This is a common saying around here. Same same but different. (Not sure where the punctuation goes, or what it would be.) It's not original or unique to Thailand. A few fellow travellers were talking about it last night, and it seems to be a common phrase in Singapore, other parts of South East Asia, etc. We've been using it to describe the night markets in various cities.
Today, I took a 5 hour bus ride south to the town of Sukothai. I was reading my book for a good hour or so, and something distracted me. I looked up and out the window, and for a brief time (probably 2-3 seconds) I couldn't remember where I was. I had to really think about what country I was in. The view out the window was lush, green, lots of trees, small mountain in the distance. Could have been Ecuador, could have been northern Morocco. That's when it hit me... Same same but different.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
I rode an elephant!
High up on my "to do" list for Thailand - ride an elephant. Yes, I know, it is touristy, and there are probably a million humanitarian reasons to not do so. But, elephant treks are a full fledge industry here in Chiang Mai, so I could rationalize that it was helping support the local economy and providing protection for the very animal that was about to haul me around a Thai forest for an hour.
I booked a full day trek with my hotel upon arriving in Chiang Mai. The package included an hour elephant ride, hiking, visiting with local indigenous people (the Karen weavers), hiking some more, and getting taken down the river on bamboo rafts. There were 8 in our tour. We drove for about an hour, somewhere southeast of Chiang Mai. The elephant ride was first up. But first, we had to walk across a rather precarious looking rope & bamboo bridge hanging about 50 feet over a very muddy, fast moving river, to get to the elephants. I'm not crazy about that sort of thing, but hey, there are elephants on the other side. I'm crossing the damn bridge.
We rode 2 to an elephant, in a basket right above the elephant's shoulders. Each elephant had a guide, who pretty much sat on the elephant's head and steered with his feet. I rode with Molly, another American from Seattle. As soon as the elephant started moving, it felt like a wild roller coaster ride, but with nothing to strap you in. We both held to the sides of the basket, and braced our feet on the elephant's neck. It took a little getting used to, and our elephant started moving down a path, up a hill into the forest. We were first in line, and our elephant took advantage of the rest of the group lagging and would stop for snacks, pulling leaves off bamboo shoots, shoving it's head further off-path to get some more.
At a certain point, the guides let one person on each elephant slide down off the basket onto the elephant's neck. Molly took that option (I stayed in the basket). But then our guide hopped off, leaving Molly as the driver. Again, our elephant saw this as a snacking opportunity. We finally got back on trail, the guide eventually hopped back on, and our trek ended with crossing the same river we took the bridge over, but this time with the elephant as our transport. I think the elephants like this - a nice cool down at the end of the trek. Once we were off the elephants, we were given a chance to feed them bunches of bananas, a treat they really enjoy. Having an elephant trunk get within inches of my face as I was trying to break off a banana is an odd feeling. But they truely are gentle creatures. They know just how close to get, and wait for the next banana.
I booked a full day trek with my hotel upon arriving in Chiang Mai. The package included an hour elephant ride, hiking, visiting with local indigenous people (the Karen weavers), hiking some more, and getting taken down the river on bamboo rafts. There were 8 in our tour. We drove for about an hour, somewhere southeast of Chiang Mai. The elephant ride was first up. But first, we had to walk across a rather precarious looking rope & bamboo bridge hanging about 50 feet over a very muddy, fast moving river, to get to the elephants. I'm not crazy about that sort of thing, but hey, there are elephants on the other side. I'm crossing the damn bridge.
We rode 2 to an elephant, in a basket right above the elephant's shoulders. Each elephant had a guide, who pretty much sat on the elephant's head and steered with his feet. I rode with Molly, another American from Seattle. As soon as the elephant started moving, it felt like a wild roller coaster ride, but with nothing to strap you in. We both held to the sides of the basket, and braced our feet on the elephant's neck. It took a little getting used to, and our elephant started moving down a path, up a hill into the forest. We were first in line, and our elephant took advantage of the rest of the group lagging and would stop for snacks, pulling leaves off bamboo shoots, shoving it's head further off-path to get some more.
