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
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.
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.
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.
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 over100,000 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.
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
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.
This morning after breakfast, we left for Chiang Rai, Thailand’s northernmost province. It has a close proximity to Laos and Myanmar, forming the famed Golden Triangle.
Our first stop was the umbrella factory. This was an unplanned stop, but one Are thought we’d enjoy. He was right! It was very interesting to watch each step of the umbrella making process – all done by hand – take place. The beautiful umbrellas were being created in a myriad of vibrant colors. One group of ladies was assembling a huge order in a vibrant pink to be sent to a client in the states.
The ladies who work at the factory have been working there for years. They don’t make much money for their labors, but what they don’t receive monetarily, they make up for with socializing with their friends as they work. One lady has worked at the factory for 50 years and she said the place is like family and a much better alternative to sitting home alone. The work is delicate and takes skill, but sadly, most of today’s youth are not interested in learning the techniques needed to make these beautiful umbrellas.
After leaving the umbrella factory, we had a rather long drive and then stopped for lunch. Even though the drive was long, the scenery was lovely and the time flew by. We ate outdoors and the feast that was presented…all Thai favorites…was unbelievably tasty. We all said we definitely ate way too much, but it was so good.
After lunch we drove to the White Temple (Wat Rong Khun). I was afraid I would not be allowed in because you have to remove your shoes and for me with my foot, that wasn’t going to work, because going barefoot at this point isn’t the best. Are spoke to the guard on my behalf and explained my plight and since I had brought booties to cover my sneakers, they let me in. People take off their shoes in temples as a sign of respect and humility. You are leaving the dirty mundane world behind to enter a clean and sacred place and you are recognizing the temple as holy ground. I was so happy that I had thought to order booties before we left, and at least in this temple, they agreed to admit me because of them.
Wat Rong Khun, is quite the site to behold. It is very contemporary, and glistens in the sunlight. The temple is made of concrete with a wooden roof. Viewed from a distance, it has a dazzling effect against the blue sky, mainly because of the whitewash used on the surface as well as the thousands and thousands of little mirrored chips that are embedded into the concrete, that catch the sun’s rays and sparkle.
Construction on the temple began in 1997 by local artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. Before you walk into the temple, you have to cross a bridge with a pit below filled with reaching hands which is supposed to symbolize souls reaching up from hell. Then, when you step inside, you have gone from hell into heaven. Once inside, you cannot go back outside that same way. The symbolism being… you are leaving hell behind. Inside the temple is a blend of Buddhist art as well as contemporary art, featuring Michael Jackson, Harry Potter, minions, cartoon characters, and many more icons of pop culture. The mural depicting the pop culture is controversial since many people believe it has no place in the religious temple. But the artist wanted to make a statement on modern life: human greed and the struggle between good and evil. He also wanted to illustrate Buddhist teachings in a way young people would understand. We were not allowed to take photos inside the temple.
Kositpipat considers the temple to be an offering to Lord Buddha and he believes the project will give him immortal life. Today his work is ongoing, and expected to be finished by 2070. When completed, the white temple compound will have nine buildings. We walked around the compound and saw the beautiful flowers and the buildings that are currently being built.
After our temple visit, we drove the rest of the way to our hotel. The hotel is in a prime location: everything you could possibly need is situated within two or three blocks.
We all went out to dinner at a local restaurant and we ordered the restaurant’s signature dish – pork with spices and lots of ginger. It was delicious.
After dinner, Allan and I walked through the streets where venders were setting up shops. I bought some lovely gauzy summer pants which will be great for traveling and for the summer. They each cost 100 baht…or 3 US dollars!! Two pairs of well-made summer pants for 6 dollars! What a deal!!!
This lady has worked at the factory for 50 years.
Making the paper part of the umbrella.
Myriad of umbrellas
The dyed paper for the umbrellas
Delicious lunch. So many things were presented for us to eat.
Passion fruit. Are said to put a little salt in it. Delicious!
The White Temple
Depiction of Hell before you enter into the temple.
After breakfast, we boarded our bus and drove to the Karen Long Neck Village, where we were able to chat with a resident of the village. When we arrived in the village, we transferred to a pickup truck which took us to the resident’s home. The ride was bumpy and steep and we had to hang on for dear life. The resident spoke Thai and Are was able to speak with her and relate the answers to our queries back to us.
The name of the lady we spoke to is Mabai and her daughter’s name is Macao. Macao is four years old.
Mabai originally came from Myanmar, but she fled because of the conflict in that area and then settled in Northern Thailand. She is a member of the Padong people. The Padong women are known for the brass neck rings they wear around their necks.
The Padong have their own language, although some Padong are able to speak Thai. They rent their land from landowners (which is about $100 for the year), and then they build homes with bamboo and they use mulberry leaves and elephant poop for the roof. They follow the law in Thailand that children must attend school beginning at age five.
They earn money by selling handicrafts like hand woven goods, jewelry, and souvenirs. They live in designated tourist villages and they get some income from the tourist entrance fees.
The Padong women wear very heavy rings around their necks made of brass that weigh over 4 lbs. The rings are usually put on the girl around the age of four and they are remade as the child grows. When a mother has a young infant, she usually does not wear the rings while the baby is young because it would be hard for her to bend her head to look down to nurse the baby, etc.
