The back roads of Bangladesh are great for cycling! No buses, just three-wheelers loaded up with produce and people. They… would smile and wave as they passed us. And yes, there is nothing so ego-destroying as being overtaken by a van rickshaw carrying multiple passengers.
We spent the morning sitting on a teashop bench, watching the decorated trucks and buses drive by. I was just… about to leave when Paul said, “Grace, wait. I see something else coming.”
The Reclining Buddha is immense, some 66 meters long. Yet even up close, the perfection and attention to detail is… astounding.
The Shwedagon Pagoda is the most sacred temple in Myanmar. Burmese come from miles around to show respect and pray.
We arrived at midday to see the Burmese placing candles around the Botahtaung pagoda. Paul said, “Let’s stick around and… see what happens.” So glad we did! It was a privilege to witness the Festival of Lights. It celebrates Buddha’s descent from heaven.
From Bagan, we caught a ride on the local freight boat to Pyay. It was a leisurely four day journey… We just sat on the deck, viewing the scenery and watching everything that happened around us.
We set off in the early morning, passing shops, temples and monks doing their rounds. That was our favorite time… of day before the heat intensified. By mid-day, all we wanted was a cold drink and some shade.
The Burr Trail is one of the most scenic roads in Utah, and that’s saying something! It winds through deep… canyons, descends the colorful water pocket fold and finishes at Lake Powell.
“Come, come,” said the Buddhist monks as they waved us over to help them send sky lanterns into the heavens
Having spent too many hours in Bangkok’s traffic gridlock, Wat Pho was a much needed island of peace and serenity
A time lapse film of the Chao Phraya express boat landing, while the sun sets over Wat Arun in Bangkok… Thailand
Why suffer the humidity and heat trying to visit the historical center on foot? The best way to see Penang… is to take an ‘official’ tri-wheeler tour. They zoom past all of the historical buildings while their passengers sit cool under the shade of an umbrella.
From Luang Prabang, we took the slow boat to Huay Xai. It was two relaxed days of viewing life alongside… the river banks; children playing, men throwing out fishing nets, and women washing clothes. The icing on the cake was passing the steep hills that we no longer had to pedal over.
The Great Stupa in Vientiane is the most sacred monument in the country. It’s also believed to enshrine a sacred… relic of the Buddha.
The Ilala sails the length of Lake Malawi and we caught a ride northwards to Chilumba. Due to a hefty… price increase, backpackers were avoiding the boat and we had the upper deck to ourselves. We felt like ‘royalty’ instead of ‘dirtbag’ cyclists as we strolled across the teak deck and watched the lifeboats bringing passengers to and from shore.
