Photo of the Day (12.13.08)

by Brenda Yun on

Myanmar has been on my mind. I am indebted to this country alone, so ripe with political strife, for the worldly passion I now possess. Just a year and a half ago, I stepped off the plane in Yangon a naive and lonely American traveler. I learned by observation that the men wear longyi (a long wraparound skirt), the women and youth paint their faces with thanaka (a tree bark powder serving the double function of makeup and sun protection), and most adults chew betel nuts (which leave a red residue on the teeth as seen on the woman in this picture). This is just the external part of Myanmar’s unique culture. During the brief three weeks I was given in Myanmar, I fell in love with the place. I arrived quite ignorant of what life can be like under an oppressive military regime; I left infinitely grateful to have shared my time with these friendly and most generous people.

This gorgeous photo taken by uncorneredmarket (a.k.a. Audrey Scott and Daniel Noll) really captures the spirit of the Burmese people. Audrey and Daniel, who have been traveling the globe for over two years now, offer a nice reflection of their time in Burma here. I too think about Myanmar and its people frequently. Perhaps the two faces in this photograph explain why better than words can.

If you have some great travel shots you’d like to share, be sure to upload them to the Gadling pool on Flickr. We might just pick one as our Photo of the Day!

Five things to do to survive freakishly cold weather

by Brenda Yun on

Even though I’m sitting pretty here in soggy Hawaii (at least it’s 70 degrees), it is downright freezing in New England, and I’ve experienced that too. My five year stint in New England taught me many things, but most importantly it taught me how to be creative when the weather is frightful. I remember stepping out of my dorm on numerous occasions, taking a deep breath, and choking on the cold air. I remember, too, the Ice Storm of 1998 (it doesn’t feel like a decade ago, but oh well): inches of ice around grass blades and tree branches decorated the roadside — whole trees would snap under the weight.

I attended college in Maine to experience the extreme. Call me crazy, but I chose Maine because I actually hoped my eyes would freeze shut. I thought the weather would keep me inside so that I could study like the nerd that I was. I didn’t anticipate, however, the awfully fun, spontaneous experiences I would have.
Here are five things you can do to survive the cold:

  1. Tubing/Sledding: Twas past midnight in college, and I remember distinctly walking back to my dorm after a long night of studying in the library (I told you I was a nerd). I heard an ecstatic squeal coming from the chapel hill. Amid the curtain of snow I witnessed the most ironic sight: my two neighbors wearing their bathing suits, winter boots and ear mufflers careening down the hill in an inflatable tube.
  2. Ice fishing/Smelting: This is a guy kind of thing, but girls can enjoy this too. Rent a little shack on the water, cut out a hole in the ice, and fish your blues away. It’s not as cold as you think. There’s a little wood stove to provide you with heat, and you can even bed down for the night if you so please.
  3. Hiking/Cross-country skiing: The barren, icy woods are so calm and beautiful when it’s cold out. There’s no one on the streets. Once your body warms up, you can enjoy your own private winter wonderland.
  4. Hot chocolate &/or apple cider: Mmmmm… need I say more?
  5. Volunteer: Shelters need extra help especially when the weather is cold and the power is out. Take some time to lend a hand for an hour or two at your local emergency or homeless shelter.

To be certain, living in very cold weather was the best thing I could have done for my spirit. I have thicker skin in more ways than one, thanks to living in New England, and you can too — right now, even if the power is out and you’re shivering in ten layers of thermal underwear, curled up in a ball under an emergency blanket.

Enjoy the cold! You only live once.

Irish Way, a non-profit program to help teens connect to Ireland

by Jamie Rhein on

I have Irish roots, barely. I’m one of those people whose genetic make-up is a mixture of a few countries. But, I did go to Ireland with a friend who has more claim to the country than I do. We visited his father’s second cousin near Clifden.

They didn’t know we were coming, but as soon as we introduced ourselves when the front door opened, we were welcomed inside for a wonderful visit and a meal. Ours was a barely organized, shot-in-the-dark approach to connecting to my friend’s Irish roots. After that meal, he went back to visit again a couple weeks later after I flew back to the U.S. Although his approach worked because of his family ties, those without family ties also have a way to connect to Ireland if the person looking to connect is a high-schooler.

Irish Way, in existence since 1976, is a study abroad program for high schoolers. Operated by the Irish American Cultural Institute, the program includes classes and workshops in Irish culture and tours of various sites in order to enhance participants’ interest and develop their understanding about all things Irish. Interestingly, the program is based in Galway which is near Clifden, the town closest to where my friend’s relatives live.

I can vouch for Galway. It would be a wonderful place to spend four weeks. The deadline for applications is in March. Although the cost isn’t cheap, there is scholarship money available. From reading the literature, I don’t think being Irish is a requisite, just an interest in Irish culture.

For an article about one girl’s experience going through the program, click here. As Steve Stephens of the Columbus Dispatch reports, the experience won’t be her last.

Monaco abandons man-made island plan

by Josh Lew on

The nation of Monaco was planning to follow the lead of Dubai. The gigantic man-made island called The Palm recently opened in the ridiculously wealth emirate. Not only did The Palm (which is shaped like a palm tree if seen from the air) bring publicity to Dubai, it also drastically increased measurable shoreline of the city.

Monaco had similar designs. As the world’s most densely populated country, it would have benefited from the added area. However, the nation’s ruler, Prince Albert II, has announced that the current state of the global economy makes such a project inappropriate. Monaco’s financial situation is not as dire as many other countries, but the Prince wants Monaco to focus on other infrastructure projects such as hospitals, housing developments, and a new yacht club.

Albert did not rule out restarting the man-made island project at a later date. But, for now, it will just be business as usual in Monaco.

Quiet plane keeps Airbus A380 pilots awake

by Aaron Hotfelder on

I can never sleep on planes. But it’s not because of crying babies, the lack of leg room, or the smelly, shifty guy that I always seem to sit next to. No, above all else, I blame the deafening rumble of the engines for keeping me awake.

So that’s why I was surprised to see that some pilots are complaining that they can’t sleep on the massive Airbus A380 because the plane is– get this– too quiet. “We’re getting a lot of complaints. It’s not something we expected,” says Emirates Vice President Ed Davidson.

On most long flights where pilots need to catch some shut-eye, the loud engines drown out the sound of passenger noise, flushing toilets, and the inevitable “dings.” But on the surprisingly quiet A380, pilots say they’re being kept awake by all the cabin noise, which travels right through their ear plugs.

Unsolicited tip: Get some better ear plugs. Problem solved.

More here. Slate reviews the best ear plugs here.

Other tales from the skies
Amazing and insane stories from a real-life flight attendant and co-pilot