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Lyons Worldschooling Adventure
  • Lyons Tale
Jul 2024 – Jun 2025

Lyons Worldschooling Adventure

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    Hungarian Parliament Building and a lucky 2 dollar bill
    Cabbage rolls!2Shoes on the Danube Bank11Kereszt Utca where Cilia and family lived11Dobesh torte1Great Synagogue of BudapestGreat Market Hall

    Kisvárda & Budapest, Hungary

    November 6, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ 🌙 2 °C

    Susanna, her dad Paul and brother Jeffrey went to Kisvárda, Hungary, where Cillia (or Czili) Weisz, Susanna's grandmother was born.

    The home Cillia lived in itself was gone, being 100 years later and due to the fact that the original place was likely very simple (we heard it had a dirt floor). But we stood on her road, walked in places she likely did, visited the old shul she likely attended, and ate traditional foods that very much reminded us of her. Especially the strudel!

    One touching moment was on the train from Kisvarda. We were getting off after a few stops to catch the connection to Budapest. As we were gathering our things, a woman who spoke English asked if we had family that used to live in Kisvarda, and if we were Jewish. She said her father lived there during the time of the war, and she lives there now. She deeply apologized for what happened to the Jews of the community. She was so sorry. I thought it was brave of her to speak to us, and it is touching that at least some people in the community remember this horror.

    30% of my grandmother's town was Jewish before the war. A third! And their neighbours sent the Kisvarda Jews to terrible fates. We heard that the few who managed to return home to Kisvarda after the war were often chased away by the people who had taken over the Jews' homes and businesses, and sometimes they even killed these survivors. The Holocaust feels so fresh, so recent, in these moments of remembering.

    In Budapest we also ate food that synched right up with my genes. Dobesh torte, chicken paprikash, goulash, nokedli.... Delicious!!

    We joined kabbalat shabbat at the Great Synagogue of Budapest, still very much in operation, and ate two shabbat dinners (the second at Chabad). All this made me thankful for the resilience of Jewish life.

    I am so glad I had the chance to do this with my family. My dad had never been to Hungary (nor I).    Read more

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    Flying to Southeast Asia

    November 12, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Copenhagen-Istanbul-Bali. So many transitions! We left orderly, cool and family-filled Denmark. We flew on Turkish Airlines to a stop-over in Istanbul. The airport and airplane were Muslim-oriented, which was neat to see. The airplane had a screen option to see which way to face towards Mecca. The Istanbul airport had an exhibit about ancient Muslim inventors - with an undercurrent of "we were thriving while the West was in it's dark ages".

    To support a mix of cultures meeting at the Bali airport, the toilet stalls had very thorough instructions!    Read more

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    By the Ubud palace
    Entrance gate to a family compound11

    Ubud, Bali

    November 14, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Walking out of the Bali airport, Mathai commented that he felt he was suffocating. The air was so hot and humid, it felt thick to breathe. Thankfully, the air conditioned car dropped us off at a beautiful rental where we could acclimatize for a few days.

    We began our Bali experience in the cultural capital of Ubud. We were delighted to find that a once-in-30-years festival was being celebrated in the town center, Pedudusan Karya Agung. The ceremonies are a celebration and seek harmony between nature, humans, and the divine.

    Beauty is a daily focus of Balinese life. Small offerings in beautiful palm leaf baskets, flowers arrangements, gorgeous clothing for regularly held ceremonies, wood carving, batik, impressive door posts and so much more.

    This rich culture seemingly clashes though with the intense noise and chaotic feeling of Ubud roads. SO many scooters everywhere. Made us really miss sidewalks.

    The Ubud monkey forest was a highlight of our time there. Mathai is a real animal lover, and the monkeys delighted him and Judah. We went twice in four days!    Read more

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    1Pura Dalem UbudAcapella Kecak performanceFire trance danceSoto ayam bakso (chicken meatball soup) at the night market

    Ubud ceremonies and carving

    November 15, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C

    A master carver helped us create wood art at Ubud's Pondok Pekak Library. The boys carved turtles, Aaron carved a lizard and Susanna carved a Balinese-style detailed flower. Our teacher was incredibly patient, joyful and talented. One of his works of art was the door in this photo, which took him three months. Amazing.

    We witnessed some Ubud ceremonies for the every-thirty years Pedudusan Karya Agung which included Gamelan music, piles of Balinese offerings, gorgeous clothing and intricate decorations.

