Wednesday, January 25
Today, we went bowling again. Chris took me to the alley and John met us there. My bowling was less than stellar and John had a rough go as well. Chris did much better today! That evening, after John's work, we went to a Thai buffet where we cooked our meat on a burner and created soup with broth, veggies, and meat drippings. The funny part is that all the meats weren't labeled. I was sure there was chicken, but a woman there said no chicken. I have no idea what we ate, but it tasted good. Then John and I hit the road for a roti (or rotee) depending on who's spelling it!
Thursday, January 26
My tour of the city - again. This time, there were a bunch of wats I wanted to see. I visited...
Friday, January 27
My last full day in Chiang Mai! Today is finally the day I had my Thai massage. I got the gentle version and also a foot massage. It was a little uncomfortable, but in the end I felt great.
Friday, January 27, 2017
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Cooking and Food!
So today, Tuesday is my cooking class. Now maybe it's just me, but when I walk into any Thai grocery store or market, I look around and only about 5 or 6 things actually look familiar! I know some of the vegetables - potatoes, carrots, okra, tomatoes, garlic (turns out I didn't even know this!), onions and mushrooms. However, there are about a bazillion variety of mushrooms - most I've never seen before.
For fruits, the usual are obvious. Mangoes (although the kind I got in New Zealand, not the US), pineapple, strawberries, bananas (but at least 2 different types), and that's about it. There are some apples and mandarin oranges, too.
We started in the market with our cooking instructor explaining all the different types of ingredients. He really barely touched on all that is available, but in that short time, there was a dizzying array of different fruits, veggies, and spices. Asians tend to use different parts of a plant for different things. For example, a fruit he showed us used the leaves for a seasoning, the rind to make a paste, and the actual fruit for another purpose. We westerners (and I'm really talking about myself) are clueless as to what nature has to offer! Our grocery stores, even the big ones in large cities, pale in comparison with the variety of locally grown food in Thailand. Of course, their climate allows this plethora of variety.
After the market, we head to the cooking school and get a quick lesson on using the gas stove and wok. Now we're all scared of the thing blowing up! We've all chosen the meals we'll make and it was so nice because we were allowed to make anything on that menu. We didn't have to all make the same dishes. Since I'm a weenie, I chose all dishes with no spiciness. Our first coarse was soup and main meal. Art, our instructor, explained that Thai's always eat soup with the main meal, otherwise it's too dry. I made a cabbage soup and Pad Thai (hence the play on words with the name of my blog...) It's really pretty easy when all the food is measured out and all we have to do it cut, wrap and cook! They even come and wash all your dishes for you! What a deal! We all sat down to eat and the food was yummy! I was with a group of 7. One girl was traveling on her own from Edmonton, Canada. A couple from DC, actually working on their masters in DC at John's Hopkins were also there. He was originally from Nashville and she from Singapore. Lastly, a family from Michigan that had moved from Canada, that had moved from China. The daughter still lives in Montreal, but the parents just moved to Traverse City. There was a lot of food and most of us had some taken to go. We still have 3 more courses! Next, we made mango sticky rice. This is a popular dessert here in Thailand. The rice is combined with coconut milk and palm sugar. The topping is made with coconut milk and salt, and the mango is cut up to be eaten with the rice. Finally, we made an appetizer, curry paste and curry. I made spring rolls which look difficult, but are surprisingly easy. I also made a curry paste and curry with no spice and it was wonderful! I hope to be able to at least cook these dishes when I get home on my electric wok! I don't have a mortar and pestle to make curry, but I do have a food processor. Art joked and said if we used a food processor, we'd never make a good Thai wife! I did find a way to steam the sticky rice on a stove without a bamboo basket, but I'm just hoping I can find the ingredients in the states. I think I can find some in Gunnison and an occasional trip to the Asian market in Denver should do it. I may even head to the market and get a few things to take home with me!
It would be fun to eat with locals so when I go to a restaurant, I'd have a clue of things to order! We kind of get the items we are used to. Of course, I'm not a spicy hot fan and Thais - most of them - love their food very hot and spicy!
We started in the market with our cooking instructor explaining all the different types of ingredients. He really barely touched on all that is available, but in that short time, there was a dizzying array of different fruits, veggies, and spices. Asians tend to use different parts of a plant for different things. For example, a fruit he showed us used the leaves for a seasoning, the rind to make a paste, and the actual fruit for another purpose. We westerners (and I'm really talking about myself) are clueless as to what nature has to offer! Our grocery stores, even the big ones in large cities, pale in comparison with the variety of locally grown food in Thailand. Of course, their climate allows this plethora of variety.
