Last week was the traditional Thai New Year which means: Songkran Festival! We got the entire week off of school so I took the opportunity to spend the time with my Thai host family whom I lived with for about 5 weeks in Chiang Mai. I arrived early in the morning after a ten hour overnight bus ride to the Chiang Mai bus station, where my host mom and youngest sister (Fai) picked me up. It felt SO GOOD to see them. They came running towards me and gave me a big hug. I had almost forgotten how incredible they are, not to mention how much of a giant I feel like in their presence. They took me back to the house where I found Fern, who is still the best person at teaching me and forcing me to use my Thai. The 4 of us girls had a fabulous day of catching up, eating, and shopping. Then for dinner, we met my host dad as well as the ISDSI student that my family hosted earlier this semester at a restaurant for dinner. By the way, one of the many reasons why I was looking forward to coming back up to Chiang Mai was the food. Even just the idea of eating 3 actual meals was enough to get me excited. And the thought of a home cooked meal around a kitchen table seemed like paradise. Plus, I always liked having my host family there to pick out food for me because I know I ate a lot of things that way which I would have otherwise never chosen myself. So what did I eat my first day in this fabulous setting? Well, throughout the day I had: congealed blood, chicken liver, oysters, the biggest prawns I've ever seen, and frog. I guess in all my excitement I kind of overlooked the fact that I also get served some pretty wild stuff when I'm with these people. It really didn't matter though, I was so happy to be there.
The next day was the first of the three official holiday days. So we celebrated in true Chiang Mai fashion. We loaded the bed of the pickup truck with three giant buckets and used a hose to fill them all with water. Fai, Fern, and I plus 4 family friends climbed into the bed also, with our small pails in hand. Meh, Paw, and one other adult sat in the front of the car. On our way to the center of the city we stopped to buy HUGE bricks of ice to put in our big buckets. We were all set to join the world's most ridiculous water fight. You may remember, Chiang Mai is an extremely old city. Originally, it was built in a square with fortifying brick walls and a moat surrounding it. Segments of the wall still remain as ruins while the moat is still intact, which is quite convenient fo rthis particular holiday. The sidewalks in between the road and the moat were just packed. They were lined with vendors selling water guns, pails, ice, sunglasses, food, drinks, etc. But in fornt of and in between all the vendors are people just out to play. They have everything from high powered water guns to dinky squirt guns, although most people just have pails with long strings attached so that they can easily lower the pail into the moat to refill it. This is why having the moat is so great-- an infinite, free supply of water for everyone. And the streets were packed as well. Many cars were like us, pickups armed with plenty of water and plenty of people to throw the water. Many were motorcycles, defenseless and vulnerable unless they had a water gun yielding passenger. Some were the covered pickup taxis in which passengers attempted (but often failed) to hide and take cover in. Some were regular ol' cars. And some were tuk-tuks hired by foreigners for the occasion-- bucket of water included. Traffic moved only a couple of miles per hour or was stopped completely on the streets around the moat. But I'd take this traffic jam over Bangkok's any day. And so this is the setting of Songkran in Chiang Mai. There is no escaping. I was completely soaked in under ten minutes. Some people are extra gentle and simply sprinkle a handful of water over your shoulder as they walk by. This is rare. More likely, an entire pail of water is thrown on you from someone standing on the sidewalk or from a neighboring car. Or you receive a continuous, probing stream of water on your back from a water gun. Or you are momentarily blinded after being sprayed in the face. Or you are in shock after being doused with freezing cold ice water. You may think a splash of ice water would feel good and refreshing on a 100 degree day, but the thing is you are already sopping wet. All that the ice water does is send shivers down your spine and take your breath away. I have no right to complain, though, seeing as we stopped to buy ice at least three times. And whenever we ran out of water, we would simply pull over and refill our buckets from the moat. At first, I'll admit, I was a bit hesitant to start pouring ice water all over strangers. But no worries, I soon got the hang of it. It was especially satisfying to get revenge on someone who had targeted you-- which happened quite often to me, given that I am white. So basically, the celebration is incredible. I would look out onto the street ahead of our car and simply be in awe. Various businesses had stages set up along the road, promoting this or that by dancing, playing music, giving away free stuff, etc. People were swimming in the moat and even jumping off of the old ruins about 5 meters high into the water. And all you could see were people and cars and water being splashed and sprayed and poured and thrown in every imaginable direction. And although the hub of all the activity is around the moat, you really are not safe anywhere in the city. Because along any road, from the smallest side streets to the biggest highways, there are always people out waiting with water in hand to splash across your windshield or onto your motorcycle. Or if you go out shopping, you must be prepared for a handful of water on your shoulder. It's everywhere and gets everyone. And this goes on ALL WEEK LONG. If there's one thing I've learned in Thailand, it's that Thais know how to celebrate.
Traditionally, the Songkran holiday is a time for Thais to go back to where they are from and be with their families. Furthermore, it is a time when Thais pay respect to their elders, especially the oldest generation of their family or even recently deceased family members. Since both my host mom and dad are from Lampang and both of their families still live their, we drove the two hours to Lampang the next morning. My host grandmother, who lives with my family in Chiang Mai, was already there so I got to see her upon our arrival. She was so excited to hear me say a few limited sentences in Thai, since she knows no English. So those next couple of days were spent shuffling back and forth between Paw's family and Meh's family, meaning we were constantly in the company of aunts, uncles, grandmas, grandpas, great-grandmothers, great aunts, great uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, etc. In other words, there was a lot of family. And little English. If there is one thing I've gotten good at in Thailand, it's being able to entertain myself while everyone else around engages in a conversation that i cannot understand.
But I loved being with all of the family and I loved seeing the more traditional side of the holiday. We continued to have water fights with the neighbors throughout the next few days, but I also participated in the other ways in which Thais celebrate their New Year. One evening, Paw, Fai, and I walked down the road to the river where we filled up our pails with sand. We then walked to the temple and dumped out the sand into a giant mold of a pagoda. It is an ancient belief that every time you leave the temple, your shoes take some sand away with them. So once a year you need to bring sand back to the temple to replace what you have taken away. You are supposed to do this three times, as with many other Buddhist traditions: one time for Buddha, once for his teachings, and once for the monkhood. Then the next morning, I went with my family around to 12 different houses in the neighborhood, all of which had old people living in them. Each elder gave the same blessing, in Sanskrit, to us while we all sat on the floor in a wai. The blessing, I am told, is to wish you good luck in the coming year. Each house has people constantly coming and going, meaning that the elders repeat their message for each new group that comes to see them. It was a great tradition to be a part of. Everyone was so welcoming and excited to have me. Also at each house, was food. Of course my host mom wanted me to try practically everything so I was pretty full after the 12 houses and it was still before 10 AM. When that was finished with, we headed to the temple. There, we found a small parade forming outside its gates with Thai people singing and dancing and playing music and DRINKING. Songkran is also, by the way, essentially a week-long, country-wide drinking binge. It's actually pretty bad, as over 200 people died throughout the country that week due to alcohol related accidents. Anyways, I was dragged into the celebration and forced to join in their drunken dancing which was pretty funny, I must admit. And I was completely soaked in no time with water, especially considering I was the only foreigner in sight. They marched into the temple grounds at which point they had to get rid of their drinks (you can't actually drink inside a Buddhist temple, but you can be drunk, apparently). And they continued to march around the temple three times. I managed to escape the parade and watch the rest from the sidelines with my host mom. We actually left before they finished, since they were moving quite slowly. And we went home to enjoy a long siesta after our busy morning, which is really all you can do when it is 100 some degrees out.
Being with all of that family was a great break from school life in Bangkok. I got to help cook dinner with Fern and one of her aunts. And I got to look through countless photo albums of weddings and travels and graduations of various family members. But it also reminded me a lot of holidays back home and celebrating with my own family, not to mention speaking English. All things that I am really missing. We returned to Chiang Mai on Friday morning and my bus for Bangkok left at 9 PM that night. On the drive back to Chiang Mai, we stopped at a local market where we picked up some produce and snacks. Paw picked out a bag of roasted silkworms to munch on. Fai also dug right in and went to town on them. Apparently I will try anything these days so when he offered me one I took it and popped it in my mouth with only a moment's hesitation. The outside shell had a nice fire flavoring but the inside? not so much. I politely declined to eat any more. And those are the main highlights of my trip. It was amazing to see them again and be reminded of their incredible hospitality and overall awesomeness. I promised them I would see them again before I left, in a little over a month (ah! the end is near!).
And in Bangkok news, the city turned ugly again last night. 5 grenades went off in the heart of the business district where both red shirt and recently appearing anti-red shirt protesters were gathered. One woman is confirmed to have been killed while over 80 were injured. The grenades landed in the street as well as on the raised skytrain platforms. And no one knows the real story of exactly who did it. The police are having a pretty rough time keeping the protesters in check, although many would claim the reason for that is that many of the police are secretly sympathizing with and aiding the red-shirts. It's crazy that this kind of stuff is allowed to just go on in the middle of the city. Millions of people are going about their daily business as they pass barricades of bamboo spears and troops holding live ammunition in the streets. But on the other hand, several different groups are getting fed up. There have been 'multi-colored' rallies, organization of local business owners, and meetings of the 'yellow shirts'-- all opposed to the red shirts camping out in Bangkok. But all that may only be creating more tension and more possible conflict. And the influence of all this is pretty widespread throughout the city (and country). I just found out that my two upcoming field trips--ones that were earlier postponed due to the conflict-- have been cancelled because transportation and safety is so unpredictable nowadays. But I promise, I do live and learn far from all the action so no need to worry about that.
Hope things wherever you are are peaceful and cool. And I will be seeing you soon!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Yes, I am alive
Much apologies for my extended absence-- blame it on a) laziness and b) a bout of Mono. Yes that's right, I was essentially out of commission for almost the entire month of March, so you haven't missed too much. Thankfully, I am feeling much better and have gotten my energy back which means I've been out and about again.
Actually, since my last entry on my trip to Khao Sok in Southern Thailand, I have already been back twice (once right before I got sick and once just this past week). It may sound crazy, going back to the same place every month when there are so many things to do and see in this country/ area of the world. But honestly, after being gone for 7 months, I am getting a bit tired of always being in unfamiliar situations, of not knowing what to do or when I'm getting ripped off, of being lost or clueless, etc. So instead, I really enjoy being able to tell the taxi drivers who are trying to rip me off that I don't want a ride because I know how to take the local bus for a heck of a lot cheaper, and knowing to walk over to Art's if we want to watch the monkey's, and knowing to go to Thai Herb for a delicious meal, etc. And most importantly, I know some really awesome people down there. And I've really enjoyed spending my travel time developing relationships with these Thai people as opposed to taking photographs of yet another waterfall or yet another temple, ya know? So I'll fill you in on some highlights of those two trips.
One evening was spent with our friend Ja and members of his extended family at the bungalows that his sister and her husband own. Ja brought us there to prepare a bar-b-que dinner for us. So what did we have? Pig's head. Luckily, the pig harvest from last semester prepared me for the plate of cartilage and fat and facial features that we were presented with. All things considered, it was pretty good. The meal also included a delicious yet spicy green curry and a soup with fish that Ja had speared earlier that day.
The majority of our nights down there are spent outside around a table at the bar where Ja works. We waste away the night Ja, Baw, Beer, Lek, Lek's Canadian husband, and whoever else chooses to stop by--playing cards, playing guitar, telling stories, and what not. It's always a ridiculous, chill, fun, relaxing time.
