Destinations

Riding the Circle Train in Yangon

Posted on February 1, 2014 by JimG
Central Train Station

Central Train Station

After our group tour in the morning, they let us off at a market a few minutes walk from the hotel.  The market was geared towards tourists selling statues, baskets, wooden carvings and fabrics.  I had learned a long time ago that when I purchased items on vacation and it seemed like a good idea, I would get home and wonder what possessed me to buy them in the first place.

I decided that it was time to do something a little different. I headed back to the hotel and asked our tour guide about the Circle Line Train.  She corrected my by saying “Circle Train” and confirmed the station was just a few blocks away.  The Circle Train goes around the Yangon in a big circle.

As I walked on the bridge over the train station I couldn’t help but notice that the station had seen better days.  Off to one side were abandoned cars being reclaimed by the jungle.  I am not sure how much maintenance had been done on the trains or rails since the British left.  I was looking at another time. Continue reading →

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Shwedagon Pagoda – Yangon

Posted on February 1, 2014 by JimG

IMG_0331The Shwedagon Pagoda is an amazing sight.  It dominates Yangon’s skyline and can be seen from almost everywhere in the city.  At night, it is lit up.  I am not going to try to convey the story behind it because it isn’t a story that you can sum up in a few lines and quite frankly not sure I could convey the story.  I will say that it is a major buddhist site that goes back 2,000 years with the pagoda being built and rebuilt and added to.

It is a major religious site.  Rudyard Kipling described his 1889 visit to this pagoda.  Hillary Clinton also visited it as well as President Obama.

 

 

 

 

 

Continue reading →

Categories: Myanmar | 2 Comments

Yangon

Posted on January 31, 2014 by JimG
Yangon airport

Yangon airport

I landed at the Yangon airport after a 40 minute flight from Bangkok.  When I saw the aiprort, I thought this is it?  I would call it the main terminal but I couldn’t because that would imply there was an additional terminal.  Later the tourguide commented that this was the new aiport which opened in 2007.  I guess they weren’t expecting the upcoming changes.

Before leaving the terminal I exchanged money.  I handed over a new $100 bill and was given a 2 inch stack of Kyats (pronounced chats).  The exchange ratio is close to 1,000 Kyats to 1 US dollard.  I must admit that there was something gratfiying about being handed this big stack of cash but I quickly put it in perspective telling myself that I was basically carrying around 100 $1 bills. Continue reading →

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The Royal Palace

Posted on January 30, 2014 by JimG

In the afternoon I headed out on the tour’s first official tour.  A boat ride to the Royal Palace and to see the Emerald Buddha and temples around it.  I had seen it before when I was in Thailand just over 12 years ago but was impressed to see it again.  The workmanship that goes into the temples is incredible with a lot of detail. What appears to be patterned wall paper is actually painted onto the wails.  There are parts of the temples build using porcelain.Fortunately, we had a really nice weather day.  It wasn’t too hot and there was a nice breeze.

The Royal Palace

In the evening it was off to dinner and another boat ride.  When I returned to the hotel, I fought to keep my eyes open while updating my blog. I think I am going to sleep very well tonight!

Temple of Dawn

Temple of Dawn

 

Categories: Bangkok | 2 Comments

Wandering Around Bangkok

Posted on January 30, 2014 by JimG
Millennium Hilton Bangkok

Millennium Hilton Bangkok

Jan 30, 2014This is one of the nicest Hilton I have stayed in.  The breakfast buffet had the biggest selection I have ever seen in any hotel.  Of course, I wanted everything but I decided to limit it.  Still not used to the time change, I was up a couple of hours before breakfast started.  I was ready to head out at 7:00 AM but decided to wait a few hours for the city to wake up.I crossed the river and decided to walk with no clear direction to see what I would stumble upon.  Bangkok is full of sites, sounds and smells.  It is also very colorful and it is easy to take a ton of pictures only to look at them later and wonder why I took them all.  In person, it is all very interesting but it doesn’t always translate into pictures.