After the market, we head to the cooking school and get a quick lesson on using the gas stove and wok. Now we're all scared of the thing blowing up! We've all chosen the meals we'll make and it was so nice because we were allowed to make anything on that menu. We didn't have to all make the same dishes. Since I'm a weenie, I chose all dishes with no spiciness. Our first coarse was soup and main meal. Art, our instructor, explained that Thai's always eat soup with the main meal, otherwise it's too dry. I made a cabbage soup and Pad Thai (hence the play on words with the name of my blog...) It's really pretty easy when all the food is measured out and all we have to do it cut, wrap and cook! They even come and wash all your dishes for you! What a deal! We all sat down to eat and the food was yummy! I was with a group of 7. One girl was traveling on her own from Edmonton, Canada. A couple from DC, actually working on their masters in DC at John's Hopkins were also there. He was originally from Nashville and she from Singapore. Lastly, a family from Michigan that had moved from Canada, that had moved from China. The daughter still lives in Montreal, but the parents just moved to Traverse City. There was a lot of food and most of us had some taken to go. We still have 3 more courses! Next, we made mango sticky rice. This is a popular dessert here in Thailand. The rice is combined with coconut milk and palm sugar. The topping is made with coconut milk and salt, and the mango is cut up to be eaten with the rice. Finally, we made an appetizer, curry paste and curry. I made spring rolls which look difficult, but are surprisingly easy. I also made a curry paste and curry with no spice and it was wonderful! I hope to be able to at least cook these dishes when I get home on my electric wok! I don't have a mortar and pestle to make curry, but I do have a food processor. Art joked and said if we used a food processor, we'd never make a good Thai wife! I did find a way to steam the sticky rice on a stove without a bamboo basket, but I'm just hoping I can find the ingredients in the states. I think I can find some in Gunnison and an occasional trip to the Asian market in Denver should do it. I may even head to the market and get a few things to take home with me!
It would be fun to eat with locals so when I go to a restaurant, I'd have a clue of things to order! We kind of get the items we are used to. Of course, I'm not a spicy hot fan and Thais - most of them - love their food very hot and spicy!
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Another Action Packed Day!
Sunday, January 22
Whoa! We are going ziplining, ATVing, and rafting today!
Unfortunately, that means getting up early - about 6:50 am.
We drove about an hour north of town. I'm guessing if traffic wasn't the pits here, it wouldn't take all that long.
First up - ZIPLINING!! However, before we could zipline, we had to ride the ATVs to the ziplining area. I'm not really an ATVer, and we were made to go through a practice course. I was a little freaked out and afraid of tipping the blasted thing over. Thank goodness, after getting through the practice area, we headed out on the road. Easy peasy! Now, I've ziplined many times at Taylor Challenge, but never had to brake or get to hang upside down. There are 31 stations, some rappelling, and the longest was 400 meters. We crossed the road, the river, and lots of jungle! So much fun! Our guide was very professional and efficient.
Next up - ATVing. I'm nervous!! However, other than getting stuck once in a mud hole, I did great! I actually was able to get out of the mud hole with a little help from the guides rocking the ATV. One thing that I appreciated was no one came to my rescue! I had to figure out how to get through things on my own! John's comment at the beginning was, "Mom, what were you thinking? Did you actually think this was a good choice?" But in the end, it wasn't bad! We saw elephants and beautiful mountains.
Check out some of the pictures and then keep reading!
Whoa! We are going ziplining, ATVing, and rafting today!
Unfortunately, that means getting up early - about 6:50 am.
We drove about an hour north of town. I'm guessing if traffic wasn't the pits here, it wouldn't take all that long.
First up - ZIPLINING!! However, before we could zipline, we had to ride the ATVs to the ziplining area. I'm not really an ATVer, and we were made to go through a practice course. I was a little freaked out and afraid of tipping the blasted thing over. Thank goodness, after getting through the practice area, we headed out on the road. Easy peasy! Now, I've ziplined many times at Taylor Challenge, but never had to brake or get to hang upside down. There are 31 stations, some rappelling, and the longest was 400 meters. We crossed the road, the river, and lots of jungle! So much fun! Our guide was very professional and efficient.
Next up - ATVing. I'm nervous!! However, other than getting stuck once in a mud hole, I did great! I actually was able to get out of the mud hole with a little help from the guides rocking the ATV. One thing that I appreciated was no one came to my rescue! I had to figure out how to get through things on my own! John's comment at the beginning was, "Mom, what were you thinking? Did you actually think this was a good choice?" But in the end, it wasn't bad! We saw elephants and beautiful mountains.
Check out some of the pictures and then keep reading!
