Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok

If you’ve been to Bangkok, you’ve see Wat Phra Kaew. What follows are a few unusual sites:

The monk on the right asks to be photographed with us. Sure we say. His escort then pulls out an i-pad for the photo.It’s not that an apple is a new requirement for frugal living. Many monks are supported by patrons and family.

The man on the stairs is repairing intricate mosaics.

South East Asian Religion – Hinduism and Theravada Buddhism

Click  Indian Belief Systems  to read an abstract on Hinduism and Theravada Buddhism.

Not for the casual browser. This is part of David’s Humanities curricula for Yannay and Daniela.

North East Asian Religion – Chinese Folk, Tao, Mahayana Buddhism

Click  Chinese Belief Systems to read an abstract on Chinese Folk Religion, Taoism, Mahayana Buddhism, Confusion-ism.

Not for the casual browser. This is part of David’s Humanities curricula for Yannay and Daniela.

Exam: South East Asian Religion and Geography

This test was taken by Yannay and Daniela. Grade A+.

1. Describe the design of the Myanmar Buddhist stupa pictured below especially the symbols of Buddhism. (South East Asia Review Test – click on the link and scroll down to see the picture of the stupa.)

2. Who was the Buddah? In point form (no more than 7 points) describe his life story – birth, childhood, adulthood?

3. How do Buddhists view life?

4. What is the main objective of life for a Buddhist?

5. What is the main objective of life for a Taoist?

6. How do you achieve the Buddhist objective?

7. How do you achieve the Taoist objective?

8. Describe how a monk’s life meets the requirements of a Buddhist life.

9. What are some main differences between Theravada and Mahayana (Pure Land) Buddhism.

10. What is Chi?

11. What is Feng Shui?

12. What is Ancestor Worship? And how is it practiced in South East Asia (What have you seen)?

13. What is Animism?

14. What are the main three Hindu Gods and what is each one’s role?

15. What are Hindu Castes?  Name them.  What caste did Swastika belong to?

16. Name the main Hindu symbols and their meanings.

17. Symbolism of incense in Chinese temples.

18. Purity and Impurity in Hinduism – bonus

March Itinerary

Bangkok, Thailand

1st – 3rd March^, Riva Surya Bangkok Hotel. Visit Palace, Jade Buddah Temple, Markets, bargain but they’re hard on prices, swim, cabbages and condoms restaurant, homework, breakfast across the road.

Jerusalem, Israel

4th – 9th March, Ahron Berkley’s Barmitzvah.

5th March – Avia, Daniela and Yannay take the South East Asia religions and geography test. A+ for all.

10th March Visit Dome of the Rock, Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

11th – 24th Hebrew Language Ulpan and Homework

25th – 31st Pesach, Cesarea.

February

 Bagan

Shabbat at hotel. Sublime.

2,3 Feb:

Rents bikes and ride the back road through the town, villages, pagodas, stupas and temples. Roads are dirt or crumbling tar. Restaurants are home/warungs and slow.

Inle Lake Region

4 Feb: Fly to Heho. First rate Italian restaurant.  You’ll then continue to Nyaung Shwe town jetty to catch your motorized canoe which will take you to your hotel on Inle Lake.

5 Feb: Full day trip to Sagar in the less visited southern section of the lake. This is a really nice day out – about 2.5 hrs each way going through tribal Hpa-O lands (still extant Militia).  Sagar is a very small place, and you can see lif on the lake,  the monastery and temple, and wander around the village. You’ll visit an authentic local wood-sales market.

6 Feb: Full day to see the highlights of the Northern section. You’ll visit the floating vegetable garden, floating villages, you may get to see a few Long Necked Pa Daung people, and you’ll visit silversmith, lotus cloth maker, blacksmith.

7 Feb: Morning to Taunggyi, visit local agent, lunch and walk around with waiter then 3pm transfer to Heho Airport for the flight back to Yangon. Overnight in Yangon at the Kandawgyi Palace Hotel.

8 Feb:  PG 702 YANGON, MYANMAR 10:45am BANGKOK SUVARNABH, THAILAND 12:40pm then   PG 273 BANGKOK SUVARNABH, THAILAND2:35pm PHUKET, THAILAND4:00pm  Minibus pickup 1,400 baht to Khaolak

Khaolak, Thailand

9th Shabbat. Avia ill with food poisoning. (was it the beans?)

