LAND OF MINES

Wednesday, May 26th @3:01AM

Kevin

Our Lao driver pulled over the minivan, threw our bags down from the roof and left the five of us at the border before driving away. We proceeded through customs and border control and processed our exit paperwork. It was then about a hundred yard walk to the Cambodian side. Once there, we got our passports stamped, made a quit run to the loo and were hurried into one of two minivans that waited on the side of the road. Our group of five was broken up as Idalis and I headed to one and the rest of the group to the other. I was relegated to the front seat. Our driver was short, stocky and presumably of Khmer decent considering his dark skin and flat nose. He drove for one and a half hours without saying a word and never taking his eyes off the road. For that matter, nobody in the minivan said a single word the entire time either. The road was completely empty barring an occasional car or moto, group of kids or wandering dogs. The ride was strange and I detected some level of tension and anxiety. Maybe it was the whole way the border crossing went down or the fact that, like us, everyone in van spent time reading up on and researching Cambodia's turbulent past. A past that only ceased to be violent and war torn within the last ten years.

The rich part of Cambodia's history centered around the thirteenth century when the Khmer empire all but ruled the majority of SE Asia. As a result of this great empire we are fortunate to be blessed with Angkor, one of the great wonders of the world. The disheartening part of Cambodia's history is far more recent and also is responsible for a legacy, one of fear, war and genocide. Like Laos and Vietnam, Cambodia was also a French territory. This ended in 1953 at the behest of Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk. In 1970, he was overthrown by the military as a result of his repressive policies. He fled to Beijing. Shortly thereafter, he was encouraged by the Chinese to affiliate himself with the then weak communist rebels known as the Khmer Rouge. This move proved to increase their popularity. Cambodia, due to its proximity, was also sucked into the war, perhaps reluctantly, as a result of the secret bombing by the United States shortly after the 1970 coup. It is estimated that a total of 500,000 tons of munitions were deposited in the country within 6000 raids. This attempt to flush out the communist failed miserably and after much interior conflict and warfare eventually resulted in the rise of the Khmer Rouge. The Khmer Rouge invaded and took the capital city of Phnom Penh on April 17, 1975.

This was the beginning of a four year revolution that would be one of the most violent and deadly in the history of the world. Under the leadership of Pol Pot, Cambodia was transformed into an 'agrarian' society, inspired by Maoist philosophy. The entire capital city of Phnom Penh was evacuated, as were most major cities, by the Khmer Rouge forces and its inhabitants forced to march, mostly by foot, into the country side where they would begin their lives as farmers and peasants. A national uniform of black shirt and pants with a red sash was instituted. People who had never seen a farm were forced to work one. Slowly but surely, the Khmer Rouge began to weed out any person that was suspected as a threat to the 'Angkar', or institution. This included anyone who was educated, a professional, spoke a foreign language and even people who wore glasses, as they were considered intellectuals. Within the next four years, approximately 2,000,000 Cambodians would be killed in an attempt to purify the country of racial impurities, capitalism and western influences. Those who were considered the ideal citizens of renamed Kampuchea faired no better as famine, disease and malnutrition would also take their tole. In spite of the entire country working as an agrarian cooperative, food rations were inequitably distributed with the bulk of the harvests being traded to China in exchange for weaponry. It is estimated that nearly one fourth of Cambodia's entire population was decimated during the reign of the Khmer Rouge.

In late 1978, Vietnamese forces invaded Cambodia and were able to overthrow the Khmer Rouge and send them into the jungles along the Thailand border. The Vietnamese forces were the liberators of the Cambodian people. This did not conclude the conflict, as guerrilla warfare continued throughout the country by surviving Khmer Rouge forces. This fighting did not cease until the death of the Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot, in 1998.

The scars from these conflicts are still very fresh and the people of Cambodia continue to suffer post-war casualties in the form of land mines and live munitions. It is estimated that seven to nine million live mines still exist on Cambodian soil, though no one is sure of the actual numbers. This dilemma is far too real and one is advised to NEVER wander of the beaten path. We have even read that if you need to relieve yourself while driving, remain on the asphalt to do so. There is further evidence of this travesty in the form of an overwhelming amount of amputees, including mostly children and farmers. There is an evil paradigm in this country where the one force that can give you life, the harvesting of your crops for food, can also kill you.




The good news is that there are countless NGO's (non-government organizations) located in Cambodia that are doing there best to assist the various needs of people living in a post-war world. We were even fortunate enough to visit the Cambodian Land Mine Museum, where Cambodian Aki Ra is also working to make a difference. Aki was a child soldier for the Khmer Rouge and at 11 years old was assigned to the laying of land mines. Near the end of the conflict, he was drafted by the invading Vietnamese forces and at the age of fourteen, helped to fight and topple the Khmer Rouge. Today, he works feverishly to try and recover all the land mines that he was forced to lay and many others. He can disarm and remove up to 26 mines per hour and up to 100 square meters a day. It can cost up to $500 dollars to remove one land mine. It can cost as little as $3 to manufacture one. With the help of his wife, they also run a home for child victims of land mine accidents. Aki is a true hero of war. There are also other people working very hard to rid the world of land mines. There is the OTTAWA convention for the suspension of the manufacture and use of all forms of explosive mines. Over 155 countries have signed this treaty. To date, America has not signed the treaty (along with Russia and China) and states that the military wishes to continue with the use of land mines. Currently the US is laying land mines on the south side of the Korean border.

