The restaurant is the brainchild of Pour un Sourire d’Enfant (PSE, or For the Smile of a Child in English), a grassroots organization that was founded over 15 years ago to provide opportunities for Cambodia’s poor and orphaned street children. Initially, PSE kept their vision small, serving food to disadvantaged children. The program grew to encompass a school and eventually vocationalk training. Most of the training now takes place in restaurants like the Lotus Blanc where former street kids are sous chefs and maitre d’s, offering them a chance at a life away from poverty.

Fresh fruit at Lotus Blanc (Source: PSE)

While the restaurant’s primary purpose is on-the-job education, the Lotus Blanc’s food is worth the taxi ride. From fresh seafood dishes to duck confit, the menu is a delight for even picky tastebuds. Nearly 90% of the vegetables served are grown organically on a nearby farm and breakfasts offer a plethora of fresh local fruits. If the menu isn’t enough to win you over, come on a Friday or Saturday night, when the restaurant hosts its traditional Khmer dance evenings.

A memorable meal at the Lotus Blanc is a feature of our EPIC Indochina tour, an adventure certain to whet your appetite!

Mongolians wear their traditional best for Tsagaan Sar and Naadam. Photo: Anna Griswold

First among these is a hearty feast on bituun oroi, New Year’s Eve, including meat dumplings, milk products and milk tea.  This is not the occasion for dainty appetites, as the more you can eat, the better your fortune in the coming year.  Before sunrise on the first day of the new year, Mongolians go outside and bow to the four cardinal points, starting to the east and the rising of the sun.  Offerings are made of airag (fermented mare’s milk) or cow’s milk, before the family returns to the ger (yurt) to light the first fire of the new year.  Younger adults express support and esteem for their elders with zolgokh, a ceremonial arm-hold greeting.  Gifts are bestowed and games played with wooden dominoes and the anklebones of livestock, as fun and laughter are believed to please the spirits that bring good luck.

You would need to be a hearty traveler indeed to participate in the festivities of Tsagaan Sar, as temperatures at this time of year fall way below 0˚ F and blizzards sweep the steppes and mountain ranges.   Fortunately for you festival enthusiasts, another major Mongolian celebration falls in mid-July.  Naadam features competitions in the three “manly sports” of wrestling, horse racing and archery.  The hospitable Mongolians welcome foreign visitors to these contests and the surrounding festivities of feasting, parades and the performing arts.

A wrestling match during Naadam. Photo: Anna Griswold

Guests on Asia360˚’s Epic Mongolia trip (July 3-21) this summer will spend two days at Naadam, cheering on the competitors and attending concerts of traditional dance, throat singing, and horsehair fiddling.  The Mongolian natural world presents its gentler aspect this time of year, with soaring blue skies girding the mountains, rivers, lakes and canyons you will explore via jeep, horseback and on foot.

Make 2012 your lucky year by spending three weeks of it in majestic and congenial Mongolia.

The Sofitel Metropole Hotel, a grand dame of French classical architecture and Asia 360′s preferred accommodation in the capital of Vietnam, is known for its elegance. Built in 1901, the historic property has been THE top address in Hanoi for everyone from presidents to ’60s protest singers. Connoisseurs of luxury rave about nearly every amenity, including dreamy bed linens and delectable French cuisine.

The chocolate buffet at Hanoi's Sofitel Metropole

What it’s not yet well-known for is its sumptious chocolate buffet, offered daily to both guests and drop-ins in its classy Le Club bar. The selection is extensive and will satiate any sweet tooth – truffles, candies, chunks of chocolate, fruit drizzled in chocolate sauce, ice cream and hot fudge, and chocolate coated nuts and pretzels. And did I mention the fondue?

If you’re still craving cacao, top it all off with one of the hotel’s signature hot chocolates. Either mix your own at the station provided or order from the à la carte menu. If Hanoi’s humidity becomes too much, opt for the iced chocolate offering that comes topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Retire to the veranda and sip your sinful beverage in style.