10^th to 13^th February – Andaman Snorkel Discovery http://www.andamansnorkeldiscovery.com/tour.html

livaboard to Similian Islands, Ko Bo, Ko Tochai, Surin Islands

14^th Thursday – Elephant Trek

 Phuket

15th, 16th – Kata Beach, Phuke. Beautiful sea. Cheap DVDs.

Chiang Mai

17^th Fly to Chiang Mai, Empress Hotel, Chiang Mai 199/42 Chang Klan Rd.,Chiang Mai, Chang Khlan, right around the corner from Chabad and Israeli Tour Lounge.

21^st – 24^th  Yannay does 5 day massage course at massage college; Girls do homework and Zipline Flight of Gibbon, Eva ill with gastritis. Avia one night food poisoning.

Luang Prebang, Laos

Sun 24^th 15:10 Lao Air to Luang PrebangLa Palais Julianna.

24th – 27th walk around and interact. Luang Prebang and surrounds.

 Bangkok, Thailand

 Feb 27 to Mar 3^rd Riva Surya Bangkok Hotel. Visit Palace, Jade Buddah Temple, Markets, swim, cabbages and condoms restaurant, homework, breakfast across the road.

January Intinerary

Hoi An

Sun 30 Dec, 2012 – Fri 04 Hoi An

Fri 04 Jan 8am Flight Danang – Ho Chi Min City. Jetstar. Flight BL591 from Da Nang 8am – 9:15am

Ho Chi Min City

Fri 04 Jan – Mon 07 Jan  Golden Central Hotel 140 Ly Tu Trong Str, Dist. 1, District 1 – Ben Thanh Market, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Fri 4^th Jan – Tour Independence Palace.  Try your hand at coconut vending.

Sun 6^th Jan – Visit Cu Ci Tunnels

Mekong River

Mon 07 Jan – 11 Jan Mekong River Delta Cycle with Sinhbalo.com

 Day1: SaiGon – VinhLong. (L,D)

Minivan transfer 2 hrs to MyTho for our boat trip. Late morning drifting down the bustling branches of the Mekong and into the tranquil canals. Sightseeing on island: visit to a traditional mekong delta house & kitchen, have seasonal fruit taste with tea and honey, see local rice wine brewery, wine testing, paddling small sampan along arroyo. Lunch break. Leisurely afternoon bicycle ride 2 hours on small dirt road, walking bridges, local ferry crossing and onto to CaiBe. Boarding on boat for the floating market and cruise over the mighty mekong river (~ 1.5km wide) to BinhHoaPhuoc & AnBinh island. Great sunset view from the mekong. Dinner and overnight eco-guesthouse on island.

Day 2: VinhLong – CanTho. (B,L)

Cycling 1/2 hour under natural green canopy to the ferry crossing for VinhLong. Then we have much more ride to CanTho. Depends on group cycling ability, our guide will tailor a special route for this day : passing villages of brick kiln, terracotta and pottery kiln or riding on immense rice fields, cycling through numerous rural riverside villages. Lunch break at local place. Minivan pick up to Cantho city. Late afternoon free time for promenade along city quay or more cycling along Cantho river bank (if time permitting). O/N in CanTho.

Day 3: CanTho – ChauDoc. (B,L)

Early morning boat trip to CaiRang floating market & cruise in natural waterways before turning up a quiet canal and mounting our bikes for a ride 3 hrs along a country road, enjoying the beautiful Delta scenery and meeting the locals (many on bicycle too). Continue biking to OMon and the ThotNot Stork Sanctuary. Lunch break in LongXuyen. Afternoon we have around 80km nice road to Chaudoc, monkey bridges over canals, Khmer pagodas, Sam mountain, sun set from the summit etc…The highlight of this part is from TriTon to ChauDoc (40km). O/N in ChauDoc.

Day 4: ChauDoc (B,L).

Up early for a boat through the amazing riverside market with all its bustling activity and smorgasbord of sounds, colors and smells. Then we cruise through the fish-farm village producing tons and tons of fish beneath hundreds of floating homes. Discover the ethnic Cham village with its famous Mubarak Mosque and observe local women at their traditional weaving. Biking trip to the unbelievable Tra Su natural reserve.

