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Nancy and Doug Trips
Nancy and Doug Trips

Nancy and Doug Trips

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
Our lifelong travel bug has given us our most prized ‘possessions’ - the many memories from business and especially family trips.
 “Take only memories, leave only footprints.” En savoir plus🇨🇦British Columbia
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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Vendors set up along the river for annual fair
    Vendors set up along the river for annual fairCrossing the river

    Phare Cambodian Circus

    15 mars 2024, Cambodge 🌙 31 °C

    We showered, rested and had dinner at the hotel. Doug had arranged for tickets to the "Phare Circus".

    Phare artists are students and graduates from Phare Ponleu Selpak’s (www.phareps.org) vocational training center in Battambang. The association was formed in 1994 by 9 young men coming home from a refugee camp after the Khmer Rouge regime. They were greatly helped during that time by an art teacher using drawing classes as therapy and wanted to share this new skill among the poor, socially deprived and troubled youngsters in Battambang. They founded an art school and public school followed to offer free education. A music school and theatre school were next and finally, for the kids who wanted more, the circus school. Today more than 1,200 pupils attend the public school daily and 500 attend the alternative schools.

    Phare The Cambodian Circus is the social business extension of Phare Ponleu Selpak. - roughly translated, The Brightness of the Arts school. The circus provides job opportunities to the school’s graduates, allowing them to hone their skills, earn a decent wage and give them self-respect and freedom, breaking the cycle of poverty. Revenue generated also funds the school’s academic and artistic education programs as well as community support and engagement.

    We had underestimated the effect that the "River Festival" that was running March 15-16 would have on our transportation to the Phare Circus across town. It was an incredible crowd scene of traffic and people but we managed to get there with a tuk tuk driver working partly at the hotel who was very pleasant. It was more of a cultural show than "circus"; very enjoyable with some impressive music, theatrics and acrobatics (no net - YIKES!). We were on bench seating at the top and luckily for Doug, no one in front of him so he could stretch his legs out; otherwise it would have been a cramped hour. The talent these gymnasts showed was absolutely world-class / Cirque de Soleil level stuff.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Entrance to Angkor Thom
    Entrance to Angkor ThomAngkor ThomBayon

    Bayon

    15 mars 2024, Cambodge ⛅ 33 °C

    After some rehydration, we headed over to nearby Angkor Thom and the Bayon temple that lies at its center. This is notable for being built by Angkor's favorite and one of its last leaders, King Jayavarman VII in the late 12th or early 13th century.

    The Bayon's most distinctive feature is the multitude of smiling stone faces - probably modeled on the face of "King Jay the 7th" smiling serenely on the people he loved so much on every side of the many towers that jut out from the upper terrace and cluster around its central peak. The main conservatory body, the Japanese Government Team for the Safeguarding of Angkor has described the temple as "the most striking expression of the baroque style" of Khmer architecture, as contrasted with the classical style of Angkor Wat. This area is relatively small and you can not walk into the temple due to the overall state.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Apsara dancers. Inspiration for the Cambodian ballet

    Angkor Wat

    15 mars 2024, Cambodge ⛅ 30 °C

    Our plan was to do an efficient tour of Angkor Wat and three smaller temples, so we booked a car through Klook for the day but as Doug had a bit of a GI upset in the night again, we limited our visit to the two main temples leaving the hotel at 0830 hrs and returning about 1500 hrs which was long enough given the high temperature; Doug's tummy trouble settled and was not an issue.

    Angkor Wat is a Hindu-Buddhist temple and The Guinness World Records considers it as the largest religious structure in the world. It was originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire by King Suryavarman II during the 12th century, it was gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the century; as such, it is also described as a "Hindu-Buddhist" temple and has been in use by local followers even after Angkor was overtaken by jungle and then "discovered" by a Portuguese friar in 1586 and then a French explorer in the 1840s.It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat more than 5 kilometers long and an outer wall 3.6 kilometers long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands five towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs, and for the numerous devatas adorning its walls.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Trade routes of the Khmer EmpirePool within the museum common area

    Angkor National Museum

    14 mars 2024, Cambodge ☀️ 35 °C

    We spent almost four hours in the National Museum of Angkor and it is very well done and air conditioned as well which made for a pleasant afternoon. It documents the Khmer Empire (802-1431 AD): a Hindu-Buddhist empire centered around hydraulic cities. The time lines are defined after the empire's most well known capital and UNESCO heritage site, Angkor. Pre Angkor (about 100-800 AD), Angkor (800-1400 AD) and post Angkor (1400 AD-present). Galleries were devoted to various timelines and themes.

