April 13: Siem Reap

So you might be wondering why Dr_EAM looks so pleasantly terrified.

Is it because he's been going to bed at 8:00 pm and so he's extremely well rested.  True, but no.  Is it because he's uber excited to be going to Cambodia to tour the Angkor Wat compound? True, but no.

This look comes from the, um, joy he's feelings when he realized this was the plane we'd be taking to Siem Reap

UGH! Prop plane!

But never the less, we arrived and had a little down time before the big touring starts tomorrow to explore some of the town.  My job thus far on the trip has been to keep Dr_EAM from doing things that would lead to an "I told you so."  Things such as eating sushi from street vendors in any of the countries we've been to.  But today, I was able to encourage him to go and do!

While we were pounding some pavement, we came across a large (9 courts) dirt volleyball area where a large group of local guys were playing (think "Playing with those Boys" Khmer style).  One of the guys caught us taking pictures and invited Dr_EAM to join in.  And I'm so proud of my little brother because (after a little prodding from his outgoing counter part- aka me) he went on in!

Then some sit down street-food (a step up from what we've done the past few nights) before heading in for an early night so we can be ready for a full day of Angkor tomorrow.

And here's a pic of Dr_EAM at dinner one of my favorite from today, he's concentrating on eating with chopsticks after a, um, slight bruising of his thumb playing volleyball.  I guess cultural experiences come at a price (good thing he's not going into surgery, right)

Enjoying yet another culture, language, climate, and stamp in my passport

April 12: Elephants and Songkran

Today was incredible!  We started out with a tour of one of Chian Mai's orchid garden and butterfly farm

Then, we took a glance at the dung paper process which was sort of like the paper process in Bhutan, but this time made of something a more, um, recycled.

And then .... elephants

Elephants.

ELEPHANTS!

Yes, today we rode on elephants!

And following lunch, we rafted down the Chao Phraya river.

*** I'm going ahead to post this video of things we saw at the elephant camp so I can head to bed (late here in Thailand).  However, youtube says it might not be ready yet so if it doesn't work, please check back.  Your patience is appreciated. ***

Then, this afternoon we not only witnessed Songkran,

but we took part in it as well.

We were glad to not be in Bangkok on this festive day.  But, as I told Dr_EAM, Bangkok may have the rowdy protesting but Chiang Mai had the unruly chaos.

Happy Thai New Year!


* as a side note, Songkran shots would not be possible without this.

April 11: Chiang Mai

Today we left Bangkok and headed north to Chiang Mai which used to be the capital city of the old Lanna kingdom but is now part of Thailand and like Bhutan it is use to be rather cut off from the outside world until the early 1900s. But now this city is a regular vacation spot for many Thai people.

We had a special greeting when we came down to baggage claim because this the weekend of Songkran and in Chiang Mai the water festival is a big deal.

Our local guide took us to see three of the major temples.  And even though it follows the same school of Theradavan Buddhism, since it was not part of Siam until 1774, the architecture of the three oldest temples is different from what we saw in Bangkok.  Here, the pagoda is in the center or most holy place in the temple while in Bangkok it's usually the earth witnessing Buddha.

Following some down time during the heat of the day, we walked down to one of the large markets in Chiang Mai - leaving our big cameras at home since some of the children have started the festival early.

While in the market, we decided to play our own version of No Reservations (without the excessive drinking and foul language)

So our dinner consisted of a white meat sausage with glass noodles (on a stick), crunchy small crabs, spicy sausage with lime sold from the popular stall pictured above, rice flower paste desserts, and, of course, cooked swaps, worms, crickets, ants, grasshoppers and who knows what other bugs (the vendor was kind enough to give us the sampler pack).

 I skyped with the boys after coming back and they couldn't believe their mom would eat bugs.  But, when it Rome right?!

Tomorrow is elephant riding day!

April 10: Bangkok

Today we were scheduled to visit many temples around Bangkok.  I knew coming here I would have to have my shoulders covered when in the temple but with the 109- yes that's one hundred and nine degree real feel temperature, I didn't want to wear more than my tank top if at all possible.  

So last night I went on a hunt to find a cheap button up shirt that I could throw on when in the temple and take off and throw in my bag when I wasn't.  I didn't want to buy it at the stalls and pay more than I had to for some knock off shirt made of faux whatever.  So while Dr_EAM was in the grocery store searching desperately to replace his misplaced Fabreeze, I looked around for a possible shirt.  And I found it- cheap, lightweight and button up.  And the added bonus it wasn't white so me and my "recess-kid" self wouldn't get it dirty the first second I had it on.

