Favor Nick
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Buddhist Initiation at Shwedagon
Visiting the Shwedagon pilgrimage site Today in the afternoon I visited the Shwedagon pagoda where I had an unexpected Buddhist initiation. Without any debate, this temple is unquestionably the most significant in Myanmar. It contains one massive stupa covered with gold leaves, and around it, you have numerous other temples and shrines, showcasing unique architectural…
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Wandering the city of Chiang Mai
Cheap tuk-tuk fare to the inner city Early afternoon, after a break, I decided to go wandering the city. I am taking it easy today and just want to enjoy a visit to some famous temples in the inner city. My accommodations provide a tuk-tuk driver who will take me to any location in the…
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Annual Loy Krathong Festival
Gratitude to the goddess of water Some weeks ago it was time again for the Loy Krathong festival. This religious festival forms the annual gratitude of the Thai to the goddess of water – Mae Kong Ka, just after the rainy season. They thank this goddess for the abundant rainfall they received during the year because it brought…
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Mixed feelings about Hanoi
A less intrusive Asian capital At first sight, Hanoi seems like just another busy Asian capital. But the city is smaller than Bangkok for instance and has a less intrusive atmosphere than I imagined. I do have mixed feelings about Hanoi though: they range from `I want to get out of here as quickly as…
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Confronting dark history of Cambodia
Poverty in Cambodia Our second day in Phnom Penh. Today I want to find out more about the dark history of Cambodia. So I decided to combine a visit to the Royal Palace and the S21 prison. As there is a swimming pool on the 3rd floor of the hotel, my travel companion would instead…
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Sleeper train to Chiang Mai
Counting down for the sleeper train to Chiang Mai Last day in Bangkok before taking the sleeper train to Chiang Mai tonight. I slept poorly, so I have little energy to wander all day in this busy capital. Anyway, after breakfast, I head to Chinatown. Once again, I jump on the boat, the easiest and…
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Exploration of Bangkok as Newbie
Exploration of Bangkok around the Chao Phraya river After a nap of an hour, I refresh myself and want to start my first exploration of Bangkok. First and foremost, I want to find the river – the Chao Phraya – a distinctive landmark and the way to move relatively quickly in Krung Thep, the local…
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Religious ceremony as a monk passes
A religious ceremony in my neighborhood Some weeks ago, while driving back to my room late evening, I noticed high activity around Wat Santitham, a vital temple in my area in Chiang Mai. There was a coming and going of nicely dressed people, and remarkably there were also may monks around. Initially, I thought it was…
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Strong Chinese herbs and acupuncture
Alternatives to traditional medicine Being someone who has been living with rheumatoid arthritis for a long-term duration, I am always looking for possible alternatives to potential substitutes to avoid expensive medications and therapies of conventional medicine. So I decided to investigate the effects of Chinese herbs and acupuncture. After all, on this side of the world,…
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A pinch of culture in Phnom Penh
Chaos at Phnom Penh Immigration Right upon arrival at Phnom Penh airport we experience a sample of how chaotic things are being run. Everyone needs to obtain a visa on arrival at the Immigration booth, but an orderly queue of people waiting for their turn is out of the question. It is more like everyone…
