Pumpkin Mike - Happy Halloween 2016

Happy Halloween!!!!

One year in college, my roommates and I found a plastic pumpkin bucket at WalMart for $0.99. After a few modifications, I put it on my head. We thought it was hilarious and took a few pictures. And that is how Pumpkin Mike came to be. It was pretty dumb, but it grew into a cherished holiday tradition.

So for the next few years on Halloween, I would always take a new Pumpkin Mike photo and make it my profile picture for a few days on Facebook.

But I haven't been able to do that in Thailand, so I've had to reuse my old photos for the last few years. But this year, it's time for an update.

And we decided to make another jack-o-lantern this year! The good news is, we actually found normal pumpkins at the store (no watermelon). The bad news was, they were imported and cost nearly $100 each. So instead we went with a little white Japanese pumpkin, which I called the "Ghost Pumpkin" to sound spookier.

Jack-o-Melon

Click here to read a comic by Pinky about Halloween in Thailand!

When you live in another country, sometimes you have to celebrate your holidays a little bit differently. 

Last year, I was feeling a bit homesick and missed celebrating my usual Halloween traditions. Specifically, I hadn't carved a pumpkin in years. Pinky told me that she never had, so I wanted to give it a go!

The only problem was, we couldn't find any pumpkins!

So we went with the next best thing...

And thus was born the jack-o-melon.

In the end, a watermelon was a LOT easier to carve than a pumpkin!

Mekhong Sunset

How was Phnom Penh? I really couldn't tell you.

We hardly spent any time at all in Cambodia's capital, and a normal hotel felt like incredible luxury after our adventure on the island. I had some class work to catch up on, and I took advantage of the first decent internet I had seen in the past nine days to work on one of my assignments. The hotel had a nice pool and a comfortable tea garden to relax in.

We did take a walk in the morning. Phnom Penh is not a super pedestrian-friendly city, but we were staying near the city center, and it was just a short walk to the Independence Monument and the Royal Palace (which was unfortunately closed that day).

Independence Monument

We did go to the National Museum, an impressive collection of artifacts in a beautiful century-old colonial building. The museum felt a bit underfunded though, and wasn't nearly as well-organized or well-kept as the Angkor Museum in Siem Reap. Shortly, it started raining, so we went back to the hotel for a while.

To be honest, at this point in our Cambodian holiday we were both really exhausted. I honestly didn't have much motivation to go out and do much in Phnom Penh, but when the hotel offered a $15 sunset cruise for two (low season special), we couldn't pass it up!

In the evening, we and an American couple currently working in Yangon were collected by tuk-tuk and taken to the riverfront, where we boarded a wooden riverboat and set off across the Mekhong, the 11th-longest river in the world, and one of the most important rivers in Asia.

Near sunset, we were taken to a floating bungalow to sit and watch the view across the river.

at the floating bungalow

Phnom Penh is still a growing city. It's the capital of Cambodia, but has a population of just a million and a half (compared to Bangkok's ten). The skyline doesn't really stand out much, but the Royal Palace on the river was lit up once it got dark, and looked quite beautiful.

Phnom Penh

And like that, our adventure was at its end. The next afternoon, we flew back to Bangkok, tired but happy. Although, I'm still not exactly ready for the new semester to begin.

Roughing It

I awoke at dawn to see the bright hairy face of a macaque monkey staring down at me from the gap between the wall and the roof. There was a crashing noise outside as the bungalow owner's two large dogs came bounding through the jungle, and the monkeys fled away. The dogs looked quite pleased with themselves, as if it was the highlight of their daily routine.

the huts

The jungle was not kind to us! We returned to the Cambodian mainland after four days living a "rustic" lifestyle on Koh Rong island covered in mosquito bites, jellyfish stings, odd rashes, and sunburn. I got a blistered rash on my hand from a Rove beetle (look it up), but it's healing fine now, two weeks later.

cot and very essential netting

We survived monkeys, all types of lizards, and other creepy creatures out in the jungle. It was an adventure, and we wouldn't have had it any other way, although I was so happy to be back in civilization again when we finally got to Phnom Penh.

