Yangon, Medan, Banda Aceh & Pulau Weh
Early to mid March, 2011
Anthony once again camouflaging amongst his fellow monks.
Dan Zvereff grinding vertical tiles while pretty much saying good-bye to Myanmar. After thirty days on the road from
Ho Chi Minh City to Mandalay, our journey has concluded with a sense of satisfaction resulting from the joy of
exploring south east Asian's most vivid and unparagoned states.
Ho Chi Minh City to Mandalay, our journey has concluded with a sense of satisfaction resulting from the joy of
exploring south east Asian's most vivid and unparagoned states.
Back home in Bangkok, Tao and I bumped into an junk yard with an airplane being unassembled .
Tao 360 flip above the cockpit. Click on the image to magnify.
A new Boeing 777 usually goes for around 200 million dollars... I bet the used remains are worth the tiniest fraction.
Once again I needed to exit the Kingdom of Thailand to renew my visa. And the cheapest AirAsia return flight this
time was.... Medan! The capital city of the Sumatra island of Indonesia.
time was.... Medan! The capital city of the Sumatra island of Indonesia.
The Republic of Indonesia is a combination of over 17,000 islands which spread over 2,830 kilometers (in length)
with an astonishing population of over 238 million people from which 202 millions are Muslims.
with an astonishing population of over 238 million people from which 202 millions are Muslims.
The name Medan originates from the Saudi Arabian holy city, Medina. This now modern city developed &
established its name after the Dutch used this area for tobacco plantations in the mid 19th century. I wouldn't
recommend visiting Medan for ones holidays, but it was worth it for me to take a peak into the Grand Mosque and
meet some nice Indonesians like Nita, who walked me through the streets of Medan before my late afternoon flight
to Banda Aceh.
established its name after the Dutch used this area for tobacco plantations in the mid 19th century. I wouldn't
recommend visiting Medan for ones holidays, but it was worth it for me to take a peak into the Grand Mosque and
meet some nice Indonesians like Nita, who walked me through the streets of Medan before my late afternoon flight
to Banda Aceh.
Banda Aceh lies on the most northern point of Sumatra. I spend a night in transit roaming around the city before
heading to my final destination, Pulau Weh, along my quick four day visa renewal/holiday get-away.
heading to my final destination, Pulau Weh, along my quick four day visa renewal/holiday get-away.
I assume everyone still remembers the horrifying Tsunami that struck Thailand, Sri Lanka and Indonesia during the
Christmas holidays of 2004. With Banda Aceh being the closest city to the 9.3 magnitude earthquake's epicenter, it
got hit most severely, resulting to over 167,000 casualties. During my venture through the city, I befriended a
couple locals, and most of them had a mother, father or child die on that sad day. It seems like everyone was
effected in some way or another. The friendly older women above showed me a book with photos of a boat which
crashed on top of her house.
Christmas holidays of 2004. With Banda Aceh being the closest city to the 9.3 magnitude earthquake's epicenter, it
got hit most severely, resulting to over 167,000 casualties. During my venture through the city, I befriended a
couple locals, and most of them had a mother, father or child die on that sad day. It seems like everyone was
effected in some way or another. The friendly older women above showed me a book with photos of a boat which
crashed on top of her house.
Neighbors with a ship...
Reached Pulau Weh Island after two days of flights, buses, fairies, motorbike rides (including one where the driver
wheeled over a small goat by accident & somehow managed to not crash). It was time to relax and read an
interesting book regarding Saudi Arabia!
wheeled over a small goat by accident & somehow managed to not crash). It was time to relax and read an
interesting book regarding Saudi Arabia!
I been carrying around my cheap underwater camera since my last snorkeling experience on Koa Tao with the LRG
crew. Out of thirty-six frames maybe two turned out fairly pleasing, and they still somehow manage to obtain major
light leaks.
crew. Out of thirty-six frames maybe two turned out fairly pleasing, and they still somehow manage to obtain major
light leaks.
The sweat tobacco man...
...the lovely soccer mom...
...and the funny kid, all survived the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.
