I had heard the stories about Vang Vieng; I had read about people's bad experiences and the general accusation that if there was one place that you should avoid in Laos, it's Vang Vieng. I had already decided that it was a place that I wouldn't like; that although naturally beautiful, all Vang Vieng was [...]
This week's photo is of a sunset from Ao Chao Phao beach on Koh Phangan, Thailand. Far from the party beach of Haad Rin, Ao Chao Phao is a quiet beach on the west of the island, perfect for doing just this; sitting on the beach and watching the sunset.
My first taste of Laos came from its little capital city, Vientiane. By the third day of exploring the city I had come to see how much the French had influenced the architecture and culture. Although the city seems to be trying to develop into a modern capital, some of the older buildings have kept [...]
This week's travel photo is of The Queen's Pagoda on a cloudy morning, in the high mountains near Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. The twin pagodas, known as Phra Mahathat Napha Methanidon and Phra Mahathat Naphaphon Phumisiri, represent the King and Queen of Thailand and were built to commemorate their 60th birthdays. They are located near the highest [...]
On my first day in Bangkok I was a stupid tourist. The first time in a new city and in a new country is when you are at your most vulnerable. You don't know your way around, you don't know the way that things work, you don't know how much things should cost; basically you [...]
This week's travel photo is of the inside of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy. A grand arcade built in the 1800's, the galleria runs from the Piazza del Duomo to the Piazza della Scala. It's a nice way to walk from the Milan Cathedral to the opera theater, past all of the [...]
In the old Siam capitol of Ayutthaya, there are many interesting ruins that stand as a reminder of the past and some of the events that led to the founding of modern day Thailand. One of the most popular and impressive ruins is that of an old temple named Wat Mahathat. History of Wat Mahathat [...]
Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand is the place that we chose to do an elephant trek. I had been elephant trekking before in Nepal, but my wife had never even touched an elephant so we booked a typical day tour that included an elephant trek and a few other experiences in the area, including bamboo [...]
Today's travel photo is of the ancient ruins of Wat Chai Wattanaram in the old Siam capitol of Ayutthaya, Thailand. About Wat Chai Wattanaram Wat Chai Wattanaram was built in the 17th Century by King Prasat Thong. It was left to ruin after the Burmese defeated and destroyed the city in the 18th Century. The [...]
Wat Pho (Wat Po), officially called Wat Phra Chetuphon, is also commonly known as The Temple of the Reclining Buddha. The temple is apparently the oldest and largest in Bangkok, and is also one of the most spectacular. The Reclining Buddha Near the entry is the site that most people go to the temple to [...]