For more information, please visit... http://www.cambodialandminemuseum.org/

LOW DOWN ON LAOS

Sunday, May 24th @ 17:52

Kevin

Lan Xang, or “Land of a Million Elephants”, as it was named by warlord Fa Ngum in the 14th century, later became known as Laos (with a silent “s”) in the 18th century when the French negotiated with Siam for its ownership and renamed it. Unlike much of Asia, the population of Laos is a mere 6.5 million people, or equal to the size of a large Western city. Laos is a landlocked nation surrounded on all sides by its neighbors, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and China.
In 1953, France granted Laos full sovereignty and just in time for a civil war to begin brewing between the Communist supported Pathet Lao and the Democratic (US) supported Royal Lao. From 1965 to 1973 the US, in an attempt to counter the presence of North Vietnamese forces, devastated east and northeast Laos with constant carpet bombing. This is often referred to as the Secret War. When the US withdrew in 1973, the country was in shambles, domestic support against democracy and in favor of the communist increased, the civil war ended and the People's Democratic Republic was born. It was only recently, within the last decade or so, that Laos reopened its tightly sealed borders and began allowing a steady stream of tourists to mount a new type of invasion. This country, like most of its Southeast Asian neighbors, is primarily Buddhist, and of the Theravada tradition.










We arrived in Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, in the early evening of Friday, May 15th, with just enough time to wait for the rain to stop, grab some cash and have dinner by the shore of the Mekong river. Our guest house, though on the main strip, was nothing special and was simply chosen because of its proximity and the fact that we did not feel much like shopping around in the heavy rains resulting from the start of the monsoon season in this part of the world. On our first full day we attempted to beat the afternoon rains by starting early. As is our most recent tradition, the day begins with a breakfast which includes the most majestic coffee mixed with sweet condensed milk and ice and a French inspired, and very tasty, baguette in some form of a sandwich. This particular day, we visited a historic wooden wat (temple) known as Ha Pha Kaew, followed by the most amazing and awe inspiring Wat Si Saket, the oldest wat in Vientiane, built by King Anounvong in 1818, which contains over 10,000 statues of the Buddha ranging from the 15th to the 19th centuries. Then on to Patuxai, Vientiane's equivalent to the Arc de Triomphe, where we climbed to the top for a view of the city, and surprisingly enough did some souvenir shopping on of its interior chambers. Last was Pha That Luang, a brilliant golden stupa that is the national symbol of sovereignty and the Buddhist religion. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived it was closed and we could not enter, but it is just as impressive from outside the low perimeter wall.

The following day was another round of sightseeing with a 25km bus ride to the outskirts of the city to a place called Xieng Khuan, better known as Buddha Park. Upon arrival and inspection, we found this grassy field alongside the Mekong river with towering sculptures akin to Coral Castle, for those of you who have been there and have been fortunate enough to marvel at its grandeur! Built in 1958 by an eccentric yogi/priest/shaman, known as Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat, Xieng Khuan (or spirit world) contains several concrete statues of Hindu and Buddhist deities as well as one very odd egg shaped structure that you can enter to view several floors of diorama scenes of...well, I am not really sure. The following day, Monday, turned out to be all business. Hearing conflicting information regarding the status of visa requirements for the “unofficial” land crossing into Cambodia, we decided to visit its embassy early in the morning and inquire with those in the know. As it turned out, we were able to fill out a visa application on the spot and returned later that day to pick up our now slightly heavier passports containing our approved single entry visas into the Kingdom of Cambodia. There was also just enough time to upload the most recent post, check emails and spend some quality time in the “air conditioned” post office writing out and mailing post cards, if you did not yet get one check your mail box, before catching a tuk-tuk to a mini-bus, a mini-bus to a large sleeper bus, a large sleeper bus to a VIP bus, a VIP bus to a short walk, a short walk to a long tail boat, a long tail boat to the island of Don Det, in the southern tip of Laos known as Si Phan Don, or the Four Thousand Islands and then a very long and hot 2.5km walk, with backpacks in tow, to the final resting spot of Don Khon Island.







