Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[12 Hours In Yangon, Myanmar]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/22/12-hours-in-yangon-myanmar/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/22/12-hours-in-yangon-myanmar/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/22/12-hours-in-yangon-myanmar/#commentsFiled under: ,



For most of the past two decades, the only images and sounds of Myanmar that have reached the outside world is of its repressive military regime and the heroic resistance of the Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. For years, travelers found themselves caught up in the debate over the ethics of traveling to Myanmar resulting in the country becoming more remote and inaccessible.

Now, with extraordinary political changes sweeping the country, Myanmar is once again back on the global stage. There is a near frenzy of who gets there first, to (re)discover this ancient land lodged between India and China. Most tourists that arrive will immediately head to Bagan, a dreamland of ruined pagodas, or Inle Lake, to soak in the serenity of its placid waters and photograph the famous leg rowers. That is indeed a great choice if you want to experience picture-perfect Myanmar - the Myanmar of myth and mystique. But if instead you want to feel the pulse of Myanmar as it is today - experience the sounds, sights and smells of a living, breathing city on the move - then stay a while longer in Yangon, the biggest city and the commercial capital of the country.

10 a.m.: Visit Bogyoke Market

Every great city has a thriving, bustling market to call its own and Bogyoke is Yangon's. Most still know Bogyoke by its old colonial name - Scotts Market - and come in search of crumbling colonnades and cobblestoned lanes that bulge with an extraordinary variety of Burmese specialities. You could spend your entire day here, so keep your focus. Best buys at Bogyoke: traditional longyis (the Burmese sarong that is the de facto national dress), green tea from the upper Shan States, jade Buddhas, ruby pendants and teakwood shot glasses.

Continue reading 12 Hours In Yangon, Myanmar

12 Hours In Yangon, Myanmar originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 22 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aung San Suu KyiAungSanSuuKyiburmamyanmaryangonTue, 22 May 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Travels In Myanmar: Under A Night Sky]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/05/travels-in-myanmar-under-a-night-sky/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/05/travels-in-myanmar-under-a-night-sky/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/05/travels-in-myanmar-under-a-night-sky/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



I had no idea what to expect that morning in Yangon. Inside the city's once grand but now decrepit train station, a few lonely bulbs fought weakly against the dark. Across the arrivals hall was the silhouette of my transport, an intimidating iron locomotive. I moved hesitantly towards this slumbering rusty giant, past anonymous passengers squatting on the cracked cement floor, huddled in the chill of pre-dawn. The station's shadows whispering with nervous energy. Who knew where this day was headed?

In the vague outlines of my journey, only one detail was certain: I was in a country called Burma (or was it called Myanmar?) and determined to witness a mysterious festival of "Fire Balloons" in a distant Shan State town of Taunggyi. Beyond that, I knew little. The previous day I had wandered into a travel agency hoping to find a way to get to the festival. Buses and flights there were full, and the agent had suggested heading north to the rail depot at Thazi to arrange further transport. It sounded like a half-baked plan. But with dwindling options and a burning desire to witness this strange festival, I had agreed.

Continue reading Travels In Myanmar: Under A Night Sky

Travels In Myanmar: Under A Night Sky originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baganburmabus rideBusRidehorrible bus rideHorribleBusRideinle lakeInleLakekalawliteraturemandalaymonkRangoonshan stateShanStatesouthbysoutheasttaunggyitaunggyi balloon festivalTaunggyiBalloonFestivalthazitraintransportationyangonThu, 05 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Outside magazine's inaugural 'Travel Awards' winners]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/13/outside-magazines-inaugural-travel-awards-winners/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/13/outside-magazines-inaugural-travel-awards-winners/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/13/outside-magazines-inaugural-travel-awards-winners/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

travel awardsWith twenty-three categories and every continent up for consideration, the competition is fierce, but today Outside magazine released its picks for its new Outside Travel Awards. The winners include everything from travel companies and locales to cameras, suitcases, hotels, and apps, road-tested by those in the know (you know, those people).

