January 17, 2018 Evening

January 17, 2018 Evening

After our elephant adventure we returned to the hotel, showered, and rested up for an hour. We then loaded back on the bus for a trip cross town in rush hour traffic for a home-hosted dinner. But this is no peasant dinner. We dine at a large home on the outskirts of Chiang Mai. The homeowner is an entrepreneur and tour operator. The size of the dining area, tells us they often cater large groups.

Our meal starts with beer and an interesting appetizer called Miang Kham. We each take a “paan” leaf, fold it into a pocket and then add one of many different small items. The ones we could identify were lime, ginger, nut, shallot, coconut, fried tofu, chili and, a jelly. This bite size treat was an instant rush of flavors. Delicious.

The host introduced himself and then gave us a short Thai cooking lesson, something Aimee was hoping for on this trip. The hard part of Thai cuisine is making the various curry pastes. This involved grinding up several items in a large mortar and pestle. This paste is then stir fried with coconut milk, meat and vegetables. We are each given a gift packet of curry paste to take home and try. I can’t wait.

Our buffet meal of six different entrees, plus noodle soup and papaya salad was our best meal of the trip. It ended with mango and a chunk of tapioca.

After dinner the host gave us a tour of the house. The most interesting room was the “Buddha” room. It is common for East Asian homes to have a small shrine. The host showed us small Stupa-shaped urns containing the ashes of relatives, Buddha images, and other mementos and photos meaningful to the family. An interesting story was how Thais got their last names. Yul Brynner’s King Rama IV essentially issued one for everybody typically based on their occupation.

On the bus ride home, Aimee got the shopping bug, and we had the bus drop us off at the Night Bazaar. It is huge and very popular. Aimee shopped for a couple hours. Finally, I dragged Aimee away and four of us took a pickup truck taxi back to the hotel. While Aimee browsed, I did sneak away and get a very inexpensive Thai foot massage. It was a little rough. The masseuse didn’t know I have a sensitive soul, I mean sole.

January 17, 2018

January 17, 2018

Today our touring finally had a late start. It is nice to have a leisurely morning once in awhile. Our first stop is at an Orchid Farm. These flowers are epiphytes with dangling aerial roots. They have two plots with a dozen rows of beautiful orchids of all colors of the rainbow.

The facility also has a butterfly house. We visited one before in Tucson, but it is always fun to watch and photograph these delicate creatures. In particular these butterflies were kind enough to stop and pose frequently for photographs. Once we got our fill of flowers and insects, we sat down for our buffet lunch.

After lunch we drove up into the mountains and then loaded onto a truck for the last leg to an Elephant Sanctuary. We signed up for “Mahout” training. A mahout is an elephant caretaker. Historically elephants were work animals used in battles and for moving heavy loads. Most recently they were used in the Teak logging industry. The Animal Rights movement has now limited what can be done with elephants.

Our first activity was bathing four elephants in the river. Surprisingly only five of our group was willing to get wet and involved. My first impression is the size of these animals. They are big and massive. I am a gnat to them. I am careful not to get accidentally crushed between two or under one when they roll over in the river. I am given a wicker water bucket and told to get busy. The elephant skin is surprisingly thick, rough, and full of bristles. I guess you need armor if you are crashing through the jungle. I don’t think the elephant can feel me rubbing her. Near the end, the male tusked elephant gets in a shoving match with a large tree dangling in the river.

Next is feeding. Each elephant has some special diet supplements. Aimee gets active mixing and kneading them with some rice and tamarind beans into tennis ball-size pellets . I get a basket of bananas and short sugarcane stalks. Elephants are voracious eaters consuming hundreds of pounds per day. They must like the sweets we are giving them as they hungrily take them with their trunk and immediately shove them in the mouth. At one point an elephant reaches in and takes a bunch of bananas and swallows it whole. The sugar cane sticks are eaten with great crushing sounds.

Next we learn to mount the elephant. There are no stairs like in India. The real mahout commands the elephant to lift a leg and then grabbing the top of the ear, you can step like a stairs from shin to thigh and then crawl onto the back. We then shinny forward and straddle the neck behind the ears. We ride our elephant around the yard for a few minutes. Dismounting is the reverse but a little harder trying to locate the leg ”steps” by feel.

