Destination: Luang Prabang – Accommodations: Parasol Blanc Hotel

This morning we woke up at 4:30 am, showered, and then boarded our jumbos to participate in an ancient Buddhist tradition: alms-giving to local monks.

Feeding monks in Luang Prabang is part of a sacred daily ceremony that begins at dawn. People line one side of the street and offer food and sticky rice to the monks as about 100 or more monks walk silently past with their bowls.

To participate respectfully, we all dressed modestly and we covered our shoulders with a shawl. We took off our shoes and sat on chairs so that our heads were lower than the monks’. We offered sticky rice to them, making sure not to touch them as they walked past. We did not take any photos until the monks had passed all of us and we were not allowed to use a flash once they passed. Without the generosity of lay people during the alms ceremony, the monks would go hungry.

Among the monks were child novices. These young boys, some as young as 7 years old, live with the monks and go to school. The families of the novices rely on the Buddhist tradition of the temples taking in their sons, usually from rural villages, and offering them education and housing…their only ticket out of poverty. Girls in Laos are not granted the same opportunity.

The monks only eat the food gathered in the morning for breakfast and their lunch is their last meal of the day.

After the ceremony we went to the monks’ canteen and offered more food, provided by OAT and the hotel, of cooked vegetables and raw fruit to the young novice who was there to accept the food on behalf of the other monks. It was a very special morning and one we were very glad to be a part of.

After the ceremony, we had local coffee and a type of donut at the outdoor market. Then we were each given, (written on a piece of paper), the phonetic pronunciation of the ingredient that each of us had to search for at the outdoor market. We were given money by Lao for the purchases, and up and down the stalls we went in search of our ingredients. It was a lot of fun trying to pronounce what we were commissioned to buy, but we all succeeded. The ingredients will be used for our lunch with a village chief later today. We handed in our ingredients and then we rode the jumbo back to the hotel for breakfast.

I am really loving the homemade yogurt they serve for breakfast. With fresh fruit, it really is a treat.

After breakfast we again boarded our jumbos to board the bus (don’t forget the other day I mentioned buses cannot enter the local village where we are staying) that took us to the neighboring village, Tin Keo. O.A.T. has donated more than $30,276 as part of the World Classroom initiative, to this school to date. The donations have been used to install electricity, add ceiling fans, paint the interior and exterior of the building, build toilets, and add a playground and a library room. It was wonderful to see.

Today’s learning experience is called A Day in the Life. This is always a wonderful way that O.A.T. provides for the tourists to learn about the people, the food, and the culture by speaking directly to children and residents of villagers.

When we arrived, we were greeted by the mayor, as well as another man, who was second in command and in charge of finance. We also met two ladies… One who was an official and one who was a helper for the day.

We got acquainted with the folks and the men were able to read our names in Laotian that Lao had written on our badges. It was interesting to note that the women could not read our names in their language. Lao said that learning to read was not encouraged for women years ago, but thankfully, the girls are learning to read nowadays in school.

The mayor of the village took us on a walk around the village and then we went to the school to meet the children. The kids were adorable and spoke English fairly well. Two little girls talked with Allan and me and they sang the ABC song for us. I recorded then singing and played it back to them and they were thrilled. We all gave the teacher presents for the children that we had brought with us from home and they were very grateful.

After the school visit, we made our way to the chief’s home and we were able to ask him questions and Lao translated his answers. He told us about his life, his work, and then he played an instrument for us and accompanied the music with a dance. After that, he showed us how he shoots with a kind of bow and arrow and he invited many in our group to try… Some with great success hitting the bull’s-eye.

I wish I could tell you more about what the chief was talking about during the talk in his home, but I was starting to feel a little shaky and weak. I made it through the bow and arrow demo but when everyone took off to cook the lunch with the ingredients we had purchased in the morning, I told Are that I needed to sit down. Fortunately, there was a platform nearby and I just laid back on it and closed my eyes. Are was wonderful… Bringing out smelling salts and letting me rest. This was exactly what happened when I was in the Amazon and I believe I was dehydrated. After awhile, I felt stronger and we walked over to the luncheon area and I was given ice cold water and cold cloths which really helped. I ate a bit of lunch, drank a lot of our electrolyte water, and felt much better. Everyone in the group was concerned and so kind to me and I truly appreciated it. Allan was as always wonderful – staying with me and making sure I kept drinking water.

