December 15, 2018

We moved from our hotel in Chinatown a couple days ago and are now ensconced in luxury at the Avani Riverside Hotel.  Seriously.....this is such a step up from some of the very humble accommodations we’ve had (and we’ve enjoyed them all for the most part) that it is kind of hard to believe.  As an example, Here we’ve got an infinity pool on the 26th floor, a view of the river and the city scape that is stunning, and where a hamburger in the restaurant costs $20!  So, we won’t be having too many hamburgers here!!!  It is a beautiful hotel and it was part of our plan to really give ourselves the luxury of this as we begin to transition back to home.  An amazing bed, a super nice shower, an incredibly quiet room, service that goes above and beyond all of the time, and being able to put toilet paper in the toilet again.....all are very much appreciated and doing what we’d hoped as we use this opportunity to rest from our long time on the road and prepare for the flight(s) home.  

Being here is also giving us a chance to experience this District of Bangkok.  Our hotel has a complimentary shuttle boat that runs up the river to the main port (about 20 minutes up and on the other side of the river) and that is where you can either catch another public transport boat or a taxi or a tuk tuk or the rapid transit.  We’ve used it and it is beautiful but we’ve also found that using a taxi is most often much quicker and really inexpensive.  

As an example, the other night we were heading off to see the Calypso Caberet on the other side of the river at Asiatique.  (Asiatique is a huge tourist site that used to be warehouses on the rivers edge).  We can see Asiatique easily from our hotel but to get there by boat we’d have to take the shuttle from here to the main station.  From there we’d have to walk to the Asiatique shuttle stop and wait for their boat.  Then we’d have to take their boat back down the river (almost as far as we’d gone up it).  In total it would have taken at least 45 minutes.  Instead we opted for a taxi.  From the front door of our hotel to the front gate of Asiatique (and just steps from the Cabaret location) it took just over 10 minutes and the cost was under 100 baht (less than $4). To make it even better the staff at our hotel call the taxi for us, make sure it is a metered taxi, tell the driver where we want to go, and even write down the taxi’s number on a card for us in case we forget anything in the cab they’ll be able to retrieve it for us.

The Cabaret performance was pretty amazing and we had great seats for the 900 baht ticket.  We had a little table between our chairs where we could put our complimentary drinks during the show.  It lasted 70 minutes and included 15 major numbers.  Some were comedic and others dramatic but all of them included amazing costumes and colour.  All of the performers are male.  Some are dressed and perform as men but most are ladyboys.  Each time I’ve seen one of these cabarets in Thailand I am amazed by the fact that there are always one or two (even up close) that I cannot tell are boys.  In the end, the show did it’s job and the audience was well entertained by the troupe.

One other evening we went to see a movie.  Yes, a movie.....but this was different than most movies!  It is called the Diplomat and is on the 6th floor of the Central Embassy Plaza.  The plaza is an experience before you even get to the theatre!  Every massive name brand there ever was has a shop in this mall.  There was Hermes and Rolex, we saw RayBan and well.....you get the idea.....  This mall was also open from the 6th floor to the first in the centre so the ‘view’ you got on the escalator on the way up was AMAZING!  But back to the movie.......This one included a welcome drink, a buffet “dinner” of appetizer type dishes and non alcoholic drinks.  It was an all you can eat/drink for one hour prior to showtime.  Our 1000 baht ticket also included complimentary drink service in the theatre and every seat was a fully reclining oversized leather chair complete with slippers and a blanket.  I could easily get used to this kind of movie experience!  To top it all off.....the movie was Bohemian Rhapsody and both Lynda and I had been wanting to see it since it’s release.  We both thought we might have to wait for it to come out on DVD or Netflix as we’d missed its release while we’ve been over here.  But lucky for us, this was it’s last night playing at this location in Bangkok and we were able to get tickets.  WAHOO!  By the way......LOVED the movie!!!!!

We also visited Wat Pho yesterday.  This temple is home to the giant reclining Buddha here in Bangkok and what a beautiful place Wat Pho is.  Both Lynda and I agree that we prefer it to the Grand Palace as there are fewer people and it has a much more zen-like vibe about it.  The reclining Buddha is MASSIVE and breathtaking both for its sheer size as well as it’s gentle beauty.  The bottom of it’s feet (which are each 15 feet long) are embedded with detailed mother of pearl inlay images.  Along one wall of the building that houses this Buddha image there are 108 little pots where you can drop coins in as you put your wishes out into the ether for consideration.  Of course both Lynda and I paid the 20 baht for a pot of coins so that we could take part in that custom.  Wandering around the temple grounds was so beautiful.  They’d given us a complimentary bottle of water and their were additional refilling stations at a couple of locations which was a really nice touch.  As well, Wat Pho is home to one of the most prestigious Thai Massage schools in Thailand.  As you may guess....no one had to twist my arm too tightly to get me to say yes to a foot massage here.  It was definitely more expensive than most other locations (350 baht or about $15 CAD for 30 minutes) and they sure had us packed in there like sardines but I gotta say....it was a damn good foot massage!  I marvel at how strong their hands are...and to think that they keep that up for hours at a time is amazing and gets my respect and appreciation.  There are also a couple of resident fortune tellers at Wat Pho and so I decided I’d try this out too.  My 90 year old fortune teller was an interesting man and it was an interesting experience but....I probably would have preferred an additional hour of massage for what the cost was and what I got out of it.  I do remember that he said my years between age 65-74 are going to be very happy and that beginning Feb 22, 2019 and for 18 months I should focus on investments and accumulating wealth....which was good news since I’ve set my 2019 “theme” as building business.  He also cautioned me to think before I speak which is always good advice.  :-). Bottom line....we really enjoyed our time at Wat Pho and consider it a ‘must see’ for anyone visiting Bangkok.

Tomorrow we’ve found another hotel that also has a pool and that is right by the airport and where the price tag is more aligned with our wallets so we’ll be moving there for our final two nights in this dynamic city.  It is also quite near one of the floating markets so that will give us a chance to visit it while we’re there as well.  And the fact that it has a pool will allow us to continue our plan for R & R as we prepare for the long journey home on the 18th.

Till next time,

LorLyn

December 10, 2018

Our flight from Chiang Mai yesterday was just as we’d hoped.....smooth and speedy AND they managed to feed a full flight as well as provide hot beverage service within a one hour flight!  Now here we are all settled into our first hotel in Bangkok’s Chinatown.  The Pho Place is perfect....price is right at about $40/night, room is spacious, a big bottle of water in the hallway right outside our room, air con that maybe works too well (but don’t want to complain about that!), and located at the end of a lane off the Main Street so nighttime is nice and quiet.  As well, that Main Street our little lane shoots off of....well it is the Main Street in Chinatown so we are super close to everything too.

Last night we found an amazing spot about 5 minutes walk from here.  It is a hotel called the Shanghai Mansion and the attached restaurant/lounge called Red Rose.  The place is GORGEOUS!  You walk into the lobby of the hotel by going across a pretty red bridge (over water) and then you come into the beginning parts of the lobby where some of the art is bigger than a wall in my house and all of the art is really really exceptional.  The Red Rose runs alongside this walkway into the hotel and with just glass walls....you get the sense of being in both places at the same time.  The hotel is often a choice location for weddings and photographers as inside they have a massive reflecting pool that sits at the base of the balconies that go all the way up to the roof which means that the walkways around several floors are exposed to the reflecting pool.  There are lanterns hanging overhead and bottom line....it is stunning!  Also beside the reflecting pool there is a huge spiral staircase that would also make for some pretty amazing photos.  It was in this hotel lobby that Lynda located a tour desk where we found the production that we’d attend tonight....but I will save that bit till later in this post.

