Myanmar
Burmese Anti-Aging Beer
By Thomas on January 7, 2010 | 3 Comments »
Forget Botox, drink yourself younger with beer made of Spirulina algae!
The High Road to Inle Lake
By Thomas on January 5, 2010 | No Comments »
Inle Lake is one of Myanmar’s major tourist attractions. Instead of just taking a bus there, Tony and I did a 3-day hike from the hill station of Kalaw to the tiny town of Inthein. We shared this great experience with four fellow travelers: Matt, Lia and Cathi from the U.S. and Norbert from Germany – and we captured it all on film.
Follow along as we experience rural life and meet Danu, Taung Yo, Pa-O and Paduang tribal people along the way.
Watch as we continue to explore the lake by boat, hit the market days, weave in and out of floating gardens, and glide between traditional stilt houses. Notice the unique leg-rowing technique of local fishermen, and don’t miss Nga Hpe Kyaung, the jumping cat monastery. Yes, you heard right…
The Paduang Conundrum
By Tony on January 3, 2010 | 5 Comments »
The Paduang, sometimes annoyingly referred to as the “long-neck” tribe, are one of the most recognizable ethnic groups in the world. More properly called the Kayah Lahwi (their name for themselves), the Paduang embrace one of the most extreme beautification practices out there. As Paduang women grow, heavy brass coils are added to their necks pushing down their shoulders to create the illusion of a long neck. From Discovery Channel specials on “body modification” to literature on “body mutilation” the Paduang story has been told and sold and used and abused for a variety of purposes.
This tribe attracts a lot of attention, but due to decades of rebel activity in their home state of Kayah, very few outsiders have been able to visit Paduang villages in Myanmar. This might have been a sort of blessing » Continue reading this post »
Bamar Food
By Thomas on January 2, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Bamar food surprised me. It is so different, in fact, it almost defies description. Ask any traveler and they would probably make a face and tell you the same. Bamar food is certainly an acquired taste and Tony seems to be the only one raving about it.
Photograph by Fanny Farkas
A typical meal consists of a big bowl of » Continue reading this post »
Happy New Year’s
By Tony and Thomas on December 31, 2009 | 3 Comments »
To celebrate 2009, we’ve put together a video review of one crazy year which took us to Sri Lanka, India including the Andaman Islands, Thailand, the US, and Myanmar. We’ve covered far more miles than we did in 2008. And stay tuned for more adventures to come in 2010!
