Hawaii: Turtle Bay Resort & Polynesian Cultural Center

Everyone knows Hawaii as being one of the most beautiful destinations the United States has to offer, but have you ever dug deeper and experienced the Polynesian culture that make these islands so special? From learning how families uphold centuries old traditions telling stories through song and dance, to trying the many flavors that make up the varied landscape of Hawaiian food, my friend Nina and I were able to immerse ourselves in true Aloha spirit, making this girlfriend’s getaway one that we’ll talk about for years to come.

Hosted by the Polynesian Cultural Center and Turtle Bay Resort.

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Hawaiian Luau

The Birth of the Hawaiian Luau

[infobox]The first luau was held in 1819, and it was a symbol of major changes in Hawaiian traditions.[/infobox] The Polynesian culture is defined by a oneness with nature, and it ...
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    • A natural at rice farming? ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ ... thatโ€™s up for debate, but Iโ€™m pretty sure Iโ€™m a natural at wearing this traditional Lanna farmerโ€™s outfit and hat tho ๐Ÿค—๐Ÿ˜ . . The Veranda High Chiang Mai offers a really fun hands-on, family friendly experience learning about the Journey of the Rice Grain. ๐Ÿ‘‰๐Ÿผ Be sure to check my stories or highlight above to see us actually planting and harvesting! . . ๐Ÿ“ŒFun facts about rice: . ๐Ÿš Rice is the oldest known food that is still widely consumed today. Archaeologists can date its consumption back to 5000 BC. ๐Ÿš There are over 40,000 varieties of rice! ๐Ÿš Asia alone both produces and consumes 90% of the worldโ€™s rice. ๐Ÿš Rice, which adds strength and stability, was used in the walls of the city of Nanjing, China during the Chinese Ming dynasty (1300-1600). Which is your favorite variety of rice? . ๐Ÿ“ Chiang Mai, Thailand ๐Ÿ“ท: @candydergreat . ๐Ÿ™๐ŸผThis is part of a #ThailandInsider partnered experience. Thank you for the experience @VerandaResort and @ThailandInsider
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    • Practicing the act of Wai Phra ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿผ (making an offering) at Wat Ban Pong after giving morning alms to the monks living here. Though Iโ€™m agnostic, the more time I spend in Thailand, the more I believe I was meant to be a Buddhist. The kindness and compassion of the Buddhaโ€™s teachings make my heart ๐Ÿ’• happy, so I try to learn about and participate in the rituals as much as I can. โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € *๐Ÿ‘€ my story to see how one makes an offering!* โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € Why make offerings to the Buddha? โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € Offerings are not made in order to win the Buddhaโ€™s favor or to provide him with things he needs. After all, the Buddha is enlightened! He does not need material things for happiness and he is not swayed by flattery or bribery. Instead, he offers universal love, kindness and compassion. โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € So whatโ€™s the point you ask? Itโ€™s simple. You make an offering to create positive energy and to remind yourself of the teachings of the Buddha. You are striving to develop his qualities within yourself. โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € The offering usually consists of a candle ๐Ÿ•ฏ, incense and a flower ๐ŸŒบ (usually a lotus) - but can also include water and fruit. The meanings of each can vary, but in general; โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € * The light of the candle flame symbolizes the light of the Buddhaโ€™s teachings. It also symbolizes wisdom and drives away the darkness of ignorance. * The incense are thought to be purifying of both the space and your mind. * The flower symbolizes the Buddhist teachings purity, but also reminds us that things are impermanent. We should value what we have now and live in the present. โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € You will often see collection boxes throughout temples. A donation go towards the upkeep of the temple and alsoย earns merit for the person donating. I always try to make at least a monetary donation when Iโ€™ve taken photos at a temple ๐Ÿ˜Š โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € Have you ever made an offering at a Buddhist temple? โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € ๐Ÿ“ Chiang Mai, Thailand ๐Ÿ“ท: @Candydergreat โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € This is part of a #ThailandInsider partnered experience. @ThailandInsider
