Back to Blogging

During this long (and rather unintentional) blogging break I've realized that writing about my life inspires me to live it more intentionally. That sounds froofy, but I think it's true -- I get out to do/photograph/reflect on things more than I otherwise would, when I'm planning to post on them. And, as I realized a few days ago when looking through my blog for photos to flesh out a presentation, it's nice to have a record to look back on at a later time.

So back to blogging it is!

I tumbled out of a very long vacation into the middle of a new rotation, so the past few weeks have been full of both catching up on old things and starting new ones. A highlight this week was meeting applicants for our residency program (a.k.a. CaRMS interviews). Spending a day talking up our program definitely (re)convinced me (and hopefully a few of the applicants) that our program is pretty wonderful. I think the whole program's on a bit of a post-CaRMS high (or maybe it's just a sugar high from all the candy we'd bought to impress the applicants). Either way, our morale is disproportionate to the amount of work we've got hanging over us (CARO abstract deadline in 2 weeks!).

One reason I'd been putting off posting is I felt I couldn't move on until I posted all the posts I'd drafted on my Southeast Asia vacation. I think I've missed the boat on that though, so I'll save them for my personal blog and just leave a few photos here -- it really was a wonderful time!

heritage shophouses in George Town, Penang, Malaysia

koey teow th'ng and asam laksa -- hawker fare, Penang, Malaysia 

Chowrasta Market, Penang, Malaysia

Batak-style houses on Samosir Island, Lake Toba, Sumatra, Indonesia 

arriving by ferry at Parapat, Lake Toba, Sumatra

hiking up Mt Sibayak, Berastagi, Sumatra

sulphur vents at the caldera of Mt Sibayak 

huge fruit market, Berastagi, Sumatra 

travelling by horse cart in Inwa, an ancient capital near Mandalay, Myanmar

ruins of the Yadana Hsimi Pagodas, Inwa, Myanmar

a typical Burmese dinner, Mandalay, Myanmar

sunset from U Bein Bridge, Amarapura, Myanmar

U Bein Bridge -- the oldest (1850) and longest (1.2 km) teak bridge in the world -- Amarapura, Myanmar 

woodworking in Mandalay, Myanmar 

Kuthodaw Pagoda (1859), containing the "world's biggest book" -- 729 marble slabs inscribed with Buddhist scripture; Mandalay, Myanmar 

teak carvings on the ridgelines of Shwenandaw Monastery (1880), Mandalay, Myanmar

Settaway Paya (1811), overlooking the Irrawaddy River, Mingun, Myanmar

Mingun Pahtodawgyi (1790), a massive uncompleted stupa damaged during an earthquake, Mingun, Myanmar 

Hsinbyume Pagoda (1816), Mingun, Myanmar 

balloons and sunrise during breakfast on the Manisanda Hotel roof, Bagan, Myanmar

Sulamani Temple (1183), Bagan, Myanmar 

one of many buddhas, Bagan, Myanmar

view from atop Shwesandaw Pagoda (1057), Bagan, Myanmar

fisherman on Inle Lake, Myanmar 

boats docked at Inn Thein, Inle Lake, Myanmar

Nyaung Ohak red brick stupa ruins, Inn Thein, Inle Lake, Myanmar

Nyaung Ohak red brick stupa ruins, Inn Thein, Inle Lake, Myanmar

Shwe Inn Thein Pagodas, Inn Thein, Inle Lake, Myanmar

floating gardens, Inle Lake, Myanmar

morning market in Nyaung Shwe, Myanmar

cycling through the countryside between Nyaung Shwe and Maing Thauk, Myanmar

floating village of Maing Thauk, Myanmar

Shwe Oo Min Paya cave temple, Kalaw, Myanmar

Pinmagon Monastery, Kalaw, Myanmar

traffic and wires, Yangon, Myanmar 

old colonial buildings, Yangon, Myanmar

19th St grilled street food, Chinatown, Yangon, Myanmar

Shwedagon Pagoda (1372), Yangon, Myanmar