After this, they fed us an excellent lunch and it's off to rafting. I was skeptical because it was advertised as Class III - V. I'm not skeptical! I now can't figure out why they even raft this. There are SOOOOO many rocks! Yes, the water was low, but even in high water, it's crazy! There are places where there are many guys in the water ready to help out if a boat gets in trouble. And, boats get in trouble! After the trip, I asked our guide how long he'd been guiding. He said 2 years he'd been working for the company. I asked 2 years guiding? No - 6 months guiding and he was a mechanic on ATVs before that. How much training? They took me out one morning and I had customers that afternoon. Whoa!
The owner is a guy from New Mexico and he married a Thai woman which is why he can have a business in Thailand. I never felt afraid, but it was a crazy trip for sure!
After getting to Chiang Mai, we tried to find some of that great street food we had when I first arrived and the market wasn't going on. We ended up at McDonald's for a burger and sat there and talked until almost midnight! No cherry or apple pies. Only corn, pineapple, or taro something pie. I tried the corn and it's OK. I'll have a pineapple for breakfast tomorrow.
Check it out for yourself by clicking on the picture below!
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Chiang Mai
This week has been a blur. I'm not sure when I did all these things, but I'll do my best.
Tuesday - Today, I decided to explore on my own! I took my phone - which does not have data - and this great little app called maps.me! John told me about it! You download the maps you need so I downloaded Chiang Mai. What this app does without wifi or data, is give you your location! I ventured out to check out the Maya Mall and then make my way to the moat and back home. I did this mostly without help, but did confer with the app to make sure I was headed in the correct direction. I can't seem to get a sense of direction here. There is a mountain where the temple Doi Suthep is and that is a great landmark for me if I can see it! I made it and then John and I went for a Thai milk tea and cribbage at the local coffee shop.
Wednesday - I didn't do much today except make arrangements for things. Believe it or not, it's been pleasant to just relax and not worry about doing too much. However, after John taught, Chris and I met him at another mall and we bowled. It was so much fun! Hopefully, we'll do that again while I'm here! Thursday - A hike!!! I can't sit too long without finding a place to hike. I had heard about this trail from a couple I met yesterday while waiting for the boys to have their motorscooters worked on. It's called the Monk's Trail because monks use it to access a couple of temples. John took me to the trailhead at the end of his main road. From there, I climbed mildly to Wat Pha Lat. It was supposed to take about 45 minutes, but didn't take that long. I did get off the trail and found myself deep in the jungle and bitten by ants! I was just following the trail that was supposed to have the cloth that the monks wear tied around trees, but I guess I went the wrong way. I had to back track and found the correct trail. Wat Pha Lat is a retreat of sorts and very quiet. It was beautiful to just relax and take in the quiet and calm. From there I made my way to the road, crossed it and tried to find the trail to Doi Suthep. Again, I got on the wrong trail and thought I'd have to backtrack. However, I heard voices and was able to follow that to the real trail. This trail climbed steeply to the Wat. Arriving there, the area is literally a zoo. There are busses, people, shops, etc. all at the holy place! I climbed the Naga Stairs to the temple. It is gorgeous and the views of Chiang Mai are worth every step! I spent about an hour here enjoying the scenery. I got a red truck and brought it down to the zoo. I thought since I did the hike in such a short time, I'd check out the zoo! Mistake! There was A LOT of walking and UPHILLS and DOWN. I found all the animals with the exception of the koala and kangaroo. I may have to go back because I want to hold a koala. I did see the pandas and many other animals. Zoos are always a little depressing and this one is no different. It's much nicer than I thought, but still a zoo. I caught a red truck home and we went for sushi tonight! Yummy! Friday - I tried to get to the Kad Luang Market today. John, Chris and I went for breakfast and then John tried to get me there. However, the police were out in force and we kept getting stopped because they check foreigners for drivers licenses. John dropped me off, but at the wrong market. I ended up walking home instead of bringing a red truck. Then rested most of the day. John took me out for Thai food tonight! Saturday - This was another spectacular day! John and I fixed breakfast and then late morning, we headed to Doi Suthep. I know I've been there, but it's a very nice place. We took the motor scooter up and walked through the temple, which was a zoo. However, there is a terrace around the temple and it's not very crowded, shady, with great views of the mountains. We sat and contemplated life for a while! Afterwards, I asked John if he'd every been to the top of the road. He hadn't and we went. It's crazy because you get to a point where it's VERY NARROW - like Nepal narrow and curvy with 2 way traffic. Lots of places, you need to sound your horn before going around a curve. We got to the top where there is a the Doi Suthep National Park campground and there is a nature trail that leads to the top of the mountain. We hiked up this trail in flip flops! Total round trip was just over 3 kilometers. It was so worth it! Quiet, peaceful, cool! We headed down and went to the Maya Mall for pizza and drinks. Then to the night market, which was also a zoo, for some shopping. Now we're home and headed on another big adventure tomorrow! Stay tuned!
