Tales from Thailand
travel 1 Comment »Wow, what a place! Thailand is awesome – there are sooo many new, unique things to take in. It’s by far the most intriguing and different country I have ever been to (it’s also my first trip to Asia). Everything was new to me so my camera had its work cut out for it since I was constantly clicking pictures…about 300 in 10 days.
After a few delays and a late night we eventually arrived in Chiangmai where we spent the majority of our time. We hit the Oasis Spa on our first day since our jet lagged and swollen legs were screaming out for some TLC. Five hours later we walked out of the spa feeling quite happy, albeit a little like jell-o, but it was all good. We spent the first night in Chiangmai walking around the market looking at all the arts and crafts, bartering here and there, and also trying out some of the Thai food from the vendors. Now being vegetarian does make eating in Thailand a little more difficult since they love their pig and chicken and whatever else goes into their food, but it’s not hard to find plenty of noodle and rice dishes to choose from either. And sticky rice with mango…mmmmm!
Now, if you have been to Thailand you know there are no shortages of Wats (temple-monasteries) so we ventured to one of the north’s most sacred temples called Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, which sits high on a peak in Doi Suthep National Park. Being it was our first visit to a Wat we were really overwhelmed by its size, architecture, and history but we were also quite disappointed by the tourist trade that seemed to diminish the sanctity of the temple. It didn’t seem so sacred with all the vendors selling this and that and with all the tourists scattered about the Wat while the monks and those who were there to pray went about their business. There was even an elephant chained up outside which was being fed bananas by kids who bought them for a few pennies…something for everyone to make some money.
We continued to be immersed by the celebration of the Loy Krathong festival, which is celebrated on the full moon in November. Parades and vendors took over the streets day and night while fireworks and miniature hot air balloons filled the night skies. People also floated their “krathongs” (a floating flower, candle and incense) in the canals and rivers hoping to receive good luck.
Since we both love Thai food we participated in a 6-course Thai cooking class with about 6 other people from England, Holland and Israel. The class began when our instructor first took us to the market to show us the main ingredients in Thai cooking. Most of the ingredients are common all around the world but there are a few things that are necessary to making a Thai dish a “true” Thai dish that aren’t always readily available in other parts of the world. Anyway, we found that Thai cooking is pretty straight forward – you just need some high heat for the wok, lots of chilies, and good homemade curry paste. We ended up making some pretty tasty dishes. I even made spring rolls (the deep fried kind) that were really yummy!
After the cooking school, we took a bus about 1.5 hours north (and it only cost us 3 NZ dollars!) to Chiang Dao where were going to go on a 3-day trek the next morning. The first day consisted of an elephant ride, walks through various villages and a bamboo river raft ride. The villages were quite intriguing and the bamboo huts standing off the ground (to keep them dry and mud free in the rainy season), dogs, chickens, roosters, pigs, motorbikes, rice, corn and the random solar panel for electricity (donated by the government) were all common throughout the different villages. And we bought several items made by the local people to help support the villages – they are a very persistent lot of people and don’t like to take no for an answer.
That night we were taken into the mtns in Chiang Dao National Park to spend our first night in a Lisu village with our next guide, Nata. He cooked us dinner and after chatting in broken English for awhile we went off to bed since it was already dark by 7pm! The next morning we hung around while the villagers ate their breakfast of pig (freshly killed that morning) and whiskey, and then we strolled of to tramp through some caves. I had developed a stomach bug so I wasn’t feeling too good in the cramped cave so we ended our trek short and then headed off to some waterfalls for a quick dip. After a long walk up the steep hills to the next Lisu village, we settled down for dinner and a night at one of the highest points in the hills. This particular village would have been a 5 star accommodation for villages because it had an amazing view and a more relaxing atmosphere. The typical roosters weren’t walking around cockle-doodle dooing in the middle of the night and we actually had a “real” toilet to sit on rather than squat over a hole in the ground. The views from this village were stunning and during our 5-hour trek on the last day, we saw even more spectacular views. Our 64 year old guide kept us going at a quick pace and during those 5 hours we met a Shaman who wished us luck through the forest, our guides cooked us lunch using bamboo they cut as bowls, we walked through more caves, and we visited a school where most of the kids were afraid to look at us. The 3 day trip came and went too fast although it was nice to sleep in a very comfortable bed and take a hot shower back at the Chiang Dao Nest.
Before leaving Chiang Dao we visited another Wat up in the hills. We had to climb 500+ steps to get there but we were delighted to find that the climb was worth it. This place wasn’t at all touristy and the surrounding hills were beautiful and peaceful. We walked around taking in all the buddhas without feeling rushed or feeling like we had to buy this or that. Then we took another walk through more caves before we caught the bus back to Chiangmai for our last night in the north.
This last night we hit the well-known Night Bazaar and went crazy shopping. The market just went on and on around every corner and with each turn we found more arts and crafts that caught our attention. Bowls made out of mango wood, vases made out of teak wood, pillow cases from Thai silk, jewelry, table runners from bamboo – all the sorts of things we bought until we finally had to end the madness just before our wallets were empty. It’s a good thing we didn’t find this place earlier in the week or else we would have done more bartering and buying than anything else!
After another delayed flight the next day we finally made it back to Bangkok but too late that night to hit the town. So, the next morning we hit the streets of Bangkok to see the “must-sees” in town – the Wat Phra Kaew and its Emerald Buddha, the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, which houses the largest reclining Buddha in Thailand, and the market along the river. Wat Phra Kaew was very touristy, hordes of people flock to this Wat to see the polished colors, mosaic-encrusted pillars and marble floors, but it was definitely worth the visit to see it and the neighboring Grand Palace with its blend of Italian Renaissance and traditional Thai architecture. After 5 hours of walking the city, we were ready for our $4NZ taxi ride (30km) to the airport for our flight home. Not that we were ready to leave by any means, but we had seen enough of Bangkok. I would never recommend spending much time in the city, but if you have a need to do some mall shopping then I would certainly make it a stopping point on the itinerary.
Thailand has distinct smells, tastes, and sights that stimulate all the senses. It is a very distinct country in many different aspects and a very pleasant country to visit – the tuks tuks (the 3 wheeled taxis that dart in and out of the chaotic traffic), the markets, the food, the people, the ubiquitous temples, buddhas and monks and the small price to pay for a good time all make Thailand a country worth visiting.