We spent two nights at one of the National Park's floating bungalows on the giant lake. This site was a little deeper into the jungle than the last we were at so we got to see a lot more wildlife. We saw: wild pig, a whole pack of bull/buffalo things, a couple of truly impressive hornbills, longtail macaque monkeys, langas, an owl, a deer, and a mouse deer, all from the safety of a longtail boat. While walking though, we came across a set of wild elephants tracks. There were just deep circles embedded in the dirt close to 2 feet in diameter--that is a giant animal! We were actually lucky not to see it though, as they can be quite dangerous.
We had quite the memorable Easter breakfast during our stay on the lake. We walked a little ways up a river into the jungle to a nice spot with downed logs to sit on. While us girls took in the scenery, Ja and Do cooked us a meal using only bamboo. They made a fire which burnt dried bamboo. They boiled water inside a tube of bamboo which they then poured into bamboo cups using a bamboo laddle, in order to serve us our choice of hot chocolate, tea, or coffee. Then, they cooked scrambled eggs inside a section of bamboo while they toasted bread by spearing the pieces with thin strips of bamboo and propping them up next to the fire. Keep in mind, all of these utensils and instruments were fashioned on the spot. Pretty impressive and pretty delicious.
One night while we were out on the lake, looking for wildlife, we stopped the boat for a while to wait for the sun to set. So the guys Ja and Do started fishing-- as they do anytime the boat is stopped. Ja caught a small fish which he immediately chopped up in order to use for bait in the hopes of catching something bigger. Well, he did. After some struggling, he pulled a 2 foot long snake head fish into the boat. It got a bit hectic on board that small boat with a massive flopping fish plus 5 people-- 3 of which being girls unprepared to deal with a massive flopping fish. But no worries, they eventually managed to stow it between the thin bamboo slats of flooring and the hull of the boat. It was late by the time we got back that night, so we ate the fish the next night instead. They bar-b-qued it over a fire and it was honestly delicious.
Our trips down there also included a visit to an impressive cave full of stalactites and stalagmites that resembled a coral reef, trips to local temples where we fed the fish and monkeys that live there, plenty of swimming in the lake and in the river, and plenty of reading, napping, and ice cream eating. So even though I go back to the same place, there is always something new and exciting to do and always plenty of relaxing to be done.
Since my last post I also took an overnight trip to a National Park outside of Bangkok. We spent the night in a tent and walked on concrete pathways to a couple of waterfalls. But the highlight of the trip was actually outside of the park. Someone had read about a bat cave where every night you can watch the bats fly out to feed. Well, it turned out to be quite the adventure to get ourselves there, involving some hitchhiking, some awkward encounters with the locals, some negotiating for a guide, and a lot of confusion. But, we made it, after a walk up a crazy steep rocky slope. We arrived at the entrance to the cave about an hour before sunset. We poked our heads inside but there wasn't much to see except darkness and the stench of bat shit was literally unbearable. So we simply camped out outside the cave and waited. Eventually, the humming and chirping of the bats grew louder and louder. One brave bat circled around the entrance to the cave several times before flying sporadically out and down over the tops of the trees. Then another decided to show its face. Then a few more started making the rounds near the entrance before disappearing into the darkening sky. AND THEN, they came. Bat after bat after bat came erupting out of the mouth of the cave. Not that you could even identify a single bat's body. Instead, it was just a mass of dark bodies and flapping wings. They formed a river, starting at the cave and flowing out, around the corner, down the cliff, through the tree tops. Each bat followed the same path, packed together like a school of fish. Honestly, it was just like that scene from The Green Mile when John Cawfey tilts his head up, opens his mouth, and releases a continuing stream of flies. It was absolutely unreal, especially considering that it went ON and ON and ON. Actually, we left before they had stopped because it was getting too dark which meant our walk back would be dangerous. We literally sat and watched for over ten minutes and they were STILL coming. I cannot even fathom how many bats fly in and out of that cave every day.
Those are some of the more exciting things I've done recently. Tonight I am leaving to go to Chiang Mai for about 5 days. Next week is Songkran, the Thai New Year, so we have no school at all. Since this holiday comes at the hottest time of the year (I don't even want to talk about how hot it is here) Thais celebrate by taking to the streets and pouring or shooting water at anyone and everyone. And supposedly nobody celebrates better than the people of Chiang Mai. So I'm headed up there and will stay with my host family from last semester. I am so excited to see them again and to be able to celebrate like the Thais do. I'll let you know how it goes.
So I don't have much more time to write because I need to pack and get ready to go. But I should write something about the current situation in Bangkok. It's gotten bad. Last night, there were the first causalities due to the political unrest. 19 people died last night and some 700 were injured. Feel free to check out the Bangkok Post, The Nation, or the BBC if you want to know more about what's going on. But the jist of it is that the 'red shirts' have been camped out in the city protesting for about a month now, demanding that the government dissolve parliament and call for new elections. They are in support of Thaksin, an ex-prime minister who was ousted in a 2006 coup and who is one of the most corrupt people in politics. Things got violent last night as the government attempted-- and failed-- to clear out their rally sites. A lot of the injuries were due to the use of tear gas and rubber bullets but there were also live rounds fired and bombs, grenades, and molotov cocktails. Things are pretty quiet this morning but obviously tensions are still ridiculously high. And people are especially nervous for next week during the holiday. The governor of Bangkok has cancelled all official Songkran celebrations, unfortunately. The sky train also closed down completely yesterday and the giant shopping malls at the heart of Bangkok's shopping district are still completely closed, along with many roads. It is ridiculous how much money the city, and country, is losing due to the lack of tourism and shopping income. It's all pretty sad-- that it has come to this. Hopefully they can resolve it soon although I'm not holding my breath. Don't worry about me, though, I live in a pretty remote part of the city where it's easy to stay out of the way. Plus, I'm leaving town--granted I can actually get out. I'll update you more on the situation in a week when I get back.
I miss everyone, but am starting to realize that the end is near. I will see you all soon! Hope everything is well. Go cubbies!
Actually, since my last entry on my trip to Khao Sok in Southern Thailand, I have already been back twice (once right before I got sick and once just this past week). It may sound crazy, going back to the same place every month when there are so many things to do and see in this country/ area of the world. But honestly, after being gone for 7 months, I am getting a bit tired of always being in unfamiliar situations, of not knowing what to do or when I'm getting ripped off, of being lost or clueless, etc. So instead, I really enjoy being able to tell the taxi drivers who are trying to rip me off that I don't want a ride because I know how to take the local bus for a heck of a lot cheaper, and knowing to walk over to Art's if we want to watch the monkey's, and knowing to go to Thai Herb for a delicious meal, etc. And most importantly, I know some really awesome people down there. And I've really enjoyed spending my travel time developing relationships with these Thai people as opposed to taking photographs of yet another waterfall or yet another temple, ya know? So I'll fill you in on some highlights of those two trips.
One evening was spent with our friend Ja and members of his extended family at the bungalows that his sister and her husband own. Ja brought us there to prepare a bar-b-que dinner for us. So what did we have? Pig's head. Luckily, the pig harvest from last semester prepared me for the plate of cartilage and fat and facial features that we were presented with. All things considered, it was pretty good. The meal also included a delicious yet spicy green curry and a soup with fish that Ja had speared earlier that day.
The majority of our nights down there are spent outside around a table at the bar where Ja works. We waste away the night Ja, Baw, Beer, Lek, Lek's Canadian husband, and whoever else chooses to stop by--playing cards, playing guitar, telling stories, and what not. It's always a ridiculous, chill, fun, relaxing time.
We spent two nights at one of the National Park's floating bungalows on the giant lake. This site was a little deeper into the jungle than the last we were at so we got to see a lot more wildlife. We saw: wild pig, a whole pack of bull/buffalo things, a couple of truly impressive hornbills, longtail macaque monkeys, langas, an owl, a deer, and a mouse deer, all from the safety of a longtail boat. While walking though, we came across a set of wild elephants tracks. There were just deep circles embedded in the dirt close to 2 feet in diameter--that is a giant animal! We were actually lucky not to see it though, as they can be quite dangerous.
We had quite the memorable Easter breakfast during our stay on the lake. We walked a little ways up a river into the jungle to a nice spot with downed logs to sit on. While us girls took in the scenery, Ja and Do cooked us a meal using only bamboo. They made a fire which burnt dried bamboo. They boiled water inside a tube of bamboo which they then poured into bamboo cups using a bamboo laddle, in order to serve us our choice of hot chocolate, tea, or coffee. Then, they cooked scrambled eggs inside a section of bamboo while they toasted bread by spearing the pieces with thin strips of bamboo and propping them up next to the fire. Keep in mind, all of these utensils and instruments were fashioned on the spot. Pretty impressive and pretty delicious.
One night while we were out on the lake, looking for wildlife, we stopped the boat for a while to wait for the sun to set. So the guys Ja and Do started fishing-- as they do anytime the boat is stopped. Ja caught a small fish which he immediately chopped up in order to use for bait in the hopes of catching something bigger. Well, he did. After some struggling, he pulled a 2 foot long snake head fish into the boat. It got a bit hectic on board that small boat with a massive flopping fish plus 5 people-- 3 of which being girls unprepared to deal with a massive flopping fish. But no worries, they eventually managed to stow it between the thin bamboo slats of flooring and the hull of the boat. It was late by the time we got back that night, so we ate the fish the next night instead. They bar-b-qued it over a fire and it was honestly delicious.
Our trips down there also included a visit to an impressive cave full of stalactites and stalagmites that resembled a coral reef, trips to local temples where we fed the fish and monkeys that live there, plenty of swimming in the lake and in the river, and plenty of reading, napping, and ice cream eating. So even though I go back to the same place, there is always something new and exciting to do and always plenty of relaxing to be done.
Since my last post I also took an overnight trip to a National Park outside of Bangkok. We spent the night in a tent and walked on concrete pathways to a couple of waterfalls. But the highlight of the trip was actually outside of the park. Someone had read about a bat cave where every night you can watch the bats fly out to feed. Well, it turned out to be quite the adventure to get ourselves there, involving some hitchhiking, some awkward encounters with the locals, some negotiating for a guide, and a lot of confusion. But, we made it, after a walk up a crazy steep rocky slope. We arrived at the entrance to the cave about an hour before sunset. We poked our heads inside but there wasn't much to see except darkness and the stench of bat shit was literally unbearable. So we simply camped out outside the cave and waited. Eventually, the humming and chirping of the bats grew louder and louder. One brave bat circled around the entrance to the cave several times before flying sporadically out and down over the tops of the trees. Then another decided to show its face. Then a few more started making the rounds near the entrance before disappearing into the darkening sky. AND THEN, they came. Bat after bat after bat came erupting out of the mouth of the cave. Not that you could even identify a single bat's body. Instead, it was just a mass of dark bodies and flapping wings. They formed a river, starting at the cave and flowing out, around the corner, down the cliff, through the tree tops. Each bat followed the same path, packed together like a school of fish. Honestly, it was just like that scene from The Green Mile when John Cawfey tilts his head up, opens his mouth, and releases a continuing stream of flies. It was absolutely unreal, especially considering that it went ON and ON and ON. Actually, we left before they had stopped because it was getting too dark which meant our walk back would be dangerous. We literally sat and watched for over ten minutes and they were STILL coming. I cannot even fathom how many bats fly in and out of that cave every day.