Amongst the chosen is Seattle-based Mountain Madness, a mountain adventure guide service and mountaineering school, for its new Tsum Valley trek in Nepal, named "Best Trip in the Himalayas." Known in sacred Buddhist texts as the "Hidden Valley of Happiness," the Tsum Valley lies on the edge of the more visited Manaslu Conservation Area, which opened just three years ago to tourism.

Best travel company Geographic Expeditions (GeoEx) has "consistently taken travelers to the most remote regions of the world, from Everest's north side to Patagonia's glaciers to the far reaches of Papua New Guinea. This year its trailblazing new terrain with a 27-day trek to the north face of K2 ($11,450)." Bonus: "the price of every GeoEx trip includes medical assistance and evacuation coverage from Global Rescue and medical-expense insurance through Travel Guard." Not too shabby.

Also making the list: Myanmar is the "Best New Frontier;" Canon Powershot G-12 makes the "Best Camera;" the "Best New Adventure Lodge" is the Singular, outside of Puerto Natales, Patagonia, Chile; and the "Best Eco-Lodge" is the architectural marvel, The Mashpi in Ecuador.

[Photo credit: Flickr user tarotastic]

Outside magazine's inaugural 'Travel Awards' winners originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alpine schoolsAlpineSchoolsAmazon BasinAmazonBasinbest gearbest tripsBestGearBestTripsbuddhismcameraschoosing a guideChoosingAGuideclimbing schoolsClimbingSchoolscultural travelCulturalTraveleco lodgesEcoLodgesEverestglacier climingGlacierClimingguide servicesguidesGuideServicesHimalayasindigenous cultureIndigenousCulturejungle lodgesJungleLodgesK2mountaineeringMt EverestMtEverestoutfittersoutside magazineOutsideMagazinePatagoniaPuerto NatalesPuertoNatalesSeattlesuitcasestravel appstravel companiestravel insuranceTravelAppsTravelCompaniesTravelInsurancetrekkingTsum ValleyTsumValleyTue, 13 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A cultural tour of Burma through tilt-shift timelapse]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/08/a-cultural-tour-of-burma-through-tilt-shift-timelapse/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/08/a-cultural-tour-of-burma-through-tilt-shift-timelapse/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/08/a-cultural-tour-of-burma-through-tilt-shift-timelapse/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



For those who've wondered what local life is like in Burma (Myanmar), "Bonsai Burma" by Berlin filmmaker Joerg Daiber can enlighten you. Using tilt-shift photography, Daiber takes viewers on a cultural tour of the country showing daily life, women working in the hillsides, children playing, hawkers selling goods at the market, and fisherman working for their catch. Furthermore, viewers will be taken through various cities and shown an array of landscapes - mountains, hillsides, rivers, and cities - giving an all-encompassing tour of the country.

A cultural tour of Burma through tilt-shift timelapse originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artasiabudget travelBudgetTravelburmaculturelocal lifeLocalLifesouth east asiasoutheast asiaSouthEastAsiavideoThu, 08 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Betelmania: how to chew betel nut in Burma]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/17/betelmania-how-to-chew-betel-nut-in-burma/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/17/betelmania-how-to-chew-betel-nut-in-burma/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/17/betelmania-how-to-chew-betel-nut-in-burma/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Betelmania: how to chew betel nut in BurmaIn Burma, the streets are stained with red blotches, as if someone decided the pavement needed a more Jackson Pollock look. Walk down any lane in Yangon or Mandalay or anywhere that humans reside in this southeast Asian country, and you'll see splotches of red on the street. I wondered if following these small red liquid pools would lead me to a hospital where I'd find some poor farmer who had had a bad run-in with a tractor. Or maybe it was that the Burmese needed a lesson in proper table saw safety. I began to wonder why there weren't more amputees in Burma. But then I realized what I was really seeing. Saliva. Specifically, the saliva of betel nut chewers.