Our last activity is some parting photos. Unexpectedly it comes with hugs and kisses. With an elephant, it is a big, slobbery kiss with a monster vacuum-cleaner trunk.

January 16, 2018

January 16, 2018

This morning we boarded trucks and drove northwest of Chiang Rai into the jungle mountains. We stopped in a rural village where several Thai Hill Tribes have been relocated. Most of them are migrants from surrounding countries (as far away as Tibet) who have come to Thailand in hopes of a better life. Some have been here a long time, but most have not been granted citizenship and live on the fringe of the Thai economy. These tourist encounters provide a way to earn income. Learning about the migrant experience just reinforces for me how most of the problems of the US are universal issues around the world.

Some half dozen ethnic groups are represented in this village. All are women peddling their handicrafts while the men are out fishing and farming. The draw of the Hill Tribes are their distinctive features, dress, and cultural practices. One group traditionally wears brightly colored head-wear with elaborate stitching and bead-work. Another has enlarged earlobes.

But the most distinctive ethnic group are the Kayans. They are migrants from Myanmar. The women of this tribe wear brass rings to elongate the neck as a sign of beauty. Apparently the neck only looks longer; actually the shoulders are being depressed. These rings are shockingly heavy.

Before leaving we stopped to see Pineapple, Tobacco, Tapioca, and Rubber Tree groves. From the mountains we returned to Chiang Rai, boarded our bus and then drove southwest towards the city of Chiang Mai. Our journey through the scenic mountain countryside takes us past three national parks (Doi Luang, Khun Chae, and Mae Takhrai). At one point we are passed by a dozen Porsches who must be rallying or in some auto club. Later we make a brief stop at Mae Khachan Hot Springs. It reminds us of a mini-Yellowstone with belching fumaroles. I took my shoes off and relaxed in the steaming stream. You can also buy chicken and quail eggs cooked in a hot spring.

On the outskirts of Chiang Mai, we finally made our required Craft Factory Tours. We got three out of the way in one afternoon: Silk, Gem Cutting (Jewelry) and Silver. In developing countries, this is a way for tour guides to earn additional income.

The last few days, my allergies have flared and I can barely breathe. I am guessing it is from mold growing everywhere, especially the bus’ A/C.  I finally break down and buy some medicine outside our hotel. I tell Aimee this might be our last trip to a humid jungle location. Aimee is ecstatic.

January 15, 2018

January 15, 2018

At breakfast this morning Aimee and I both decided to try Thai coffee. It comes with a layer of sweetened condensed milk on the bottom that sweetens the concoction considerably.

On the bus early, we drove to the northernmost point of Thailand and the border crossing with Myanmar. A few of our group paid the visa fee for a short excursion across to Myanmar. Instead another group of us climb 200 steps up Serpent Stairs to reach Wat Phra That Doi Wao, We made the climb mostly for the great view of Myanmar and the surrounding hills. As a bonus the temple at the peak is known as the Scorpion Temple possibly because an old local king was fond of these Arachnids. About a hundred yards away we discover a Giant Scorpion statue.

When our group rejoins, we drive east to the Golden Triangle and then load up into several noisy two-cylinder engine trucks and slowly make our way into the backcountry passing farms with banana, pineapple, teak, and rubber groves. In the middle of nowhere we have our most delicious tour-provided meal. Aimee and I both have Tilapia.

This area is called the Golden Triangle because Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos meet at this point separated by the Mekong River and a tributary. After lunch, we board a narrow boat for a short tour of the area and then passage across the Mekong River to Laos. Not real Laos, but a large island called Don Sao that was declared a Special Economic Zone. The Chinese are financing the construction of casinos to lure in Thai money. We did some shopping but only bought some Lao Beer as a souvenir.

Back in Thailand, we went to the House of Opium, a museum on this drug and its long history. Not too many years ago the Golden Triangle region was the notorious capital of the Heroin industry. It has mostly been pushed out to Myanmar. We found the museum to be light on information and heavy on artifacts like opium pipes. So we sped through it and finished with a little shopping.

Back in our hotel in Chiang Rai, I tried the Lao Beer. It won’t make my top 10 list, but I did enjoy a nice sunset during the taste test.

