Weekend with the Karen Hill Tribe, Thailand

Posted by charmie on November 5, 2013

The beautiful village of Baan Mae Jok

The women were happy to show me how to roll a pipe made out of banana leaves.

My lovely kids (well my students) but my oh my did they have me attached after the first day!

I would normally be intimidated at the thought of managing 35 students of all age ranges, but they were a dream!

A typical kitchen in the village. Here I showed them my spring roll rolling skills 😉

Water buffalo herded through the village twice a day, at the same time everyday.

They hand-weave and naturally dye all their traditional clothing.

The most adorable little boy always followed me and my camera around.

Tending rice fields means lots of rice, and a heavy load.

When we told her to make a chair with sticks, and this is what she came up with!

All their houses were built high enough to avoid flooding, and doubled up as an area to keep livestock.

Early in the morning with her pipe and machete.

To better spend my time here in Thailand, I joined an The Christopher Robert Project which is an organization that visits Thailand’s hill-tribe communities on the weekends and offer in-village tutoring classes for the kids. Many of the hill-tribes reside far distances from schools, therefore making it difficult for the children to attend school. This past weekend, I had the pleasure of working with the Karen Hilltribe in Baan Mae Jok Village. The children stole my heart on the first day. I was shocked at how enthusiastic they were about school. They eagerly arrived to class an hour before we were supposed to start, and were so well-mannered. The most special part about this weekend visit was spending all day with the children in their village and seeing how they lived. Each morning the adults would set off to tend/gather crops, men would head out with their handmade rifle to hunt, and the children spent the day swimming in river and playing in the sun. Everyone had an important role in the village, and even the kids learned early how to cook, hunt, and be an asset to the tribe. It’s always reviving to be surrounded by such simplicity. No excess, no waste. I also had the pleasure of doing day to day activities with the families such as going to church, helping with dinner, and kicking it over fresh grown tobacco rolled in banana leaves!

Road Trip Through New Mexico

Posted by charmie on November 3, 2013

We truly were enchanted with our stay in Santa Fe. Above is some shots on the road and in our hostel. We spent two nights in Santa Fe International hostel and it was a gem of a find. The outdoor courtyard was charming, our room was a sunny sanctuary, and the feeling of community was welcoming. We enjoyed the details that surrounded us in the city. Every bridge we passed displayed artwork, wooden doors carved with intricate designs, and eclectic shops that boasts influence from Native American arts to artisan pieces from all over the world. I met an inspiring local named Ian who runs Peaceful Wind Gallery. Every piece selectively collected during his travels through India, Nepal, Tibet and Southeast Asia. I was in awe with his finds. There were original scrolls from Tibet, intricate furniture, and beautiful Buddhist statues. We also chatted with his son who has embraced his dad’s gallery by branching into the up and coming art scene of Tibet. They both travel and meet with different artists to showcase their work. The most amazing part of our visit to this gallery is seeing how passionate they were about each piece and the story behind the artist. It was a great karmic encounter, and grateful for people like Ian who walk into your lives, even if just for a short visit to open your eyes with wonder.

Kaftans on a Cambodian Rooftop

Posted by charmie on October 31, 2013

Happy Halloween everyone! I admit, I do miss toasting pumpkin ales, roasting pumpkin seeds, and having an excuse to bust out in costume with friends. However I am very grateful to experience something as beautiful and eye opening as our couple weeks spent in Cambodia. They recently just started welcoming tourists into Cambodia the past decade or so after their suffering through the Khmer Rouge. Still today, the struggle remains in this poverty stricken country as they battle corruption in their government.

Understanding this, we were more aware of the darkness found in their past which showed through their music and artwork. If you ask the locals they will share their stories of death, starvation, and survival. When visiting galleries during our time in Battambang, we noticed the essence of darkness expressed in the majority of the artwork that I, as an outsider can never fully comprehend.

Walking through the alleyways of Battambang I was in awe to see the French architecture still remained here. I also noticed many women on their sewing machines on the bottom floor of their house which opened to the outside like garage doors. The vibrancy of fabrics I felt represented the Cambodian spirit. Through a dark past, the survivors, and those to follow express their hope through their smile, willingness to reach out, enthusiasm to work, and in their craftsmanship. I especially was drawn to these colorful kaftans with playful patterns which danced in the wind. We brought them to the rooftop of our hostel and let the sun and wind bring the kaftans to life.

These will soon be available in the shop.