    The Dutch colonizers encouraged the Balinese to retain their culture, while suppressing the ancestral cultures of other neighbouring islands. Maybe this dynamic plays into the Bali tradition of ceremonial dance performances for visitors. We really enjoyed the chanting and dancing performance we witnessed - it was a section of the Ramayana. The finale was a fire dance, where a man in a trance walked through fire as though on a horse - in order to keep the community safe from epidemics.    Read more

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    Rice fields
    Where we sleptKitchenRoadside satay and some sweet mung bean dessertThe largest fern ever!'Canang sari', daily Balinese offeringsTelaga Waja RiverWaxing the batik outlines1Batik steps are sketching, applying wax, applying paint, boiling off wax with sodium silicate

    Homestay in Keliki, Bali

    November 16, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    It's hard to have authentic experiences when you're an outsider. In an effort to get beyond the tourist trappings, our next accommodations was a home stay in a traditional Balinese house compound.

    Our host was one of a few brothers living with their families in a multigenerational compound. To enter, we walked through their gate house adorned with . At the center was a temple for ancestor worship; to enter we needed traditional Balinese clothing which was offered to us, but we didn't take them up on that. Each family had a few separate small buildings or bales for cooking, sleeping and now, offering guest houses.

    Our accommodations were very simple, and that was a strong adjustment for us, having just arrived to Southeast Asia with jetlag and feeling overheated. It also felt like there wasn't enough space for the boys to play. The hosts' kids played in the road (watch out for scooters!) and surrounding natural spaces. Our family both squabbled and enjoyed ourselves.

    The town of Keliki is somewhat-rural, located just north of Ubud. Keliki specializes in detailed paintings of romanticized rural life, made with Chinese ink on paper. We didn't end up taking any classes with our hosts, but they arranged for us to learn batik, which was delightful.

    We visited a waterfall and got drenched in monsoon rain - this is supposed to be fun, right? We also took a rafting trip down a gorgeous river valley, which was joyful but also silly as the guide basically took the approach of bumper boats, rather than paddling to avoid the rocks.

    It was a quick week in Bali, with lots of appreciation for the island's aesthetics. And, we left with the feeling that if we ever returned, we would spend time far from the southern, more populated areas.    Read more

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    Komodo National Park, part 2

    November 21, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    We decided to take the adventurous route to get from Bali to Lombok - a liveaboard boat tour through the Komodo Island National Park.

    Our boat was a very basic ship, but offered a clean bed, good Indonesian food, great travellers, and interesting crew.

    After leaving Labuan Bajo, our first stop was Kelor Island. This white sand beach offered gorgeous snorkeling. And, there were aggressive fish that came at us with their teeth bared. Luckily they were small, since they left bite marks with two sets of very sharp teeth. We also heard that divers are quite scared of these fish in areas where the fish are bigger. I totally get it. The stop got better when we got to watch baby sharks in the warm, shallow waters. It was delightful to see them dart around.

    In the afternoon, we searched for sea turtles at Manjarite Island. Our captain, who is a good swimmer, jumped in the water with a bright lifejacket for us to follow. At first, we saw a turtle or two at a distance, swimming away very fast. Then, after a time (and after picking out quite a few pieces of plastic sea garbage), we sighted a turtle in the shallow waters. We got to watch this turtle use his beak to crack off and eat coral. Many little fish surrounded the turtle in order to nibble on the bits that floated away. We all watched this in amazement. The turtle didn’t seem to mind an audience. Mathai and Susanna must have stayed for 45 minutes watching the turtle in action.

    We ended the day at Kalong Island, watching thousands of bats leave their caves on the island in search of dinner. The sunset was spectacular.

    Our captain banged on our doors before dawn. Time to get up! We loaded our small boat in the pre-dawn glow at arrived at Padar Island. We hiked to the top with all the other tourists to soak up the sunrise over gorgeous scenery.

    Breakfast on the boat was typically pancakes, which we learned was a regular Indonesian breakfast – at least the kind that is offered to tourists.

    In the heat of the morning, we arrived to Komodo Island. Our guides were youngish local men from the island who have grown up with these very large lizards. We were able to observe the dragons both walking and resting. Incredible creatures. And large. Turns out they are lazy hunters, but they can be. All they need is one bite on their prey, and then over a few days the bite will continuously bleed and get infected due to a poison in the lizard’s saliva.