Those are some of the more exciting things I've done recently. Tonight I am leaving to go to Chiang Mai for about 5 days. Next week is Songkran, the Thai New Year, so we have no school at all. Since this holiday comes at the hottest time of the year (I don't even want to talk about how hot it is here) Thais celebrate by taking to the streets and pouring or shooting water at anyone and everyone. And supposedly nobody celebrates better than the people of Chiang Mai. So I'm headed up there and will stay with my host family from last semester. I am so excited to see them again and to be able to celebrate like the Thais do. I'll let you know how it goes.
So I don't have much more time to write because I need to pack and get ready to go. But I should write something about the current situation in Bangkok. It's gotten bad. Last night, there were the first causalities due to the political unrest. 19 people died last night and some 700 were injured. Feel free to check out the Bangkok Post, The Nation, or the BBC if you want to know more about what's going on. But the jist of it is that the 'red shirts' have been camped out in the city protesting for about a month now, demanding that the government dissolve parliament and call for new elections. They are in support of Thaksin, an ex-prime minister who was ousted in a 2006 coup and who is one of the most corrupt people in politics. Things got violent last night as the government attempted-- and failed-- to clear out their rally sites. A lot of the injuries were due to the use of tear gas and rubber bullets but there were also live rounds fired and bombs, grenades, and molotov cocktails. Things are pretty quiet this morning but obviously tensions are still ridiculously high. And people are especially nervous for next week during the holiday. The governor of Bangkok has cancelled all official Songkran celebrations, unfortunately. The sky train also closed down completely yesterday and the giant shopping malls at the heart of Bangkok's shopping district are still completely closed, along with many roads. It is ridiculous how much money the city, and country, is losing due to the lack of tourism and shopping income. It's all pretty sad-- that it has come to this. Hopefully they can resolve it soon although I'm not holding my breath. Don't worry about me, though, I live in a pretty remote part of the city where it's easy to stay out of the way. Plus, I'm leaving town--granted I can actually get out. I'll update you more on the situation in a week when I get back.
I miss everyone, but am starting to realize that the end is near. I will see you all soon! Hope everything is well. Go cubbies!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Sabai
This post is pretty late, but I had quite the adventure a while back that I thought I should write about. After only a couple of weeks of school, we had an entire week off of classes because of some "University Games". So there were some big groups of students planning trips to Malaysia, or to get scuba licenses, or Chiang Mai, or Vietnam. But I didn't want to travel with that many people which is why my friend Kelly and I decided to do our own thing. And I couldn't be happier that we did. We spent a few hours the week before looking up where we wanted to go and general ideas of what we wanted to do. But on Friday afternoon we hopped in a cab with no tickets, no reservations, no nothin' except our packs and a guide book.
A bus took us 12 hours to a town on a bay on the West coast of Southern Thailand, called Phang Nga. It was an overnight bus (thank god for Tylenol PM) so we arrived before sunrise, around 5:30 am. If you have ever seen the James Bond movie "The Man with the Golden Gun", parts of it were filled in this bay. There is an island-- now dubbed James Bond Island-- with a huge, iconic rock pillar thing jutting up from the sea and looking like it could topple any day. Anyways, it is quite the tourist attraction and Kelly had her heart set on seeing it. The only real way to do that is to take a tour of the bay from one of the many small companies operating out of town. We were convinced into taking an overnight tour, which cost us a whopping $30 including all accommodation and 3 meals. So a few hours later, we set out in a small longtail boat, with a Swiss couple and a local guide. The bay is GORGEOUS. The landscape is all limestone, which, because of the way it weathers, has created unbelievable islands of towers and cliffs that dramatically occupy the waters. It has also formed some incredible caves both on land and underwater. So we spent a few hours boating around, seeing the mangrove forest, floating through rock passageways, and taking in the scenery. We also stopped on a couple different islands to walk through a cave or to have lunch on the beach or to step foot on James Bond Island. It is a very small island, but manages to host a few rows of stalls selling souvenirs to tourists. Then, Kelly and I were dropped off at the Muslim village that is located in the middle of the bay. How, you ask? It is built on stilts. I'm not exactly sure why they decided to locate there, but they did. They depend on fishing for their livelihood but have also begun catering to the tourists who come through there. So we explored a bit, ate a delicious dinner, and then spent the night in a room with nothing but a mattress on the wooden floor a few feet above the water.
The next morning after breakfast, our guide came back to pick us up and take us back to the mainland. Our plans for that day were to get to the National Park just outside of town in order to do some hiking. There is only one 2km long trail there, but it is well marked and has some cool stuff to see along the way. Before the actual trail even starts, there is a series of waterfalls separated by a couple of big natural pools. They were quite crowded with local Thais, fully clothed, swimming and playing around and having picnics. Once the trail started, though, the only other people we ran into were a middle-aged white couple. It was a really nice little hike, traveling right next to either the river or a limestone cliff the entire way. Several times, we were expected to cross the river on what the Thais might call a 'bridge' but were really just a log or two that bowed and wobbled as you balance-beamed your way across. There were several caves along the trail that you could walk a little ways into. We saw a bunch of really cool butterflies, a crazy lizard, and alot of truly HUGE trees. And on our way back, we did as the Thais do and went for a swim in the pools-- fully clothed despite the bathing suits we were wearing underneath. That night we got a room in town, clean with our own bathroom, for a grand total of $5.
The next morning, we headed off to our next destination, which required an hour and a half bus ride on a local bus to some other town. The bus played Thai Karaoke music videos the whole time. We then had to get on another bus for about an hour to our final destination--Khao Sok. It is a National Park Northeast of Phang Nga, on the inland of the Southern Thailand peninsula. The small town outside of the entrance to the National Park comprises of one road featuring bungalows, restaurants, tour services, and mini-marts, and one side road with more accommodations. So sure, the place caters to the visiting tourists, but there is no 7 Eleven in sight and the focus is still very much on the National Park. After looking around for a bit, we found a nice, cheap bungalow at this relaxed, locally run joint. From there, we booked a 2 day 1 night tour of the lake inside the park (again, you need a tour to get there). Then we wasted away the evening at a spot along the river where you can watch a huge pack of monkeys swim and climb and swing and run and play for hours on end. And then the next morning we headed out with two middle-aged German guys, a middle-aged German couple, a Canadian family with two young girls, and our local guide, Ja, who also runs the bar at our bungalows.
The lake is incredible. Its landscape is very similar to that of the bay, but it is less wide open and with more channels and inlets and islands. So you can't always see far out into the lake before a cliff blocks your view. But there is this underlying sense, as you travel farther and farther on the boat, that this lake is HUGE. Eventually, we made it to the National Park's floating bungalows and restaurant. These bamboo structures, connected by precarious bamboo walkways, actually are floating atop the water. Through the one inch gaps in our floor boards, we could watch fish swimming beneath our feet. While waiting for lunch, we had a relaxing swim and a good time jumping off of the bamboo diving platform. And after lunch, we went for a hike. The forest (jungle) down there is very different from the stuff I was used to hiking through in Northern Thailand, so I was grateful to get a close look at the differences. We walked for a little under two hours before coming to the entrance of a cave. Wow. We spent an hour walking through it before coming out at the other end. The thing was GIANT. In the 70's, it was used as a communist bunker, and there are even some craters in the area left from bombs aimed at them. We ran into some crazy wildlife inside the cave including a couple of big frogs, a couple of enormous spiders, an area coated in hundreds of small spiders, and the--bats! There were a couple of sections of the cave where the ceiling was just littered with dangling black bodies. It was pretty incredible to see. But perhaps the coolest part of the cave was the river that runs through it, even on the dry season. We walked next to it mot of the way, but then came to a point where the only way forward was to swim. So there we were, swimming down the small river deep inside a dark cave. We then made our way back to the bungalows and enjoyed an extra delicious dinner consisting of fried fish, garlic stir-fried veggies and pork, Thai omelet, and yellow curry with chicken and sweet potatoes. That night, under the light of the full moon, as well as before breakfast the next morning, we all got on the boat and cruised around the lake looking for animals. We saw a couple of hornbills and a couple of different kinds of monkeys. The German guys, Kelly, and I spent the evening hanging out with Ja, who told us a lot about the jungle including some pretty crazy stories about his uncle's encounter with a Tiger and his friend's with a wild elephant. So yes, they do exist.
The next morning, we left the floating bungalows but did another hike and had another swim in the lake again before heading back to town. Then that evening, we agreed to meet up with the two groups of German people. Well, turns out one of the German men (married with children and a school teacher) had quite the crush on Kelly. So we promptly left that crowd and spent the rest of the night with Ja and some of his friends at his bar. He is only a year or two older than us and so we all had a great time hanging out. Lucky for us because for the next 2 and a half days, we had our own personal guides to show us the real Khao Sok. One day, we went for a long hike in the jungle, to a nice secluded waterfall. Along the way, we saw more monkeys, tons of lizards including one over 4ft long, and four snakes. At the end of the hike, Ja made us noodle soup and coffee using only a fire and bamboo. Another day he and a friend, Beer, took us swimming in the river, then to visit the local temple, then to watch them and other locals play a traditional Thai sport (Takraw, a sort of cross between hackey sack and volleyball). And the morning before we left, they took us to the river where in an hours time Ja had speared around 15 small fish. So at that point, about the last thing Kelly and I wanted to do was go back to school in the big city. Life down there is incredible, and it actually reminded me alot of the Karen villages up north. The town may not have much money, but that is of less concern to people who live genuinely relaxed, content, beautiful, and happy lives.
So anyways, it was a fabulous week. I really was enjoying discovering Bangkok, but getting out of there was a surprising breath of fresh air. About two weekends ago I took a little overnight trip to see some swimming monkeys (which turned out to be possessed and creepy) play around in these giant mud flats (which included 'skiing' behind a boat on a huge wooden board). So that was another nice little getaway. And I have a few more trips in mind which should be pretty exciting! Hope everyone had a great Valentines weekend-- or Chinese New Year, a more popular holiday in these parts. And hope everyone is enjoying the cold weather!!
A bus took us 12 hours to a town on a bay on the West coast of Southern Thailand, called Phang Nga. It was an overnight bus (thank god for Tylenol PM) so we arrived before sunrise, around 5:30 am. If you have ever seen the James Bond movie "The Man with the Golden Gun", parts of it were filled in this bay. There is an island-- now dubbed James Bond Island-- with a huge, iconic rock pillar thing jutting up from the sea and looking like it could topple any day. Anyways, it is quite the tourist attraction and Kelly had her heart set on seeing it. The only real way to do that is to take a tour of the bay from one of the many small companies operating out of town. We were convinced into taking an overnight tour, which cost us a whopping $30 including all accommodation and 3 meals. So a few hours later, we set out in a small longtail boat, with a Swiss couple and a local guide. The bay is GORGEOUS. The landscape is all limestone, which, because of the way it weathers, has created unbelievable islands of towers and cliffs that dramatically occupy the waters. It has also formed some incredible caves both on land and underwater. So we spent a few hours boating around, seeing the mangrove forest, floating through rock passageways, and taking in the scenery. We also stopped on a couple different islands to walk through a cave or to have lunch on the beach or to step foot on James Bond Island. It is a very small island, but manages to host a few rows of stalls selling souvenirs to tourists. Then, Kelly and I were dropped off at the Muslim village that is located in the middle of the bay. How, you ask? It is built on stilts. I'm not exactly sure why they decided to locate there, but they did. They depend on fishing for their livelihood but have also begun catering to the tourists who come through there. So we explored a bit, ate a delicious dinner, and then spent the night in a room with nothing but a mattress on the wooden floor a few feet above the water.