Now I know this shirts is Aloha-fabulous and rather bright, but I was still surprised with the attention I was getting today.  Thai people looking at me, staring, talking.  And then there was the news station that wanted to shoot video of me at one of the temples.  I was beginning to feel self conscious and asked Dr_EAM if he noticed it too.  Typical guy, said he didn't.

It wasn't until we were on our way back to the hotel that our guide said "I see you're ready for the water festival."

"I am?"

"Yes, your shirt.  This is the traditional water festival shirt.  It says you're ready to be wet."

Doh!  I guess I'm not as attention-grabbing as I was beginning to think.  At least I didn't purchase a red shirt.

Speaking of red shirts ...

The red shirts and police had another standoff today.  Here was the view from the skytrain bridge as we tried to board to go outside the main center (where the group has been protesting for the last month) to see some sights in Bangkok.

However, their protest shut down the skytrain- so instead we started walking.  And walking. and walking.  When we got to the canal we jumped on one of the local water boats- a trip that is not for the faint of heart.

After getting out of, as best as we could tell, the protest zone we walked to the Buddha market, where locals go to buy their status of all sizes.  And then to Chinatown where we tried all sorts of food

In the end, after more walking and walking and walking, we were very thankful that at least the subway was still running so we could get somewhat close to the hotel.  And we rewarded ourselves with some Sushi do!

At least this morning we were able to see some of the temples of Bangkok which were busy and largely decorated because of the upcoming water festival.

Tomorrow- out of this protesting mess and on to Chiang Mai

April 9: And at the other end of the spectrum ...

Today, we started out here

and ended up here.

In between these to polar extremes, we had dinner at a restaurant that donates it's profits to charity

and wandered up to the Suan-Lum Night Bazaar

where you can buy chickens with their heads still on

have a fish spa (we didn't ask, nor do we want to know)

haggle prices over knock off "Ray Bans"

find some knock off watches

or listen to some knock off Black Eyed Peas

So far the red shirts remain joyfully rowdy, the staunchly police remain on alerts, and we remain obediently at at a distance

April 8-Paro, Bhutan

It's a late night here in Paro. Dr_EAM and I decided we needed to experience some real local culture with a massage.  I think he's mush at this point now and since I opted for more of the Thai style, it's likely I've grown an inch (btw- Thai style is translated as woman balancing herself on her knees on your rear-end pulling your arms backwards and over your head.  You know, just in case you were wondering).

Today we left Thimpu for Paro, which is our final destination in Bhutan.  There is so much of this mysterious country we have not seen but we are both chalking those experiences up to "next time."

While in Paro we went to the National Museum that houses information the history of Bhutan with everything pre-1600's written in mystical form "and then Guru Rinpoche flew over the mountains on the back of a tigress to defeat the demon..." as well as information on flora and fauna of the country (they have a stuffed Snipe there) and weapons from past battles.  Though, in the weapons room it was made clear this was only for the times when they had been fired upon and there were three Buddhist sayings on the walls about how it is better to control oneself than succumb to anger.

Next we went to the Rinpung Dzong, one of the 108 dzongs Shadrung Ngawang built in the 1600s in order to tame the demoness of the Himalayan mountains.  When we went in I honestly was at the point of "okay, another temple, 1000 more Buddhas."  Sort of like the point I've come to sometimes when touring Europe "ho hum, another cathedral."  But as we turned the corner to enter the grounds there were crowds of people, all seated on the ground, being served butter tea by old monks.  We had walked right into the dzong's annual ceremony.  It is, unfortunately, one of those moments that a picture cannot adequately convey the scene.

Our next stop was at an old fortress that use to be the main business center for dealing trades with Tibet.

Old Monks Once Young:
While at the first dzong I witnessed something that would continue to play out for the rest of the day- a six year old monk jumping from step to step and spinning in a circle the way my boys love to do.  The feeling I had from watching this boy is hard to explain.  It wasn't sadness, because I can, in some way, understand why his parents would make the sacrifice of sending him to the monastery (good life, security, merit, karma), but it was almost the realization that all these older monks that I've loved to watch go about their daily lives were young once too.

Later on that day we saw a group of 17 year-old-monks playing keep-away with one of the group's outer robe, and then two 9 year-old monks running round together after one had stolen the other's sandals while he was in the temple, and then a group of mixed ages running through the dzong popping each other with fabric.  And this realization of old monks once young, is the remaining collection of pictures for today.

Tomorrow- back to Bangkok