Dec 28 plane 4

I was quite surprised at how quick customs was -- we picked up our luggage, before that they checked our passports/visa entry stamped us in and our luggage was re-x-rayed and carry-ons re-scanned and the checked luggage went off. No hand search of anything or comparing to anything. That seems really odd. Maybe those super-xray things check for all sorts of stuff. Maybe they have drug-sniffing dogs? Maybe they don't care about smuggling any more. I wasn't going to say any of this out loud there, but I am quite surprised.

We got home safely. Arrived in Tampa about 12:30am. Justin got a cab back to his apartment and the shuttle van picked me up and I was home by 0230. My throat started getting sore in Dulles, and I ended up sick for two weeks with a head cold. Very bad.

The end.

Dec 28 plane 3

6:45pm EST I think we have been traveling a full 24 hours now. I think we landed by 2:30pm and went through customs. That consisted of getting our bags from the belt and going through another security where they took the bags and re-checked them for Tampa. They looked at our passports, and stamped re-entry. Nothing else.

We tried to get on (standby) a flight that left for Tampa at 5:45 but that was full and there were probably 15 people waiting standby same as us. Obviously we didn't get on that flight. Justin is sacked out across a bench. I am groggy and disoriented and not thinking real well. Not everyone in the terminal looks as disoriented as I feel, but people look tired. This last leg is feeling brutal. I got a Starbucks when we first landed and just now cinnamon pretzels and a strawberry lemonade. I took a picture of Justin laying across the benches. The snooze revived him a bit -- he is reading a book.

Dec 28 plane 2

It's about 1:30, arriving at Dulles in about half an hour -- the customs declaration form instructions are in the duty-free magazine catalog. It asks you to list everything you are bringing back and the value of those things. We didn't have anything of much value (just a couple of fabric things). I wonder what the actual customs line will be like?

Trivia: my hands are *really* dry and cracked from being on the airplane.

Dec 28 plane

Flying west to east is faster -- the leg from Tokyo to Bangkok took nearly 9 hours going out and it taking 5 or so going this way. We've been flying 100 mph faster. Knowing what to expect helps a bit too. And there is a bit more room (fewer passengers) in the cabin as well. They gave us a box "lunch" with a sandwich of misc. meat & cheese and an orange. We have a long layover in Washington DC ... the lady in our tour group who had been a United flight attendant said we should try for an earlier flight on standby -- I'm not sure what that will do to my ride though. I think we have 2 hours in Tokyo. I don't know how long Micah has.

Well, we are on the Tokyo-Dulles leg now. 2pm my time as I said, back on the plane. This one is less crowded, and so I moved from next to Justin to another row with my aisle seat and two empty between me and the couple on the other end. The space should make this long stretch easier. Justin has a seat on either side open now too, so he should be more comfy. There was a cute little 4-5 year old girl in the terminal singing her abc's who is now across the aisle from me. I offered her mom to take the center row later if/when she wants, so the girl can stretch out. Oh yeah, 2 girls got on for my seat, so I'm another row back with only one guy at the other end of my 5-seat row. I really will be able to lean over if I want to snooze.

Well, it is 5 til 0500 my time (whatever time that is now....) and they fed us a meal -- same chicken curry menu from the flight 2 weeks ago (the alternative was beef & potatoes) but that was okay -- had a salad and carrot cake. I'm going to try to sleep. Some turbulence earlier with the whole plane shaking from sided to side. Per the map we are past Siberia, heading for the international date line and Alaska with about 10 hours to go (!) I have watched a really corny movie about a guy given "gifts" -- Ultimate Gift, and I just finished watching Hairspray, that was really pretty good.

Almost 0830 and I've totally lost track of am/pm. I think it is pm but I did sleep for a while. Still west of the North American Continent but headed for it looks like Seattle. Watched the map thing and I think it is pm by elapsed time, but we crossed the dateline so it rolled back to am Eastern Standard time. It's a long trip no matter how one measures it. Just got the the box of noodle soup/ramen snack with an OJ, a banana and an almond cookie. People on the plane are up and about again, with some lights on etc. The little map thingy says we still have 5 hours before we arrive in Washington DC - we still aren't over land yet but still we won't go over northern Canada at all. I don't know why we took a more southern route unless it was to get out of that turbulence. I took a pix of the map then.

Okay, now it is about 1230 an I was sleeping across the seas -- woke up and we are flying over Iowa. I know this is gibberish now because I am very disoriented. It is light out but the plane has been mostly sleeping. I don't know if it is easier this direction or not.

