and there are many shops that cater to the souvenir-driven shopper, but I loved how vibrant it was. And, I got my first taste of hawker dining in Chinatown. Hawker stalls are basically street food but with more structure. It's still the cheapest and most authentic way of eating. My first hawker meal was the famous Hainanese chicken rice from Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle, which earned itself a Michelin one-star rating in 2016. It's also probably the cheapest Michelin meal I'll ever have at a measly S$2. The chicken was very... (wait for it) ...moist and delicious. The rice was just rice, so nothing too impressive there. Hey for S$2 I could have eaten a lot worse. While in the city, I was also able to visit Little India; the Arab District and Haji Lane; and the Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay. I stayed in a hostel called Tree In Lodge which I highly recommend for anyone who may visit the city in the future. I was also impressed with the local transportation options - I used the MRT and buses to get around virtually everywhere, but Uber is also popular. The MRT & buses are very clean and modern. Singapore is a very clean city with strict rules about pollution and it is one of the most progressively eco-friendly cities in the world. One of the most exciting things about Singapore was that I got to drink water from the tap. Something I hadn't been able to do for several months!! If you have plans to visit in the future, let me know and I would be more than happy to offer insight and suggestions based on my time there! KUALA LUMPUR I've gotta be honest - I didn't love KL. It's quite possible that it seemed more brash to me because I was still fresh from my stint in Singapore. The city definitely has an edge to it. I don't think it's good or bad, it just didn't quite win me over, personally. The biggest issue I had was with the local transportation system. You've got the MRT, the LRT, the Komuter, the monorail, and a few others I'm forgetting on top of the expansive bus network. I'm all for options, but I found it to be tedious and confusing. I started to get the hang of it after a few days but I definitely walked around looking lost and confused more times than I would care to admit. I was also less than impressed with the Chinatown area which seemed to be more about non-Chinese, mainly Indian folks selling souvenirs and overpriced clothing, shoes, and gadgets than anything really to do with Chinese heritage. I'm not saying it wasn't there, but I guess I was expecting Chinatown to be a little more, well, Chinese? Again, I was probably just spoiled from the Chinatown experience in Singapore so my expectations were a little higher than they probably should have been. I would certainly not say I didn't enjoy myself in the city, though. I loved all of the mosques and Islamic architecture scattered throughout. This was my first experience in a primarily-Islamic country and the mosques were definitely a visual treat for me. My favorite was Masjid Jamek, which sits right where the two main rivers meet (the Klang and the Gombak). When you look at it from a certain angle, the location of the mosque is symbolic since you can see the tall modern city buildings behind it, then you've got the confluence of the two rivers in front of it. Sort of like old meeting new, ancient religions meeting new modern ways of living, peace and prayer meeting the chaos of city life. Maybe I'm reading too far into it, but I still thought it was neat! I did a LOT of shopping in KL since there were a lot more options for my size, so I stocked up. I don't have a large wardrobe to begin with since large wardrobes don't travel well, and I tend to wear the same things over and over again. As you can probably imagine, after over a year of constant wear, certain things begin to lose their "integrity". I was very happy to replace them. I made it out to the Batu Caves the day before I left KL. Again, another example of having expectations before you go someplace that don't quite get met. I really hope I don't sound like an entitled snob, but it was just waaaayyyy more touristy than I was expecting. There was also a lot of construction going on while I was there which blocked some of what I was hoping to see. I was also surprised to see that it was still basically in the city. I was expecting it to be further out since they are caves, after all, carved into limestone mountains. Not something you'd expect to see a few blocks from a grocery store. HOWEVER it was still pretty cool, and it is a very important site to Hindu worshippers so it was neat to watch them perform their religious tasks. The limestone around the caves is supposedly hundreds of millions of years old, so that's fascinating and humbling. And I'll give this credit to the transportation system, it was easy and cheap getting there since there is a train station right outside the entrance. PENANG Be still, my heart! I absolutely adored Penang. More specifically, I adored George Town. Penang is actually a state in Malaysia, and Penang Island is part of that, which is where I stayed, in George Town. GT is actually the 2nd largest city in Malaysia. The "old town" area of GT is actually a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. My hostel was situated in the heart of the old town area. If you ever visit, you could easily spend a few days just exploring the old town area and still feel like you just scratched the surface, which is exactly how I felt when I left. The most obvious feature of old GT is the architecture, where you see plenty of British colonial and my favorite (CUTE!) shophouses. You also have many mosques, temples, and churches for Hindu, Islamic, Buddhist, and yes, even Christian worshippers. This part of Penang is also famous for its street art. It's not the sort of bold, in-your-face art that you would see on Haji Lane in Singapore or Hosier Lane in Melbourne. You see it when you least expect it, and if you're not careful, you'll walk past it without noticing. Luckily, there are plenty of maps available that tell you exactly where to find these subtle treasures. One of my favorite attractions in GT was