    The relationship and interplay between Hinduism and Buddhism is complex. Both have their origins in India and the Buddha, one of mankind's great spiritual luminaries, was born Prince Siddhartha Gautama in 563 BC in Nepal. From a simplistic point of view, the Hindu beliefs are contained in four scriptures making up the Vedas. Three main "God" players are Brahma (The Creator), Vishnu (The Protector), and Shiva (The Destroyer). In addition there is "animism" which roughly defined is belief systems about the natural world. Mount Meru is conceptualized as the center of the Hindu universe and the temples of the Angkor period were designed so Meru, was the central structure and the moat around the temple represented the oceans. Of interest is the lotus which we see for sale near any Buddhist temple and a symbol in a variety of ways for Egyptians, Hindus and Buddhists.

    The styling of the sandstone statues and carvings changed over time and scholars can identify all the various periods depending on the features. King Jayaraman VII who reigned 1181-1219 AD (European Middle Ages and Doug noted the equal quality of carving to that seen in churches of the Medieval period) is generally considered to be Cambodia's greatest king and is still revered today. He was both a great military leader who expanded the empire to its zenith and also regarded as a man of compassion for his subjects.

    The evolution of Buddhism into the Khmer civilization while respecting Hinduism was a major achievement. The museum did not have a section on what happened to this great civilization, but we had seen an IMAX film previously which postulated climate change: a drought that lasted so long, all the people left. Of interest, there was no jewelry or other objects as part of the museum, although certainly their costumes suggest jewelry was worn.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Beautiful grounds including plumeria and shade in these temple groundsReclining buddha from 1300sMurals of the life of the BuddhaSimilarly to Thailand, the cholera epidemics and vultures in the mid 1800s are not forgotten

    Wat Preah Prom Rath

    14 mars 2024, Cambodge ⛅ 34 °C

    Also known as the Royal Fortune Buddha Temple, Wat Preah Prom Rath is one of the most beautiful pagodas in Siem Reap and Cambodia. It is located on the riverside near the Old Market. There are many statues in the temple grounds, colourful wall paintings, beautifully decorated rooms. and a large sleeping Buddha.

    There is no clear date on when the pagoda was built, but what made it famous was the large sleeping Buddha in the main temple, which was installed in 1500. They made quite a few extensions to the main building and you will now see an academic building, as well as a library here.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Brother Bong for breakfast
    Brother Bong for breakfastImperial Grounds gate (sponsored by Coke!)Preah Ang Chek Preah Ang Chorm ShrineMade in Cambodia MarketSivatha Blvd: main thoroughfare, French influence, not too busy late morningStop for iced coffees and teaOld Market

    City Introduction Walk

    14 mars 2024, Cambodge ☁️ 30 °C

    Brother Bong Cafe close to our hotel had good reviews on Trip Adisvor so we gave it a try for breakfast. Nancy had a large bowl of fruit which came with a tiny bowl of yoghurt, Doug had a typical Khmer breakfast of vegetable noodle soup and we both had an excellent coffee (lots of expresso machines here; often the coffee is as expensive as the meal). We then did a walking tour of Siem Reap which Doug had found; highlights were two Buddhist temples, the later one dating from the 13th century (reclining Buddha) and having beautiful grounds with Plumeria. We had lunch near Old Market and took our time as Angkor National Museum was open until 1830 hrs. After lunch we took a Tuk Tuk there, he did a detour to a stop so we could buy tickets...we insisted we go directly there; such a dilemma as he/the ticket seller would get a slice of the action but we did not want to take the $ away from the museum and also did not want to risk a scammed ticket although we doubt that would have been the case. He was gracious in the decline and thanked us for hiring him (met the Grab price after initially asking for double). Everyone is trying so hard to making a living.En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Arrival in Siem Reap
    Arrival in Siem ReapOur room, concrete seems to often be the material of choice for furnishings hereMany vendors along riverExcellent meal of fish amok, khmer beef salad and green mango salad

    Off to Cambodia

    13 mars 2024, Cambodge ☀️ 32 °C

    We did some blog edits and a couple of phone calls before checking out at 11 and calling our Grab to DMK airport which took over an hour. Lunch was at a large primarily Asian food court outside security. The flight to Siem Reap smooth and full and took an hour (it would take full day by land transportation). Doug had done e-Visas and it paid off as we bypassed a long line. We had also paid extra to exceed our carry on luggage total limited to 7 kg so did not need to go to collect it or risk losing it. We were met by our pickup service and an almost hour long drive in, as the new Siem Reap International just opened in October and is located far from town. Initial impressions: Cambodia is much drier looking and a bit hilly compared with Bangkok. The highway itself is only two lanes and both autos and motorcycles sharing the roads. Nancy made note of a wooden oxen cart being towed by a motorcycle containing a ?calf of some sort. Sidewalks appeared around the area where our hotel is. Dinner nearby at Tevy's which Nancy had read about. We had the hotel call ahead and the place was full; we were surprisingly welcomed by an Irishman Cecil who works there as a volunteer. You wait outside until there is a table inside where it is air conditioned. Cecil says he was working as an educator and met Tevy and helped her open the restaurant and it only trains/employs young women. Tevy's father and 3 sisters were killed by the Khmer Rouge and she personally thanked us for coming. We were to confirm our initial impressions that the people here are friendly, welcoming and a bit formal, they also wai (sampeah in Khmer) as in Thailand (bowed head with hands together to say thanks).En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    This reclining buddha used to be covered in gold and in a temple
    This reclining buddha used to be covered in gold and in a templeLunch spot