Phnom Pehn

11 Jan – 16^th Jan, 5 nights The Plantation Urban Resort and Spa , Agoda Booking ID number is 24726761

12 Jan – Shabbat bliss at Plantation

13^th visit English school with Chourn

14^th visit home industry (Textile) with Chourn

15^th Betel Nut Trip to Zoo

16^th visit James, deputy director, Friends International

16^th – Circa 51 Hotel, Corner of Street 51 and Street 222. Booking ID number is 25836097, 25836213.

Siem Reap

17^th Passaggio Boutique Hotel ,  Central Area, Siem Reap, Cambodia

18^th – 21^st La Niche D’angkor Boutique Hotel , Booking ID number is 24813953. Cancel by 8 Jan ($15 fee)

18^th – Tour Angkor Wat

19^th – Shabbat

20^th – Minigolf at miniangkor in sweltering heat, take 1 hr tuk tuk and tour Bahtishrei in afternoon

21^st  – Massage for all. Lemongrass Spa.  (Fix Yannay’s computer)
 

Yangon, Myanmar

21^st Jan – 25^th Fight 8M 402  Jan, 4 nights, Trader’s Hotel.

22 Walkaround, buy SIM card, visit Moe – Gideon’s agent, Shwedagon

23 Guided Tour- Monastery, reclining Buddah, Scott Market, Street Market, Shul, Shwedagon.

24 Scott Market bought puppet t-shirts, $2 shirts, lunch, National Museum.

Mandalay to Hsipaw (tea-paw)

25 Jan: Fly to Mandalay and continue to Pyin oo lwin. 

In mandlay visit Temple, White Marble Cutting, Gold Leaf Pounding then head for Pyin U Lwin

Spend two night at Kandawgyi Hill Resort (Deluxe room). It’s an old Cape colonial style house. You can easily walk to the National Botanical Gardens

26 Jan: Shabbat

27 Jan: After breakfast drive to Hsipaw. Stop to watch road building by hand. Lunch at strawberry farm.

Spend 2 nights at Mr Charles Guest House Walk around. Play chess with the locals. Visit Market. Talk to People. Visit the Shan Princess.

29 Jan: Drive to Mandalay (probably takes about 5 hrs). Visit various craft workshops in the afternoon (puppet making).

30 Jan: After breakfast transfer to the jetty for the full day tourist ferry from Mandalay to Bagan. You’ll stay at the Kumudara Hotel.

Bagan

31 Jan: Full day visit to Bagan highlights with guide.

December Itinerary

Cape Town

1 Dec – 20th December 2012

Hanoi

21 Dec – 25th Dec (4 Nights) Meracus Hotel  11 Hang Dzau St., Hoan Kiem Dist., Ha Noi  84-4-39264936

Mon 24^th – Homework

25th – 26th Halong Bay with ParadiseCruises.vn  (1 night)

26^th – 29^th (3 nights) Somerset Grand Hanoi Services Apartments

27^th – Museum Ethnology

28^th Old Town

Saturday 29nd December Ca Tru Thang Long Theatre, the show at 20h00

See: http://www.catruthanglong.com/About-us/trio-preserves-traditional-folk-art.html

29^th December Hanoi – Denang Overnight Train 11pm –  1:30pm Train SE3. Tickets to be delivered to Meracus Hotel by Vietnam Travel Guide Co., Ltd

Hoi An

Sun 30 Dec, 2012 – Fri 04 Hoi An

November Assignments

1 Nov: Go see Madama Butterfly at the Sydney Opera House

Bali, Indonesia (4 Nov)

Western Bali Nature Reserve – bird walk, snorkel or dive off Menjangan Island

Pemuteran – Turtle hatchery at Reef Seen resort

Pemuteran – biorock project. Explain the biorock project.

Subak: Produce an Illustrated explanation of Bali water temples and irrigation in rice cultivation.

Ubud – Take a picture of your favorite yoga position; another of one that makes you laugh, another of one you think of as art.

Green Camp –

Hong Kong (25 Nov)

Tai Chi in Zoo mornings;

Go to horse racing at the Jockey Club

Lantau Island – Lunch at Buddhist Monastery

Go to Waterpark

Origin of Oceanian People

To view presentation click here: Polynesia