by Jonathan Look | Sep 9, 2013 | Adventure, Buddhism, Photography
Water blessings are a traditional Cambodian Buddhist practice that dates back to ancient times. The offering of holy water symbolizes the cultivation of the virtues of calmness, clarity, and purity of our body, speech, and mind. This water symbol reminds us to cleanse...
by Jonathan Look | Jul 3, 2013 | Adventure, Buddhism, Minimalism, Philosophy
You Are Not Your “Stuff” – Your life and your memories exist inside of you, not in the things that you own. Sure everyone needs a few things to sustain themselves but, there comes a point where we spend more time and effort accumulating and maintaining our...
by Jonathan Look | Jun 16, 2013 | Adventure, Buddhism, Photography, Retirement
With decent white sand beaches and affordable accommodation Sihanoukville, Cambodia has developed a reputation as a good place to soak up sun during the day and party the night away. One of the things I never expected to find was Buddhist monks swimming and enjoying...
by Jonathan Look | Jun 2, 2013 | Adventure, Asia, Buddhism, Cambodia, People, Photography
In February, by coincidence, I was in Phnom Penh during the ceremonies surrounding the cremation of former Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk. I had never been to this vibrant city with a tragic past before so I was just wandering the esplanade along the Mekong River and...
by Jonathan Look | Jun 1, 2013 | Adventure, Buddhism, People, Photography
Getting a Sak Yant Tattoo at Wat Bang Phra Temple From the outside, Wat Bang Phra, the tattoo temple, looks pretty much like other wats, or monastery temples, in the greater Bangkok area. Beautiful? Yes. But, uniquely so? Not really. What makes Wat Bang Phra unique is...
by Jonathan Look | May 18, 2013 | Adventure, Buddhism, Street Food, Thailand
The “Big Smoke”, “City of Angels”, “Venice of the East”, “Sin City of Asia” and numerous other nicknames attempt to encapsulate Bangkok but it is simply; not that simple. It is all of those things and more. It is a concept that is totally undefinable by looking at it...
by Jonathan Look | Apr 26, 2013 | Adventure, Buddhism, Philosophy, Thailand, Travel
2012 Yee Peng Lantern Festival More images from the 2014 Yee Peng Lantern Festival The Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai is one of the most magical and beautiful festivals held in Asia, indeed anywhere in the world. Serendipitously I had arrived in Chiang Mai, the former...
by Jonathan Look | Mar 24, 2013 | Adventure, Buddhism, Philosophy, Thailand, Travel
One of the most highly rated activities around Chiang Mai is the “Flight of the Gibbon”, Thailand’s longest zip line canopy tour. I have been ziplining before in Honduras so I pretty much knew what to expect. Admittedly it is thrilling to “fly” overland tethered in a...