Click on the photo to see all the photos for Chiang Mai to this point!
Tuesday - Today, I decided to explore on my own! I took my phone - which does not have data - and this great little app called maps.me! John told me about it! You download the maps you need so I downloaded Chiang Mai. What this app does without wifi or data, is give you your location! I ventured out to check out the Maya Mall and then make my way to the moat and back home. I did this mostly without help, but did confer with the app to make sure I was headed in the correct direction. I can't seem to get a sense of direction here. There is a mountain where the temple Doi Suthep is and that is a great landmark for me if I can see it! I made it and then John and I went for a Thai milk tea and cribbage at the local coffee shop.
Wednesday - I didn't do much today except make arrangements for things. Believe it or not, it's been pleasant to just relax and not worry about doing too much. However, after John taught, Chris and I met him at another mall and we bowled. It was so much fun! Hopefully, we'll do that again while I'm here! Thursday - A hike!!! I can't sit too long without finding a place to hike. I had heard about this trail from a couple I met yesterday while waiting for the boys to have their motorscooters worked on. It's called the Monk's Trail because monks use it to access a couple of temples. John took me to the trailhead at the end of his main road. From there, I climbed mildly to Wat Pha Lat. It was supposed to take about 45 minutes, but didn't take that long. I did get off the trail and found myself deep in the jungle and bitten by ants! I was just following the trail that was supposed to have the cloth that the monks wear tied around trees, but I guess I went the wrong way. I had to back track and found the correct trail. Wat Pha Lat is a retreat of sorts and very quiet. It was beautiful to just relax and take in the quiet and calm. From there I made my way to the road, crossed it and tried to find the trail to Doi Suthep. Again, I got on the wrong trail and thought I'd have to backtrack. However, I heard voices and was able to follow that to the real trail. This trail climbed steeply to the Wat. Arriving there, the area is literally a zoo. There are busses, people, shops, etc. all at the holy place! I climbed the Naga Stairs to the temple. It is gorgeous and the views of Chiang Mai are worth every step! I spent about an hour here enjoying the scenery. I got a red truck and brought it down to the zoo. I thought since I did the hike in such a short time, I'd check out the zoo! Mistake! There was A LOT of walking and UPHILLS and DOWN. I found all the animals with the exception of the koala and kangaroo. I may have to go back because I want to hold a koala. I did see the pandas and many other animals. Zoos are always a little depressing and this one is no different. It's much nicer than I thought, but still a zoo. I caught a red truck home and we went for sushi tonight! Yummy! Friday - I tried to get to the Kad Luang Market today. John, Chris and I went for breakfast and then John tried to get me there. However, the police were out in force and we kept getting stopped because they check foreigners for drivers licenses. John dropped me off, but at the wrong market. I ended up walking home instead of bringing a red truck. Then rested most of the day. John took me out for Thai food tonight! Saturday - This was another spectacular day! John and I fixed breakfast and then late morning, we headed to Doi Suthep. I know I've been there, but it's a very nice place. We took the motor scooter up and walked through the temple, which was a zoo. However, there is a terrace around the temple and it's not very crowded, shady, with great views of the mountains. We sat and contemplated life for a while! Afterwards, I asked John if he'd every been to the top of the road. He hadn't and we went. It's crazy because you get to a point where it's VERY NARROW - like Nepal narrow and curvy with 2 way traffic. Lots of places, you need to sound your horn before going around a curve. We got to the top where there is a the Doi Suthep National Park campground and there is a nature trail that leads to the top of the mountain. We hiked up this trail in flip flops! Total round trip was just over 3 kilometers. It was so worth it! Quiet, peaceful, cool! We headed down and went to the Maya Mall for pizza and drinks. Then to the night market, which was also a zoo, for some shopping. Now we're home and headed on another big adventure tomorrow! Stay tuned!
Click on the photo to see all the photos for Chiang Mai to this point!