Dec 28 Bkk

We are up at 2:30 am (I woke up at 2:10) and all packed and ready to go. One thing occurs to me. I know how to live in Thailand, but this group has taught me to be a gracious and graceful tourist. I didn't come with expectations of learning from the people in my tour group. But I have. Each has taught a slightly different thing -- all were open, inquisitive, learning, friendly in their own way. One couple was blindingly generous and trusted me. I don't know if I would have been as trusting.

We go to breakfast in 15 mins and start the traveling alternate dimension for the next 22 hours. That's the time you get to bring your brain to be where you body has been conveyed by the airplane.

0720 my time (?) whatever that is or will be. It is am for now, I guess. Anyway, a little more room on the plane this time as there are 3 people in the 4-across row. Justin has the aisle seat and I have an empty on my right. Micah is a few rows in front of us -- we are nearly at the back of the economy section, by the galley. That's not too bad though. We get breakfast now. Justin said he was hungry again -- he's snoozing though. I find that if I read, I get sleepy. I think I'll have coffee now and try to stay up for a while.

Dec 27 Bkk 11

The farewell supper was lovely on the boat.


I tried to get some night pictures of the Grand Palace and Wat Arun, but it was hard to get clear ones from the boat. One of our traveling companions did though - here it is:
They served sticky rice and mango for dessert!! I didn't expect that at all -- mangos aren't in season until June. The "hairy" things on the right are Ngok -- they are supposed to be a deeper red. It was cool to get to eat one, but those weren't all that great an example.

It has been a good time on this trip. Very worthwhile.

Dec 27 Bkk 10

A couple random thoughts:

It won't be another thirty years until I return again. Maybe I will plan/budget for at least every 4 years, like furlough. I was surprised to meet people in our group who travel practically continuously all year round. What an interesting retirement.

It might be interesting to come another time and not let on at all that I spoke Thai and see what it is like just understanding what people say without trying to speak.

The north was hazy -- I always thought from hill tribe people burning off the fields and forest. Bangkok was/is clearer than I expected, but I've heard that they have had clean-air programs. It still is somewhat hazy anyway.

Dec 27 Bkk 9

One of the royal buildings we saw today was built in the 1800s in a European style, I think the tour guide said. Anyway, it was supposed to be domed on the top but when they got to the roof, they decided to put thai-style tops on it. So now the guide said that it is called a farang building with a Thai hat.

There was a lot of restoration going on with the murals and temples and all. I remember mom and dad saying that there was more merit to be made building new temples versus restoring old one, but it looks like the restoration business is doing well now.

Dec 27 Bkk 8

Showering a few minutes ago there was a big (about 2 inches) water bug crawling out of the floor drain. I stepped on the sucker.

There's a huge 7-8 story almost city block square parking garage across from the -- the next block over to the east from the hotel. It is sort of a little fun looking out the hotel window at the city. Bangkok is a total sensory overload. But if you pick a spot and look for a while, there's stuff to see.

This next picture was taken out our bus window in Bangkok. The woman has a treadle sewing machine out on the sidewalk and it looks like she is doing mending (jeans) right there.




This last picture is also from Bangkok -- in the Chinese fresh market. I took the picture because of the old-fashioned two-basket hanging from the bamboo stick (it is leaning on the wall just to the right of the lady with the orange t-shirt) method of taking things to the market. Another example of my eyes finding the things that connect to 30+ years ago.

Dec 27 Bkk 7

It's about 4:30 and I've showered after walking around the market with Eileen and Doc for a while. I got the little snack that had sticky rice with a banana in the middle wrapped in a leaf and steamed. It was freshly toasted and delicious. Walking around the market was totally typical of a Chinese Thai market. I feel a little bad that I didn't find a better restaurant last night -- both times we struck out. Walking in the market I was able to pick out good snack foods though.

Oh, last night the Tesco supermarket was pretty close to what a Publix etc. would be like here, only a bit more compact, and hidden inside a building with the Chinese fresh market all around. But it had aisles/rows and a fresh veggies/produce section on one side and take-out prepared food and scanning cash registers etc etc. Most stuff recognizable brands (Fritos, Coke etc.) And the sodas have better taste -- they don't use high fructose corn syrup, they use cane sugar.

The frangipani picture above was taken at the bus stop outside the Grand Palace. Just put it in here because it is pretty. I haven't included my zillion flower pictures for the most part.