    The afternoon stop was Pink Beach, which gets its name from microscopic animals called which produce a red pigment on the coral reefs. The beach was not so pink except in the waters. The coral gardens were in incredible condition, and we saw so many stunning corals and fish during our snorkels.

    The last stop that day was to swim with manta rays. These huge beasts were gliding by us with gaping mouths, to collect plankton. Extraordinary.

    From that night on, it was all about getting to our destination of Lombok. We motored through the night. Our one stop that day was Moyo Island. We took a 20-minute trek up a beautiful waterfall that looked like it was formed from mineral deposits. We had a chance to do some wonderful snorkeling here too. Sadly, it was at this spot that Susanna lost an earing Aaron had gifted her 25 years earlier.

    Aaron and Susanna had noticed that many of our new friends on the boat were closer in age to our boys, than to us! Yet of course, they were closer to us parents in life stage. At the waterfall, we had to laugh when we realized that many of the people on the trip were the same age as this gift.

    Us parents were delighted to see how confident our boys were chatting with the other travellers, often setting out on the small transfer boat without us, or hanging out on deck in a different group than us.

    On the morning of our last day on the boat, we had a short hike up a hill on Kenawa Island. The people living there have no running water – they need to bring it in by boat. A challenging lifestyle, no doubt.

    We arrived in East Lombok in the morning and said goodbye to our new friends.    Read more

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    A restaurant drink a day keeps the family happy (more or less)Sasak weaving1Cashew!Rambutan mosqueRambitan villageTraditional weavingMathai signing the guest book in RambitanPeanuts at the market12Dragon fruit is delicious here! At home it's tastelessSade village rice storage hut, featuring mouse-proof technologyMice can't climb all the way up the poles into the storage area, due to the disks that stop themSade2Sasak themed ATM across the street from Sade1

    Sasak culture & arriving to Lombok

    November 24, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Sasaks are the Indigenous people of Lombok. They make up about 80% of the island's 3 million people. We sadly didn't get a chance to have a rural homestay, but we did visit a few Sasak areas, witness their traditional weaving techniques and spend time with urban Sasak people. The Sasak people practice a form of Islam called Wetu Telu, which incorporates elements of Hinduism and animism.

    When we arrived to Gerupuk, the town was celebrating the circumcisions of a few boys. The boys were maybe between ages 3 and 7. Parading down our street were drummers, a flautist and and dancers carrying the boys and their mothers through the village streets on palanquins carved and painted as wooden horses. The next day would be the ceremony followed by a feast with more music.

    We also visited the Sasak villages of Sade and Rambitan. Rambitan is a regular village, featuring an old mosque with a traditional straw roof that must be replaced every 5 years. The mosque is estimated to have been established in the 16th century. Sade is also a village where people live, but we all felt sad being there - their everyday life has turned into a tourist destination where they sell trinkets and knock off weavings.    Read more

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    1Dinner with our homestay family. Whole squid, spicy chicken, tempe +, all eaten with hands!
    11How we often bought fresh food in GerupukOur first hike cooked dinner in too long. The Indonesian tempe is greatLearning to make kleponGerupuk2Dinner with AronBeach clean upBoys split the cost of (expensive) maple syrup - they miss it!111Monkeys at Bukit MereseIt really, really rained sometimes

    Lombok food and adventures

    November 29, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    We spent three weeks on Lombok so we could learn to surf and do some slow travel.

    After a week in Kuta, the hub of south Lombok, we moved to the small town of Gerupuk. A boat ride to the break was right across the street, meaning we could leave everything we didn't need at home - including our shoes. Being a village that centers now on tourism, we definitely felt the hustle vibe. We even had our boat trip on the first day assigned to a different operator because they felt they had 'done the work' to secure our trip.

    So many relationships felt all about the money. Somehow we managed to break through this in small ways. We brought homemade desserts to our host family and the surf boat operator. They gifted us back their own homemade foods and fruits. The local restauranteur helped Susanna with her Sasak language skills. The shop keeper across the street chatted us up. It all helped it feel more like travel, and less like tourism.

    Besides being close to the surf, moving to Gerupuk meant we had a kitchen to cook food. That helped our family feel settled in such an important way. Eating out for every meal means you can't truly relax at meal time, and that you can't really choose what you're going to eat. Indonesian food can be very saucy, which is fine for a few meals, but...

