Adventures With Bonnye and Greg

We were going back to Bangkok from Sukhothai , and then for the weekend to a beach town called "Pattaya" with Bonnye and Greg. Pattaya is a gorgeous beach town. Tourists come from all over the world, bringing their families,( or if men unfortunate enough to be single to hire one of the many professional women available) to help them enjoy wonderful beaches, speedboats, clubs and restaurants. We stayed at a Hard Rock Hotel that was amazing, with its own beach/pool as big as a lake.

Pattaya also has Thailand's Moi Thai boxing (hands and feet allowed). Bonnye got in the ring with one of the boxers. That girl can hold her own!

Afterwards we had a few days left in Bangkok before going back to snowy Maine. We visited a famous temple where the Buddha is covered in gold leaf. Many worshipers stick on a piece as a symbolic gift to Buddha. While traveling through town to get there we came across a store where people setting up new shrines can get statues of Buddha, a section of town where every shop did amazing architectural wood carvings, and monks out shopping.

Our last night in Thailand Bonnye and Greg took us to their new favorite restaurant. It was in a large colonial era house that had been lovingly converted to the most enticing restaurant. The food was Asian fusion. Each dish creative and wondrous beyond description (sorry no photos and no leftovers).

Bonnye and Greg--- thanks one more time for getting us to come visit an amazing part of the world and share some of the adventures you are having!

And before that ...Si Sanchanali

Actually, we are both having some trouble keeping Thai history and capitols straight what with slightly different interpretations with different tour guides. Not to mention the always present language barrier.

Nevertheless, today we hired a driver/ guide with a pickup truck, and excellent command of English and an aunt who rents bicycles and traveled a hour to Si Sanchanali. We saw only 4 other westeners in the entire day but several batches of Thai school children arrived on some really interesting buses!

Si Sanchanali was a kingdom that existed before Thailand was an actual country. The extensive ruins reflect Khmer, Mon, Hindu, Sri Lanka, and Sukhothai influences resulting is all sorts of architectural variations. You won't see much difference in the Buddhas, structures, or Chedi and neither did we until our great guide pointed them out. His father was a archeologist who helped to excavate these ruins so the son was very knowledgeable. For example, Sri Lanka Chedi have round tops, Sukothai chedi are shaped like a lotus bud. Thailand adopted their Theravada Buddhism from Sri Lanka. When you see the photos, know that all of that dark, weathered laterite structure we have been showing you was originally covered with a white concrete material so the structures were white with mostly red coloring on the Buddhas ( if it was Sri Lanka style)

With so few tourists and the sites spread quite far apart, we once again could silently bike through the national park site and just absorb the atmosphere. Another great day.

Sukhothai, the capital before Ayuthaya

In many ways the temples and grounds here in Sukhothai are more impressive than those in Ayuthaya. Before Bangkok was the capital, before Ayuthaya was the capital, Sukhothai was the capital. The King Ramkhamhaeng (1300's)who made this his capital, invented the written Thai alphabet, chose Buddhism as the state religion, and chose diplomacy over war as the policy with neighbors. Many of the temples here reflected how good life was for the Thais during this era.

People were worshiping and school children were visiting at many of these sites today as well. This UNESCO historical site has Buddha figures with finer elongated features which are different than most buddhas. They seem to have a more gentle demeanor and lend a more low key atmosphere to the environment. Peaceful. The Buddha in the last pictures is 50 feet tall!

The smoking mound under the straw roof is a pottery kiln, similar to the kind that made Sukhothai's pottery industry prosperous.

Today the temperature reached 100 Degrees but the majority of the Sukothai Historical site is within one area and we rented bicycles to tour around from site to site. The grounds are perfectly flat and quite shaded so we could easily bike around and enjoy the breeze.

By noon, almost all of the tourists had left this quiet and peaceful site so we could really sort of engage with the sacred atmosphere. Sukothai is one of those places where you can sense the presence of the ancients. What a treat after the chaos of Ayutthaya.

Moving back in time

First of all a little catch up news. On Sunday, Bonnye had to leave for a business trip to Singapore so we hung out in the AM and then visited crazy Chatuchek market in the afternoon. We wanted to supplement the dishes we bought last year and Gary got a few more of his favorite tissue tee shirts. it seems one of them represents a winning card used for gambling and gambling is illegal in Thailand. Thai men get a real chuckle out of the shirt.