Dec 27 Bkk 6

I thought maybe I wished we would have stayed in Chiang Mai another day but I wouldn't have wanted to miss the Wat Pra Kaew and the Emerald Buddha today. I think I would not have changed much of anything of this trip schedule. So the boys have pretty much seen all the most important (to me) things and places. I'm so glad. For a short highlights visit, this has been exactly right. The tour company called it "Discover Thailand". If you/I wanted to call this "Discover Beth's Thailand" I think that would have been right too.

The boys liked Chiang Mai best too. Maybe I was prejudiced, but I'm glad they liked it -- even if nudged by me.

Tipping -- I have ended up deciding that 25% of what we've spend in-country is enough. it is an arbitrary decision, but the company recommendation is just way too much for me. Expenses in-country are not trivial. I think that for several reasons (mostly that I didn't anticipate -- like the ATM not working thing) I have reverted to the "missionary" way of looking at money. Can't stop it though.

Dec 27 Bkk 5

Everyone else is getting massages all over in each town. I don't know about that. Maybe it would have been cool at the Yao place (Kanchanaburi resotel) but not really that important to me. A foot massage for an hour (!) cost about 150B, a whole body massage 250B -- less than $10. Too many cultural issues -- I can't do the foot thing.

This picture is one the tour guide took while I was at the Sukhothai ruins -- I did take a lot of pictures that day.

I don't know if I wrote them down before but I got the words for Post Office (Praisanee) and police officer (thumnuat) in the past couple of days. Like I said -- I get new words back every day. I love that.

At breakfast (in the Grand China Princess) I realized that part of my disorientation that first couple of days was the Chinese-ness of this part of Bangkok. Up country it was more like what I knew and remembered -- it felt right. Also the trip out to Kanchanaburi was odd because they were planting rice all over and it is the wrong time of year for that -- it is harvest time now. Up north, they didn't try for the 3rd crop of the year and hadn't planted again. Again, it felt more "right".

The other day the tour guide talked about Kao Pansa -- an equivalent to Ramadan. I didn't remember that part of it (did recognize the name though) but then he talked about guys going into the priesthood for those three months because the fields are planted but aren't ready for harvest. When the time comes to harvest they come out of the priesthood and help back at the farm. I knew the part about the temporariness of priesthood. I didn't know the whys of the timing. Makes sense though.

More language stuff -- I don't talk very well. My sentences have terrible grammar and I think in English (and it is painfully obvious when I talk, even to me) so they sound terribly off. I don't understand a lot of words, and do have a hard time when people talk quickly. People have been saying that my accent/pronunciation is good, but if I say more than a short phrase, my lack of language is very obvious. I am sad and embarrassed about that. I noticed with numbers that if I try to translate as I think, I lose stuff and have a harder time. If I don't try so hard, I just know what people are talking but and it feels a bit like ESP -- but probably because it goes straight to the language center of my brain. I really wonder about the neuro-biology of my language. I wonder if it is the same part of my brain or if one place is for English and one is for Thai? I wonder if the left brain translates and the right brain just knows? I wonder if it is different for oriental languages or if for example Spanish-speakers use near to the same part of the brain? I had to pretty much give up on reading. Too hard and too sad/disappointing.

Dec 27 Bkk 4

The Emerald Buddha was wearing the cold season wrap -- fabric made out of gold. I knew the statue was made out of jade (not emerald). I knew it was found under a plaster covering a long time ago. They discovered it by accident because the plaster had cracked or flaked or something. I didn't know the plaster-covered version had been housed in Chiang Rai, and after discovery it had gone to Chiang Mai to the Lanna king. Very cool -- a northern Thai relic here in Bangkok. This all came from the tour guide.
I liked the lecture about jade at the place up on Doi Suthep. The lady told us a lot of history. The teeny elephant I got there was true jade, not nephrite (which is softer). I like that it is like an emerald.

The palace grounds are a sensory overload. But there are some tranquil things too. I like lotus ponds. There were rows of bonsai trees on the grounds.

This sala was a resting/lounge platform for the royal family. The floor is made of one large piece of teak wood.

Dec 27 Bkk 3

The palaces were cool. I took the usual tourist pix and pix of the boys walking around too. Micah wanted to see the weaponry museum on the lower level, so we went in there -- swords and spears and such.
There was a changing of the guard going on too. [oh - that's a funny line here next to the pic of the guys and some statues]



Here's the actual guard picture:

Dec 27 Bkk 2

We went, and saw the Emerald Buddha (you can't take pictures of it -- not dignified -- I remember that from before too). It was pretty cool to see it though, and the grounds are just amazing, of course. Took lots of pix of the grounds and thing around it, the royal palaces and so forth. This excursion didn't take all that long though - we left at 8am and were back by 11:15 or so.

