Browse Month

January 2019

Mingalaba

Comings&Goings

Bagan, Myanmar

We came to learn that the early morning chanting which awakened us around 4 am reflected the activity surrounding a seven day religious celebration at the Ananda Temple which featured 24 hour a day monk chanting, booming through speakers and drifting throughout the region. We learned too that hundreds of pilgrims had journeyed from all over Bagan to celebrate this festival and partake in both religious rites and an almost carnival festival, replete with pop up stores, restaurants, and souvenir stands.

What struck us more than anything were the overloaded caravans of trucks and cars, packed with adults and children and loaded down with gear, setting up ad hoc tent cities constructed of tarps and woven mats as friends and families settled in for a week to combine faith and clearly some fun. From the ongoing cacophony of chatter, colorful dress, and activity, one could not help but feel the warmth of their common humanity. Later in the day, as Amy and I moved among the throngs, it appeared that they may have been more curious about us than we of them.

Milton’s Balloon

We awakened, however, early and, in darkness, we were taken to the launching site where we had a cup of coffee, also in darkness, and got to know Milton, our Aussie pilot, who was right out of Indiana Jones central casting.  By his own description, Milton had been a “naughty” boy and a truant growing up in New Zealand before finding a way to escape to Australia, starting his career as a dishwasher, and then – through happenstance and guile – linking onto the nascent hot air balloon industry.

After many years of perfecting his craft, both Milton and his wife are now balloon pilots dividing their time between Myanmar, East Africa, and Australia, guiding balloon tours, meeting interesting people, and enjoying living in different parts of the world. In short, Milton lives for hot air balloons. It also crossed my mind that a one-time passenger probably doesn’t want a pilot who is still learning about balloon physics and trying to find his/her way along the balloon learning curve.

Silently, we watched as the balloons around us were inflated, and then we took to the skies just as they started to brighten with the day ahead.

The next 45 minutes or so were pretty amazing as we drifted over Bagan and headed towards the Irrawaddy River, floating above temples, pagodas, stupas and monasteries, viewing the world from an entirely different perspective.  All truly sublime to be sure. At one point we were floating 3,000 feet high with only the sound of the wind and the occasional blasting of fire into the balloon.

After seeing Bagan from the sky, we spent the afternoon exploring on E-bikes/scooters, pushing Amy’s risk envelope to be sure.  No real mishaps until Amy went to park the bike at the end of the ride and then decided unexpectedly to throttle up.  More details to follow.

Ye Ye’s Grasshopper Tour

Leaving the skies and E-bikes behind, we had great fun on Day Two in Bagan, having signed up for a gritty (literally) mtn. bike tour through the dirt tracks of various towns and along the single tracks leading to different ancient sights. Ye Ye, our guide, was outstanding and knowledgeable about the many sights and the underlying Myanmar culture. He was especially keen about the evolution of Buddha design and taught us to recognize shifts in Buddha lips, eyes, and hands. In some cases, as one moves away from a Buddha’s gaze, his affect becomes more gentle, more friendly.

In a country with military rule and a problematic shift towards democracy, Ye Ye shared his thoughts about the country’s diversity and its 135 different ethic groups. We also talked with him about the Rohingya refugee crisis and that ethnicity’s suffering and, at least from Ye Ye’s point of view, we learned that this group’s struggles are part of a very complicated morality tale.

As we weaved and dodged people, oxen, scooters, and more, I wish that I was positioned to take a picture of Amy ahead of me, navigating her bike along the busy road, enveloped by hoards of people, machinery, honking horns and occasional stray dogs. Kind of a mass of humanity with color and movement.  With the Ananda Festival going on, caravans of religious pilgrims moved about and camped along the roads.  We had a few “white knuckle” moments on the bikes, but otherwise safely negotiated some of the winding dirt roads. We especially enjoyed pedaling through quieter Bagan neighborhoods, witnessing the pulse of daily life there. Of note were the courtesy warning honks of scooters and cars, as they made their way by us and kept us out of harm’s way.

Myanmar’s Venice, Inle Lake

We moved deeper into Myanmar’s interior today, taking first a turbo prop plane and then a 1.5 hour taxi to the stunning Inle Lake Region.  Two quintessential mountain ranges bracket each side of the 50 square miles of lake expanse, providing picturesque sunrises and sunsets with its ubiquitous mountain backdrop.