Originally, we expected to spend a week in this area. However, after four days, two of sightseeing on bikes and two doing absolutely nothing but soaking in the placid scenery and sound of the river, we decided to move on. Not only would this get us into Cambodia a bit faster, it would also help us to make up a few days to tack on to the next paradise location that we may encounter. The people of the island were great and life there was very similar to island life anywhere, lots of fishing, sleeping, drinking, reading and relaxing, primarily in the two hammocks provided on our bungalow's cantilevered balcony. Four days turned out to be plenty of time for lazing around, seeing several waterfalls, some sandy beaches, a few hikes around the river banks and one rain soaked bicycle ride that had us taking cover in an abandoned school house and sharing mangoes and the magic of a combination bike lock with some of the local kids. A beautiful place, a fantastic experience and a chance to connect with people of a country that are fighting to preserve their culture, protect their environment and maintain balance in a world whose not so distant past has been riddled with death and destruction.

WOWED IN LAOS

Monday, May 11th @ 17:50

Kevin

We left our beloved respite in Pai, for a return to the cultural capital of Thailand, Chiang Mai. We had to return here in order to catch our bus to Chiang Khong, at the border with Laos. But before we were to spend seven hours on a bus, we were to see to a couple of last minute accomplishments. The first was to enter the new blog post (see how we prioritize for your benefit?), then, it was off to have one last meal at our favorite little restaurant, Tanya, then, a stop in for two authentic Thai messages, and last, attend one more Muay Thai event.

The Thai messages were the first we had and were amazing. They require the assistance of the recipient as it is an interactive affair that includes, in addition to deep kneading, a series of twists, pulls, folds and bends. Unlike deep tissue messages back west, with the Thai massage you are fully clothed in traditional dress, consisting of fisherman pants and a light cotton guayabera type top. Our last Muay Thai fight attended involved four people I had trained with at the True Bee Gym in Pai. Three of the participants were the young Thai kids I had befriended, Yoddoi (Champion) 10, Areshi (Spikey) 11 and, Arenu (B-Boy) 14. The last was a farang, or foreigner, from Switzerland named Dadawoo, or Megadeath as he was more commonly known. The two youngest lost their bouts to opponents that appeared to be slightly over sized and older. However, they gave stellar performances, staying in for the entire five rounds and only losing only by decision. Many of the foreigners that had been training made it to the match and each of us was generous in our distribution of applause and praise to each of them for doing so great. Arenu, also being mismatched with a much older boy took a couple off heavy hits in the beginning that seemed to shake something loose as he returned by dominating the remaining four rounds and winning by a technical knock-out. He was, by far, the MVP of the evening. Then, there was Megadeath, who in his debut fight showed complete calm and poise as he slowly and methodically dismantled his Thai opponent, even proffering to show Western respect by buying him a beer after the match. We bought and enjoyed our own beers from any number of the lady boys tending the bar that evening. Overall, the event was incredibly exciting, though somewhat stressful, and it was great to be there as part of a team and to experience first hand the type of respect and pride that is the cornerstone of this national sport.

We arrived at Chiang Khong just in time to complete our exiting paperwork and take a ferry across the Mekong River to the city of Huay Xai (pronounced why-sai) on the Laos border. Again, a round of paperwork and a visa application and fee and we had once again successfully traversed another frontier. We crossed over in the ferry with three other travelers. We had dinner with one of them that night and he would be Matias from Germany. While indulging in our first Laotian meal, we invited another traveler to join us who was also named Matias and was also from Germany. The two Matias' and us spent an evening indulging in authentic cuisine, our first round of Beer Lao and a stroll through the wat (temple), where the monks treated us to a cacophony of drum beats and clashing symbols and into an adjacent neighborhood to meet a self proclaimed rapper and emcee who would give us an impromptu freestyle rap with verses in Lao, English, Spanish and French. We would return to our guest house forty-five minutes after it had closed, which was rather early, and would have to wake up the attendant before going to our rooms and retiring for the evening.





The next morning we would say our goodbyes as each of us was headed in different directions. Ours would be a two day long slow boat journey to Luang Prabang, with a night's stop over in Pak Beng. A slow and grueling ride in what is known as a long boat on wooden benches that was compensated by some of the most amazing scenery and river side glimpses into the lives of the local villagers. We saw albino buffaloes, naked, dancing children, limestone karsts jutting from the water and a fisherman holding up a catfish he caught that was almost as long as him. After an eight hour journey on the second day we arrived at the docks of Luang Prabang at the base of the Mighty Mekong.

Too tired to do anything, we had a small meal and retired for the evening. The next day, however, we had breakfast at a small restaurant located inside a UNESCO heritage site, a building constructed in 1935. We walked around the city, crossing the Khan River on an old rickety bamboo bridge and sat on a rock where the Khan and Mekong rivers converged, where we read the do's and don'ts of traveling in Laos and marveled at the fact that we were actually here. We also visited the wat (temple), stupa and statues at the top of Mount Phu Si, overlooking the city, where I would be touched on the shoulder by monks on two separate occasions. We would end the evening strolling through the night market and eating from various vendors on the street.






Thursday, May 14, 2009 9:47 AM

Idalis:

We have become very distrustful of our guidebook.