Our first seats in the Red Rose were downstairs in the restaurant and we were seated right in front of the mixologist.  This lounge is known for it’s signature cocktails and it was such a treat for me to be able to watch these master mixologists at work!  Their signature cocktails (there are about a dozen of them) are quite complex and all of them are tasty works of art.  I loved being able to watch the intentional efficiency of the bartenders as they measured, stirred, shook, and poured their masterpieces.  The drinks were beautiful and the garnishes were like icing on the cake...they just made the piece that much more perfect.  One thing that many don’t know is that when a quality cocktail calls for a squeeze of citrus peel over the top...that doesn’t mean the juice...it means the essential oil that is found in the zest of the fruit’s peel.  At the Red Rose they were masters of this aspect and I marvelled at how they even heated the peel just a little with their torch to encourage the oils.  Yes.....these guys know what they’re doing!  That little torch was also used to top some of the fruit garnishes with a sprinkle of sugar and then brûlée it before placing it on the glass/drink.  One of the drinks I ordered required that the bartender put the glass upside down over a stick of smoking cinnamon to leave the essence of the spice as well as a smoky quality in the glass before making the drink.  That drink had gin and tonic, the cinnamon smoke, a splash of coconut milk, and an ice ball that had been infused with star anise and cloves.  This drink was garnished with a strip of orange peel studded with several cloves woven onto the edge of the oversized stemware.  I know it sounds really weird and although it wasn’t my favourite drink of the night...it actually wasn’t bad at all.

Once we’d finished our dinner we headed upstairs to the lounge where happy hour was just about to get underway and where we could get these signature cocktails for a 2 for 1 price (which was good as they were about $12 each!).  Mark, our server, accompanied us upstairs and the fun continued.  To top it all off....we were seated beside a little balcony overlooking the street and before long some good quality live music started to play right below us.  Yes....we were living the high life last night for sure and we were loving it!  We met a couple of young guys who were seated at the table next to us who had just arrived from the U.S.  They were keen to know where we’d been and amazed to hear that we’d been travelling since October 7th.  It is fun to see the look on people’s faces when they hear how long we’ve been on the road.  :-)

But enough about the Shanghai Mansion and the Red Rose except to say that if ever any of us find ourselves back in Bangkok we wouldn’t mind staying a night or two at this hotel.  We were surprised to discover that the rooms begin at about 2400 baht/night (around $100 CAD).  Regardless of whether we were to stay there or not....one thing I do know for sure is that we’re going back to that bar/lounge for their happy hour tomorrow night as that will be Natalie’s last night and so her choice of where to go.  She’s in love with the place and I think maybe a little bit in love with Mark too.  :-)

Today I opted to skip out of the Grand Palace as I’ve been there at least twice before and as much as it is a ‘must see’ I really didn’t want to do it again.  So Lynda and Natalie took off in a tuk tuk and a couple of hours later they reported back that the place is still a ‘must see’ and that they’re really glad they went.  Photos never do it justice though...it is one of those things you just have to experience so I’m really glad they decided to fight the crowds and endure the heat to see it for themselves.

Tonight we had to be back at the Shanghai Mansion for our pick up to the production we’d purchased tickets for the night before.  It was about 1/2 hour drive away and so as soon as we arrived at the location we were hustled into the buffet dining room where a feast awaited us.  There was something for everyone!  They had Thai, and Indian, and Western, and Vegetarian and it was all delicious.

I was checking out the vegetarian options when I heard a voice say, “hey you”....I looked up and found myself looking into the face of a friend whom I had not seen or been in contact with in 18 years!  Udom was our guide for each of my previous visits to Thailand and so during those trips we’d spent quite a bit of time together.  As well, Udom and I share a birthday so each time I was here it happened to also be our birthdays and so every year we’d have another cake and photos together.  It was so good to see him and honestly....the odds against this chance meeting are staggering!  There are more than 8 million people in Bangkok and we both just happen to be at the same buffet table and show at the same time.  Tomorrow he is taking a tour group to Chiang Mai so if we had selected tickets for any other night....our paths would not have crossed.  But really.....the odds of this happening at all are impossible...maybe I need to buy a lottery ticket too.  LOL. :-). Prior to our departure in October Darlene and I had even talked about possibly trying to find Udom but I had not followed up as I didn’t know when we’d be in Bangkok and it just seemed like such a needle in the haystack kind of thing.....but as Udom said tonight.....it was destiny.  And I am very grateful for this destiny....it was wonderful for both of us to reconnect.  Udom was there with the group of 32 people he’s taking to Chiang Mai in the morning and so I had the opportunity to meet them and tell them how fortunate they are to have him as their guide.  They too all loved the irony of the impossible odds of our meeting tonight and they too all had an awestruck look on their faces when they learned that Lynda and I are travelling on our own for almost 3 months in total.  It really does kind of drive it home that people are either inspired or they think we’re slightly insane when they hear what this couple of grandmas are doing.  Especially when we get to see the look on their faces which is where their ‘inside voice’ typically sneaks out.  LOL.  :-). So Udom and I have now reconnected and since we last met Facebook is a reality that will enable us to stay connected.

After our dinner we went outside to see the pre-show show.  There was no assigned seating and so we were prepared to have to stand for the hour to watch this cultural performance.  But once again Lady Luck was with us and just as we walked up one of the staff arrived with chairs for the three of us right at the edge of the stage.  Jeez....I better get serious about buying a lottery ticket now that I think about it!  This outdoor show was wonderful but it didn’t come close to comparing with the production that would follow once we were inside.

The Siam Niramit production is owned and operated by Chang Beer company and the stage they perform on is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as one of the largest stages in the world.  And yes...it is a huge stage but what will always stay with me was the fact that on that stage there were elephants, and temples, and a river that was deep enough to dive into, and a couple of ships and several canal boats (also in the river), and goats, and chickens, and heaven, and hell, and the rainy season (complete with torrential rains and thunder and lightening), and a jungle, and several festivals, and fire, and sooo many performers with more than 500 unique costume changes, and people flying through the air, and dancing and drumming and well.....a LOT!  And all of it was of such high quality.  We’d paid 2000 baht each (about $80) for the evening and all of us vehemently agreed it was worth every penny and more.  We’d had a private car pick us up and drop us back to the hotel, we’d had an amazing buffet dinner, we’d enjoyed the outdoor performance and the traditional village, and the production itself is definitely world class entertainment.

Once we were back into Chinatown we took the opportunity to walk a little ways down a couple of the streets.  Things were starting to shut down as it was after 10 but still there is such a vibrancy to this part of the city.  The neon lights of Chinatown are so pretty and it isn’t too big....it’s just a really neat part of Bangkok that is steeped in history and filled with weird and wonderful shops.

It’s almost 1 in the morning here now and I’m finally starting to come down from the high that bumping into Udom and seeing the Siam Niramit production left me in so perhaps I will give sleep a try.  Tomorrow is sure to be another great day....we seem to be on a bit of a roll the past few months.  :-)

Till next time,

LorLyn

December 8, 2018

Yikes!  Tomorrow morning we hit the road again.  This time we will be Bangkok bound and although that will be the last time we change cities....we have three different locations we’ll “reside” in during our time in that dynamic city.  We decided we’d like to give Bangkok a chance to show us some of it’s different faces hence the three locations.  But today we are still in Chiang Mai and what a great stop this has been for many reasons.

