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Amazing Thailand
We recently returned from a 25 day visit to Thailand and Cambodia. (There are hyperlinks throughout this blog. They appear in italics - right click with your mouse on the link and then select open in a new tab if you want to read the additional info.)
Transportation
12 airplane flights , taxi, 2 ferries, local Phuket bus, Bangkok sky train, longboat, yacht, kayak, canoe, songthaew trucks, rickshaw, big bus, minivan, elephant, ox cart, wooden motor boat, tuk tuk.
Thailand Primer
Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that has never been colonized. The country is both a democracy and a kingdom and the Thai people love their king who is the longest standing monarch in the world. Pictures of the royal family adorn archway entrances to towns and cities and are found on numerous buildings throughout the country. Royalty is purported by many to be a stabilizing influence on Thailand.
The people of Thailand tend to be very respectful, soft spoken and polite. To show their respect they “wai” which involves putting hands together at chest level while gently bowing their heads. It was not uncommon; to walk up to a hotel desk and have the staff stop what they were doing and “wai”.
The other common custom is removing of shoes. Generally shoes are removed on entering a store and certainly on entering a temple. One quickly learns to wear shoes that can be easily removed.
The service in all of ten of the hotels we stayed in was amazing. Spotlessly clean rooms, hairdryer cords wrapped up everyday like they just came from the factory and fabulous breakfast buffets were common.
Religion in Thailand is about 94% Buddhist, 4 % Muslim (mostly in the south), less than 1% Hinduism and .05% Christian. The predominance of Buddhism is everywhere: from ornately adorned temples or wats (both new and old), monks mainly in orange robes, locals and tourists offerings to Buddha (flowers, incense, and candles, money tree), blessings (Holy water, string tied by a monk around your wrist) and luck related emblems (elephants, shaking sticks and then choosing a fortune related to the number on the stick, walking around a Buddha image a specific number of times, making a wish next to a Buddha that represents the day of the week of your birth). We certainly learned a lot about the Buddhist religion.
Friday Buddha - Friday represents "Reflection" or "Contemplation”. My name in Thai is เกล
Arrival
After a very long flight, we arrive in Bangkok and stayed overnight in a hotel very close to the airport. In the morning, we rose early and realized that we were very close to a canal and Ladkrabang Temple. One of the first amazing sights that I encountered was observing a monk involved in almsgiving. The monks wake early and walk out to areas where the public gather. People approach the monks and offer food to them which assists in connecting the human to the monk.
Koh Phangan
We flew to Koh Samui and then caught a ferry to Koh Phangan. Chai (owner Seaflower Bungalows) met us at the ferry and transported us by a Songthaew truck to the Seaflower Bungalow Resort. Lise (owner) was the perfect host and looked after all of our needs. The resort has been developed with much attention to detail, beautiful grounds with magnificent vegetation and a charming restaurant including places to relax. Heaven Bar provided a perfect place to meet the other guests at the resort. We chatted with people from Sweden, Estonia, New Zealand, Germany, Switzerland, France, Canada, Australia and more. Our Thai style bungalow was the perfect place to relax while enjoying the ocean view from the hammock on our veranda.
Koh Phangan is an island located in the Gulf of Thailand. The island is lush and full of beauty with amazing warm weather, pristine beaches and interesting countryside. The city of Surat Thani (130,000 people) afforded an enjoyable location for lunch and some excellent shopping. Feeding elephants, hiking to the Phaeng Noi waterfall, riding scooters across the island and dining on Thai cuisine were some of the highlights.
We also took an action packed cruise to the Angthong National Marine Park in the Gulf of Thailand. The marine park is an archipelago of 42 islands in a protected sea, famous for its natural beauty. The day was spent kayaking (through caves) and snorkeling in the South China Sea, hiking on the island of Meh Koh, beach time at Koh Wua Talap and viewing the steep limestone rock formations jutting out of the emerald ocean waters. It was an amazing day!
It was difficult to leave behind the beauty and relaxed atmosphere of the Seaflower Bungalows and the island of Koh Phangan but the rest of our adventure lay ahead. A short ferry ride to Koh Samui and then a flight to Phuket led to another amazing experience!
Phuket
Phuket is a large province. It is 48 kms long and has a population of around ½ million people. Traffic moves slowly in Phuket and so you must be prepared for long waits. Kata Beach was our new home away from home. Hot weather and a lively resort atmosphere made Kata Beach a good choice. Phuket and Kata Beach, located in the Andaman Sea were hit by the 2004 Tsunami. Kata Beach had some injuries as a result of the event, but did not have any casualties. The only evidence is Tsunami warning signs in the region. There are instructions in the hotel of what to do should there be a re-occurrence.
