Ámantee

http://www.amantee.com/

Ámantee is a new venue for art lovers and connoisseursin suburban Bangkok.

Ámantee (which means 'peaceful space') is an exquisite complex of traditional Thai-style houses in an artfullylandscaped tropical garden. Ámantee is a place enhancing personal serenity.

Ámantee is a repository of Oriental and Tibetan antiques & arts, where favourable prices equitably benefit sources and buyers alike.

Noel Rodrigo - Sri Lankan Leopard Safaris

http://www.leopardsafaris.com/home.html - Sri Lanka

An interview with Noel:

http://www.srilankainstyle.com/the-magic-of-travel-series-Noel-Rodrigo.php

"Having extensive knowledge of the island’s national parks, jungles and wildlife, Noel Rodrigo has created a unique camping safari adventure which brings not only his expertise but also his passion for leopards and everything in the wild. With enthusiasm, he doesn’t only show guests where the animals are, but he trains them to guess where they could be; watching for tracks, listening out for wildlife calls and patiently waiting for that most elusive of creatures – the leopard – to emerge. His method is successful for his record in just one safari has been a staggering 14 leopards. At night, over a delicious BBQ beside the camp fire guests are treated to exciting tales of close shaves, animal conflicts and exciting adventures in Yala, Uda Walawe and the Knuckles mountains before a final walk of the secure campsite to look out for anything that moves. Guests sleep in the luxury of spacious African safari tents with hygienic chemical toilets and hot water showers under the stars. There is little more romantic than this."

Cambodia Weaves

http://weavescambodia.com/

"WEAVES OF CAMBODIA: Blending in perfectly with the stylish, big-ticket items on the shelves of Barneys New York, Weaves of Cambodia silk scarves swaddle the buyer in sumptuousness while opening a world of possibilities to the land-mine survivors of Tbeng Meanchey, a former Khmer Rouge stronghold eight hours' drive along a bumpy dirt road from Phnom Penh. Carol Cassidy, the innovative American weaver behind Vientiane-based Lao Textiles took over the town's craft studio from Vietnam Veterans International in 2003, training, employing and providing health care to over 40 disabled but gifted artisans whom she says "possess natural abilities to weave high-quality silk in spite of their disabilities." - C. Rosenfeld for TIME

http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1642444_1659467_1648061,00.html

FCC Angkor

The Continental Saigon

"1964-1975: Philippe, Mathieu Franchini's son, who had run the hotel until 1964, left Vietnam like his father before him. Then came the time when "Newsmen covering the Vietnam War measured the ups and downs of its course by the fortunes of the hotel, "according to Martin Meade, Joseph Fitchett and Anthony Lawrence in their book "Great oriented Hotels". Or as William Tuohy, Newsweek magazine''s Saigon bureau chief, wrote in his book "Dangerous Company": "After writing our stories, we would gather around the Continental Hotel for dinner and drinks. Many drinks.".

Mystic Travel Art

The Thai Beverage Delivery

See it with Thai Eyes...

By Thai-Eyes März 6, 2009
While in the most western countries service is a foreign word, in Thailand You still get good service with a smile. If You´re ordering a certain amount of beverages, the beverage delivery service brings the goods to Your house,without any charge, but with friendlyness and a smile.

http://www.thai-eyes.com/

The Jayavarman

From the well known to the rarely visited ports of call include:

Saigon

Multifaceted city, traditional and modern has retained the joie de vivre that makes it so charming and attractive.

Can Tho

See the most impressive floating market in whole Indochina

Chau Doc

Deep in the Mekong delta, experience Vietnam's fish farmings capital by boat and cyclo.

Phnom Penh

Explore the "Pearl of Asia" famous for its charm, historical treasures & striking Royal Khmer and French Colonial architecture

Kampong Cham

Rarely visited provincial capital, encounter monks in saffron robes, pagodas & stunning hilltop temples

Siem Reap

Home of the World's largest city in the 13th century and its greatest Temple - Angkor Wat, our final destinations

http://www.heritage-line.com/departuresnrates.php

The Full Moon Calendar

The moon has long been regarded as a mark of femininity. In past times the moon was revered and is considered by many as an influential source of energy. Many individuals are also of the belief that there is a connection between the moon and the unconscious mind as well as humanity's femininity. The holiness of the moon is also believed to be linked with most elements in a life's cycle. Besides being associated to the growth and re-growth of crops according to their timely seasons, the moon's varying phases is also seen to play an important part in a female's menstruation cycle and thus, indirectly have power over fertility. Since the beginning of time, the moon calendar holds a vital role in people's lives especially as varying festivals are celebrated in its different phases. full moon dates.