It's been our experience that if Lonely Planet describes a city as “bustling,” that usually means “chaotic.” “Charming yet confounding” is code for “the locals will rip you off” and “more adventure than holiday” just means “India.” It's very important to read between the lines! So, when our guidebook described Luang Prabang as “chanting,” “diverse,” and “perhaps the most sophisticated, photogenic city in the whole of Southeast Asia,” we took it with a grain of salt. But . . .

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!

Luang Prabang, in northern Laos, is gorgeous. No wonder the whole city is a UNESCO-protected World Heritage site. French influence is still visible here, from its old French mansions to its delicious baguettes and coffee, both served with sticky sweet condensed milk! It has beautiful wats, green mountains, orange-robed monks, magnolia-laced streets, and loads of charm!

Yesterday, we decided to be masochists and rented bikes to cycle the 32 kilometers it took to get to Tat Kuang Si, a beautiful, multi-tiered waterfall. Although a scary ascent (Kevin made me do it!), the climb to the top of the mountain was the biggest reward. We found a tucked-away section where the limestone formations held a series of (cold!) turquoise-green pools of water. Although I threw a hissy fit to get there (Q: Why does Kevin always choose to ignore my fear of heights?) I'm glad I was forced. It was breathtaking, and the whole day is one we won't soon forget. We had a soggy picnic lunch (it started to rain) at one of the lower pools after sliding down the muddy path (I fell, of course!) but it cleared up just in time for Kevin to swing like a monkey off a hanging rope into one of the deep pools. Just so you know, he waited 20 minutes after eating so as not to get a cramp ;)





We could've hired a tuk tuk for the 32 kilometers back, but why make things easy? We hopped on our bikes and prayed for lots of downhill slopes. Some of it was so challenging and steep that we just got off the bikes and walked up, but the scenery was amazing: rice paddies, bright green mountains, and smiling mothers with their children yelling “Sabaai-dii!” We are paying for it today, with very sore bottoms that feel as red as a baboon's, but we're smiling and proud of our 64 kilometer (40-mile) accomplishment!

This morning we woke up early at 5 AM to watch the daily tak bat, when locals give alms of sticky rice and other food to the hundreds of orange-clad monks who pass by with their begging bowls. What a sight! The tradition has continued for hundreds of years, and as most Lao men have been monks for at least a short time in their life, it was interesting to see how the community supports this rite of passage.




Today will be our last day here. Tomorrow we head south to the capital, Vientiane. But today, we will rest our weary bottoms and be sure to find seats at our favorite cafe with VERY soft cushions!

PAI IN THE SKY

Monday, May 4, 2009 10:00 AM

Idalis:

Every once in a while, we find a place to take a vacation from our vacation. The little town of Pai, nestled in northern Thailand's hills, is exactly that. We arrived at this mountain paradise a week ago, and are having a very hard time finding the heart to leave!

Our simple little bungalow on stilts, perched on the banks of the Pai River, has become our new home. The attached bathroom makes us laugh, half covered and half exposed to the elements, you can shower while looking at the green mountains (and also get rained on if you have to pee during a storm!). At night, so quiet is this side of the river, that the frogs, birds, and “uh-oh” geckos lull us to sleep.

The town of Pai itself is beautiful. Part of the old “hippie trail,” it has retained its laid-back feel. The restaurants and shops in town are creatively decorated, inviting you to taste their yummy noodles or buy their linen clothes. One of our favorite restaurants, Na's Kitchen, is no secret. People come in all day and night to sample tom khaa kai (coconut soup with chicken and galangal) or one of the many delicious kaeng (curries). We now have an addiction to Thai iced tea, bright orange and served with condensed milk. Last night, we were introduced to mukata, or Thai barbecue, for the first time. Our group was given a large metal dome, surrounded by a shallow moat, that sat on a clay pot with flaming hot coals. Each diner is in control of their entire meal, as they place various types of meat on the dome to be grilled as an assembly of greens, water and seafood stew in the moat. All this for 80 baht (about $2.50). It is a do-it-yourself all-you-can-eat affair! We even sampled fried crickets at the local market, tasty if you don't think about what they are!

We have met such friendly and interesting people while here, and striking up conversations is easy to do while lounging in one of the hammocks at our guest house's communal sala. Noah is from Holland, Sauli from Finland, and Jenny is from England. Alex from Costa Rica has been our official tour guide, as he's been here the longest. One day, the six of us rented scooters and visited one of the local waterfalls, hot springs in the jungle, and then went to watch the sun set at Pai Canyon. A perfect day! We have become fast friends, and will often meet up for dinner or just talk into the wee hours of the night over a Chang beer.







There's a lot to do here besides swinging in a hammock or stuffing your face. Kevin has been taking muay thai boxing lessons twice a day. While he's kicking and throwing punches in the morning, I practice yoga facing the river. Yesterday we went on an elephant ride! A touristy activity here in Thailand, yes, but a must-do for me, regardless. It was so much fun, although with nothing to hold on to, I was REALLY nervous during the steep descents. We got to bathe the elephant in the river, or rather, it bathed us! Today we will get Thai massages and enjoy our last days here. In a few days, we will return to Chiang Mai and then make our way to the Laos border. But for now, we are truly enjoying our Earth-bound “Pai in the Sky!”





