old tiger's Blog

We took no tourist bus..but an ordinary Thai local bus..
all kind of colourful folks on it..30kms..took some time..
they stopped in the middle of nowhere...villages..
Lamphun is known for its Haripunchai wat(temple)
the temple complex got some nice architecture..
it dates back to very ancient times..
impressive Buddha statues..really huge..
very close by this temple is a museum..
we went in there..but it's mostly archeological..
lots of stone and bronze artifacts..interesting..
we took food in a roadside stall..they served sticky rice..
presented in a grean leaf..rolled up..rice was called *khao*
it was tasting..well..sticky..but nice...
Thai food..will take some time to understand...
a very varied kitchen..with all kind of soups,dishes,spices..
they even have perfumed jasmin rice in Thailand...
and walking through a fruit market..I've seen fruits..
which I had never seen before..didn't taste the durian..
it seems..it got an awfull smell..like ammoniac..uhuh..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durian
I'll see if I can get a link..next day..back to Bangkok by train..
tiger

Today we got a conducted sighseeing tour by jeep..
we were 3 of us..me,my wife and an Italian lady from Torino..
our guide was sitting in front..next to the driver...
we first went to Doi Suthep=doi means hill or mountain..
I bet it was bit over12 kms..nice ride really..countryside...
there is a temple(wat)over there..which is really stunning..
because of the fact..there are around 300 steps to climb..
the sides..from top to bottom is a snake sculptured out(naga)
in very colourful green yellow..amazing..on top..after this climb..
this temple is really beautifully situated..with a wide view...
typical stupa's.and Budhhist meditations..prayer wheels etc...
oh this link here...just check it out..look at the pictures..
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Thailand/Northern_Thailand/Chiang_Mai-1445733/Things_To_Do-Chiang_Mai-TG-C-1.html
after this..we went bit into rougher roads..to visit a tribe..
called Meo..they are Hmong oriented..it was sad to see..
the poverty..begging kids..older folks on opium??the whole tribal
stuff..is just a tourist trap..we were even offered opium..
and someone cutted a piece of glass..with a so called diamond??
it's a scam..don't fall into that..the women..were wearing..
very colourful dresses..these tribals like the Yao,Lisu,Karen etc..
probably got roots from Burma??golden triangle is very near..
it's Karen rebel country really...jungle tracks..drug traffic..
river cruises are popular tourist destinations..
we were offered one..next day...at an expensive price..
but we choose to visit Lamphun instead..
so..these Meo's..live their life in the hills..I bet tourism..
keeps them alive..the older peeps there...are all addicted..
to crude opium..they looked very unhealthy..drugs,you know??
after this visit..we headed for Borsang..they call it umbrella town..
it's amazing how lovely they can handpaint umbrella's...
we bought one...I'll see for a link with pictures..again..this place..
is a tourist trap..they show you handicrafts..lovely teak,rattan etc..
but..at a price..oh..the currency in Thailand was bath..
divided into 100 satangs..the teak furniture..
oh my...great artwork really..but NOT for my pocket..
after this hectic day...which I remember very vividly..
we went to the hotel..had a good meal..
next day was free of choice..we picked Lamphun..by bus..
about 30kms away from Chiang Mai..yip..temples again..
Tiger

The train trip was a good experience..funny anectdote..
they mistook my wife for being Thai..food was served..
they asked..soup Thai style...I said O.K..damn..firewater!!
in Thailand you get these small red/green pillie pillies..
Chiang Mai was reached..and in the packet we booked..
was a hotel..guided sightseeing...visit of town,hilltribe etc..
a Thai guide was waiting for us when our train reached..
it's a funny sight to see your name on a piece of cardboard
like they do in airports..our guide was a nice Thai girl..
she took us to the hotel...we had breakfast..and settled in..
in the lounge of the hotel..some Thai's were watching*muay Thai*
that's Thai kick boxing..very popular sport..Thai's love it..
Chiang Mai is not as hectic as Bangkok..it's a provincial town..
one sees tribal folks here..the hills around Chiang Mai are full of Mon/Khmer tribals..
like the Meo's which we visited the next day..
first day was spent visiting some temples..they all looked a bit the same..
in the evening we were invited to watch the evening market..
now..this was an experience..I visited markets in India,West Africa etc..
but this one..I remember for the fact..it was so damn typycal Thai..
it was full of lampions,candles burning,incense,fruits,food,spices,
colourful local folks trying to sell artifacts like Buddha statues,local woven fabrics,clothes,jewels..music casettes,watches..anything..
I believe we had a bowl of local soup in there..forgot the name..
my wife bought some silk blouse there for a reasonable *farang*price..
farang is the name Thai's use for a foreigner..but Thai's use this in a
more humoristic way....it's never meant in a bad sense..
it had been a long day..went back to the hotel..
day 2 in Chiang Mai..was damn interesting..Doi Suthep..a jeep ride
to the Meo tribals..a visit to an umbrella and teakwood selling place..
will tell you crazy peeps in a later posting..like they say in Thai..
*mai pen rai* means..no problem,O.K...I'll see for a link..
http://www.1stopchiangmai.com/
Tiger..