    We adventured up and down hills on scooters to get to a hotel where they were offering a family activity day. We felt disappointed that there were few other families, and no kids our kids' age. However, we learned to make a klepon - an Indonesian dessert made of glutinous rice flour with brown sugar filling, coated with coconuts. It's green from the Pandan leaf extract.

    Occasionally we ate dinner with friends from the Komodo Island trip, and surfed with Aron, our Swiss friend from the boat.

    Sadly, Mathai got a stomach bug one day, which was (so far) the one time any of us got truly sick from the food in Southeast Asia. Ironically, it was from a restaurant, not street food. While he stayed at home, the three of us contributed to a beach cleanup. A few classes from a local school came to help too, and we enjoyed their laughter while we picked plastic from the sand (ew).

    One of our favourite spots on Lombok was Bukit Merese - gorgeous green hills with cliffs overlooking the ocean. We ventured out on a rainy day and had a few moments of sunshine to roam the hills and swim on the beach.    Read more

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    Apparently, if it's not raining, these dragon boats are a great way to see Hue from its Perfume Rive1We learned that the Gerupuk puppies we reported abandoned are being cared for by a Lombok rescue!Emperor and EmpressPerformance hall for traditional Vietnamese opera11Incredible mosaic artOur first (but not last) taste of local women getting dressed to the nines for tourist Insta-photosSo many coi at the citadel

    Huế Citadel & Da Bong Market

    December 12, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌩️ 26 °C

    Our first (very rainy) stop in mainland Asia was the capital city of Vietnam's last feudal dynasty in Vietnam, from 1802 to 1945. We visited Hue's citadel where the gates, pavilions, palace and other structures were gorgeously built - a feast for the eyes. Much has been restored, but many of the royal architectural structures inside Hue Historic Citadel were severely damaged by bombings during the wars in the 20th century.

    Buddhism and ancestor worship are deeply ingrained into daily life. Many of the people in our neighbourhood would cook their meals, lay out the dishes, and then light some incense. When the incense burned down, it would be the family's turn to eat. Also, every home and business we visited had a small alter adorned with fruit, candy, soda, paper money or other offerings to the ancestors.

    Vietnamese food is awesome! We sampled many types of dishes at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant where we sheltered from the pouring rain. Our hostess was gregarious and warm. She gifted us with a home-made wooden bottle cap opener, and showed us a video of her using them to open 8 bottles at once with her arm!

    Da Bong Market was full of so much amazing food and so many tchotchkes.    Read more

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    Papers cut to size are tightly wrapped with string. Pounding the dowel into a shaft creates foldsTypical Hue dishes: Bánh Nậm, Bánh Bèo, Bánh Lọc, Bánh Xèo, Nem Lui Hue,

    Indoors in Huế

    December 14, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    To escape some of the torrential rains, we looked for indoor fun. And we found it!

    When we arrived to a beautiful multi-artist workshop, they greeted us with tea and candied ginger. Our instructor and interpreter then guided us through the ancient art of making paper lotus flowers. The lotus is Vietnam's national flower. The instructor mentioned the lotus is an important part of lunar new year celebrations, but in Hue the season for lotus flowers doesn't line up with Tết. So, for 300 years, a village in Hue has specialized in making paper flowers. And we had a chance to practice this art.

    Our other indoor experience was a cooking class. The chef and our interpreter taught us to make (and we got to eat!) banh khoai (pancake), ground meat bbq'd on lemongrass stick, pho, claypot, and chicken curry. We were SO full by the end! And, we learned enough to try a few of these dishes on our own at our next stop in Hoi An.    Read more

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    Thanh Toan Bridge & Marble Mountain

    December 16, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    A tourist bus took us from Hue to Hoi An, so we could see some of the sights along the way. By far, the most impressive stop was Marble Mountain. This group of five limestone and marble peaks are named in Vietnamese after the 5 elements. We loved exploring the tunnels and grottoes, which often featured statues of the Buddha.