LIFE OF PAI

Tuesday, May 5 @ 15:20

Kevin

My day begins at 7:20AM when the clock alarm goes off. I lay in bed for another five minutes and then it is on to the shower and into some work out clothes. I stumble out of the elevated bamboo bungalow that hugs the bank of the Pai river and walk about 100 meters into the 'True Bee Muay Thai Boxing Gym'. It contains a boxing ring and a work out area located under a canopy cover and surrounded by stunning vistas of the Pai mountain range. There are a few dogs that usually hang around and fighting roosters located in wicker cages that crow during our morning workouts. There are about ten people that attend the morning class, from 8 to 10, and another ten or so that attend the afternoon class, from 3 to 5. I attend both sessions and am about the only one who is not training long term, professionally or preparing for an upcoming fight.

The Muay Thai gym is owned and operated by Roengam Chomthong, better known as Bee. He is a 32 year old champion Muay Thai fighter. He also receives help from his brother, known as 'A', and trainers Wantree and Mitiporng. Together they run the 'True Bee' camp. We start our sessions with some skipping (jump rope), then into the ring for a round of calisthenics. After that, we get our hands wrapped in tape and move to the floor to practice our punches, kicks, blocks and combinations. One by one, we are called into the ring to go four rounds attempting to pummel our trainers who are heavily clad in padding and call out shots and combinations. Between each round we take water from the three little Thai boys who Bee is currently training free of charge. They are small, but they are powerful and focused. The remaining students are all farang, or foreigners, and many come specifically to train with Bee and usually stay long term. Of those training, two will be showcased in upcoming fights.

After training four hours a day for three days, I am shot. My legs hurt, my shins hurt and my feet hurt. However, Sunday is an off day and we celebrate the week's training with a barbecue on Saturday night. Most of the trainees show up and we share grilled meat, chicken and pork along with some Thai whiskey with soda water. I end my short Muay Thai career having 0 wins, 0 losses and 1 near knockout, but also make a bunch of new friends and gain a new appreciation for this sport and all the people who participate in it. As I write this, we lie down in the bed of the guesthouse that we just procured a few minutes ago here in Chang Mai. Leaving Pai was not easy, but our travels continue this Friday with a bus ride to the Laos border. In the meantime, we will have dinner at a Mexican restaurant to celebrate Cinco de Mayo and will go to one last Muay Thai fight to see the three small boys and one farang, from the Real Bee Gym, in their debut matches here at the Taphae Stadium. I spent every day after class swimming in the Pai River with the Thai boys, who I nicknamed 'B-Boy', 'Champion', and 'Spikey' and can't wait to see them in the ring, living their dream. A perfect send off and a great way to remember my life in Pai.

BECOMING CULTURE VULTURES OF THE EAST

Saturday, April 25, 2009 9:08 AM

Idalis:

We love Thailand. From the rich culture to beautiful wats, from spicy food to lady-boy winks, Kevin and I are soaking it all in, often glancing at each other with looks of amazement, jaws dropping, unable to believe our good fortune. Traveling here is so easy, with multiple air conditioned (!) buses running all day to different destinations, signs in English, and friendly, helpful staff. It really is the Land of Smiles!

Sukhothai, Central Thailand








We were sad to leave Bangkok, which quickly became one of our favorite big cities, but knew that good things were on their way. Our next stop was Sukhothai, about 7 hours north of Bangkok, to see the ancient city and its amazing wats (temples) and Buddhist ruins. We stayed in a cute little guest house with teak wood floors and a room so hot, you felt that they had thrown in a sauna package for free! In the evenings, we got to know some fellow travelers (hello, Steven!) and shared a few cold Chang beers and many laughs.

The historical park (or meuang kào) was truly amazing. From our guest house, we took a sǎwngthǎew (small pick-up with rows of benches in the back) there, and rented bikes for the day to ride around the site. We loved Wat Mahathat with its lotus-bud stupas, Buddha images, and broken columns. Our favorite was Wat Si Chum, which contains a gargantuan seated Buddha, looking serene with its eyes half closed and barely-perceptible smile. By the afternoon, we were dying from the heat, but forced ourselves to cycle the several kilometers to Wat Saphaan Hin, where we walked up a hill (so many steps!) to see the large standing Buddha which looks back towards Sukhothai. Kevin and I wiped our sweaty brows, lit incense sticks, and gave thanks for our many, many blessings.