Sunday, January 15, 2017
The "Belly of the Beast"
Wednesday - Our last day in Siem Reap was a relaxing day. Our hotel was nice enough to let us stay in the room until we caught a tuk-tuk to the airport. We swam and just relaxed with a nice breakfast at the hotel. On our way to the airport, school kids were lined along the street. I think that there was a dignitary from Singapore there in Siem Reap because we actually passed the motorcade the day before when some of the streets were closed. It was fun as some of the kids waved and cheered as we drove by. We had a meal at the airport since we knew we'd arrive in Bangkok kind of late. We arrived around 6:00, it was a great flight and got to follow the river from the sea to Bangkok. When we got in, we had to go through the immigration again. Here is what John worried about and now we find out for good reason. His education visa, which he paid a lot for, is now void and he's back to the 30 day visa. He was misled on this. Anyway, it is what it is….
Now we are in the city with a long way to get to our hotel. Lucky, I'm traveling with a local! So first, we try to get a taxi. The driver won't take us because it's too far. John tells him to take us to the train. We get ripped off because he basically drives us across the street and charged us too much! Lesson learned. We bought a train ticket into town for a couple dollars and had to wait an hour. However, from here, things went smoothly. The train arrived on time, took us right to the main station where we caught a subway, and then walked a block or so to the hotel!
We checked in and they brought us some juice and snacks and we hit the hay! It is HOT in Bangkok!
Thursday-Here we are in the “Belly of the Beast” as John likes to call Bangkok. But, what's a trip to Thailand without a trip to Bangkok? I had some places I wanted to go. Today, we visited The Grand Palace. We started out taking a very cheap taxi to the palace from our hotel. John was a little bummed because the dress code required long pants and closed shoes for men. And did I tell you it's HOT in Bangkok? We saw the palace, Wat Pho with its HUGE reclining Budda, amped Wat Phra Kaeo with its Emerald Buddha, and Wat Arun. I think I've seen enough wats for a lifetime! They are all beautiful and very elaborate. Then, being the locals we are… we hopped the local ferry to the pier and walked to the subway and home. We hit the pool and headed out to a sky bar. These bars were made famous from the Hangover II movie which was filmed in Bangkok. We didn't go to THE sky bar, but went to another that's less crowded. We were able to ride the subway and walk a short distance to get there. We arrived right before sunset and WOW! The view is amazing. We each had a couple of drinks and were hungry. I checked out the menu at the restaurant but decided it really wasn't worth $65 or more per person for a basic meal. The drinks and a plate of fries alone was $74. This was an amazing experience and we also got to see a full moon rising after the gorgeous sunset. We picked up some street food and ate in the hotel room.
Friday - Today, we had no real plans. I wanted to go to the National Museum and we decided to go it alone-no taxi or tuk-tuk. It took us a while, but we made it. We rode the ferry looking for food, but didn't find what we were looking for. We did make it to Chinatown and the flower market as well. After being hot and hungry for a while, we just ducked into McDonalds for a burger, fries, ice cream and free wifi! We ended up getting a tuk-tuk back to the train station and then to the hotel where we swam and cooled off.
Saturday and Sunday- We have a day to kill! Our train the Chiang Mai doesn't leave until 10 tonight. We slept in, had another nice breakfast at the buffet, swam and packed. Our hotel gave us an hour so we had to leave by 1:00. We left our luggage and went to a mall. Here we killed time and also purchased snacks for the train. Then to Starbucks for wifi, card playing and air conditioning! Later, we headed back to our hotel for the dinner buffet. We wanted to eat a lot since we knew we had a long train and wouldn't have breakfast. However, we thought we'd be in Chiang Mai for lunch. WRONG! After getting to the train around 9, we quickly, or really not so quickly, learned that the train was delayed. We sat until after 2:00am before the train arrived and we boarded. Since we purchased our tickets so late, we had to go 2nd class-no sleeper or air! Out seats did recline a bit and I slept until about 7:00am. Saw the beautiful sunrise and rice paddies as far as the eye can see for miles! The later it got, the hotter it got. There was one point I was convinced I would really actually melt. Unfortunately, some of our snacks did melt. Our cheese slices were just one big blob and johns snickers was too! I didn't and we pulled into Chiang Mai at about 4:30 pm. Took a tuk-tuk back to the apartment. Oh happy day. It's great to be back in Chiang Mai. It's a little like home. More laid back, but one thing was for sure-there were A LOT more tourists now than when I left!
John and Chris took me to the Samurai Kitchen for dinner and it was yummy. I think I'd probably lose a lot of weight if I had to rely on chopsticks, but I am getting better. Stabbing things usually works pretty well. We hit up a book store and stayed up until after midnight talking about these boys’ amazing experiences!
Monday-Today is a rest day for me! I did laundry and both John and Chris have to work. I'll take a few days to get some r&r before my next adventures! I'm hoping when John gets home, I'll have some access to a computer to post some pics!
Click on the picture below to go to a slide show of photos from Bangkok!