The next morning after breakfast, our guide came back to pick us up and take us back to the mainland. Our plans for that day were to get to the National Park just outside of town in order to do some hiking. There is only one 2km long trail there, but it is well marked and has some cool stuff to see along the way. Before the actual trail even starts, there is a series of waterfalls separated by a couple of big natural pools. They were quite crowded with local Thais, fully clothed, swimming and playing around and having picnics. Once the trail started, though, the only other people we ran into were a middle-aged white couple. It was a really nice little hike, traveling right next to either the river or a limestone cliff the entire way. Several times, we were expected to cross the river on what the Thais might call a 'bridge' but were really just a log or two that bowed and wobbled as you balance-beamed your way across. There were several caves along the trail that you could walk a little ways into. We saw a bunch of really cool butterflies, a crazy lizard, and alot of truly HUGE trees. And on our way back, we did as the Thais do and went for a swim in the pools-- fully clothed despite the bathing suits we were wearing underneath. That night we got a room in town, clean with our own bathroom, for a grand total of $5.
The next morning, we headed off to our next destination, which required an hour and a half bus ride on a local bus to some other town. The bus played Thai Karaoke music videos the whole time. We then had to get on another bus for about an hour to our final destination--Khao Sok. It is a National Park Northeast of Phang Nga, on the inland of the Southern Thailand peninsula. The small town outside of the entrance to the National Park comprises of one road featuring bungalows, restaurants, tour services, and mini-marts, and one side road with more accommodations. So sure, the place caters to the visiting tourists, but there is no 7 Eleven in sight and the focus is still very much on the National Park. After looking around for a bit, we found a nice, cheap bungalow at this relaxed, locally run joint. From there, we booked a 2 day 1 night tour of the lake inside the park (again, you need a tour to get there). Then we wasted away the evening at a spot along the river where you can watch a huge pack of monkeys swim and climb and swing and run and play for hours on end. And then the next morning we headed out with two middle-aged German guys, a middle-aged German couple, a Canadian family with two young girls, and our local guide, Ja, who also runs the bar at our bungalows.
The lake is incredible. Its landscape is very similar to that of the bay, but it is less wide open and with more channels and inlets and islands. So you can't always see far out into the lake before a cliff blocks your view. But there is this underlying sense, as you travel farther and farther on the boat, that this lake is HUGE. Eventually, we made it to the National Park's floating bungalows and restaurant. These bamboo structures, connected by precarious bamboo walkways, actually are floating atop the water. Through the one inch gaps in our floor boards, we could watch fish swimming beneath our feet. While waiting for lunch, we had a relaxing swim and a good time jumping off of the bamboo diving platform. And after lunch, we went for a hike. The forest (jungle) down there is very different from the stuff I was used to hiking through in Northern Thailand, so I was grateful to get a close look at the differences. We walked for a little under two hours before coming to the entrance of a cave. Wow. We spent an hour walking through it before coming out at the other end. The thing was GIANT. In the 70's, it was used as a communist bunker, and there are even some craters in the area left from bombs aimed at them. We ran into some crazy wildlife inside the cave including a couple of big frogs, a couple of enormous spiders, an area coated in hundreds of small spiders, and the--bats! There were a couple of sections of the cave where the ceiling was just littered with dangling black bodies. It was pretty incredible to see. But perhaps the coolest part of the cave was the river that runs through it, even on the dry season. We walked next to it mot of the way, but then came to a point where the only way forward was to swim. So there we were, swimming down the small river deep inside a dark cave. We then made our way back to the bungalows and enjoyed an extra delicious dinner consisting of fried fish, garlic stir-fried veggies and pork, Thai omelet, and yellow curry with chicken and sweet potatoes. That night, under the light of the full moon, as well as before breakfast the next morning, we all got on the boat and cruised around the lake looking for animals. We saw a couple of hornbills and a couple of different kinds of monkeys. The German guys, Kelly, and I spent the evening hanging out with Ja, who told us a lot about the jungle including some pretty crazy stories about his uncle's encounter with a Tiger and his friend's with a wild elephant. So yes, they do exist.
The next morning, we left the floating bungalows but did another hike and had another swim in the lake again before heading back to town. Then that evening, we agreed to meet up with the two groups of German people. Well, turns out one of the German men (married with children and a school teacher) had quite the crush on Kelly. So we promptly left that crowd and spent the rest of the night with Ja and some of his friends at his bar. He is only a year or two older than us and so we all had a great time hanging out. Lucky for us because for the next 2 and a half days, we had our own personal guides to show us the real Khao Sok. One day, we went for a long hike in the jungle, to a nice secluded waterfall. Along the way, we saw more monkeys, tons of lizards including one over 4ft long, and four snakes. At the end of the hike, Ja made us noodle soup and coffee using only a fire and bamboo. Another day he and a friend, Beer, took us swimming in the river, then to visit the local temple, then to watch them and other locals play a traditional Thai sport (Takraw, a sort of cross between hackey sack and volleyball). And the morning before we left, they took us to the river where in an hours time Ja had speared around 15 small fish. So at that point, about the last thing Kelly and I wanted to do was go back to school in the big city. Life down there is incredible, and it actually reminded me alot of the Karen villages up north. The town may not have much money, but that is of less concern to people who live genuinely relaxed, content, beautiful, and happy lives.
So anyways, it was a fabulous week. I really was enjoying discovering Bangkok, but getting out of there was a surprising breath of fresh air. About two weekends ago I took a little overnight trip to see some swimming monkeys (which turned out to be possessed and creepy) play around in these giant mud flats (which included 'skiing' behind a boat on a huge wooden board). So that was another nice little getaway. And I have a few more trips in mind which should be pretty exciting! Hope everyone had a great Valentines weekend-- or Chinese New Year, a more popular holiday in these parts. And hope everyone is enjoying the cold weather!!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Bangkok Life
I have lived in Bangkok for about a month now. Which means I have been busy learning about and adjusting to life in the big city. In case you were wondering, Bangkok has a population of over 9 million, or 12 million including the metro area. Chiang Mai is less than 1 million. So it has been quite the transition. Bangkok is a bit strange because there is no true center of the city. Instead, it is very spread out with several distinct areas. My university, Thammasat (the second oldest in Thailand), is in the heart of the oldest part of the city. It is a mere 10 minutes walk from the Grand Palace and some of the most important temples in the city. There are around 30,000 students, although because I am in the Thai Studies program, my classes are only with other international students. We do have Thai professors, though, who are all extremely smart. I am taking four classes: Social and Economic Development in Thailand, Thai Politics, Thai Cuisine, and Thai Language. I must admit, it has been beyond painful to sit inside classrooms and listen to 3 hour lectures, but I am grateful to be learning even more about this country. The campus is right on the river, which means that in order to get to school everyday...I take a boat. It's really just a ferry that crosses directly to the other side, but it is always a fun part of the day, especially as it gets hotter and hotter outside. From the ferry, I live about a 15 minute walk away. I am in an apartment building with a ton of other international students which is great because all of my friends are here. The building is brand new and is definitely nicer than my place in Chiang Mai. It's simple, but it's big and bright and air-conditioned. The biggest bummer, in my opinion, is that not much is going on within walking distance of our building. Good thing I am becoming a pro at Bangkok public transportation.
I have almost, but not quite yet, taken all forms of transportation in Bangkok-- and there are many. Aside from the cross river ferries, which cost a whopping 3 baht (a dime), there are also boats with routes up and down the river. Those are really great, except when they are stuffed to the brim with tourists. You can also hire boats to take you down the many canals that meander through the city. On the roads, the city is filled with taxis in bright, goofy colors-- often pink. They may be expensive relative to other options here but by American standards, they are cheap. I rarely pay more than a couple of dollars. Cabs are abundant, convenient, and air-conditioned, with only one major downfall. Traffic. Traveling any significant distance during rush hour (which is more like 3 hours, twice daily) is basically torture, so I avoid that as much as possible. Tuk-tuks also function like taxis, although once you get over the novelty of them, you realize that they are loud, dirty, and have a knack for ripping off foreigners. I have been working on figuring out the buses, since I'm not sure which ones go where. Most are not air-conditioned, have wooden floors, and will pick people up without coming to a full stop. But I love them because they are cheap (20 cents) and convenient. Bangkok also has motorcycle taxis which I have yet to try. You can recognize them by the bright orange, numbered vests that the drivers wear. They are typically used for short trips or for navigating through thick traffic. And they are CRAZY. For motorcycles in general, it is not uncommon to find them driving on the wrong side of the road, or on the sidewalk, or between cars with only an inch of room to spare. And just because they have an innocent passenger on the back does not at all mean they will go easy. It truly is a test of courage. One excellent way to avoid traffic altogether is the Skytrain, or BTS. It's similar to Denver's lightrail or Chicago's El, and is very modern and nice. Plus, most trips are less than a dollar. The problem is, however, the lines are limited and there is no stop anywhere near my apartment or school. Bummer. The last component of public transit is the mysterious subway which supposedly exists but I have never even see and doesn't seem to go anywhere worthwhile. So as you can see, just getting around in this town often turns into quite the adventure.
Another characteristic trait about Bangkok is the food, or rather the incredible availability of food. You cannot walk two blocks without coming across an opportunity to buy food. Restaurants come in all shapes and sizes, but most commonly are small with a couple of tables and stools and serve only Thai food. But then, even more common are the street vendors. They are everywhere. Sometimes they form a sort of market, lining sidewalks with countless carts and leaving little room for all the people to squeeze by. Other times, there will simply be a random vendor or two occupying a random spot. One thing is for sure, it is impossible to go hungry. Especially considering the, again, absurdly low prices. They sell everything from fresh fruit to fruit shakes, from fried meats with sticky rice to every kind of meat on a stick, from nuts to roti, from noodles to rice dishes, from mystery no-crust white bread sandwiches to mystery gelatin sweets. And of course, there is fried anything-you-can-possibly-think-of including bananas, fish cakes, spring rolls, dough, squid, and plenty of other mystery treats. But what's so great is that, aside from a few outliers, streetfood is often the best and cheapest food you can find. Cheap, easy, authentic, and delicious-- does it get much better? And no, I have yet to get sick at all from the food.
Another interesting aspect of Bangkok is the current political situation. Apparently the next 60 days have the potential to bring about MAJOR change to Thailand. Then again, they could bring about nothing new. But it is quite tense around here none-the-less. There is a supreme court ruling due out on February 26th that will decide whether or not to confiscate some 2 billion US dollars of the former Prime Minister's, Thaksin's, assets. In the case of an unfavorable outcome, Thaksin's supporters are expected to stage one the largest protests ever (and that means BIG). There are a couple of other court rulings that carry alot of weight regarding current politics. Even more exciting, though, are some of the rumors floating around. Thailand is known for its coups, which seem to happen on a regular basis but are almost always peaceful and bloodless. The last successful coup was in 2006 and ousted the Prime Minister Thaksin. Well, there have been plenty of rumors lately about a coup against the current Prime Minister Abhisit. Apparently there was some top secret coup attempt just two weeks ago but it was unsuccessful and not publicized. This week, the head of the military is visiting the United States, leaving a different man in charge. A man who many believe would be the one to stage a coup if it were to happen. What makes this even more interesting is the status of the King, Rama IX. Thailand is a Constitutional Monarchy and the King remains a beloved and important part of Thai life. He is however, 83 years old and has been in the hospital for several months now. In the past, confirmation of a successful coup came from the King and whether or not the coup leaders were granted an audience with His Majesty. Currently, though, it does not seem as though King Rama IX is in a position to do this and no one is quite sure what that means. The exact state of the King is not known to the public. Furthermore, as a matter of culture, Thais do not generally think or talk about the future of the King, who has ruled for over 60 years. Essentially, they go about believing he will live forever. So no one is prepared for life without Rama IX. Replying to the question, "what do you think will happen to the Thai political situation if the King were to pass away?" a guest lecturer in my Thai politics class and former deputy Prime Minister said with a straight face, "All hell will break loose".