Last day Bangkok..before we moved out by train to Chiang Mai..
we went to Jim Thompsons..this dude was an American..
he was an art collector..and got interested in Thai silk..
his house is a touristical spot now..in my honest opinion..
Indian silk is much better then Thai silk..much better..
another funny story about Jim Thompson..he went on a trip
to Malaysia in 1967....and disappeared in mysterious ways..
he's never seen back alive..up till today..nobody knows??
what happened to this dude??remains a mystery...
we went through Bangkok's Chinatown afterwards..
it's O.K..but I did not like it too much..too hectic..
narrow streets..called *soi* in Thai language..
it's amazing to see these Chinese stalls..food stalls etc...
feast for the eyes...and the palate..I loved their herbs..
Chinese are great in all kind of potions,herbal mixtures etc..
in one of the small restaurants...we met some Thai *katoi*
now..these folks are very strange..one can compare them
to *hijras* in India..in fact they are travestites,transsexuals..
some of them..are very attractive..one cannot see their true
identity..funny world..Thai katoi's are accepted in society..
the sex industry in Bangkok..or for that matter Pattaya or all over?
is more a way..for poor girls..coming to the big cities..
becoming prostitutes..and earning money to support their families..
it's heartbreaking..to find out about the horrible stories..
like exploitation,pimps,hiv(aids)misery...it's all part of it..pity..
some of these chicks end up into drugs..and kill themselves..
big contrast with that are the *bhikku's*which are Buddisht monks..
going around in orange robes,a begging bowl etc....
we went back to the hotel..to get ready for the train trip.
second class sleeper berth...overnight trip...comfortable..
one advice..book ahead..consult a decent travell agency..
will tell you peeps about Chiang Mai(Northern Thailand)
Tiger..

so..we stayed 3 days in Bangkok..visited temples of course...
I particulary liked Wat Pho=it got a reclining Buddha..
it's enormously big..and lots of Thai Buddhists visit here..
Wat Pho is as well an institution for Thai massage..
and I mean the medicinal one..not the Patpong sex stuff..
it's always amazing to stand before all these temples..
how could they build all this..I never understood really??
Wat Arun is on the other side of the river..short boat trip..
arun means *dawn*the view at dawn..must be stunning..
a visit to the Grand palace and the emerald Buddha is a must..
but it's very heavily touristically visited..one feels holy entering..
and seeing the emerald Buddha ..it's in green jade..precious..
http://thailandforvisitors.com/central/bangkok/ratanakosin/prakeo/green/bot.html
inside this temple..or for that matter any temple..take off your
shoes..and never point your feet towards the jade Buddha..
the whole Grand palace complex visit takes easily few hours..
wat Traimit is something really special..because in here..
one can view..a golden Buddha...yes..solid gold..it's huge..
and weighs a few tons..I bet it's more then 2,5m high as well..
it's amazing..to stand in front of it..I felt very little..
Wat Benchamabophit..is a marble temple..and worthwhile seeing..
my wife..being Indian..was often mistaken for a Thai..
Thai's are very friendly folks..very curious..bit shy though..
never touch anyone's head..it's bad manners..
we went inside a travell agency and booked a complete trip
to Chiang Mai..that means..train trip return+3 nights hotel..
the train station in Bangkok was called Hualamphong..
hectic activity..Bangkok is a crossroad for many destinations..
we did not do a river canal boat trip to a klong market..
it's called floating market...and bit over touristically...
let me tell you all..3 days..is nothing in Bangkok..
if you peeps ever go..take at least 8 days..then you grasp..
something more about Krung thep=the city of angels..
the last day...we did some visit to Jim Thompsons silk..
went into a Silom Rd.big supermarket..visited a street market etc..
anyway..we did not get bored in this place..traffic is horrible..
watch out..if you have to cross a street in Bangkok..
you better take a tuk tuk taxi..Bangkok is a big town..
Tiger