Culture Archives - Poplar Travels

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Apr 14 2016

Surviving Songkran: Tips for Thailand’s Largest Water Fight

Adventure

by Evanne

If you’re enjoying Songkran this week, first of all, have fun! You’re going to have an exhausting, amazing experience fighting and laughing with thousands of strangers in celebration of the Thai new year. Several Southeast Asian countries celebrate Songkran by pouring water on each other as a blessing. Temples will be packed with patrons and streets filled with water fights. Chiang Mai is home to one of the most rambunctious and largest celebrations, but you can participate all over the country. We ended our time living in Chiang Mai with the...

32 Comments

Mar 02 2016

What Not To Wear In Southeast Asia

Style, Travel Tips

by Evanne

Many people come to the region and all they think of when wondering "What should I wear in Southeast Asia" is “It's hot.” Well, it is hot, and often humid, but it is also conservative. We know the heat can be intense, and we are sweating, too, but it’s no excuse to be disrespectful. In big cities and places where tourism is a major part of the economy, locals are accustomed to seeing people walking around in booty shorts and barely there tank tops (I’m referring to men and women...

12 Comments

Feb 06 2016

San Francisco Chinatown Food Tour

Food & Drink

by Evanne

There are few things we love more than to explore a new city’s cuisine. While we had heard mixed reviews of San Francisco’s Chinatown (it’s overrated; really small) we knew we couldn’t miss it. So we were really excited to find a food tour on Tinggly that included a walk through Chinatown and beyond into North Beach led by a local. We met our guide at Chinatown’s gate and set off towards our first stop: Eastern Bakery, the oldest bakery in San Francisco. We got to try a sampling of savory and...

4 Comments

Jan 11 2016

Journey To Alcatraz

Adventure, Travel

by Evanne

Sometimes tourist attractions are listed as the number one activity in their city for a reason. Even if you tend to shy away from crowded spots, when tours are well done, the journey includes incredible views, and you’re visiting the most infamous island in the world, it can be completely worth it. Alcatraz is not a tourist attraction to be skipped. We had a great time, learned a lot about the history of the creepy rock and it turned out to be a great rainy day activity. “The Rock” as it...

4 Comments

Oct 21 2015

A Weekend On The Mall At Landmark Music Festival

Responsible Tourism

by Evanne

Thankfully, threats of constant rain proved to be idle, but the first ever Landmark Music Festival on The National Mall faced other challenges on Day One. Lines for the bar where festival goers could pick up beer, wine and nonalcoholic drinks were a hundred people long before 4 p.m. Since half the crowd spent entire sets in line, the crowds at the stages felt sparse (a plus if you wanted to squeeze up close) and attitudes turned negative before night fell. [gallery type="rectangular" ids="4949,4951"] The artists on Saturday were great; Daughter and...

3 Comments

Sep 22 2015

Landmark Music Festival: Saving The National Mall

Inspiration, Responsible Tourism

by Evanne

Washington, D.C., is bringing its music scene to a new level by hosting a full-fledged summer music festival this weekend. Landmark Music Festival managed to snag an impressive lineup headlined by The Strokes and Drake (a pretty nice testament to the diversity of taste in the District). New sensation George Ezra will also make an appearance as well as a variety of other acts from several, possibly surprising, genres including the Eagle Rock Gospel Singers. The Cause Great acts aside, that’s not what this inspiring music festival is about. Landmark Music Festival will...

0 Comments

Jul 03 2015

Exploring Life In Columbus

Inspiration, Travel

by Eric

As you already know I am always looking out for the next best thing in unique travel experiences. Since I’ve planted shallow roots in the USA for the next few years with the Walden Hall project, I’ve shifted my focus from Asia to a little closer to home. This coming August I will be heading to Columbus, Ohio to check out their booming craft brewery and distillery scene. I had not realized until recently how much culture is packed into Columbus. Dozens of music and art events are held every year...

1 Comment

Apr 20 2015

Countryside Motorbike Tour In Siem Reap, Cambodia

Adventure

by Eric and Evanne

Cambodia is a country rich with culture and historic terrain begging for explorers to leave the tourist centers and venture out into the countryside. Aside from visiting the famous Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, we knew we wanted to go off the beaten path to see what life is like for most Cambodians in the countryside. With Tinggly, a company that facilitates giving the gift of travel, we took a motorbike tour through remote neighborhoods down dirt roads and got to meet the locals. If you’ve ever been stuck with a...

5 Comments

Feb 18 2015

Inspired By Nature: Interview With Boom, Jewelry Designer Of Metal Studio

Travel

by Evanne

The first time I went into Metal Studio I found a ring with a large purple crystal that I absolutely loved. I kept saying I was going to go back and get it until Eric surprised me with it on my birthday in January. Even then, I kept wanting to go back for more, and I knew I wanted to meet the designer. Sirilak Samanasak aka Boom is a bright, energetic woman clearly excited to come to work every day. She met me in her store in Chiang Mai’s artsy...