At a certain point, the guides let one person on each elephant slide down off the basket onto the elephant's neck. Molly took that option (I stayed in the basket). But then our guide hopped off, leaving Molly as the driver. Again, our elephant saw this as a snacking opportunity. We finally got back on trail, the guide eventually hopped back on, and our trek ended with crossing the same river we took the bridge over, but this time with the elephant as our transport. I think the elephants like this - a nice cool down at the end of the trek. Once we were off the elephants, we were given a chance to feed them bunches of bananas, a treat they really enjoy. Having an elephant trunk get within inches of my face as I was trying to break off a banana is an odd feeling. But they truely are gentle creatures. They know just how close to get, and wait for the next banana.
"No power"
I had a choice on how to travel to Chiang Mai... take a flight from Bangkok, about 1 1/2 hours, or take an overnight sleeper train, about 14 hours. Both cost about the same. Naturally, I chose the sleeper train. I love taking the train when I travel. For me, there's just some old-world romanticism to trains, the sound of the train moving, starting and stopping, seeing passengers getting on and off, watching the countryside roll by. But, in all my travels, I have never taken a sleeper train. So I figured it was about time.
Well, the ride didn't exactly live up to my expectations. I boarded the train expecting to see the shiny new sleeper cars promoted on the railway's website. Not quite. Mine must have been an older car, as it had seen it's day. It was clean enough, but just had this sad, grey feel to it. The sleeper bunks were not yet set up, so it was just one long seat. I knew I might have a bunk mate (they will only match passengers of the same sex, which is good), so I took the seat next to the window and claimed that as my own. My luggage took up about 1/3 of the floor space. A buddhist monk had the cabin next to me, and waved a quiet hello as he passed.
About 3 stops later, my bunk mate arrived. Elizabeth, a yoga teacher, is originally from Wooster, Ohio. Small world. She is now living in Colorado, and travelling Thailand and teaching yoga here. At first, I was hoping I wouldn't have to share the cabin. But I was glad to have some company, if for no better reason, to get my mind off my other bunk-mates... some uninvited guests with many legs. eww. I didn't tell Elizabeth about them, but she soon spotted one on her own. We had dinner in the cabin, talked about our travels, and around 10:00, an attendant came in to turn our seats into beds. Surprisingly, the beds were rather comfortable, but I did not sleep well.
I woke up around 6am, and just laid in bed watching the scenery. Rice fields, rolling hills, some cow pastures (Thai cows are very skinny). A short while later, the train stopped - in the middle of nowhere. We stayed put for a short time, then started rolling again, but very slowly. As breakfast was being served, we asked what was happening. "No power." oops. That is not good. We were still at least 3 hours from Chiang Mai. The train varied from stop to slow to normal speed for the next 5 hours, arriving in Chiang Mai just before noon (about 2 hours late). I now know we had it good - other trains have been over 5 hours delayed.
I have decided to take the bus when I go back to Bangkok.
Well, the ride didn't exactly live up to my expectations. I boarded the train expecting to see the shiny new sleeper cars promoted on the railway's website. Not quite. Mine must have been an older car, as it had seen it's day. It was clean enough, but just had this sad, grey feel to it. The sleeper bunks were not yet set up, so it was just one long seat. I knew I might have a bunk mate (they will only match passengers of the same sex, which is good), so I took the seat next to the window and claimed that as my own. My luggage took up about 1/3 of the floor space. A buddhist monk had the cabin next to me, and waved a quiet hello as he passed.
About 3 stops later, my bunk mate arrived. Elizabeth, a yoga teacher, is originally from Wooster, Ohio. Small world. She is now living in Colorado, and travelling Thailand and teaching yoga here. At first, I was hoping I wouldn't have to share the cabin. But I was glad to have some company, if for no better reason, to get my mind off my other bunk-mates... some uninvited guests with many legs. eww. I didn't tell Elizabeth about them, but she soon spotted one on her own. We had dinner in the cabin, talked about our travels, and around 10:00, an attendant came in to turn our seats into beds. Surprisingly, the beds were rather comfortable, but I did not sleep well.
