Burmese Lacquerware Workshop

While researching Myanmar for our recent trip, I read that Bagan was famous for it's lacquerware, and at the time I wasn't too excited about it, mostly because I don't collect knick knacks and I don't have many decorative items in my home that are not handmade by me or someone I know.


That all changed when I spotted my first piece of lacquerware being sold outside the first temple we visited in Old Bagan. The bright colors and the smooth black background of the lacquerware just begged to be touched. But even after I discovered how gorgeous lacquerware was, I was still reluctant to buy anything. 


Myinkaba is a small village outside of Old Bagan, and it is here that I finally purchased my first piece of lacquerware. Like many of the other temples in Bagan, there were stalls set up out side the main temple in Myinkaba with craftsmen selling their wares. One gentleman had exquisite lacquerware pieces and we asked if he had a workshop nearby and if we could see how lacquerware was made. He answered "yes" to both questions and led us along a twisted, hilly path through Myinkaba to his family's workshop.

On our way to the lacquerware workshop

Once we arrived at his workshop, the artisan and his sister proceeded to explain the many steps that go into making quality lacquerware. Each piece starts with a bamboo base and is coated with clay to create a waterproof surface. Then the lacquer is applied in thin layers, allowed to completely dry and then another layer is applied. High quality pieces have 8-14 layers of lacquer.

Lacquer waiting to be applied to the bamboo base

Artisan using his fingers to apply the lacquer

Megan listening intently as the laquerware process is explained

After all of the layers are applied, the intricate designs are then carved into the surface and filled in with color. This workshop also uses copper wire and palm tree wood to create beautiful designs on their lacquerware.

Burmese woman carving a beautiful design

Carving tools and a work in progress

After showing us the whole process, the family brought us into their living room/workshop and proceeded to show us a huge variety of different lacquerware pieces from bracelets to huge storage containers, each one more beautiful than the next. The entire family was sitting in the room, and we were offered fruit, candy, and water. After some tough negotiation, we each walked out with 2-3 pieces of beautiful artwork and the knowledge that we helped a family make a living. 

Two happy customers!

Burma- Stepping Back in Time

Knowing Burma's tumultuous past and uncertain present, I wasn't sure what to expect on our trip to Yangon and Bagan. Stepping out of the airport in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)  feels like stepping back in time. The city is a hodgepodge of crumbling buildings built when Myanmar was a British colony, golden Buddhist temples, and vendors selling everything from betel to Justin Bieber CDs. The streets are filled with bicycles, trishaws and taxi's that are held together with a wish and a prayer.

Since Myanmar doesn't have a lot of visitors (only 200,000 per year compared to 12 million visitors to Thailand every year) it is a perfect country to visit if you love attention. The people we passed on the street were very quick to say hello and ask us where we were from. By the end of the day, my cheeks were sore from returning all those smiles. 

Vendor selling books in front of a crumbling building

Walking the sidewalks of Yangon is a toe-stubbing, ankle turning adventure

Sule Paya

Drinking water station inside Sule Paya

Looks like something from a Jim Henson movie

Bananas waiting for offering at Sule Paya

Looking down Mahabandoola Rd. towards Sule Paya

Workers preparing dough for some deep fried goodness

Celebration at a Hindu temple

Burmese lion guarding the Shwedagon Paya

The Shwedagon Paya is the most important Buddhist temple in Myanmar

LED lights add a modern look to Buddha statues in many Burmese Buddhist temples

This statue depicts the Burmese defeating the British, because nothing says England like green dragons

My favorite statue. It's a Sphinx- like protective statue.

Shwedagon Paya at night ( and in the rain)

Cloths drying on the grass next to a busy road

Ice water station. You pour water over the ice and cold water comes out of the bottom

Street side telephone stations are everywhere. They are a perfect way to make a call on the go

Woman selling betel leaves and cigarettes.

A Good Night for a Fight

One of my favorite sports memories is going to see a University of Wisconsin-Madison hockey game in high school. I didn't really understand the sport or the rules but the thousands of college students in the stands chanting and dancing combined with bone crushing action on the rink created an awesome atmosphere that overrode the fact that I had no idea what was going on on the ice.

I experienced a similar night recently when I attended a night of Muay Thai at the Lumpini Boxing Stadium. This time I REALLY had no idea what was going on because everything was in Thai, but I wasn't about to let that spoil the adventure!

Muay Thai is a combat sport similar to kickboxing except that fighters are also allowed to use their shins, feet, elbows and strike each other both below and above the waist. It is a really intense sport and I wasn't too sure that I wanted to go watch a match. However, I decided that since I was living with in a 10 minute walk from one of the most prestigious Muay Thai stadiums in Thailand, I had to at least watch one match.

Our Muay Thai adventure began with attempting to purchase tickets at the Lumpini Boxing Stadium. As soon as we turned the corner outside the stadium, we were accosted by two ladies who really wanted to sell us discounted tickets. Even after we repeatedly told them we weren't interested, they continued to pressure us all the way to the official ticket office and wouldn't stop until we actually had our tickets in our hands. I am not sure if these women were selling legitimate tickets or not, but I will give them credit for being for being so tenacious.

Outside of the stadium plastered with promotions for upcoming fights

After a quick dinner at one of the many food stalls right outside the stadium, we made our way inside. The fights had already started and we could hear the crowd chanting and yelling as we handed our tickets over and found our seats.

