Posted in , Travel

Bangkok and Ayutthaya

We recently spent a few days in Thailand, mostly in Bangkok but also spent one day in Ayutthaya with family. It was mostly a trip down memory lane as I had been to most places, but we still had different experiences.
We started with a personal guided tour of Bangkok – we decided that an experienced guide would help us learn more and see temples and monuments in a new way.
We started with my favorite temple, the temple of dawn or Wat Arun

The shape of the stupas is quite unique and the feel around the place is very special.  It is across the river (Chao Phraya) from the main part of Bangkok, so a little more difficult to get to.  This is where we met our guide for the day.

A view of the main temple with guarding deities – please do not ask me who they are, as I always get them confused.

Inside the temple is a golden Buddha and no matter what time you come, there are always people praying and paying respect.

We took a local ferry across the river (it is the fastest way to move in Bangkok) and went next to the Wat Phra Chetupon, or the temple of the reclining Buddha

It is impossible to get a good picture of the reclining Buddha as the room it is in is actually quite small and full of columns.  These are two views from each end. Continue reading “Bangkok and Ayutthaya”

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Posted in Food, Travel

Singapore and Bangkok

On my way to and from Bhutan, you will see more on this later, I made whistle stops in Singapore and Bangkok.

I only stayed three days in Singapore, but had a great time thanks to my old Dragon Boating friends who all came to a party at Patrick’s Restaurant!

There have been quite a few additions to the team since I left Singapore!

We had a really good time, and before any of my (so called) friends make a regrettable comment about this picture, we did not, I repeat DID NOT do anything that we should not have – just having a good time.  Jessica certainly thought so …

Freddy does not need any instructions … but mother is watching carefully!

It was right around my birthday and so I was rewarded with a green cake! This is my skeptical look – wondering what it is made of.

The problem is that as you get older, the simplest things become harder and harder to do.  I am glad there was not the requisite number of candles on this cake or it would have (1) burned down the place and (2) taken me all night top blow them off!

I want to thank the photographer who obviously did not consider that memory, while cheap, still has a cost when you are traveling far from home and have to back-up each and every photo that is taken (with a size in excess of 30 mb each! in raw format)

I was a great evening that could only conclude with a family portrait with the whole (almost) gang.  Too bad that Ben and Vincent could not make it!

Patrick and Geraldine, you have a great place and the food is fantastic! Everything I remembered and better.  Please keep it up so that I can come again next time I am in town.

On the way back from Bhutan, I spent just one day in Bangkok, and one night at the Hilton right on the river.  The view from the room was great.  Too all the photography buffs out there, this is a composite of 10 shots taken late at night, though the hotel window and without a tripod or a remote control!

No other pictures from Bangkok as I spent most time shopping! Yes, I caught the bug (well actually not, but there were very important things I Needed to get while in Bangkok, and did get).  Had a really great meal not far from the hotel in a restaurant right by the river.  A mixture of Tourist and Local place with really authentic Thai food! Yum just thinking about it.  Just a very quick entry to keep you ‘amused’ while I sort and improve the picture from Bhutan.  They will be coming later … soon … when I get to it OK?

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Posted in Retrospective, Travel

Bangkok – Old and New

I interrupt the telling of my trip to Laos to share pictures of Bangkok.  I have been there several times including this trip as I spent two days in Bangkok before going to Laos.  Some of the pictures in this post were taken on previous trips to Bangkok.

On this trip, I started with a place I had seen, passing on the river, but never visited.  We had to take the monorail, than a river taxi, and finally find our way across small alleyways to the Royal Barges Museum – not really a museum as these barges are regularly used for parades on the river.

Some are quite old but the majority have been built or restored recently.  The intricacy of the design and carvings is amazing

Would you not be intimidated by this coming at you?  Take a look between his legs – yes, there is a cannon there!