One of the things that we have already grown to love about Thailand is the fact that you will never go hungry here. Wherever you look, there are epicurean entrepreneurs selling all kinds of delicious food in outdoor markets, as pushcart vendors, or from makeshift stalls. It's the only country I know of where you can be run over by a restaurant! This country is food heaven. We found the local night market, pointed to what looked good (or just interesting), and feasted like kings on rickety plastic chairs. We had: chicken, beef, and pork skewers (with grilled veggies and pineapple, some soaked in a spicy coconut milk sauce) and pork and rice (with lime, coriander, and red chillies). Desert included iced coffee with a dollop of ice cream (OMG!), sweetened rice with coconut milk and filled with egg (imagine our surprise!) and wrapped in banana leaves, a jelly-like sweet, and the best one yet, Thai snow cones, which consists of shaved ice, syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and a variety of toppings: grass jelly, beans, corn, glass noodles, and a whole bunch of other things we couldn't identify. It sounds gross, but tastes terrific! All of this cost us only 150 baht (about $4.50) and three trips to the bathroom! If you don't mind the flies and the heat, it's definitely the way to eat!

Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand









We are now in Chiang Mai, considered by Thais a national treasure. It is Thailand's cultural center and foodie capital of the country. Needless to say, I'm in heaven. Last night, Kevin and I found the local night market and gorged on some of the tastiest food yet: fried chicken and shrimp, two spicy stews (one beef, one pork) with assorted veggies, spices, coconut milk, and chillies, rice, two ice-cold Chang beers (courtesy of 7-Eleven, which is everywhere) and a gelatinous/bean thing we're not quite sure of. All yummy, for less than $5.

While here in Chiang Mai, we plan to soak up in some Thai-ness and take advantage of our surroundings. We will visit some beautiful wats, pop into a museum or two, experience the famous night bazaar, and take some courses: me, Thai cooking and Kevin, muay thai boxing. We're loving it!

Monday, April 27th at 15:42

Kevin

Well, not much has changed since our last post, with the exception of the fact that we have fallen in love even more with Thailand! Our stay in Chiang Mai is drawing to a close and we have enjoyed it so much we have decided to return before heading further east and into Laos. Thais, as we are learning, know very much how to live and enjoy life. Even in the big cities, life moves along at its own pace without being cajoled by people and their demands. In addition to there being a 7 Eleven on every corner, there are also street stalls and one not need look any further than their own block to find any number of Thai treats or delicacies. Chiang Mai has a 'Saturday' market, a 'Sunday' market and an evening bazaar, to satisfy any craving one may have at any time of the day or night and on any given day. We visited the Sunday market and were impressed to find all sorts of craft, clothing and culinary creations, manufactured by the ever talented and creative people of Chiang Mai, and spanning the distance of several city blocks. Shopping and strolling was accompanied by 50's and 60's music played from an old phonograph, children playing an assortment of instruments they were obviously striving to master, elderly people singing karaoke, a band comprised of five blind members and a couple of young rock/pop bands. A turn in the wrong (right?) direction led us off of the market street of Wualai and into a wat that contains the world's first solid silver temple.

Not having had enough culture yet, we decided to attend a Muay Thai fight at the local arena on Sunday night. We left early hoping to get a seat and ended up being so early that the only other people in attendance were the staff setting up the arena for the night's event. So, we walked down the street, not very far as you have learned, to find the local noodle soup joint. After a spicy noodle soup with pork and fried wontons it was back to the arena and into our upgraded, ring side seats, apparently saved for Westerners. It was a total of eight fights, where the fighters ranged from 20Kg youngsters, probably 10 to 12, all the way up to the 60Kg big boys. An amazing sport, invented by the Thais, it involves fists, feet, knees, elbows, in varying arrangements and combinations, accompanied by live music, in the form of a drum, horn and symbol, that help to keep the pace of the fight. Fighters perform a traditional dance to honor the sport and the lineage and pay homage to their fight schools and trainers before engaging in battle. The fighters use their skill, training and strategy to apply strikes, kicks, blows and throws to amass the most amount of points in defeating their opponents. It is a sport steeped in tradition, respect and honor. It was almost as entertaining to be witness to the local crowd that was comprised of men, women and children, all 'oohing' and 'aahing' at every well landed strike or blow and jostling to place their bets before the fight ended.

Here it is on Monday afternoon and Idalis has just returned from her Thai cooking class with, unfortunately only, pictures of each of the dishes she prepared and smelling slightly of fish sauce and chillies. Her new culinary mastery has added six new plates to her repertoire, which include gaeng garee gai (yellow curry with chicken), hor neung plaa (steamed fish in banana leaves), gai phad med mamuang (chicken with cashew nuts), phad siewe (fried big noodles with sweet soy sauce), plaah goong (spicy prawn salad) and kluay buad chee (bananas in coconut milk). Her newly acquired talents will be sure to benefit us all!

We have decided to leave tomorrow, Tuesday, and head northwest of Chiang Mai to Pai and Mae Hong Son. We hope to do a bit more trekking and come into contact with some hill tribes, one of which being the Long Neck Karens, or the women who accentuate their necks by elongating them with brass rings. We continue to be enamored and astounded by the beauty, food and people of this great country. I trust that our next destination will not disappoint.

ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK...