Having an apartment has meant that we’ve been able to get back to some semblance of “normal” for the past few days and even though that may seem like a very small thing....in truth....it has been pretty big!  It’s interesting how many things I take for granted until they’re gone.  Being here has offered a chance to have a few of them back again and it has felt really really good.  Living out of a suitcase and on the road for more than two months has been fun but it takes its toll after a while too.  And as we’ve been on a budget our accommodation doesn’t always offer up all the bells and whistles that I never miss till they’re gone.  Little things like a table beside the bed that is big enough to hold your alarm clock on the days that you need it.  Or somewhere other than the floor where you can recharge your device(s).  And speaking of floor....a counter where you can boil water for coffee.  Or little things like a place to hang something up to dry.  Speaking of that....even having a sink that has a plug in it and that is large enough to wash out a few clothes is a big deal so having somewhere to hang stuff to dry more like a luxury!  LOL.  :-). Or having no noise from the street or a room with curtains so it is dark enough to sleep in or no geckos chirping away on the walls of your bedroom or a bed that doesn’t hurt when you lay in one position too long.  Yep....little things like that.  LOL.  And then there is the mirror or lack of in many places or somewhere to sit other than on your bed or a shower where you don’t get tangled in the curtain as it is just too tiny in there or a dry place to stand when you come out of the shower or a dry toilet seat to sit on after someone has had a shower.  Yep....there are a few little things like that when you sit down long enough to take notice of them and that show up even more when you get them back again.  Actually isn’t there a song lyric about “you don’t know what you got till its gone”?  Soooo true and one of the reasons I believe everyone deserves to have the opportunity to travel to diverse experiences and cultures. I believe that they provide a new perspective that can’t be gained any other way.

Don’t get me wrong....there are no complaints here about missing some “stuff” while being on the road..... just an observation of the things that I miss when they’re gone and how much I appreciate having them back again when I do.  Chiang Mai has been a place to have some of them back and it’s been great.  :-)

Today we decided it was time to visit a couple of temples again as we haven’t been to any since our arrival here in Chiang Mai.  The best place to find a taxi is right across at the Plaza and since we needed to have lunch somewhere too we could kill two birds with one stone.  Lynda and I opted for a Japanese Hot Pot and sushi buffet style place and Natalie made her way to the pizza spot.  Natalie assures us that hers was good but I gotta tell you that Lynda and I are soooo happy we decided to blow the budget on this lunch.  It was the equivalent of about $16 CAD so not too outrageous but much more than we could have found something for in the food court.  But this was an “experience” as much as it was lunch.  First we had to choose what kind of broth we wanted in our hot pot.  Then we had to choose what kind of sauce we wanted.  From there we were shown to our seats, our hot pots were turned ‘on’ and we just had to watch what others were doing to figure our next steps out.  There was an assembly line of tiny plates of ingredients constantly running around the room and in front of our seats.  We could choose whatever we wanted from that line and drop it into our hot pot to cook.  There was shrimp and beef and pork and fish.   There was corn and greens and mushrooms and some other stuff that I have no idea what it was.  We found little pots of garlic and chilies at our station and in no time we were settled in and cooking like locals.  There was some tasty bits coming out of our little pots for lunch today!  And just when we thought we had it all figured out a lady sitting nearby (who spoke a little English) informed us that we could also help ourselves to all the sushi, tempura, gyoza, drinks, and fruits that were along the perimeter of the room.  OMG!  Now there were some tasty treats along those walls!  The gyoza were delicious!  Crispy outside with tender perfectly seasoned pork in the middle.  The tempura were massive prawns covered in a crispy panko crust.  The fruit included the BEST pineapple either of us had ever tasted and the sushi....well the sushi was both beautiful to look at and tasty too.  There was one in particular that I think was the perfect bite.  It was a round of daikon radish stuffed with a piece of cucumber, a piece of egg, a piece of crab, and topped with a dollop of mayo.....yep.....DELICIOUS!  By the time we were done (we weren’t able to last the full hour and 15 minutes we were allowed) we literally rolled out of the place we were so full!

After reconnecting with Natalie and a little more shopping in the “northern village” section of this plaza we were off in search of a taxi driver who could speak some English.  Luckily we located Yo who had enough English for it all to work and who was happy to take the three of us for an hour or two to visit a couple of temples within the city.  Yo’s two little boys were at work with him as his wife had started a new job today and as it is Saturday....the boys got to go to work with dad.  The three of us squished into the back seat of Yo’s taxi and we were off.  

At the first temple we were surprised to see how many locals there were making use of the temple.  Later Yo explained that it is a long weekend and today is Saturday so everywhere is busier than usual with Thai’s.  At this temple we marvelled at the lifelike statues of several monks lining one of the walls.  One of the statues is of the monk who was the principal monk here and who called this temple home for 77 years.  He had died in 2009 at the age of 98.  These fibreglass statues are so lifelike it is hard to believe they’re not real!  There was another monk (this one was real) doing blessings and receiving offerings from the many worshippers visiting the temple this day.  Many of those worshippers would take another offering that the monk had blessed for them over to one of the statues and then place it in the offering plate in front of the statue of the monk that represented that which they wanted to focus on with their prayers.  The temples are beautiful to look at and the gentle nature of the worship within them is also beautiful to witness.

There was a pure black cat lying at the door of this first temple too and in truth we couldn’t tell if it was dead or alive!  Just when we thought for sure that it was dead or very nearly dead at least it twitched and we almost jumped out of our skin!  LOL....not sure why that cat was there but whatever the reason....we’re hoping it hasn’t used up all nine of its lives.

At the second temple there were a few buildings and the one around the back was obviously soooo old!  It was all made of stone and the stairs leading up to the top were soooo steep that I wouldn’t have wanted to try risking them!  There was another building out front where only men were allowed to enter.  This is the first time that I can remember encountering this in a Buddhist temple.  The reason women are not allowed is because they can menstruate and it is believed that any deviance from this ancient ruling will result in social instability and so no one challenges it.

Everyone was allowed in the main building though and it too was beautiful!  So many flowers near the front and the massive Buddha image that stood at the front of this temple is considered to be one of the most beautiful as his face is so gentle and soft.  Also at this temple there were a number of little statues all along one wall.  There was a statue for each day of the week and another for the year of the monkey, the ox, etc etc etc.  You could purchase some golf leaf and then take it to the statue for the day you were born and the year of your birth and rub it on as you make your wishes to each of them.  I bought my gold leaf (20 baht for 2 pieces), located Wednesday daytime statue, rubbed the first piece on and then located the year of the monkey statue to repeat the process.  The gold leaf is between two pieces of paper and you get a little stick to use as an applicator but even at that by the time you’ve rubbed your gold you are guaranteed to have a few gold flecks on your hands.  I figure this is just more good luck and so rubbed it onto my clothes.  :-)

So now we are back at the apartment thinking about how we’re going to stuff even more into our already “pregnant” suitcases for our flight tomorrow.  I’m guessing that tonight will be more of the routine that seems to have developed for us during our time here in Chiang Mai.  Natalie will come over and we’ll play a couple games of “10” (cards).  Tonight we’ll likely finish off whatever junk food and drinks we have in our rooms as tomorrow morning we’ve made arrangements for Yo (our taxi driver from today) to come back and pick us up for the airport at 10 a.m.  Yes, a very civilized time!  We figured....why get there so early that you can’t check in to your hotel anyway.....so a noon flight it will be for us with Bangkok Airways.  Who knows...maybe we’ll be lucky again and they’ll have another special lounge for us to wait in at this airport too.  Regardless they provide such great service we’re looking forward to another flight with them.

Till next time,

LorLyn

December 5, 2018

Amazing how quickly a week can pass when you’re doing pretty much nothing at all!