January 14, 2018

January 14, 2018

Last night our hotel put on a show of Thai dancing while we dined al fresco. The performance was a little lame but at least it was free.

In the morning as we are leaving the hotel, we watch and participate in giving a food offering to two monks. In Buddhist countries, the community supports the monks physically and in return they receive spiritual support. In Thailand, it is common for young men to become monks for a period of time before marriage and raising a family.

Today we continued our drive north. Shortly after leaving Sukhothai we begin climbing uphill along heavily forested roads.

We make one stop at Wat Phra That Suthoh Mongkhon Khiri, a modern temple with brightly colored figures including a giant reclining Buddha and a huge gold rooster with an elephant head. Aimee remarked that it looked more like a putt-putt golf course than a religious compound.


The forests of Thailand are Teak country. We ate lunch at a hotel that was decorated with teak furniture and teak wall carvings.

Just outside Chiang Rai we stopped at Wat Rong Khun, aka the White temple, This modern compound is less temple and more art exhibit. Built by a wealthy (and eccentric) artist, the many temple-like buildings are filled with symbolism. The white temple represents purity while the adjoining gold building (housing the restrooms) represent greed and materialism. This weird and strange exhibit was a good change of pace from our normal tour itinerary. We had to pay a few bucks to pass through the small temple. It would not have been worth it except for a seated monk in Buddha pose. Aimee thought he was real and remaining still while I was convinced he must be a wax figure. We left not knowing for sure.

Minutes afterwards we enter Chiang Rai and find the resort that will be our home for two days.

January 13, 2018

January 13, 2018

Today we spent the day driving north up the broad Chao Phraya River valley, past endless rice paddies. Thailand used to be the largest rice exporter until India recently surpassed them. About halfway on our journey we see some isolated peaks jutting out prominently from the flat terrain. Monkeys live in them and descend down when food is scarce. A tourist business has developed at the temple selling snacks to feed then. Our guide buys some nuts and the monkeys swarm her. There are hundreds. Our group buys some puff balls instead. Apparently they aren’t as tasty and it takes some coaxing to get them to take the puffballs from our hands.

We have a lunch break at the food court of a shopping mall, and then continue driving, reaching Sukhothai in the late afternoon.

Sukhothai was the first capital of the Thai people. It used to be a military outpost of the Khmer (Angkor) Empire. In 1238, a local prince achieved independence. Sukhothai means “dawn of happiness”. This regime was short-lived, slowly losing authority to Ayutthaya to the south, Sukhothai was abandoned awaiting rediscovery. Despite being older it is in better condition than Ayutthaya. Sukhothai Historical Park became a World Heritage site in 1991.

Our first stop is Wat Si Chum on the outskirts of the city. This small temple has a building with an enormous seated Buddha. Some of the gold leaf still remains on the hand near the ground.

Sukhothai is surrounded by a moat and an earthen berm. To save time we hired Tuk Tuk motorcycle taxis to whisk us around the small city. We next stop at Wat Si Sawai, one of the oldest temples. This one has three corncob-shaped prangs with some very nice bas-relief sculpture gracing the largest tower.

We made a quick photo stop at Wat Sa Si. This small temple has a bell shaped stupa, a seated Buddha, and a small colonnade. Unfortunately the sun is in the wrong direction for good photography.

Our last stop is the main royal temple of Wat Mahathat. This one is a big sprawling compound chocked full of stone structures and several big Buddhas. Unfortunately they are all facing east making photos poor at sunset. We needed to come here in the morning.

Finished with touring we head to our nearby hotel. I wish we were staying longer as it looks like an old rustic resort. Our room, with a creaking wooden floor, could have been the bedroom of some long forgotten Thai royal.

January 12, 2018

January 12, 2018

On the way to Hellfire Pass yesterday, we passed Nine Army Battle Historical Park. When I looked it up I found it to be one battle site in a centuries-long war between Burma and Siam (now Myanmar and Thailand). The railway follows the historical invasion route used by Burma.

Bangkok has been the capital of Thailand for just over two centuries. It was moved here after Burma sacked and burned Ayutthaya, the previous capital, on its sixth attempt. The ruins of Ayutthaya are now a World Heritage Historical Park.