Monday, April 20th @ 20:01

Kevin

“One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster. The clubs are temples but the pearls aren't free...” (Murray Head – New York Soundtrack)

One night in Bangkok...and that's all it took to fall in love! This city is AMAZING! In Bangkok, anything goes, smiles abound and the food is in a class all its own. We've only flown a hand full of times, but on a couple of occasions I knew I was going to love a place before the plane even landed. Thailand was one of those places (another being Greece). It's our first time here and we had no idea what to expect. It was to our sheer delight that the guide books were all wrong and that this town is not the chaotic, out of control scene that they would have you believe. In fact, it is quite the opposite, at least from our perspective. It has been months since we have seen green spaces, litter free streets and vehicles driving without constantly using their horns. In Bangkok, the food in the street is better than that of any restaurants. There are ultra modern buildings that cast shadows on the lower, but by no means less spectacular wats (temples). Thailand is 95% Buddhist. However, the Buddhist tradition here is Theravada, as opposed to Mahayana, which is the Tibetan tradition that we recently studied. The main difference is that Mahayana believe in the achievement of Bodhisattva, or enlightenment, of self, for the betterment of all sentient beings, and Theravada believes in ONLY enlightenment of self (which consequently equates to the betterment of all sentient beings anyways). Small details that appear to make big differences.

Despite being located in a “developing country”, Bangkok, by my approximations, is a world class city, the likes of New York, LA, or even, dare I say, Paris. Loaded with culture, architecture and modern accoutrements. Our first day arrival was in the late afternoon. By a rather rare twist of fate, we happened to be reunited with Marc and Emelie, the Canadian couple we met in Delhi that were bicycling their way across Asia. We were ecstatic to find them alive and well and having survived India, a place that is difficult to walk, let alone bicycle through. Their spirits seem to be good and they seemed to be excited about the prospects that bicycling through SE Asia would present. They were accompanied by a South African couple that had been cycling for two years up through Africa and through the Middle East, India, Nepal and were now flying to Thailand as they were unable to continue into China, as desired. Brave souls, and wonderful people, whose paths we were able to cross. As it turned out, by coincidence, Marc and Emelie had chosen the same guest house, in Banglamphu (Bangkok tourist district), that we had chosen, the Bella Bella House. So, we secured a mini-van taxi, loaded our bags and their bikes and gear and headed out into the unknown. All we could do the whole ride was comment on how delighted we were to be back in a civilized world. No honking horns, dirt roads, cows or people relieving themselves in the streets. We made it, we survived, we were back in civilization.

Our first full day in Bangkok found us walking the streets with mouths agape. Commenting on the efficiency of transportation, the forethought of planning and the wide open green spaces and pedestrian thoroughfares. We visited sites such as Wat Pho, Wat Mahaythat and China Town. We walked along the riverside, ate our first Thai street food (grilled squid, spicy sausage and papaya salad), and had our first Thai beer (Chang). We talked to merchants, dodged the young party crowd on Khao San Road and...I got two new tattoos (one being a traditional Thai tattoo) in one of the cleanest, friendliest and most talent laden tattoo shops I have ever visited. Our second day found us doing some more sightseeing at sites such as the Golden Mount, Wat Ratchanaddaran and the official Muay Thai fight stadium (Big Ups Shawn!!!) and a dinner of Thai Sukiyaki, which is best explained as a simmering clay pot of broth that is brought to your table with beef, pork, seafood, glass noodles, and a load of greens that you assemble, cook and flavor with sauces containing cilantro, dried red chili, sugar, fish sauce and vinegar, all served on a table set up on the side of a busy road, and washed down with a large 38 Baht ($1) local beer, purchased from the neighboring 7-11. Third day was a breakfast of mango and sticky rice, ice coffee and a trip down town to the Vietnamese Embassy, for our travel visas. As I write this post it is only our third day (night) in Bangkok and we have spent more money, eaten more and seen more than we have in weeks. Getting around the city is ridiculously easy and the touts that we were warned about are as gentle as soft, fluffy bunny rabbits. Tomorrow, we ship off another package (be on the look out Mom!) and pick up our Vietnamese visas. We will order our bus tickets to Northern Vietnam. And, if all goes well, we will continue to eat ourselves into an oblivion!

I love Miami with all of my heart. It is where I was born and where I always thought I would die. However, this town of Bangkok has grabbed my heart with ferocity of a Thai boxer. It has intrigued me, surprised me and wooed me. The recent political strife in the country has the have nots at odds with the haves. The sex trade continues to be in full swing with Westerners taking full advantage of the lax laws. And, the poor Thai people continue to be pummeled by the likes of the drunken, fraternity party crowd. But all of this has seems to have done little to diminish the reputation of Thailand as the “Land of Smiles”. Thursday we leave for the North, which is said to be the “true Thailand”. I am so impressed thus far that I cannot imagine this country getting much better. Its infectious spirit and endearing and accepting attitude have floored me. I anxiously await the experiences that lie ahead and bow in humble gratitude to the nature of the Thai!