Getting from Chiang Mai to Siem Reap

Posted by aaron on October 29, 2013

Our first 30 days in Thailand were about to expire so we planned to take a trip across the border into what many now refer to as the “Wild Wild West of Southeast Asia”, Cambodia. I can’t even begin to express how much I loved our time there (i’ll save for another post), but I do strongly encourage anyone who is in this part of the world to be sure and pay a visit to this beautiful kingdom.

Getting from Chiang Mai to Siem Reap is a fairly cheap and inexpensive trip. Although there aren’t currently any buses running directly to Cambodia from Chiang Mai, there is a new government-ran bus serving connecting Bangkok to Siem Reap. I found a lot of good information on various posts/forums sprinkled throughout the interwebs, but I wanted to compile a quick run-down of how we got from Chiang Mai > Bangkok > Siem Reap all in one post.

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Chiang Mai to Bangkok

In Chiang Mai we purchased an overnight VIP bus ticket to Bangkok from the Arcade Bus Station, located 3 or 4 kilometers east of the old city. There are several travel offices located around the old city, but don’t fall for their dirty tricks. Most charge double the rate you would get as opposed to going to the bus station in person and booking yourself. Chiang Mai is such a small town, getting to the bus station is well worth the extra time and effort. When you arrive to the station, you’ll immediately be blown away by all the Thai women yelling at you from their little ticket booth windows. Have no fear, they’re shouting because ticket prices are not a flat price and will vary slightly from agency to agency — so be sure to shop around to work the best deal. We ended up booking a super comfortable double-decker VIP for 550 baht each. And when I say “VIP” I mean VIP! Each seat had its own LCD monitor with a great selection of movies to choose from, they all reclined waaaay back and had an electronic massage function built in! Needless to say we both fell asleep very easily and woke up 9-10 hours later in Bangkok.

Get your ticket before leaving Mo Chit! You’ll arrive to the Mo Chit bus terminal in Bangkok, and this is also where you can purchase your ticket for a direct bus ticket from Bangkok to Siem Reap through Transport Co Ltd Bus at booth 22. As of September 10, 2013, the agent at the ticket counter confirmed that there is only one bus each day, and it leaves at 9:00 am. So plan on staying at least one night in Bangkok after reserving your ticket for the following day. The tickets can be purchased from booth 22 on the ground floor, for 750 baht ($25 USD) each.

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Bangkok to Siem Reap

We only stayed one night in Bangkok. I booked a dorm room at the WE Bangkok Hostel because it was the most affordable option that was located within walking distance of the BTS (Bangkok’s Skytrain) line. Staying near the BTS made it super easy to get to the Mo Chit station the next morning without having to fight rush hour traffic jams. From BTS Mo Chit station catch the 11 bus to take you to the terminal.

This direct Bangkok to Siem Reap line opened in February 2013, so a fairly new luxury. In the past, you would need to change to another bus service (Cambodian run company) at the border. With this direct route, however, you will be traveling on the same bus and with the same driver and staff the whole route. From Bangkok you’ll drive to the border where the bus stops for about 20 minutes for passengers to arrange their Cambodian visa. They also provide a small boxed lunch to snack on throughout this stop. From here, the bus will drive you a little further to the Thai immigration office. The bus will drop you off here and you’ll walk through Thai immigration to get your departure stamp. You’ll then walk to the Cambodian side to get your arrival stamp and the bus will be waiting for you on the Cambodian side. Welcome to Cambodia! It was another 2-3 hour ride from the border to Siem Reap. Enjoy the bumpy ride along the beautiful countryside. Can’t wait to make this trek again. 🙂

Wakeskating the Eighth Wonder of the World

Posted by charmie on October 27, 2013

This past Saturday we found ourselves people watching at a bar in Bangkok when this video came on. Just had to share it’s radness with you! Our trip to Banaue Philippines remain to be one of our most favorite visit. The rice terraces of Banaue is dubbed the eighth wonder of the world, yet it still doesn’t bring in as much tourism as other parts of Southeast Asia. Spending some time in Thailand, I was happy to see amount of tourism they bring in, and amazed to see how well it helps their economy. I realized that there are far more tourists walking this street of bars, than there is to trek the mountain regions of Banaue. I always wished for more tourism in the Philippines to help fuel their economy, but I also love the fact that the lack there of in certain spots allow it to have the sense of being “untouched”, less western influence and a more rooted connection with their past. Spend a few days here and you are overcome with surrealism. Aside from the western clothing which started in the 80’s and the trails created for jeepneys to carve around the mountainsides, you realize not much have changed over the past thousands of years.