    Other stops on the tour included a historic market and bridge just outside of Hue, Hai Van Pass (which is likely beautiful when it's not clouded and rainy), and Lap An Lagoon.    Read more

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    Judah smashed his toe on day 1. Luckily it wasn't broken!1Windy. Rainy. Definitely not beach time.Lots of small scale agriculture1Apparently these boats can go straight (as well as whirl in circles). We didn't experience any ofit.Home made Bánh XèoOur first home-made pho! Seasoning seeds are one of the secrets to a great broth1Texas holdem with TexansVietnamese markets are the bestest!1Aaron got happily tricked into holding a fruit seller's basket and then having to pay for the photoFamous Japanese bridge!Our host's catThe Jones' and the Lyons'

    Hội An, in the rain

    December 17, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 23 °C

    A lot of international families visiting Vietnam are spending time in Hoi An. It's historic city with many international influences (China, Japan, France, etc.). It's also a beach town. Tada! Families love it.

    To avoid getting too wet in the constant rain, we joined kids' chess, family badminton, Aaron and Susanna took yoga classes, and we practiced our new Vietnamese recipes (even hosting dinner for some American friends!). Occasionally it would get dry and we explored the town a bit.    Read more

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    Dragon fruit monster1Watery rose apple. Crispy flesh with a herby / floral flavor. Thin skin.Tera, Zach, Jaidee and Zaia1

    New friends in Hội An

    December 23, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

    We travelled halfway around the world so our boys could make friends with boys from Alberta 😂. And we're so happy we did! The Jones' are a wonderful family on a similar adventure to ours.

    Together, we made traditional fabric lanterns, spent the day at an indoor waterpark, explored Da Nang's night market (loaded with Santas as it was Christmas Eve), ate Korean hotpot, badmintoned, movied, and generally had a great time together. And, we'll see one another in Koh Lanta!    Read more

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    1Vietnamese quick pickle, latkes and rice wraps. A winner!1We had four of us on a scooter once. We stuck to the back roads.Hoi An rice fieldsOvernight Vietnamese train

    Vietnamese latkes & an overnight train

    December 28, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 22 °C

    Happy Chanukah! In Vietnam, fried foods are often wrapped in flexible rice paper, then dipped in a sauce. Naturally we did this with our latkes. By the way, an outdoor kitchen is the best for cooking fried food!

    We jumped ship early from Hoi An, due to the incessant rain. We figured it was better to forfeit a few days of rental in order to explore a bit of the North and to cut short the rainy doldrums.

    The overnight train took us from Da Nang to Ninh Bin. We were happy with the cosy room. The bathrooms were way better than we expected! But, the mattresses were very hard, and we mostly slept quite poorly.    Read more

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    Mountain goats are a common sight and food11Five-color flag of Vietnam, symbolizing five elements: metal, fire, water, air, earthLocal burning and industrial air pollution made the air thick.

    Ninh Bình

    December 29, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    North Vietnam has amazing karst mountains, towering above river or sea, with vegetation clinging to the sides. "Karst is a landscape type where soluble rock, such as limestone, marble, or gypsum, dissolves, creating sinkholes, caves, springs, and other features," (Google AI).

    The North also has intense pollution, which marred our views and lungs while exploring there.

    With poor quality, but free to use bicycles from our hotel, we peddled up to Tuyệt Tịnh Cốc. We wandered around its beautiful lake, surrounded on all sides by towering mountains. (A tunnel enables entrance to the lake.) The adults loved the pagodas on either end of the lake, the boys loved the caves.

    The caves at this UNESCO World Heritage Site contain archaeological evidence of human activity dating back over 30,000 years.    Read more

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    121Conspiring, plotting, scheming, planning, concocting.Water liliesSchoolwork on the roadChip flavours can be very strange out here

    Trang An Boat Tour

    December 30, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We were rowed on a boat through a kilometre long cave! The scenery was beautiful.

  • Lyons TaleTravelerLyons Worldschooling Adventure
    Real bear cageView from our Hanoi apartmentThis rice cake was covered in something called pork floss. Not what we expected!SE Asia is full of tiny kitchens that produce delicious foodMathai got a pair of sneakers, chosen from these convincing knock-offsArriving home after 1amStreet soup for breakfast1

    Bear Sanctuary & Hanoi New Years Eve

    December 31, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    As we left karst and jungles in Vietnam, I was thinking about Al Duncan, the partner of Aunt Wendy (Jeanne's sister, who died a few years ago). Al was an American soldier in the Vietnam War (which has a different name over here - the American War, in Vietnam, and the Secret War, in Laos - more on that later).

