Bangkok, Thailand

What an amazing 5 days in Bangkok (Nov 13-18), well more like 2.5 amazing days, as it took us 2.5 days to adjust our body clocks. The guesthouse that we stayed at has nostalgic memories for us as we stayed here 25 years ago when our kids were both under the age of 2. The place has not changed a lot. It was comfortable then and was certainly a great place to stay at again.

Courtyard at Alliance Guesthouse in Bangkok



We have enjoyed Bangkok. No, not the gridlock of traffic or the humidity, but the rides up and down the river on the river boats, the variety of foods always available and the associated aromas as they are being prepared in sidewalk stands, the abundance of fresh fruit (you can buy a small plastic cone-shaped bag of sliced mangos, pineapples or papayas for about $.65), the smell of incense wafting through the air from the shrines or temples that are everywhere, the sounds of ringing bells so common in Buddhist temples, the greenery and flowers, the over-crowded markets (where you can buy everything at a bargain price), the roosters and birds waking you at 5 AM with their crowing and singing and being here to see the people celebrate one of their religious festivals called Loi Krathong. This festival is held on the night of the full moon in Nov or Dec and this year happened to be on Nov 17. In Bangkok, crowds of people flocked to the riverside where they enjoyed a meal then after a time of prayer or meditation, they lit candles and sticks of incense which were placed in the centre of a flower arrangement and this was all carefully lowered into the river and gently set afloat. Many of the same people also purchased paper sacks attached to a metal ring with a centre piece holding wicks soaked in fuel. These were lit and then the sacks were lifted into the night sky as lanterns. The whole event was very colourful, lively and celebratory; we were pleased to be able to see it.

Yes, we did also visit the Grand Palace and several temples (you can't be in Bangkok without seeing at least one of the many temples with a sitting, standing or reclining Buddha) and we were amazed at the architecture.

Amazing temples and manicured grounds

At the Grand Palace

 

 As seen from Wat Arun

Wat Arun at sunset

 

Reclining Buddha

Sellers on Khao San Road

View from River Taxi

Flower Offerings for the River

Lighting Lanterns

Floating Flower Offerings

On Monday, Nov 18 we caught the morning bus for Chiang Mai. The ride was 10 hours long with a lunch break and several bathroom breaks along the way. Loved seeing the countryside; lush green rice paddies, sugar cane plantations, bamboo forests, banana and coconut trees and many varieties of flowering trees and shrubs.

 

We are currently staying at a guesthouse called The Juniper Tree and are in a cottage that has a fan, air conditioning, a fridge, a comfortable bed, hot showers. The grounds are beautifully kept and there is a good sized pool. All of our meals are included so it really is a wonderful place for Olive to focus on her writing and for me to go for long walks into the old town and explore.

Our cottage at Juniper Tree Guest House

With a few days of writing and reading under her belt, Olive and I took yesterday (Nov 22) off to be tourists. We booked a tour to go to an elephant farm (includes an elephant ride and show), an ox cart ride, a ride down the river on a bamboo raft, a great buffet lunch and a visit to a hill tribe village where some of the women place rings around their necks and gradually add more and more rings until it appears that they have very long necks. They do some beautiful weaving and Olive purchased a scarf here.

 

Although you can't tell, we are riding an elephant

Budding Artist

Finished product

Peaceful float down the river

One of the fascinating things about staying at the guesthouse has been the people we are sharing meals with each day. This guesthouse, like the one in Bangkok, is intended to be primarily a place of refreshment for international workers who work in Thailand and neighbouring countries. As a result we have met people from many countries and enjoyed hearing their stories.

We plan to stay in Chiang Mai until Dec 4 when we will head for Singapore