Since I last posted we’ve moved from Pai to Chiang Mai where I’m currently sitting in our “apartment” that will be our home base for five nights.  We lucked out when we found this place!  It really is like a small apartment.  We have a kitchen, living room, bedroom with a large closet and a bathroom.  What more could we want?!  Oh ya....and we have a massive pool with gorgeous loungers and a library and a full gym with more equipment than I can begin to describe.  We are near the airport but nowhere near any flight paths as we haven’t heard a single plane since our arrival here last night and today I sat out by the pool where I thought for sure I’d hear them but nope....quiet as can be.  :-)

But I should go back to Pai for a bit before I get too caught up in talking about Chiang Mai.  Our stay there was just what the doctor ordered.  It was so peaceful at the Pai Vieng Fah Resort and the six nights we ended up staying (yes, we extended for one additional night from the original booking) gave us a chance to really catch up on the craziness of being on the go for so long.  We didn’t realize just how much we needed that until we were immersed in it but we did!  Our little “cottage” in the resort was surrounded by trees that had orchids hanging from their trunks and the pool twinkled in the sunlight calling us to come over to cool off throughout the heat of the day.  Truth be told though....none of the hotels heat their pools here though and so going from the heat of the sun into an unheated pool is a bit of a shock to the system until your body temperature drops enough to make it just perfect.  :-). Our resort had a restaurant on the property too so we were able to get food and drink any time we wanted and they’d magically just add it to our room.  Buffet breakfast was included in our stay so really....we didn’t need a lot there but it was nice to be able to have a bite of something for lunch or dinner any time we wanted.

In the late afternoon we’d leave our poolside loungers and hit the showers before heading into town for dinner.  Our resort offered a complimentary shuttle service at our convenience to and from town.  All we had to do was connect to wifi and email them to pick us up whenever we were ready.  Every night of the week Pai shuts down a couple of its main streets to traffic (well....sort of....) and they literally come alive with vendors selling their “stuff” and people buying that “stuff”.  The “stuff” ranges from artwork and handicrafts to every type of food you can possibly imagine!  There is a booth with nothing but different types of lasagne/pasta and another with falafel and another with everything Indian and another with Mexican style tacos both soft and hard shell.  There is a lady selling the most delicious mango sticky rice that tastes even better than it sounds and there is someone else selling nothing but donuts.  There is someone else with nuts of every type and another booth offers up bruschetta style pizzas.  There is every kind of meat and seafood being bbq’d on a stick and sausages of every size on another grill.  There are gyoza made fresh in front of you and another vendor with curry puffs that range from savoury to sweet.  There’s the Pad Thai vendors and of course everything vegetarian as well.  There are fresh fruit stands and juice bars and coffee kiosks and of course....there are all the shops, restaurants and bars right behind the temporary stalls as well.  Yes, Pai is a prosperous little hippie haven that although it has been “discovered” still has enough of a feel of being off the beaten path that its allure is unique and memorable.  Usually we’d find a spot to go for a drink (and a game of cards of course) and then we’d move out onto the street in search of our dinner.  We’d wander up and down the streets with what at times could be described as throngs of other people and then at other times we were virtually on our own.  We’d grab a bite here and a nibble there and then a donut and then some mango sticky rice and ....well.....you get the picture.  We loved Pai for many things but perhaps most of all for the amazing and delicious street food we were able to get there.

I loved Pai for something else though too.  I found a massage shop called Body Magic and the first time I went in met a therapist named Pa who was able to find the perfect balance between her obvious knowledge and her intuition.  Pa is perhaps the oldest massage person I’ve ever had work on me....maybe that is why she was able to do what she did....her experience is so vast.  I’ve been suffering with really bad pain in my right knee and definite problems in both. I’d been to see therapists and the doctor at home but no one had been able to affect any real change in the way I felt or figure out what was causing my pain.  Pa went to work on me in a different way than anyone else had and I must admit her technique hurt a lot but in the end....I walked out of that place absolutely pain free!  The pain did return but not nearly as bad as it had been and so after giving myself a day off from being “worked on” I returned to see her again.  I didn’t know if I’d be able to see her again but the front desk staff remembered me and when I asked for Pa by name they actually called her to come in from home (just a couple minutes away).  Pa has virtually no English and I have no Thai but somehow I was able to tell her how much she had helped me.  I’m pretty sure she knew already that she had and so back down onto her mat I went and this time she worked even more aggressively than she had the time previous.  It took all my focus to breathe through the pain and every once in a while she would ask....”okay?” and I would reply “okay” and she would chuckle and go back to her work.  Once again, I walked out of Body Magic absolutely pain free and once again...it doesn’t last completely but I am again better than I was and so now my goal will be to find another Pa in every location that I am....including home!

So yes, Pai was a good stop...a really good stop for many reasons and now here we are settled into this apartment in Chiang Mai and feeling really “normal”.  It is such a treat to be able to sit here at the table typing this post and knowing that I don’t have to pack my iPad and keyboard back to the room and put it all away somewhere so it doesn’t get stepped on or....well....it’s just so nice to feel “normal” here with this little 8th floor apartment.  Being able to have coffee and cereal this morning still in pyjamas was such a treat and washing out a little laundry and hanging it out on our balcony to dry and being able to plug in the kettle whenever you want....yep those little things are feeling pretty big for both of us right at the moment.

This morning I spent an hour with my latest book down by our pool while Lynda just stayed in her p.j.’s lounging on the couch in our room reading her book.  How nice it was/is and to know that we’ll get to do that again tomorrow....yep....a real treat!

There are a few things that we’re going to see while we’re here in Chiang Mai but we’ll save those for the afternoons and evening times.  We’ll take a cab or tuk tuk to get into the old city for dinner, a little sightseeing, a night market I’m sure, and possibly a temple or two along the way.  Our hotel room is actually in a large building that seems to be home to some permanent residents as well.  We’re thinking some of the apartments are for full time occupancy and others of them are for people like us.  The building is right across from a large shopping centre that is home to every kind of store you can think of, a food court, a movie theatre, a huge grocery store, a pharmacy (or two), and well....it’s just a big mall!  And to make it even better for us we also have a 7-11 on the same side of the street as we are and just a couple of doors down so we’re able to pick up big bottles of water every day and any snacks we might need in between the stuff we got at the grocery store.  Actually water continues to be a focus for us but that we take for granted at home.  Here the only water we use is bottled....the tap water is only used for washing.  Even the water we put into the kettle comes from a bottle vs the tap.  There always has to be a bottle of water in the bathroom for brushing your teeth...there always has to be an extra bottle to get you through until you can get back to the store to get some more.  All of our accommodations provide one bottle per person per day but until I have to buy it I don’t realize how much water I actually consume.  That one bottle lasts only minutes when you’re sweating it out as fast as you can put it back in.

You may recall from a previous post that our trip to Pai was pretty challenging in terms of the winding road we had to traverse but our trip to Chiang Mai from Pai was EASY thanks to the fact that we opted for a plane versus a mini van!  Yes, we purchased tickets from Wisdom Air for the 25 minute flight in their 12 seater plane and had a beautiful half hour flight instead of that hellish drive that the people on the road below were enduring!  The flight coast us just under $80 CAD each and that was money well spent!  Our accommodation in Pai gave us a free ride to the airport there.  We were whisked through security in mere minutes as when there are only 6 people booked on your plane there are no line ups!  We climbed aboard our pretty little plane right outside the airport door, located our seats (right behind the pilot and co-pilot) and buckled in for the short trip.  Oh ya....and in case we got hungry during our short flight the staff gave each of us a little lunch bag for the trip!  It contained a bottle of water, a napkin, and a muffin.  Nice touch!  The views were stunning and all the while we relished the fact that we’d avoided the road trip.  Landing in Chiang Mai was also easy and our bags were in the airport and on the belt within seconds of our arrival inside the terminal.  Wisdom Air gets our nod of approval and if ever I find myself headed to Pai again....I will definitely travel with them!