I woke up around 6am, and just laid in bed watching the scenery. Rice fields, rolling hills, some cow pastures (Thai cows are very skinny). A short while later, the train stopped - in the middle of nowhere. We stayed put for a short time, then started rolling again, but very slowly. As breakfast was being served, we asked what was happening. "No power." oops. That is not good. We were still at least 3 hours from Chiang Mai. The train varied from stop to slow to normal speed for the next 5 hours, arriving in Chiang Mai just before noon (about 2 hours late). I now know we had it good - other trains have been over 5 hours delayed.
I have decided to take the bus when I go back to Bangkok.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Thumbs of Steel
It takes 150 hours of training to become a masseuse in Thailand. I am convinced that 148 of those hours are spent refining the fine art of putting 500 lbs of pressure through the thumb (or elbow, or knee, or whatever) of a 92 lb Thai woman.
I had a full hour herbal massage last night, and even with the thumbs of steel prying into every muscle tissue, it was a very relaxing experience. For the herbal massage, a hot herbal compress is pressed onto the skin, warming up the muscles. While the masseuse did her massage work, she set the compress on my back or stomach, where it would strangely get hotter not cooler. Just about when I was at the point where I couldn't take the heat, she would move it a few inches. That seems to be a common trait of masseuses world-wide - knowing when you are just at the verge of pain, then backing off.
This was actually my second massage in Bangkok. My first night I tried out the much talked about foot massage. For those of you who are Amazing Race watchers, the Chinese version was featured this last season and had the racers writhing in pain. (But it is supposed to feel good later.) This was surprising mild, and again, very relaxing. It was a perfect ending to a day of walking around temples and exploring the city.
Oh, and the price of these little slices of bliss? 120 baht for the foot massage (1/2 hour), and 280 baht for the herbal massage. That works out to about $4 and $8. This could spoil a girl...
I had a full hour herbal massage last night, and even with the thumbs of steel prying into every muscle tissue, it was a very relaxing experience. For the herbal massage, a hot herbal compress is pressed onto the skin, warming up the muscles. While the masseuse did her massage work, she set the compress on my back or stomach, where it would strangely get hotter not cooler. Just about when I was at the point where I couldn't take the heat, she would move it a few inches. That seems to be a common trait of masseuses world-wide - knowing when you are just at the verge of pain, then backing off.
This was actually my second massage in Bangkok. My first night I tried out the much talked about foot massage. For those of you who are Amazing Race watchers, the Chinese version was featured this last season and had the racers writhing in pain. (But it is supposed to feel good later.) This was surprising mild, and again, very relaxing. It was a perfect ending to a day of walking around temples and exploring the city.
Oh, and the price of these little slices of bliss? 120 baht for the foot massage (1/2 hour), and 280 baht for the herbal massage. That works out to about $4 and $8. This could spoil a girl...
Sunday, June 14, 2009
New game
I'm creating a new game called "Guess what Jennifer ate on vacation." 1st odd food occurence happened on Friday night. Any guesses? (I'll eliminate dog and cat right off the bat.)
Saturday, June 13, 2009
2 nights in Bangkok, and the world's your oyster
OK, I just had to use that quip at some time, didn't I???
First impression walking out of the Bangkok airport on Thursday night: damn, it's hot. I know, shouldn't have been a surprise, but it was almost 11:00pm, and it was like being in a steamroom. After travelling for over 24 hours, I was just happy to be off a plane and out of an airport, though. I had a surprising thing happen on the taxi ride into my hotel... The taxi fare was actually less than what was quoted by the hotel. I think in all my travels this is the first time an airport taxi driver has not tried to rip me off first thing upon arrival. I was hoping that was a good sign for the rest of the trip.
