Travels with Tricia

Tag: Southeast Asia

  • A horse stands in front of Angkor Wat, in Cambodia.

    Photo du Jour: A Bejeweled Horse – Angkor Wat, Cambodia

    The magic of Angkor Wat and magnificent Cambodian temples like Ta Prohm and  Bayon is all in the details: richly-carved female devata and apsara bas-relief figures, a visiting Buddhist monk clad in a tangerine-colored robe spotted amid the grey structures, a handsome horse wearing a bejeweled bridle in Angkor Wat’s fore.

  • A Balinese macaque (monkey) sits on a column looking out at the ocean at the Uluwatu Temple.

    Photo du Jour: Into the Wild Blue Yonder – Ulu Watu Temple, Bali

    Perched on a column near Bali’s sacred 11th-century Ulu Watu Temple, a wild Balinese Macaque gazes out over the Indian Ocean. This critter’s serene stance could be misleading, however, given the mischievous nature of many of these monkeys on Uluwatu’s scenic grounds.

  • A Stroll Through Balinese Markets

    Balinese markets are a feast for the eyes. In Ubud’s bazaar and food and produce markets, there are stacks of colorful rattan offering boxes, wooden masks with intimidating gazes, small cases comprised of beads in swirling patterns, delicate batik silk scarves, walls of oil-adorned canvases, and overflowing mounds of tropical fruits. The markets are a shopper’s…

  • Colorful beaded lanterns hang outside a lantern shop in Hoi An, Vietnam.

    Light Wisdom Inspired by a Sea of Vietnamese Lanterns

    By night, the Vietnamese city of Hoi An is transformed into a dazzling paradise with brilliant silk lanterns, paper luminaries, and warm candlelight. With the sky cloaked in darkness, we strolled by the Thu Bon River and watched as the colorful luminaries danced on the water. Vendors of all ages sold them along the water’s edge to…

  • Photo du Jour: A Novice Monk in Luang Prabang, Laos

    In the Southeast Asian nation of Laos, it’s common for boys and young men to temporarily commit to monkhood, even if they do not remain in service for the rest of their lives. This custom brings a merit to both the novice monks and their families. As the elder monks do, the boys shave their heads…

  • A Vietnamese woman, wearing a traditional hat, carries baskets of recyclables in Hoi An, Vietnam.

    Scenes from Hoi An, Vietnam

    Even on the most overcast of days, Hoi An’s streets are replete with color. Salespeople stand before crumbling, mustard-colored buildings, enticing the young — and the young at heart — with bunches of fluorescent balloons. Nearby, market stalls overflow with vibrant-colored produce. There are miniature bananas, silk scarves of every hue, and blue-and-white dishes with…