Himalayan Villages

We started our trekking through many mountain villages. The local people who work there carry things up into the mountains for hikers. The villages are quaint and have some amazing views. I found it most interesting to see how they live their lives. Here are some photos of what they look like....

People of Nepal

The people here are very kind and have a great sense of humor. In fact, they are always making jokes and having a good time. So far, we have even been invited to dinner several times by local people. This has made Nepal a great experience so far. Here are some interesting pictures of people whom I have seen.....

A town in Nepal

We stayed in the city of Pokara, Nepal prior to leaving on our trek. It is the major jumping off point for reaching Himalayas. It is a cute town along side a lake with a ton of hiking gear shops. The whole town shuts down at around 10pm. It is here that we are hiring our Sherpa's and Guide. Here are some photos.....

Nepal - Food & Drinks

We had heard the food in Nepal was going to be terrible. But, we were misinformed. Everything here has been unique, different and flavorful. I have enclosed some photos of really interesting items. The first is hot millet beer where hot water is pored over grains and ferments in your glass. The second is a typical Nepali plate with different curries and rice. The long stream is a liquor made from rice which is famous. The last is a shot of a restaurant we were invited to visit with typical low seating style. Can't wait to try some more new things this week.

I am headed on a trek today and will write when I return from the mountains!

Temples in Nepal

Today we walked around Kathmandu and saw the amazing temples and architecture. I can't believe how different it is here. I hope you enjoy these unique photos of the old city. Many temples  and stupas dated back to the 13 hundreds.

I'm going to Kathmandu!

We left for Nepal yesterday and are in the capital city of Kathmandu. It is amazingly different then anywhere I have been. The city is very midevil looking and there are a lot of dirt roads. They only have electricity for six hours during the day. Which I thought might be annoying but the whole city is lit up in candle light. So, it is really beautiful. We went to a fantastic old Nepalese restaurant for dinner which you can see only had candles for lights. So far, Nepal is fantastic!

Thai Massage

I have to write a post about my favorite pass time here in Thailand. Thai Massage is the local type of massage therapy. It is really inexpensive by US standards. For example, you can get an hour long foot massage at a nice place for $7. Of course, I get these all the time because there are places everywhere around the streets. In addition to foot massage, you can get the Thai Stretching massage which kind of hurts but you feel much better afterwards.

Also, there are these unique places to get facials. You can get a great quality facial for about $20. I have attached a photo of the facial studios which look like dentist offices.

Lastly, there is fish massage. I finally had the guts to try it yesterday. You put your feet into a tank of fish who eat the dead skin off. It was so scary, but I finally got used to it. The ladies in the shop laughed as I screamed out loud. They said the fish liked me and wanted to give me kisses. Yikes!

Finished with Classes!

It's hard to believe, but I am already done with classes in Bangkok. The term is more condensed here and my last final was today. I want to say 'Thank You' to all of my fellow classmates and exchanges students. Everyone here was so nice and welcoming. We all had a great time together and I got to know some really wonderful people. As I have said before, this has been a fantastic experience. More to come as I head out on six weeks of travel. The adventure begins tomorrow in Nepal!

Penang, Malaysia

During my trip to Malaysia we went out into the countryside on the island of Penang. Here we visited a tropical fruit farm where we could try over 250 varieties of fruit, many which I haven't seen before. We also went hiking in the national park, which was beautiful. We saw baby monkeys and some nice beaches. Here are some pictures of  Penang, Malaysia.

Georgetown, Malaysia

I went to an island in Malaysia this weekend, called Penang. It is mostly know for it's food which is from different regions in the South East.I basically ate my way through the main city of Georgetown. Here are some photos of the beautiful, yet crumbling, colonial architecture. Interestingly, there is a huge variety of cultures here which made it a very interesting place to visit.

Thai Cooking School

I started taking some Thai cooking classes while I am here. It has been really fun and great to learn about the local style of cooking. There are many different spices and local ingredients which have made things interesting. I actually really like the food I made at this class and I am hoping to take more classes soon.

Happy New Year!

It is Chinese New Year, the year of the rabbit, in Asia. It is a huge celebration everywhere. We went out in Chinatown in Bangkok for all of the celebrations. There were so many people, so much street food and a lot of cultural nonsense. Here are the highlights......

Thai Music: Jazz, Pop and Funk

The music scene here in Bangkok is pretty darn good. We have witnessed a number of good bands, particularly some good jazz. Our school band is great and there are performances on campus a lot. I have included a picture of some good bands we have gone to. The last one is a Ladyboy performance that happened right outside my building. Often times, I have not idea what is happening or what they are signing but it is sure entertaining.

Bangkok After Dark

A lot of the best things in Bangkok happen at night. The night markets come alive and the food stalls start frying. There are also a number of rooftop bars with beautiful views. There are street bars that setup on the corner and serve drinks in the streets. Of course, there are the red light districts which even crazier stuff is happening. Here are some night photos.....