So it is an exciting time to be in Thailand, especially in Bangkok. And of course the city also offers lots to do. I've been trying to get out and explore when I'm not in school. Last Friday I spent the afternoon in China town, which isn't far from campus. We just walked around, among the stores selling mounds of plastic stuff and restaurants selling sharkfin soup. There is also a GIANT flower market on the edge of China town where you can find a dozen roses for a dollar. Seriously. I've visited some of the local temples which act like oases in a sea of otherwise ugly and poorly designed concrete monsters. I also went with some friends to spend a day at a private cooking school where we shopped at a local market and then learned how to make 5 traditional Thai dishes all from scratch. We made: Chicken galangal coconut soup, chicken with cashew nut stir-fry, spicy glass noodle salad, red curry with chicken, and fried fish cakes. It was all delicious (okay, except the fish cakes) and easy and quick to make. And the shopping opportunities are endless here. You can go to some of the most high-class malls with all of the biggest designer names, or you can go to the weekend market which is an crowded tangle of outdoor stalls selling everything you could possibly imagine and would take you about a month to look through everything. The same goes for the nightlife. You can go to expensive, upscale clubs with dress codes or you can find small local joints as well as everything in between.
So that's kindof what I've been up to in the city. There's alot to do, so hopefully I'll stay busy exploring it all. But I also appreciate all of the precious opportunities to get out of the pollution and traffic. Which I will update you on very soon...
I have almost, but not quite yet, taken all forms of transportation in Bangkok-- and there are many. Aside from the cross river ferries, which cost a whopping 3 baht (a dime), there are also boats with routes up and down the river. Those are really great, except when they are stuffed to the brim with tourists. You can also hire boats to take you down the many canals that meander through the city. On the roads, the city is filled with taxis in bright, goofy colors-- often pink. They may be expensive relative to other options here but by American standards, they are cheap. I rarely pay more than a couple of dollars. Cabs are abundant, convenient, and air-conditioned, with only one major downfall. Traffic. Traveling any significant distance during rush hour (which is more like 3 hours, twice daily) is basically torture, so I avoid that as much as possible. Tuk-tuks also function like taxis, although once you get over the novelty of them, you realize that they are loud, dirty, and have a knack for ripping off foreigners. I have been working on figuring out the buses, since I'm not sure which ones go where. Most are not air-conditioned, have wooden floors, and will pick people up without coming to a full stop. But I love them because they are cheap (20 cents) and convenient. Bangkok also has motorcycle taxis which I have yet to try. You can recognize them by the bright orange, numbered vests that the drivers wear. They are typically used for short trips or for navigating through thick traffic. And they are CRAZY. For motorcycles in general, it is not uncommon to find them driving on the wrong side of the road, or on the sidewalk, or between cars with only an inch of room to spare. And just because they have an innocent passenger on the back does not at all mean they will go easy. It truly is a test of courage. One excellent way to avoid traffic altogether is the Skytrain, or BTS. It's similar to Denver's lightrail or Chicago's El, and is very modern and nice. Plus, most trips are less than a dollar. The problem is, however, the lines are limited and there is no stop anywhere near my apartment or school. Bummer. The last component of public transit is the mysterious subway which supposedly exists but I have never even see and doesn't seem to go anywhere worthwhile. So as you can see, just getting around in this town often turns into quite the adventure.
Another characteristic trait about Bangkok is the food, or rather the incredible availability of food. You cannot walk two blocks without coming across an opportunity to buy food. Restaurants come in all shapes and sizes, but most commonly are small with a couple of tables and stools and serve only Thai food. But then, even more common are the street vendors. They are everywhere. Sometimes they form a sort of market, lining sidewalks with countless carts and leaving little room for all the people to squeeze by. Other times, there will simply be a random vendor or two occupying a random spot. One thing is for sure, it is impossible to go hungry. Especially considering the, again, absurdly low prices. They sell everything from fresh fruit to fruit shakes, from fried meats with sticky rice to every kind of meat on a stick, from nuts to roti, from noodles to rice dishes, from mystery no-crust white bread sandwiches to mystery gelatin sweets. And of course, there is fried anything-you-can-possibly-think-of including bananas, fish cakes, spring rolls, dough, squid, and plenty of other mystery treats. But what's so great is that, aside from a few outliers, streetfood is often the best and cheapest food you can find. Cheap, easy, authentic, and delicious-- does it get much better? And no, I have yet to get sick at all from the food.
Another interesting aspect of Bangkok is the current political situation. Apparently the next 60 days have the potential to bring about MAJOR change to Thailand. Then again, they could bring about nothing new. But it is quite tense around here none-the-less. There is a supreme court ruling due out on February 26th that will decide whether or not to confiscate some 2 billion US dollars of the former Prime Minister's, Thaksin's, assets. In the case of an unfavorable outcome, Thaksin's supporters are expected to stage one the largest protests ever (and that means BIG). There are a couple of other court rulings that carry alot of weight regarding current politics. Even more exciting, though, are some of the rumors floating around. Thailand is known for its coups, which seem to happen on a regular basis but are almost always peaceful and bloodless. The last successful coup was in 2006 and ousted the Prime Minister Thaksin. Well, there have been plenty of rumors lately about a coup against the current Prime Minister Abhisit. Apparently there was some top secret coup attempt just two weeks ago but it was unsuccessful and not publicized. This week, the head of the military is visiting the United States, leaving a different man in charge. A man who many believe would be the one to stage a coup if it were to happen. What makes this even more interesting is the status of the King, Rama IX. Thailand is a Constitutional Monarchy and the King remains a beloved and important part of Thai life. He is however, 83 years old and has been in the hospital for several months now. In the past, confirmation of a successful coup came from the King and whether or not the coup leaders were granted an audience with His Majesty. Currently, though, it does not seem as though King Rama IX is in a position to do this and no one is quite sure what that means. The exact state of the King is not known to the public. Furthermore, as a matter of culture, Thais do not generally think or talk about the future of the King, who has ruled for over 60 years. Essentially, they go about believing he will live forever. So no one is prepared for life without Rama IX. Replying to the question, "what do you think will happen to the Thai political situation if the King were to pass away?" a guest lecturer in my Thai politics class and former deputy Prime Minister said with a straight face, "All hell will break loose".
So it is an exciting time to be in Thailand, especially in Bangkok. And of course the city also offers lots to do. I've been trying to get out and explore when I'm not in school. Last Friday I spent the afternoon in China town, which isn't far from campus. We just walked around, among the stores selling mounds of plastic stuff and restaurants selling sharkfin soup. There is also a GIANT flower market on the edge of China town where you can find a dozen roses for a dollar. Seriously. I've visited some of the local temples which act like oases in a sea of otherwise ugly and poorly designed concrete monsters. I also went with some friends to spend a day at a private cooking school where we shopped at a local market and then learned how to make 5 traditional Thai dishes all from scratch. We made: Chicken galangal coconut soup, chicken with cashew nut stir-fry, spicy glass noodle salad, red curry with chicken, and fried fish cakes. It was all delicious (okay, except the fish cakes) and easy and quick to make. And the shopping opportunities are endless here. You can go to some of the most high-class malls with all of the biggest designer names, or you can go to the weekend market which is an crowded tangle of outdoor stalls selling everything you could possibly imagine and would take you about a month to look through everything. The same goes for the nightlife. You can go to expensive, upscale clubs with dress codes or you can find small local joints as well as everything in between.
So that's kindof what I've been up to in the city. There's alot to do, so hopefully I'll stay busy exploring it all. But I also appreciate all of the precious opportunities to get out of the pollution and traffic. Which I will update you on very soon...
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Vacation
I'm sure that many of you reading this have already heard about this trip from my parents. But I thought I would write about a few of the highlights anyway. So here goes:
Chiang Mai: Our trip started off here, where my parents met me at my apartment. Even though we had a guide with us, it was pretty fun to be able to show my parents the things that I had already seen and done. We visited some of the most significant temples within the old city, which my host parents had taken me to several months ago. We went up to Doi Suthep, the temple on a mountain overlooking Chiang Mai, which I had been to with school and with my host parents. We went to Kad Luang, a giant market complete with clothing, shoes, baskets, dried fruit, nuts, bamboo worms, fresh fruit and veggies, live fish, raw meat, dried fish, and so much more-- where I often went to shop or walk around. We even bought some worms for my parents to check 'eating a bug' off their list but you can give them a hard time because they chickened out and never tried it. One night in Chiang Mai, we met my host family and went out for dinner with them. It was pretty hysterical. My sisters were as energetic and crazy as ever, running about the restaurant. My host dad was severely limping with a soccer injury. And my host mom struggled to find food that my dad's hyper-sensitive-to-spice mouth could handle. I had a great time and was so glad that they could all finally meet each other. We also took one morning to drive to Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in Thailand. We took a little walk through the jungle, enjoyed the scenery, and saw a great waterfall.
We also spent one full day with...elephants. Upon arrival at the Mae Sa elephant camp, we first watched their elephant show which included some soccer, some darts, some painting, some log stacking, and other various tricks. But after the show, we became elephant trainers for the day. The people at the camp spent about 3 minutes going over how to ride an elephant before hoisting each of us up onto our own animal. And then there we were, walking down a trail sitting on the necks of the giant yet gentle elephants; no saddle, no bench, no nothing-- just us and the elephants. Granted, the elephants' real trainers (the only ones the animals would really listen to) walked beside us to keep the big guys in line, but still, I did some steering... We rode them over to these villages were many of the trainers live with their families. They are hilltribe people transplanted into this tourist site which basically puts them on display everyday. So it was a little bit weird but also an opportunity to see some of the traditional housing, dress, and even the long-neck padong women. We then rode back to the camp where we bathed the elephants in the river before lunch. After lunch came what was probably my favorite part of the day. Painting. How cool! The elephant will paint anything you want it to. You simply dip the brush in the color paint you want, stick the brush in his trunk, and then trace the paper with your finger where you want the elephant to paint. He will then remember and retrace that line with the brush! Dad made a cubs logo, Mom made a flower, and I made a portrait of an elephant. Overall, it was an incredible day. To be able to interact that closely with these charismatic and intelligent animals was really unbelievable.
Chiang Dao: We drove a couple of hours from Chiang Mai to Chiang Dao for only one night. We checked out this ridiculously huge cave. Monks used to live and meditate in there, until tourists started invading. So there are alot of Buddha images and shrines inside the cave. We walked and walked but still didn't even see half of what is down there. That night was Christmas Eve and we stayed in a little bungalow at this small place which threw their very Christmas party. Dinner was a big buffet and BBQ, which also featured some performances by local kids while we ate. It was the first Christmas Eve that I have ever slept through the night. The next morning, though we were greeted with small stockings and Merry Christmas wishes, hardly felt like December 25th. Instead of spending the day in front of a Christmas tree, tearing off wrapping paper, eating roast beef, and being with family, we visited a serene forest temple, walked through beautiful royal gardens, and were served a whole fried fish on a plate. It was a Christmas to remember, to say the least.
