This is the amazing Halong Bay where we spent a night aboard a junk yellow sailed though not red)   This was a 'sishing business' in the bay that raises huge fish to sell for sushi. You could also buy giganticv oysters.  Facebook has been blocked so this is the only way i can share photos. Hope this works!  :-)

So Much to Do- So Little Time!

There is literally too much to do and not nearly enough time , plus I';m not finding Internet access all that convenient or reliable, so I'm giving up on my blog but will try to post pix every chance on Facebook.  Thanks for understanding.

a hug,
Mom/Nancy

Be-Dazzeled by the Grand Palace

    If t here is one must-see sight that no visit to Bangkok would be complete without, it's the dazzling, spectacular Grand Palace, undoubtedly the city's most famous landmark. That’s where we spent the morning! Built in 1782 - and for 150 years the home of the Thai King, the Royal court and the administrative seat of government - the Grand Palace of Bangkok is a grand old dame indeed, that continues to have visitors in awe with its beautiful architecture and intricate detail, all of which is a proud salute to the creativity and craftsmanship of Thai people. Within its walls were also the Thai war ministry, state departments, and even the mint. Today, the complex remains the spiritual heart of the Thai Kingdom.
    Within the palace complex are several impressive buildings including Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), which contains the small, very famous and greatly revered Emerald Buddha that dates back to the 14th century. The robes on the Buddha are changed with the seasons by HM The King of Thailand, and forms an important ritual in the Buddhist calendar. Thai Kings stopped living in the palace around the turn of the twentieth century, but the palace complex is still used to mark all kinds of other ceremonial and auspicious happenings.   
    Although it was impressive, to be sure, the entire palace grounds had a sort of Seuss-like feeling to me. Sort of whimsical, but was just a little too much glitter for my taste.  And the way everything is sort of jammed together within a small space, coupled with the ka-zillion tourists (Thai and the rest of us)  gave me such a claustrophobic feeling I was glad when our time there was over. I don’t mean to be critical.  The Grand Palace truly is lovely and the Thai people appear to be very proud of their heritage. I was happy to see many school children visiting this special site. But, I guess I’m a just country girl in my heart and ready to head out where the crowds are smaller, things are more natural and the gilt of the buildings doesn’t hurt my eyes.
    We broke from the crowd to enjoy a light lunch with a just a few of the folks from the tour.  We found a little cafe where we shared several appetizers that were not only scump-dee-licious, but beautiful as well.  The chefs here take great pride in presentation and make every meal an event!
    We are headed out this afternoon to visit the Marble Palace and then see a dance show tonight. Whew!  It’s true, it’s true – There is no rest for the wicked!  LOL Tomorrow we’ll be heading to the mountains and the countryside.  We’ll be staying in tents for the next three nights – no Internet  - perhaps no electricity? Don’t look for a blog update.  J More  later as time and that magic we call “The Internet” are available…..Bring on the elephants!

~Nancy

"BEING" in BANGKOK

   For thinking we’d just sort of ease into sightseeing on this first day in Bangkok we sure saw a lot!   After a long couple of flights we arrived in Bangkok around 2AM. It was a very short night and by breakfast we were already meeting the other members of our tour group and heading out to see the Pakklong Talad floral market. And that was only the beginning of what turned into a very busy day!

The next stop was the Temple of the Reclining Buddha which houses not only a mammoth sized Buddha, but also several hundred other Buddhas that date back various years and by years I mean hundreds and hundreds – mayby thousands - of years.  Lots of glitter in Bangkok, but all that glitters is not gold. Some is just gold paint and some gold leaf, but I believe there’s one large Buddha that is made of pure gold and we’ll see it tomorrow.

After being Buddha-saturated in the morning we broke for lunch and had our first introduction to true Thai food. FIRE--BREATHING – HOT is what comes to mind, but also it is also quite refreshing – lots of fresh veggies and more steamed stuff than fried. We started with a Pho type of soup. It was my own fault that I got carried away with the hot peppers. Note to self: Take it easy with the sauces or you’re going to burn a whole right through your belly!  J 

Next we visited Wat Arun (a temple) where the priest gave me a special blessing because my birthday is tomorrow. Of course I couldn’t understand a word he said as he shook a bamboo brush full of water over my head, but I couldn’t help but reflect on how important water is in so many different religious ceremonies, in so many different cultures. After he chanted some prayers and doused me with water he dropped a sweet little pink hand woven bracelet into my hands. The tour guide had to show me how to hold my hands open to accept the gift because evidently Buddhist priests can’t touch women. I need to read up on what that’s all about. (Note: Our tour guide, YA says it's becuase men are fire and women are gasoline and you know what happens when they come together.)

   In the afternoon we took a ride on a Long Tail Speed Boat down the river for some glimpses into the life of everyday people living on the river in Bangkok. The most interesting part of the longboat was its motor. It’s actually a truck engine (with a radiator in front and transmission behind it) with a long shaft like a drive line – about 12 feet long with a propeller on the end of it. While it’s true that Bangkok is a large, metropolitan city, it also has an entire culture of life that lives and works by the river. We saw high rise business office and hotels. We saw dilapidated houses that look ready to fall into the river. We saw everything in between.   Along the way we stopped at a river museum: The Royal Longboat Museum where the boats used in presidential processions every zodiac cycle are housed.  Pretty impressive carved and gilt contraptions!  

   Last on the list for our busy first day was the Temple of Dawn which is just as pretty as it sounds like it would be.  It was the original capital of Thailand before one of the kings (name alludes me) moved it across the river to where it is currently.  It’s located on bank of the Chao Phraya River. Named after Aruna, the Indian God of Dawn, the Wat Arun is considered one of the most well known of Thailand's many landmarks. The temple is so named because the first light of the morning reflects off the surface of the temple with pearly iridescence.

My mind is a tad bit clouded this evening. I’m jag-lagged and sleep deprived, but I’ve got a huge smile on my face.  Not certain how much time I’ll have for blogging along the way of this journey, but I sure hope to post a few pictures. 

SIXTEEN HOURS!

We arrived Hong Kong after a 16 hour uneventful flight. Well, not totally 'uneventful.' I am the standing Rummy champion  for the trip so far. At least that's my version; Norm might tell you differently.

We each managed to catch a pretty good 'nap' on the flight over thanks be to Ambian.  I don't know how we traveled before we discovered those magic little pills. And while I know that part of this journey is to learn to be in the moment "without rushing to the future," I am really looking forward to arriving in Bangkok and stretching out in a real bed and catching some real sleep.  The adventure has begun!

Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment. Only this moment is life.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

LET THE JOURNEY BEGIN!

We're off this morning and can't wait to see and smell and hear all the new experiences that await us in SE  Asia. By trains, planes & automobiles - by rickshaw, elephant, or red-sailed-junk - I hope you'll be on this journey with us. Let the adventure begin!

BIG hugs,

Nancy & Norm

"Travel has a way of stretching the mind. The stretch comes not from travel's immediate rewards, the inevitable myriad new sights, smells and sounds, but with experiencing firsthand how others do differently what we believed to be the right and only way, " Ralph Crawshaw.  

COUNTDOWN

Only eight more days until we head for Chicago...and Hong Kong....and finally Bankok.  Like a kid before Christmas, I woke up last night dreaming about elephant riding through the rainforest.  Who-Hoo!  It's going to be a grand journey.



           I meant what I said and I said what I meant - An elephant's faithful, one hundred percent! ~ Dr Suess