Only a person with skill will fashion the rings for the women and children, as the rings have to be wrapped around the neck carefully. The brass is very cold against the skin so some women tuck a cloth inside so the rings aren’t next to the skin.
Most young girls are not forced to wear the rings by their parents, but some choose to do so to continue the culture. Others choose not to wear the rings when they go to school because sometimes, if they wear the rings, they are bullied and made fun of by their fellow students. Mabai told us that when she goes into town she usually wraps a scarf around her neck so that she doesn’t become the main attraction for ridicule and to avoid having people stare at her.
There are many theories as to why the Padong women wear the rings. Some say that the tradition started to prevent the women from the advances of men from another tribe. Another theory is they wore them years ago to appear intimidating if another tribe attacked them while their men folk were out hunting. And yet another theory is that originally the rings were made of pure gold and by wearing the gold next to their necks, it showed status as well as keeping the gold safe. Most Padongs say they do it because their mothers did it, and their mother’s, mother wore them, as did their mother’s, mother’s, mother, and so on.
If anyone gets sick, they can go to the local hospital which is about 30 minutes away by scooter. They grow their own vegetables and Mabai said that her husband works at the elephant center.
Mabai said her day starts around 5 am when she prepares breakfast. She gets her husband off to work and then takes care of the children and straightens the house. Then she makes souvenirs and does some weaving. She also has to bring water from the well for cooking. Lunch time rolls around and she prepares the food for her husband and children. Then it’s back to making trinkets, tending the garden, and then starting dinner. It’s a full day.
We said goodbye and then walked over to the elephant center, where we met a mahout – a local – who takes care of the elephants.
The elephants are truly gentle giants. These animals are fed, bathed, and socialized at the center and some of the elephants have been there for quite some time. We met Tata, an elephant who has never been in the wild. Her mahout has been with her for a few years and she listens to him very well. We were able to get close to her, pet her, and have our pictures taken with her. The guide answered questions that we had about “a day in the life of an elephant” at the center and it was very interesting.
After meeting Tata, we visited the museum on the premises, which enlightened us even more about the Asian elephants.
After the museum visit, we went to where they make paper out of elephant poop. The poop is cleaned throughly with water, pounded and mixed with grasses, and put into a huge vat of water. There’s a screened form that they gently scoop the poop mixture up on and they let it dry. It becomes a hard piece of paper that they make into stationery to sell at the gift store.
Our day of discovery continued as we watched our local guide put vegetables, fruit, raw rice, and cooked rice, etc into a big wooden container and some of the folks took turns pumping a large wooden mallet to mash everything together. Then we all got our hands nice and gooey as we formed the food into baseball sized balls. Then the fun began!
We walked over to the yard where the elephants were and as soon as they saw us coming, they all lumbered over to the fence. They knew it was feeding time. We all took turns feeding whole bananas, including the skin, and the balls of food we had just made to these gentle giants. The elephants took the food with their trunks right out of our hands and sometimes there would be three or more trunks coming at you wanting to be fed. It was so much fun and we had a great time. It seemed like they were overeating, but actually, elephants consume about 300 lbs of food a day so we just kept shoving the food into their hungry mouths and trunks.
After that, the people who had donned their bathing suits already, went to the water area and waded in to bathe the elephants. I was so disappointed because I would have loved to have taken part in that activity, but I couldn’t take a chance walking barefoot so soon after healing from my broken foot.
The elephants loved their spa time and then everyone who had participated showered and changed clothes and we all set down to a delicious lunch. Allan and I had the chicken Pad Thai.
We said goodbye to all the folks at the elephant sanctuary, and took the bus back to our hotel. We had a few hours until dinner, so most of us just rested in our rooms.
Then, since Are had made reservations for us a few days ago at The House by Ginger, we all walked over to the restaurant for dinner.
The House by Ginger has been recognized for the last few years by the Michelin Guide receiving the Bib Gourmand award. Most of us ordered the restaurant’s signature dish – Khao Soi – a coconut curry soup, and everyone enjoyed it. Everyone but me! I hardly ate it. I had asked for little to no spice, but it was pretty spicy hot. I didn’t like the chicken or the broth, and Are suggested I add more coconut milk, which I did, but it wasn’t any better.
Allan and I then ordered a tapioca dessert called Sago, which came out hot and had things in it we had no idea what they were. Are didn’t know either as they weren’t mentioned in the description. I wasn’t a fan of that either, so I was glad I had enjoyed a lunch at the elephant sanctuary and could pass up dinner. I should have gone with what I originally had wanted – Tom Yum soup – which I love, but everyone was ordering the signature dish so I changed my mind. Oh well.
Except for my dinner, it was an amazing day of discoveries!!
The necklace that the Padong women wear. It is very heavy and cold.
Mabai and her daughter.
All the ladies wearing a covering so we didn’t get slimed by the elephants. Everyone except me had also worn the covering to bathe the elephants.
Spending time with Tata. The local guide told us that if you take a rope and measure the circumference of an elephants foot close to their toenails and then double that measurement, you will be able to determine the elephants height. He showed us. Amazing!
The food that we made the feeding balls with
Mashing the food
Allan feeding bananas
The elephant was so gentle taking the food from my hand.