Micah is napping and Justin went to the little mall that is attached to the hotel. Chinatown in Bangkok is not my favorite place. I think I could walk around and find more fun stuff, but I'm not sure. Every day I learn (remember, really) new words. My word for this morning was puan, for a little dirty, smudged. Sokaphrok means very dirty (had to confirm that one with Otto) but puan is just a little stuff on whatever. I had noticed one of the coffee cups at breakfast had a spot and gave it to one of the servers, and he used the word.

I also noticed a decal in the back window of a lot of taxis that said "Rak (heart) Nai Luang" in Thai script, and had to ask Otto who Nai Luang was. It is the King - oops -- another new word....

Dec 27 Bkk last full day here

This is our last full day here -- we go to the grand palace (and see the Emerald Buddha?) then lunch on our own then a farewell dinner cruise on the Chao Praya river.

Travel Trivia: At most hotels you can get clothes washed for approximately a dollar per piece. One could pack less and just plan/budget for this. I think I would do that.

Dec 26 Chiang Mai 3

We flew into Don Muang (the old airport) on Bird airlines. Only the symbol is just a beak. Odd. The old airport looked familiar though, as did the old/new/first superhighway.

Got a couple of interesting pix on the drive from the airport to the hotel though.
One of an old Bangkok bus where the bus ticket taker had a ticket roll tray like when we used to get bus tickets as a big group of school kids -- 50 statang per ticket back then.




The other picture is of a tuk-tuk. We didn't ride any on this trip, but saw lots. I don't think the two boys and I would have fit on one together.



[Writing the next morning] Last night we ate supper on our own at a so-so Chinese restaurant. Found a western-style supermarket though and got Micah some shaving cream and got a few cookies/snack for Justin.

Dec 26 Chiang Mai 2

Just got back from the market. Actually that went very well - we were able to get there and back easily on the song taew (like the red truck on the left). The guys got gifts for people and I loved walking around. I didn't get a scarf..... but I never really wear them. I'm so glad I got the pants yesterday. Really glad -- the print is a typical pasin batik print. I wish just a little that I got a pasin length in Sukhothai, but that's okay. I have a bunch of that type of fabric at home and haven't used it in a quilt yet....

Lunch at a nice but teeny little restaurant, chicken flambe, with a tart barbecue sauce with macaam in it.



Now we are at the airport in Chiang Mai, waiting to board. Entering into the alternate universe of the travel space dimension again. I will feel the separation - feel it already even though this airport is more like a local bus station.

Dec 26 Chiang Mai

Another moon over the mountain picture. I love mornings.

I've been waking up pretty naturally between 5:30 and 6:00 -- did again today. I've also been trying to figure out what to tip the guide. I think 25% of what we've spent in the country will be fair.

I am sad to be leaving -- the time has felt a bit rushed as we go from thing to thing. Not for pacing of a tour actually, but for feeing a sense of place. That must be what I'm really wanting -- to feel at home here. Only you can't do that in 16 short days. You can't and tour around to see all the important things. I guess I've never been a tourist here before. It is a different role.
This morning we have breakfast at the hotel, then the morning free. Lunch together then go to the airport to fly back to Bangkok. Tomorrow morning tour the royal palace in Bangkok, then free in the afternoon, then dinner and a very short night then fly out in the wee hours.

I like the mountain. I'm sitting here in the hotel in a 9th flor room looking out at it. You can always tell where west is -- by the sun and by the mountain. Pretty reassuring. It gave me a sense of confidence as a kid too.

Dec 25 Chiang Mai 3

I'm actually writing this in the morning of the 26th, but it goes with last night. I was trying to write before but was literally falling asleep as I wrote. Micah hasn't been able to find a suitable souvenir so he wanted to go back out to the night market. I didn't want him to go alone the night before, but last night Justin went with him. Micah had gone with me (and Eileen & Doc) during the day so he was ok with the song taew drill to get back. Justin was a little concerned about not having Mom there to interpret and to be honest, I struggled a little trying not to worry. So the driver who brought us back from supper took them on to the market. I got cards from the hotel for them to show to a taxi to get back if necessary. When I woke up this morning at 4, I peeked in on them and they are here safe, so it must have turned out okay.....