Before we made our way back to the hotel, we stopped to see some beautiful textiles the ladies of the village made and then it was back to the hotel.

We rested for a few hours and then we went with 3 other couples to a French restaurant L’Elephant. It was a French restaurant that got good reviews, but unfortunately, the food wasn’t stellar. Then… It was back to the hotel for a much needed night’s sleep.

Allan wearing his shawl to go to the alms ceremony

The monks walking in a line receiving the food

The novice accepting our food. Before we gave it to tvhim, it was passed around to each of us and we put it to our foreheads and made a wish for our families happiness and health.

The donuts we had in the morning. They were served with very strong coffee that had condensed milk in the bottom. If you wanted unsweetened coffee, you didn’t stir it.

Searching the food market for the ingredients we were asked to purchase.

At the village.

The children at the school

The Chief’s ceremonial garb

The chief’s home

Allan adding his ingredient to the meal the group cooked for the chief and the others

This was what Allan bought. It was written for him (and for everyone else) phonetically and so he had to say it to the venders to find out if it was something they sold. The sellers were wonderful and if they didn’t have the item, they sent you to the seller that did have it. His item was cabbage.

Destination: Luang Prabang

Accommodations: Parasol Blanc Hotel

We had a delicious breakfast at the resort this morning. The home made yogurt was outstanding and with some honey and fruit… Yummy!

After breakfast we boarded the jumbos that took us to the Royal Pier where we boarded a wooden boat to take a cruise along the Mekong river.

The Mekong is the 12th longest river in the world and supports millions of people who produce rice along the river. The river is home to large catfish, tilapia, and many other fish, but it also houses a few electric eels which have been known to kill people who might be swimming in the river.

Along the way, Lao told us some information about the Laos government. Not everyone in the country is communist. Only the people who work with the govt, or who are nurses, doctors, teachers, or soldiers are the folks that are usually members of the party. Party membership is really the only way for advancement.

Bribes are a way of life. If you want to start a business, you tell the govt. The govt will say come back in 3 months and will have the paperwork ready for you. You go back, and they say it’s not ready yet, come back in another three months. But…if you give a bribe, the paperwork can be completed in a day. Many times parents will bribe teachers so their child gets a better education.

If you are a member of the party, you get better treatment in a hospital, might not have to pay taxes, and you might receive a car to go back and forth to work in.

It’s not easy to become member. You have to work for the govt first. You don’t receive a salary. Usually, your mom and dad support you during that time. You work for maybe 7 years and then you have a meeting with the party heads. They check back on generations of your family, and if anyone ever said anything against the government, you will never get ahead. If they can’t find anyone who said anything against the party in your family, you will be considered to become a member.

It was all very interesting.

We finally arrived at Muangkham Village, a small rural village, where we were able to speak with some of the residents.

We saw how people take river weed from the bottom of the river and wash it and then spread it on screens. They add garlic, scallions, tomatoes, and sesame seeds to the screening and then let it dry in the sun. Then they sell the sheets and people eat the sheets like a soft cracker with meals or as a snack.

I volunteered to help the lady make the sheets. I sat on a stool probably floor inches from the ground (I can’t believe at the end I was able to stand up sans help🙄😂). I put water on the river screen while beating it with a whisk and then I added all the above ingredients. It was fun to do for me, but laborious work all day for the ladies.

We also watched a lady make sticky rice cakes. After boiling and steaming the sticky rice (which is different from regular rice), she puts the very hot rice in the table and takes gobs of it and places it in a form that makes the cake. Then she takes them out of the form and dries them in the sun. Her thumbs have blisters and scars from handling the hot rice. We tasted the cakes. They were very good, but bland.

After the food demonstrations, we took the boat to the Pak Ou Cave. The cave is in a cliff and it is filled with thousands of Buddha icons. Lao brought a small Buddha with him and we all held it and made a wish. Then we climbed up extremely steep stairs to get to the lower cave. This was definitely out of my comfort range, but I did it! Allan was the last to make a wish so he was allowed to place the Buddha among all the others.

Allan and I did not go to the upper cave. I was worried enough getting down from the first cave, but alas, I lived to tell the tale.

We had lunch on the boat and then it was back to the hotel via jumbos, to rest up a bit before the night’s activities.