I have a proclivity for trying the local legal narcotic when I'm traveling. In Bolivia that meant chewing coca leaves. In Ethiopia it was chat or, as it's more commonly known (where it's chewed in Yemen), qat. In Amsterdam...well, you can figure out what I consumed there. I have to admit: I knew nothing of betel nut. Only that it made people's teeth permanently red.

A guy I met who works for Intrepid Travel, a tour operator that recently began doing tours again in Myanmar, and he thought it was hilarious I had wanted to try it. He said I'd get slightly intoxicated from chewing betel. Betel also functions as a vermifuge--meaning it helps expel parasites--and an appetite suppressant.

As far as I knew, I had no parasites to expel and I was loving the food here so I didn't necessarily need to cut down on my eating. But, for better or worse, I've always had a hard time turning down the local intoxicant. So when someone extended their hand to me--and that hand contained betel nut (see the photo above)--I couldn't resist.

Continue reading Betelmania: how to chew betel nut in Burma

Betelmania: how to chew betel nut in Burma originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featurefeaturedfeatureslegal drug useLegalDrugUseFri, 17 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Myanmar Misfortune: a visit to the fortuneteller in Yangon]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/27/myanmar-misfortune-a-visit-to-the-fortuneteller-in-yangon/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/27/myanmar-misfortune-a-visit-to-the-fortuneteller-in-yangon/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/27/myanmar-misfortune-a-visit-to-the-fortuneteller-in-yangon/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



The man who told me my unfortunate future, did so with glee. I quickly learned he had a proclivity for sustaining the last syllable of every sentence, like a Spanish-speaking soccer play-by-play announcer after a goal, or a game show host announcing I'd just won a BRAND NEW CAR......!

"In future, you will be very unluckyyyyyyyyy," he said after recording my birthdate and looking it up in a tattered book filled with numerical codes.

I was doing a self-guided tour of Yangon, the erstwhile capital of Myanmar, as outlined in my guidebook, Lonely Planet Myanmar. The walking tour took me down a street lined with fortunetellers and palm readers. I hadn't planned on sitting down but I thought that if one of them was particularly insistent, I'd do it.

That's when Min Kyot Kyow announced himself to me. I took a seat on the bench and within seconds he was rambling on about my unfortunate fate. Astrology is taken very seriously in Myanmar. The location of the new capital, Naypyidaw, was reportedly determined by astrology.

Continue reading Myanmar Misfortune: a visit to the fortuneteller in Yangon

Myanmar Misfortune: a visit to the fortuneteller in Yangon originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featurefeaturesFri, 27 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Will Scam for Food in Burma]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/17/will-scam-for-food-in-burma/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/17/will-scam-for-food-in-burma/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/17/will-scam-for-food-in-burma/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Will Scam for Food in BurmaIt was my first night in Yangon, the southeast Asian metropolis formerly known as Rangoon, and I was standing in a dank, dark back street arguing with a 16-year-old boy over his fee for oral sex. Well, sort of. He had propositioned me. And while I wasn't interested, I was appalled when he told me how little he'd do it for. So I began lecturing him that he should charge more. Not that I know the going international rate for such things. I swear. It just seemed low for doing such an intimate thing to a complete stranger. Why I didn't talk him out of the nightly practice completely is beyond me. Then again, my mind at that moment was in full-on negotiating mode.

It all began when I had arrived in Myanmar two hours earlier. As I was checking in to my hotel, I was told the price of the room and pulled out my wad of $20 bills (there are no ATMs in Myanmar, so one must arrive with a bulk of cash). I put three bills down on the counter and the team at reception began scrutinizing the notes like avid baseball card collectors inspecting a Honus Wagner card. They discussed among each other, spitting out a slew of Burmese and then shaking their heads from side to side. The oldest member of the money-scrutinizing triumvirate stepped forward and informed me my money was no good. "See this," he said, pointing to the tiniest of creases in the crisp $20 bill. "No good." I protested, saying that anywhere else in the world these were perfectly valid twenty dollar bills. "You don't understand," he said. "This is Myanmar."