As I’ve been typing this post Lynda has brought me a cheese sandwich and an iced coffee for lunch.  Yep, I’m loving having a kitchen to be able to use....I can already feel the “normal” ramping up as we get nearer and nearer to heading for home.  But we’re not quite ready for that yet though.  We still have a lot to see and do but for these last couple of weeks “normal” stuff will definitely be a part of the mix as we begin the transition back into our lives.

Till next time,

LorLyn

November 30, 2018

Wow!  The last day of November already.  Hard to believe but the calendar is telling me that tomorrow we will be into the month that will mean our return home.  The time really has gone by quickly and now that we are settled into our accommodation in Pai (where we have a pool and deck chairs) we are feeling pretty spoiled.  In fact, we have just added on one more night to our stay here so we will be here until the morning of the 4th when we’ll head for Chiang Mai.  I’m sitting in the lobby area of our “resort” waiting for the girls to bring me some soup for my lunch and then I think I will head down to poolside for a little dip.  Yep, life is rough!  LOL....

But back to this soup that I’ll be enjoying in about 10 mins....it is called chicken in coconut milk and they make it fresh from scratch when you order it.  I cannot describe how delicious it is and so today I asked if I could come into the kitchen to watch them make it so I could learn.  Amazingly they agreed and so I’ve just returned from my lesson where I watched them sauté some tomato and some onion and some sliced lemon grass and some fresh kaffir lime leaves and some sliced fresh ginger and a chopped red chilli in a little oil.  Then they added a little soy sauce and some water and a 1/2 a chicken bullion cube and a bunch of chicken.  They let that cook (boil) a little and then added a little coconut milk and a little fresh milk and then simmered/boiled everything all together for about 10 mins.  It was served with some more fresh red pepper on top along with a few chunks of fresh kaffir lime leaf and a 1/4 of a fresh lime.  OMG!  It was delicious!!!  This is a flavour profile I will definitely do my best to recreate once home.  They usually serve it with rice and honestly....I wish I would have had some rice to sop up the last of the liquid and to cut the heat just a little.

I haven’t even taken the time to blog about our trip to Pai from Chiang Rai.  We’d hired a private car for 8,000 Baht (about $320 CAD) and had been told that the trip would take about 4 hours.  The plan was that we’d travel cross country (on good roads) to cut the time of having to go all the way down to Chiang Mai and then back up again to Pai, which is almost at the Myanmar border.  As well, we’d made arrangements to stop at the white temple (about 30 mins south of Chiang Rai) as we’d be passing right by it so that just made way more sense than making another separate trip there.

The white temple is actually amazing!  Not sure if I totally loved it but it is amazing none the less.  It was like being inside of a giant wedding cake.  Everything is white and covered in mirror tiles and shimmering under the sun and the reflection off all the white almost hurts your eyes it is so bright.  The grounds of the temple are actually huge and you don’t pay to go to any of that....just 50 baht to go into the actual temple where there are no photos allowed and where you have to take your shoes off to walk through.  I’m so glad we were able to see it...it is one of those things that you kind of have to see to believe.  Even though I’d seen plenty of photos of the place, nothing really prepared me for how big and how white it all is.  The artist who has created it is continuing to build onto the space and so I’m sure that in a few more years it will be even that much more amazing!  While the temple is an actual temple the place is definitely a piece of art.  Some of it is beautiful and some of it isn’t really to my liking at all.  There were sections where there are hundreds of hands reaching up from below and other sections where there are just heads and skulls....yes.........an artists interpretation of something I’m sure.

Back to the road again and as it turns out this supposed four hour trip took us almost 9 hours!  Granted we spent almost an hour at the white temple and another almost hour at a cave but still....7 hours is a lot longer than 4!             As well, the road we had to travel was so curvy that there were times when we actually slid from side to side in the vehicle!  We were in a 9 passenger van so had lots of room which I am ever so grateful for.  I cannot imagine how horrible it would have been to have been squished into a little mini van with a bunch of other people to make that trip as was the other option for us to consider.  I would have paid the $320 myself if it was just me!  In fact the thought of making that same trip back out when we leave here for Chiang Mai is so daunting that just today we booked seats on a small plane (12 seats I think it is) that flies from Pai to Chiang Mai most days.  Those tickets are 2000 baht each (about $80 CAD) and will be worth every penny!  The flight is only 25 minutes versus the 4 hours it would be on a bus!

But we are glad to have made the drive one way as it sure gave us a good look at the north of Thailand.  We’d seen north/northeast to the golden triangle and now we were seeing the northwest too.  As well, there was a surprise stop at about the 1/2 way mark that was actually wonderful!  It was at Chiang Dao cave.  This limestone cave that extends into the mountain for more than 12 km is full of stalagmites and stalactites that are breathtaking.  We opted to go the route that it well lit vs the one where you need a guide and carry only a torch.  The one we chose was plenty!  In front of the cave there is a freshwater pool that is the colour only rock filtered water can be.  That perfect blend of green and blue with lush vegetation all around.  The cave has been used/visited for more than 1000 years and is home to many Buddhist artifacts.  In the area surrounding the cave there are several “shops” that sell all natural remedies for everything from diarrhea to haemorrhoids and bloating to pleurisy.

When we did finally arrive at the PaiViengFai Resort we were so glad to be here that we hardly even noticed how beautiful the place is.  But the next morning it was so nice to see that outside our little cottage there is an orchid growing from a tree and the grounds are beautifully kept and the pool is huge, clean, and refreshing.  And today as I sit here in the lobby typing this Sarah Mclaughlin  is playing on the speaker and there are water buffalo in the rice fields across the road.  And there is a rooster crowing in the far distance and doves cooing in the near distance.  Yes, it is a little piece of paradise and so I’m going to don my bathing suit and hit the pool.

Till next time,

LorLyn

November 26, 2018

It will be a quiet day today....we earned it after our epic adventure yesterday when we visited 3 countries and one of them 3 times!  So here I sit at a table in the covered area right outside our room at the Baan Bua Homestay in Chiang Rai.  

We’d made arrangements with Paul (travel agency) to do a private tour to the Golden Triangle that included the Choui Fong tea plantation, a stop in the Thai border town of Mae Sai, crossing into Myanmar (Burma), back into Thailand, markets, sightseeing, viewpoints, the Opium Museum, a boat trip to and time in Laos and back to Thailand again, a drive through the 1000 year old village along the way and of course.....a return to our Homestay in Chiang Rai.  Cost of our tour was 1,500 baht each plus entrance to Burma (500 baht) and entrance to Laos (30 baht) and entrance to opium museum (25 baht) and of course any food, gratuities, or other stuff we wanted to spend along the way.

So....here I sit munching on green tea popcorn (surprisingly good) as I catch up on facebook posts and this blog.  Posting on FB and the blog really helps to remember all that we did!  On a day like yesterday there was so much to see and do that it really is a bit of a blur.

We started our day at a very reasonable 8:30 a.m. when our driver/guide Mr Disuk picked us up at our Baan Bua Homestay.  Natalie had walked over here so as soon as he arrived we were ready to roll.

First stop about an hour up the road (heading north) was the Choui Fong Tea Plantation.  Gorgeous spot and what a gorgeous day to spend a little time here.  One of the big advantages of having a private tour is that you can stop when and where you want and for as long as you want so our time at the tea plantation was a perfect start to our day.  We learned about tea....how it is picked (by hand) and how it is dried (a lot of which is by hand), how it is sorted (mostly by hand) and in the end decided that we’ll never take a cup of tea for granted again!  We spent some time sitting on the deck at the plantation and both Lynda and I commented how much it felt like we were sitting on the patio of a winery at home.  The temperature is perfect (about 27) humidity seems non existent, views are gorgeous, light breeze blowing, and people from all over the world visiting this place with us.  We enjoyed our iced tea lattes and green tea desserts before hopping back into the car again.