The rest of the night was a blur of fighting, music, shouting crowds and ringing bells. I think my favorite part of each match was when each of the fighters would enter the ring wearing marigold garlands and proceed to stretch and dance around the ring. Each school of Muay Thai has their own style of movement. The two fighters are also wearing a sacred headband which they take off before the fight and sacred rope around their biceps which they keep on during the fight. 

Once they are done stretching and dancing- the fight begins!

Lumpini Boxing Stadium, as well as other Muay Thai boxing stadiums, are the few places in Thailand where gambling is legal. In this final video you can see the crowds frantically making hand gestures. This is how bets are place on the fights. I have no idea how they keep track of all those bets, but I am sure there is a method to the madness.

If you listen closely, you can also hear the band that plays during each round to provide the fighters with timing. Each fight is usually five rounds (it's shorter when there is a knockout) and at the end of the fifth round, the referee collects the votes from three judges sitting around ring and a winner is declared.

All in all it was a great night and I am so glad I took a chance and stepped out of my comfort zone. I will definitely be going back for another fight night!

Playing Tour Guide

Last week we had our first official visitors! Eric's parents, Tim and Becky, flew over from Wisconsin and we spent 10 days together. It was their first trip to Thailand and our first chance to play tour guide and to show off how well we've adjusted to living in a huge city. 

Since Eric's parents were only in Bangkok for a few days, we tried to fit as many must-visit tourist sites as possible into that time. So we visited:

The Jim Thompson House:

Wat Pho and The Grand Palace:

Standing in front of the giants at The Grand Palace

It was hard to resist taking these cute kittens home with us.

Wat Arun- The Temple of the Dawn:

Climbing down the scariest steps EVER!

A long tail boat ride through the khlongs (canals) in Bangkok:

While in the planning stages of their visit, we repeatedly warned Tim and Becky that they would be visiting during Thailand's hot season and to be prepared to be drenched in sweat every day. We thought that the best way to beat the heat would be to spend 4 days on Nai Harn beach in Phuket. So of course that means they arrive during the coldest and wettest March that Thailand's had in years! We refused to let the rain spoil our fun and it's amazing how empty a beach is when it's raining out.

Toasting to vacation. We wouldn't see the sun again for 4 days.

Beached sailboat. It took them hours to get it free

Nai Harn Beach in the rain

Singapore's Other Attractions

While we chose to travel to Singapore because of their beer selection, we were able to drag ourselves away from our riverside table at Brewerkz in order to see some of Singapore's great sights and eat some amazing food.

The first place we visited was Fort Canning Park. It was the first time we actually walked up a hill in almost 6 months. Living in flat-as-a pancake Bangkok almost made me forget what a hill looked like.

Fort Canning Park

What are those called again... Oh yeah, hills.

Former police station turned Ministry of Art and Communications

Very convincing "Keep Out" signs

Our next stop was to Singapore's Chinatown. There we wandered through a market that sold everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to women's clothing.

Entrance/Exit for the MRT subway in Chinatown

mmmm... fresh fruit

On our third day in Singapore, we really didn't have anything planned, so Eric came up with the brilliant idea of just hoping on the MRT and taking it to a random stop. We eventually decided to get off at the Harbour Front stop, because we wanted to actually see the harbor and marina. Once we arrived at that stop we spotted signs for a cable car, and continuing with the spur of the moment theme, decided to try it out. 

Waiting to exit the loading area

Boy, was that a great decision. The cable car took us up and over the harbor and to Sentosa Island, an island covered in amusement rides, resorts, and casinos. While we didn't feel like going on any amusement rides, we did enjoy people watching and exploring the island.

A unique view of Singapore

Shipping containers galore!

Monks in their beautiful orange robes fit right in this garden

Merlion- half lion, half mermaid

On our last night in Singapore we decided to check out the area further down the Singapore River, There we wandered around, soaking in the unique architecture. My favorite building was The Esplanade, an arts and cultural center also known as "The Durians" because the building looks like two durian fruit. My least favorite was the brand new Marina Sands hotel/mall/casino- to me it looks like they plopped a boat down onto three buildings, although the inner geek in me loved the double helix bridge with its a to t and c to g lights in the floor.

Luckily they don't smell like durian

Double helix bridge leading to the Marina Sands

While we were out and about in Singapore, we took the opportunity to try some awesome food and drinks at some very unique restaurants and bars including:

Da Dong Restaurant in Chinatown. This was the first time that Eric and I had tried dim sum. It was always something that I've wanted to try, but for some reason never had. I think I am hooked now- I mean steamed buns filled with meat, what could be any better??

Sooo much dim sum...

Glutton's Bay near the Esplanade. This is a collection of great hawker street food vendors, and we had a hard time choosing our dinner. In the end we decided on the satay and the roti john. Washed down with an ice cold Tiger beer of course.

Satay and beer- they were meant for each other.

Messy but delicious.

I think the weirdest place that we found though was at Clarke Quay. Located across the river from our hotel was an entertainment area filled with interesting bars and restaurants.

When the outside looks like this, I can't resist checking it out

Inside this entertainment area, we found a bar called "The Clinic". The first time we walked by the bar, we had to stop and do a double take. We then shook our heads and kept walking down the sidewalk. About 15 minutes later, our curiosity got the better of us, and we had to go back and try it out.

In this outdoor bar you sit in chairs that look like these:

Yes, that is a gold wheel chair.

And you drink your drinks out of this:

I.V. mixed drinks

The business end replaces a needle with a straw.

We had a great time, sitting in our wheel chairs, drinking IV mixed drinks and basking in the confused stares of other pedestrians. It was definitely a unique experience!