I have to confess: I had heard the warnings that they only exchange perfectly crisp, blemish-free American dollars here and it wasn't until the day I was leaving--having already withdrawn $500 in cash from my bank the day before--that I realized I should take it all back to the bank and get brand new bills. The problem, though, was that by the time I got around to it, the banks were closed. I had no choice but to get on my flight that night, hoping that the guidebooks and friends who had been here were grossly exaggerating.

They weren't.

Continue reading Will Scam for Food in Burma

Will Scam for Food in Burma originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featurefeaturesTue, 17 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Culinary Cab Confessions: where to talk politics (and eat well) in Yangon]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/16/culinary-cab-confessions-where-to-talk-politics-and-eat-well/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/16/culinary-cab-confessions-where-to-talk-politics-and-eat-well/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/16/culinary-cab-confessions-where-to-talk-politics-and-eat-well/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

He said to call him Ricky. As our taxi jerked its way through the center of Yangon, the southeast Asian metropolis formerly known as Rangoon and the recently dethroned capital of Myanmar (the erstwhile Burma), Ricky explained to me how he acquired such an unlikely name. "My Sunday school teacher gave it to me. You don't even want to know what my Burmese name is," he said, taking a sharp right turn. "Too hard to pronounce." Ricky said that despite his Sunday school attendance, he's a lifelong Buddhist and that he just attended the school to learn English. Which he seemed to pick up quite well at the expense of Jesus and Co.

A few minutes earlier, I had walked out of my hotel and there he was. "Taxi?" Maybe, I replied. But I had a special request. I was in Yangon for a few days and wanted to do another installment of Culinary Cab Confessions, a series for Gadling in which I put to test the notion that cab drivers are the best guide to a city's undiscovered and affordable restaurant gems. I presented the idea to him. "Get in," he said.

Continue reading Culinary Cab Confessions: where to talk politics (and eat well) in Yangon

Culinary Cab Confessions: where to talk politics (and eat well) in Yangon originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featurefeaturesMon, 16 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo of the Day: Workers on a bench]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/15/photo-of-the-day-workers-on-a-bench/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/15/photo-of-the-day-workers-on-a-bench/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/15/photo-of-the-day-workers-on-a-bench/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The best photography captures candid moments - those split seconds between fantasy and reality when our subjects' guard comes down and we get a glimpse into their true nature. That's why I liked today's photo by Flickr user t3mujin - his shot of workers relaxing on a bench in the Burmese city of Yangon feels like one of those candid moments. I love how each man's body language is slightly unique yet quite similar - the two on the ends with their knees up act almost like "bookends" to the men in the middle with both their legs down.

Have any great photos from your own travels? Why not add them to our Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Photo of the Day: Workers on a bench originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benchburmacandidrangoonrelaxedworkersyangonSun, 15 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Travel meets journalism at Roads and Kingdoms]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/20/travel-meets-journalism-at-roads-and-kingdoms/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/20/travel-meets-journalism-at-roads-and-kingdoms/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/20/travel-meets-journalism-at-roads-and-kingdoms/#commentsFiled under: , ,

travel journalismLast month, writers Nathan Thornburgh (a contributing editor to TIME and recent guest of Fox News) and Matt Goulding (food & culture writer and author behind the Eat This, Not That! book series) launched a new website with the intriguing tagline: "Journalism, travel, food, murder, music. First stop: Burma." Combining on-the-spot reporting on current events and politics with in-depth cultural observations, rich photography, and engrossing narratives, Roads and Kingdoms feels like a travel blog we all want to write: a bit daring, occasionally foolhardy, and often inspiring. Fresh home from their first major trip and recovering from Burma belly, Gadling talked to co-founder Nathan about Roads and Kingdoms.

How would you describe your blog in one sentence?
Travel meets journalism.