There were so many interesting sights to enjoy in Phuket. Walking the streets and observing the activity was probably the most interesting spectacle. You never knew what you might see or do. Some of them included: A mobile cocktail bar in a vintage Volkswagen van, a lady cooking a Thai stir fry while driving a scooter, snakes for sale, lighting floating lanterns on the beach, having a Thai massage (talk about being walked on), amazing sunsets, shrines and offerings to Buddha at every business, quaint restaurants and bars, drinking from a coconut, a mobile truck with a Thai Boxing match on the roof, hill tribe ladies from the north selling fun hats, vendors making Thai pancakes at lightning speed, fireworks on the beach (every night), high and low tides, The Big Buddha (really, really big) visible from almost everywhere, signs in Thai, English and Russian (lots of Russian tourists), tailor made suits at low prices, rubber trees, elephants, scooters piled high with loads of whatever, scooters everywhere, intricate soap carving, Phuket's canals and Sino-Portuguese architecture and the local bus driver stopping for gas with a full load of passengers on the bus.
Andaman Islands in the Strait Malacca
A day trip from Phuket to Phang-Na Bay and Andaman Islands provided spectacular maritime scenery. Island hopping, hiking, kayaking, snorkeling and swimming in the Indian Ocean were some of the few activities in this action packed adventure.
We canoed through the lagoon and though the caves viewing stalactites and amazing rock formations near Hong Island. We also passed through a mangrove forest which was quite fascinating.
A stop at Koh Paynee(Muslim Village) which is a floating village where the homes are built over the water’s surface. This island was featured on the TV show “The Amazing Race”. One side of the island was truly fascinating, with homes, shops and a soccer field all on the water. Unfortunately, the other side of the island is a tourist trap with souvenir shops and restaurants. None the less, it is a fascinating place and well worth the visit.
We took long tail boats to visit James Bond Island (Ping Kan Island) for a brief stop. The movie “Man with the Golden Gun” was filmed here. The scenery is spectacular.
Bangkok (Population 12 million)
A short flight to Bangkok followed by a quick hotel check-in and then more exploring. There was an interesting temple complex adjacent to the hotel and the first of many temples (Wat Tasnarunsuntrikaram) to be explored. The next day there was a half day city and temple tour. This tour gave an introduction to Bangkok, the “City of Angels”. The tour drove through China Town, the Indian Market, and the Wholesale Flower Market. A highlight was a visit Wat Po (Temple of the Reclining Buddha), the oldest and first school for people in Thailand. We saw the Reclining Buddha statue, which is an incredible 160 feet in length and 40 feet high. The tour ended with a drive down to Royal Avenue by government offices as well as the Palace of the present king.
After strolling the streets of Bangkok and riding on the efficient but crowded Skytrain, we arrived at the Sirocco SkyBar which is located on the 63rd floor of The Dome at the State Tower. Sirocco is considered to be world's highest al fresco (fresh air) restaurant and bar. The views of Bangkok and the Chao Phraya River are breathtaking. A live jazz band added to the ambiance. The Sirocco SkyBar was featured in the movie The Hangover Part II.
More Bangkok touring included a visit to Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and the adjoining Grand Palace. Wat Phra Kaew consists of over 100 brightly colored buildings, golden spires and glittering mosaics which date back to 1782, when Bangkok was founded. The Grand Palace has a European-inspired design, is used only for occasional ceremonial purposes and is no longer the royal residence.
In the evening, we took a very relaxing cruise on the Chao Phraya River and enjoyed Bangkok by night. Saxophones played as the ship pulled into the dock and then the entire crew saluted the passengers that were waiting to board. We cruised slowly up the river, passing by the Royal Navy Fort, Grand Palace and many beautiful temples which were illuminated.
Ayutthaya
We then left The City of Angels (Bangkok) behind to travel to Ayutthaya. This city was the second and most prosperous capital of Thailand, from 1350-1767. On the way, we stopped at Bang Pa In Royal Palace. Bang Pa In was the royal summer palace for Thai kings. Originally constructed in 1632, the complex fell into disrepair. In the mid-1800's, King Mongkut restored the site to its former glory. We enjoyed a visit to the Chai Wattanaram Temple. This temple was built by King Prasat Tong, who was actually a commoner who overthrew the previous king and took his throne. It is a lovely tranquil place to take in the nature and greenery.
Sukhothai
Next traveling north to Sukhothai provided an opportunity to see the Northern countryside. Sukhothai was founded in the 13th Century by King Ramkhamhaeng, as the capital of Siam. We explored the Sukhothai Historical Park and saw beautiful Thai architecture which was produced during Sukhothai's golden era - between the 13th and 14th centuries. Modern Sukhothai is made up of the old town and new town. The old town of Sukhothai mainly consists of the large Historical Park, where most of the remains of the original city can be seen. The complex consists of ancient Buddha figures, palace buildings and ruined temples.
Chiang Rai, Mae Sai Border Town & Golden Triangle
We drove to the town of Mae Sai which is the northern-most point of Thailand, on the border of Myanmar (Burma). We crossed the border into Myanmar. It was a totally amazing experience to see the contrast between Thailand which has developed greatly in the last thirty years to Burma which still has dirt roads, lack of sanitation and a higher degree of poverty than its neighbour. Here we experienced many interesting things including: Betel Nut Chewing – (A leaf, crushed Areca palm nut and tobacco are rolled up, chewed and then spit out. The teeth of those that participate in chewing are stained red), Thanaka Make-up (A type of creamy paste make-up is applied to the face of girls and women often in a circular shape or in the shape of a leaf). I also visited a temple and learned that I was born on a Friday. Then I was taken to a Friday Buddha image to release a sparrow from a small straw container. Amazing! And all of the transportation was courtesy of a motorized rickshaw.)