Continue reading “Bangkok – Old and New”

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Posted in Travel

Ayuthaya – Thailand

I had read about Ayuthaya almost as soon as I had arrived in Singapore, in 2000, as soon as I bought my first guide book on Thailand.  I had thought about going there several times, but never quite decided to do so, because every time I tried to get information on how to get from Bangkok to Ayuthaya, I could not get anything definitive.
However, I could not leave Singapore without going there – so I looked at it one more time and decided that I would find a way – any way – whatever it took – to get there.
So I booked a flight to Bangkok and a hotel in Ayuthaya (the BEST hotel in the city which cost me a grand total of 80 euros for three nights!) and left with no idea how I would get from point (A) to point (B).  I figured there would be help at the airport.
At the ‘new’ Bangkok airport, I go to the Travel Information desk and ask how to get to Ayuthaya.  I am told to take a taxi.  That is not the answer I wanted so I prod a little and ask about the train from the old airport to Ayuthaya.  Indeed, that can be done – so how do I get to the old airport? “Taxi”.  What about busses? I know that there are bussed from the Northern Bus Terminal towards Ayuthaya.  Indeed, there are so how to get there? You probably have guessed the answer I got …
So I took a taxi, all the way to Ayuthaya! It was cheaper than I thought and very quick and easy.  I figured I would do better on the way back since I had three days to figure out the answer.
Ayuthaya is on the Chao Phraya (the same river that crosses Bangkok) where it meets the Pa Sak and smaller Lopburi.  The addition of a short canal means that the center of the city is an island surrounded by rivers.  My hotel is right on the river and immediately I have a sight that I remembered from Bangkok, and which amazed me even at that time.  It can be called “David and Goliath” – there is a tiny, tiny tug boat pulling usualy four enormous barges. I bet that in Tailand, there is a children’s story about “The Little Tug that Could”
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After I arrive, I go walking about, but the weather is not very nice (and it is very hot) so I do not take any pictures.  However, I do make arrangements with a local ‘boat man’ to have a tour of the canals the next day starting at 7AM – I want an early start to get the good light of the rising sun.  It takes a while to explain what I want and agree on a price, but I figure that all is in order.
The next day at 7AM, no one! 7:15 still no one, but just as I am ready to leave, the guy arrives and we leave on his ‘long-tail’ boat.  There are old and newer temples everywhere along the sides of the river.  I am not sure what this one is called.
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The tour includes several stops including this temple – Wat Chai Wattanaram
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The Khmere influence is clear and one just wonders at what it must have been like with the large hall at the front still intact.  The similarity with Angkor do not stop at the architecture – here too you can see headless statues everywhere.
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At Wat Phutthaisawan, there are impressive rows of identical sitting Buddhas
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The main tower is still covered in white slabs of local marble and sits next to a modern temple with music and prayers (I think..) blaring through loud speakers.
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Walking around the temple, you run into the strangest views, such as the giant head of a reclining Buddha through a window
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Later that day, I explore more temples on a moped – please don’t tell my mother… I promise that I was very careful and did wear a helmet the whole time.
Wat Phra Si Sanphet is known for its three identical stuppas – they were used for the burrial of former Kings of Siam when Ayutthaya was their capital.  The grounds of the old Royal Palace are right next to the temple but there is nothing left of the palace.  I could not get a decent shot of all three stuppas, so you will have to settle for just two.
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Notice that there are very few people on all these pictures.  Ayutthaya is not your usual Thai city.  May be there is something good about it being so difficult to reach as all I saw were some local Thai tourists, a few back-packers and very few foreign tourists.  Proof that this is off the beaten tracks – no ‘girly’ bars! Just regular bars where you can have a drink without being bothered.  I went several times to this one ‘caffe’ (I could not really call it a restaurant even though it had good food too) which was run by a very friendly guy – I stopped there because it had a sign in French.  The owner spoke decent French, and could say ‘hello’ in about 30 other languages. I stumped him at ‘capitals’ though as I found a few countries he had not heard of – let alone knew the capital. He did know a lot of them though.
When I approached the wall of one temple, I noticed quite a commotion.  As I got closer, everything became quiet, but I still knew what happened.  The two mina birds on the left were harrassing the poor green snake on the right.  I am not sure who eventually won as I did not stick around to see the end of the fight.
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These temples were built at the very beginning of Buddhism, when Hindu influences were still strong.  Look at this picture – the central figure is clearly Buddhist, but there are Garudhas (an Indian Diety) at the corners of the tower.  This is one of the strengths of Buddhism – it does not exclude local beliefs but instead melds them into its own ideology.
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A classic view of Wat Ratburana that you can find in any guide book
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Wat Phra Meru is one of the best preserved temples in Ayutthaya as it escaped destruction during the last Burmese invasion.  It still required restoration.  It houses a large sitting Buddha.
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The fronticpiece of the main building once again shows multiple influencs with Buddha being carried on the back of Garudha
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I had to get a few ‘sunset’ photos.  The sky was never clear enough to get really good light, but the foreground is about as good as you can get.
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Once again, there is proof that all photos should be taken either one hour after sunrise, or one hour before sunset – the light is much better.
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Locals were enjoying the last rays of sunlight
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I have to return the moped, so I just have time for one more picture
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The next day, I had to get back to Bangkok.  But I was prepared.  I was told that I could take the train to the old airport (about 1 hour) and than a minibus to the new airport.  What could be simpler.  Well, it seems things never are…
At the staion, I get a ticket about 30 minutes before the train arrives.  I had trouble understanding the cost of the ticket, mostly because I could not believe that it would only cost me 11 Bahts (or less than 0.50 euros).  The train is OK and I get off without difficulties at the old airport.  That’s when I find out that the airport is still closed – no help there.  I look around for what may be a ‘minibus’ stop but cannot see anything.  I look for a “Help Desk” at the station – no luck.  I find a Taxi stand and succomb! It was a lot cheaper than the trip to Ayutthaya, but still, I wanted to find a way without having to take a Taxi.  Maybe next time!