How did it come about? How has your background in news helped (or hindered) your travels?
Matt and I felt like our work - he writes about food, I'm a foreign correspondent - actually had a lot in common. As writers on assignment, we found that the best parts of being on the road - the amazing meal on the street corner, the back-alley bar with the great live jams, the sweaty tuk tuk ride through the outskirts of the city - are left out of the final product. It's those parts that we want to provide a home for. It's a different kind of travel mindset, whether you're going to London or Lagos. Journalism is all about being curious, which is a quality great travelers have as well.

It's not meant to remain a blog: we'll be launching our full site soon, which won't just be our travels, but a variety of dispatches in the Roads and Kingdoms style, from writers and photographers and videographers around the world.

Continue reading Travel meets journalism at Roads and Kingdoms

Travel meets journalism at Roads and Kingdoms originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artistsblogbloggersburmaBurmesecuisineeat this not thatEatThisNotThatfacebookfoodgraffitihillary clintonHillaryClintonhiphopinternet accessInternetAccessjournalismlagoslimalondonmatt gouldingMattGouldingmoscowmyanmarnathan thornburghNathanThornburghroads and kingdomsRoadsAndKingdomssocialsocial mediaSocialMediatemplestimetravel blogtravel bloggerstravel journalismTravelBlogTravelBloggersTravelJournalismtumblrtwitterTue, 20 Dec 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo of the Day - U Bein Bridge]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/18/photo-of-the-day-u-bein-bridge/http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/18/photo-of-the-day-u-bein-bridge/http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/18/photo-of-the-day-u-bein-bridge/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Near the city of Amarapura, in the mysterious Asian nation of Myanmar, lies the famous U Bein teak bridge. Every day at dawn, and again at sunset, groups of monks and nearby villagers traverse its aging surface, their bodies silhouetted against the sharply angular rays of the sun. Flickr user t3mujin was lucky enough to be there one recent sunset to witness the spectacle. A lone monk traverses the bridge in an ocher robe while the setting Burmese sun softens the light behind to milky whites and faint blueish hues.

Taken any great travel shots of your own recently? Why not add them our Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Photo of the Day - U Bein Bridge originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amarapurabridgeburmamonkteaku bein bridgeUBeinBridgeSun, 18 Sep 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[National Geographic offers Dreams of Burma]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/10/national-geographic-offers-dreams-of-burma/http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/10/national-geographic-offers-dreams-of-burma/http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/10/national-geographic-offers-dreams-of-burma/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Dreams of Burma presented by National Geographic Traveler and FotopediaNational Geographic Traveler and Fotopedia have teamed up to deliver yet another fantastic travel app for the iPhone and iPad. Entitled "Dreams of Burma," the new app manages to captures the spirit and culture of the Southeast Asian country in a host of images, maps, and other features that make it the next best thing to actually being there yourself.

As you would expect when Nat Geo and Fotopedia get together, photography will play a central role in what ever they produce. That is definitely the case with this app, which comes packed with more than a thousand stunning images from Burma. Those images offer everything from intriguing glimpses inside ornate local temples to breathtaking views of some of the stunning landscapes found throughout the country, however it was the photos of the people, going about their daily lives, that left the biggest impression on me.

Your favorite images can be used to create slideshows or set as your desktop background on your device. Built-in connections to email, Facebook, and Twitter also allow you to easily share the best photos with friends and family as well. The app also features a "Trip Builder," which lets you create your own Burma getaways, both real and virtual. There is also a forward written by Traveler Editor-in-Chief Keith Bellows, as well as interactive maps and a comprehensive search feature as well.

This new app is available now and is completely free. It does require an Internet connection to pull in much of the content however, so be aware of that before you use it on the go. Other than that, I can't think of a single reason why anyone who considers themselves a traveler, and owns one of Apple's i-devices, wouldn't have this app installed. Get it now by clicking here.