    Wat Lokaya Sutha

    12 mars 2024, Thaïlande ⛅ 33 °C

    Our last stop was at the reclining Buddha. This ancient statue inspired Rama III centuries later to build the gold one in Wat Pho in Bangkok. Our guide gave a summary of Buddhist teaching indicating that most Thais are Theravada Buddhists (vs Mahayana).

    We had a basic lunch at a road side restaurant and then drove back to busy Bangkok where we were let off at the MBK mall. Cash is King in Thailand and we had to get another withdrawal to pay for a dinner of KFC to supplement our largely carbohydrate meal at the restaurant, then a Grab back to the hotel.

    FINAL MUSINGS ON BANGKOK
    Leaving the upper end comforts of our JAL flight into the heat, congestion and traffic of Bangkok was indeed culture shock for Nancy; Doug being more acclimatized from his trip to the Middle East. We enjoyed the neighborhood and found the Saran Poshtel modern and of good value with an excellent breakfast. The only downside was its lack of connection to rapid transit but this is soon to change as an underground station is being built very close by and we found it easy to access the Chao Phraya River Tourist Boat which we'd highly recommend for sights close to the river. It is not an easy life for many families; the vendors who line the hot streets now congested with the smell of exhaust and smog decreasing the QoL for many. For those who can afford them, cars were surprisingly large and also rarely of vintage model. Grabs were surprisingly cheap given the cost of the cars and fuel and we wondered how much the drivers actually make. The contrast between street life and the mega shopping centers and advertisements for Korean facial masks on the transit line was vexing to Nancy; such will be the state of affairs Doug advises for SE Asia aside from Singapore.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Buddha head in a tree, the head is actually quite large

    Wat Maha That

    12 mars 2024, Thaïlande ⛅ 32 °C

    Our next stop was at an even older Wat. Wat Mahathat, also known as the Temple of the Great Relic, was built during the Ayutthaya period in the 14th century. The temple was established by King Borommaracha I and was named after the Mahathat relic, which is said to have been enshrined in the temple.

    The Mahathat relic is believed to be a bone of the Buddha's neck, which was brought to Thailand from Sri Lanka.

    The head of the Buddha encased in the roots of a tree is one of the most famous images of Ayutthaya.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Viharn of the Phra Mongkhon BophitViharn of the Phra Mongkhon BophitPhra Mongkhon Bohhit

    Wat Phra Si Sanphet

    12–14 mars 2024, Thaïlande ⛅ 31 °C

    Wat Phra Si Sanphet, “the temple of the Buddha Si Sanphet” was the most important temple in the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Being part of the Royal Palace complex, the very large monastery with dozens of structures was used by Ayutthaya Kings only; it was a Royal temple without resident monks.

    The history of the Wat Phra Si Sanphet spans several centuries. The first structures were built during the 14th century. During the reign of later Ayutthaya Kings structures were added until the temple reached the peak of its glory in the second half of the 17th century.

    In 1491 King Ramathibodi II built two large chedis to enshrine the ashes of his father and older brother. Several years later the King had a 50 meter long viharn built East of the chedis to enshrine a large gilded image of the Buddha named Phra Mongkhon Bophit. Another three decades later a third chedi was constructed to enshrine the ashes of King Ramathibodi II.

    The temple was largely destroyed by the Burmese armies in 1767, leaving only its three massive stupas standing.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    The World Heritage Foundation and the USA are funding restoration of some of the buildings
    The World Heritage Foundation and the USA are funding restoration of some of the buildingsDecapitated Buddhas

    Wat Chai Wattanaram

    12 mars 2024, Thaïlande ⛅ 29 °C

    This was the first stop of our full day tour we booked in advance through GetYourGuide to the ancient city of Ayutthaya which was the capital for over 400 years until 1767. We were on a bus of 18 people and it took almost 1.5 hours to get to Ayutthaya. We saw rice paddies along the way. Our guide "Boye" was quite good and explained that "for no reason" Myanmar (Burma) bombarded Ayutthaya and set it on fire. The reason was actually that they pillaged the treasures there. The structures you see were covered with 3 inches of gold which was melted down and they destroyed all the Buddhas typically cutting their head off thinking they were filled with treasure. After this horrible event, the local people and treasure hunters completed the job, even tunneling under the chedis to get to the buried treasures of the cremated Royalty. As a result of this and aging many of the structures which are now down to only bricks are at a tilt and at risk of tumbling down.

