Arcane Candy

Welcome to the Tropical Punch Tour, my little three-and-a-half month jaunt through Southeast Asia. From May 25 to September 10, 2010, I backpacked through Bali, Java, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar to experience the insanely creative music, art, food and architecture of those countries.

Bali

Bali Part 1 – Heading into Ubud.
Bali Part 2 – Sekehe Gong Panca Artha at Ubud Palace in Ubud.
Bali Part 3 – Museum Puri Lukisan, Pura Marajan Agung temple ceremony, more Sekehe Gong Panca Artha at Ubud Palace in Ubud.
Bali Part 4 – Peliatan day walk, Krama Desa Ubud Kaja at Pura Dalem Ubud in Ubud.
Bali Part 5 – Gamelan foundry in Blahbatuh, Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary and Wayang Kulit Kertha in Ubud.
Bali Part 6 – Goa Gajah (the Elephant Cave) and Yeh Pulu near Bedulu, Seke Werdha Arma (The Peliatan Masters) and Semarandhana at ARMA in Ubud.
Bali Part 7 – Agung Rai Museum of Art, Sadha Budaya at Ubud Palace in Ubud.
Bali Part 8 – Threads of Life, Bina Ramaja at Ubud Palace in Ubud.
Bali Part 9 – Heading up to Candikuning and Danau Bratan.
Bali Part 10 – Bali Botanical Gardens and Pura Ulun Danu Brutan in Candikuning.
Bali Part 11 – Pura Tanah Lot, Denpasar, Suara Sakti bamboo gamelan in Bentuyung village.
Bali Part 12 – Gunung Sari at Puri Agung Peliatan Palace in Peliatan.
Bali Part 13 – Calon Arang at Pura Dalem Puri in Peliatan.
Bali Part 14 – Luh Luwih at Bale Banjar Ubud Kelod in Ubud.
Bali Part 15 – A tour of East Bali, Sekka Gong Karyasa at Pura Dalem Ubud in Ubud.
Bali Part 16 – The mother of all web sessions in Ubud.
Bali Part 17 – A hellish 14-hour 350-mile bus ride from Denpasar, Bali to Yogyakarta, Java.
Bali Video 1
Bali Video 2
Bali Video 3
Dancers of Ubud (Flickr slide show)

Java

Java Part 1 – Heading into Yogyakarta.
Java Part 2 – Street music, Wayang Kulit at the Sono-Budoyo Museum in Yogyakarta.
Java Part 3 – Borobudur and Mendut Temple near Yogyakarta.
Java Part 4 – Gamelan practice at the Sultan’s Palace, the Ramayana Ballet at Purawisata in Yogyakarta.
Java Part 5 – Sono-Budoyo Museum, Taman Sari (Water Palace) in Yogyakarta.
Java Part 6 – Gamelan practice at the Sultan’s Palace, Wayang Kulit at the Sono-Budoyo Museum in Yogyakarta.
Java Part 7 – A bicycle trek around Yogyakarta.
Java Part 8 – Heading into Solo, Wayang Orang at Sriwedari Theatre.
Java Part 9 – The gamelan factory in Bekonang village, a tour of cottage industries around Solo.
Java Part 10 – The Kraton Museum in Solo.
Java Part 11 – Leaving Solo and Java.
Java Video

Singapore

Singapore Part 1 – Heading into Singapore. Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, Sakaya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple.
Singapore Part 2 – A skyscraper-spotting sojourn.
Singapore Part 3 – Sri Mariamman Temple, Thian Hock Keng Temple ceremony, Orchard Road.
Singapore Part 4 – Fort Canning, Clarke Quay.
Singapore Part 5 – Military parade, Asian Civilizations Museum.
Singapore Part 6 – Marina Bay.
Singapore Part 7 – Malay Heritage Museum.
Singapore Part 8 – Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Singapore Part 9 – Lau Pa Sat, Marina Bay.
Singapore Video

Malaysia

Malaysia Part 1 – Heading into Melaka.
Malaysia Part 2 – A photo session throughout downtown Melaka.
Malaysia Part 3 – Hiasan Budaya, a night market in Chinatown, Melaka.
Malaysia Part 4 – The Muzium Rakyat in Melaka.
Malaysia Part 5 – Heading into Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 6 – Dayabumi Center, KL Tower, traditional Malaysian dance in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 7 – Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 8 – Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 9 – Taman Rama Rama (Butterfly Park), traditional Malaysian dance at the Central Market in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 10 – Little India, traditional Malaysian dance at the Tourist Information Complex in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 11 – A day off (with photos to prove it) in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 12 – KL Monorail to Chow Kit in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 13 – KL Bird Park in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 14 – Flying from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Phuket, Thailand.
Malaysia Video

