Blogs from Thailand, Asia - page 2629

Up early, had breakfast at Grace. Their muesli/fruit/yoghurt is great, though the coffee needs improvement. Got a tuk-tuk out to Wat Suan Dork, and the driver waited for us and then took us to Wat Umong. Wat Suan Dork was pretty cool, the chedi was so bright you needed sunglasses to look at it. Next to the wat were the tombs of certain old royals of Chiang Mai. From there we headed to Wat Umong, which was kind of out in the woods. Was built for a brilliant monk who had taken to wandering off into the forest. They built these tunnels full of murals to keep him interested so he wouldn’t keep wandering off. After Wat Umong we headed back into town and got lunch at The Writers Club & Wine Bar. Then we walked ... read more

It is my third day in Thailand, and having slept a good 12 or more hours, I woke and was ready to explore around 7 this morning, well before the rest of the city begins its morning routines which consists of preparing the flesh sizzling foods for vending, the ritualistic sweeping of the streets that in moments time will become once again muddied in this rainy season, and the never-ending game of tag that the tuk-tuks and taxis play. It was nice to encounter the city at such a slow pace, and at a minimal level of traffic noise (a shout rather than its usual scream). I begin my day walking and walking and walking. I walked about 6 hours today, and have the blisters to show for my heroic adventure into the great unknown city ... read more

Um Phang is, in a word, splendiferous. Splendi, from the Greek splendididos, meaning splendid or good. Ferous, from the Latin ferous, meaning iron, ferocious, or wicked-sweet. For those of you still reading Um Phang also has liquor. Awesome local moonshine. It is some pretty good stuff. Fi and I were welcomed into the bosom of Karin hospitality once our driver and float trip captain had pity on us and rescued us from the ministrations of our mildly autistic 14-year-old guide. He claimed to be 23. Maybe this is too fast for some of you. Let's recap shall we? So you hop on the big bus from Sukhothai to Tak. Unload and get on the mini-bus to Mae-Sot (heading west all the time). Get off that cushy mini-bus you decadent westerner onto the pickup truck with the ... read more

Finally, after sixteen months of toil and hardship, acts of bravery and endurance, cowardice and betrayal, itching and scratching, life and death; finally we had reached our goal - the heart of an impenetrable darkness, the source of all Backpackers. Khao San Road. Bangkok. "It was unearthly, and the men were—No, they were not inhuman. Well, you know, that was the worst of it—the suspicion of their not being inhuman. It would come slowly to one. They howled and leaped, and spun, and made horrid faces; but what thrilled you was just the thought of their humanity—like yours—the thought of your remote kinship with this wild and passionate uproar. Ugly. Yes, it was ugly enough; but if you were man enough you would admit to yourself that there was in you just the faintest trace of ... read more

Here are some photos of some of the critters we've seen-- including some puppies. I know puppies aren't exotic but there are 5 newborn puppies outside Becca's bungalow and they're so cute I had to include them in the blog photos. St. Francis 3rd grade wanted to know if most people speak English in Thailand. Thai people speak Thai, a language that has it's own alphabet and sounds very different from English or any of the other asian languages. Thai children often do study English in schools just the way St. Francis students study Spanish but how much people speak really depends on where you are. Here on the beach most people get along in English, Thai people, German people, Israelis. English is the first language people try when they are meeting other new people. That ... read more