Archive for the ‘passages’ Category

Trade Winds: Tiznit, Morocco

Wednesday, August 15th, 2007

Tiznit MoroccoMy journey to Tiznit was a unique one. The first leg of the trip was a bus out of Marrakesh bound for Agadir, where I had to get on a second bus. I generally take the first bus departing to any given location. This time it was an older, funkier bus that seemed to be on its last voyage.

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Trade Winds: Fez, Morocco

Tuesday, July 31st, 2007

Fair Trade Culture:: Passages:: Fez, MoroccoThe first line in my journal about Fez is: “I’m in the most amazing place I’ve ever been.”

I describe Fez as: A labyrinth that very soon after entering one of two things will happen. Either you’ll attempt to run to the nearest exit (if you can find one) or hope to forever wander throughout.

Upon arriving in Fez after a long hot bus ride from Tangier I found a place to sit and get some tea. As a tourist, especially one with a backpack in Morocco means you are never short of friends. Friends that want to give you tours, friends that know where to get the best hotel deal, friends for everything.

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Trade Winds: Silk Making

Tuesday, July 31st, 2007

Silk MakingChiang Mai, Thailand is a wonderful center of arts, culture, and history. Silk making has long been a tradition that the Thai people hold. In many areas around Chiang Mai, tourists and travelers are given the opportunity to see how a silk shirt, skirt, or scarf is made: from the silk worm to the loom, the Thai people love to share how this wonderful textile is created.
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Trade Winds: Ayutthaya

Monday, July 30th, 2007

AyutthayaThailand is a creative center composed of a culture that is not only artistic and friendly, but superstitious as well. My trip to the old capital of Thailand, Ayutthaya, was my first real glimpse of a history of the people who lived there. Ayutthaya is a short train ride from Bangkok, and is a fairly large city itself. The old charred ruins remain there from when the Burmese came in the 1700’s and burned the city down, and Ayutthaya remains a big tourist attraction today to Thai and foreigners alike. After visiting a couple wats, or temples, and playing with the elephants that provide a good income for the people that live there, I found a small shop on a not-so-busy street, run by a family known for making hanging fish ornaments out of palm leaves.
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Trade Winds: Koh Yao Noi

Monday, July 30th, 2007

Koh Yao NoiKoh Yao Noi is a large island that lies in the Andaman Sea on the west side of Thailand. The Sea harbors beautiful limestone cliffs that seem to carry a spirit that climbs to the heavens. The views are truly breathtaking and travelers from around the world come to share the beauty of the surrounding islands and beaches. Thailand welcomes these tourists and travelers, for the income provides the country with opportunities to build, grow, and upgrade current systems. Although Koh Yao Noi lives between Phuket and Krabi, two major tourist hubs, it still remains relatively undeveloped and traditional.
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Trade Winds: Karen Hill Tribe

Monday, July 30th, 2007

Karen Hill TribeIt was a hot and humid day in May when three friends and I decided to take a motorbike trip into the mountains of northern Thailand in search of some small villages and the arts and crafts they create. Only a larger dirt bike type could be used on this trip because the narrow roads were hardly roads and slick with red muddy clay. About 15 minutes of pavement driving out of the town of Pai, we were at a natural hot spring and a dirt road-path that ran past and far back into the forested mountains. After a quick break and some rehydration, we headed in. (more…)