Thailand

Thailand Part 1 – A stroll around Phuket Town.
Thailand Part 2 – A random school parade, Patong beach in Phuket.
Thailand Part 3 – Patong beach in Phuket part two.
Thailand Part 4 – Laem Singh beach, Put Jaw Temple in Phuket Town.
Thailand Part 5 – Saeng Tham, Jui Tui and Thye Guan Tong temples, Phuket Thaihua Museum in Phuket Town.
Thailand Part 6 – Karon beach in Phuket.
Thailand Part 7 – Heading to the Phi Phi islands.
Thailand Part 8 – Viewpoints overlooking Ko Phi Phi Don.
Thailand Part 9 – Snorkeling on Koh Phi Phi Don and Koh Phi Phi Leh.
Thailand Part 10 – Heading back to Phuket Town.
Thailand Part 11 – A day off (with photos to prove it) in Phuket Town.
Thailand Part 12 – Leaving Phuket.
Thailand Part 13 – Heading into Bangkok.
Thailand Part 14 – Aerobics in Lumphini Park, Chinatown in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 15 – Sri Mariamman Temple, one amazingly musical day in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 16 – May Kaidee’s, Wat Pho in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 17 – Saturday night buffet and traditional Thai dance at May Kaidee’s in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 18 – Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 19 – A ladyboy cabaret in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 20 – A day off (with photos to prove it) in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 21 – A standard torrential downpour in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 22 – Royal Thai Decorations and Coin Pavilion in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 23 – Leaving Bangkok.
Thailand Part 24 – Heading into Chiang Mai, Wat Sai Mun Muang and Wat Thing Yu temples.
Thailand Part 25 – Wat Phra Singh and Wat Lam Chang temples, Wat Lam Chang Vieng Phing in Chiang Mai.
Thailand Part 26 – A tour around the moat in Chiang Mai.
Thailand Part 27 – Heading back into Bangkok.
Thailand Video

Myanmar

Myanmar Part 1 – Heading into Yangon.
Myanmar Part 2 – Botataung Pagoda in Yangon.
Myanmar Part 3 – Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.
Myanmar Part 4 – A hellish 12-hour bus ride from Yangon to Mandalay.
Myanmar Part 5 – Heading into Mandalay.
Myanmar Part 6 – Mandalay Hill in Mandalay.
Myanmar Part 7 – Mahamuni Pagoda in Mandalay.
Myanmar Part 8 – Thone Yaung Chael and Shwe Pone Taung street bands, Shwe In Bin Kyaung Buddhist monastery in Mandalay.
Myanmar Part 9 – Sandamuni Pagoda, Mintha Theater in Mandalay.
Myanmar Part 10 – Nat Pwe in Taungbyone part one.
Myanmar Part 11 – Nat Pwe in Taungbyone part two.
Myanmar Part 12 – Leaving Mandalay.
Myanmar Part 13 – Heading back into Yangon.
Myanmar Part 14 – Leaving Yangon and Myanmar.
Myanmar Video

Thailand

Thailand Part 28 – Heading back into Bangkok.
Thailand Part 29 – Santichaiprakarn Park in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 30 – Snorkeling in Bangkok?
Thailand Part 31 – Wat Chana Songkhram in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 32 – Memorial Bridge, Wat Kanlayanamit, Wat Arun in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 33 – Wat Bowoniwes, Wat Intharavihan in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 34 – A day off (with photos to prove it) in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 35 – Wat Rajnadda, Golden Mount at Wat Saket in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 36 – A walk down Thanon Tanao in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 37 – Failed missions to the Sky Bar and Sri Mariamman temple in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 38 – A day off (with photos to prove it) in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 39 – Heading into Damnoen Saduak.
Thailand Part 40 – The floating market in Damnoen Saduak.
Thailand Part 41 – A day off (with photos to prove it) in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 42 – The National Museum in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 43 – Bangkok Art and Culture Center in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 44 – The last day in Bangkok.

South Korea

South Korea Part 1 – An eight-hour layover in the airport complete with some unexpected and amazing music.
South Korea Video

The End – Thank you.

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