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    • It was an early morning wake up call, but the reason was well worth it. @VerandaResort had set up a special class to teach us how to create a breakfast alms basket ๐Ÿงบ for the monks at the local Buddhist Temple - Wat Ban Pong. โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € โ€œThe ritual of giving alms to monks is a way for Thai people to give back to Buddhist monks, who in turn dedicate their lives to teaching others about being good and virtuous. It's not charity in the Western sense. Thai people see it as a virtue.โ€ โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € Our teacher made creating the pyramid shaped rice ๐Ÿš and chicken ๐Ÿ— wrap look easy (watch the video in my story!), but we were all thankful that monks are forgiving ๐Ÿ˜‚. We added other assorted items like water, snacks and a flower/candle/incense offering bundle to our alms basket - totaling 9 items (because 9 is a very lucky ๐Ÿ€ number in Thailand!). โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € Wat Ban Pong is a short drive (or 15 minute walk) from the resort. We had the opportunity to chat with one of the 9 monks serving the temple while waiting for the others to arrive. After placing our offerings into each of their receiving vessels, they bestowed ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿผ blessings and well wishes upon us with a beautiful harmonious chant ๐ŸŽถ . (Watch the story to hear it!!). โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € My heart โค๏ธ is happy and full. If you have never had the opportunity to give alms to monks, you should definitely try. Itโ€™s a humbling experience that I will never forget. Thank you Veranda High Resort! โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € ๐Ÿ‘‰๐ŸผWhat do you think - is this something youโ€™d do? โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € ๐Ÿ“ Chiang Mai, Thailand ๐Ÿ“ท: @Candydergreat โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € This is part of a #ThailandInsider partnered experience. @ThailandInsider
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    • ๐Ÿ‘‰๐ŸผTap to view the full video Looking for a more ethical and wildlife-friendly Thai elephant experience? @changchill.th offers an observation only educational day at their sanctuary where elephants ๐Ÿ˜ are allowed to simply be elephants ๐Ÿ’•. No soccer, no painting, no riding, no bathing. Is this the future of elephant tourism in Thailand? I hope so. โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € #hosted #ThailandInsider @thailandinsider โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € ๐ŸŽถ: bensound.com
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    • Our first meal in Chiang Mai was an interesting one. ๐Ÿค” Aside from the expected (delicious, innovative presentations and unbelievably priced - about $2 per dish) ... I have to tell you about the unexpected. โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € The restaurant is actually a new/experimental concept as it employs women from the nearby Chiang Mai Women's Prison. It serves as a Vocational Training Center for the Correctional Institute - allowing the women with minimal time left to serve a means to reintegrate back into society while also creating a sort of piggy bank ๐Ÿฆ to help them get back on their feet when released. Women can work in the restaurant or at the attached massage parlor next door. โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € But wait. ๐Ÿค— It doesnโ€™t stop there. What about the women who have 10, 20 more years to serve, or even life sentences? Well they have a chance to participate too. But since they canโ€™t leave the prison, you have to go to them. โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € Yep. Thatโ€™s right. You have the option of booking a massage INSIDE the prison. ๐Ÿ˜ฑTrained inmates provide the service in a nice room on-site with transportation by bus provided from the restaurant. โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € ๐Ÿ‘‰๐ŸผWhat do you think - is this something youโ€™d do? โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € ๐Ÿ“ Chiang Mai, Thailand ๐Ÿ“ท @candydergreat โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € This is a #ThailandInsider partnered trip
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    • Fair warning. Iโ€™m making my way back to #Thailand today - my favorite ๐Ÿ’• place in the world to stuff my face in. So thereโ€™ll be lots of pics of me eating...and then probably having to buy new (bigger) clothes at the end of my 10 day adventure ๐Ÿ˜‚ โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € Have you visited Thailand? Where did you enjoy the most? What is your favorite Thai dish? I like everything spicy ๐ŸŒถ! Iโ€™m a big fan of papaya salad, basil/garlic anything and the spicy lime steak salad ๐Ÿคค โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € Follow my #ThailandInsider adventure here on stories! ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿผ๐Ÿค— โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ € ๐Ÿ“ท: @candydergreat
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