the bathroom

Koh Rong is not a developed island. There are no cars, roads, or even motorbikes. The only way to get from one part of the island to another is by boat. All in all, our bungalows were quite nice considering some of the other options on the island (some people took to camping in tents on the beach).

in the jungle

We had mosquito netting (so necessary!) and the electricity ran from 6pm to 6am. That's when we could use the fans to cool off a bit. It brought back memories of being at Boy Scout summer camp!

my hammock

We didn't spend much time in the bungalow though. The best part of the "resort" was the lounge, a huge, breezy, open-air space with comfy cushions, 24-hour electricity, and the only wifi at the resort. They also served a good cup of coffee, great for sipping and watching the rain fall outside on the jungle.

looking out from the lounge

From our hut, it was just a two-minute walk down a muddy pathway through the jungle to the beach. Despite how beat up we got, I think it was all worth it.

the beach

Koh Rong កោះរ៉ុង

There's a little island off the south coast of Cambodia called Koh Rong. I've wanted to visit for years. It's not so easy to get to, so imagine my excitement and happiness when I finally stepped off the Sihanoukville Speed Ferry onto the dock at Khaotouch, the main village.

arrival on Koh Rong

At first, the weather still wasn't great, but after getting delayed on Otres Beach, we just decided to go for it. The ferry ride was relatively smooth and quick, although it did look scary outside still!

dark skies on the way to the island

But the skies had cleared a little bit by the time we arrived on the island. The first thing I noticed was that, to my surprise, the island seemed to be run by foreigners, mostly Americans, Brits, and Aussies. The bars, shops, and guesthouses all seemed to have foreign staff. I'll admit that I found it a little weird, but I was happy not to be bombarded with vendors, drivers, or "guides" trying to overwhelm us out of what little money we had. As a matter of fact, we couldn't have hired a driver if we had wanted to; there are no roads on Koh Rong!

Koh Touch Village on Koh Rong island

The village had a backpacker/hippie-ish feel to it, which normally isn't my scene, but for some reason, I felt very comfortable there as soon as I arrived. I just felt immediately relaxed. This was not travel, this was vacation, and I was glad for it!

the village

Some dude playing the banjo on the dock pointed us in the direction of Paradise Bungalows, our home for the next three nights, and ten minutes later, after lugging our backpacks over white sandy beaches, we checked in. Staying at the bungalow was an adventure in and of itself, which I'll write about in my next post!

the sun finally came out

Now, normally when Pinky and I travel together, we try to see and do as much as we possibly can. We usually return from our holidays feeling more exhausted than we left. This time, however, we just did... nothing.

beautiful sunny day

A sort of tropical lethargy descended upon us, as we settled into "island life". The first two days on the island were a bit grey and rainy. We took walks along the beach, ate pizza in the village, and relaxed with a cup of hot tea or iced Khmer coffee on big comfy cushions in the breezy hotel lounge, the only place with outlets and wifi. Not a bad place to work on one's grad school research, or read a good book!

a great day on the island

On the third day, the sun came out in full. Excited, we hit the beach and swam in the beautiful crystal water. I got a bit burnt, and Pinky did get stung by a jellyfish, but all in all, we had a wonderful day. We even considered taking a day trip around the island for snorkeling, but in the end we just couldn't bring ourselves to do much of anything.

goodbye, Koh Rong

Koh Rong was different from any other island I've been to in Thailand. There were no vendors to hassle you on the beach, no roads, no pollution. It's not so easy to get to, so it's not touristy yet; the people who visit Koh Rong really have to want to go there. The whole island feels untouched. 

The guidebooks describe it as "Phuket forty years ago". Maybe it'll change someday, but I hope not too soon. The world still needs just a few places like Koh Rong.

Otres Beach

Our fifteen-hour bus trip ended in Sihanoukville after dark. A tuk-tuk driver offered to take us to our hotel for $10, which seemed unusually expensive considering I could buy an entire bakery for that, but there was no other choice.