Now we are in the city with a long way to get to our hotel. Lucky, I'm traveling with a local! So first, we try to get a taxi. The driver won't take us because it's too far. John tells him to take us to the train. We get ripped off because he basically drives us across the street and charged us too much! Lesson learned. We bought a train ticket into town for a couple dollars and had to wait an hour. However, from here, things went smoothly. The train arrived on time, took us right to the main station where we caught a subway, and then walked a block or so to the hotel!
We checked in and they brought us some juice and snacks and we hit the hay! It is HOT in Bangkok!
Thursday-Here we are in the “Belly of the Beast” as John likes to call Bangkok. But, what's a trip to Thailand without a trip to Bangkok? I had some places I wanted to go. Today, we visited The Grand Palace. We started out taking a very cheap taxi to the palace from our hotel. John was a little bummed because the dress code required long pants and closed shoes for men. And did I tell you it's HOT in Bangkok? We saw the palace, Wat Pho with its HUGE reclining Budda, amped Wat Phra Kaeo with its Emerald Buddha, and Wat Arun. I think I've seen enough wats for a lifetime! They are all beautiful and very elaborate. Then, being the locals we are… we hopped the local ferry to the pier and walked to the subway and home. We hit the pool and headed out to a sky bar. These bars were made famous from the Hangover II movie which was filmed in Bangkok. We didn't go to THE sky bar, but went to another that's less crowded. We were able to ride the subway and walk a short distance to get there. We arrived right before sunset and WOW! The view is amazing. We each had a couple of drinks and were hungry. I checked out the menu at the restaurant but decided it really wasn't worth $65 or more per person for a basic meal. The drinks and a plate of fries alone was $74. This was an amazing experience and we also got to see a full moon rising after the gorgeous sunset. We picked up some street food and ate in the hotel room.
Friday - Today, we had no real plans. I wanted to go to the National Museum and we decided to go it alone-no taxi or tuk-tuk. It took us a while, but we made it. We rode the ferry looking for food, but didn't find what we were looking for. We did make it to Chinatown and the flower market as well. After being hot and hungry for a while, we just ducked into McDonalds for a burger, fries, ice cream and free wifi! We ended up getting a tuk-tuk back to the train station and then to the hotel where we swam and cooled off.
Saturday and Sunday- We have a day to kill! Our train the Chiang Mai doesn't leave until 10 tonight. We slept in, had another nice breakfast at the buffet, swam and packed. Our hotel gave us an hour so we had to leave by 1:00. We left our luggage and went to a mall. Here we killed time and also purchased snacks for the train. Then to Starbucks for wifi, card playing and air conditioning! Later, we headed back to our hotel for the dinner buffet. We wanted to eat a lot since we knew we had a long train and wouldn't have breakfast. However, we thought we'd be in Chiang Mai for lunch. WRONG! After getting to the train around 9, we quickly, or really not so quickly, learned that the train was delayed. We sat until after 2:00am before the train arrived and we boarded. Since we purchased our tickets so late, we had to go 2nd class-no sleeper or air! Out seats did recline a bit and I slept until about 7:00am. Saw the beautiful sunrise and rice paddies as far as the eye can see for miles! The later it got, the hotter it got. There was one point I was convinced I would really actually melt. Unfortunately, some of our snacks did melt. Our cheese slices were just one big blob and johns snickers was too! I didn't and we pulled into Chiang Mai at about 4:30 pm. Took a tuk-tuk back to the apartment. Oh happy day. It's great to be back in Chiang Mai. It's a little like home. More laid back, but one thing was for sure-there were A LOT more tourists now than when I left!
John and Chris took me to the Samurai Kitchen for dinner and it was yummy. I think I'd probably lose a lot of weight if I had to rely on chopsticks, but I am getting better. Stabbing things usually works pretty well. We hit up a book store and stayed up until after midnight talking about these boys’ amazing experiences!
Monday-Today is a rest day for me! I did laundry and both John and Chris have to work. I'll take a few days to get some r&r before my next adventures! I'm hoping when John gets home, I'll have some access to a computer to post some pics!
Click on the picture below to go to a slide show of photos from Bangkok!
Monday, January 9, 2017
Angkor Wat
After our "magical day", we had to get up early to fly to Siem Reap. Five o'clock is pretty early to be ready for a trip to the airport. We flew out and got to our hotel in Siem Reap very early - about 9:00am. Our tuk-tuk driver was waiting for us when we finally worked our way out of getting our visas.
