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Eat at the Most Bizarre, (delish) and Colorful Food Circus in the World!

Leave a Comment / Asia, Food and Wine, Shopping, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

Bubbling cauldrons of soups, meats wrapped in palm leaves, a rainbow of desserts – honestly…when it comes to street food, Southeast Asia is the Big Top of variety, flavor and (let’s say) innovation. Each country I visited, (Thailand, Cambodia and Laos on this trip,) has their street food cultural fingerprint. But there are many similarities. […]

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Expression of the Highest Genius; The Majesty of Angkor Thom

Leave a Comment / Asia, Natural Wonders, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

The Royal Palace situated within the city of Angkor Thom, close to Siem Reap Cambodia, belonged to kings of the tenth and first half of of the eleventh centuries. King Jayavarman VII built the city, whose name translates to “Great Kingdom” and includes Angkor Wat, over a 30 year period with the assistance of 6,000 elephants.

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Visit Wat Rong Khun, the Famous White Temple of Chiang Rai

Leave a Comment / Asia, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

In the Land of a Thousand Temples, this glittering swirl of meringue generously sprinkled with tiny diamonds is a visual feast. More like a Disney fantasy than a place of Buddhist worship. Made more unusual because it’s new. Known as the White Temple, Wat Rong Khun, located in Chiang Rai is the project of well-known

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My Visit with the Long-Necked Women of Thailand’s Hill Tribes

Leave a Comment / Asia, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

In mountainous northern Thailand, at the end of a long dirt road, private except for occasional but welcomed visitors, live the “long necked women” of the Kayan Hill Tribe. With our Thai-speaking guide, I visited this small village called Ban Nai Soi, where four different ethnic groups; Kayan, Akha, Hmong and Lahu live together, refugees

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My Once in a Lifetime Experience: Chiang Mai Elephant Jungle Sanctuary

Leave a Comment / Asia, Natural Wonders, Sights to See, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

Elephants are a national symbol in Southeast Asia. Woven into the cultural fabric of Asia, the animal was elevated to a special status upon Lord Buddha’s birth when, scriptures say, his mother dreamed a white elephant came to her with a lotus flower. Practically though, the massive temples in Southeast Asia, staggering in size and

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How to Have an Amazing Time in Mystical, Magical Bangkok

Leave a Comment / Asia, Blogging, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

Thailand is known as “land of a thousand temples”, each stunningly unique and overwhelmingly beautifully Buddhist. It’s also known as the “land of a thousand smiles”. I think there’s a connection… First, it’s hot. Plan your adventures for mornings, late afternoons and evenings. Not during the heat of midday. The city comes alive at night.

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The Ultimate Recorded Message of Thangka Art

1 Comment / Asia, Blogging, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

It’s an 11th century Buddhist VM! Thangka roughly translates to “recorded message” in Tibetan and is an ancient form of Buddhist art. The art of India and Nepal is one of flamboyance! Color in capitals! Flags fly, ropes of marigolds are offered to visitors along with welcoming red bindis and bracelets. Each with a prayer. Carvings,

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See “The Work of Giants” Imposing Haunting Invincible Mehrangarh

1 Comment / Asia, Blogging, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

It was the most imposing structure I have ever visited, dominating the landscape, miniaturizing the “Blue City” below. On par with the Great Wall but so much richer in ornate decoration and impossibly grand. Mehrangarh Fort stands four hundred feet in splendor on a perpendicular cliff above the sky line of Jodhpur. Burnished red sandstone,

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The Astonishing Craftsmanship of the Temples of Bhaktapur, Nepal

Leave a Comment / Asia, Blogging, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

Many claim there are more gods than people in the Kathmandu Valley. It feels that way. Spiritually pungent, deliciously rich in culture and tradition. Flower petals, vermilion powder and rice are offered on brass trays daily at these sacred spots. The contrast with frenetic India is dramatic. Chill, more peaceful. An absence of car horns.

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Turbans, Bindis and Saris: The Unusual Significance of India’s Clothing

1 Comment / Asia, Blogging, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

I loved watching Indian women draped in brightly colored, embellished silks managing to accomplish, to me, awkward side-saddle motor bike rides, managing unruly kids, raking basmati, worshipping at the temple all the while composed and lovely in their saris. In Indian culture, the sari symbolizes respect, dignity, modesty and confidence. The word “sari” means “strip

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