Twenty minutes later, we were starting to get nervous. From the back of the carriage attached to the driver's low-powered motorbike, we found ourselves on a lonely muddy road, lit only by the single weak light in the front of the bike. Surrounding us, nothing but darkness. Looking over at Pinky, I could tell we were both thinking the same thing. 

I cleared my throat and asked "how much farther?" 

"Two kilos".  At this point, there was no other choice but to sit back and trust the driver.

Then, abruptly, we found ourselves on a bigger road with a number of hotels. And there it was, Mary's Beach Bungalows. There had been no need to worry after all.

"Fifteen dollars now", the driver tried to bargain. I was so happy that we had made it safely that I gave him twelve.

Sihanoukville

As it turned out, we had booked into a bungalow resort on one of the more remote beaches in Sihanoukville, Cambodia's premier seaside resort town. Our plan had us staying for one night in Sihanoukville, then taking the morning ferry to Koh Rong island.

Mary's Bungalows

We didn't end up spending much time at the beach however, because the weather looked like this:

Otres Beach

The resort was great, one big garden with nice bungalows, tropical flowers, birds, and hammocks to relax in. Super nice after a long day of traveling.

Ultimately, we booked another night at Mary's. Neither of us felt comfortable trying to take a little ferry out during the storm. The waves looked really rough, and the weather still looked like this:

stormy day

And it was getting rougher as the day went on. The rain didn't stop all day, and by the evening it was a full-on storm. As it turned out, we had arrived at the tail end of Typhoon Chaba. I'm glad we decided to stay another night though. Since there was really nothing to do, I finally got the rest that I had been wanting- and of course lots of tea and baguettes!

the first sunset we had seen in Cambodia

Baguettes: The Road to Sihanoukville

Cautiously Optimistic would accurately describe my state of mind when the large red bus slowly started out across the Cambodian countryside.

It was 7am. Right on time. I was pleasantly surprised. Bus travel in Cambodia has got incredibly mixed reviews online, but so far so good! It was a real bus, not a minibus as some of the reviews had led me to fear, and the driver, although a bit surly, had handed out cold water and moist towelettes to each passenger as we boarded.

old, but fairly nice interior

We weren't the only foreigners on board. There was also an English couple who asked me "is this the bus to Ho Chi Minh?" I told them I honestly had no idea. I was trusting the hostel to have made the correct booking for me, and was just hoping that we would end up in Sihanoukville sooner or later.

Six hours later, we arrived in Phnom Pehn after a tediously slow but not too uncomfortable journey. Cambodia is a small country, but due to the condition of the roads, travel takes a very long time. There is, however, always some on-board "entertainment" to pass the time. That is, as long as you are a fan of Khmer karaoke videos and cheesy old Hong Kong kung fu movies dubbed over by terrible Cambodian voice actors.

the Cambodian countryside

Both we and the English couple were happy to learn that we had indeed booked the correct bus, as in Phnom Penh, they were quickly whisked off on another bus to the boarder, and we onto one heading south.

Soon, we were making decent time out of Phnom Penh. The busses stop every two hours or so for a rest stop, and our first one had a bakery! Due to the French colonial influence on Cambodia, baguettes are a popular snack. Pinky and I were starving. We hadn't eaten anything all day, and it was already afternoon.

delicious fresh bread for sale

While Pinky bought us some water, I went to the bakery to buy two baguettes for us. So far in Cambodia, even in the country, the people working at the rest stops and shops have been able to speak at least basic English.

"How much?" I asked, indicating the bread. The sales girl clearly didn't understand English; she just looked confused and held up five fingers.

Cambodia uses two currencies. They have their own, the riel, which is worth 4000 to 1 US dollar. They also use the US dollar, which they prefer for larger transactions. The monetary system is a bit complicated. Basically, you can pay for things in USD, but your change will come back to you in a stack of riel.

5000r, I assumed - that's $1.25. That's a reasonable price for a few loaves of bread, even in a country where draught beer runs $0.50 per mug. I handed her a 5000r note. She took it, and looked even more confused.