National Geographic offers Dreams of Burma originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure traveladventure-travelAdventureTravelappsDreams of BurmaDreamsOfBurmafotopediaipadiphoneNational GeographicNational Geographic Dreams of BurmaNational Geographic TRavelerNationalGeographicNationalGeographicDreamsOfBurmaNationalGeographicTravelerphotographyFri, 10 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Become a monk or Muslim for a month]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/29/become-a-monk-or-muslim-for-a-month/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/29/become-a-monk-or-muslim-for-a-month/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/29/become-a-monk-or-muslim-for-a-month/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Muslim for a monthIf you really want to "go local" on your next vacation, have you considered changing your religion? A new program in Turkey offers guests a chance to be Muslim for a month in order to foster cultural awareness. The term month is used loosely - guests can choose from nine- and twenty-one-day programs, including visits to some of Istanbul's most famous mosques, lessons on Islam and Sufism (famed for their Whirling Dervishes), an invite to an Islamic wedding, and side trips to some of Turkey's most important Muslim sites. While in Istanbul, guests stay in a 400-year-old Sufi lodge and take in many of the non-religious sites of the city.

The Blood Foundation started with a "temple stay" program in Thailand, where guests can learn about Thai Buddhism, volunteer with a school on the Burma border, and stay with a hill tribe family.

Monk for a month is also offered for two and three weeks, and involves daily meditation and following the Ten Precepts of a novice monk.

Gadling readers, would you want to experience another religion on your travels?

Photo courtesy Flickr user huygens.

Become a monk or Muslim for a month originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buddhismburmadervishhomestayislamlearningmonkmosquemuslimmuslim for a monthMuslimForAMonthreligionreligioussufismtemplevolunteervoluntourismweddingwhirling dervishWhirlingDervishFri, 29 Apr 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The magic of Bagan - 3 days in Burma]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/18/the-magic-of-bagan-3-days-in-burma/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/18/the-magic-of-bagan-3-days-in-burma/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/18/the-magic-of-bagan-3-days-in-burma/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Bagan is an ancient city in a troubled country. Thousands of temples, pagodas, and stupas unfold across the dusty plains as if they have grown here organically from the ground for millenia. It is a place that feels older than time. The ambitions of this primeval capital are evident in every direction. The sheer number of ancient structures is at once baffling and awe-inspiring. No place on earth reflects this grandiose quality of scale as much as Bagan.

Reaching Bagan requires some motivation, but the journey is worth it. First, one must travel to Burma's old capital, Yangon (Rangoon). This is possible and cheap on Air Asia and can be accomplished from either Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur. Alternately, JetStar flies to Yangon from Singapore. Once in Yangon, traveling to Bagan can be accomplished by domestic flight, bus, or train. Flights can be purchased at Yangon airport or through a tour company in advance for under $100 each way. The flight takes under one hour. While several airlines exist, I prefer Air Bagan. By train, the journey departs in the afternoon and arrives the morning of the following day. For train timetables, check the man in seat sixty-one. If you are really a sucker for torture, take the overnight bus from Yangon to Bagan. Both train and bus tickets can be purchased at the Yangon train station. Upon arrival, all visitors are required to purchase a $10 ticket for entry to Bagan.

Gallery: Bagan, Myanmar (Burma)

The plains of BaganBright day in Bagan, some small temples are newer than others - this one at left appeared to be well cared forShwezigon Pagoda - houses teeth and bones of the BuddhaA Burmese fruit sellerVery cheap fruit for sale

Continue reading The magic of Bagan - 3 days in Burma

The magic of Bagan - 3 days in Burma originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BaganburmamyanmarpopaMon, 18 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blogger Justin Delaney]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/02/15/blogger-justin-delaney/http://www.gadling.com/2011/02/15/blogger-justin-delaney/http://www.gadling.com/2011/02/15/blogger-justin-delaney/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Justin Delaney Introducing a new blogger at Gadling, Justin Delaney...

Where was your photo taken:
This photo was taken in Dahab, Egypt on the Red Sea - one of the coolest places I have ever been. Here I am enjoying a well deserved sheesha after climbing Mount Sinai.

Where do you live now:
I live in Dallas, TX.