Mr Disuk was very proud of his brand new car!  It is a little Toyota and only 1 month old.  I think the style was Yaris so we wouldn’t have been able to fit any more people in there but for us it was perfect and as Mr Disuk said....it is the VIP car that can go places other taxis cannot.  Wahoo!  I always knew we were VIP’s.  :-). Also important to mention here is that as soon as we got into the car we noticed on the middle of the steering wheel and on the roof right over the drivers head there were chalk like fingerprints.  When asked Mr Disuk explained that the monks had given his new car a blessing for safety so we’re good to go!  :-)

Next stop was the Thai border town of Mae Sai where Mr Disuk dropped us right by the Thai immigration to wait for him while he parked the car and hiked back to us from there.  We were grateful we didn’t have to walk as it felt so much hotter here in the city than it did on the tea plantation!  While we were waiting Lynda even had time to find herself a little gift that is absolutely GORGEOUS from one of the shops we were waiting beside!  Once Mr Disuk returned we headed into the Thai immigration office where we were officially “stamped” out of Thailand.  From there we walked across the bridge that leads into Myanmar (Burma) where we had to stop at their immigration office.  The immigration office there keeps your original passport (along with 500 baht ($20 CAD)) for the duration of your visit.  It feels a little uncomfortable leaving your passport there but it’s how they do it sooooo.....when in Rome......suck it up!

As soon as we exited the immigration office we were literally assaulted by taxi drivers vying for our business.  Thankfully Mr Disuk was able to speak with them and narrowed the options down to two.  We chose the truck taxi because it had 4 wheels vs the tuk tuk type that had only 3.  Either was going to be the same price.....360 baht ($15 CAD) or $5 each.  The driver would take us to three temples and a viewpoint before returning us to the market by the border....he’d be driving us up some pretty big hills and a fair distance as well as stay with us for well over an hour so we were happy to pay the $15.

The 3 temples we visited were all unique and beautiful in their own way.  The 2nd was really interesting though as we were helped to find the day of the week that we were born so we could make our wishes at the right “station” on the site.  I was born on a Wednesday and Lynda and Natalie were both born on Thursday.  A young person attached themselves to each of us and walked with an umbrella over our heads to protect us from the sun as they guided us to the right station to make our wishes.  My young girl is 16 years old.  She was lovely and was able to tell me exactly what to do, which I did.  I had to stand on a mat (because kneeling is not an option for my knees!) under a roof facing my Wednesday station.  Then I had to bow and make a wish three times.  From there I walked over to the station and used a small silver cup to scoop up water to pour over the head of the Buddha statue 3 times, then 2 more scoops of water over the shell that was behind the Buddha and finally 1 more scoop of water over the little elephant statue that was on the ground in front of the little Buddha statue.  Once all that was done we walked across the big open space on this hilltop location to purchase a string of fresh flowers (20 baht) that I could then “offer” to the Buddha along with 3 more bows and wishes at this location.  The final step was to then walk over to a very big very heavy brass bell where I used a large stick to hit the bell nine times to complete the process.  We’ll have to see what happens after all of this!  :-)

The 3rd temple was the largest and most ornate and it had a real sense of peace and tranquility about it.  There are several buildings on this site that are home to many monks and this location is visited four times each month (in conjunction with the moon cycles) by many other monks and followers of Buddha....perhaps that is why there was such a sense of calm about the place.  Behind the temple and beside the monks quarters there is a massive Po tree from India (I’ve also heard it called Pepo or People tree). This is the type of tree that Buddha is said to have been sitting under when he first found enlightenment in India.  In the main temple building here there are massive columns that are circled by mirror work near their base.  As the sun shone in the windows it caught the mirrors and caused the prettiest rainbow of colour.  It reminded me a little of the time, so many years ago, in the bedroom at the winter palace of the king in Jaipur India when my friends Mohini and Robin and I were treated to a recital of twinkle twinkle little star by our guide as he spun around with candles in his hands to create this same reflection off the mirror work that lined that room (ceiling and walls).  We had this massive space here in the temple pretty much to ourselves....it was so quiet and peaceful and even the air was cooler and felt gentle on your skin at this temple.  Again, there was no rush and so as long as we wanted to stay we were able.  The detail in the woodwork around the rooflines was stunning and there were so many pigeons here you could hear their cooing echoing through the property.  In fact, there was one white tower like structure right beside the entrance to the main temple and it looked like some of the pigeons were calling it home as one of them stood in the “doorway” of their temple/house as if to say....hello....what do you want.  LOL.  It was nice to see them here (and someone must do an awful lot of sweeping as there was no poop for us to step on) but I’m sure glad there aren’t pigeons in my rafters!

As we headed back to the market area in the back of our truck taxi it felt wonderfully cool and fresh to have the breeze blowing by us.  These tuk tuks and now this truck taxi are spoiling us for wanting to have vehicles where you can feel the breeze when you’re driving.  Once back in the market we found a vendor selling fried treats that smelled amazing and that we all decided would make a perfect lunchtime treat.  So corn fritters, potato pockets, and sweet milk fry bread were our noon meal this day.  We also saw loads of cute kids but two in particular stand out in my memory.....one was a little girl helping her mom sell sunglasses.  She was so shy to begin with but by the time I was leaving she was waving like a long lost friend with both arms in the air.  Her cheeks and forehead were covered with circles of the paste that Burmese females spread on their faces and in fact all over their body.  It is a blend of sandalwood and herbs that is mixed with water to make a light coloured paste.  It is believed to be a tool in keeping their skin beautiful and the look of having the paste on their faces is thought to be attractive as well.  The next little kid (or monkey as Mr Dusik calls all children) was just a baby.  He was in the basket that his dad was carrying along with cartons of cigarettes for sale.  The dad jokingly offered the baby for sale since we didn’t want cigarettes and I think Natalie was ready to make the purchase but for the fact that the border guards might have something to say about that!  I’m sure the dad would have too....LOL.....  :-). We found the Burmese people to be very friendly and this is a little different from my visit here to this same town almost 20 years ago.  At that time we were the first white people they’d seen in more than 6 months and the border had just opened that day and no one knew how long it would be open.  That time there were men and boys riding in the back of trucks all bearing weapons and the people in general didn’t look nearly as happy or easy going as they did today.  What a difference a generation can make!

Just outside the market we headed back through Myanmar immigration, retrieved our passports (without any trouble at all), walked over the bridge, filled out the Thai arrival forms, and had our passports stamped to allow us back into Thailand.

Back in the car we headed in the direction of the actual Golden Triangle.  The point of land that is where Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos all meet with just the Mekong River separating them.  The Golden Triangle got it’s name because it is the place where the opium trade got started.  Opium was referred to as black gold because it is black in colour and it was typically paid for in gold as it’s value was so high.  Here we visited the Opium Museum where we learned about the history of opium as well as several of the local area hill tribes including the long neck tribe.  It was interesting to learn that the long neck tribe doesn’t really have long necks....they have lowered the shoulders, clavicle and upper ribs to create the illusion of a long neck.  We’d already decided not to visit any of the hill tribes as that has been nothing more than a tourist attraction for many many years.  But it was interesting to learn how they do it and the reason why.  In the beginning of their story a tiger attacked their village and killed several women and girls by biting their necks.  As protection it was decided that from that day forward all girls and young women (age 5 till 25 or married) would have 3 rings added to her protective neck covering that eventually was also viewed as beautification.  On average the neck rings weigh about 8 kg by the time they’re finished getting them.