You can taste the Sofitel’s sugary delights during your stay in Hanoi on our Epic Indochina journey.

The precipitous tea fields of Darjeeling. Photo: Anna Griswold

Soil, climate and elevation combine to produce ideal tea growing conditions along the southern flank of the Himalaya. Darjeeling district lies south of Sikkim, bordered by Nepal on the west and Bhutan to the east.  Steep slopes of the foothills enable excellent drainage, while humidity, fog, and cool mountain temperatures stimulate the tea trees into producing leaves of exceptional flavor and complexity.

Surprisingly, the people of India drank little tea prior to the 1850’s. It was British colonists who began experimenting in the mid-19^th century with tea tree seeds and cuttings from China, where domestic cultivation had begun much earlier. Today, most tea properties are privately owned by Indian companies.  Female pickers, with their small hands, are best suited for the delicate task of harvesting tea leaves and buds.  Due to the isolation and manual nature of tea production, many plantations have evolved into self-contained communities with housing and schools for workers and their families.

Asia360˚ guests on this autumn’s EPIC Himalayas journey (Sept. 18-Oct. 6) will spend four nights on a working Darjeeling tea plantation, the Glenburn Tea Estate.  Originally founded in 1859 by Scottish settlers, the estate is now in its fifth generation of ownership by an Indian tea growing family. You will sleep in traditional bungalows and take your meals and, of course, tea time on the terrace overlooking Kanchenjunga, world’s third highest peak.  After two day trips into the towns of Kalimpong and Darjeeling to explore their Buddhist sites, an orchid nursery, and the Snow Leopard Breeding Center, you will spend the final full day of your EPIC Himalayas adventure on the tea plantation.  Our visit should coincide with the picking of the autumn flush, the year’s final harvest before the trees go into their winter dormancy.  We will tour the tea fields and processing facility with the Estate Manager, and during a tea tasting session, sample the difference in teas produced during the first, second and autumn flushes.

Next time you put on the kettle, remember the remarkable origin of the tea leaf, one of our most refined pleasures, and its carefully tended journey to your kitchen cabinet.

Hanok houses were the traditional abode of many Koreans in days gone by. These minimalistic but beautiful L or square-shaped buildings wrap around tiny courtyards where families gathered, children played and visitors were entertained. Hanok roofs could be either thatched, shingled or tiled, though the majority of hanok that remain today are covered by the latter.

The inside of a hanok in Korea (Source: Visit Korea)

As a hanok home is usually sparsely furnished, the most striking feature is the floor, both for its appearance (covered with Korean paper and polished with bean oil) and for its usefulness. While most Western cultures shun the floor for its chill (hence why most of us sleep in raised beds), the Korean invention of the unique ondol floor heating system ensures a toasty night’s sleep even in Korea’s bitter winters. And, just like its neighbor to the east, Korean homes have a “shoes off” policy. The same floor that inhabitants curl up on at night also doubles as the dinner table, and the home is kept as dirt-free as possible.

In Seoul, many hanok homes (both original and restored) come with the additional draw of being located in Samcheong-dong, an artsy neighborhood dotted with cafes and galleries that’s within a stone’s throw of the President’s own lodging (the Blue House) and some of the city’s finest palaces. Warm up in a local teahouse or catch the latest exhibit of avant-garde style before retiring to your cozy hanok and enjoying a taste of the past with your home-cooked meal.

Jaipur ladies brighten the streetscape. Photo: Anna Griswold

Cultures worldwide nurture their folk art traditions, but in the 21^st century there are few places where the traditional arts burst out of the workshop and bustle so confidently down the street as in the Indian region of Rajasthan.

Fabrics dyed in dazzling shades of red, pink, yellow and green, and embroidered, tie-dyed, and block printed are everyday wear, as are gold, silver and gem-encrusted jewelry.  The going is smooth in footwear called “jootis,” fashioned of embroidered camel hide, and entwined turbans in crimson, saffron, and mustard protect from the sun and dust of the desert.