3 Comments

Feb 16 2015

Images of Buddhism in Myanmar

Travel

by Evanne

The most famous photographs of Bagan are of hot air balloons rising over the temples at dawn, but the really spectacular images are the ones that have been there for thousands of years in the cracked and faded paintings inside the ancient pagodas, and in the form of Buddhas sculpted centuries ago. Images of Buddhism in Myanmar that are often repeated include images of Buddha’s past lives, his birth and his enlightenment. Almost 90% of the country practices Buddhism, making it one of the most important aspects of the country’s culture. Myanmar...

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Jan 10 2015

A King’s School Christmas in Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Inspiration

by Evanne

Part of our volunteer trip to Mae Hong Son, other than the eye clinic, was joining the kids and staff for a dinner and celebration. On Christmas night, we headed to the remote school that has been working with Toys for Thailand and is home to the children for most of the year. This school has become a model for schools with similar structure and with the help of its administrator and the volunteers at T4T has completely transformed in the past 10 years. Although far from perfect, it is...

3 Comments

Jan 05 2015

The Small World Festival: Volunteering In Mae Hong Son With Amigo Vision Thailand

Responsible Tourism

by Evanne

This year we didn’t spend Christmas with our families, but we were far from alone. We made the drive up to the northernmost province of Thailand, Mae Hong Son, to help at an eye clinic run by Amigo Vision Thailand in partnership with Toys for Thailand. Every year, Toys for Thailand organizes the Small World Festival to celebrate the rich local traditions in the area. Villagers convene in the city of Mae Hong Son for a two day celebration, some from remote hill tribes hours away. This was the first...

1 Comment

Nov 23 2014

Asian Civilizations Museum: Singapore

Reviews, Travel

by Evanne

The Asian Civilizations Museum in Singapore explores ancient cultures from the region that have influenced the history of the island-country and surrounding areas. Singapore has such an interesting history as a trading port and a British colony, but the museum goes way beyond these recent developments to explore the true ancestors of the region. Our favorite room ended up being the Singapore River Gallery. Cities are often built on the banks of rivers for obvious reasons, but Singapore’s comparatively meager waterway has an especially interesting story more than 600 years long....

6 Comments

Nov 12 2014

Celebrating Loy Krathong in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Travel

by Evanne

Loy Krathong is a popular holiday in Thailand for tourists and has become known internationally thanks to the custom of releasing giant lanterns into the sky. Sometimes referred to as the Lantern Festival, Loy Krathong is a time to let go of misfortunes in the past year and wish for luck in the new one. Celebrating Loy Krathong in Chiang Mai was a special experience. We were lucky to get to participate in one of the largest celebrations of the holiday in Thailand. Lanterns come in all shapes and sizes. Some...

1 Comment

Nov 09 2014

Jim Thompson House in Bangkok

Reviews, Travel

by Evanne

The disappearance of American architect and entrepreneur Jim Thompson transformed his home into a place of wonder and secured his spot as a modern legend. The Jim Thompson House is the former residence of the "Thai Silk King" and has been converted into a museum. Thompson fell in love with Thailand after visiting with the military and decided to remain in the country permanently. His respect for traditional Thai artesian silk and his faith in the industry led him to found the Thai Silk Company, giving Thailand world-wide recognition for its...

1 Comment

Sep 29 2014

Volunteering in a Hilltribe Village with Amigo Vision Thailand

Responsible Tourism

by Eric and Evanne

Recently we had the amazing opportunity to volunteer with Amigo Vision Thailand, providing free eye exams and glasses to schoolchildren in a Karion hilltribe village in Northern Thailand. Our experience brought us outside the city to a place where no one spoke English and introduced us to a wonderful group of like-minded fellow travelers and expats. Our trip was a unique one, spurred by grassroots efforts, word of mouth and chance meetings of people who came together to support a common cause. One night while eating at Mammary Delicious restaurant, we...

6 Comments

Sep 14 2014

The Golden Temple: Chiang Mai’s Wat Prathat Doi Suthep

Travel

by Evanne

The most famous temple in Chiang Mai is the golden Wat Phrathat perched on top of Doi Suthep, the mountain to the city’s west. The temple is usually referred to as Doi Suthep, but doi means mountain and is actually the name of the peak on which it sits. Regardless of what you call it, the wat is a stunning site and definitely worth the winding ride up to the summit. Getting There There are a few options to get to the top. If you’re in the mood for a workout you...

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Aug 20 2014

The Getty Museum: Los Angeles

Reviews

by Evanne

It took us a while to pull away from the marvel that is the Getty Museum itself and finally venture inside to see the collection. The travertine giant is so massive and so beautiful, you could spend your entire visit outdoors exploring the museum gardens and sculpture and probably get your fill of spectacle. There are even fossilized leaves hidden in the rock. If you want to get really nerdy (we are talking about a museum and cultural research institution here) you can read all about how said travertine came to...

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Aug 19 2014

The Mingei Museum: San Diego

Reviews

by Evanne

I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the Mingei Museum in Balboa Park. I should have had high standards given the beauty of the park and all the buildings, but I just had no idea what we were walking into. In the opening text for the first exhibition, “Surf Craft,” a short explanation for the museum’s name is found: In The Unknown Craftsman, Japanese philosopher Soetsu Yanagi divides craft into three broad categories: mingei (or folk) crafts, artist crafts, and industrial crafts. Mingei crafts are anonymous, useful, handmade objects intended for...

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