Next we were down a whole lot of stairs and into a little fast boat headed for Laos.  Again, it was our private boat so we could stay as long as we wanted.  Entering Laos was a different experience.  They don’t want to even see your passport....they just want you to give them 30 baht ( about $1.50) and they’ll give you a paper that looks very official but that is likely just a souvenir.  LOL. There’s not a lot here at this riverside town in Laos....and all of it is geared for tourism.  There is one casino with another under construction as well as markets selling everything from clothes and suitcases to whiskey with snakes and scorpions in the bottle.  The boat ride first up as far as Myanmar and then back down the Mekong to the port in Laos was rough!  Our little boat literally flew across the water and at one point we were even airborne as we crested a large wave.  All of us were hanging on for dear life and none of us were dry at the end of the “ride”.  What an adventure!  We took special note of the printing on the back of our life jackets where it said “Thai Life Insurance” and realized this is probably what the tour company was referring to when they said our trip included life insurance.  LOL!  After some time and a cold drink in Laos we were even able to watch the sun set over Thailand and then it was back into the boat for our final re-entry to Thailand for the day.  This would be our third and final time entering into Thailand today.  Once back on Thai soil we took a little time to enjoy a delicious iced coffee along with the views as dusk settled over us and then it was time to climb back into our little VIP car for the journey home.  

We drove through the 1000 year old village that holds so much history but unfortunately as the sun had already long set there was not enough light for us to be able to appreciate any of it.  The drive home was entertaining nonetheless as Mr Disuk is a character!  He entertained us with his running commentary.  Some of it we wanted to know and some of it we didn’t but all of it he wanted to share.  LOL. Yes, he was a character but in a good way.  

We had him drop us off in town so we could grab a late dinner and once that was behind us we  headed home to our respective places as we were all done for this day.  And now you know why today is a day of rest. Yesterday was a full one!  Till next time,

LorLyn

November 23, 2018

OMG!  How did that happen?  How is it possible that I haven’t posted anything in here since the 18th?!  Oops!  I guess the simple answer to that question is that we’ve been keeping busy and for the most part out of trouble....but the busy has left me with little time to blog so tonight I will get all caught up for those of you who are following along.

As of tonight we are staying in a traditional wooden house in Chiang Rai, Thailand.  That gives you a little bit of an idea about what has kept us busy!  The last time I wrote we were still in Kampot so since then we’ve had two full days of travel.  The first travel day took us from Kampot to Siem Reap and then today we flew from Siem Reap to Bangkok and then from Bangkok to Chiang Rai.  

But in between there we had three sleeps in Siem Reap.  What a wonderful little city that is!  Of course the temples are amazing but so is the city itself.  There is a busy little Pub Street that comes alive at night as well as a couple of night markets that are brightly lit and not crowded at all.  That’s not to say that there aren’t loads of people there....just that the space between the stalls is wide enough to be able to drive a couple of cars down but as there are no motorized vehicles allowed....there is  ample space for people to meander without worry of getting run over or dying from heat exhaustion.  One of the markets even has strings of lights hanging overhead....soooo pretty.....almost looks a little Las Vegas’ish!  LOL

Having three nights in Siem Reap really means that we just had two full days to experience all that we could.  One day was spent from dawn till dusk with our tuk tuk driver, Sok Heng, as we visited three of the temples.  That may not sound like a lot when you read it but let me tell you....we almost called it a day after the first one!  We were honestly melting it was so hot and humid.  Sok Heng was so sweet...each time we returned to his tuk tuk he would have cold water and a cold towel for each of us in an attempt to help us recover.  We’re pretty sure he might have been just a little bit worried that he was going to have a couple of old girls keel over in his tuk tuk from the look of our red faces and sweat drenched clothes!  Both Lynda and I agreed that this day is likely the hottest either of us has ever experienced!  But how hot we were is not what the day was about...it was about the temples so.....we started the day bright and early by stopping at the ticket place to get our one day pass ($40 US) for the Angkor site (many temples included in that ticket).  There were already hundreds of people lined up to get their tickets!  There were so many busses in the parking lot it was overwhelming!  But Lady Luck was with us once again and just as we approached the ticket counters....they opened a new window and directed us to the front of that line!  I’d say we jumped the queue by at least 500 people!  Wahoo!  What a great start to this day!  :-).     Oh ya...and guess what?  They take your photo and put it on your ticket!  So, if you lose your ticket you’re hooped...you have to buy a new one and at $40 a pop...that is one ticket you don’t want to lose!  As well, you need to show the ticket at every temple you visit and even to go on some of the roads.

First temple stop was Angkor Wat itself.  What a massive place that is!  It took 37 years to build and was first used for Hindu practices and later Buddhist.  So many parts to it and so many people milling about everywhere!  To access the temples you had to walk over a very long floating bridge as there is a lake in front of the main entrance to the temples.  As the original bridge is under repair they’ve constructed this floating bridge.  I did not like walking across it at all...every step is so squishy and the whole thing moves under your feet and having a few hundred people on it at any given time left me feeling a little seasick.  But eventually we made it across and up the stairs into the main “gate” entrance.  The place is soooooo grand but even more impressive was the fact that there was a family kneeling at the statue just inside the entrance.  They were praying and giving offerings.  As much as I’m one of the thousands of tourists who will visit this site today I hate that there are so many of us crawling all over this ancient holy site.  It was wonderfully refreshing and “right” to be able to see that in spite of all the tourists the locals continue to practice their faith right in the middle of all this chaos.  The vibe inside the temple was gentle and when we were able to block out the noise of all the visitors there was a quiet sense of peace to the place.  For part of the time Lynda and I just sat in a window and enjoyed the cool breeze that was coming off the lake out front.  That is how I will always remember my visit to Angkor Wat.....feeling the cool breeze when it was a thousand degrees out, sitting in the quiet space, and being able to witness the traditional practice of the locals who come here to pray.

The next temple we visited was called Bayan.  It too was impressive and filled with moments where our eyes couldn’t soak up enough of all that we were seeing.  Once again, there was a sense of history to the place that cannot be described by words...it’s really just a feeling....a feeling you get when you’re in a place that you know has been visited by millions for over a thousand years.  Add to that the special energy that is created by the strong belief of so many of those millions....yes....the energy in these holy places is palpable.  In addition to all the positive vibes these temples have to offer the intricate detail in the carved relief on the rocks is actually hard to believe.  How they did all this I have no  idea.  

The third temple was a difficult choice for us as we could either choose to see the temple where Tomb Raider was filmed or we could travel one hour north to see the Temple of Women (or Ladies Temple as it is often referred to).  In the end the Lady’s Temple won out and it turned out to be my favourite of the day.  Although still very large, it was much smaller than Angkor Wat and many of the other temples too.  Some believe that one of the reasons it is called Lady’s Temple is that it might be where women would have come to make their special prayers for things like a good marriage, many children, a healthy family, and things like that.  This temple is also made of red rock and so has a “pink” hue that may also be part of the reason it is called Lady’s.  The site required that we walk the entire area from the entrance to the exit and yes....it was still soooo hot but as we exited the back gate of the temple there was a group of musicians playing traditional music and seats for us to sit in the shade.  What a beautiful memory that will always be....listening to music from the past in a place that echoes with the voices of all who have visited and prayed here before.  But before we’d exited, there was a woman in traditional clothing sitting in the middle of the temple site.  She was singing and praying and let me take a photo of her.  After I’d taken my photo she took my hand and gave me a beautiful blessing of some kind....at least that is what I’m choosing to believe she gave me.  :-). Honestly, I’m sure it was as she said it with a smile and in a gentle voice and she held my hands as she looked deep into my eyes.  It was one of those moments that I can’t really explain but that I will always remember.  Once Lynda and I had exited the back gate and gotten our second wind sitting in the shade listening to the music....we had to decide whether we wanted to take the longer way round by the lake, boats, and fishing or the slightly shorter route through the botanical garden in the direction of the parking lot.  It took about 1 second to make the decision to skip the lake and go as quickly as we could to the parking lot.  Even with that shorter option it still took us several minutes to make our way back around the outside of the temple site and yes.....it was still HOT.....even in the shade of the trees that we’re guessing were the botanical garden as a few of them had signs showing their name/type.  By the time we finally got back to the gate by the parking lot we were so tired that we made a conscious decision to break the rules and go out the “in only” gate as we were both “done”!

