Travels with Tricia

Category: Culture and History

  • Twinkle, Twinkle Wat Xieng Thong – Luang Prabang, Laos

    In the late afternoon sunlight, the small shrine’s mosaic-adorned walls shimmered like precious gems. As I shifted my footing and perspective — moving only mere inches at a time — different vignettes were illuminated by the vibrant rays. This Buddhist shrine, on which the cut glass portrays Buddhist imagery, is one of twenty structures in…

  • The Enduring Buddha at War-Ravaged Wat Phia Wat, Laos

    Wat Phia Wat and its focal point — a war-scarred Buddha statue — are located in Muang Khoun, only 30 kilometers from Phonsavan, Laos. Muang Khoun was previously the region’s capital city, but all that remains of the capital today are the fragments of Wat Phia Wat, as well as a few stupas. Given rugged…

  • Bobbins of orange, cream, and fuchsia silk inside a drawer at a silk farm near Siem Reap, Cambodia

    Learning the Fine Art of Sericulture & Weaving on a Cambodian Silk Farm

    Throughout Cambodia, marketplace stalls overflow with mounds of beautiful shimmering silk. There’s everything from scarves and chic purses to fabric designed for tailor-made shirts, dresses, and jackets.

  • As the adult next to him prays at Bangkok's Golden Mount, a young boy is distracted by a bottle of soda.

    Photo Du Jour: Little Boy Distracted During Prayer at Bangkok’s Golden Mount

    While his father prays at Bangkok’s Golden Mount, a young boy is seemingly distracted by an enticing bottle of red soda. 

  • A woman holds Balinese 'canang sari' in her hand. These flowery spiritual offerings are placed in sacred places on the island of Bali.

    A Lesson in Making Balinese Canang Sari

    On a quiet and serene morning in Ubud, I was invited to learn how to make beautiful Balinese canang sari. These floral spiritual offerings adorn Bali’s temples, streets, home entrances, and any place that the Balinese people believe to be sacred. You might even spot some on trees and statues. The setting for my lesson was the rice paddy-encircled home…

  • A child dances at a dance studio in Bali.

    Backstage at Balinese Dance Class

    In Jimbaran, Bali, we had the great fortune to have been befriended by a local resident named Mariana. Along with his extended family, Mariana exposed us to rich aspects of Balinese culture. We observed his nephew’s 42-day ceremony, as well as full moon celebrations at a neighborhood temple. We also participated in a Prana Shakti…