Our shared van sped across the mountains of northern Armenia seemingly on a race track - passing every vehicle in our path. At speeds like this, the drive was thrilling - and beautiful when we could catch glimpses of the surrounding countryside. Spring time has brought green grass as far as the eye can see interrupted by flowers blooming. This is why I enjoy chasing spring and summer around the planet - with weather such as this. Warm and clear … [Read more...]
Visiting the World’s Oldest Winery in Armenia
Arguably the highlight today was visiting the world's oldest known winery - located about an hour and 10 minutes drive from Yerevan (based on the way our driver took to the roads aggressively - probably much slower if driven normally!). This site was 'discovered' in 2007 and was excavated by Armenian, Irish and American archaeologists until about 2011. What they discovered was astounding. A sizable working winery that dates back 6,100 years! This … [Read more...]
Experiencing the Chaos of Jakarta
By the time I reached my hotel and drifted off it was 2am. I woke early the next morning and wandered out exploring the streets of Mangga Dua - a section of this sprawling city that seems to be a cross between New Delhi and Dhaka. The roads are a sensory stream of noise and action - from motorbikes, three wheeled motorized rickshaw taxis, the ubiquitous Blue Bird Taxis, bicycles and people walking. Throw in a torrential downpour (after all this … [Read more...]
A Shot of Color in the Jungle, Emerald Pool and the Blue Pool – With a Heated Natural Stream Thrown in for Good Measure!
We shot by the Krabi Airport in our tiny rented car - on our way to the Emerald Pool from Phulay Bay. We tried to wake up early and beat the rush at this natural attraction but by the time we were within spitting distance of the pool, it was already nearly 10am. All the locals we talked to highly recommended getting here before 10am as this attraction can quickly fill up with several hundred tourists after 10am. Supposedly vans and buses carrying … [Read more...]
Notes from Latest Trip to Thailand
I hopped on the skytrain at Victory Monument in Bangkok sporting my "Tintin in Vietnam" shirt and a camera holstered around the neck and was quickly greeted with an old expat standing next to me who said out loud to no one in particular, "there are so many F*(&&ing tourists in town right now". This was the same expat who then pushed out a rather large chubby boy when a seat opened up as both were heading towards one of the empty seats. The young … [Read more...]
What is Food like in a Thai Village?
Our property is located next to a tiny village about 2.5 hours east of Bangkok. In recent years there have been plenty of changes here. We now have running water, Internet access and most of the wooden homes in the village have been taken down and many of the villagers have moved nearby into western style buildings (especially as the nearby industrial park continues to experience rapid growth and starts to further exert its influence over this … [Read more...]
A Busy Day Exploring Phang Nga & Vicinity #thailand
Panyi Village is sizable community along the edges of the Andaman Sea near the town of Phang Nga. A stop here is well worthwhile to see and experience to some extent the daily life of these villagers. Some of the village is built on wooden supports above the water - other homes are supported by reinforced concrete pillars. A walk here is an experience in senses - smells, tastes and exotic surroundings. Wooden walkways are surrounded by tiny homes … [Read more...]
Takua What? Takua Pa, #Thailand
Less than 10 minutes from where we are staying is the self titled "Amazon of Thailand" a waterway that winds through a rats nest maze of tangled roots dangling from giant trees. We hired a long tail boat driver who loudly drove us into this "wilderness". He was quicker than us to spot large snakes sleeping on branches overhanging the waterway. He explained they sleep on these overhanging branches to quickly feel any movement of predators crawling … [Read more...]
Island Hopping, Andaman Sea – Thailand
This week we have been exploring the warm clear waters of Southern Thailand. Our first stop was Ko Tah Chai - dubbed the "Maldives of Thailand" for its azure surrounding waters and the satin-like white sand beaches - which are so silky underfoot. Activities include: A Nature Hike - where you can spot a green pointy snail that lives and eats in certain trees and the pretty "chicken crab" which tends to hide during the heat of the day. The … [Read more...]
Bang Khla Floating Market and Giant Fruit Bats, Thailand
Today we headed to the Bang Khla Floating Market - which is located on the outskirts of Chachaongsao (about an hour and 10 minutes from Bangkok). Last year we made the mistake of driving all the way out here on the weekday - for a market that is only open on the weekends and holidays. This market comes alive around the lunch time hour - with hundreds of families sitting around enjoying the variety of foods that makes the Thai cuisine so … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- …
- 15
- Next Page »