Author: sarahvan3

My family and I embarked on our journey to ‘the last frontier”; Anchorage, Alaska. As we took off, we were accompanied by a magnificent sunset. Cruising along side an amber sky, we anticipated darkness but the sun stayed on the brink of the horizon. It was breathtaking to get a glimpse of this mountain range at this time of night. During the summer months, Anchorage receives 24 hours of sunlight. As we landed around 1am, the constant light made navigation effortless in the new city.

My friends and I embarked on a weekend getaway to the DR. After traveling across the world, a four hour flight flies by in no time; pun intended. We purchased a ten dollar tourist visa upon arrival and made our way out into the hot, humid air. Each step I took away from the airport was filled with excitement and contentment. Being in a new place awakens me and challenges me; it continues to teach me more about myself as well as the lands that are foreign to me.

The scent of tropical flowers filled the air around us as we made our way to the taxi. Fifty dollars and forty five minute later we arrive at the Lifestyle Crown Resorts. When I travel I tend to stay away from resorts and typically choose to stay in an airbnb or a non-chain hotel. These give me a better, more local feel of where I’m at. We chose a resort for this trip because we found an amazing deal on groupon and thought why not?

Puerto Plata is located on the northern side of the island, with golden sands and dark blue water rolling in from the Atlantic. After lounging on the beach in a comfortable cabana and sipping too many mamajuanas, we left the resort to get a true taste of Puerto Plata.

A short taxi ride and a few pesos spent, we made our way to the the town center, Parque Central. It was a colorful, vibrant square with buildings dating back to when Spain colonized the island. After gallivanting around the area and working up an appetite, we ate some mofungo and cerviche. Ambos eran deliciosos. We headed back shortly after to plan our next adventure and to have some more time on the beach.

My final stop before departing Tokyo was to their national museum of art to the see the exceptional and highly anticipated exhibit of Yayoi Kusama; an 88 year old Japanese native who was associated with the pop-art movement. She has become a world renown artist with lines literally out the door waiting to see her work.

My friend and I got tickets and waited in line for seventy minutes before seeing a piece of her phenomenal work. Her exhibit ‘A Dream I Dreamed’ was only on view for a short time. It cost us 1,600¥ which is more or less around $15; it was discounted to 1,000¥ with a college ID. I have used my old school ID more in later years than I did when I went.

This exhibit was astounding, completely captivating. I truly was at a loss for words when looking at her work. She is known for the excessive amount of dots she incorporates into each masterpiece. These dots are her motif and each work tells a beautiful story. I first saw her work when I was in Copenhagen (infinity mirrors) and from then on I’ve been been a follower, tracking her work. Seeing it in Tokyo was a memorable experience.

Kon’nichiwa Tokyo! After departing from Hanoi en route to the US, we were lucky enough to enjoy a 10 hour layover in Japan. It wasn’t nearly as long as one would hope but we managed to do as much as we could in the time permitted.

Within twenty minutes of landing, we were already through customs and on the train heading to Shibuya. Thankfully my friend had purchased the train tickets in advance, which cut down the waiting time drastically.

Once in Shibuya we went to Shibuya Crossing, which is rumored to be the busiest intersection in the world. With every light change, it sends people in all directions. Hundreds of people – and at peak times, said to be over a thousand – cross at a single time. It’s a unique sight to see. We walked through it a few times, marveling at it with each step we took.

With only a few more hours left, we quickly stopped at the infamous Harajuku Street and Meiji Shrine in Yoyogikamizonocho. Our last stop before heading to the airport was to the Tokyo National Museum of Art to see the Yayoi Kusama exhibit which was absolutely exceptional!

My Japan experience was brief but I know I’ll be back to see so much more!

I was here in Cambodia; alive, feeling only the simple pleasures from entering a moment. Sitting by the pool, I reflected on my time spent here. I was in awe of the Angkor Wat Temples. It was spectacular, magnificent, an experience I can’t quite put into words.

The people I met in Cambodia were incredibly sweet and friendly. They opened up their country with such warmth and gratitude. The interactions I had were meaningful and I learned a bit from each encounter.

The food was absolutely delicious. Some of the best I’ve ever eaten; the Khmer curry was a favorite of mine. The flavors, spices, and the presentation of each dish was the combination needed for every savory meal. The best part was that it was always served with a friendly smile.

The duration of my time in Cambodia was spent in Siem Reap. This area was fun and I felt safe. The night life was thriving on Pub Street, luring us in with cheap drinks and inexpensive foods. The Night Market was a place to bring home trinkets and to try street foods. Each night these two places were teeming with people all in search for a good time.

My time spent in Cambodia was terrific, yet meaningful. My experience was positive and I look forward to returning and seeing even more of the country. Although I had an amazing time, I can’t say that everything I saw was always uplifting. I did see homeless children begging on the streets each night and the same group sniffing glue to get high, I saw broken down homes barely providing shelter, and more. But this doesn’t diminish my thoughts of Cambodia because I know that in the U.S., it’s like this in some areas also. No country is perfect but each is unique.

Cambodia has impressed me, it’s now one of my favorite places I have been to!

អរគុណប្រទេសកម្ពុជា

This iconic, sprawling temple complex is as vast as it is beautiful. It is surround by a murky moat, placing the temple in the center. As you walk the bridge over the water, you simply forget about the gift stores, food stands, and tuk tuks encroaching. You can feel yourself suddenly immersed within the temple walls, hearing the echoes of monkey calls.

Inside the temple, the walls are dull but if they could speak, the stories would be lively. Each corner has a different statue where monks continue to pay tribute. They can be seen wandering through with saffron colored robes. Please respect them and their practices and leave them be. Some people are seen crowding around them, as if they are animals in a zoo.

In one of the center rooms, I had the opportunity to kneel before one monk and be blessed by him. It was a surreal experience, one that I am grateful to be able to have done in the Angkor Wat Temple.

A tip when traveling to these temples is plan accordingly. Time and travel are two big factors. It is suggested to hire a tuk tuk driver for the day and go when the crowds have passed; typically after 12pm and before sunset. At sunset, Angkor Wat gets crowded with a surplus of people. Be respectful of the temples; you must cover your shoulders and knees in order to get in. The main reason is that monks still practice and pray at them daily.

I went in the middle of May at a sweltering 108°F. Bring plenty of water and a camera! It was one of the most amazing things I have witnessed!

The second temple I saw was Bayon. This temple truly left me speechless, I was constantly in awe of what I saw. It was almost unimaginable to think how these temples were constructed and how well they had been preserved over thousands of years. This temple was one of my favorites. It was filled with identical Buddha heads, all in uniform size and shape. I marveled at these features.

The second part of this temple was across the street, which was equally incredible. This massive structure was a maze filled with crumbling ruins. Around every corner was another section that left me astonished. In this temple, we climbed to the top to overlook the land and other temples below. When I was at the top, I envisioned what it would have been like thousands of years ago when this place was flourishing with life. As we were taking in these beautiful views, we ended up getting poured on for about fifteen minutes. The refreshing rain and the surreal monuments was a perfect combination.

After exploring this temple for more than an hour, we were finally enroute to the famous Angkor Wat temple!