I started the Thailand portion of the trip in Bangkok. It is a city like any other, so I was able to get my Starbucks fix. The city itself is huge and there are tons of little neighborhoods to explore. I left after seeing the major sights and will spend another few days there on my way back to China.
The tuk-tuk, Bangkok, Thailand.
Thailand has its own version of the tuk tuk. Slightly more advanced, faster, and surprisingly less comfortable than the Cambodian version.
The tuk-tuk, Bangkok, Thailand.
On my walking tour I passed a few things I don't think you would see in the US. Chilis drying on the hood of a pickup truck? They are one of the most important ingredients in Thai cooking, so I guess if it works...
Drying chilis, Bangkok, Thailand.
My favorite site in Bangkok was Wat Pho. It is an amazing complex and houses the largest reclining Buddha I have ever seen, along with a few other interesting things. I think you can get an idea of how big the buddha is from the picture. You can only catch a glimpse of him through the pillars.
Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand.
Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand.
Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand.
Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand.
Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand.
After Bangkok I headed north to Chiang Mai which is a much smaller city. It is very cute. It is filled with wats, and I tried to get to all of them. They are much different than the ones in Cambodia, probably because they are considerably more modern.
Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Chiang Mai, Thailand.
I was in Chiang Mai for the Songkran Water Festival which means I got doused with water every five seconds walking down the street. It is impossible to stay dry, and frankly I welcomed the cool water. It was an excellent way to get some relief from the heat. Dousing someone with water is supposed to be a blessing so it is all in good fun.
Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Elephant Spout, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Young Monks, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Monk, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
I met a monk who told me that according to legend, the dragon was so interested in Buddhism he pretended to be a monk in order to learn the teachings. Eventually it was discovered that he was a dragon, not a monk, but was accepted anyway. So, now there are dragons at every wat. I have no idea whether this is really the story, but it is interesting nonetheless.
Dragon, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Dragon, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
The old part of the city still has a moat that runs around it, and the whole center of the city closes on Sunday for the markets that take over the streets. I did a little souvenir shopping there, and ate some seriously delicious street food...
Red Curry, Sunday Market, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
I decided that I had to learn how to make some Thai cuisine, so I signed up for a cooking class. I got picked up at my hotel, went to a farm, picked the ingredients, and learned how to make some of my favorite dishes.
Cooking Class, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Now I know how to make red curry paste, red curry, papaya salad, pad thai, sticky rice with mango, green curry paste, green curry, tom yam, chicken ka phao, spring rolls, and bananas in coconut milk.
Bamboo Steamer, Cooking Class, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
It was all so yummy, and I paid special attention so I can duplicate it all at home. Let me know if you are interested and I will be glad to make some for you! At the end, we served our food (to ourselves) in banana leaves.
Spring Rolls, Cooking Class, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
I spent a weekend in the mountains in a town called Chiang Dao. I stayed at a cute hotel in the valley. It was really nice. This is one of the bungalows there.
The Nest, Chiang Dao, Thailand.
The main attraction in Chiang Dao is the Chiang Dao cave. I am not much of a cave person, but I thought I should brave it.
Chiang Dao Cave, Chiang Dao, Thailand.
Inside the cave, there are a few religious sites. I saw two reclining buddhas (nowhere near the size of the one in Bangkok) and this very colorful shrine.
Chiang Dao Cave, Chiang Dao, Thailand.
Here I am pretending not to be afraid of the bats hanging out on the ceiling. YUCK!
Chiang Dao Cave, Chiang Dao, Thailand.
After Chiang Dao, I went to Pai for a yoga retreat. I got really lucky and was the only person at the resort. That meant I had the whole place to myself and private yoga instruction. The teacher was from Greenwich, CT. So funny, I came all the way to Thailand to learn yoga from a guy who could have taught me at home!
Yoga Retreat, Pai, Thailand.
Yoga Retreat, Pai, Thailand.
The last thing I had to see in Thailand was the beach. So after yoga I decided to head to the islands and relax before China.
Ko Chang, Thailand.
No one on this island takes reservations. when I arrived the hotel I wanted to stay at was full. so I stayed in this bungalow for two nights while I was waiting for another hotel to open up. The tide actually comes in underneath the bungalow, which was nice until a large wave came in and shook the whole thing. After that, I must admit I was a little nervous. But it was nice to have the waves lulling me to sleep. I moved to another bungalow at a different hotel and I am not "on the water" anymore, but I think it is a little better this way.
My Bungalow, Ko Chang, Thailand.
But the sunset from the bungalow was unbeatable.
Sunset, Ko Chang, Thailand.
Sunset, Ko Chang, Thailand.
This place is a popular hangout here. They have parties every night (mostly for the hippies) but the food is good, so I have had a few meals there.
The Treehouse Bar, Ko Chang, Thailand.
I have never seen the Tri-yak before, but I think it is a great invention. If only I had two other people to test it out with!
The Tri-yak, Ko Chang, Thailand.
This is the beach at the new hotel. A little less rocky, a little more sand, and I have running water (albeit cold).
Lonely Beach, Ko Chang, Thailand.
So that's Thailand. More after Tibet!
