Birds Of Chiang Mai

These birds, with all sorts of character, were spotted down a laneway when I was wandering around Chiang Mai. A piece of vibrance among the guesthouses, the offices and houses, the traffic, and the cafes. 

Art Among The Ruins in Ayuttaya

As we were walking back from out nighttime look at the amazing temples in Ayuttaya, I spied some art in a building that was in the middle of being torn down - or rebuilt - and I decided that checking this out in the daylight the next morning was a must first stop of the day.

The vibrant focal points, of the tree, the rose, the hand, and the mouth, made these walls come to life. Wow, the rose is stunning!

These pieces are the ultimate temporary art - who knows if they are even still there? This house could take an age to be finished, or could have been completely knocked down by now. But these artists, or artist, seized the opportunity, and make an otherwise dull sight, interesting!

White And Black Of Chiang Rai

From Chiang Mai I wanted to get up to Chiang Rai and see the mystical White Temple, and the Black Temple, as strange interpretations on the temples of the Asian region.

I took a bus from Chiang Mai, and managed to see both in a day trip, with a return bus that evening. Doing it independently, I grabbed a taxi when I alighted at the first of the bus stops at Chiang Rai, and with phone calls to base, and a pictorial calendar of the area the driver had, I managed to have him take me to the two places I wanted to see.

The White Temple, or Wat Ron Khun, sparkled in the sunlight, and was a spectacular sight. It is actually a work in progress which started in 1997, with a vision of 9 building as part of the complex til the full art piece is complete. You can have your photo taken at the entrance with the visionary, or deranged mind, behind the design, as many Thais were doing - the cardboard cutout was very popular!

This sign prevented me from actually going inside – the one moment I wished I had taken up the offer of my guesthouse back in Chiang Mai for an overly priced guided day trip to Chiang Rai. Foreign tourists ruining it for the rest of us – sadly, I can just imagine. Apparently inside there are frescos of modern day points of importance, like 9/11 and the planes crashing into the Twin Towers. Completely bizarre.

Outside though, there is still much to see. The creepy heads hanging from tree branches, the most gilded toilet block in the world, the wishing well. But the sight of the reflection of the temple was worth the bus ride alone.

Putting the disappointment of not being able to go inside behind me, my driver and I managed to communicate somehow about my next desired destination. The Black Temple is actually the Black House of a local Thai artist, and not as well known as it's lighter counterpart. It is also hidden away in backstreets, and I was sure we were lost or going somewhere else as my driver proceeded down a laneway off the main highway outside of Chiang Rai.

The Black Temple is more of an art exhibition that a religious temple, spooky and weird and tucked away.  Everything made from wood, or animal particles, the carving are actually very impressive. The gables of the temple roof is spectacular, but the contents inside are a little more peculiar!

All wood carvings, particularly on the buildings themselves, are amazing. The focus on dark timber, the sheen, and the design of the various outhouses are worth seeking this stop out.

The furniture stall underneath one of the buildings, in among it's stilts, had everything you could imagine - and many things you would never have!

But the most bizarre belonged to the first and main building, and it's table settings. Chairs made from animal horns and antlers, table runners of snake skins, and even skinned cats!

Clever use of the materials around the artist, but I am not sure anyone would be able to tuck into a steak with the tail of an ox brushing your elbows as you ate!

The White and Black features of Chiang Rai, some say Heaven and Hell, are well worth the day trip - but maybe get a guide so you can check out the more bizarre details of the White on the inside.

Saturday Walking Market In Chiang Mai

Looking on the map of Chiang Mai, it was clear that this town is very much into their "walking markets", with two long, fairly central, streets dedicated to such on the weekends. I happened to take in the Saturday Walking Market, after wandering around and seeing the city wall. The market begins not far from the wall, just off the city grid.

The colours and the smells, along with the bustling activity, were in full swing when I started my walk down the street.

Tourists and locals alike were making their way along the stalls, checking on the wares, and ready to strike a barginning banter for a desired object or snack.

Clothing, homewares of lamps in all manner of colours and styles, and all sorts of souvenir bits and pieces, were on display. But the food was the most eye-catching potential purchases - from huge vats of pad thai being made before your eyes, to the colourful and enticing array of chopped up fruit.