So, long story short, I ended up with a massive sack full of baguettes, which would be our breakfast and snacks for the next several days.

I still don't know what she meant. Maybe 500r? I'm just glad I didn't hand over $5... 

I'm not complaining though! They were great, especially when they were still hot and fresh.

Siem Reap

Annually, October brings me my greatest adventures. Previous years, I've been to Hong Kong, Cambodia, Singapore, Myanmar, and Cambodia again. And this year, I went to Cambodia.

Ok, fine. I'll admit it now. I love Cambodia. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you'll know that I've been quite a few times before. It's a quick and cheap flight from Bangkok, and the visa-on-arrival process is super painless. I started going to Cambodia because it was convenient. But along the way, I guess I fell in love with the country. I don't think I could live there, but there is something about the charming French colonial feel of Siem Reap and the mysterious and ancient stories hidden deep in the jungle ruins at Angkor that keep drawing me back.

here we go!

Cambodia is relaxed and beautiful, and after a long semester at work, that's just what I needed. And this time, I brought my girlfriend along with me. At first, she was a little skeptical. We had planned to go on some amazing exotic holiday this October, but now with me as a broke grad student, we had to stay more local. She didn't understand why I liked Cambodia so much, but by the time we returned to Bangkok, she told me that she gets it now.

exploring the town

We planned nine days in Cambodia. For years I've been wanting to see more of the country, and I finally got my chance! Of course, every trip to Cambodia from Thailand should start in the same place: Siem Reap, the sleepy and charming gateway to the magnificent ruins of Angkor Wat. Also, the site of the original Blue Pumpkin cafe, home of some of the greatest ice cream in Southeast Asia!

at the Blue Pumpkin Cafe!

Our trip got off to a fairly lazy start, a pace we weren't able to shake for the remainder of our time in the country. When we arrived in Siem Reap we were both exhausted from a long year at work, and Pinky was a little sick. We arrived late at night, and when our alarms woke us up at 4am to go see Angkor Wat, we took one look at the pouring monsoon rains out the window, and went right back to sleep. Oh well. We saved $100 on entry fees and a driver. It turns out there is plenty to do in Siem Reap besides visiting Angkor again, namely taking it easy on Pub Street and writing postcards home over a glass of $0.25 draught beer, visiting the wonderful Angkor National Museum, and attending a performance by Phare, the Cambodian Circus.

Pub Street

$0.25 

I discovered Phare the last time I visited Siem Reap. In fact, that was one of the main reasons that we visited Cambodia that time.  Phare is an incredible organization that does wonderful work in Cambodia. The organization runs a school that teaches young people from impoverished provinces acrobatic and performance arts. The school gives training to talented Cambodians, and in return, proceeds from the shows go on to support the school. It works to break the cycle of poverty, while also restoring some of the traditional Cambodian acrobatics that the Khmer Rouge tried to stamp out.

This show told the story of Phare's founder. It was an incredibly moving and meaningful work, showing her life as she fled the Khmer Rouge as a young girl and used her acrobatics to fight her nightmares and memories of the terrible things that had happened. As the show went on, an artist at one side of the stage continuously painted beautiful canvasses which were meaningful to the story. Absolutely unforgettable.

In the end, with just one day in Siem Reap, we didn't do so much. But soon it was time to go on to our next destination: Sihanoukville! It would be the first time for me to see a new part of Cambodia, and I was excited to be heading to the south for a much-needed beach getaway!

Photo Gallery: Füssen, Bavaria and Salzburg, Austria

By guest blogger Kyle Desrosiers

Photography has always been an interest of mine. I don't claim to be an expert photographer, but I do enjoy capturing moments with a camera and lens. I've been interested in photography since I was a child, but I developed my interest further in high school when I took a course on photography. As a junior and senior, I was very lucky to have had access to a darkroom. Since then, I've enjoyed shooting on a variety of cameras both digital and film. I especially love black and white analogue photography.

