"The Road to Mandalay", June 7-10 2015

From Hsipaw we took a bus to Mandalay (7,000 kyat) that lasted 8 hours instead of 6 because of a truck blocking the road. A seemingly nice (or so we thought) young taxi driver took us to ET hotel (23$ for AC room including breakfast) and we also decided to book with him a sightseeing tour around the city for the following day. Mandalay has a rich history and an abundance of interesting sights as it was the last royal capital of the Burmese empire before the British invaded in 1885, and the nearby ancient cities of Amarapura and Inwa also served as capitals in earlier times.

R & R in Hsipaw, June 5-7 2015

After a "delightful" 14 hour night bus (15,500 kyat) from Nyaung Shwe (Inle lake), we arrived early morning at the laid-back riverside town of Hsipaw in Shan state, and were picked up from the bus stop by a free service offered by Mr. Charles Hotel. When we arrived at the guesthouse we splurged a bit on a nice room with the hefty price tag of 30$ per night (including breakfast) although they have cheaper options including dorms.

Burmese Cooking in Inle Lake (Nyaung Shwe), Myanmar, June 2-4 2015

In Nyaung Shwe we mainly rested and relaxed after trekking for 3 days and didn't do much aside from sampling delicious food at local stalls and the "night market" (really just a row of a few outdoor restaurants, but the food is cheap and good!). We decide to skip the boat tour on the lake which is popular among tourists thinking our boat ride the day before was enough. We booked a bus to Hsipaw for the following afternoon and decided to sign up for a cooking class together with our new friend Liron with the highly recommended Bamboo Delight Cooking School (20$ per person) run by the lovely Leslie and Sue, who use a percentage of their profits towards various charitable causes in the local community (more info on their facebook page).

Trekking from Kalaw to Inle Lake, Myanmar, May 29 -June 1 2015

From the smoldering hot plains of Bagan, reaching the cool hills of Kalaw (7 hour bus, 11,000 Kyats, booked through Bagan Beauty guesthouse leaving at 8:00 am) was like a breath of fresh air. We settled in Honey Pine Hotel (20,000 Kyats including breakfast, no fan/AC- no need!) and set out to organize a trek to Inle Lake. There are several travel agencies in town offering similar packages but we booked with Sam's Trekking who you can find in Sam's Family Restaurant, who were the most organized and professional and also gave us the cheapest deal. They also seemed the most popular in town so you'll have a better chance of finding people to trek with.

Bagan's Playground of Pagodas, 27-28 May 2015

Welcome to Myanmar's Disneyland of  pagodas (credit to our friend Liron for the term), the beautiful and breathtaking Bagan! It was the ancient capital of the Pagan Kingdom where over 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries were built between the 11th and 13th centuries. With over 2200 surviving temples and pagodas, spread around 42 kilometers of vast plains along the Irrawaddy river, Bagan is still not a UNESCO site but for me, a passionate temple enthusiast, it is without a doubt one of the most unique  and beautiful place I have seen.

Temples, Pagodas and One Golden Rock - A visit to Bago, Mt. Kyaiktiyo and Yangon, May 23-26 2015

Myanmar is a profoundly spiritual country where Theravada Buddhism is the main religion (about 80% of the population) and plays a tremendous role in everyday life. Many people in Myanmar also worship the Nats which are believed to be spirits of humans who died violent deaths (there are 37 great Nats). The belief in the Nat is incorporated into Buddhism and the two are often worshiped alongside each other.

"Tha-tha-lo" - Vegan in Myanmar

Myanmar has a rich and unique cuisine which incorporates some Indian, Thai and Chinese influences and varies throughout different regions of the country. It is perhaps less known than its more famous neighboring kitchens but it is just as delicious (in our opinion), and is the proud owner of some truly distinct dishes  that you won't find anywhere else. 

Minglaba from Myanmar or My Burmese Birthday in Hpa-an, May 21-23 2015

Welcome to Myanmar (Burma), where the men proudly wear longyis (basically long skirts), the women paint their face with thanaka (a golden fragrant paste used as sunblock/cream), and the pagodas are sparkling gold and literally everywhere. It is the land of Buddha, of green tea and tea-leaf salad, of straw hats and umbrellas, and the friendliest people you'll meet.  Though tourists have been swarming in since the political situation was somewhat settled around 2010, there are many places that still feel authentic and untouched, compared to other destinations in southeast Asia.

From Bangkok to Hpa-an - Crossing the Southern Thai-Myanmar Border Overland, May 15-20 2015

From the Philippines we returned to our beloved Bangkok for a short 5-day visit filled with food, shopping and some essential errands in preparation for our travels ahead. We decided to upgrade to an AC room this time (the heat and humidity were becoming unbearable) and found the sweetest deal in town in Donna guesthouse (thanks to my little sister who stayed there a year ago) - 380 Baht for a doube room, no windows but still probably the cheapest air-con room in town! It is located very close to Khao San but on a small quiet street (75 Soi Damnern Klang, Rachadamnern Klang Rd., Phra Nakon, Tel: 02-281-9374).