During our hour long tuk tuk back toward Siem Reap we stopped along the roadside to learn how to make palm sugar.  What a lot of work!  First the sugar palm tree is tapped and a bamboo bucket (really just a hunk of bamboo) is hung from a nail to catch the sap from where the tree was tapped.  It takes about 10-12 hours for that piece of bamboo to fill with sap.  That sap is then dumped into a big cooking pot and put over an outdoor fire.  The sap is stirred constantly for 4 hours as it cooks down to become a thick golden paste that is the sugar.  When it is cooked a little longer and cooled down it can be formed into blocks and grated or smashed to make “grains” of sugar.  We were each given a taste of the sweet creamy goodness that was still warm from the fire and of course I had to buy a container of the slightly harder discs to bring home.  I don’t know what I thought it would cost but I sure thought it would be more than a dollar!  But that is all that it was....just $1 for 10-12 hours of gathering the sap and then 4 full hours of stirring it over a fire and then making the discs and packaging it all up and sitting there waiting to sell it and well.....there’s not a lot of profit in the palm sugar making business!  We were amazed by the number of vendors all making and selling the same thing along that stretch of road.  I’m guessing it must be an area where a lot of sugar palms grow or something.  Although it is pretty common in this part of the world for vendors who sell the same thing to all gather together in a particular area.  For example all the shops that fix motors are on the motor fixing street or all the basket making vendors are on a particular block in town or all the sausage makers are in that one particular village or all the sugar making ladies are along that stretch of road.  Who knows the reason...or maybe there are many reasons.  I just know that there were a lot of ladies selling their sugar along that road and not very many buyers at all!

We also saw a number of “scarecrows” sitting at the edge of people’s property in front of their homes.  Sok Heng was able to explain for us that these scarecrows only show up in rural areas and they are believed to protect the home and it’s occupants from evil spirits.  Super interesting to see how each family made their scarecrow protector unique.  All of them were dressed in western clothing, some of them had a coconut for a head while others had a motorbike helmet for their head.  Some were large and others were much smaller.  Some were colourful and creative and others were almost camouflaged in nature.  Yes, so many interesting things to see and to learn!

By the time we got back to our hotel in Siem Reap we both knew that we’d need the next day to recover from the dehydration we’d experienced on our temple tour.  So that’s exactly what we did.....pretty much nothing for the majority of the next day!  We slept in and lazed around our hotel pool until it was time to get cleaned up for a fun night out.  Yep....we’d booked a special treat for that night....We had front row seats for the Phare Circus and they were worth every penny we’d paid for them.

The show was scheduled to start at 5 pm and right on time the lights were dimmed and the show was on!  Natalie, Lynda, and I all agree that none of us even remember breathing for the entire hour the show was on!  The director, the musicians, and the performers managed to find the perfect blend of humour, drama, storytelling, and athleticism to create an hour of magic that none of us will ever forget.  Our front row seats provided us with a vantage that left us feeling like we were pretty much on the stage and in the show!  All who work with Phare are trained in a small city near Siem Reap and most of them have come to the show from a difficult life.  Phare trains and then employs them.  Knowing that made the show even that much more impressive and worth visiting.

Feeling excited and energized by the show we set out in search of some fun and adventure in the night market/pub street area of the city.  Natalie had scoped out a place for us to go for dinner the day prior (while Lynda and I were off touring the temples).  What a great place it was!  Pineapple Margarita’s were only $1.50 and they weren’t short pouring any of their drinks either!  From there we wandered and shopped and enjoyed the show that another restaurant was putting on.  The chefs were literally shooting fire all the way across the space between the front of their location and the one across the street!  At one point we were standing across the street when the fire was shooting out and we couldn’t believe how much heat we felt from it all that way away!  Yikes!  

From there it was back to the room as this morning would come very early!  We had a car booked to pick us up at 7:15 a.m. to go to the airport for our flight today.  Both flights were good ....actually better than good.  Bangkok Airways has a really cool system where they put stickers on your chest. Those stickers inform their staff where you are supposed to be. They mitigate language barriers and ensure smooth sailing for everyone. Both flights (were just an hour long) and both served full meals and drinks to all 150 passengers during that short time!  We’d decided to try going vegan (as Natalie is vegetarian and was choosing vegan for the flights). We won’t make that mistake again!  Sorry Natalie,,,,,you’re on your own on the veggie front.  The other thing Bangkok Airways offers is a complimentary lounge for all their guests. It was awesome!  Comfortable chairs, drinks, food, and wifi.....we all agreed....we like living the good life!  I think that’s about all we have to report on the topic of travel except to say that we had a little hiccup with our booking here in Chiang Rai.  The three of us thought we were all staying at the same place but....somehow Natalie got booked into the Baan Bua Guest House and Lynda and I got booked into the Baan Bua Homestay.  Go figure!  On the upside, our places are really near one another and the price was right in both.  Lynda and I are paying about $25/night (divided by 2) and we’re able to walk pretty much everywhere we’re so close to town.  On the downside, Lynda’s and my room has a big window between the room and the bathroom so any privacy we might have wanted is literally “out the window” for the next few days!  LOL!  We’re booked in here for five nights and then we’ve got a place booked in a small city called Pai.  

Tonight we wandered into town in search of dinner which we found at the Smiling Moon where Thai curry was on the menu for all three of us.  First night in Thailand has to be Thai curry right?!  And it was delicious!  Prices here look like they will be a little higher than we’ve been accustomed to though.  The beer (mind you it was a slightly larger can) was almost $4 each!  After dinner we headed over to the pharmacy as I was in search of some Benadryl (or some other brand of antihistamine) as the bathroom in our room is open to the outside (no roof on part of it) and so I’m thinking there might be a few more mosquitoes here than we’ve had in the past.  I’m wanting to be prepared in case they decide I look like a tasty bite (as is usually the case) and being kept awake all night by itchy bites is not my idea of a good time!  The store had nothing that looked remotely like Benadryl and none of the instructions were in English and I didn’t want to risk getting the non-drowsy kind so was prepared to give up my search when the pharmacist (who spoke English) arrived.  Wahoo!  Once I’d explained to her that I needed the non-drowsy type she gave me a little bottle of no name antihistamine that cost.....sit down for this one folks......60 cents CAD!  LOL....and I think there were 50 tablets in there too!  If you’ve bought Benadryl at home you’d know that it would cost a whole lot more than a penny a pill!

On our way back to our respective accommodations we decided a night cap might be in order at a place we’d seen on the way down.  It is called Hangover Corner and perhaps the name should have been a clue for us but it wasn’t and so there we were in a bar that looked like it was trying to replicate an English pub (and doing a bad job of it) run by a guy from the north of England where the bar stock was limited and the prices exorbitant. We should have checked the prices before ordering but we neglected to do that and as a result when our bill came Lynda and I each owed $8 for a single drink!!!  Yikes, that might be more than at home and certainly more than the $1.50 margaritas we had last night in Cambodia.  Yep....Thailand might be a little more expensive for us.  We’re going to have to tread lightly......

We checked out a tour operator on the way home last night too and I’m pretty sure we’ve worked out a customized day that we’re going to go back and book.  We’re all excited at the prospect of exploring the far north of Thailand over the next four days.  I was here 15+ years ago and can hardly wait to see how much I actually remember from that long ago.  But that will have to wait for another day’s post.  So until then.....good night,

LorLyn