Wednesday and Thursday. January 09 and 10, 2008. Day 16 and 17. Last day of this incredible adventure and we’re on our way to visit a floating village. The river in the daytime is mud-brown and our tour guide explains that it is severely polluted; according to him even the good hotels spew their waste directly into the river. The immediate problem is, of course, that for many Cambodians the river is a lifeline. They drink it, bathe it in, wash their clothes in it. There is an increasing dichotomy in Cambodia. Tourism is bringing in megabucks and two and three [View Full Entry]

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Tuesday. January 8, 2008. Day 15. Encased in time. Nature sits on the edges of our civilizations waiting for a chance to claim her territory again. We begin our day at Ta Prohm Temple where enormous fig trees rise from the ruins and giant roots embrace the temple walls. This is an exciting place. The footstep of man not so much disappearing as being augmented by nature's touch. Wat I've been waiting for. As it was yesterday, it is hot today, humidity and temperature lingering in the 90s. A rather unpleasant combination--hot temps and high humidity. And at least an ai [View Full Entry]

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Monday. January 7. Day 14. Siem Reap. We have two and one-half days to see the wonders of the area. Since the temples at the Angkor Wat World Heritage Site are spread out over miles and include dozens of ruins from simple towers to complex cities, we obviously aren’t going to see it all. So it’s temples on the run. This is why I’ve been avoiding elevators in favor of stairs: the marathon temple tour. How the other 1% live. On the way to the Angkor Wat site, we pass some beautiful new two-story houses in yellows and blues built right [View Full Entry]

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Sunday. January 6. Day 13. Chiang Mai to Bangkok to Siem Reap. Cambodia bound. Late bus to the airport so I sleep past 8 am for the first time since starting this "vacation." The morning is spent packing and repacking since nothing seems to fit in my bag anymore. Then it's off to the Chiang Mai airport to begin the journey to Cambodia. I would have liked to have spent more time in Chiang Mai. The city has created laws in an attempt to halt growth near its 300 temples as well as the Ping River, a total of over 80% [View Full Entry]

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Saturday. January 5. Day 12. Earning merit. 5:45 am. We board our bus and head to Wat Sri Soda, a novice monk school, to participate in the feeding of the monks. The novices walk down the hill barefoot in the dark, wrapped in their thin orange robes. At first they move in pairs or trios, but as it gets lighter almost a steady stream of boys and young men flow down the mountain carrying empty bowls. When called, they stop in front of us. Each of us in the group take turns placing food--rice, main dishes, desert, milk, and water--into the [View Full Entry]

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Thursday. January 3. Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai. Before leaving Chiang Rai, we stop at Wat Rong Khun, the stunning White Temple, its facade shimmering in the sun from thousands of tiny mirrored pieces inserted into its gleaming white surface. One of the young group members, Aimee, suggests the temple looks like a wedding cake. And it does. A frothy confection that reminds me of a Disney ride--only without the ride. Just the wonder. This is a recent addition to Thailand's plethora of temples; built by an architect-artist it is a work of art in progress. White lace against the bright [View Full Entry]

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Friday. January 4. Day 11. The time of my life. I wake at 4 am. I am not looking forward to the tour this morning. I have signed up to ride an elephant; I am afraid of heights. This does not strike me as a good combination. Over the last couple of weeks--way before I arrived in Thailand and knew I would have the chance to ride an elephant, I have dreamed of being tossed from an elephant's trunk on to its back and dreamed of being astraddle as one went on a rampage. So now I lie awake for almost [View Full Entry]

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Wednesday. January 2. Chiang Rai. Are we on the National Geographic Channel? This morning we drive from Chiang Rai to visit three of the six tribes of hill people who populate the north. The people sell their wares from tiny stands on either side of dirt paths. We have been encouraged to buy treats for the children. I buy a dozen toothbrushes thinking they might need them after the snacks. I am not completely comfortable with paying 200 bahts (about $6) to visit the Karen tribe of "long necks," who wrap their necks in heavy brass tubing from the time they're [View Full Entry]

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Tuesday. January 1. Day 8. Lampang to the Golden Triangle to Chiang Rai. We're there in no Thai’m at all. On the way to Phayao Province, we stop at a pineapple farm where we are graciously allowed entrance into a farmer's home. Rickety steps lead to a long room devoid of furniture save for a television and a very old singer sewing machine. The only separate room houses mats surrounded by mosquito netting. We continue to travel to the lakeside town of Phayoao, where several in the group indulge in eating tiny live--and still jumping--shrimp. I do not. Another day another [View Full Entry]

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Monday. December 31. Day 7. Phitsanulok to Sukothai to Lampang. Gathering merit. Before we leave town we visit one more temple. At Wat Yai, Anya, who at 16 is the youngest group-member, and I, representing the whole group, make an offering to a monk. On our knees, we place a bucket containing a monk's robe and an assortment of food on a platform in front of the monk. Because we are women we aren't allowed to make the offering directly to him. After he accepts several donations, he blesses us with holy water tossed on to the people in front of [View Full Entry]

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