Prayer flags are a popular souvenir choices for travelers to Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet or northern India. Closely associated with Tibetan Buddhism, prayer flags may have had their earliest origins in Bon traditions in the region. As you travel about these Buddhist countries, you will see these colorful banners fluttering in the wind where ever you […]
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Myanmar Gold Leaf Traditions and Visiting King Galon
An integral part of life, Myanmar gold leaf appears everywhere throughout the country once known as Burma. You see it gilding the exterior of pagodas. Step inside temples and you will find locals lined up to rub small squares of gold leaf on the Buddha as offerings. Visit one of the lacquer ware workshops and […]
Whirling Dervishes and the Ecstasy of Istanbul Souvenirs
I love finding souvenirs that remind me of favorite moments on a trip like attending a ceremony of the Whirling Dervishes in Istanbul. I didn’t know very much about what it meant to be a dervish or why they twirled other than it was like a form of meditation. Visiting Turkey seemed like the perfect […]