It takes us several hours to make the drive. Along the way we make two stops at roadside stands to check out local specialties. The first was Khao Lam, a Sticky Rice pudding prepared by mixing rice,
coconut milk, sugar and black beans. The concoction is cooked in foot-long bamboo cylinders. We cracked several flavors open and shared. All were a delicious treat.

In rice country, farmers trap rats to keep them from eating the harvest. Instead of tossing them, they BBQ them up. I assume they taste like chicken. For the squeamish, the rat stand also offered Quail.

Ayutthaya survived five Burmese sieges because it sits on an easily defended island in the Chao Phraya River. Before it was burnt in 1767, European accounts describe the capital as magnificent containing hundreds of temples. By tradition only temples were made of stone. Homes, including the Royal Palace, were wooden. So only the temples survived total destruction. Today the modern city of Ayutthaya has grown up around the old temple ruins.

Our first stop is Wat Chai Watthanaram.
Built in 1630, it resembles the Khmer temples of Angkor, with a tall central Prang (Mt. Meru) surrounded by eight conical chapels connected by passageways. Time has not been kind though. Most of the limestone and plaster facing is gone leaving just the brick under-structure. Grave robbers plundered most Stupas of their relics.

We took a break from Ayutthaya and drove to the nearby Summer Palace at Bang Pa-In. Most of the

construction dates from the late 1800s under King Rama IV and V. They were enamored with European styling so it dominates the architecture. Only a couple buildings look Oriental. The grounds are well-manicured and park-like. I was bored until I saw a large Monitor lizard hanging out on the edge of one pond.

After a buffet lunch, we drove back to Ayutthaya. It is interesting to drive around this large island city and see temple ruins interspersed everywhere.

Our last stop was Wat Mahathat. This is a much older 14th century royal monastery. The ground must be very poor as many of the Prang towers and Stupas are leaning. The central Prang is missing its top because it collapsed multiple times.

In the temples we have seen hundreds of Buddha statues but most are missing their heads. This temple has one head that was laying around so long tree roots have grown around it.

January 11, 2018

January 11, 2018

We stayed last night at a Thai resort north of Kanchanaburi, nestled in the jungle. Across the river are steep cliffs shrouded in mist. Aimee and I walked down to the Kwai River. I feel like I am in the movie!

From our hotel, we drove northwest up the Kwai River. Very quickly, the valley narrows and enters steep-sided heavily-forested mountains. No wonder the Burma Railway was not built until the 20th century. Our drive ends at Hellfire Pass Memorial tucked inside a grove of Teak trees. While the movie emphasizes the bridge construction, most of the labor and deaths occurred building the rail lines' mountainous stretches. Only nine died building the Kwai River bridge.

We start our exploration hiking along a section of the old rail bed that hugs a cliff-side cut. We end at Hellfire Pass, the deepest cut made in the mountain. It was dug through solid rock without power equipment. Excavation ran 24/7. The oil lamps and emaciated laborers gave this section its Hellfire Pass moniker.

Afterwards we returned to the entrance and toured the museum. The railway was constructed in just 20 months using 250,000 POW’s and conscripted Asians. It is believed 90,000 men may have died from starvation, beatings, and disease. This memorial is funded by the Australian government. It is also the only museum where we ever had to remove our shoes at the door.

Part of the Burma rail line is still in-use. From the Pass, we drove downstream to the terminus at Nam Tok. Along the way we made a brief stop at Saiyok Noi waterfall. Because of the travertine deposits, it reminds me of Havasu Falls which we visited last Spring. We also tried and bought some local snacks made from tamarind, plantains and tapioca.

Afterwards we have a Thai lunch and then board the train. The rail cars are very vintage. We ride the train through the most scenic mountainous section and then get off at Thamkasae where we watch the train pass along a cliff-side trestle. After a little shopping where Aimee and I both buy shirts we make the drive back to our hotel.

January 10, 2018

January 10, 2018

We woke to thunderstorms in Bangkok. Better today than yesterday, as we have several hours of bus time ahead. We drove west for two hours, albeit very slowly, because of an accident. Eventually we stopped along a waterway and divided up into several Long-Tail canal boats. These are long canoes powered by a large open automobile engine with a propeller mounted directly on the drive-shaft. They are steered by moving the engine side to side. I remember them from the James Bond movie, The Man with the Golden Gun.

