My Trip on the Banana Pancake Trail!

This summer I took a trip to Asia, to follow the Banana Pancake Trail.

Stop 1: Vietnam

My first stop on the Banana Pancake Trail was in
Vietnam, on the east of the Indochina Peninsula.
I took a plane, as it was halfway across the world
from Kansas City. I went to Ho Chi Minh City and saw a lot
of important buildings, such as the city hall and
the Notre-Dame Cathedral. The street food was
incredible, some of the best I've ever had, I think.
The Vietnamese people use their environment to the fullest;
the streets were packed with shops. The culture was very
vibrant and the religion was a unique blend of Buddhism,
Confucianism, and Taoism. Overall I had a great time.

Stop 2: Laos

My second stop on the Banana Pancake Trail was in
Laos, directly to the west of Vietnam. I went to
Vientiane, the capital, via train. While in Vientiane,
I took a lot of buses, and the first place I visited
was Pha That Luang, a Buddhist monument built in the
15th century. Buddhism is especially prevalent here;
it makes up about 2/3 of the religion in Laos. I found
the people to be really nice and welcoming, and there
was a very relaxed atmosphere. I went to the Ban Anou
Night Market for dinner and tried a lot of different
Lao foods, most of which were good (in particular some
sticky rice).

Stop 3: Myanmar

My third stop on the Banana Pancake Trail was in
Myanmar, on the west side of the Indochina Peninsula.
I visited Yangon (because its former name of Rangoon
was the origin for one of my favorite foods ever: crab
rangoon) via train. Again, the main religion was
Buddhism, and, again, I went to see a Buddhist monument,
named the Shwedagon Pagoda, which was absolutely gorgeous.
The city's attractions seemed much more religion-based
than the others I had visited. Since the country borders
China, Bangladesh, India, and Thailand, all the cultures
of those countries seemed to blend together here, especially
in the food.

Stop 4: Thailand

My fourth stop on the Banana Pancake Trail was in
Thailand, which is southeast of Myanmar. Yet again,
I took a train. Before I visited I had heard that
tourism was on the decline but was pleasantly surprised
- the area did seem a bit more sketchy than others but
I still felt safe. I wanted to try a new kind of food
so I got some Khao Soi, a type of curry, in Chiang Mai.
Normally I don't like coconut much but this dish made
it work incredibly well. The next day I took a hike on
the Monk's Trail, allowing me to take a bit and reflect
on my journey so far. Then I went and watched a few Muay
Thai matches at the Chiang Mai Boxing Stadium to end my
time in Thailand off with a bang.

Stop 5: Cambodia

My fifth and final stop on the Banana Pancake Trail was in
Cambodia, southeast of Thailand. As the trip came to a close,
I wanted to go somewhere more peaceful, so I went to the
Angkor Green Park in Siem Reap. It helped me understand a lot
about the Cambodian history and culture, and there was a wax
museum, which was really interesting. Then, I went into the
town, got some Lok Lak at the Lum Orng restaurant, headed to
the airport, and flew back to Kansas City, where I drove back home.