Upon building his new capital, Jaipur, in the early 18^th century, the Rajput maharaja Jai Singh and his architect laid out the city in rectangular sectors with each specializing in a particular handicraft.  Jai Singh was a devoted patron of the arts and science and, in addition to commissioning the construction of magnificent palaces and the world’s largest stone-sculpted observatory, encouraged artisans to settle in Jaipur through tax incentives.

Today the bazaars and workshops of Old Jaipur remain virtually intact within its crenellated walls, providing the strolling visitor a chance to observe skilled craftsmen at work.  Need I say that the shopping is incredible, not only for textiles, apparel and jewelry, but also pottery, tiles, miniature paintings, puppets, sandalwood carving, brassware, enamelwork, and handmade paper!

Our 22-day Epic India trip this fall includes nine days in Rajasthan, including the Pink City of Jaipur, the Blue City of Jodhpur, and festivities of the Pushkar Camel Fair.  Join us, and your color palette will never be the same!

Rajasthani puppets for sale. Photo: Anna Griswold

Yes, that’s right – I wrote “throwing beans”. It’s nearly Setsubun here in Japan, the day (February 3rd to be exact) where the Japanese traditionally chase away the dark spirits and chill of winter away by flinging soybeans either out their front door or at children wearing oni (demon) masks. The head of the household is usually given the fun task of wild soybean distribution, although men who were born under the current zodiac sign can also fill in. The traditional phrase that accompanies the ritual is Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi (demons outside, good luck inside).

Celebrating Setsubun at Zojoji Temple, Tokyo

While families can – and do – enact the setsubun ritual in their own home, it is more popular these days to herald the start of the season with a temple visit, where priests or other notable personages fling packets of beans at the crowds below. In Tokyo and parts of the south, these packets nowadays are mostly peanuts, a more cost-effective choice for large crowds. It’s also not uncommon in the larger cities to spot sumo wrestlers and television personalities up on the platforms participating in the ceremony.

As with all holidays, there’s food to follow - it’s custom to eat a soybean for each year of your life (plus one for luck) and chow down on sushi rolls. Interstingly enough, however, the sushi roll must be a large (think futomaki) uncut roll and must be eaten in silence to harness the full effect of good luck.

However you choose to celebrate spring, may the warm winds of the season soon bring you a respite from winter’s harsh beauty.

Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest. Photo by Anna Griswold

Legend has it that Padmasambhava brought Buddhism to Bhutan in 746 AD via a miraculous journey on the back of a flying tigress.  Upon the site of his landing at the uppermost reaches of a 3,000-foot cliff stands Taktsang, the holiest temple for the Bhutanese and a captivating destination for visitors.

Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche (“Most Precious Teacher”), went on to vanquish spirits of the indigenous Bon religion and heal the ailing King Sindhu, who in gratitude proclaimed Buddhism the new religion of the land.   To this day, its practice permeates every aspect of Bhutanese life and Guru Rinpoche is venerated with statues and painted images throughout the country.   His deeds are celebrated and re-enacted annually in festivals known as tsechus, which last from three to five days and feature masked dances, religious allegorical plays and folk dances.  At the renowned Paro Tsechu, an immense 18^th-century thondrol (a religious picture) of Guru Rinpoche is unfurled at dawn.  The rare, once-a-year display of this 91-foot by 55-foot painting is believed to bestow blessings on its viewers for a few brief hours before it is devotedly rolled up to protect it from the sun.

Since the 1970’s, Bhutan has cautiously but increasingly opened its borders to foreigners.  Nowadays you can take the earthbound approach to Taktsang by walking a steep and breathtaking footpath through a deep pine forest.   You can share the mesmerizing spell cast by masked dancers with Bhutanese villagers who have walked days through the countryside to attend the tsechu.