Four of us in the group went to visit The Big Brother Mouse – a place to help Lao students practice their English, a place for kids to read books, and a place where volunteer tutors come to help in any way they can.

A young boy named Khamla realized that when tourists came to Luang Prabang, they were reading books in their spare time. “Why would they do that while on vacation?” he thought to himself. He had no access to books in his language… Only textbooks.

To make a long story short, Khamla grew up and found artists and writers… Some of them young people… who began to write children’s books and illustrate them and Khamla found a way to publish them. Getting kids to learn how to read was exciting for them. In 2016 they opened a summer program for reading. It was so successful the parents pleaded… “Open a school”!!! And that’s what they did. They started with 13 students the first year and now, they have over 2,000 students in eight schools.

The Big Brother Mouse House that we visited has books that tourists can purchase that will then be distributed to schools. It is also a place where people can drop in for help learning English.

We met with a young man who was 18 years of age and he talked about how he hopes to get a scholarship to attend university in Hungary or China. He spoke English very well and we enjoyed hearing about his family, his girlfriend of two years, and his hopes and dreams. It was a wonderful hour spending time with this young man.

I wasn’t allowed into the premises because you had to take your shoes off. I showed the man my booties but he said no and brought a chair outside for me to sit on. That was really odd since it wasn’t a temple and all the temples we have visited have let me in with no problem. Are was very surprised and didn’t understand it either. No matter, we had a nice time and we bought some books for the school children.

We had dinner at an Italian restaurant and Allan and I had Bolognese which was very tasty. We also had a dark beer which was a welcome change from the light beers we usually find.

Early to bed because we have to be out and about tomorrow morning at 5:30 for a special morning.

Our river boat

Photo below – steps we climbed to the village. Whew!!

A village home

A little one gazing at the river.

The river weed with scallions, tomatoes, garlic, sesame seeds, drying in the sun

putting water on the river weed

Sitting with sesame seeds

Adding the garlic, tomato, etc.

Me working on the river weed screen. Notice how low to the ground I am compared to my friend who was working next to me.

Lady making rice cakes

We all had a taste of a rice cake

The little Buddha icon to be placed in the cave

You can see the white steps on the right that we climbed to the first cave

Buddhas were all over the cave

Allan placing the group’s Buddha

Lunch on the boat

We all had a piece of the river weed sheet

Eggplant fritters and tilapia fritters

The young man we spoke with at the Mouse House.

Destination: Laos, Luang Prabang Accommodations: Parasol Blanc Hotel

This morning after breakfast we flew on a two prop plane to Laos. We soared over the mountains and it was really beautiful. People have lived in Laos, the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia, for at least 10,000 years.

The capital of Laos is Vientiane and the official language is Lao, but French and English are also spoken. Laos is bordered by China, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar. It has a population of about 8 million. Farming is a challenge and since it is landlocked, The Mekong River is an important source of commerce.

Luang Prabang is located on a peninsula between the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers with the mountains all around. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this is considered one of Southeast Asia’s best-preserved small towns.

Our plane landed and we went through immigration and met our local leader, Lao. Are is still with us and he will be the one that is in charge, but Lao will accompany us to the different sites and will tell us all the information concerning them.

We took our bus out of the airport, but once we came near the inner city, we changed to a jumbo, the local means of transportation, which is similar to a Tut Tut, but bigger. Buses are not allowed in the inner city.

We checked into our lodging which is actually a beautiful resort. We have a balcony overlooking the grounds and there is a swimming pool and restaurant on the premises.

We settled in our room for a few hours and then took the jumbo into town for an orientation walk. We also visited the night market where there are restaurants and many venders selling their goods. Luang Prabang is much quieter than Bangkok and the streets are lined with beautiful trees. Luang Prabang is known for its peaceful, walkable atmosphere, and there are no traffic lights. Everyone uses turn signals and the drivers are courteous to other drivers.

We had a delicious dinner of authentic Laotian food and then it was back in the jumbo to the resort for a good night’s sleep.

View from our balcony

There are a few ponds on the premises

A nice place to relax

Boing!!

Where the Mekong River and the Nam Khan

A temple

Lao said that the government does want the communist flag displayed as well as the Laos flag

Along the street where the night market is.