I succumbed to the fired pumpkin and zucchini flowers, served in a banana leaf - delicious!

Buddha In A Bodhi Tree

Almost all of the buddha statues around the ancient Ayutthaya city were looted, mainly by the Burmese when then removed this kingdom from rule. This buddha head was one of the ones lifted, so the story goes, but it got too heavy for the looters, who dropped it as they fled the city. Here it landed, and since then this tree has grown up and around it. Such an enchanting sight, as you enter the grounds of Wat Mahathat.

Ayutthaya

Whilst doing some research about what else to do and see in Thailand, I stumbled upon this post about the ancient city ruins of Ayuttaya – and so based on this post Dave and I got a mini-van from Kanchanaburi as our next stop. One of the biggest cities in the world in it’s day, I had heard nothing about it!

Once settled into a guesthouse along the seemingly only strip of touristy places, we tried to check out the floating market across the river to find it in the packing up stages. Instead, we had dinner at Tony's Place before we walked down to the closest two temples to see them all lit up.

The next morning, we set about exploring the temple ruins, on foot cos I am a scaredy cat when it comes to riding a bike. The traffic around was a little mad, and I know I could not have navigated it – I really need to teach myself to ride a bike again!

The first one was the most impressive lit up the night before, Wat Ratchaburana, and was the stupu built by the surviving brother of two others, who, when their father the King died fought each other to win the throne - and in the process killed each other.

The whole complex has been severely looted over the years, and also victim to floods and earthquakes, and this tomb to the brother’s in line for the throne was a trove of much gold for looters when it was opened. You can now climb down into see where the remaining brother left so much gold with his fallen siblings, but alas no gold in sight.

Just next door is Wat Phra Mahathat, with a row all along the outside of the temple wall of buddhas with their heads missing. Only a few remain, and some have been restored.

Walking further afield, we passed several smaller wats dotted along the creek and parkland here, before wandering through Wat Thammikarat. This temple had monks at work on restoration, and also keeping the temple an active place of worship.

Seeking out the Grand Palace next, following the map we figured out that the area that we were walking around was in fact the Palace – completing flattened.  Of what must have been grand and impressive, just three to four bricks of the thick walls remained as an outline. We climbed the fence and walked through the massive complex before we reach the area with the wats of the Palace and the rest of the tourists.

The three chedis all lined up loom at one side of the Grand Palace grounds, and here seemed to be the main attraction of the city. We were able to climb over almost all of the temples, with only a handful of other people, monks and occasional tour or school groups, around. Although at Wat Phra Si Sanphet here at the Palace, we encountered the only crowds.

The kingdom of rule here in Ayuttaya was such an important piece of the Siam and indeed the trade region of it’s time, and now lies as a possible day trip from Bangkok, almost forgotten about. So few people here means you can explore at your leisure, and as your inquisitive whim takes you.

A lost Kingdom of the world, go grand and enchanting. It's amazing, and surely needs some more attention.

The Death Railway And Hellfire Pass

Riding the railway from Kanchanaburi to Nam Tok, as far as the rail goes now, is a sombering experience. I love travelling on a train, but everytime I felt myself get carried away with the clack of the tracks and the gentle rocking of the rickety carriage, I reminded myself of the sacrifices made to lay these very tracks down.

The train rolls across the bridge over Mae Klong River - made into the River Kwai by Hollywood and the movie of the same name, and then heads away from town through the countryside.

It soon glides over a Viaduct, on the edge of a mountain, and the wonder of how these POWs built this section returns.

They say that for every railway sleeper on this track, there was a POW death on the construction process.

We rode the train for 2 hours, before disembarking and then getting a driver to take us to the section referred to as Hellfire Pass, 18 kms away. The Museum here is managed by the Australian Department of Veteran Affairs, Office of War Graves, and it very well done. After walking through the rooms of information, we walked the paths to get down to the cutting that the Aussies named after the vision of themselves in the lighting in the cutting as they were forced to work long into the night, starved and emaciated, resembling scenes from hell.

The cutting is 25 metres deep at it's highest point, and was cut with the most rudimentary tools. Without even considering the state of the men forced to complete such work, this feat is incredible.

This is also the place where Sir 'Weary' Dunlop's ashes were spread, as a plaque reminded me as we got down to the track level of the pass.