    Al would talk about how he couldn't go into the forest anymore, after serving in Vietnam. Seeing forested Vietnamese mountains for myself, I could deeply imagine why this was the case. Bamboo grows many stories high, spreading feathery leaves in all directions. Vines cascade down rocks and trees. The greenery is so thick, it's hard to see through. If there were people hiding in these forests, waiting to attack, it would be terrifying. Add humidity and bugs, and it would be overwhelming.

    Without this lived experience of trauma, I was able to appreciate both the beauty and history of these lands.

    On our way to Hanoi, we visited a bear sanctuary. This was to offer something that Mathai would enjoy (as he finds all the temples supremely boring), and support an important effort. The bears are at this sanctuary because of the bear bile industry.

    Bear bile has been used in East Asia medicine for more than 1000 years (to treat liver and gallbladder ailments). These Asian Bears are often captured from the wild, imprisoned in cages, and suffer for decades. It was beautiful and sad to see them enjoying their freedom in the sanctuary, while we observed from a viewing platform at a distance.

    From this rural area, we went to Hanoi, where we'd have two days in the big city. Incredible pollution. So much good food. Shopping for knock-off products galore.

    For New Years, we met up with a French-Canadian family. To get to them, we navigated through incredibly packed streets. We had to push our way through some crowds, apologizing as we went. Even though it was wall-to-wall people, the crowd was friendly and calm. Thankfully!

    We watched a traditional water puppet show, with gorgeous music, This art form emerged from long wet seasons when the rice fields are flooded.

    Fireworks filled the night sky, which we watched over a lake in the center of the old city. Hanoi offered eight of these fireworks spectacles across this huge city of 8.5 million people.    Read more

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    There are many ethnic tribes in Vietnam, mostly in the hills.
    1Bamboo wizardry meets bicycle-balance mastership.Bahnar communal house, modelled after one built in 1920s in the Central Highlands of Vietnam2Preparing for Tet, the lunar new yearMilk tea with cakes1Chanukah present: buying a huge bag of candy!So many delicious drinks!Maine Coon! And some incredibly delicious cocktails streetside in HanoiVery common washing up technique for street food stallsThis Michelin recommended Phở place is indeed superbRich broth, tender meat - even better than normal!Restaurants are set up anywhere you can drop a small stoolHanoi prison museumLand plots are long and skinny throughout Vietnam, meaning buildings are tooHanoi was over 400 PM of 2.5 diameter particles per cubic meter. Read = extremely polluted

    Vietnamese peoples & Michelin Pho

    January 1 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    There are 54 officially recognised ethnic groups in Vietnam. The Museum of Cultures of Vietnam's Ethnic Groups displayed both miniature and life-sized examples of dwelling styles, traditional dress and culture, crafts and arts, and so much more. In the gardens, we got to try our skills at traditional bamboo games (took a lot of practice, but the boys mastered it!).

    Hanoi's night markets were fairly similar to others we'd seen in towns in the south. But, the street food stalls and restaurants were amazing. Down the street from our apartment there were a dozen places, each specializing in a protein: chicken, duck, eel, pork, snails and more. We ate soup with noodles (phở) three times a day one day we were there! It's so good.

    The "Hanoi Hilton", as the American prisoners of war called it in the 70s, was our other museum visit in this city. The original prison was used by the French colonists for political prisoners, mostly those resisting French rule. The exhibits displayed the cruelty of colonialism working to remain in power.

    The museum also discussed the war we know inNorth America as the "Vietnam War." In Vietnam, it's known as the "American War." In Laos, we learned, it's called the "Secret War" because at the time, the fierce American bombing of Laos was hidden from the American public.

    Exhibits carefully positioned Vietnam as the humane victor of this war, treating prisoners of war so very well. We saw pictures of Americans keeping chickens, getting letters from home, playing ping pong etc. In reality of course, the prison was known for its poor conditions, including overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, inadequate food, and torture of POWs. It started to be hard to take in any of the information, as we needed to navigate such thick propaganda...    Read more

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    First breakfast... really didn't enjoy it!Sun dried fishFishing is an important part of daily life in many areas we travelled, no matter the water qualityGiant fruit bats nesting next to the Royal ResidenceReleasing captive birds is a ritual performed to gain merit and good karmaIn Buddhism, roast pig is a special offering to pay respect to loved ones and their ancestral spirit1Many jobs are performed manuallyAngkorian army chiefThe Khmer Rouge laid thousands of land mines that continue today to maim and killLandmine clearing teams are using a mix of tools to detect and clear minesHero rat!11

    Giant bats & giant rats in Cambodia

    January 2 in Cambodia ⋅ 🌙 28 °C

    Our one stop in Cambodia was Siem Reap - home of many wonders including Angkor Wat, which you likely already know about. Less widely-recognized is Siem Reap's giant fruit bats, also known as Flying Foxes, seen previously on our trip in the Komodo Islands. Their disgusting poop was all over the sidewalk near the Royal Palace in Siem Reap.