Scariest airline flown:
On a flight from Bagan, Yangon Airways had me gripping my armrest in white knuckled terror. As we flew over the plains of Burma, the plane bobbed and weaved nature's windy jabs, and I felt my stomach slingshot to the back of my throat. Their slogan, "You're safe with us" seemed ominous under these circumstances. My terror hit a personal threshold when the flight attendant spilled a drink on some guy's head three rows up. Panic spread throughout the cabin. I kissed the ground when we landed. A few months later, their aviation license was revoked.

Favorite city/place:
Hong Kong is my favorite city. Nothing hustles like HK. It is grimy and beautiful - everything about that city is balanced like yin and yang. Most people do not realize that beyond the forest of skyscrapers, Hong Kong is 40% parkland. My favorite place is 100 feet underwater in Indonesia, getting to know some local pelagics.

Most remote corner of the globe visited:
The rain-forest of Northern Sulawesi in Indonesia is about as far off the map as one can get. I stayed in an old bungalow on a deserted beach about a 2 hour drive and one hour walk from civilization. Not the best place to get food poisoning, but it happened.

Continue reading Blogger Justin Delaney

Blogger Justin Delaney originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gadlinggadling bloggerGadlingBloggerJustin DelaneyJustinDelaneynew bloggerNewBloggerTue, 15 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo of the day - Intha leg rowers boat race in Burma]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/02/12/photo-of-the-day-intha-leg-rowers-boat-race-in-burma/http://www.gadling.com/2011/02/12/photo-of-the-day-intha-leg-rowers-boat-race-in-burma/http://www.gadling.com/2011/02/12/photo-of-the-day-intha-leg-rowers-boat-race-in-burma/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Photo of the day
What do you see in the photo above? Men walking awkwardly on stilts or a bridge gone horribly wrong? They're actually competing in a boat race in Myanmar using the traditional Intha leg-rowing technique. The Intha people developed this unusual style of rowing in order to navigate around the many reeds and plants in the lake that they may not see rowing from a seated position. In this race, each boat holds 30 men balancing on a horizontal railing in the middle of the boat, using the other leg to row. Thanks to Flickr user Mark Fischer for a great shot with an interesting story.

Have you captured any unique sporting events on your travels? Add them to the Gadling group on Flickr and we might just pick one of yours as a future Photo of the Day.

Photo of the day - Intha leg rowers boat race in Burma originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boatbridgeburmacompetitionflickrinthaleg-rowingmyanmarphoto of the dayPhotoOfTheDayphotosracerowingsporting eventsSportingEventssportsstiltstraditionalSat, 12 Feb 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: Catching a moving train in Burma]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/02/11/video-catching-a-moving-train-in-burma/http://www.gadling.com/2011/02/11/video-catching-a-moving-train-in-burma/http://www.gadling.com/2011/02/11/video-catching-a-moving-train-in-burma/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



A Reddit user submitted this video of people catching a moving train in Yangon, Burma. Note that the train doesn't actually *stop* in the station. The first woman gets an assist from a train employee as well as a man on the ground, who then has to run down the platform - in flipflops, no less - and catch the train with several bags to carry before it leaves the station. The video uploader explains that the train was running two hours late and had no time to stop, and the man had seven bags to get onto the train in less than a minute.

Imagine Amtrak (or even your local commuter train) adopting this new policy for late trains. Think you are intrepid enough to jump on a moving train with luggage?

Video: Catching a moving train in Burma originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amtrakburmacommuterflip flopsFlipFlopsmovingreddittraintrainsyangonyoutubeFri, 11 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[South of the Clouds: Introduction to Yunnan, China]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/12/13/south-of-the-clouds-introduction-to-yunnan-china/http://www.gadling.com/2010/12/13/south-of-the-clouds-introduction-to-yunnan-china/http://www.gadling.com/2010/12/13/south-of-the-clouds-introduction-to-yunnan-china/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Yunnan ChinaYunnan, which translates as "south of the clouds," is China's most diverse province, and offers travelers extreme variation: tropical lowlands bordering Laos and Burma curl at the bottom of the province, while the unsummited Meili Snow Mountain reigns near Tibet. It's home to more ethnic minorities than any other province in China (25 out of 56), three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the deepest river canyon in the country (Tiger Leaping Gorge).