Plan nothing in Asia without checking this first:
http://fullmooncalendar.net/

Is there a perfect trip?

I think we should never ceases to ask fundamental questions about travel. What is travel? Why do we travel? Is there a perfect trip? There are no right or wrong answers. People travel for a variety of reasons, all perfectly valid. But one thing I know, the more I travel, the better I travel, the more I seem to be able to extract overall from the experience. I am not referring to business travel. I am referring to the sort of travel driven by the desire to venture into unknown territory, to learn and experience faraway lands, fueled by wanderlust, curiosity and love for this incredibly varied planet we live in. And the more I think about the ideal of a journey, the more I believe in people. The more I regard the people I meet along the way as the keys to understanding what’s happening, what’s the story, what’s special, what’s true… about wherever we are. Access to people, theirin lies the true magic of travel.

Miguel Cunat

Saskia Fernando Gallery

"Saskia Fernando Gallery was established in February 2009. The gallery organizes and curates exhibitions for contemporary artists working in multiple mediums including painting, sculpture, photography, video and new media. It is inspired and motivated by the creativity and determination of a new wave of artists wishing to be exposed and to be accepted by the world that motivates us.

Offering new works on a regular basis from the finest of Sri Lanka's emerging artists and well-established artists, Saskia Fernando Gallery will continually present exciting, dramatic and provocative works of art in Colombo, while providing exposure to the international art market."

http://saskiafernandogallery.com/

info@saskiafernandogallery.com

61 DHARMAPALA MAWATHA, COLOMBO 3, SRI LANKA

TEL: +94 (11) 7429010

Raan Jay Fai

New York Times Review
"Like rock bands, the best noodle slingers attract groupies. Outside this simple open-air restaurant in old Bangkok, lines of cars, tuk-tuks and motorcycles crawl through the hot air, belching exhaust toward Jay Fai’s al fresco seating. Still, at Jay Fai’s opening time of around 4 in the afternoon, a line waits to be served, and the cook throws handfuls of chicken chunks and noodles into a pan as if she were a metronome on double time.

Jay Fai noodles stir-fried with spicy Thai basil is a dish also called drunken noodles. Some Thais believe the dish got its name because street cooks serve it into the wee hours, when their clientele is the drunkest. The broad rice noodles come out of the pan thin and chewy, as if they could tear easily. Yet they never turn tough, and the chef throws in large bits of sweet Thai basil, the edges seared with a slight soy aftertaste."

http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/asia/thailand/bangkok/restaurant-detail.html?vid=1194733495893

Thai drug sniffing dogs get the sack

"Two Thai street dogs who became ace sniffer dogs at an airport near the notorious” Golden Triangle” opium-producing region have been fired. The dogs, named Mok and Lai, were part of a program begun by King Bhumibol Adulyadej to turn strays into police dogs. Despite their proficiency for drug sniffing, the two were fired for behavior considered unbecoming of a member of the police force. “[Mok] liked to pee on luggage while searching for drugs inside,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Jakapop Kamhon, said. “He also liked to hold on to women’s legs.” He added that both were just as good as foreign dogs trained for use in drug missions, but they had bad manners because both used to be soi dogs" Reuters

Comments:
by Ha: bad doggie! stop humping the woman's leg!
by Garth: Once a soi dog, always a soi dog........!
by Hoi: You can take the dog out of the soi, but you can't take the soi out of the dog!

Scent of a Thai

"Science is proving that love, like memory, is a slave of scent, our strongest sense. And in the pursuit of sweet pheromones, Thais leave all in their trail. In a mid-1990s US-run survey, around 10,000 respondents from multiple countries each ranked the scent of diverse nationalities on a scale of men to hom. With no whiff to favoritism, the Thais won by more than a nose. Officially the world’s best smelling people, Thais can put their hom-ness down not just to their thrice-daily soap and powder regimen, but apparently to a diet light in dairy, meat and the ranker spices, but rich in pore-purging coriander, chili and lemongrass."

Shrine of the Goddess Tuptim

"Besides Buddhist temples and Buddha Images, Bangkok abounds with numerous small and large spirit houses and shrines to Hindu Gods and animism related deities. One less visited shrine is located on the grounds of the Nai Lert Bangkok Hotel (also known as Swissotel) on Wireless Road (Witthayu Road).

Penises abound at the shrine of Goddess Tuptim. Most are built of wood, and are quite huge, including some which stand 10 feet tall. Follow a brick path lined by knee-high wooden phalluses, and you will arrive at a huge cluster, in varying shapes and sizes, including some adorned with pastel-colored scarves. In an anthropomorphous flourish, some of the biggest penises stand on two legs, and display their own set of genitals near ground level."