the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, otherwise known as "The Blue Mansion" just a few blocks from where I was staying. I find the life story of CFT to be quite interesting. He grew up very poor, working as a water carrier since plumbing wasn't a thing back then. As a young man, he married the daughter of his boss who owned a provision shop, who thereby began supporting him financially, giving him his "break" into the life he was destined to have. Despite his humble beginnings, he had a sharp business acumen and was ahead of his time in terms of the decisions he made with his businesses. He would eventually be known to Westerners as the "Rockefeller of the East." He had 8 wives, the 7th of which was his favorite. We only know this because she was the only wife mentioned in his will. His youngest son also seemed to be favored, as CFT made a special stipulation in his will that the Mansion could only be sold once the last son had passed on. Sadly, the mansion fell into disrepair and became the home of poorer family members and squatters for many years. It wasn't until the youngest son finally died around 1989 that the house finally went to auction. At that time, most people were looking to develop the land for businesses and apartments, so the Mansion nearly saw the end of its days, until one man was lucky enough to snatch it up and made it his life's work to restore the Mansion to its former glory. The Mansion was actually a huge factor in GT gaining the UNESCO heritage status. All in all, I learned quite a bit in two weeks and I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to visit these places while I was in Asia. (Please view my slide show below to see a FEW of my hundreds of photos.) I'm back in Phayao now, about to start my next teaching position. I'll be here for at least six more months, and then we'll see where my journey takes me! Thank you for reading and following along. Happy Halloween to my goblins back home! I stopped by the noodle stand near my apartment tonight for dinner. Though I'd not been there in a while, one of the owners remembered my "usual" choice of noodles and served me up a hot bowl of deliciousness along with a big, warm smile and a "sawadee krap." This was the very same noodle stand where I had my first meal in Tak back in April. To be honest, I haven't really thought too much about the last few months recently just because everything has been so hectic with finals at school and finding a new job, making arrangements to move, etc. But tonight, I took the time to reflect on how much my experience in Tak has meant to me. When I first moved here, I had a hunch that I was going to have an incredible experience. How could I not, really? But I could never anticipate just how incredible it has been for me. I have a lifetime of memories just from the 5 months I've been living here. There are so many things and people that I will miss. I'll miss the neighborhood kids shouting, "HELLO! HELLO!" whenever I ride past them. I'll miss the Ping River and all the magnificent sunsets that have danced upon it. I'll miss the markets I frequented, where the people at the food stands would smile and say hello once they saw and recognized me. I'll miss the man at the Thai dessert stand who would always sneak me a free dessert whenever I purchased one from him. (I think somehow I make it obvious that I love desserts?) I'll miss the smell of smoke from monks burning leaves and branches when they clean up the temple grounds. I'll miss the gorgeous view from my classroom at school. And most of all, without question, I'll miss my students and teacher friends. F*****ck, man. This is where it gets difficult for me. My students - I can't believe how much those critters took over my entire heart. I can honestly say this has been one of the few times in my life that I've actually felt like I wasn't working even though technically I was. My "job" was to have fun with these kids; I really believe that. Teaching was secondary. I don't have any idea how much they've actually learned from me, but let me tell you, I've learned a helluva lot from them. They're among the few people who have actually made me feel beautiful. And not just because they would constantly call me beautiful (and I'm not going to argue with them!), but because of how they made me feel about myself. When I was with them in the classroom, I felt like I could do anything. I was my best self. I loved to make them laugh. They always made me laugh. Every day someone would do or say something that would just make me stop teaching and have a hearty guffaw. Every single one of them had an unmistakable personality. I would smile as soon as they would walk into my classroom. And it was a real, genuine smile. I was happy to see them. It doesn't get any more beautiful than that. Sure, there were the moments where the kids were kids and I wanted to go medieval on them, but even then, I still cared about them and wanted to be a better teacher for them. I'm going to miss them yelling "TEACHER!!" and waving frantically whenever they would see me walking across campus. Definitely a big change from the beginning of the school year where they would practically run away screaming whenever I'd ask them how they were. (because of the language barrier, I think...?) I'll miss them greeting me during lunch in the canteen and asking me what I was eating. Most of the time I had no idea, ha. And yes, I'll miss hearing, "Teacher beautiful!" I love them so much. Tak will always have a special place in my heart. I am a much better person for having spent time here. It's another home for me, as far as I'm concerned. I want to visit at least a couple more times before I leave Thailand. And even after I leave, I wouldn't be surprised if I talked myself into coming back again for more visits. Thank you, Tak, and Phadungpanya School, for helping me realize some of my own potential and for loving me exactly as I am. The feeling is very mutual. I'll never forget you. |
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AuthorHi! I'm Charity. I'm from Omaha, Nebraska, USA. I quit my job in October 2016 to travel the world. Archives
June 2022
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