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Posted in Culture, Retrospective, Travel

Phuket – Thailand

I do not have something exciting to share with you every week.  However, there are many events that have occurred in the past which I never got a chance to share.  I will therefore regularly go back and re-visit, as much for my benefit as yours, some memorable events of the past.

In April 2003, I went to Phuket from where I would depart on my first live-aboard dive trip. 5 days in the Similan Islands.  I arrived on Saturday and was not due on the ship until Sunday evening.  I had one and a half day to kill and so I rented a moped to be able to move around the island a bit and go to places I had not visited before.  All went well on Saturday afternoon.  I was able to visit a good restaurant I like that is hard to get to without transportation – White Lotus, owned and operated by a Vietnamese woman who is very friendly.

On Sunday, I decided to explore the southern coast.  I left the hotel relatively early and as I go around the first bend on the main street, a couple of kids toss a glass-full of water at me… I am not sure what happened, but with the heat it actually feels good, and I do not think about it further.  As I go through the first village south of Patong Beach,  I get ‘attacked’ by a few teens with water pistols. There is definitely something going on as I see groups of people setting up large barrels of water along the road.  I am still in the dark as to what is about to happen.

As time passes more and more people are along the road and are throwing water at everything that moves.  Soon, I start to see pick-up trucks with large barrels of water in the back trying to soak the people along the side of the street.  A giant water battle is building.  And I am totally unarmed!  However, it is rather hot, I am only wearing shorts and t-shirt and I do not mind being a little wet. 

As I head back to Patong, I get a new experience: some people actually put ice in their water barrels and therefore I get the occasional really cold shower.  There are also some people trowing talcum powder, and even coloured talcum powder.

I am soon soaking wet, with blotches of green, orange, purple and red all over my clothes.  And it is almost lunch time.  With some embarrassment, I walk into a local restaurant, wondering the kind of reception I will get given my current state.  However, I guess it must be expected on this day and I have no trouble getting a table and decent food.

After lunch, I continued to explore and continued to get soaked.  The more the day progressed, the more people were out celebrating, dancing, cruising etc.. while continuing to trow water at each other.  In Patong, the main street was one big party.  Many of the local bars had setup speakers outside and were playing loud music while patrons were dancing on tables and soaking passers-by.  On the street, people were dancing on motorcycles and in the back of pick-up trucks while soaking the patrons of the bars.  And, as before, I seemed to be stuck in the middle and getting soaked from both sides … but really enjoying every minute of it.

When I got back to the hotel to check out, I was totally wet and dripping all over the floor.

I discovered later that this is a tradition at Thai New Year in Phuket.  This happens every year and is beginning to attract more and more tourists.  This was my third “New Year” celebration this year, after the “Christian New Year”, “Chinese New Year” and now “Thai New Year”.

A great experience – I was lucky to be at the right place at the right time for it.

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