Very Thai

"This pioneering insight into contemporary Thai folk culture delves beyond the traditional Thai icons to reveal the casual, everyday expressions of Thainess that so delight and puzzle. From floral truck bolts and taxi altars to buffalo cart furniture and drinks in a bag, the same exquisite care, craft and improvisation resounds through home and street, bar and wardrobe.

Never colonised, Thai culture retains nuanced ancient meaning in the most mundane things. The days are colour coded, lucky numbers dictate prices, window grilles become guardian angels, tattoos entrance the wearer. Philip scoured each region to show how indigenous wisdom both adapts to the present and customizes imports, applying Roman architecture to shophouses, morphing rock into festive farm music, turning the Japanese motor-rickshaw into the tuk-tuk."

http://www.verythai.com/

Prasart Museum

Prasart Museum is in a private house on the eastern edge of the city -this is an unusual open-air exhibition of traditional Asian buildings, collected and reassembled by wealthy entrepreneur and art lover Mr. Prasart.

The place is rarely visited by mass tourists, partly because of it's intentionally limited for number of visitors. The admission is by appointment only, and usually requires one to two days notice, but it makes a pleasant day out and is worth the effort.

Set in a gorgeously lush tropical garden, it comprises about a dozen replicas of traditional buildings, including a golden teak palace inspired by the royal residence now housed at the National Museum, a Chinese temple and water garden, a Khmer shrine, a Sukhothai Period teak library set over a lotus pond, and a European-style mansion, fashionable with Bangkok royalty in the late nineteenth century. Some of these structures have been assembled from the ruins of buildings found all over Asia, but there is no attempt at purist authenticity - the aim is to give a flavor of architectural styles, not an exact reproduction.

9 Krung Thep Kritha 4
A LaneKrung Thep Kritha Road
Huamark Sub-District
Bangkapi
Bangkok
Thailand 10240
Tel: 66 2 379 3601

Chinaman

Studio Naenna

"Located in a charming and peaceful environment at the foot of Doi Suthep mountain in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Studio Naenna offers you a collection of exquisite clothing and eco textiles in ikats, silk, and cotton designed by our founder, many of which are dyed in natural dyes. Under the direction of Lamorna Cheesman, both the city branch "'Adorn' with Studio Naenna" and the main gallery Studio Naenna have a variety of hand woven products to suit all sizes and tastes. Tailor made and export products are also available. Studio Naenna is a learning experience. At our main studio, you can see our products being produced by hand, using natural dyeing, featuring 100% natural indigo vats and backstrap loom weaving. The Studio was founded in 1988 by Patricia Cheesman, an expert in antique, Lao and Thai textiles, and lecturer in Tai textiles, ceramics and contemporary design at Chiang Mai University."

Studio Naenna
138/8 Soi Changkhian, Huay Keow Rd
T. Changpeuak, Chiang Mai
Thailand 50300
Tel. (66-53) 226042
Fax (66-53) 217707

Minimal Chiang Mai

Housed in a roomy white building, Minimal Gallery is a downtown hot spot for art lovers. Located in Soi 13 Nimmanhaemin Road, this chic, minimalist bar & restaurant (and, of course, art gallery) is a space to view ever-changing art exhibitions from local artists, participate in debates and discussions about the contemporary art movement, interesting photographic exhibitions, the new style of graphic design and visual art, and other arty themes, or simply to sip a glass of wine, soak up the laid back ambience and enjoy a funky repertoire of smooth tunes.

24 /2 Nimmanhaemin Road Soi 13
Tel 081 6714662, 084 1693283
http://minimalgallery.org/

Jeff Fuchs

http://www.jefffuchs.com/

Bangkok to Ayutthaya

“When there is nowhere else to go, interacting with the existing environment in a different way, is the journey"

Brewing the perfect cuppa

Start with your favorite spring or filtered water. Heat the water to a boil, or about 210F.

Use about 3 grams of tea per 6 oz serving. Please note, for denser teas this is about 1 teaspoon; for larger-leaf teas this could be up to 2 tablespoons.

Steep for 2-3 minutes. Remove the leaves when ready -- rely on taste, not color. Use a large enough strainer basket to allow the leaves to open and release their flavor.

Get to know the tea by playing with the amount of leaf, the water temperature, and steeping time. Re-steep to make another cup!

For more about brewing tea, visit our Brewing Notes page.

Silom Art Walk

A bias for action

http://www.ad-asia.com/news/situationrepoupdate.htm

"Before I retired I was a partner in a big public accounting firm in San Francisco. I remember a client CEO of a medium-sized bank trying to shake things up. The bank had been stodgy, family-run for 100 years. The new CEO wanted to streamline operations, offer new products, and compete more aggressively. To do these things, he told me, he planned to hire people with a bias for action. That phrase--a bias for action--stuck in my mind. I decided that's the way I wanted to live. Vicki and I talked it over and made it a rule. When we're indifferent, we choose the path that involves trying something new, taking a step, or shaking things up. We bias toward errors of commission rather than errors of omission.