    The palace gardens also featured a Buddhist temple, where we saw crowds of people honouring their ancestors through offerings, incense and prayers. Mathai worked off some of his karma by releasing a caged bird. I'm not convinced this is true merit-making, because the bird was likely caged in order to be purchased and freed...

    Also less recognized is but another highly amazing Siem Reap feature is the giant rats who help clear landmines that still maim and kill people, 40+ years after they were laid down.

    The Khmer Rouge was a radical communist movement that ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. Under Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge killed up to two million of their fellow citizens. During these years, most of the country’s professionals, artists, scholars and other non-farming skilled people were tortured and exterminated, to rid the nation of foreign ideas. People in the cities were relocated to the villages to learn farming and absorb the ways of 'unadulterated' rural people. People who lived through this period experienced starvation, cruelty, brainwashing and constant fear. The Khmer Rouge continued their guerrilla warfare, and laying land mines for over 20 years.

    Perhaps 4 million land mines still litter the lands of Cambodia. Anything over 15kg can set one off.

    The hero rat program is an innovative solution to clearning land mines. Giant African rats, weighing far less than 15kg are trained to sniff out TNT. It takes humans with metal detectors three to four days to clear explosives from a tennis court-sized area, but for APOPO's "hero rats", it's just 30 minutes.

    This land mine clearing program was SO inspiring. And, the rats are pretty cute :-)    Read more

  • Lyons TaleTravelerLyons Worldschooling Adventure
    Marian plum. Big pit, sweet fruit, slightly thick skin.Mangosteen. Apparently the Queen of England loved and offered a big reward for fresh onesFrog stuffed with minced meatTuk tuk

    Active in Cambodia

    January 3 in Cambodia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    A key ingredient for keeping the kids happy during these long travels is helping them stay active. In Siem Reap, we found a roller skating spot that was very popular with the local kids. Some of the locals were even giving our boys tips.

    We also found a wake park in the area. Aaron, Judah and Mathai worked their way up the hierarchy of wake park instruments: knee board, waterskis and then wakeboards. It was LOTs of work for them. And, super fun. They were all pretty sore the next day 😆.

    The worldschool hub we joined brought us to a floating village for touring and swimming. Many of the people who live in these floating homes are landless, and some are stateless.

    We rented a scooter for the week, allowing us to do some shopping and exploring. The Cambodians really know how to chill, and have some beautiful spots for hanging out.    Read more

  • Lyons TaleTravelerLyons Worldschooling Adventure
    13

    Water blessing & rice paddy picnic

    January 5 in Cambodia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Cambodians have a traditional ritual where monks chant and pour holy water over people to wish them good luck, health, and happiness. The water blessing is a practice that is still a part of daily life in Cambodia, and our host arranged for us to experience this. Our monk had one proverbial foot in traditional life, while blessing us, and the other foot in the contemporary, taking photos and checking his messages.

    We were NOT expecting the amount of water he poured over us. A full on drenching. We were very... blessed. Then, we picnicked at a rice field.

    Most Cambodian boys spend time at a monastery. In the past, it was one of the few opportunities for getting a good education. Today, it's a pathway to learning English as well as Buddhist traditional knowledge. Our host, Sok, spent months as monk when we was a kid.

    In the early mornings, monks walk to the town to where locals provide rice as a merit-making gesture. The monks eat two meals a day, lunch being their last meal until the next day's pre-dawn.    Read more

  • Lyons TaleTravelerLyons Worldschooling Adventure
    Sok, our guideMathai was sick, he missed this oneGibbonBuddahs were added and removed as Hindu and Buddhist rulers replaced one another1The jungle swallowed this temple over the years21Incredibly skilled builders

    Angkor Wat & Ta Prohm

    January 6 in Cambodia ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    Angkor Wat was one of the only Cambodian things I was familiar with before this visit. It's iconic. This is the 800 year old capital of the Khmer Empire.

