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Published: March 24th 2006
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So, we left Chai Mai, and headed to Sukothai (it means "The Dawn of Happiness"... thanks mom). We were planning to see Ayuttaya, but Sukothai was older - the first thai kingdom - and it just sounded much more amazing.
Sukothai was awesome! The city itself was a little drabbb... but we stayed in an awesome cottage-esque hotel with nice gardens, a fab cafe, nice rooms, and hammocks! It was gorgeous! (but still no toilet paper!). Wednesday morning, we headed to the Old City/ Historical Park... it was quite spectacular... so very many old temples, buddhas, and chedis were scattered throughout this beautiful enclosed park. It was a sunny day, and we rented some cool bikes, which were defenitely an asset, as the grounds of the park were pretty huge. It was such a nice day... we spent the whole afternoon just wandering and biking amongst these cool 700 year old relics - they were in amazing condition for their age, too! IT was great. And surprisingly, this was one of the only tourist attractions we've been to where there has been a serious lack of tourists... there were a few people there, but they were mostly thai families! We
were almost afraid we'd have no one to take our pictures for us! Such a relaxing day. Spent an hour or so just chilling by the river in the park with a Fanta (they dooo have fanta's in asia!). Awesome!
The next morning, we were awake at about 5 am... courtesy of the Thai Public Aerobic session going on across the street from our hotel! So loud... they had some interesting thai versions of shania and other pop people on the loudspeaker! Gah! But on the bright side - at least we didn't sleep through our bus time that day! We grabbed the bus to Lop Buri, which we were quite pumped about! It's a town ovverun by MONEYS!!! Well... not overrun exactly.. but theyre like everywhere... on the telephone poles, hangin' out on a truck, and mostly in the temples. So rad... but quite possibly the strangest place we've visited lately... The main temple in the town, Prang Sam Yot, is this very old, very beautiful red brick building... and there are about a hundred or so monkeys chilling there. Without cages or anything! They just hang out... So very funny! We were only in the temple for
a few minutes before we realised that these monkeys were quite EVIL. Yes.... those conniving apes...they looooved to hop on the backs of their visitors, eat their hair, steal their things (Sarah's Chili Peppers pin was so stolen... along with a roll of toilet paper!), and they occasionally bite! Working around in their gangs, they circle you, look cute for a bit, then pounce! No one is really safe... The family we reccomended the place to ended up with a very terrorized four year old! Ooooops!... was quite fun though! Loved it, we did, because monkeys are rad.
That night, we met up with a Thai dude (named "Boom"!) that we had met on the bus. He was a car dealer interested in learning more english. So, he and his brother took us out for supper at a reallll thai restaurant! We talked for a while, and ate some great dishes... two different versions of Tom Yum soup with fish (Boom's favourite). It was nice... he had spent some time as a monk, which apparently entails learning magic(?) So he told us some fortunes, and did a magic trick. He then wondered if he had any girl friends back
home for him... didn't seem to think that the age difference would be a problem. Twas a funny dinner... strange. But nice to hang out with some Thai people... after all, we are in THAIALND!
This country is awesome, though it's really very different from Laos or Vietnam. Firstly, they have never been colonized by anyone... so they do not have the French influences in their architecture, and sadly, do not have baguette stands! (Gasp!)... or laughing cow cheese (that's cool with us). The scenery on the bus trips we've had has been different... so far, a lot like the scenery at home... trees. and grass, except a few palm trees, and some random giant Buddhas (so supercool) perched in the middle of fields... Laos and Vietnam beat that, with Vietnam's rice paddies and mountains and palm trees, and Lao's huge karsts... But Thailand is ammmazzzinnnngly different and so cool. It's so very modern. More expensive...better bus rides... friendly people... more 7-11's on every block then there are Tim Horton's in Hamilton! Wich is cool with us... We've seen a lot of "ladyboys", a few gross old white guys with good-looking thai girls. Grosss... But mostly it's just a
sarah and the delish green fanta
they serve them in plastic baggies! yummmy cool place. Very nifty culture... and SPECTACULAR food... almost as good as in Vietnam. We like it here lots!
Off to BANGKOK!!!! Wow... we're excited! It'll be so crazy... very different from anything we've experinced so far, that's for sure!
We'll add pics later. They're greatttt...
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Meredithhh!
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hey you two!
Wow you guys must feel right at home with all of those 7-11s around!! If you ever have a craving for good old fashioned alldressed chips you know where to go! But then again they probably have differents flavours in Thailland like say.. Thai?... haha that story of the monkeys made me laugh, especially the part about one of them stealing your pins sarah. You really seem to be a target for snatchers half your size.Its cool that your meeting some true Thai people and learning magic tricks at that!Anyways- have fun and i hope you foot is better sar!