The hotel, bless their hearts, got us in a room within about 10 minutes. We took a tuk -tuk to town and walked around and ate. Everything in Cambodia is in US dollars. We got to an ATM since it was Sunday and all the banks were closed. Even the ATMs spout US dollars! It's about a $3.00 ride to town which is much more expensive than Thailand. The hotel has a great pool with happy hour, so that's where we spent the afternoon. We also ate dinner at the hotel because they advertised a burger special which was so yummy!!!
On Monday, we were up early and our tour guide came after breakfast. He and the driver took us to get tickets and then the WHOLE day, in the heat, we tramped around most of the most famous places at Angkor Wat. Our guide was very knowledgeable, spoke great English, and was just a very interesting man. He and John had many philosophical conversations throughout the 2 days we toured with him. Tuesday, he took us to a fishing village.
Click on the picture to see all the photos from Angkor Wat!!
The hotel, bless their hearts, got us in a room within about 10 minutes. We took a tuk -tuk to town and walked around and ate. Everything in Cambodia is in US dollars. We got to an ATM since it was Sunday and all the banks were closed. Even the ATMs spout US dollars! It's about a $3.00 ride to town which is much more expensive than Thailand. The hotel has a great pool with happy hour, so that's where we spent the afternoon. We also ate dinner at the hotel because they advertised a burger special which was so yummy!!!
On Monday, we were up early and our tour guide came after breakfast. He and the driver took us to get tickets and then the WHOLE day, in the heat, we tramped around most of the most famous places at Angkor Wat. Our guide was very knowledgeable, spoke great English, and was just a very interesting man. He and John had many philosophical conversations throughout the 2 days we toured with him. Tuesday, he took us to a fishing village.
Click on the picture to see all the photos from Angkor Wat!!
Sunday, January 8, 2017
A Magical Day
Sunday - Even though it poured rain all day, we still had a wonderful, magical time! Our hotel, T-Villa is very nice. We kind of slept in because of our relatively late arrival last night and didn't have breakfast. Our shuttle came and it continued to pour. We got on a boat with some very delightful people from the Ukraine, Australia, and the U.S. The boat took about an hour and in the meantime, we were fed lunch. Again, in the pouring rain, we boarded some sea canoes and headed under the rocks of the islands. After laying in the canoes with your nose just millimeters from the sharp rocks, we emerged into the a lagoon INSIDE THE ISLAND! We saw mudskippers and a BIG snake they just called a viper.
We went to a couple of islands like this and paddled in these lagoons. We were taken aboard for coffee and tea, and then dinner. We also got to swim in the ocean near our boat. Yes, even in the pouring rain, it's still warm!
Finally, we built this floating raft made of coconut, bamboo, flowers, incense, and candles. In Thailand, there is a Loy Krathong festival and this is what these were like. Supposedly, you float away the bad. We built it, took the rafts out, and floated them in these caves. Then back to town and our hotel. A long day!
Monday - our plane left at 7:00 am so we left the hotel at 5! We flew into Siem Reap and got our Cambodian visa. A tuk-tuk driver was waiting for us and took us to our hotel. We were early, but they got us into a room. Here in Cambodia, the main money for everything is U.S. dollars. Since I changed most of my U.S. money into baht, I needed an ATM to get old American dollars so we went and checked out the town. We went to the Royal Palace, a temple, and the old market where we had some lunch. Back to hotel for swimming and dinner. They have a burger special and boy, was it good!!
Tuesday - I had hired a guide for Angkor Wat online and he picked us up at 8:30. We toured all the most famous places. It was a full day of walking and heat! Our guide was very knowledgeable, kept us away from most of the large crowds, and had cold water available when we got back to the car.
It's hard to describe Angkor Wat! It is an amazing place and it's hard to believe you're not in the ancient ruins in Central America. The Angkor Wat temple is just a very small part of the whole complex of buildings and temples. We spent about 8 hours walking and listening! John's favorite temple was Bayon. I still liked the main Angkor Wat temple the best I think because I've seen this iconic place in photos for 50 years!
There is so much history here. Our tour didn't do it justice, but it was a start! Afterwards, we got back to the hotel in time for happy hour, a swim, and then headed into town for food. Tonight we had pizza. I guess I still crave the ol' junk food. Although for lunch, we did eat traditional Cambodian amok for lunch which was outstanding! I even tried dragon fruit this morning!
Tuesday - out guide came and got us again this morning. Today, he took us to the fishing village of Tonle Sap, Kampong Kleang fishing village. Here, we took a boat ride out on the lake to see the village on stilts, the surrounding farmland that is underwater during the rainy season, and the lake whichis the largest in Southeast Asia. This is where much of the fish is caught and processed for a lot of Cambodia. Our guide showed us how they make fish paste and dry the fish. Out boat captain was about 13 or 14. He was pretty good and we had to rescue a younger boatman and his passengers when his motor quit and the wind blew him into the mud. Along the ride in the country we passed about 15 to 20 weddings which our guide explained. Wedding days are chosen by the "fortune teller" to bring good luck so it looks like Tuesday was a lucky day! It's also a 2 day affair. The wedding begins with loud music and lots of drinking and eating.