Long on the informal backpacker's "banana pancake trail," Yunnan shares not only borders but culture and languages with Vietnam, Laos, Burma, and Tibet.

Gadling recently spent three weeks in Yunnan on a trip partially sponsored by WildChina. During that trip, we followed parts of the ancient Tea Horse Road, from the southern Yunnan tea fields to caravan market towns. Over the next few weeks we plans to introduce in detail some of Yunnan's delights.

But first, the basics:

Continue reading South of the Clouds: Introduction to Yunnan, China

South of the Clouds: Introduction to Yunnan, China originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 13 Dec 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Meili Snow MountainMeiliSnowMountainsouthofthecloudsTibetYunnanMon, 13 Dec 2010 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Thoughts on Myanmar, travel and change]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/11/07/thoughts-on-myanmar-travel-and-change/http://www.gadling.com/2010/11/07/thoughts-on-myanmar-travel-and-change/http://www.gadling.com/2010/11/07/thoughts-on-myanmar-travel-and-change/#commentsFiled under: ,



On Sunday, citizens of the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar voted for the first time in 20 years. This week also marks the one-year anniversary of my own visit to Myanmar in 2009. At the surface level, these two events have nothing to do with one another. But as I struggle to make sense of what I saw and learned during my visit inside this cloistered country, I find that today's historic vote is more meaningful than I expected.

I don't claim to be an expert in the politics and history of Myanmar. I'm a traveler first and foremost, and the three weeks of my visit was barely enough time to give me a fleeting glimpse of the country's fascinating history, warm people and awe-inspiring sights, let alone understand its complex political situation. But often travel has a way of forcing you to confront the issues you don't want to see, and you find yourself drawn into them in ways you wouldn't expect. In Myanmar, my window was through its people - their stories have stayed with me and touched me in ways I never expected.

Continue reading Thoughts on Myanmar, travel and change

Thoughts on Myanmar, travel and change originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 07 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>democracyelectionmandalaymonkpoliticsrangoonyangonSun, 07 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ten most corrupt countries of the world]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/10/28/ten-most-corrupt-countries-of-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2010/10/28/ten-most-corrupt-countries-of-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2010/10/28/ten-most-corrupt-countries-of-the-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

You spend every holiday weekend annoyed that you can't talk your way out of a speeding ticket. If only there were some way out of that predicament ... aside from taking your lead foot off the gas, right? You may be out of luck on the New Jersey Turnpike, but there are plenty of places in the world where money talks, according to a new study by Transparency International. So, if you tend to disregard local laws and customs, you may want to pick one of the 10 countries below for your next vacation.

WARNING: You may need to bring a bit of fire power for some of these destinations.

1. Somalia: Is this even a country? It has no real government to speak of, not to mention a history of piracy, mob violence, warlord brutality and kidnapping. So, chew a little khat to take the edge off.

The Good News: You can't really break any laws where there aren't any.

2. Myanmar: Okay, the human rights issue here is pretty severe, and the military regime is known for being among the most repressive and abusive in the world. So, don't complain about the thread-count in your hotel.

The Good News: There's plenty of wildlife to enjoy as a result of slow economic growth. A bleak financial outlook is good for the environment!

Gallery: Corruption: The world's 10 worst countries

1. Somalia2. Myanmar3. Afghanistan4. Iraq5. Uzbekistan

Continue reading Ten most corrupt countries of the world

Ten most corrupt countries of the world originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 28 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baghdadbribebriberybribesbribingburmaCIAconflictcorruptioncrimedrugdrug traffickingdrugsDrugTraffickingEquatorial GuineaEquatorialGuineaheroinhuman rightsHuman TraffickingHumanRightsHumanTraffickingkidnapkidnappedkidnappingLake TanganyikaLakeTanganyikamyanmarStrifeterrorterrorismviolencewarwarlordsThu, 28 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EST