NAYA BARSAKO SUVAKAMANA (HAPPY NEW YEAR, NEPALESE STYLE!)

Wednesday, April 15th at 8:21

Kevin

Another early arising and a short taxi ride to the “Tourist Bus Park” would find us boarding perhaps the single most newest and modern “tourist” bus in all of Nepal. A five hour bus ride alongside of three major Nepali rivers, including the famous Trisuli River, and we would arrive in the capital city of Kathmandu. Another short taxi ride, shared with a gentleman from the Philippines and a gentleman from France, and we would be in Thamel, the tourist center of the capital city. With little fuss, we would be dropped off next to our accommodation, at the Hotel Visit Nepal, recommended by our personal trip adviser, Nic from Australia (Thanks Nic!).

In yet another case of right place, right time, we would unsuspectingly be entering the capital city of Nepal on the eve of the eve of their new year. The Nepalese use a different calendar, as do the local Newari people and even the local Tibetans. In the case of the Nepali calendar, the old year was 2065 and the new year that we would be celebrating would be 2066.

Having enjoyed Pokhara, and the surrounding areas, so much, we found it hard to leave and kept reducing the amount of time that we would spend in Kathmandu. What we would eventually end up with would be four and one half days, just enough to get a good taste of this most enjoyable city. When a lot of people talk about Kathmandu, the following words seem to always accompany their descriptions, “crowded”, “polluted”, “traffic”, “chaos”. However, I think that having had a baptism of fire in India, Idalis and I have become much more accepting of all things foreign and unfamiliar. We actually really enjoy Kathmandu. It is a cultural hub and in addition to containing some sort of shrine, temple or monument around every corner, also houses some of the most diverse and generally happy people that we have met anywhere. Nepal is, by all accounts, an impoverished country. However, its people seem to either not know, not care, or have found a way to transcend it and find happiness. It is, by far, the friendliest big city that we have visited yet.

Kathmandu, at least the Thamel are, like Pokhara, is full of shops, cafes and restaurants. You can eat any kind of cultural food imaginable and spirits flow freely, including the Tibetan version of beer, know as tongba, which is an alcoholic drink derived from pouring hot water into fermented millet, which we rather enjoyed. Upon arriving, we made our first dinner date at the highly recommended Italian restaurant, La Dolce Vita. We were not disappointed. This is perhaps the best Italian meal we have had yet, commenting to each other that we believe it to be better than any meals we had while actually in Italy. The following morning we would begin our walking tour of the city, compliments of the Lonely Planet travel guide. It would take us through some of the more famous shrines, temples and stupas of the city as well as a course through some of the local neighborhoods where daily life sailed by as children played in the streets, mothers did laundry and men tended to the business of their shops or their conversations. We would be treated with a visit to the heart of the city, the famous Durbar (meaning “palace”) Square, which used to house the king, who has since moved to north to Narayanhiti. We would also visit such highlights as the Bangemudha (meaning “twisted wood”), which is a piece of wood covered with coins, which is said to cure toothaches, the Kathesimbhu Stupa, our personal favorite, a courtyard containing a large white washed stupa and tons of other smaller stupas and shrines, and also, the Ugratara Temple, where a prayer at the shrine is said to work wonders for the eyes.







That evening, we would be treated to the festivities and goings-on of the Nepali New Year. Not much unlike ours back home, it included throngs of people in the streets, live music pouring out from every bar and club, a final countdown, in Nepalese, and a shouting of “naya barsako suvakamana”, or happy new year. After spending a late evening admiring the festivities from the sidelines, we would wake up late the next morning and make our way up to the great Buddhist temple of Swayambhunath. Sitting on a hill west of the capital city and containing a stupa that is the most recognizable symbol of Nepal, is Swayambhunath, or the “monkey temple”. Legend says that the hill where the temple is located self arose (or swayambhu) from the lake that is now the Kathmandu valley. After a steep ascent up the uneven and polished marble steps, we were not only treated to views of the entire city, but also to the impressive assembly of temples, gompas, stupas, shrines and monuments that comprise the temple complex. Amongst throngs of other pilgrims, we gave thanks for our incredible fortune, family and friends and were, once again, lucky enough to be part of a an impromptu and unplanned celebration of the Nepalese New Year.

As is the case when one is truly enjoying themselves, our month in Nepal seems to have vanished into thin air. On the morning of April 17th, we will fly out of Kathmandu en route for Bangkok, Thailand. Our tour of Southeast Asia will commence and our tour of the sub-continent, and attached areas, will end. Nepal, though very small, houses the biggest peaks, smiles, adventures and opportunities that we have encountered yet. Our time here has been greatly appreciated. Having only considered a visit to Nepal because of its close proximity to India, we now understand that this little country has so much to offer. Its scenery is breathtaking, its diversity unrivaled, its culture profound and its people amazing. We would highly recommend a visit to Nepal for anyone who wishes to be spiritually moved, physically challenged and emotionally blessed.