We observed that the lake has a series of small floating villages on stilts, so to speak, and that while scooters were critical for transportation in Chiang Mai and Bagan, one needed here some sort of watercraft.  Our boat reminded me of a 32 foot Adirondack guide canoes, with a flat bottom, and an amusing four stroke engine with a long, moveable drive shaft and propeller for navigating the small serpentine canals and an overabundance of invasive lily pads. 

We spent the day zipping across and around the lake visiting market places, floating gardens, temples, and stupas, in addition to observing artisans at work crafting textiles, teak boats, silver, and bamboo items.  The day also appeared to be “wash” day, as many people, mostly women, bathed along the canal banks. While Inle Lake is relatively new to the world of tourism, one has the sense that as the region grows it will be more than prepared to host visitors from around the world.

#Amy’stakeonthings

So we are just over half way through this spectacular trip, and I find that stumbling upon schools, taking pictures of children and their parents, and seeing the spectacular super blood wolf moon rise and set over Bagan helped us both feel less far from home.

In Inle Lake, we stumbled upon a loud and busy boy’s school, and watched the boys and their teachers (not understanding a word of all the chatter) problem solve how to lift a platform (stage?) back into the schoolyard. The scene made us smile and think of Westminster. We watched the children at a primary school happily running around the recess yard, and we continue every day to wave back in answer to the joyful “Hello!”s we receive from the many children in the different villages we pass by on our bikes. We have not met with one scowl, frown or impatient voice as we navigate streets and crowds, lakes and hills, boats and bikes. Inle Lake was quiet – almost ghostly quiet – while Bagan was filled with the energy of happy people at a festival and the constant background sound of the monks chanting through the night. Every bright splash of the bright saffron or burgundy color robes of the monks continues to catch my eye, and each time I think of the commitment these men (soon women, in Laos) make as they sign on to a higher purpose. The splash of color stops me every time.

Up up, and away

Caravans of religious pilgrims

Morning fishing

And Finally

I had forgotten about the awkward and amusing interplay that emerges between a visitor and a local when traveling and dealing with a language barrier. On many occasions thus far, I have watched locals try to translate my slow enunciation of English (as if that makes it easier for one who speaks in the Thai or Myanmar languages) and my words of intent. There is often a respectful, earnest and blank stare in response, with friendly and foreign eyes seeking non-verbal cues for understanding. A few gesticulations and body movements on my part, more slow English, and then a victory of sorts as a dawning smile of understanding opens up before me – an epiphany at its very best.


Of Monks, Marketplaces, and Elephants

Comings&Goings

Chiang Mai, Thailand

It did not take long for Amy and me to embrace the city of Chiang Mai and quickly recognize a place known for its vibrancy, energy, and authentic friendliness. The Chiang Mai community appeared steeped in a seemingly simple life with many of its citizens, we came to learn, committed to the Buddhist faith as an underpinning for their focused and meaningful way of life.

We chose to say in the heart of old Chiang Mai with plenty of activity and exposures right outside our hotel. As with any arrival to a foreign place, we felt a little intimidated and tired at first but easily settled into a nice Thailand rhythm. Armed with a new Thai vocabulary “Sawatdi” (hello and goodbye) and “Kop Kun Krap” (thank you), we took to the streets to learn what Chiang Mai was all about. Thanks to my sister-in-law Kerry, who traveled to this region with her daughter Emma a year ago, we had excellent “recon” work to lay the foundation for our travels. Specifically, we seized an advantage by working with Untouched Thailand, a small group of former monks who transitioned to the world of tourism as tour guides. Suffice to say, “our monks” shared with us some spiritual lessons that were worthy of consideration as we began our trip.

Tu, formally known as a monk

With Tu at our side on our first night, we ventured into the city on a Tuk Tuk and joined the teeming streets of pedestrians, scooters, cars, other tuk tuks and bicycles. It appeared that the Thai people were more than creative when managing their own transportation. While combating a little jetlag, we stopped at a local marketplace and learned the adage “No food, no fun,” a concept that rests at the core of Thai food psychology. Thai people purchase fresh food daily and rely on 24 hour markets to supply amazing produce, beef, chicken, fish, flowers and more. We learned that most street vendors often provide the freshest of foods, purchasing only the staples that they can use and sell on any given day. We tried a few local treats, the names which now elude me, enjoying novel flavors.