The Golden Triangle: Our next few days were spent in a quite luxurious resort where from our balcony you could see both Burma and Laos. But not only see them, you were literally on the border. All it would take is a couple minutes to walk to the river and a few more to swim across. On our way to this spot, we crossed over the border into Burma for the afternoon. We got farther than I did last time, taking tuk-tuks to a couple of temples just minutes form the border. One of them is a replica of an even larger pagoda in Burma's capital of Rangoon. The real one is made of some 60 tons of solid gold and is one of the most important Buddhist sites in the world. Whoa. Anyways, the Golden Triangle was historically THE epicenter of the opium trade. Today, though, Thailand has been really successful in its attempt to eliminate production and trade of the drug. We spent one morning in a really nice museum dedicated to opium and its influence in the area. Then, in the afternoon, we hopped on a long-tail boat that took us to Laos. We only walked around the little market there, admiring the countless tables of moonshine bottled with cobras and scorpions, before heading back to Thailand. While in this area we also visited a local village, which was nice to give my parents some idea of the kind of homes and lifestyle that characterized the Karen villages that I had spent time in. And we enjoyed some relaxing free time around the resort where they have their own elephants roaming about. It's a really gorgeous area, surrounded by mountains that are covered in jungle. It's also a bit mysterious, I thought. With the underlying theme of drugs and the proximity of the three countries, it just felt like any minute a boat full soldiers and machine guns would appear from around the bend and trees would began to sway with the force of helicopter blades. But no such luck, we spent a couple of very peaceful days up there.
Cambodia: We spent only 2 full days in Cambodia but they were pretty incredible days. For the most part, we were simply exploring the ancient temples from the Khmer empire. The biggest and most famous of which is Angkor Wat. And man is it big. We got an aerial view of it from a quick little hot balloon ride. And then walked around the temple itself. There is a moat that encloses the entire grounds. Within the moat is a huge manicured lawn, lake, incredible trees, some 6 libraries, plus what feels like layers and layers of walls and rooms and levels making up the temple. The sheer size was incredible. We spent around two hours inside and could not possibly have seen everything. Plus the craftsmanship was also incredible. Each part of the temple is built from giant sandstone blocks, which just boggles the mind to think about transporting and stacking the enormous weights without the help of any machinery. But then, every inch of the sandstone was artfully finished. Every column, every wall, every ceiling was carved or etched or sculpted. I can't even imagine what the place looked like in its prime-- with crisper details, sharper corners, and the pure white of the stone. Time has definitely taken its toll, as this site was built in the early 12th century, but overall this site is amazingly well preserved.
Most of the rest of our time was spent exploring other smaller temples and ruins in the area. I won't say too much because the pictures say it better. But I will say that Wat Bayon (the Temple of Smiling Faces) and the Jungle Wat were my two favorite sites in Cambodia, even more so than Angkor Wat. Wat Bayon has a total of 54 GIANT stone faces smiling and looking down on you as you wonder the temple. Each face is a puzzle of giant stone blocks pieced together to form a handsome portrait. This site was also in more of a state of ruin than Angkor Wat. The faces are largely whole and complete but the walls around them have crumbled here and there. You could walk through an intact hallway but then clamber over a pile of stay bricks, then look through a standing window frame without any wall surrounding it. Then, in a further state of ruins, was the jungle wat. It is widely known as the site of some Tomb Raider filming. But it is fascinating, I think, to see nature in the process or retaking a manmade structure. Incredible, giant, old trees grew from the tops of roofs. Roots traced their way through seams in the rock. Bark coated stone walls. It was, for some reason, truly beautiful.
We also took a trip to a floating village which was quite the site. The people live either on anchored boats, or on houses that they have constructed to float atop bamboo platforms with the help of empty barrels. These houses along with a couple of little stores lined both sides of the river, their backyards consisting of marsh. It absolutely reeks of dead fish. Toilets consist of a hole in the floor of the home which is then surrounded by scrap plastic sheets for the several feet between the floor and the river water below. Nearly all homes have hammocks, many or them occupied as we floated by. And surprisingly, many of those people were watching TV. They all get around in small boats, often children who looked as young as 8 were paddling by themselves. They grow vegetables in the water. There was even a floating pig pen. Most all of the villagers are fishermen, although the lake that the river opens into has seen a dramatic decline in fish population. Also, according to the seasons, each family must move their entire house due to the changing water levels. Our Cambodian guide actually grew up here. And while he shared many happy memories from his home, he also told of how hard the life can be and how it seems to only be getting harder.
A more uplifting experiencing in Cambodia was our encounter with "wild" monkeys who have grown all too familiar to the tourists visiting the ancient sites. We spent a while on the side of the road feeding them bananas, and simply watching them monkey around. So funny! Another amusing sight was to watch the activity on Cambodian rodes. Instead of the overwhelming amount of motorcycles that consume Thailand, Cambodia is covered in bikes. Everyone from small kids to grandparents navigate the streets on their bicycles. It was ridiculous to watch how many people could fit on one bike, to watch kids on their bike bum rides by holding onto their friend on a motorcycle, and the unbelievable loads that they would strap onto the bikes. So overall, Cambodia was a fun, educational, exciting adventure. And it was great to be able to see how different Cambodia is from its next door neighbor which I've been spending so much time in.
Khao Lak: From Cambodia we flew to the Western coast of Southern Thailand. We enjoyed another couple of days in sweet resort on the beach. For two of those days, my Dad and I went scuba diving. I really missed that feeling of breathing underwater and of course it was not disappointing. The highlights of our 2 days were: a couple of small rays, a couple of big turtles, a school of huge barracuda, countless different reef fish, colorful soft corals, AND 2 sharks! Each was around 5-6 feet long. One was a calm leopard shark sitting on the reef, while the other was a darting, skiddish black-tip shark. Awesome. Our third day down south was our one and only day of the whole day with absolutely nothing on the schedule. So despite a bit of rain we enjoyed our books on the beach and a morning at the spa. Mom had already made friends at the spa while Dad and I were diving. So she scheduled Dad for a foot massage and her and I for a traditional Thai massage. As my mom says, "it was like forced yoga". The resort also put together a really impressive buffet and party for New Years Eve. There were Thai dancers, fire dancers, and a ton of people releasing paper lanterns into the sky. We then enjoyed the midnight fireworks from the comfort of our own beds.
Bangkok: Finally, we made it to Bangkok. I had to do some stuff for school while my parents were still around but it worked out well because I still got to see most everything that they did and still got to spend most of the time with them. We saw the Grand Palace and the nearby temples that characterize the old part of the city. We saw the emerald Buddha which is only a few feet tall but is made form one solid piece of jade. We also saw Wat Pho which houses a 46 METER long reclining Buddha. Seriously. Alot of the buildings in these sites were covered in incredible ceramic tiling. All done by hand, they would arrange the tiles to be 3D, so that flowers bloomed off of the walls and patterns became textures. One night, looking for something to do, we jumped on the skytrain and got off at some ridiculous mall. Turns out, they have a pretty nice aquarium along with a really nice movie theater, both of which we took advantage of. Sherlock Holmes was a great movie, by the way. We also spent an entire day outside of Bangkok. We drove out to the bridge on the River Kwai where we learned alot about Thailand's part in WWII. From there we continued to the Tiger Temple which is a sort of wildlife sanctuary where you can watch and pet and take pictures with tigers (while they are on a short chain to the ground). Also in Bangkok, we walked through a giant and ridiculously cheap flower market, found and moved me into an apartment for this semester, ate lots of good food, and sat in our fair share of traffic.
So this entry is way longer than I was planning, congratulations if you made it through. I can't tell you how good it felt to see my parents. Although, it also reminded me of just how much I miss everyone else. Hope you all enjoyed the holiday season, and I hope winter is treating you well.
Chiang Mai: Our trip started off here, where my parents met me at my apartment. Even though we had a guide with us, it was pretty fun to be able to show my parents the things that I had already seen and done. We visited some of the most significant temples within the old city, which my host parents had taken me to several months ago. We went up to Doi Suthep, the temple on a mountain overlooking Chiang Mai, which I had been to with school and with my host parents. We went to Kad Luang, a giant market complete with clothing, shoes, baskets, dried fruit, nuts, bamboo worms, fresh fruit and veggies, live fish, raw meat, dried fish, and so much more-- where I often went to shop or walk around. We even bought some worms for my parents to check 'eating a bug' off their list but you can give them a hard time because they chickened out and never tried it. One night in Chiang Mai, we met my host family and went out for dinner with them. It was pretty hysterical. My sisters were as energetic and crazy as ever, running about the restaurant. My host dad was severely limping with a soccer injury. And my host mom struggled to find food that my dad's hyper-sensitive-to-spice mouth could handle. I had a great time and was so glad that they could all finally meet each other. We also took one morning to drive to Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in Thailand. We took a little walk through the jungle, enjoyed the scenery, and saw a great waterfall.
We also spent one full day with...elephants. Upon arrival at the Mae Sa elephant camp, we first watched their elephant show which included some soccer, some darts, some painting, some log stacking, and other various tricks. But after the show, we became elephant trainers for the day. The people at the camp spent about 3 minutes going over how to ride an elephant before hoisting each of us up onto our own animal. And then there we were, walking down a trail sitting on the necks of the giant yet gentle elephants; no saddle, no bench, no nothing-- just us and the elephants. Granted, the elephants' real trainers (the only ones the animals would really listen to) walked beside us to keep the big guys in line, but still, I did some steering... We rode them over to these villages were many of the trainers live with their families. They are hilltribe people transplanted into this tourist site which basically puts them on display everyday. So it was a little bit weird but also an opportunity to see some of the traditional housing, dress, and even the long-neck padong women. We then rode back to the camp where we bathed the elephants in the river before lunch. After lunch came what was probably my favorite part of the day. Painting. How cool! The elephant will paint anything you want it to. You simply dip the brush in the color paint you want, stick the brush in his trunk, and then trace the paper with your finger where you want the elephant to paint. He will then remember and retrace that line with the brush! Dad made a cubs logo, Mom made a flower, and I made a portrait of an elephant. Overall, it was an incredible day. To be able to interact that closely with these charismatic and intelligent animals was really unbelievable.
Chiang Dao: We drove a couple of hours from Chiang Mai to Chiang Dao for only one night. We checked out this ridiculously huge cave. Monks used to live and meditate in there, until tourists started invading. So there are alot of Buddha images and shrines inside the cave. We walked and walked but still didn't even see half of what is down there. That night was Christmas Eve and we stayed in a little bungalow at this small place which threw their very Christmas party. Dinner was a big buffet and BBQ, which also featured some performances by local kids while we ate. It was the first Christmas Eve that I have ever slept through the night. The next morning, though we were greeted with small stockings and Merry Christmas wishes, hardly felt like December 25th. Instead of spending the day in front of a Christmas tree, tearing off wrapping paper, eating roast beef, and being with family, we visited a serene forest temple, walked through beautiful royal gardens, and were served a whole fried fish on a plate. It was a Christmas to remember, to say the least.