Mystery and history intertwine in this country that calls itself Druk Yul, the “Land of the Thunder Dragon.”  The appellation reportedly dates from a loud peal of thunder, believed to be the voice of a dragon (“druk”), during the consecration of a new monastery in the 12^th century.   Thundering dragons, flying tigers, and spiritual teachers vested with supernatural powers:  no wonder travel in the Himalaya holds such fascination for us pragmatic Westerners!

Guru Rimpoche painted on a roadcut in Bhutan. Photo: Anna Griswold

In Vietnam, today marks the beginning of Tet, a major celebration to herald the arrival of the new lunar year. With next door neighbor China playing a huge role in Vietnamese history, it’s no surprise that these two nations share a similar holiday. Yet Tet is not merely a fascimile of China’s vaunted festival and the Vietnamese people are proud of their unique and longstanding traditions.

The Tet celebrations in Vietnam last for three boisterous days. Like their counterparts in Chinese communities, Vietnamese cut their hair, clean and occasionally paint their homes, and cook up a feast – not a broom or a pot is touched during the official days of Tet. This might not be the best time to practice your bargaining in the markets – they’re teeming with shoppers purchasing flowers, food and trinkets for the holiday.

An offering for Tet (Source: Wikipedia)

Tet begins at midnight on the last day of the last lunar month. Once welcomed with an abundance of firecrackers, a rash of deaths resulted in a government crackdown on “celebratory incendiery devices” in 1995 and Tet is now ushered in with more of a whisper. But it doesn’t do much to quell the following day’s festivities – incensing burning, gambling on the street corners, and dragon dances as the sun goes down.

Tet is a time to spend at home, as visits to one’s family abode are popular during the three days. The first visitor has the greatest significance – with luck, the honored guest is rich or prestigious … or both! His or her status conveys luck on the family for the coming year. Following this guest comes a parade of relatives and friends, capping off with visits by teachers and business associates on the third day. The living aren’t the only ones paying visits during Tet, however; families set up and decorate elaborate altars in their homes in hopes of pleasing the spirits of deceased relatives who just might pop by.

Tet can be both a frustrating and rewarding time to visit Vietnam. While the transportation infrastructure both pre and post holiday can be a nightmare, the chance to witness the unbridled unenthusiasm of a populace as the welcome their new year is unparalleled.

Missed out on Tet this year – don’t fret! Contact an Asia360 travel specialist and plan your own Custom Indochina adventure.

Photo by Anna Griswold

The Chinese New Year begins with a blank slate, in the heavens and within our hearts and homes.  Determined by the Chinese lunar calendar, it is the date of the new moon that usually falls between mid-January and mid-February of our Western Gregorian calendar.  Next Monday, January 23, ushers in the Year of the Dragon.

Preparations in China and in Chinatowns the world over are already well underway.  A thorough housecleaning sweeps away the old; new clothes and haircuts are believed to prepare for an auspicious beginning.  Traditionally, it was customary to pay off all debts before the New Year.  Red scrolls with couplets written in classical Chinese frame doorways, expressing good wishes to family and friends.  Gifts are purchased for dinner and party hosts, and children are presented with “lucky” money wrapped in red envelopes.   Fireworks blazing through the night sky frighten away evil spirits.

If you were born in 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952, 1940, 1928, or 1916, this is your year.  The dragon is one of twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac cycle believed to refer not only to year of birth, but also one’s character.  Dragons are considered to be confident and capable leaders, endowed with power from heaven.  In the past, their fierce imagery adorned imperial robes, temples and palaces.

New Year is observed in China with a four-day public holiday, but a festive spirit reigns for two weeks until the Lantern Festival on the first full moon of the year.   The luminosity of the sky is mirrored in the glow of paper and silk lanterns hung from homes and along streets, signifying universal hopes for a year of good luck and prosperity.

Asia360˚ wishes you a brilliant Year of the Dragon!  If your fortune predicts an international journey in the coming months, you will want to steer your destiny toward our EPIC China trip or another one of our adventures through the millennia of Chinese culture and history.