There's something magical about taking pictures without the certainty of instant results and being surprised by what you get, and something very special about putting in the time and energy into the physically-demanding process of developing the film (developer, fixer, stopbath, etc.). It feels like more of a work of art than a digital photo snapped instantly with an iPhone.

My brother and fellow-blogger, Michael shares this interest for analogue photography. He has shot on a variety of low-fi 35mm and APS cameras, but I like shooting with a 70s era Minolta 35mm SLR I borrowed from my granddad.

This March, I traveled to Germany and Austria with my parents. I have shared some of my photos and thoughts from this trip previously, but now I decided to share a few digital scans of black and white 35mm negatives from my trip.

Schloss Neuschwanstein, Füssen, Bavaria. March 2016. I have a framed print of this about my desk in my dorm room. Looking at this picture brings back special memories. The day I went to Neuschwanstein with my Mom and Dad was a very cold day in Bavaria. There was snow on the ground and the air was icy. The road up the mountain was closed for cars and busses, so we trekked up the winding, snowy path from the valley floor to reach the castle. After we toured the beautiful castle, with its many ornate and eccentric features, we climbed back down and drank hot chocolate and had pastries in a cafe.

A view of the valley below Neuschwanstein. Walking up the winding hill to reach the castle, we had many chances to catch glimpses of the beautiful snow-covered valley below. The photo really does not do it justice. (Füssen, March 2016)

These two photos were taken later in the week in Salzburg, Austria. This is St. Andrä Church in the center of the city. This was from our last day in Salzburg. The snow had begun to melt, and the sun was coming out. People in Salzburg said this was their first glimpse of spring. Salzburg was beautiful in the late winter, but I'd love to see her again in Summer.

Taking analogue photos is special- it's always a fun surprise seeing how the pictures turn out. One never knows what one will get. It's magical. I also really love the retro-nostalgic effect of the grainy black-and-white prints.

Hope you enjoyed.

Photo Gallery: A Weekend in Vientiane

Original post: A Weekend in Vientiane

I brought my little plastic toy camera with me to Laos last month. I shot a roll of Fuji Superia 400. This is the first roll of color film that I've shot with my Diana that I've been decently pleased with. Most of the pictures from this camera still look pretty odd, but in my opinion, it give it a bit of character. I'm pleased with the way that some of these photos came out.

I like the way the color of the saffron cloth of the umbrella and the red flowers stand out against their backgrounds. One of the problems with this camera is that it tends to let in too much light and wash out the colors a bit. It's a difficult problem, since there are only two aperture settings: sunny and cloudy, so it's hard to balance light and film speed.

Umbrella and Thorns

This is a pair of shots from Patuxai. The first is looking up at the ceiling. I really like how rich the colors of the ceiling turned out. The second one is from the top of Patuxai with Vientiane behind.

I mostly like this pair of pictures because it has Pinky and me together! We took these from the back of a tuk-tuk. This camera shoots in half-frame, meaning it shoots two pictures on each frame of film. It's hard to tell which pictures will end up being printed together, so I'm really happy that this one worked out!

In a tuktuk!

I just like this one, I don't know why. I like coffee and I like Baylor. Is that enough? This pair of pictures was from the second floor of a cafe on the main street in Vientiane. With the shadows and high contrast it's a bit noir-ey, even though it's in color... Is there a word for that? I don't have any idea.

coffee time!

The shops along the main street of Vientiane are mostly old, wooden, and charming. The second frame here was accidentally double-exposed; a monk's robe hung up to dry in the sun and a cute dog in front of one of the shops. Sometimes the camera's accidental double exposures ruin otherwise good shots, but sometimes they actually kind of work. This one, I like!

I was trying to experiment a little bit with colors. The saturation on the flag isn't as good as I had hoped, but it's ok. The tuk-tuks in Vientiane are super colorful, and I thought they might make for some good pictures.

I'll keep practicing! This camera is super finicky to use, but also really simplistic. There's not much to it, so it kind of forces you to just keep trying to get good pictures through trial and error. Anyway, it's really fun, and film is really cheap in Bangkok, so I'll keep playing with it.