Consider small things. If choosing from a menu between a favorite dish or something new, other things being equal, opt for something new. Can't decide whether the weekend trip is worth the hassle of driving out of town? Take the trip. If asked to take on a fund-raising drive--pros and cons, can't decide--take it on.

The rule also works for big things."
Paul TerhorstRoving “Retire Early” Editor, International Living

Wat Umong

"Wat Umong (or Oomong) is one of my favorite temples in Chiang Mai. It can be an especially magical place just after the rainy season has ended, around early October or November.

Wat Umong is unique in many respects. For one, it's built in the foothills of Suthep mountain and is still heavily forested. But the most unique feature of the temple are the tunnels which give the wat its name (umong is the Thai word for "tunnel").

The temple and its tunnels were built in the late 14th century. On a level open space, a large artificial mound was built and then criss-crossed with tunnels. The legend is that the temple was built like this for a highly regarded monk who was nonetheless a little crazy. The somewhat maze-like tunnels kept the mad monk from wandering off.

The monastery was later abandoned and wasn't used again until the 1940's. The long disuse is probably what accounts for the overgrown atmosphere of the temple. That's why the temple is so great to visit right after the rains have gone. The brick walls of the mound are covered with moss and small plants. Other stone works are covered in moss and vines."

Michael Holland
http://thailandforvisitors.com/north/chiangmai/umong/index.html

Well travelled luggage II

Blue Elephant Cooking School - Bangkok

http://www.blueelephant.com/school/index.html

Rory Spowers

Rory Spowers has been living near Galle in south Sri Lanka, with his wife and two sons, since March 2004. Rory’s background is as a writer, researcher and broadcaster whose last book, Rising Tides, a history of ecological thought, was critically acclaimed in the UK by The Sunday Times, The Observer and a variety of magazines. He is a featured writer at Travelintelligence and has presented various travel programmes for BBC radio.

Rory’s first book, Three Men on a Bike, was a bizarre tale of cycling through Africa with friends on the original three-seater ‘trandem’ used by The Goodies on BBC TV. This trip inspired Rory to walk the length of India in 1996, making a pilgrimage from Kanyakumari, the southern tip of the country, up to Calcutta.

In 2002, Rory co-founded The Web of Hope (WoH) (www.thewebofhope.com), a UK registered charity compiling an expanding on-line database of role models for sustainability, social justice and positive change.

Som Tam at Taling Chan

Leaving Luang Prabang

The Baci Ceremony

Briefly the Baci is a ceremony to celebrate a special event, whether a marriage, a homecoming, a welcome, a birth, or one of the annual festivals. A mother is given a baci after she has recovered form a birth, the sick are given bacis to facilitate a cure, officials are honored by bacis, and novice monks are wished luck with a baci before entering the temple. The Baci ceremony can take place any day of the week and all year long, preferably before noon or before sunset. The term more commonly used is su kwan, which means “calling of the soul”.

http://www.laoheritagefoundation.org/ceremonies/baci.jsp

"Extraordinary travel is magic often created in the simplest of terms"
Lisa Lindblad.

Travel Art Posters

http://www.allposters.com/-st/Travel-Art-Posters_c6384_.htm

Neilson Hays Library

The Neilson Hays Library was founded in 1869 by the Ladies' Bazaar Association, which formed the Bangkok Ladies' Library Association to serve the reading needs of the large English-speaking community in Bangkok. The building and property now occupied by the Library were part of an endowment received from Dr. Hayward Hays in 1922 in memory of his wife Jennie Neilson Hays who had served on the committee of the Library for at least 25 years. It is the oldest non-profit association in the Kingdom of Thailand.

Current Exhibits: http://neilsonhayslibrary.com/exhibits.shtml

Kathmandu Gallery

The KATHMANDU PHOTO GALLERY, in a wonderfully-restored old pre-war shophouse aptly located near the Indian (Sri Mariamma) Temple in Bangkok’s financial district. Its owner, Thai photo-artist Manit Sriwanichpoom, has modeled it along the lines of photographers’ shops of old, where one could walk in and sift through folders of signed prints for sale. Downstairs the antique green walls are literally covered with framed black and white photographs of varied subjects from Manit’s travels, making it seem like a treasure chest, while the airy upstairs gallery plays host to the current temporary exhibition. A book corner offers a few art, photography and spiritually adventurous titles, such as books by Carlos Castaneda.

http://www.kathmandu-bkk.com/