Monday we took a great tour to Ayutthaya which was the Capitol of Thailand for 400 years in the 12-14 th century. We got on to a really nice tour boat in Bangkok and met our guide, Ng. We stopped at a teak museum. The museum has fiberglass statues of revered monks from up to 300 years ago to the present. Those statues are so realistic you would swear that they are breathing. We continued to travel up the river, were served a copious buffet, and then just the 3 of us got into a private car to the city of Ayutthaya. We joined one other couple and got bicycles. Ng guided us around the city and to multiple sites. She was really knowledgeable and gave us more history than we could ever absorb. The ruins are very extensive and we rode all around the city visiting different sights. when you consider that these ruins are thousands of years old and they are in remarkable shape. Some of the temples are still active. It was really hot and humid so the breezes from moving bikes were blessing! Riding bikes in Thai traffic was thrilling. Afterwards we got to our we really funky little hotel which was in this back alley. The owners were in Vietnam and had left non- English speaking grandma behind, but we worked things out. Took her a while to figure out the AC so we went looking for dinner in the oppressive heat. Way too hot to eat at the night market, couldn't t find an indoor restaurant anywhere, but ended up eating the perfect salad meal at a roadside stand that at least had tables.

They light up the ruins at night which is really pretty and just a bit spooky.

Tuesday was a travel day to Sukothai and we thoroughly enjoyed our 31/2 hour air conditioned train ride followed by 11/2 hour air conditioned bus ride on a really hot day. The tuk tuk rides in between and finally to our hotel helped us appreciate the nice cool travel . We noticed several enormous gold Buddhas perched on random hillsides as we traveled.

Today we're off to visit Sukothai, the Capitol of Siam ( Thailand) prior to Ayutthaya.

It's like coming home

Somehow, returning to Bangkok was a little like coming home. The sights and sounds are familiar and of course seeing Bonnye and Greg is wonderful. This is the part of our trip where we kick back and catch up with family.

On Friday they both went to work and we visited Wat Arun, the Amulet Market, and the National Museum- places we missed on our last trip. We do not exactly understand the Thai custom of collecting, wearing , and trading in these small amulets but it appears to be very serious business. Men with jewelers eyepieces closely examining and then placing the amulets in tiny plastic cases. The engravings do not appear to be particularly religious.

Wat Arun- named after the Indian god of dawn, Aruna, is said to be where King Taskin was inspired to move the Capitol of Siam to Bangkok from Ayutthaya. Quite spectacular, the structures are intricately carved and also encrusted with designs some of which are made with pieces of broken Chinese porcelain. The stupas( spires) are up to 82 meters tall. We went up about 1/2 way on really steep steps but the it got a bit uncomfortable ( yeah, heights and Joy)

We got to the National Museum only an hour before closing but did see a great history exhibit that was an excellent precursor to our historical sites visit next week.

You know you are with the younger set when you set out for dinner at 8 PM and follow up with a visit to the bar and close it . We went to the area where All the ex- patriots in Bangkok hang out and what a happening place. Note the VW bus converted into a street side bar. Oh and the sign with directions to the restroom hanging in Cheap Charlie's ( the bar)

Saturday we had a low key day of shopping a visiting. Joy and Bonnye picked some new glasses - a great deal in Bangkok and we went to the shopping district to look for a suitcase for Bonnye who leaves for Singapore in business on Sunday. We want to an awesome bar for drinks and fantastic apps and visited the night away.

Student Guide, Ho Chi Minh, and Enhnology

Our last day in Viet Nam and we packed In a lot of fun. Our hotel arranged a student guide for the morning. Student guides are English students at the university who want to practice English, so they provide free guide services. Our guide was very fluent and quite charming. We visited the Ho Chi Minh Museum and Mausoleum and it was really interesting. Uncle Ho is pretty much regarded as the George Washington of Vietnam. In many ways it is true because his mission was to gain independence and unification of the country. One thousand years under the Chinese, 100 under the French, and then the "American" War. Next we visited the Museum of Literature and the first university in Vietnam (founded in 1075). Traditionally the students believe that if they pray to Confucius they will do well in exams.( Our student didn't think so, but her mother asks her to pray anyways- mothers! They never change.)
Our student had to leave us to go to class, so she wrote down the name of a locals' fish restaurant where we had a fabulous meal. We didn't have to read the menu because they only make one dish. It was delicious and we were the only westerners there.
We went to the museum of ethnology which is in the suburbs. It took us 3 different cabs, a group of giggly school girls and a nice man on the street to finally find our way there, but it was worth it. The museum has authentic houses from about 7 of the ethnic minorities represented in Vietnam as well as an indoor museum. The ethnic homes were disassembled and reconstructed on site by the people themselves. Some photos show two of the homes, an iron forge and two tombs. Note that one of the tombs is surrounded by symbols of fertility( pregnant ladies) and fertility ( you figure it out).
Off to Bangkok and Greg and Bonnye tomorrow .