Unfortunately it is still raining and we are riding low in the water, so I have to keep the camera tucked

away in a plastic bag. The canals are very narrow with many straightaways, so we zoomed speedily along most of the route. I thought it was a blast. The canals are lined with stilt houses. Apparently most are farmers, growing bananas, coconuts, and mangoes. Instead of a car, they all have Long-Tails on a boat-lift. Our ride ended at the Damnoen Saduak floating market where in olden days locals would gather on boats to barter their wares. Today it is a tourist attraction with vendors selling anything a tourist might buy.

It finally stopped raining when we got back on the bus. Ninety minutes later, we arrived at our next destination, Kanchanaburi, home of a notorious Kwai River Bridge.

The movie Bridge on the River Kwai was released sixty years ago. Apparently I liked to whistle its

theme song much to the dismay of my little sisters. So it seemed appropriate to come to Thailand and see the real McCoy. We stopped first at the Death Railway Museum to get the history. The movie took considerable artistic license. At the onset of WWII, the British were using Burma to supply China with arms in their battle with Japan. To cut this off, the Japanese Army needed a way to get to Burma. So they quickly built a rail line from Thailand through the jungle mountains. For manpower, they used most of the British and Australian POW’s they recently captured at Singapore along with tens of thousands of Malaysian and Burmese conscripts. Conditions were so brutal, that some 20% of the enslaved labor died during the construction, earning it the moniker, Death Railway. A British Commonwealth cemetery lies next-door to the museum.

We then drove down to the river to see the bridge and walk across it. Unlike the movie, the bridge is iron, not wooden. It is narrow with a solitary rail line down the center. To my dismay, the rain restarts in a fine mist.

January 9, 2018

January 9, 2018

A popular movie when Aimee and I were growing up was the “King and I”. The movie is based on the true story of a British governess who was hired by the King of Siam to teach English to his many, many children. So this morning we joined our group early on a bus-ride back to central Bangkok for a tour of the Grand Palace where King Rama IV lived.

We started our tour of this large walled complex at the royal temple, Wat Phra Kaew. The temple is filled with many colorful and highly decorated buildings. It has a huge gold stupa containing a Buddha relic. The gallery circling every building has a series of murals relating the Thai epic, Ramakien, a knock-off of a Hindu tale. The story is suspiciously similar to Homer's Iliad about the Trojan War. The most famous temple resident is the Emerald Buddha. We were underwhelmed by its tiny size and distant location. I liked the several huge inlaid-porcelain demon guardians protecting each entrance. Aimee was delighted to come across a large stone model of Angkor Wat. Angkor became part of the Siam Empire for a short period after they sacked the Khmer Capital.

We then moved on to the King’s Residence. The Palace has a Thai roof topping a European-style facade. It was built when European countries were entering southeast Asia. Thailand wanted to appear civilized. They succeeded. Siam was the only country to avoid colonization. Because the Palace has wooden floors it is closed to general visitors. Unfortunately the nearby highly decorated Ceremonial Halls are also closed because they are undergoing renovation for the new King Rama X upcoming coronation. Interestingly the Siamese king owned all Albino elephants. The term "white elephant" originated from this tradition as a big possession doing no work.

Afterwards we walked to the nearby pier and took a boat tour of the extensive canal system across the river in Thon Buri. The traditional way of canal life still exists in this area. Because of low tide, we had to crowd into a canal lock with a dozen Long-tail canal boats.

Once inside we see the canal is lined with ancient wooden stilt-houses. Right away we were shocked to see alligator-size lizards living in holes, swimming alongside, and eating fish on the shore. These Monitor Lizards are relatives of Indonesia’s more famous Komodo Dragons. We spent 90 minutes travelling in a circle back to the river. Interestingly many of the houses had a small “doll house” on a pedestal in the yard. Apparently these are “spirit houses” providing a home for domestic spirits that would otherwise cause mischief.

Back at the hotel we rested for an hour before setting out again. This time we took the Skytrain, It is a fancy version of Chicago’s Elevated Train system. Our first stop was in the Patpong area to see the Red Light District. Apparently we were way too early. It is hard to be a swinger when you go to bed at 7pm! We then walked to Lumpini Park. This urban oasis has a statue of Rama VI and some small ponds. We are succumbing to the humidity so we walked a little further to the upscale Paragon Mall to enjoy its rejuvenating air-conditioning. We decided to stay and have a Thai Panang Curry meal with a stop at Mickey-D's for ice cream.