Destination: Bangkok – Accommodations: Bizotel Premier Hotel

After breakfast we boarded our bus to visit the ruins of Ayutthaya. On the way there, Are gave us a history lesson about all the kings of Thailand from Rama I to the current King – Maha Vajirongkorn – known as Rama X. It was very interesting to hear how each King’s successor was chosen… sometimes the oldest son, sometimes a brother to the king, other times no one in the king’s family became the next ruler but rather a friend of the king, and so on. Very complicated, but very interesting. Are said that there is speculation as to who will be the next king when the current king, Rama X, passes away, but no one knows for sure.

Rama IV (1851–1868) (King Mongkut of Siam) was famous for modernizing Siam and was the subject of the book The King and I. The book was based on the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, who was the governess to the children of King Mongkut in the early 1860’s. Interestingly, the people of Thailand are banned by the government from watching the movie, because the government feels it is historically inaccurate and disrespectful to the Thai monarchy.

The kings who ruled while the country was known as Siam, ruled from 1782 (Rama I) to 1935 (Rama VII). Rama VII was the last absolute monarch and the first constitutional monarch of Siam. Siam officially became Thailand in 1939 under the reign of Rama VIII. It was no longer a total monarchy rule, but rather a democracy. The name Thailand means “Land of the Free”. It was a very interesting history lesson and Are certainly made the complex reigns of all the Kings, very understandable.

We arrived at Ayutthaya, founded around 1350 and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ayutthaya was destroyed by the Burmese in the 18th century. They burned it to the ground. The ruins that we toured gave an idea of its past splendor.

The site was once home to 33 kings from many different dynasties and we were able to see the preserved temple ruins of Phra Sri Sanphet. It was a pretty hot day and the sun was beating down while we toured the ruins. Allan and I had put our electrolyte packets into our water bottles to stay hydrated, and I walked around under my umbrella to keep the sun off of my body. It worked great!

We then drove to a local shop where ‘cotton candy’ is made, but it doesn’t look or taste like the cotton candy we are familiar with. We were able to watch men hard at work making roti sai mai…Ayutthaya cotton candy. It consists of soft silky strings of spun sugar wrapped in a crepe. The roti consists of wheat flour, salt, and tapioca flour mixed with water and oil.

The candy floss is made by boiling sugar with some water, flour, and oil until it thickens. Then, the sticky sugar is stretched until it becomes candy floss. The last part requires immense physical strength, and we watched as the candy maker used his muscle to stretch the candy over and over and over until it became the stringy floss. They work in the heat and it is an arduous task, but a good paying one. He said he can make $40 for working hard from 8 am to 2 pm , which is double what his pay would be if he worked all day somewhere else.

We then went to a restaurant and enjoyed a delicious lunch – finishing with the corn candy – and then we went on a river cruise along the Pa Sak River. At one point, we were given loaves of bread and we all fed the fish from the boat. It was a perfect end to the day.

We had a light supper at the hotel which was the most money we’ve spent on a meal since arriving. 8 spring rolls, two bowls of soup, and two glasses of wine…$43. At local restaurants, we have had many meals of appetizer, Pad Thai or stir fry with shrimp, rice, and two glasses of wine for almost half the price!!!

Tomorrow morning we leave beautiful Thailand and fly to Laos.

Ayutthaya

Making cotton candy

The cotton candy strings gets wrapped in a crepe

Making the crepes

Pic below, part of our lunch. Rice with shrimp. We had soup, chicken, sautéed mushrooms, and papaya salad.

We enjoyed the cotton candy for dessert

Man fishing on the river during our river cruise

We fed the fish from the boat

Destination: Bangkok – Accommodations: Bizotel Premier Hotel

After breakfast, we boarded our bus to visit the Grand Palace. On the way, Are told us some information about monks. He said the monks that we see wearing white are not monks…nor are they men. They are nuns and they shave their heads just like the monks. Interestingly, Are said that Thai monks not only shave their heads, but they also shave their eyebrows and of course their beards. No facial hair at all.

Are also told us a beautiful philosophy about life that he had heard from a woman he spoke with one day. Life goes from B to D with C in the middle. B is birth. D is death. And C are the choices you make after B and before D.

We arrived at the Grand Palace. In 1782, the palace was constructed and the grounds cover more than 8 square miles. The palace had been the official residence of the Kings of Siam since 1782. Royalty no longer live in the palace, but it is used for official events.

Rather than being a single structure, the Grand Palace is made up of numerous buildings, halls, and pavilions set around open lawns, gardens and courtyards.