Such an important part of Australian and Aussie Digger history, in addition to the other Allied and Asian labourers lost in this piece of WWII. A very important place to visit, and learn about.




Getting back to Kanchanaburi, Dave and I had our driver drop us back at the Bridge, and we had a very late lunch at one of the floating restaurants so we could take in the sunset colours highlighting the view. We even caught sight of a train crossing over, scattering the hordes of tourists getting their movie photos.

Remembering The Fallen In Kanchanaburi

Dave and I travelled up to Kanchanaburi by bus from Bangkok, and after settling on a guesthouse on the river's edge, we set off to take in the significance of this Thai town.  I think it took me the whole visit to get to a point where I said the town's name properly!

Firstly, we went through the Death Railway Museum, which gave us a good overview of what went on here and on the construction of the railway line all the way across the border to Burma. Part of the Japanese World War II campaign to open up a way of getting supplies through, 60,000 Allied Prisoners of War and 180,000 Asian labourers were enslaved to build the line under the most hideous of conditions.

Across the road is the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, where 2,815 Australian POWs who lost their lives during the construction have been laid to rest. 6,318 English POWs' graves occupy half of this cemetery, whilst the remaining plots are Dutch, New Zealander and Canadian, with many simply marked "An Allied Soldier". The US actually suffered the highest of the Allied POW losses, however their soldiers were repatriated for burial after the Japanese surrender.

Walking through the rows of Aussies, it was as moving as that experience at Anzac Cove, with so many lads around my age, killed in such unimaginable circumstances.

Many headstones held messages from family at home, and listed where the men were from. I spotted one woman buried here too, a volunteer within the medical unit. So many deaths were due to sickness, starvation, and also the brutality during the "Speedo" phase of construction, when the Japanese started to panic about their timelines for the completion of the railway, and things became more brutal.

So senseless. The world never seems to learn about the pointlessness of war.

Street Food Stalls Of Bangkok

Picking your way along the streets in Bangkok can be a challenge, with uneven ground, broken footpaths, and traffic coming every which way. The distractions of colour and smells coming from the food sellers does not help at all!

The smells of Bangkok range from the pungent to the sweet and divine - the deep frying of a range of things unseen by me before, can be sweet or savory, the raw fish threaded on skewers ready to be BBQed on the grill right there, and then there is the array of fruit cut up and ready to buy in perfect portions.

The intense heat coming from grills, or pot of steaming noodles or dumplings, adds to the sweat and humidity you feel.

I happened upon an area later in my stay where a school had just got out, and the footpath was filled with kids in uniform, clambering for their favourite snacks. This time was a food sellers dream, with sales frantic, it was also a time and stretch of road where the most, and most varied, stalls were lined up.

All this is a feast for your eyes, as much as your nose, and choosing which to taste is the hard part!

Sex Tourism In Pattaya

I just went along to Pattaya with the idea of a beachside party place in Thailand. I hadn't read up on it at all. My travel buddies were keen to pop down and meet up with a mate for a few drinks, and I was happy to come along for a night out.

Lunch at a place which specified that 'Single Ladies Welcome' was one of my first hints about the kind of place we were in, after walking along Walking Street in the daylight, and checking into a seedy looking guesthouse for our stay.

Our lunch spot on the water was filled with Western men my father's age, many alone at the bar, and some in groups paired up with a Thai girl.

When we met up with James around 10pm, Walking Street was a mass of movement, neon, and music. We had a beer after introductions, and then he took us on a little tour around to the Go Go Girl bars.

The first one was in the theme of an airport lounge, with the girls wearing hats or ties from an air hostess outfit. But not much else. James led us through, and we were soon sitting front row to a tiled platform towards the back of the bar. We had walked past the higher platform with a group of pole dancers, putting on a show for the men seated below.

The platform in front of us was soon the play area of two Thai girls, as they soaped themselves up, and slid around a pole together. All part of the experience, these images are going to take some time to leave my scarred memory!

Finishing our beer, James then took us to another bar just off the main Walking Street, Anglewitch, for a reportedly more impressive and elaborate show. Again, he led us through to seats at the front row of the rounded room with booths all around the main stage.  Here, a choreographed show with pole dancing, whips, and audience member participation was acted out, all playful and a little edgy.