January 8, 2018

January 8, 2018

We were up way before dawn and had breakfast on the hotel’s riverside terrace. We both started off with coffee and the Thai version of the Viet Pho noodle soup. While tasty, it was too much hot food on a steamy morning in the tropics. I went even more Asian with sushi rolls, and fish stir fry. It was delicious but not my normal for breakfast. I guess my stomach hasn’t made the time change.

Afterwards we poked our heads over the river and saw a bunch of the Asian Jumping Carp that are now plaguing the Mississippi. We also saw a water snake weaving through the floating vegetation. No swimming here!

At 9am we met our tour group, got audio devices, and an information package, then boarded a bus for a city tour. It was mostly uninteresting. It might have been better with a smaller group getting out near the sights. It did provide an overview if we have time to explore later. Besides being a land of high-rises, Bangkok is also a land of temples. They are numerous, large, and colorful.

Thailand is a Constitutional Monarchy, like England. The Thais seem more devoted and reverent to their King. Photos of the old king who died last year line several avenues and grace the side of several buildings.

Our group then stopped at the Wat Pho Temple, one of the oldest in Bangkok. It has dozens and dozens of brightly-colored porcelain-encrusted Chedis in all sizes. A Chedi is a Buddhist Stupa, which is a "pile" usually containing relics of the Buddha or ashes of the deceased. This temple has so many because the older kings had many wives and hundreds of children.

While Wat Pho has lots of gold Buddhas the star attraction is an immense gold Reclining Buddha 150 foot long that is crammed in a tiny building. Buddha is reclining at the moment he attained Nirvana.

With the end of the organized tour, we stayed behind with another couple to walk to the nearby river. We got lost but stumbled upon the Flower Market, where hundreds of vendors were assembling and selling flower arrangements. Back on track we found the ferry pier that carried us across the river to Wat Arun or Temple of the Dawn. This famous landmark soars over Bangkok and graces one of the coins of Thailand. Its immense Khmer-style central tower or Prang is over 200 foot tall. It is supposed to represent Mount Meru in the Himalayas and home of the Hindu gods. Its silvery-white color glistens in the sun. Stunning!

We then caught a tourist boat back to the hotel shuttle boat. The many shuttle boats that ply the river are a great way of getting quickly around Bangkok.

Back at the hotel we spent a relaxing hour at the pool before partaking in a Welcome Dinner with our tour group. We have 24 travelling companions from around the country. Surprisingly seven are Indian-American.

January 5-7, 2018

January 5-7, 2018

Aimee and I are feeling a little deja-vu. We seem to be in the process of repeating our trip from last January. We again take an evening flight to LAX, eat a pizza dinner at Wolfgang Puck’s, and then endure a long TSA line before we catch a tediously long flight to China. Shanghai, China this time, not Taiwan. Thankfully the pilot skirted North Korea. I guess Kim Jong-un makes the Chinese nervous too. Like last year our China stop is merely a transit hub for a connecting flight to Southeast Asia. We are continuing where we left off last year and moving west from Vietnam and Cambodia to Thailand. Just after noon we land in the capital city of Bangkok. We are weary from almost two days of travel. A brutal way to start a vacation.

We take a taxi to our hotel passing hundreds of high-rises with many more under construction. Bangkok must be booming. We like one in particular that looks like it has pieces missing.

After checking in to our riverfront hotel we take the hotel courtesy boat about a mile up the Chao Phraya River. An appropriate way to start a tour of Bangkok, as it used to be called the Venice of the East. Most of the canals have now been filled in and paved over.

The weather in Bangkok is warm but the humidity is stifling. Back at the hotel we walk next-door to the “Asiatique” night market. It is a mixture of crowded bazaar and touristy restaurants. One vendor was selling deep-fried maggots, grasshoppers, and “Scorpion on a Stick”. We settled for the familiar. A delicious Thai Green Curry washed down with the local Singh beer. And then it is very early to bed for us jet-lagged tourists.