Monthly Archives: February 2009
Oktoberfest, the world’s largest party
Oktoberfest: one festival, 17 days, six million visitors, 6.1 million steins of beer, 102 roasted oxen, 459,000 chickens and 438,800 sausages. Yes, the hedonistic Munich-based beer festival is rowdy, raucous, and raunchy. The kind of hazy place where tourists and … Continue reading
Filed under Festivals, Food & Wine, Travel & Adventure
Pura Vida: Pure Life
Costa Rica, home of the beautiful Tico people and land of the lazy three-toed sloth, the ancient leatherback turtle and some of the most succulent pineapples in the world, is more than a tiny country nestled between Nicaragua and Panama. It’s a paradise, where the sweet scent of rainforest lingers in the air, the beaches extend forever and the people truly understand the meaning of pure life. Continue reading
Filed under Travel & Adventure
In Pursuit of Enlightenment
It’s nearly sunset and 20-odd passengers pile out of a songthaew – a typical Thai truck with bench seats in the back. We’re greeted by monks in saffron robes and volunteers, and escorted to our dormitory rooms.
A golden Buddha guards the courtyard, creating a silhouette against the burnt sky as the sun dips gracefully below the horizon. The deafening silence resounds as we change into our white uniforms: Thai fishermen’s pants and a shapeless smock.
We don tags around our necks that say, “Silence!” Our two-day silent meditation begins. Continue reading
Filed under Health & Wellness, Retreats, Travel & Adventure