As I wandered around, I found myself in a very residential area.  Hoards of mopeds, bikes, cars and tuk-tuks with parents dropping their uniformed kids at a nearby school.  If there were sidewalks, foods stalls and shops extended their real estate onto it and even into the street.  Bangkok is known for its street food and there were plenty of outside kitchens cooking their specialities – ducks, chickens, noodles, phad thai – a different specialty at every stop.  I found myself feeling hungry again. Continue reading →

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Arrived in Bangkok

Posted on January 29, 2014 by JimG

IMG_0035I arrived in Bangkok today after a very long day of travel that started in Los Angeles.  I stopped in Tokyo and in Singapore.  Overall, thing went smoothly.  It was my first time at the new International terminal at LAX. I was surprised with how good it looked and was really impressed with the Star Alliance lounge.

I flew on Singapore airlines and I got to fly on an A380 – currently the largest passenger airliner.  Singapore airlines always provides great service and I cannot say enough good things about them. I wish our domestic airlines in the states would take note of the level of service that starts with a smile and a friendly attitude.

The Singapore airport is also impressive.   Lots of shopping and places to eat, free movies, Koi ponds, butterfly gardens and the list of things to do and see goes on.  Certainly more than enough to do on a short layover.

I checked into the Millenium Hilton and was impressed by the hotel.  Being a Diamond HHonors member I received a few extra perks like the welcome plate of fruit and access to the lounge.  I didn’t want to fall asleep early but I wasn’t ready to go exploring just yet.  I decided to take in the views of the city from the executive lounge. Continue reading →

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Bound for Myanmar

Posted on January 18, 2014 by JimG

I am geting ready to go to Myanmar.  I am learning wordpress.  So far so good.  I am hoping I can share my thoughts and photos via the site.

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Sedona

Posted on November 30, 2013 by JimG

IMG_6969Last time I was in Sedona was in the late 80′s. I was sent there on business and I really didn’t want to go. I remember driving to Sedona from Phoenix and there was a point where I could begin to see the red rock. My anxiety about going to Sedona melted away within minutes.You never forget a place like Sedona, it is easily recognizable when you see it in pictures but you never truly remember just how majestic it is until you go back. I found myself in absolute awe as if I hadn’t seen it before.

On this trip, Sophon and I took a Pink Jeep Tour. That turned out to be a must do. We got back from the tour and talked about going back out for a second one in the afternoon. I highly recommend this company. Continue reading →

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Grand Canyon

Posted on November 28, 2013 by JimG
Me on the Grand Canyon Railroad

Me on the Grand Canyon Railroad

Over the Thanksgiving Holiday, Sophon and I drove to the Grand Canyon. In all my years of travelling, I had only seen the Grand Canyon from an airplane.  I had been to Sedona on business many years before but it was so breathtaking that I didn’t care if I saw the Grand Canyon at the time.  I had to go back to see the Grand Canyon. 

I vowed I would return to this area to see the Grand Canyon and to explore the Flagstaff areas and I did.  I look forward to doing it again.

I booked tickets on the Grand Canyon Railroad.  I love trains and I wanted to take the train from Williams into the Grand Canyon.  The train was great, the entertainment was fun and the scenery was phenomenal.  I have to admit that I wished the train went a little faster, I would have loved to spend more time at the Canyon instead of en route but overall, it was a good experience. 

I am glad that I got to cross this item off my list of have to do things but it wasn’t one of those experiences where I walked away feeling like “been there and done that” but more like I want to come back and see more and do more. Continue reading →

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Homeward Bound

Posted on April 19, 2012 by JimG

IMG_5429To say that I went coffee picking is a slight exaggeration, but I did pick a few coffee beans. Surprisingly the berry is sweet.  The local beer is called Kilimanjaro along with Serengeti and Safari. I like them all.  On the way out, I saw a sign that said, “It is Kili Time”.  That was funny

If you look at my other websites you will notice a lot of pictures of food.  I love food, it is my passion, I love learning all things about food.  The biggest disappointment from this trip was that I did not get to try local food.  The hotels had buffets and provided boxed lunches on safari boxed lunches with no local food options.

It wasn’t until my flight home that I got to try something in Ethiopia.  Ironically, I live right next door to Korea Town and Little Ethiopia.  I could walk to Little Ethiopia and I had it once and didn’t like it.  I had it tonight and I must have gone to the wrong restaurant. Continue reading →

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