Our evening tour took us down side roads to our first temples and eventually to Chiang Mai’s version of Central Park, a particularly fun place to observe Chiang Mai’s after work community. We witnessed joggers, strollers, and bikers all getting in some social and sweat time together. In the early evening light, we particularly enjoyed watching groups of young athletic men playing a version of volleyball with their feet, fast and skillfully. We ended the evening at a traditional Thai dinner and show of folk dancers, with acts that just kept on coming. Just when we felt they might be wrapping things up, onto the stage appeared another group, another song, another dance.

And of course we viewed the first of many Buddha images, and suspect by the end of our trip we will enjoy a Buddha expertise that we had not previously imagined. Did you know that there are 74 traditional and different Buddha images? We did not.

Patara Elephant Park

With jetlag at bay and a relatively good “Ambien” infused sleep, we ventured an hour out of Chiang Mai to the beautiful western mountains, home to Patara Elephant Park, one of many parks to choose from in what we learned is kind of a Thai elephant subculture. Thanks again to our recon team of Kerry and Emma who guided us to a park that is part of a new paradigm of elephant stewardship, we had an opportunity to observe, learn, interact, and care for elephants in lieu of riding them, an activity that has become frowned upon due to training techniques and elephant injuries. Our exposure was sort of a morning of elephant daycare, and the experience did not disappoint. I especially enjoyed watching Amy dodge dung droppings as she waded in a pool and bathed “her” elephant, a true test for all sorts of reasons. In short, these elephants were amazing, and I had a sense that Amy’s elephant was particularly fixated on her…

Tom, also known formerly as a monk

It didn’t take us long to learn that Tom was a true scholar, intellectual, teacher, and philosopher about all things Buddha and even popular culture. Having lived the life of a monk for over 30 years, he was a pure joy to spend time with as his narrative was far-reaching and informative. He picked us up at 5:30am following an sleep of elephant dreams, and transported us to one of Chaing Mai’s most famous temples in Doi Suthep, high in the eastern mountains of the region. Over the next three hours, we viewed chanting monks, who had arisen as they always do at 4am, ventured about the temple – many Buddha images to be sure – received personal blessings from a monk, and then watched the sunrise overlooking the city of Chiang Mai. Amy and I felt that by just be being in Tom’s presence, we might become better people.

#Amy’stakeonthings

Sitting in the airport in Thailand, waiting to board a plane to Myanmar, I wonder again if perhaps I have brought too much hand sanitizer – I have every variety: CVS, WholeFoods, the handmade-in-Tahoe version, wipes, spray – so I am prepared but possibly over packed? I am also good with chapstick. Other than this all-encompassing question, the trip is off to a wonderful start. I am bewildered though today that after last night’s Thai cooking class, Scott continues to ask if I have downloaded the recipes from our new friends and cooking teachers, Noy and her husband Brian, and that he believes I will actually try cooking some of these dishes at home…

As we got ready to leave from Jed and Kerry’s house last Sunday night, I continue to think on a point Emma and Kerry sent us off with. A wonderful aspect of travel is meeting other travelers along the way. I rested by the pool our first afternoon with a lovely woman from Sydney Australia, and the following day we ventured to and from the Elephant Park with a fearless British mother, her infant and toddler daughters, and her charming father, one of the hardest working grandfathers I have met. As Scott mentoned, we loved our Thai tour guide, Tom. Last night at the Thai cooking class we met two sisters from Ireland, (the youngest of whom had imbibed too heavily the night before so she could not partake in the class, alas), a couple from China, and a pair of Americans girls who met four years ago while studying abroad in Florence and are now best travel buddies.  How fun to meet all these new “friends” as we venture abroad.  Also, just watching the world travel, the constant motion and commotion in the airports, is fascinating to me. Our world is on the move. Now, if I could just get Scott to stop hauling his huge duffle and convert to an efficient 4-wheeled suitcase like mine…and use the hand sanitizer.

And Finally

Bagan, Myanmar

After a full day of travel yesterday, we arrived in Bagan late in the evening, found a taxi in the darkness and traveled the strange dusty and eerily lit roads to our hotel. After a restless sleep we were awakened at 4am to chanting at a nearby temple, a reminder that we had arrived at a foreign and remote place of the world.

N



Telestrations

Comings&Goings

After the holidays

I could not help but laugh when, in the wake of the annual holiday food fest, someone posted on FB a funny video of a large seal flapping and writhing his way across the ice with the caption below stating, “This is what I feel like as I head back to the gym following the holidays.”  So apropos, so true. Yes, the holidays are behind us with hopes that everyone enjoyed some rest and relaxation with family and friends. I know that the Stevens family did although, even in the midst of our collective time together, our thoughts were never far from friends and strangers alike who continue to persevere through loss and difficult times.  Our collective hope is that 2019 will yield promise and hope for everyone. Happy New Year.