Within the grounds of the palace is the Wat Phra Kaew commonly known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, which is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand.

The palace has a strict dress code. No sleeveless shirts and men and women have to cover their legs well below the knees. I was lucky once again to be allowed into the Temple of the Emerald Buddha with my booties covering my sneakers. The story behind the Emerald Buddha’s origin remains a mystery, but it is deeply revered by the Thai Royal Family as well as Thai citizens. We were not allowed to take photos inside the temple, but we could take a photo outside the door.

The Emerald Buddha is not made of emerald, but rather the emerald refers to the Buddha’s color. The Emerald Buddha is adorned with three sets of gold seasonal decorations: one for the summer and one for the rainy season, and a third for the winter or cool season. The decorations are changed each season by the King of Thailand, or a senior member of the royal family, which is quite a feat since they have to climb a huge ladder to get to the Buddha.

We walked around the beautiful grounds and took photos. It is truly a beautiful place. We also toured the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles which is on the premises. In 2003, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother requested permission to use a then-vacant building on the grounds of the Grand Palace 
to house a new museum of textiles. A
building was granted for this purpose by His Majesty. The Queen Mother wanted to preserve Thailand’s textile arts for future generations.

The Royal Wardrobe of Her Majesty is on display in the museum and features the beautiful wardrobe she has worn through the decades. Sadly, the Queen Mother passed away a few months ago and Thailand is still mourning her passing and will continue to do so for a year.

We had lunch at a local restaurant and then went to the Khon performance at Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theater. Established over 90 years ago in 1933, today’s performers keep the masked art form alive. The performers bring the stories of Thai literature to life by combining dance, martial arts and traditional Thai music. The costumes are elegant and bejeweled and the theater has earned a place in the UNESCO cultural heritage list.

Since there was a commentary above the stage in English, we were able to understand what was happening on stage. It was a short but wonderful experience, and we were all very happy to have seen the show.

We returned to the hotel by Tut Tut – a fun (and slightly harrowing experience) and then we again boarded our bus to take us to a dinner cruise along the Chao Praya river. It was a beautiful evening as we watched the sunset and enjoyed dinner as we cruised along.

After the cruise we returned to the hotel for a nightcap with friends and then off to bed.

The Grand Palace

The Emerald Buddha

Outside of the Grand Palace

The Cloister walkway under the columns

The Than Phaithi

Standing with the guard. We had to ask his permission to take the photo

At the Khon performance at Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theater, the musicians.

Taking the tut tut back to hotel

Appetizers during the river cruise

Sunset

Soup on the cruise

Some of the dishes

Sticky rice dessert with mango

Accommodations: Bizotel Premier Hotel

This morning after breakfast, we had a Welcome Briefing where we introduced ourselves to the four new travelers joining us on the main trip. Are then went over what to expect during our visits to the countries we will be touring and he gave us useful information for each country.

After the briefing, we boarded our bus and drove to the Ruan Khun Yai house, located on the banks of the Bangkok Noi Canal. Our hosts introduced us to Thai cooking and we were able to watch as our hostess prepared Red Curry Sauce as well as Red Curry with Chicken and Bamboo Shoots.

Our hostess explained each ingredient and we were encouraged to taste and/or smell the different ingredients.

After the demonstration, we enjoyed a delicious lunch featuring the Red Curry chicken dish as well as an appetizer, delicious soup, and other authentic Thai dishes. It was delicious. I had lemon grass tea with my lunch which was very tasty.

When we finished lunch, our hostess took us to tour her home. Her home is a traditional Thai style house, constructed with teak wood. Years ago the majority of homes were made of teak wood but now, only 10% remain. We admired the beautiful furniture and we were treated to a man playing the Ranat Ek/Ranat Thum, a type of xylophone that uses hard rosewood bars for bright, sharp (Ranat Ek) or lower, bass (Ranat Thum) tones, set over a boat-shaped resonator. The man who played the instrument was very talented and it was wonderful to listen to this unique music.

Friends that we met on our Canadian trip, Dianne and Dan, arrived in Bangkok to embark on the trip we are also taking, but they begin the pre-trip tomorrow, and we just finished the pre-trip yesterday. It would have been wonderful if we had known we were booking the same trip – we could have traveled together. It was great to see them, however briefly, to enjoy dinner together and catch up.