We also stopped to visit Wat Rong Khun. This temple is unique as it is totally white in colour with mirrored glass mosaics embedded in plaster. A renowned Thai artist, Chalermchai Dissipation has designed and built this contemporary temple. Inside the chapel are modern images including movie images from Predator, Keanu Reeves character in the Matrix, as well as images of Spiderman, Batman and the attack on The World Trade Centre. On entering the chapel there is a sea of hands rising up towards the bridge to the temple, some holding skulls. It is well worth a stop on the way into Chiang Rai.
Next adventure: A Mekong River Cruise. The Mekong River is 2,703 miles long and originates from the Tibetan Plateau. It runs through China, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. The section of the river at the Golden Triangle flows through the spot where three countries Myanmar (Burma), Laos and Thailand meet. We disembarked at Don Sao, a small island of Laos.
In the evening we went the to the night bazaar to shop for the local wares of Chiang Rai. It was very interesting looking at the market stalls including the deep fried insects for sale.
Chiang Mai
The next stop was Chiang Mai which is the cultural heart of Northern Thailand. Located in the rolling foothills of the Himalayas, Chiang Mai's remained isolated from the world until the 1920's. The next morning we boarded Songthaew trucks to see the Doi Mae Salong hill tribes. We saw the unique way of life & culture of the various tribes that is still maintained today. We visited villages with the Akha and Yao tribes.
The next day we traveled northwest along the Mae Sa Valley, with its scenic botanical gardens and ten-tiered waterfalls, to visit the Mae Sa Elephant Training Camp. Here we saw elephants bathing, a soccer match and elephants painting. The camp's goal to protect the endangered Thai Elephant by controlled breeding, a program which has flourished since it was established in 1995. We also rode on the back of a Thai Elephant, after we fed them bananas and sugar cane and giggled as we enjoyed ticklish elephant hugs and kisses.
We enjoyed a time at the Wat Phrathad Doi Suthep, erected in 1384 A.D. It is located 3500 feet above sea level and is Northern Thailand's most sacred temple. It contains a relic of Buddha and a copper-plated chedi topped by a tiered gold parasol in its interior cloister. Equally impressive is the mythological Naga (Dragon-headed serpent) staircase, consisting of 290 steps leading up to the temple grounds. This was definitely one of the most impressive temples we saw in Thailand. Being there on a Sunday, with the crowds of Thai people made the day even more special.
In the afternoon we enjoyed the Chiang Mai Flower festival.
In the evening, we had dinner (and a Thai cooking lesson) in a local Chiang Mai family home. We enjoyed a tour of the home, and an open conversation of how a typical Thai family lives. It was a beautiful home just outside of the city in a lovely rural setting. At the end of the evening we made a wish and then released floating lanterns into the night sky.
Siem Reap
Next a flight to Siem Reap, via Bangkok. We toured the National Museum (which depicts the historical path of the Golden Era of Khmer Kingdom) with a knowledgeable guide.
I also tried out the fish pedicure: $3 – coke or beer; You dip your feet in a tank of toe-size carp known as garra rufa or Doctor fish. (Apparently, there is a Turkish legend about a shepherd who injured his foot and stuck it into a hot spring teeming with small fish. The foot healed and the practice spread throughout Asia) The nibbling fish tickled in the beginning and after some trepidation, screaming and laughing, I finally was able to relax enough to enjoy the massage.
In the evening we enjoyed a Cambodian dinner and a traditional Apsara show(an indigenous ballet-like performance art of Cambodia).
The next day we visited the fortified city of Angkor Thom where we saw the Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper Kings, Baphuon, Phimeanakas, and the Royal Enclosure. Also we explored Angkor Thom, the mysterious Bayon Temple (where the movie Tomb Raider was filmed), which has beautifully preserved bas-reliefs and giant smiling stone faces. Then the highlight was a visit to the UNESCO site of Angkor Wat, a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. World-famous for its beauty and splendor, Angkor Wat features the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which runs along the outer gallery walls and narrates stories from Hindu mythology. We were lucky enough to experience sunset at Angkor Wat.
The next day was action packed. We enjoyed driving through the farming areas of Cambodia past the rice field and then experienced a ride on ox-cart (pulled by water buffaloes. This ox-cart is used by local farmers as their transportation. From the ox-cart we saw the agricultural way of life and glorious scenery.
After, we enjoyed a boat excursion on the Tonle Sap, or Great Lake, located in the heart of Cambodia. It boasts a rich and diverse ecosystem as well as floating fishing villages. The floating fishing village was truly fascinating. Villages are moved one house at a time, as the season changes from the rainy to the drier season. Such an interesting way of life!
Leaving Cambodia behind, we flew back to Bangkok for a final night before returning home to Canada.
What an amazing adventure!
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