The Golden Triangle: Our next few days were spent in a quite luxurious resort where from our balcony you could see both Burma and Laos. But not only see them, you were literally on the border. All it would take is a couple minutes to walk to the river and a few more to swim across. On our way to this spot, we crossed over the border into Burma for the afternoon. We got farther than I did last time, taking tuk-tuks to a couple of temples just minutes form the border. One of them is a replica of an even larger pagoda in Burma's capital of Rangoon. The real one is made of some 60 tons of solid gold and is one of the most important Buddhist sites in the world. Whoa. Anyways, the Golden Triangle was historically THE epicenter of the opium trade. Today, though, Thailand has been really successful in its attempt to eliminate production and trade of the drug. We spent one morning in a really nice museum dedicated to opium and its influence in the area. Then, in the afternoon, we hopped on a long-tail boat that took us to Laos. We only walked around the little market there, admiring the countless tables of moonshine bottled with cobras and scorpions, before heading back to Thailand. While in this area we also visited a local village, which was nice to give my parents some idea of the kind of homes and lifestyle that characterized the Karen villages that I had spent time in. And we enjoyed some relaxing free time around the resort where they have their own elephants roaming about. It's a really gorgeous area, surrounded by mountains that are covered in jungle. It's also a bit mysterious, I thought. With the underlying theme of drugs and the proximity of the three countries, it just felt like any minute a boat full soldiers and machine guns would appear from around the bend and trees would began to sway with the force of helicopter blades. But no such luck, we spent a couple of very peaceful days up there.
Cambodia: We spent only 2 full days in Cambodia but they were pretty incredible days. For the most part, we were simply exploring the ancient temples from the Khmer empire. The biggest and most famous of which is Angkor Wat. And man is it big. We got an aerial view of it from a quick little hot balloon ride. And then walked around the temple itself. There is a moat that encloses the entire grounds. Within the moat is a huge manicured lawn, lake, incredible trees, some 6 libraries, plus what feels like layers and layers of walls and rooms and levels making up the temple. The sheer size was incredible. We spent around two hours inside and could not possibly have seen everything. Plus the craftsmanship was also incredible. Each part of the temple is built from giant sandstone blocks, which just boggles the mind to think about transporting and stacking the enormous weights without the help of any machinery. But then, every inch of the sandstone was artfully finished. Every column, every wall, every ceiling was carved or etched or sculpted. I can't even imagine what the place looked like in its prime-- with crisper details, sharper corners, and the pure white of the stone. Time has definitely taken its toll, as this site was built in the early 12th century, but overall this site is amazingly well preserved.
Most of the rest of our time was spent exploring other smaller temples and ruins in the area. I won't say too much because the pictures say it better. But I will say that Wat Bayon (the Temple of Smiling Faces) and the Jungle Wat were my two favorite sites in Cambodia, even more so than Angkor Wat. Wat Bayon has a total of 54 GIANT stone faces smiling and looking down on you as you wonder the temple. Each face is a puzzle of giant stone blocks pieced together to form a handsome portrait. This site was also in more of a state of ruin than Angkor Wat. The faces are largely whole and complete but the walls around them have crumbled here and there. You could walk through an intact hallway but then clamber over a pile of stay bricks, then look through a standing window frame without any wall surrounding it. Then, in a further state of ruins, was the jungle wat. It is widely known as the site of some Tomb Raider filming. But it is fascinating, I think, to see nature in the process or retaking a manmade structure. Incredible, giant, old trees grew from the tops of roofs. Roots traced their way through seams in the rock. Bark coated stone walls. It was, for some reason, truly beautiful.
We also took a trip to a floating village which was quite the site. The people live either on anchored boats, or on houses that they have constructed to float atop bamboo platforms with the help of empty barrels. These houses along with a couple of little stores lined both sides of the river, their backyards consisting of marsh. It absolutely reeks of dead fish. Toilets consist of a hole in the floor of the home which is then surrounded by scrap plastic sheets for the several feet between the floor and the river water below. Nearly all homes have hammocks, many or them occupied as we floated by. And surprisingly, many of those people were watching TV. They all get around in small boats, often children who looked as young as 8 were paddling by themselves. They grow vegetables in the water. There was even a floating pig pen. Most all of the villagers are fishermen, although the lake that the river opens into has seen a dramatic decline in fish population. Also, according to the seasons, each family must move their entire house due to the changing water levels. Our Cambodian guide actually grew up here. And while he shared many happy memories from his home, he also told of how hard the life can be and how it seems to only be getting harder.
A more uplifting experiencing in Cambodia was our encounter with "wild" monkeys who have grown all too familiar to the tourists visiting the ancient sites. We spent a while on the side of the road feeding them bananas, and simply watching them monkey around. So funny! Another amusing sight was to watch the activity on Cambodian rodes. Instead of the overwhelming amount of motorcycles that consume Thailand, Cambodia is covered in bikes. Everyone from small kids to grandparents navigate the streets on their bicycles. It was ridiculous to watch how many people could fit on one bike, to watch kids on their bike bum rides by holding onto their friend on a motorcycle, and the unbelievable loads that they would strap onto the bikes. So overall, Cambodia was a fun, educational, exciting adventure. And it was great to be able to see how different Cambodia is from its next door neighbor which I've been spending so much time in.
Khao Lak: From Cambodia we flew to the Western coast of Southern Thailand. We enjoyed another couple of days in sweet resort on the beach. For two of those days, my Dad and I went scuba diving. I really missed that feeling of breathing underwater and of course it was not disappointing. The highlights of our 2 days were: a couple of small rays, a couple of big turtles, a school of huge barracuda, countless different reef fish, colorful soft corals, AND 2 sharks! Each was around 5-6 feet long. One was a calm leopard shark sitting on the reef, while the other was a darting, skiddish black-tip shark. Awesome. Our third day down south was our one and only day of the whole day with absolutely nothing on the schedule. So despite a bit of rain we enjoyed our books on the beach and a morning at the spa. Mom had already made friends at the spa while Dad and I were diving. So she scheduled Dad for a foot massage and her and I for a traditional Thai massage. As my mom says, "it was like forced yoga". The resort also put together a really impressive buffet and party for New Years Eve. There were Thai dancers, fire dancers, and a ton of people releasing paper lanterns into the sky. We then enjoyed the midnight fireworks from the comfort of our own beds.
Bangkok: Finally, we made it to Bangkok. I had to do some stuff for school while my parents were still around but it worked out well because I still got to see most everything that they did and still got to spend most of the time with them. We saw the Grand Palace and the nearby temples that characterize the old part of the city. We saw the emerald Buddha which is only a few feet tall but is made form one solid piece of jade. We also saw Wat Pho which houses a 46 METER long reclining Buddha. Seriously. Alot of the buildings in these sites were covered in incredible ceramic tiling. All done by hand, they would arrange the tiles to be 3D, so that flowers bloomed off of the walls and patterns became textures. One night, looking for something to do, we jumped on the skytrain and got off at some ridiculous mall. Turns out, they have a pretty nice aquarium along with a really nice movie theater, both of which we took advantage of. Sherlock Holmes was a great movie, by the way. We also spent an entire day outside of Bangkok. We drove out to the bridge on the River Kwai where we learned alot about Thailand's part in WWII. From there we continued to the Tiger Temple which is a sort of wildlife sanctuary where you can watch and pet and take pictures with tigers (while they are on a short chain to the ground). Also in Bangkok, we walked through a giant and ridiculously cheap flower market, found and moved me into an apartment for this semester, ate lots of good food, and sat in our fair share of traffic.
So this entry is way longer than I was planning, congratulations if you made it through. I can't tell you how good it felt to see my parents. Although, it also reminded me of just how much I miss everyone else. Hope you all enjoyed the holiday season, and I hope winter is treating you well.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Pitcures!
I have finally uploaded pictures onto the internet! If you would like to check them out, you can go to this website:
http://picasaweb.google.com/juliecstetson
http://picasaweb.google.com/juliecstetson
Tropical Paradise...and class
I know this is ridiculously late, but here is a bit about my last course of first semester:
It all started with a 23 hour bus ride. Seriously. We drove down Thailand's western coastline basically as far as you can go before reaching Malaysia. Thankfully, it was a pretty nice, double-decker bus with room enough for me to have two seats to myself. And thankfully, I packed some Tylenol PM. We made a few stops for meals and potty breaks, but we also made a stop at the site of Thailand's old capital. Rising out of the perfectly manicured lawn were incredible towers and walls of sagging red brick. The capital was built sometime in the 14th century and it was fascinating to see the toll that time had taken on these man made structures. The incredible detail and complexity of the buildings' ornamentation were evident. Yet at the same time, corners were rounded by erosion, cracks were widened by the roots of plants, and Buddha images were decapitated long ago by looters. And the charismatic red bricks set against the vibrant green grass and the striking blue sky was particularly beautiful. So it was really fun to explore the place, and a welcome opportunity to stretch our legs.
Sprawled across my seats, I awoke in the morning to the bus stopping at the pier. Finally, the ocean! But our journey was not over, we had a four hour boat ride ahead of us. Eventually, we came upon a couple of islands, ringed with immaculate white sand beaches and then surrounded by turquoise waters. This is where we would spend the next two and a half weeks. For my group, the first half of the course was spent on Lipe Island. It's pretty small, you can walk all over it in less than a day. But it is the only island in the Adang Archipelago that has been developed. The first resort opened nearly 30 years ago, but the past 5 or 10 years have seen a huge boom in construction. Today there are some 50 places offering accommodation and even more offering food. So we actually stayed in small bungalows at one of those 50 resorts. Our place essentially had its own private beach which we thoroughly enjoyed either laying out on, snorkeling off of, or looking out at from the deck of the restaurant. So while we on this island, we spent 4 days doing projects in small groups but we could spend the days as we wished. Usually this meant some morning beach time, a couple of hours of work, a yummy lunch, some more beach time, and maybe a little more work-- if we could squeeze it in. In the evenings, we often had meetings with significant people on the island such as business owners, restaurant owners, and locals. Speaking of, the locals are actually a minority people-- the Urak Lawoi. Years ago, they were semi-nomadic sea gypsies, spending most of their time on boats; fishing, living subsistencely, and moving from island to island. The Thai government, however, wanted to be sure that Malaysia did not claim these Southern islands, so they set up a National Park and gave land titles to the Urak Lawoi. This forced them settle in one place. Then, over the years, voluntarily and not, the Urak Lawoi sold off their land to developers. Now, the remaining Urak Lawoi often do not own the land they live on. In fact, an entire village was forced to relocate just months before we arrived. Furthermore, their primary livelihood (fishing) is at high risk due to the severely depleted fish stocks in the archipelago. Many now work in tourism industry but very few have high level jobs. So are projects on the island were meant to try to figure out what is going on on Lipe in terms of development, the local culture, and the state of the island's environment. Then, our last two days on that island were spent snorkeling the reefs in the area and writing midcourse essays. Aside from some rain on our second day-- which was a good excuse to get some schoolwork done-- our weather was fantastic.
