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...

To be honest, Ho Chi Minh, also known as Saigon, needs more tourist attractions. Some people who fall in love with the high-end architecture cannot expect to find wonderful Cityscapes. Conversely, some individuals who like to relax in nature will not be satisfied. However, the most interesting part of Ho Chi Minh is the ancient architecture left by the French colony. There are many Churches and Chapels with several designs and facilities, and they are quite flamboyant. Among them, one of the buildings attracts me with its function. It is none other than the Post Office.    Bringing to the previous century  Normally, the Post Office's look is simple but it brought me to a specific time in history. Its design was influenced by French architecture mixed with Gothic and Renaissance.  When I entered the post office, I felt like time travelling; thinking about people and living style in the colony period, the feeling of classic and nostalgia came into my mind. I imagined h...

When we arrived in Ho Chi Minh, rain was pouring heavily. I was slightly worried as it was not a rainy season in South East Asa and there was a storm alert. However, we found a beautiful coffee shop walking in the rain. In fact, everybody knows that Vietnam coffee is quite popular. When we entered the shop hopefully, we suddenly didn't know what to order as there were plenty of items in the coffee menu. I flew blind ordered pointing somewhere on the menu. There is no crowd in the shop. I found that its decoration is quite cosy. They built bookshelf walls with several books which contained coffee history, quotes and articles. One of my friends said, " Coffee shop culture is not popular in our country. Actually, it is the best idea". And I replied, " Our people prefer tea to coffee". Rather, We Myanmar people always like to sit at the tea shop every day as we believe that the tea shop is a sort of local community. Our tea shop looks like diplomacy. Once we sit the...

The route Kalaw-Nyaung Shwe-Inle Lake is a good arrangement for 3-5 days trips.  It only takes 2 hours to drive from Kalaw to Nyaung Shwe, the nearest town to Inle Lake. When you reach Nyaung Shwe, you must take a boat to wander in the lake.  You can stay at Inle hotels overnight to feel the real Inle life.  Alternatively, if you are uncomfortable sleeping on the water, you can stay in Nyaung Shwe and explore the lake only during the daytime. The reasons why Inle Lake is popular are two main cultures that are slightly different from others. One is  Stilt Houses and the other is the style of rowing. Feeding Seagulls Stilt Houses The transportation Stilt restaurants Rowing with legs   Several ethnic tribes of Myanmar have resided in the lake for a long history. They do float farming and fishing. Traditional cotton weaving and silversmiths also can be found. The quality of Inle cotton wear is highly recommended. The residents use boats for local transportation, and...