Hamilton

Through the kindness and generosity of a good friend, Amy and I finally attended Hamilton, and the production – not surprisingly – didn’t disappoint.  As I highlighted in the past, I have truly come to appreciate talented individuals who perform in all sorts of venues, and I can only begin to imagine all that goes on behind the scenes to reach their respective levels of artistic achievement.  As those of you who have already seen Hamilton can attest, the narrative, the music, the choreography, the acting, and the constant motion of this musical is powerful and inspiring. Through set design, scene changes, and action, one has the sensation that the world of Hamilton, in terms of character, space, and history are in constant flux.  I am already looking forward to seeing the production again, sometime, somewhere. I also caught a glimpse of the Golden Globe Awards and plan to have one resolution for the new year – see more movies!

Really? You are going to take this picture right now…

Lake Tahoe

Amy and I had the good fortune of spending a week of skiing and family fun in Lake Tahoe over New Year’s.  Among other highlights and along with our family, we hosted Abby’s roommates and local friends to dinner and a night of games.  While admittedly I am not a big game guy following a full dinner, vino, etc., Amy is! Our family tends to default to a familiar and usually raucous game of salad bowl, but Abby introduced us to a new and really fun and amusing game called Telestrations, sort of a hybrid of “telephone” and Pictionary. While we did not have the official board version, Abby quickly put together packets of paper for each participant, and then we followed the description shown in the above video.  Lots of laughs, even a few tears….., but really fun and entertaining.

On Photography

I am a little short on photographic content for this posting, but I did use Amy’s new Iphone and captured this somewhat creepy reflection photo during one of our walks in the Truckee area.  The new phone has an amazing camera and a portrait mode that yields some extraordinarily sharp and impressive photos. I also spent a little time at Squaw Valley, after my ski legs were spent for the day, shooting some photos of rock formations and late day ski lifts with different types of lighting.  As I have stated on more than a few occasions, the novelty of doing anything outside – all day long – has become a favored pursuit these days.

If you didn’t have a chance to see 13 Stories That Captured Photography In 2018, The Year in Pictures 2018, Famous Photographs of Fabulous People, or Photos We Loved in 2018, they are all fun collections to peruse. I particularly liked the group of Fabulous People. I always find it provocative to consider how the essence of an image captures the tenor of a particular person, place, or event. And, of course, similar to all forms of art, what feelings does that specific image evoke for you personally.

According to Amy, Nick, Abby, Will

Amy passed along to me an interesting NPR interview with pro surfer Kelly Slater who is the visionary behind an artificial wave park in California, a place that will soon be hosting competitions. Meanwhile, William Finnegan, author of Barbarian Days, writes about the wave park in his New Yorker piece and highlights the implications of this fabricated wave world to the surfing aesthetic. Finnegan is an excellent writer, and I know that both Nick and Will are enjoying reading this tome.

Worth the Read, Listen, View

If you are interested in tiny houses, you may enjoy this piece about a husband and wife who built their own and then put it on wheels. And if you read only one article in this posting, I encourage you to look at The Tinkerer of Dickson’s Reach which recounts a fascinating man, Bill Coperthwaite, who took the construction of yurts to an entirely new level while espousing both self-reliance and community. Think of a resourceful Thoreau but with friends hanging around. For those of you who enjoy both dogs and Lake Street Dive, this short video is amusing.

Articles of Interest

The Maverick’s Key to Keeping Players Fresh? Blood Samples

Cuba’s Next Transformation

The Sydney Awards, Part II

Four Simple Words to Help You Live Well

Letter of Recommendation: Old English

Death, the Prosperity Gospel and Me

How Cancer Changes Hope

From Tree to Ski at the Fischer Family Factory

Four Questions for the Year Ahead

The Power of the ‘Little Comment’ in Mother-Daughter Relationships

And Finally

Amy and I have the great opportunity of time, due to my sabbatical and her upcoming three week leave of absence, to be departing on a trip to southeast Asia on Sunday. We have a lot to organize before then, but the good news is that the key pieces are in place, finally.

Our journey will take us first to Chiang Mai, Thailand, then Bagan and Inle Lake – both in Myanmar – and then to Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. We will be doing some reading about the history, politics, religion, culture, and arts from this region of the world as we travel, and at least one of us is excited about the food. We both will be taking plenty of photographs and look forward to sharing if we return.