My hotel, the Rambuttri Village Inn, is on Soi Rambuttri. It is a lively street at all times of day. Pulling up at 11:30 at night, I was surprised to see things quite hopping. Open air restaurants and pubs, street vendors, food carts, beer carts, pretty much everything was going on. Luckily, my hotel is set back quite a ways, so there is no street noise. I had to decide between sleep and food, and food won out. A little pad thai cart right outside the hotel looked interesting, and had a good crowd around it. So for 50 baht (around 75 cents) I had myself a nice plate of pad thai and a spring roll. Ate with 2 women from Germany who were ordering at the same time and vouched for the food. Went to bed shortly later with a full and happy tummy.
Friday night, my first full day in Bangkok.... so, what did I do? I went to the mall. Yes, the mall. I needed to get my cell phone unlocked and a new sim card put in so I can call locally if needed. The mall is not just a mall, it is a HUGE mall. 6+ floors of anything and everything. There must have been at least 100+ counters/stalls just devoted to cell phones and accessories. But I was told this was the place to go, and they set me up just as I needed. I tried hard to avoid spending more time in that place, but it was hard to resist. I finally pulled myself away and headed outside. Oh, did I mention? It was hot. Strangely, it felt better than last night, but it was still hot. Probably over 90. (One of these days I have to figure out the whole celsius thing.) But one of the things the Thai do well is air conditioning. They really know their air conditioning.
Going back outside after being in AC was hard, but I had to do it. I walked a few blocks to see the Jim Thompson house. He was an American that post WWII brought back the Thai silk trade, so they love him for that. His old house has been converted into a museum, and it was a really great place to see what traditional Thai architecture and furnishing looks like. It also had a really nice garden, which was shaded and provided some relief from the heat.
Besides the heat, I found out the unexpected nature of Bangkok weather. Just as I was arriving at one of the local temples/monuments, the Golden Mount (part of a local temple, built on an artificial hill), a black cloud was looming above. I raced up the hundreds of itty bitty steps winding around the temple, getting inside the temple just in time before the sky opened up. The view was great, almost better with the ominous clouds covering the city. And the wind picked up and provided some nice relief from the heat. (Yep, it was hot. Who figured?) But, it was past 4:30, and the temple closed at 5:00. Around 5:30, there were about 10 of us left, hoping not to be thrown out into the rain. Finally, a buddhist monk in orange robes came out with a handful of umbrellas, offering one to each of us. I don't know if he was earning good karma, or if he just wanted us gone because it was his dinner time. Either way, it was appreciated. I finished off the day with a traditional Thai foot massage. ahhhh!
Today, I tried to repay a bit of the good karma, putting donations into just about every box I passed at both temples I visted. I went to 2 of the 3 big ones, Wat Arun and Wat Pho. Both were spectacular! Wat Pho's main attraction is a 150 foot long reclining buddha. There are several smaller temples on the grounds, and it really is a huge complex. Wat Arun is as tall as Wat Pho is wide, though. Wat Arun's main temple is almost 250 feet tall, and has very very steep stairs to get almost to the top of that. (Going down was scarier than going up.) Both Wats featured an abundance of amazing porcelain work, stone carvings (guardians, lions, various animals, etc.), and lots of orange clad monks. Both also featured a lot of sun. Shade is a scarce commodity around here. Got in both a tuk tuk ride and a ride on the river ferry.
I am realizing fast that there is a lot more to see & do in Bangkok than I originally figured on. I know I can't fit it all in, but trying to choose between sights and activities is proving harder than I thought. Also, trying to decide between the food is a tough choice. Everything I've had - whether from open air food carts to white table cloth restaurants - has been great.
Palaces and more wats are on the list for tomorrow. And shopping - the big market here is only on the weekends. I've been here for almost 48 hours and haven't bought a thing! Also hoping to fit in some time to soak in the rooftop pool at the hotel, and of course, another massage.
Sawadee.
First impression walking out of the Bangkok airport on Thursday night: damn, it's hot. I know, shouldn't have been a surprise, but it was almost 11:00pm, and it was like being in a steamroom. After travelling for over 24 hours, I was just happy to be off a plane and out of an airport, though. I had a surprising thing happen on the taxi ride into my hotel... The taxi fare was actually less than what was quoted by the hotel. I think in all my travels this is the first time an airport taxi driver has not tried to rip me off first thing upon arrival. I was hoping that was a good sign for the rest of the trip.