As we walked away from there to our next and final Go Go bar for the tour, one of the lads commented that it was all fairly harmless, the show. And I know what he meant, in terms of the acts. But it's not really harmless, in the bigger, real life picture.

I mean, how did these girls get here?

When I worked in Cambodia some of the girls in the shelter had been rescued from the sex trade. The girl who was closest to my age whilst I worked there had been gathered from her village after her mother died, by a man who promised to take her to the city and provide her with schooling and a better life. Desperately poor village families, with no prospects of assisting their children to have such an opportunity, are often lured into such offers.

Rather than schooling, these girls then find themselves in a brothel in Phnom Penh or further afield into Thailand, and are then trapped by the owner of the brothel with violent threats because of their need to pay off their accommodation and up-keep costs. There becomes no way for these girls to be free, with more and more debt accumulated as days, months and years pass.

A young girl is particularly valuable to a brothel owner. But the girls are soon trapped into the life of sex tourism as their debt grows.

I am not sure if this is the story for the young women we saw dancing, and making deals with Western men, in these Go Go Bars in Pattaya, but I doubt that the tales are all that different. The demand continues as Western men travel to these places for sex, and the enslavery cycle repeats.

This visit was quite an experience, and without James there is no way we would have visited the places we did. But it has left a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, knowing that this goes on and seeing it in action. A very sad facet of the Western man.

Project 52: Friday Morning

Yesterday morning I trekked across Bangkok early to join the line to apply for my visa to Burma. Finding the place in a side street with the help of this post, and this one, I acquired a form from a place down the road, before taking my place in the line. For 2 hours I waited with the throngs of other people, and then finally reached the window inside.

After having my paperwork checked, I then got a number to be called up to the next window, and insisted I needed a same day visa, so that I could leave Bangkok the next day on further travels before heading the Burma. They took my baht and gave me a ticket to return later in the day.

And sure enough, I returned later in the afternoon to collect my passport, which had a new sticker in it. Pretty exciting!

This post is part of Project 52 with Jess from FuShMuSh.

I am actually enjoying doing this series, as it has marked where I am each week in real time, even when my posts are a week or so behind. The next few Project days, however, I expect to be in Burma, away from internet and contact from the outside world, or so I am led to believe. But then Jess is on holidays too during this next 2 weeks, so we will both have to catch up when we are both online again.

Project 52: Thursday Evening

After dinner on Thursday night I returned to my room before popping back up to the penthouse to hang out with the others, here in Bangkok.  This is the view from my room from that time.

This post is part of Project 52 with Jess from FuShMuSh.

Tokyo-Frankfurt-London

Big travel day yesterday - about 12 and a half hours flight time, plus transfers, train time, waiting in airports. But I am finally in London!

The end of my time in Japan, and it's cute, precise and efficient ways - the heated toilet seats, clean and safe streets, inforced recycling (the provisions for every possible type of waste, you can't not recycle), and picking out what you'll have to eat by pointing to the wax replica of the dish in the front window. I was quite surprised at the prevalence of smoking, and especially smoking in restaurants in Tokyo - bit of a shock compared to Aus, although here in London and through the airport in Germany, smoking was everywhere too, so perhaps I just need to get used to it.

I flew with Lutfhansa, and it was strange being around mainly caucasians again, and still not understanding what was going on! Lots of things and people seems "so European" - I guess I'll have to get over that too! Hee hee!

Met at the airport by Charles, which was great to see him. He also saved me from the luggage nightmare that I have managed to bring on for myself, which was very lucky. I think I am developing a complex about my damsel-in-distress propensity around Charles, especially after arriving into Bangkok sober this time and realising what he managed to organise when I was otherwise incapacitated...hmmmm. I am staying with Chucky for the weekend, so thanks heaps Charles! Looks like he will get to show me the ropes in London.

So, here I am. In old London town. I have no idea what I am doing, what I am going to do, and even have little clues about London itself - I don't even have a guide book. Talk about jumping without a parachute. Bring it on!

FCC, back to Bangas, and my Red Leather Jacket!!

After abandoning lunch with Evie and Sharee and Luke just after my last post, I managed to recover from my hangover poolside at the very lovely The Billabong. Perfect! Was just what I needed (seeing that I have been so flat out for the week? Yeah, right!).