Dec 25 Chiang Mai 2

Just got back from a really lovely supper at nice middle class home here in Chiang Mai. Our hosts were a mom and a wonderful little 5 yr old girl who was just adorable and precocious. Her mom and dad met in college. She is a secretary at a shipping company and he is a manager of some kind at a beer distributor. The home was a nice 2 story modern one, with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, a living room, dining room and kitchen. They also had a nice 2nd story balcony.

The mom's mother lives with them. They all were really so very delightful. I need to write her a thank-you note for hosting us.

Dec 25 Chiang Mai

I'm starting to feel a bit (teensy bit) acclimatized to the country. We went out on our own this afternoon to the Wararot market and walked around. My language was okay to ask for directions and where things were. I managed ok on the song taew too -- bargained a *little* (probably still way over paid). It cost us 20B per person -- shoot, I remember when it just cost 2B per person to ride anywhere on one of those.

Got lots of pix up at the Doi Suthep temple. Eileen and I skipped the Buddhist lecture and went to a hilltribe handicraft store. I got a tablecloth and an elephant footprint purse thingy there.

Up on the mountain we stopped at a jade carving gemologist place. I got a little jade elephant there. On our market trip this afternoon I got a pair of batik pants.

This is a picture of a jade Buddha that the gemologist place donated to the King and he donated it back to the temple on Doi Suthep. It is beautiful and reminiscent of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok. Very cool for Chiang Mai to have one here.

Dec 25 Chiang Mai (writing about yesterday 5)

I'm going to try to post a short video. I'm not sure if it is going to work with this format.




Then we came back and went to bed. Micah wanted to go back to the night market, but I didn't want him going out alone. So we came back and I was in bed by about 9:30 again. Still waking up at 5:30 or so.

Dec 25 Chiang Mai (writing about yesterday 4)

Dancing:
We sat right next to the center area where they danced. They started out with a classical dance with the fingernails. Very pretty.




And they did a couple of Northern Thai style folk dances (I recognized the gestures for planting in the ground and growing and harvesting) and a guy did a sword/knife dance.

Dec 25 Chiang Mai (writing about yesterday 3)

We went back to the bus and rode to the "Chiang Mai Historical and Cultural Center Restaurant" for the Kantoke Dinner. We sat on the floor with the triangle pillows and ate from the round tray thing and it was so funny -- they gave us one teeny basket of sticky rice about the size of my fist for every 2 people. The tour guide said that is all foreigners can eat of that "unusual" form of rice... The boys and I and Ott at EIGHT of them. Between the tour guide's left knee and Justin's right knee below is one of the baskets.

He also got us the hot stuff dip (nam prik). It is like a Thai salsa. After supper they did the dancing thing.

Dec 25 Chiang Mai (writing about yesterday 2)

Last night we started out at an odd little place - an herb garden - with plants from around Thailand. The guide said it was where they filmed Rambo 4 -- the chicken fighting scenes. They had some display of old fashioned rice processing and we sampled some teas made from ginger and lemon grass and a few other herbs. They gave us the dippers.

Then we went around to a boat where we rode up the Ping river and they served a drink with pineapple and soda and rum (I had mine without the rum!) They also had some kind of chip and some sort of nuts/beans mixture.

There were women's and men's kayak and rowing teams working out on the river too. I got a few pix of them. We went by lots of fancy restaurants and lots of nightclub open air and local sorts of places.

Then we stopped at a temple and lit/floated the paper hot air balloon things again. We also sang a Christmas carol or two.

Dec 25 Chiang Mai (writing about yesterday)

Well, I have more stuff to write about yesterday but it is 6am in the hotel and I'm sitting watching the very full moon over Doi Suthep and the city is just stirring a bit. It really is a pretty sight. I can hear roosters crowing even here in the city.

I did cry, seeing the Verners. Of course I would have recognized them even after all these years. They are both thin, and Uncle Jim's hair is white. They said I looked like Mom. What a compliment. I took pix, but I'm sorry they are blurry. Sharon looks so young. She is with WEC and is just finishing furlough and will be in grad school here in Chiang Mai studying linguistics. Her brother Jon is in Edmonton, Alberta, is a fire fighter and has a wife and daughter. They said they (Uncle Jim) tried to email Dad, but couldn't get an email through -- address troubles. After I get back, I'll have to send it.

So I found Robert, Georgina, Jim and Agnes and Sharon. That's pretty good! Oh yes -- they brought us a gift of some kanoms for Christmas. Jim said I taught him his first word of Thai! *That* was more than 40 years ago - how can we all be this old?