My hotel, the Rambuttri Village Inn, is on Soi Rambuttri. It is a lively street at all times of day. Pulling up at 11:30 at night, I was surprised to see things quite hopping. Open air restaurants and pubs, street vendors, food carts, beer carts, pretty much everything was going on. Luckily, my hotel is set back quite a ways, so there is no street noise. I had to decide between sleep and food, and food won out. A little pad thai cart right outside the hotel looked interesting, and had a good crowd around it. So for 50 baht (around 75 cents) I had myself a nice plate of pad thai and a spring roll. Ate with 2 women from Germany who were ordering at the same time and vouched for the food. Went to bed shortly later with a full and happy tummy.
Friday night, my first full day in Bangkok.... so, what did I do? I went to the mall. Yes, the mall. I needed to get my cell phone unlocked and a new sim card put in so I can call locally if needed. The mall is not just a mall, it is a HUGE mall. 6+ floors of anything and everything. There must have been at least 100+ counters/stalls just devoted to cell phones and accessories. But I was told this was the place to go, and they set me up just as I needed. I tried hard to avoid spending more time in that place, but it was hard to resist. I finally pulled myself away and headed outside. Oh, did I mention? It was hot. Strangely, it felt better than last night, but it was still hot. Probably over 90. (One of these days I have to figure out the whole celsius thing.) But one of the things the Thai do well is air conditioning. They really know their air conditioning.
Going back outside after being in AC was hard, but I had to do it. I walked a few blocks to see the Jim Thompson house. He was an American that post WWII brought back the Thai silk trade, so they love him for that. His old house has been converted into a museum, and it was a really great place to see what traditional Thai architecture and furnishing looks like. It also had a really nice garden, which was shaded and provided some relief from the heat.
Besides the heat, I found out the unexpected nature of Bangkok weather. Just as I was arriving at one of the local temples/monuments, the Golden Mount (part of a local temple, built on an artificial hill), a black cloud was looming above. I raced up the hundreds of itty bitty steps winding around the temple, getting inside the temple just in time before the sky opened up. The view was great, almost better with the ominous clouds covering the city. And the wind picked up and provided some nice relief from the heat. (Yep, it was hot. Who figured?) But, it was past 4:30, and the temple closed at 5:00. Around 5:30, there were about 10 of us left, hoping not to be thrown out into the rain. Finally, a buddhist monk in orange robes came out with a handful of umbrellas, offering one to each of us. I don't know if he was earning good karma, or if he just wanted us gone because it was his dinner time. Either way, it was appreciated. I finished off the day with a traditional Thai foot massage. ahhhh!
Today, I tried to repay a bit of the good karma, putting donations into just about every box I passed at both temples I visted. I went to 2 of the 3 big ones, Wat Arun and Wat Pho. Both were spectacular! Wat Pho's main attraction is a 150 foot long reclining buddha. There are several smaller temples on the grounds, and it really is a huge complex. Wat Arun is as tall as Wat Pho is wide, though. Wat Arun's main temple is almost 250 feet tall, and has very very steep stairs to get almost to the top of that. (Going down was scarier than going up.) Both Wats featured an abundance of amazing porcelain work, stone carvings (guardians, lions, various animals, etc.), and lots of orange clad monks. Both also featured a lot of sun. Shade is a scarce commodity around here. Got in both a tuk tuk ride and a ride on the river ferry.
I am realizing fast that there is a lot more to see & do in Bangkok than I originally figured on. I know I can't fit it all in, but trying to choose between sights and activities is proving harder than I thought. Also, trying to decide between the food is a tough choice. Everything I've had - whether from open air food carts to white table cloth restaurants - has been great.
Palaces and more wats are on the list for tomorrow. And shopping - the big market here is only on the weekends. I've been here for almost 48 hours and haven't bought a thing! Also hoping to fit in some time to soak in the rooftop pool at the hotel, and of course, another massage.
Sawadee.
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