Red curry paste

Assortment of ingredients for the red curry

Preparing the red curry with chicken and bamboo shoots

It was a bit spicy hot but when mixed with rice, delicious. If something is too hot… add more rice. If something isn’t hot enough… add more chili.

Appetizer with pork and cucumber

Delicious soup

Corn and rice dessert.

The recipes

Our friends Dianne and Dan

Destination: Bangkok Accommodations: Bizotel Premier Hotel

Last night at the camp, we saw what we since have been told were Bumblebee Bats. It is one of the few places in the world where they are found. There were tons of them flying around as we headed to dinner. They are very rare and the smallest species of bat. Wow! Who knew?

After breakfast at the camp, we boarded our bus and started on our way back to Bangkok. The camp was a wonderful respite and we enjoyed being there. It was so nice being amid nature and taking time, as they say, to smell the roses.

Along the way to Bangkok , we stopped at the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, the main prisoner of war cemetery for victims of Japanese imprisonment while building the Burma Railway. The cemetery contains 6,982 graves of British, Australian and Dutch prisoners of war, of whom 6,858 have been identified.

After paying our respects at the cemetery, we went to see the bridge over the river Kwai (pronounced Ka-way actually). (The actual name is the Kwai Yai River.)

This steel bridge is one of the most important historical landmarks and memorials in Thailand. It was part of the railway line in World War II. After World War II, the damaged bridge was renovated by the Thai government in 1946.

The construction of the bridge was done using POWs and Asian slave laborers in unfavorable conditions. The work started in October 1942 and was completed in a year. Due to the difficult terrain, thousands of laborers lost their lives. It is believed that one life was lost for each cross tie laid in the track.

Allied forces bombed the iron bridge in 1944. The present bridge has two of its central spans rebuilt.

We were able to walk the length of the bridge and after visiting Hellfire Pass and the war cemetery, the walk across the bridge was certainly very poignant.

We enjoyed lunch at a local restaurant. As usual, the Thai food was outstanding. I wish I could remember the names of all the dishes, but no matter, they were all delicious. Are told us that usually for dessert, pineapple and watermelon are served. The way to eat it is to eat the watermelon first and then eat the pineapple. Good to know.

We arrived at the Biozel Hotel in Bangkok, where we had started our pre-trip adventure and we packed up our dirty laundry and sent it to be washed and dried at the hotel. We met friends for dinner and then enjoyed a night cap with other friends.

Tomorrow is a busy day as we begin the main trip and welcome four new folks, (who opted not to take the pre-trip), to the fold.

As we drove to our hotel, the heavens opened up with rain for the first time since we began our trip, but it was short lived and didn’t affect us at all.

The above photos are from our visit to the cemetery

Bridge over the river Kwai. In the middle of the bridge you can see where the bridge was repaired after the bombings

Fried noodles. Tasted sweet and delicious.

Lunch served family style. We had more than enough for seconds and even thirds.

Destination: Kanchanaburi – Accommodations: Hin Tok River Camp

We had a good night’s sleep inside our tent – the air conditioning making it quite comfortable. Breakfast was tasty and afterwards, we started our day.

We set out to visit Hellfire Pass. Hellfire Pass is the name of the area where prisoners were forced to cut through the mountain to build the Burma Railway during WW II. During the construction of the Burma Railway, it is estimated that over 100,000 people died due to starvation, disease, exhaustion, and brutal treatment. 

The total death toll is generally broken down into two main groups: Asian forced laborers: well over 100,000, Allied Prisoners of War (POWs): Approximately 16,000, Japanese Casualties: Around 1,000 Japanese soldiers and engineers also died during construction. The majority of deaths occurred among civilian laborers, whom the Japanese enticed to come to help build the line with false promises of good jobs. 

The conditions were especially harsh during the cutting of Hellfire Pass and the workers suffered from heat, dehydration, sickness, and beatings. The pass got its name because the sight of the emaciated prisoners resembled a scene from hell. About 700 allied POW’s died and 69 were beaten to death by guards.

The Hellfire Pass section of the railway was particularly difficult to cut because of its remoteness and lack of proper tools. The prisoners of war were required by the Japanese to work 18 hours a day or longer to complete the cutting, taking about 6 weeks to finish the pass.

