May's Travelogue

I'm sure you'll be intrigued when you see people in Myanmar applying yellow paste in various shapes – circles and rectangles – on their faces. This practice is common among both children and adults, men and women. It is called Thanaka. What is Thanaka? It is a traditional makeup used in Myanmar for many centuries. The yellow paste comes from the tree's bark by grinding on the sand rock, known as Kyauk Pyin in Myanmar. Those Thanaka trees are thriving in the tropical region of upper Myanmar. They grow plenty both in private yards and tropical woods as they can survive in the hot weather very well and grow quickly. The bark is very thick and mostly they produce the best quality paste; however, the heartwood can also produce the same benefits for the skin. Hot Weather and Thanaka As it is fragrant, Thanaka provides a calming and refreshing energy, making it ideal for coping with hot weather. Furthermore, it can be used as Aromatherapy to get sound sleep at night. When it is ap...

A local tour guide brought us to a workshop in Ho Chi Minh. I initially thought it was a tourist trap, and that they would forcefully sell us their products. After knowing their ambitions, I really thank and respect them for their efforts. I found that they intend to help not only the handicapped and suffered from Agent Orange but also our earth by creating recycled products. Firstly, they collect dark eggs and clean them thoroughly. After that, they put them in a specific liquid so that these eggs will sustain for a long time.  Crushing them into the required size,  they place them on art outlines such as painting boards or beautiful sculptures. We can find several shapes and art forms in their workshop. Additionally, they didn't make us force to buy. They just display their hard work with good deeds. However, they attracted us to make a purchase by providing a sense of goodwill for some people and our earth. I think that Vietnamese have environmental awareness because I foun...