At the halfway point of the course, it was time for us to leave Lipe. So we got into our kayaks. We paddled around the entire island of Lipe and then crossed the straight to its neighbor, Adang. It took us just over 2 hours. Once we arrived, we set up camp! The rest of the course we would be spending in tents. Tents on the beach, that is. This campsite was actually at the site of the National park, so we had dinners at their restaurant each of the two nights spent there. Breakfast was always a granola type mixture made with your own personal recipe of boiling and powdered milk, hot chocolate mix, instant coffee, and/or sugar. Lunches were always an endless supply of bread, peanut butter, nutella, honey, banana chips, and beef jerky, plus some watermelon or pineapple. The second campsite that we stayed at was a 17 km paddle away from the first which took about 5 hours, not including lunch. This site was much quieter and more secluded, with no restaurant or tourists to speak of. We had the same breakfasts and lunches but then cooked our dinners, some of which consisted of fish caught that day by our boat drivers. There were some bathrooms but they were straight out of a horror film-- filthy, broken, rundown, and accessible by a long overgrown path. I went there once and decided never to go back, a decision which was re-enforced when someone ran into a viper on that path. I also had a close call with a venomous creepy crawly at that site. While completing an assignment at a picnic table, I just happened to look down and see this ridiculous THING on the leg of the table, a mere inch from my leg. It was hideous. It's body was about 3 inches long, but then its LEGS. It had about 30, each around 2 inches long. It was bright orange. It was one inch from me. It was gross. And disgusting. I carefully but urgently removed myself from the table. According to our local boat driver, the venom from that bug hurts more than that of Thai centipedes. One of the teachers at school was bitten by a centipede and was sent to the hospital for a morphine drip. So yea... that was scary. But actually, I loved camping on the beach. I loved falling asleep to the sound of the waves. I loved waking up to the view of the ocean. I loved showering under a 4 ft tall hose attached to a beached boat. I loved spending a week entirely on either sand or water.
This half of the course was focused more on ecology and less on people. So our days were spent doing activities such as a forest plot survey, a mangrove study, a sea anemone survey, and a giant clam project. We did a few more short paddles in our kayaks. I always looked forward to them, it was pretty cool to slide right along the top of the ocean like that. And we did alot more snorkeling. Throughout the trip, I saw alot of barracuda, anemones and clownfish, starfish, crown of thorns, sea urchins, giant clams, moray eels, small rays, and all your colorful reef fish. Little surprise, I couldn't get enough of it. To get to and from different beaches or reefs when we didn't kayak, we took traditional long-tail boats (these boats also carried all of our gear when we did kayak). They are skinny but long wooden boats with a motor attached to the end of a swiveling 15 ft long pole. Our drivers were a couple of Urak Lawoi from Lipe. One day, on our way back from snorkeling somewhere, our boat suddenly started veering to the left. All of us students were facing forwards but one of our field instructors, Pi Aaron, sat facing backwards on the bow of the boat. We watched as he jumped up and headed for the back of the boat, stopping just before climbing over all of us, as the boat began to straighten out. So I look back to see what was going on back there. Turns out our driver was fishing. While driving. In fact, he had the steering stick in one hand, a fishing pole in the other, and a cigarette in his mouth. He hadn't actually caught anything, but had just become a bit preoccupied with the line for a moment. i kept watching him as he soon propped up the fishing pole, took a seat on the cooler, draped his elbow over the steering stick, took a drag from his cigarette, removed it from his lips, then smiled and mouthed the word "sabai" across the boat to our Thai field instructor, Pi Pui. "Sabai" is loosely translated as chill, relaxed, enjoyable. So that sums up the course pretty well I'd say.
The last part of the expedition, our travel back to Chiang Mai, was like a variation on Planes Trains and Automobiles. It began by loading up longtail boats at 4 in the morning. Those boats took us out into deeper waters where we transferred everything onto a ferry. After a 4 hour ferry ride we had a 2 hour bus ride to the airport. From there, we had an hour and a half flight to Bangkok followed by another hour and a half flight to Chiang Mai. It was a long day. But then a final seminar in Chiang Mai and a Thai language assessment interview meant ISDSI was over. Islands was a great way to end it, it would have been hard to top class on the beach. The scenery was spectacular and the activities were fun. The teacher was horrendous but thankfully, he doesn't even teach while we are on the expedition. So overall, it's hard to complain.
Alot has happened since then, such as a three week long vacation with my parents. Hopefully a report on that will come very soon, now that my new room in Bangkok is equipped with wireless. Until then!
It all started with a 23 hour bus ride. Seriously. We drove down Thailand's western coastline basically as far as you can go before reaching Malaysia. Thankfully, it was a pretty nice, double-decker bus with room enough for me to have two seats to myself. And thankfully, I packed some Tylenol PM. We made a few stops for meals and potty breaks, but we also made a stop at the site of Thailand's old capital. Rising out of the perfectly manicured lawn were incredible towers and walls of sagging red brick. The capital was built sometime in the 14th century and it was fascinating to see the toll that time had taken on these man made structures. The incredible detail and complexity of the buildings' ornamentation were evident. Yet at the same time, corners were rounded by erosion, cracks were widened by the roots of plants, and Buddha images were decapitated long ago by looters. And the charismatic red bricks set against the vibrant green grass and the striking blue sky was particularly beautiful. So it was really fun to explore the place, and a welcome opportunity to stretch our legs.
Sprawled across my seats, I awoke in the morning to the bus stopping at the pier. Finally, the ocean! But our journey was not over, we had a four hour boat ride ahead of us. Eventually, we came upon a couple of islands, ringed with immaculate white sand beaches and then surrounded by turquoise waters. This is where we would spend the next two and a half weeks. For my group, the first half of the course was spent on Lipe Island. It's pretty small, you can walk all over it in less than a day. But it is the only island in the Adang Archipelago that has been developed. The first resort opened nearly 30 years ago, but the past 5 or 10 years have seen a huge boom in construction. Today there are some 50 places offering accommodation and even more offering food. So we actually stayed in small bungalows at one of those 50 resorts. Our place essentially had its own private beach which we thoroughly enjoyed either laying out on, snorkeling off of, or looking out at from the deck of the restaurant. So while we on this island, we spent 4 days doing projects in small groups but we could spend the days as we wished. Usually this meant some morning beach time, a couple of hours of work, a yummy lunch, some more beach time, and maybe a little more work-- if we could squeeze it in. In the evenings, we often had meetings with significant people on the island such as business owners, restaurant owners, and locals. Speaking of, the locals are actually a minority people-- the Urak Lawoi. Years ago, they were semi-nomadic sea gypsies, spending most of their time on boats; fishing, living subsistencely, and moving from island to island. The Thai government, however, wanted to be sure that Malaysia did not claim these Southern islands, so they set up a National Park and gave land titles to the Urak Lawoi. This forced them settle in one place. Then, over the years, voluntarily and not, the Urak Lawoi sold off their land to developers. Now, the remaining Urak Lawoi often do not own the land they live on. In fact, an entire village was forced to relocate just months before we arrived. Furthermore, their primary livelihood (fishing) is at high risk due to the severely depleted fish stocks in the archipelago. Many now work in tourism industry but very few have high level jobs. So are projects on the island were meant to try to figure out what is going on on Lipe in terms of development, the local culture, and the state of the island's environment. Then, our last two days on that island were spent snorkeling the reefs in the area and writing midcourse essays. Aside from some rain on our second day-- which was a good excuse to get some schoolwork done-- our weather was fantastic.
At the halfway point of the course, it was time for us to leave Lipe. So we got into our kayaks. We paddled around the entire island of Lipe and then crossed the straight to its neighbor, Adang. It took us just over 2 hours. Once we arrived, we set up camp! The rest of the course we would be spending in tents. Tents on the beach, that is. This campsite was actually at the site of the National park, so we had dinners at their restaurant each of the two nights spent there. Breakfast was always a granola type mixture made with your own personal recipe of boiling and powdered milk, hot chocolate mix, instant coffee, and/or sugar. Lunches were always an endless supply of bread, peanut butter, nutella, honey, banana chips, and beef jerky, plus some watermelon or pineapple. The second campsite that we stayed at was a 17 km paddle away from the first which took about 5 hours, not including lunch. This site was much quieter and more secluded, with no restaurant or tourists to speak of. We had the same breakfasts and lunches but then cooked our dinners, some of which consisted of fish caught that day by our boat drivers. There were some bathrooms but they were straight out of a horror film-- filthy, broken, rundown, and accessible by a long overgrown path. I went there once and decided never to go back, a decision which was re-enforced when someone ran into a viper on that path. I also had a close call with a venomous creepy crawly at that site. While completing an assignment at a picnic table, I just happened to look down and see this ridiculous THING on the leg of the table, a mere inch from my leg. It was hideous. It's body was about 3 inches long, but then its LEGS. It had about 30, each around 2 inches long. It was bright orange. It was one inch from me. It was gross. And disgusting. I carefully but urgently removed myself from the table. According to our local boat driver, the venom from that bug hurts more than that of Thai centipedes. One of the teachers at school was bitten by a centipede and was sent to the hospital for a morphine drip. So yea... that was scary. But actually, I loved camping on the beach. I loved falling asleep to the sound of the waves. I loved waking up to the view of the ocean. I loved showering under a 4 ft tall hose attached to a beached boat. I loved spending a week entirely on either sand or water.
This half of the course was focused more on ecology and less on people. So our days were spent doing activities such as a forest plot survey, a mangrove study, a sea anemone survey, and a giant clam project. We did a few more short paddles in our kayaks. I always looked forward to them, it was pretty cool to slide right along the top of the ocean like that. And we did alot more snorkeling. Throughout the trip, I saw alot of barracuda, anemones and clownfish, starfish, crown of thorns, sea urchins, giant clams, moray eels, small rays, and all your colorful reef fish. Little surprise, I couldn't get enough of it. To get to and from different beaches or reefs when we didn't kayak, we took traditional long-tail boats (these boats also carried all of our gear when we did kayak). They are skinny but long wooden boats with a motor attached to the end of a swiveling 15 ft long pole. Our drivers were a couple of Urak Lawoi from Lipe. One day, on our way back from snorkeling somewhere, our boat suddenly started veering to the left. All of us students were facing forwards but one of our field instructors, Pi Aaron, sat facing backwards on the bow of the boat. We watched as he jumped up and headed for the back of the boat, stopping just before climbing over all of us, as the boat began to straighten out. So I look back to see what was going on back there. Turns out our driver was fishing. While driving. In fact, he had the steering stick in one hand, a fishing pole in the other, and a cigarette in his mouth. He hadn't actually caught anything, but had just become a bit preoccupied with the line for a moment. i kept watching him as he soon propped up the fishing pole, took a seat on the cooler, draped his elbow over the steering stick, took a drag from his cigarette, removed it from his lips, then smiled and mouthed the word "sabai" across the boat to our Thai field instructor, Pi Pui. "Sabai" is loosely translated as chill, relaxed, enjoyable. So that sums up the course pretty well I'd say.
The last part of the expedition, our travel back to Chiang Mai, was like a variation on Planes Trains and Automobiles. It began by loading up longtail boats at 4 in the morning. Those boats took us out into deeper waters where we transferred everything onto a ferry. After a 4 hour ferry ride we had a 2 hour bus ride to the airport. From there, we had an hour and a half flight to Bangkok followed by another hour and a half flight to Chiang Mai. It was a long day. But then a final seminar in Chiang Mai and a Thai language assessment interview meant ISDSI was over. Islands was a great way to end it, it would have been hard to top class on the beach. The scenery was spectacular and the activities were fun. The teacher was horrendous but thankfully, he doesn't even teach while we are on the expedition. So overall, it's hard to complain.
Alot has happened since then, such as a three week long vacation with my parents. Hopefully a report on that will come very soon, now that my new room in Bangkok is equipped with wireless. Until then!
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