We walked through the museum which told of the hardship the prisoners suffered and then we walked through the pass and could see the thickness and height of the rock the men had to chisel through. It was unbelievable that these men could do this work in such deplorable conditions.

After walking through the pass we climbed back up to the ground level…165 steps! Oof!

From there we took a boat ride on the river Kwai Noi to our luncheon restaurant. It was a very peaceful ride and a time to meditate and appreciate the stillness of the river, after seeing such horrors at Hellfire Pass.

Lunch was excellent and then on the way back to camp, we stopped to talk with a man who makes latex from rubber trees. He and his wife have 2000 trees and during the week, they wake up early and score the bark on maybe 200 trees and hang a cup to catch the sap. The tree produces much more sap in the cool of the morning rather than in the afternoon and that’s why they get to work so early.

After collecting the sap from each tree, they put it all in a large basin and mix it with water and formic acid. Then it goes through a pressing and stretching process to get the water out. Afterwards, the latex is dried on racks and then stored in a silo.

The man sells the latex, but he doesn’t make the money he deserves considering the hard work he and his wife do. They actually can only work three days at a time and then they take the fourth day off to rest.

They collect the sap 6 months out of the year, because once the rainy season comes, the sap would be too wet from the rain to collect. The other six months, the man does construction work to make ends meet.

The industry supports millions of households with latex extraction and processing, though small farmers like the man we visited today face challenges from fluctuating prices.

We met everyone on the veranda for a drink and then it was off for dinner. They had new dinner selections, but also had the favorites: pad Thai and skewered BBQ chicken and pork. So delicious.

And for dessert I tried mung bean soup with coconut milk. OMG! What a treat. It is sweet and salty with just the right amount of creaminess. Apparently, it is a nutritious dessert – packed with plenty of protein and really tasty.

Tomorrow we get to sleep in and then we drive back to Bangkok.

The above pictures are at our camp. Nice to watch the sunset and drink some wine on the veranda. .

Walking through Hellfire Pass

The men chiseled through the rock with tools, some of which were broken and barely useable.

The U S Memorial

On the long boat going down the river. The boat was in a scene in a James Bond movie.

Lunch. The green vegetable dish is called Morning Glory. It is similar to spinach, but with hollow stems among the leafy part. This is not the same as the ornamental flowering plant by the same name, which is actually toxic.

The chef making the morning glory dish for our lunch. It was quite spectacular!!!

2000 trees at the rubber plantation

The sheets of rubber the man sells which are then made into different products.

The sap dripping down into the basin from where the tree was scored.

The machinery to remove the water from the latex

Mung bean soup

Our tent at night.

Destination: Kanchanaburi – Accommodations: Hin Tok River Camp

Today was an all day travel day, so since not much happened until we arrived at the camp, I’m going to talk a little about what we have learned about Thailand so far.

Are told us that his wife is a nurse on a cancer unit and works long hours. She only receives about $1,300 per month in salary… Even after 18 years of experience.

Thailand’s birthrate has been dwindling in the last few years. Last year there were 400,000 deaths, but only 300,000 births. Many Thai travel to other countries to work because the pay is better. Many Thai doctors who are in their residency, travel to Israel and other countries to get their experience and higher pay.

Thailand is bordered on the west by Myanmar, a country they have no conflict with.

After breakfast we flew to Bangkok and boarded a bus to take us to the river camp where we will be staying for two nights. It was a four hour ride, but we stopped along the way and picked up a bite to eat in one of the many, many 7/11’s that you can find all over Thailand.

We arrived late afternoon to the camp and I believe we can say… We’re Glamping!! The camp scenery is beautiful with outdoor eating areas, a bar, a lovely pool, nice sized canvas tents, private veranda, and spacious bathroom with a large walk-in shower.

The tent has a canvas layer as well as a second layer of netting on the entryway. Both layers have zippers that you zip up (or down) to either enter your tent from the outside, or to access your attached bathroom on the inside. On the canvas outside “door”, there is a lock that you lock with a key whenever you leave. You have to squat down to unzip the both layers and the canvas layer not only zips up and down, but sideways ads well. You have to squat down to lock the padlock on the zippers if you decide to leave the tent.

Are told us to make sure we always zip the layers closed whenever we exit or enter our tent to keep out mosquitos as well as little critters like lizards and the like.

We all gathered on the patio to watch the sunset and enjoy a drink together and then it was off to the amazing outdoor dinner buffet. They served all kinds of Thai food as well as BBQ pork and chicken on skewers. Delicious!