Posted by aaron on October 3, 2013

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Prokudin-Gorskii :: Russian Color Photography from Early 1900

Posted by aaron on September 27, 2013

I’ve always been fascinated by pictures from the past. These color photos from Russian photographer/chemist Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii are simply incredible. Between 1909 and 1915, Prokudin-Gorskii traveled across his home country, using a relatively new technology of color photography to document what he saw along his journey. Outfitting a private train car with his own dark room equipment, Prokudin-Gorskii captured landscapes, buildings, and people in a series of breathtaking images. Without sepia tones’ time-distancing effects, the characters in these images feel right there, full of stories of a bygone era and a diverse, colorful culture on the brink of revolution.

View the entire collection of high res photographs here.

A Tattoo for the Journey

Posted by charmie on September 14, 2013

I asked Aaron to design a tattoo for me that will always remind me of our journey thus far and he nailed it. Inspired by our road trip across the states into the deep southwest and with an ethnic flare. Hmm.. now where to put it?

Quiapo, Philippines

Posted by charmie on September 12, 2013

Bunnies for sale, and I even saw baby chicks whose hair was died in colors of the rainbow for sale!

A smell you will have to get used to, but their quite good! Especially when dipped in vinegar.

My knock off Ray Bans from Quiapo!

A very busy busy market in manila, but lucky for us it’s just 2 train stops away from us. I’m quite a digger, so this was my paradise. An open market filled with everything from dried fish, to wholesale beads to knock off Louis Vuittons and Ray Bans! We came on the hunt for new lenses for our Canon. We heard Hidalgo street in Quiapo was known for their rock bottom prices. That some people even fly into the Philippines to score camera equipment on the cheap. It’s the Philippines, so if you’re used to spending U.S. dollars- everything is cheap here. Hidalgo was filled with new and used camera shops, but for the lens we were looking for, it still about the same as the prices we saw online. So in short, I only walked away with a pair of knock of Ray-bans. Don’t judge me, they were only 50P, about 1$!

What to expect:

Very busy market, especially on the weekends. Hang tight to your purse, or better yet don’t bring one at all. Try your best to blend in, and walk fast. I’ve heard too many “snatch” stories about Quiapo. Like most markets you can haggle for a lower price. I usually don’t when I feel it’s fair, it’s hard for them to make a living. A few pesos will mean more to them than it does to me saving a buck or two. You can take a jeepney (usually bet 8-10 pesos) just look for one with Quiapo painted on the side of their jeep. You can also take a bus or LRT and stop at Carriedo station. LRT will cost you about 12-15 pesos. Also, step inside the beautiful Quiapo Catholic church. Locals say Manny Pacquiao attends church here.

Banaue, Infugao Philippines

Posted by charmie on September 12, 2013

The bumpy ride on top of a jeepney on our way to Banaue from Batad.

The jeep , per usual was over-packed inside and on top. Bouncing through mountainside potholes, clinging on the the crates I was sitting on, the jeep ended up with a flat tire. Which sent us on a fut trek on foot through the village outside of Banaue.

The people of Infugao were quite skilled at their craft of weaving and woodcarving!

The houses built on mountainsides in Banaue

Lots of yummy street food!

Fresh dried tobacco!

The view from People’s Lodge Restaurant

The vegetable dishes from Greenview lodge restaurant were so fresh and full of flavor. Must stop in here if you can!

Banaue is the main city surrounded by smaller villages. Here you will find a few restaurants, a tourism center, and a strip with shops selling anything from produce, to handmade goods from the locals. Here you will find more of your western accommodations such as hotels with wifi, coffee shops, and even showers! For 20 pesos you can take a cold shower in the Greenview lodge, I think hot showers are a bit more.

How to get to Banaue from Manila:

We rode the Ohayami Transit which has many buses going from Manila to Banaue. Most leave at night since it’s a 10 hour bus ride. A good time since you experience less traffic, and by the time you wake up you’re there. Our fare was about 550P or around $10. The bus ride is freeeeezing, bring layers or a blanket. There’s no bathroom on the bus, but it takes pit stops at public restrooms along the way. Food and drinks are allowed on the bus. We brought sake which helped us sleep real well =)

Only downfall is you can’t book tickets online, you to visit one of their stations in person to book a ticket. We visited the one in the Sampaloc location. We found riding a bus was much quicker and easier than the LRT, and Jeepney.