    We arrived in darkness, slowly watching the sky lighten against these ancient buildings, creating beautiful silhouettes. Our guide took us to a quieter vantage point, where we could also see the hundreds of people gathered to watch the sunrise.

    Stretching around the central temple is an 80m-long series of bas-reliefs. Ancient Hindu stories like the Ramayana are told in these carvings, through beautiful detail.

    Some of the reliefs are shiny from the fingers of people looking for good luck by rubbing the motifs.

    We learned that "Angkor Wat is, figuratively, heaven on earth. It is the earthly representation of Mt Meru, the Mt Olympus of the Hindu faith and the abode of ancient gods."

    Angkor Wat is a national symbol, the epicentre of Khmer civilisation and a source of fierce national pride. It has been in virtually continuous use since it was built. Because it is fully Khmer, the Khmer Rouge didn't destroy this beautiful place during its purge of most intellectual achievements during its bloody reign.    Read more

  • Lyons TaleTravelerLyons Worldschooling Adventure
    Entrance to Banyon Temple
    Judah practicing his palm sugar harvesting techniquePalm sugar production. Mid-sized palm nuts are squeezed, the juice is boiled down, then formedTerrace of the ElephantsTonle Om South Gate Bridge: ancient and contemporary (stone) giants pulling on a naga snakeMonkeys!1Tri-headed elephant. Incredible detailMathai has very little energy for temples, churches, mosques, etc. But we take him anyways!The first of this style outboard motor we saw, but not the last!Food was served on lotus leaves! Papaya crab salad, sweet fried fish, water spinach, spicy raw beefPlea Sach Ko beef salad with the beef cured in lime juiceThe day ended with a half sunk boat 😐

    Bayon Temple & Banteay Srei

    January 7 in Cambodia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Later in the week, we returned to the temples as a family. (Mathai was happily feeling better from his fever and lethargy!) So much beauty, so much history in these structures.

    The Banyon temple had many impressive sculptures of faces and Buddhas (which were removed by subsequent Hindu leaders). This temple was built in the late 12th or early 13th century.

    The bridges crossed moats surrounding the temple. At the Angkor Thom South Gate, the bridge is flanked on either side by sculptures. At the head is a "massive stone carving of a seven-headed Naga (mythical serpent) being held by a multi-armed and multi-headed giant. On each side, there are 54 stone giants pulling on the body of the Naga serpent.

    On one side, the giants represent Devas featuring slender oval eyes and a casual smile, on the other side, depicting Asuras with round bulging eyes and grimacing faces, together representing an endless tug of war between good and evil, the polar forces generating the dynamism of life itself."

    The worldschooling hub brought us on a day trip to a lake north of the city. We revelled in the sublimely chill hammock culture of Cambodia. The kids had a blast with the kayaks, unsuccessful fishing endeavours, and we feasted on wonderful local dishes.    Read more

  • Lyons TaleTravelerLyons Worldschooling Adventure
    Tuktuk travels were our main mode of transport, though we also had a scooter for the weekMangosteen!Neak Pean temple, with four pools at each direction, with different animal sculpture & healing power1The forest swallowing the templesDry ice treat of some kind?Snakes, scorpions, crickets, worms, and moreEating a scorpion1Digging into the crickets1

    Phare circus & eating bugs on Pub Street

    January 8 in Cambodia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Our jaws fell open multiple times at the Phare Circus performer's skill. They showed incredible artistry with limited resources. Acrobatics, dancing, music making, singing, juggling, trapeze and so much more! This show was about the interactions between locals and foreigners, a relevant topic for Siem Reap.

    The circus association "was formed in 1994 by 9 young men coming home from a refugee camp after the Khmer Rouge regime. They were greatly helped during that time by an art teacher using drawing classes as therapy and wanted to share this new skill among the poor, socially deprived and troubled youngsters in Battambang. They founded an art school and public school followed to offer free education. A music school and theatre school were next and finally, for the kids who wanted more, the circus school. Today more than 1,200 pupils attend the public school daily and 500 attend the alternative schools."

    Towards the end of the week with the worldschooling hub, the group went to "Pub Street" for a night of booze (for the adults) and weird foods (for mostly the kids). Thus began Judah's adventure in eating bugs of various kinds, which, continued throughout the rest of our time in Southeast Asia. Mathai sadly had to stay home for this one, but found his own bug-chomping opportunities at future stops.    Read more

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