We all sat at the table and had a lot of laughs and then it was back to our tent for a good night’s sleep listening to the crickets.

Our tent with a king bed and a single.

Allan zipping the two layers of the walls of the tent

Camp Hintok

Our tent. So romantic. 💕

Sunset over the river

Dinner area

Yum!!

The camp grounds

Accommodations: Wiang Inn Hotel

This morning after breakfast we departed for the Golden Triangle. Are, however, asked us if we would like to visit the cave where, on June 23, 2018, twelve boys aged 11 to 17 and their 25 year old soccer coach, were stranded for days in the Luang Cave system. We said that we would, so our bus driver made a special stop for us to see it.

Since it is the dry season, we were not in any danger of flooding inside the cave. However, on the fateful day in June when the boys were stranded, an unexpected heavy monsoon rain flooded the cave’s entrance and cut off their escape route, trapping them deep inside. A massive search ensued and rescuers from all over the world came to offer their help. Nine days later, two British divers, John Volanthen and Rick Stanton, found the group alive on a small, dry ledge about 2.5 miles from the cave’s entrance.

90 drivers were involved in the rescue. They had to sedate the boys so they didn’t panic, and then they guided them through the flooded passages wearing oxygen tanks. The rescue operation was conducted over three days (July 8–10, 2018). All 12 boys and their coach were successfully brought out of the cave and transferred to a hospital in Chiang Rai.

While all the “Wild Boars” (the name of the boy’s soccer team) survived, two rescue divers tragically died in connection with the operation: a former Thai Navy SEAL, Saman Kunan, who ran out of air while delivering oxygen tanks during the mission, and another Thai Navy SEAL, Beirut Pakbara, who later died from a blood infection contracted in the cave.

We made our way into the cave, which is huge, and with our hiking poles and flashlights, we climbed as far into the cave as we were allowed to go. The entrance where we walked floods almost to the ceiling during monsoon season, and it is amazing that the boys were found and rescued so deep within the cave.

Outside of the cave is a statue honoring Saman Kunan, who lost his life rescuing the boys. He stands with oxygen tanks on his back, flippers, and wild boers surround him. The statue was made by the same artist that built the White Temple. It was a very poignant experience.

We left the cave and drove to The Golden Triangle, where the borders of three countries…Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar (Burma) can be seen at the confluence of the Mekong and Ruak rivers. We took photos and then Are stopped to chat with a man selling lottery tickets. Are bought one for the group with the lucky number 12, so we’ll see how lucky we are. The drawing is tonight.

We left the Golden Triangle and took a farm truck to a farm run by a woman who used to be a tour guide. She left that job to start a farm and she serves BBQ to folks who have made a reservation for dinner at her farm. The food was unbelievably delicious and we all loved being at the farm, enjoying the scenery, as well as the food.

Then, we visited the Opium Museum, and we learned about the history of opium in Thailand. The museum has a unique collection of opium harvesting knives, scales, weights, pipes, etc. It was very interesting to read all about opium. Thailand has been highly successful in eradicating illicit opium cultivation…
falling by approximately 97% since the mid-1980s, and Thailand is no longer a significant producer of illicit opium for the international market. However, Myanmar has apparently as of late, surpassed Afghanistan in opium cultivation.

Our last stop of the day was The Blue Temple, built by a student of the artist who built the White Temple. It is a dark shade of blue with gold adornment all over. It was quite a sight to behold. We went inside, (they let me in fortunately), and we were allowed to take photos. Inside the temple, is the pearl white statue of a Buddha named Phra Buddha Ratchamongkoi Bodi Trilokanat. If you’d like to read more about him, you can Google it.

Tomorrow we fly back to Bangkok.

The statue honoring the diver, Saman Kunan, who lost his life when his air tank ran out of air while rescuing the kids.

A photo of the flood of water coming from the cave during monsoon season.

The rescuers knew the boys were in the cave because they found their bikes outside the mouth of the cave.

This area is totally flooded to the ceiling during the rainy season.

Climbing inside the cave. Are said he explored this ewcave with his friends when they were kids.

Our group outside of the cave

The Mekong River

Where the three countries meet

The truck that took us to the farm for lunch.

Rice paddies

The history of opium

The Blue Temple

Inside the temple