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Published: November 6th 2009
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After a sea day, cruising the Gulf of Thailand, we arrived in Koh Samui, an island off the coast of southern Thailand. Having just been in seven of the biggest cities in the world, it was a shock to float into this island paradise with its azure waters, clear skies, swaying palm trees, fragrant flowers and jungle covered mountains. The contrast with urbanized Asia was just mind boggling. Regent offered us passengers a day at the beach. We went to the Kandaburi Resort which provided a perfect beach day where we snorkeled in the ocean, swam in the pools, had a massage on the beach and enjoyed a nice Thai lunch. It was an ideal antidote to the mega cities we had been visiting. That evening as we were sailing away we saw a sunset that was quite amazing. It was the biggest, orangest sun we had ever seen. I'm not sure what atmospheric conditions caused the sun to appear so large, but it was a nice ending to a great day.
We took a two hour bus ride from the port of Laem Chabang into Bangkok. Regent offered a program to all of us “Gappers” of a night in Bangkok
and three meals and round-trip transportation. We have been to Bangkok many times, but this is the first time I could get somewhat of a grasp on the city.
We have been hearing from some people that now all big cities are alike—perhaps on the surface they appear to be but whether it is Tokyo, Shanghai, Saigon or Bangkok, it isn't hard to experience the exoticism of the Orient. Perhaps in Bangkok this is even more so. When I first flew into Thailand forty years ago the road from the airport to town was a potholed dirt path. Now Bangkok is laced with freeways and skyscrapers but the Chao Phraya River still beckons with its long-tailed boats that will whisk you off to the klongs (canals) to see an ancient way of life where all kinds of commerce is conducted along the waterways and around every bend in the river is a temple or stupa or snake farm.
We stayed at the deluxe Shangri-La Hotel. The fabled Oriental Hotel is next door and the pricey Peninsula is across the river. We had dinner at a beautiful Thai restaurant which was built out over the river. In the middle of our
Bob & Carol---Owen & June
San Marino, CA and Roanoke, VA dinner a tremendous thunderstorm rolled in and chased us inside.
There are two efficient ways to get around Bangkok—one is the river and the other is the metro elevated railway. The next morning we took the Skytrain to Jim Thompson's house in the center of Bangkok. Mr Thompson is world famous for reviving the Thai silk industry after the war. He was an OSS officer in Asia during WWII and came to love Thailand. He moved there right after the war. Through his society connections in New York, his silk designs were featured in Vogue magazine and his silk was used for the costumes in “The King and I.” This cottage industry is now a multi-million dollar business. In the 1950s Thompson collected six teak houses from around Thailand and had them shipped on the rivers to Bangkok. The houses are about 200 years old and are constructed without nails, just wooden pegs. He was a collector of ancient Chinese antiques and furnished the houses with these art pieces. The houses and gardens located on a small klong evoke another era of a serene and peaceful way of life. In 1967 Jim Thompson was visiting friends in the Cameron Highlands
of Malaysia and disappeared. There was an extensive search and many rumors, but not a trace of the Silk King has ever been found and his disappearance is an Asian mystery which is yet to be solved.
On the way back to the hotel, we picked up some chicken and had an impromptu picnic on the banks of the Chao Phraya River where we saw eels and several types of fish swimming in its murky waters. Then we hopped on several different ferries and went wherever they took us. Traveling on the local transport gives us a better feel for the geography and pulse of a city. Now the Royal City is not such an enigma and we look forward to coming back next spring and seeing what other secrets Bangkok will reveal.
Back on the ship we had a farewell dinner with our tennis buddies and with June and Owen and Carol and Bob who were all departing the ship in Singapore. Shipboard life is a constant cycle of hellos and goodbyes. We really enjoyed our Cruise Specialists friends and hope to catch them again on another wave.
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