In the afternoon, we toured Beng Mealea. This temple was built for one of the king's moms. She was the 'librarian' for the temple as well. This temple hasn't had any work done on it and it's in rough shape, but beautiful. After this, we drove back to Siem Reap. On the way, we got a sticky rice treat. The rice is put into bamboo, mixed with black beans and then steamed in the bamboo. It was very tasty. When we got back to the hotel, we swam and then went into town for a BBQ dinner. That was fun and very good! You get this BBQ cooker at your table with a bunch of veggies, and 6 different meats. We had pork, chicken, crocodile, lamb, beef, and fish. Such a good meal and then the veggies are cooked in broth and you have a lovely soup! We should open one in Gunnison! I think it would be fun! Click on the picture below and it will take you to my Google Photos album!!
We went to a couple of islands like this and paddled in these lagoons. We were taken aboard for coffee and tea, and then dinner. We also got to swim in the ocean near our boat. Yes, even in the pouring rain, it's still warm!
Finally, we built this floating raft made of coconut, bamboo, flowers, incense, and candles. In Thailand, there is a Loy Krathong festival and this is what these were like. Supposedly, you float away the bad. We built it, took the rafts out, and floated them in these caves. Then back to town and our hotel. A long day!
Monday - our plane left at 7:00 am so we left the hotel at 5! We flew into Siem Reap and got our Cambodian visa. A tuk-tuk driver was waiting for us and took us to our hotel. We were early, but they got us into a room. Here in Cambodia, the main money for everything is U.S. dollars. Since I changed most of my U.S. money into baht, I needed an ATM to get old American dollars so we went and checked out the town. We went to the Royal Palace, a temple, and the old market where we had some lunch. Back to hotel for swimming and dinner. They have a burger special and boy, was it good!!
Tuesday - I had hired a guide for Angkor Wat online and he picked us up at 8:30. We toured all the most famous places. It was a full day of walking and heat! Our guide was very knowledgeable, kept us away from most of the large crowds, and had cold water available when we got back to the car.
It's hard to describe Angkor Wat! It is an amazing place and it's hard to believe you're not in the ancient ruins in Central America. The Angkor Wat temple is just a very small part of the whole complex of buildings and temples. We spent about 8 hours walking and listening! John's favorite temple was Bayon. I still liked the main Angkor Wat temple the best I think because I've seen this iconic place in photos for 50 years!
There is so much history here. Our tour didn't do it justice, but it was a start! Afterwards, we got back to the hotel in time for happy hour, a swim, and then headed into town for food. Tonight we had pizza. I guess I still crave the ol' junk food. Although for lunch, we did eat traditional Cambodian amok for lunch which was outstanding! I even tried dragon fruit this morning!
Tuesday - out guide came and got us again this morning. Today, he took us to the fishing village of Tonle Sap, Kampong Kleang fishing village. Here, we took a boat ride out on the lake to see the village on stilts, the surrounding farmland that is underwater during the rainy season, and the lake whichis the largest in Southeast Asia. This is where much of the fish is caught and processed for a lot of Cambodia. Our guide showed us how they make fish paste and dry the fish. Out boat captain was about 13 or 14. He was pretty good and we had to rescue a younger boatman and his passengers when his motor quit and the wind blew him into the mud. Along the ride in the country we passed about 15 to 20 weddings which our guide explained. Wedding days are chosen by the "fortune teller" to bring good luck so it looks like Tuesday was a lucky day! It's also a 2 day affair. The wedding begins with loud music and lots of drinking and eating.
In the afternoon, we toured Beng Mealea. This temple was built for one of the king's moms. She was the 'librarian' for the temple as well. This temple hasn't had any work done on it and it's in rough shape, but beautiful. After this, we drove back to Siem Reap. On the way, we got a sticky rice treat. The rice is put into bamboo, mixed with black beans and then steamed in the bamboo. It was very tasty. When we got back to the hotel, we swam and then went into town for a BBQ dinner. That was fun and very good! You get this BBQ cooker at your table with a bunch of veggies, and 6 different meats. We had pork, chicken, crocodile, lamb, beef, and fish. Such a good meal and then the veggies are cooked in broth and you have a lovely soup! We should open one in Gunnison! I think it would be fun! Click on the picture below and it will take you to my Google Photos album!!
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