So, of course, the only thing to do after that was to head to the FCC, for my farewell drinks during Happy Hour. The FCC has always been a favourite of mine, and many a happy hour has been spent watching the world speed past on the streets below, throughout my visits to Cambodia. (Another photo.)

Goodbyes to Luke (who I may just have to go to see in Toronto in the future!), and Sharee and Cal over a couple of Angkor beers. Has been so great to see them again.

Dinner with Evie and Magid, and a viewing of Amelie on DVD, before packing up all my bits and pieces followed. Was still worried about my baggage allowance, especially with my shopping tendencies and after having to pay excess the first time I left Cambodia - but again, worried for nothing!

A BIG thank you to the lovely Yvette for letting me stay with her, and hang out, and veg out while she had to work. Was lovely to see you, as always!

Taxi to the airport, and then the flight to Bangas. A cold sweat landing for me - you would think I would be over my dislike of flying by now!! - and a taxi return to my hotel on the Silom area of Bangkok.

Amid a slight gut upset, with the ever pressing thought of "where is the nearest bathroom??!!", I had set myself two tasks to do this afternoon while in Bangas - have have managed both!! I have sought out one of the two travel agents here in Bagkok who can supply you with a Japan Rail Pass, and made the purchase which will cover me for most of my train travel in Japan for the next 7 days - how cool is that! It has cost me as much as a return trip would to Kyoto, but will cover me for most of the Toyko travel, and also out further if I want to (which I am now intending too).

The other tasks was to pick up my tailor-made Red Leather Jacket! I am very excited about this! The place was called D3, and is probably more known to the tuk tuk drives as a jewellers. But let them also be known for my jacket! Very happy with this purchase - I will have to go back to my A/C room and wear it around a bit! Hee hee.

With an early, early flight tomorrow morning (whose idea was that??!), I will probably need to have a nanna night tonight. I will also need to finally open my second suitcase and try and convince myself that I WILL need those winter clothes now - and with the next couple of days in Toyko forecast for a top of 8C, I will have to get those thermals out! From 34C here today (feels like 41C according to Yahoo weather - no kidding!), will be an interesting change to say the least!

Marat, Flying, and Bangas

I have made it to Bangas, after goodbyes at the airport, and the 9 hour flight. After much panic about the weight on my luggage, I sailed through check-in, and enjoyed a quick beer with Mum, and Melissa and Katie, and Clinton, before heading off inside those silver doors of the airport.

Not long after moving along, it came to my attention that Marat Safin, fresh from his Australian Open Championship win, was also on the flight! Very distracting, know someone that hot is near by!! (How good was he this year!) Now surely a big lad like that needs to stretch his legs and walk a few laps of the plane, right? Apparently not. However, I saw a lot of Peter Lundgren (coach), as he popped back to chat to a group in front of me quite often.

Just a couple of musings about flying, which I still dislike immensely...why do they taxi you past random sights that you don't need to see just before taking off? The shells of aircraft in various states of disrepair were along the longest taxiing I have ever been on - ones without their noses, ones with wings missing. Can't they hide those!!?? And why, oh WHY, do you need to be woke up for a meal just moments after they settle you in for sleep after the last movie?? Who can be excited about veal lasagne at 1am?? Would have like to see them try that on the firey Russian in First Class!!

After the first flight of many in the coming weeks, the shock of the heat of Bangkok never ceases to shock! Wow! I always forget what it really feels like. Thailand is still a place where I feel completely out of my confort zone - on ever high rip off and danger alert - which it not usual for me. Just need more practice, I guess. And being flung outside of that zone is oh, so good for you! (really!) I love it, and yet and frightened of it, all at the same time. Hee hee.

Today I have been wondering around Bangas, with the weird and wonderful shopping malls, and out-of-the-blue markets everywhere. Am still walking around in awe. Have added to my luggage, I am afraid - but have stopped myself. There are so many great bags, shoes, jackets...I could go crazy here!

Over breakfast this morning there were snow pictures of Japan - now that's going to be an interesting adjustment in a week's time!!

Oh! I see Vanders has been named captain. Awesome! Since when have Hawthorn done things that I thought would be good. All signs are showing that Clarkson may just be the man!! Will have to keep that return flight handy for September now...just in case!! Good for you Richie, bring on the biff! - although he will always be cheezel-boy to me!!