    One of Ayutthaya’s most impressive temples, the Khmer style Chai Watthanaram is a Royal temple that was used by the King and other members of the Royal family. It was constructed in 1630 by King Prasat Thong to celebrate victory over the Khmer Empire which had dominated the Thais, as a means to gain Buddhist merit and as a memorial to his mother. Her ashes are enshrined in two square chedis flanking the ubosot on the East side of the temple.. It was one of the grandest monuments of the Ayutthaya Kingdom and built following the concepts of the Khmer mountain temples of Angkor to symbolize the universe in Buddhist and Hindu cosmology At the center of the Wat is a 35 meter tall Khmer style prang (a corncob shaped tower) standing on a raised brick platform. The prang represents Mount Meru, a mountain in Hindu and Buddhist cosmology which is the center of the universe surrounded by oceans. At each of the four cardinal directions a steep stairway leads up to the prang, the East one leading to an inner chamber, the cella or crypt where relics and precious artifacts were enshrined. The main platform supporting the central prang is surrounded by eight smaller chedis connected by covered galleries that enclose a courtyard. The 25 meter tall slender towers diminish in size towards the top. In their interior are niches, that each enshrined an image of the Buddha seated on a pedestal.

    As canon balls and canons were dug up during excavations, historians believe the temple may have been used as a fortress during the last war with Burma. The monastery was looted and largely destroyed by the Burmese armies in 1767 after which it was deserted.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Level Two - EarthTop Level - HeavenAt the BRT StationChinatown AlleyEntering ChinatownWat ArunApproaching The Grand PalaceThe Grand PalaceKiN At Samsen Restaurant

    Erawan Museum

    11 mars 2024, Thaïlande ☀️ 34 °C

    After Ancient City, we took a taxi 25 minutes to the Erawan Museum, operated by the same group. You can not walk to it as it is surrounded by roads. The Museum's construction began in 1994 and photographs indicate there were none of the elevated highways that now surround it were present. Despite this, the museum and grounds are quite quiet. It is topped by a huge massive three headed elephant made of bronze.

    The museum is sectioned into 3 levels, the idea came from a book of Bhumitha, that heaven and earth are separated into 3 which are the underworld, the human earth, and heaven.. Chinese porcelain pieces are pieced together to decorate the interior of the 2nd level and a concise description is given of four pillars of guiding philosophy/religion: Christianity, Thervada Buddism (do not believe in Buddha reincarnation: most common in Thailand, Mahayana Buddhism (believe in reincarnation ie Dali Lama) and Avatars of Vishnu.

    We bought the "shuttle" ticket from the museum to the nearby BRT station and were surprised when a tuk-tuk arrived, thankfully, it did not enter the busy highway. We then caught a train to Asok, station and bought another ticket on the MRT to Wat Mangkon station in Chinatown. Chinatown was busy and we got a quick glimpse of life down the tight alleyways that were shops closing for the day. We walked to the Ratchawong Pier on the river river and caught the 1900h Blue Flag boat to our Phra Arthit pier then the walk home as before. So, it took 2.5 hours using transit to return home versus the 45 minutes by Grab in the morning and cost was about the same.

    Although we were sweaty and tired, we decided to sit down at a sidewalk café (KiN At Samsen) on Samsen 4 Alley near our hotel where Doug enjoyed 1 litre of Chang beer along with his noodle dish and Nancy surprisingly enjoyed the sweet spiciness of green curry with tofu and mushrooms.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Entrance to Buhhhavas of the Substanceless UniverseGreat Hall of the Buddhavas of the Substanceless UniverseGreat Hall of Vajra DhammaDvaravati House courtyard1Pavilion of The EnlightenedRoyal Water Course ProcessionMondop of Bodhisattva AvalokitesavaraMondop of Bodhisattva AvalokitesavaraBodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Kuan-Yin) - Performing a MiracleNorthern Thai VillageSakon Nakhon Four monumentsWater Buffalo CartsAncient Theatrical Pavilion1Sanphet Prasat PalaceBang Pa-In GardenBang Pa-In GardenBang Pa-In Garden

    Mueang Boran Ancient City

    11 mars 2024, Thaïlande ☀️ 31 °C

    We took a long Grab ride out about 30 km to this tourist attraction south of Bangkok, getting there around 9:30. Often called the world’s largest outdoor and cultural park, it was created by the Thai architect Lek Viriyapant and opened to the public in 1972. It will be interesting to read more about this man, he despaired that Thailand's first economic plan for modernizing the country put Thailand's rich cultural heritage at risk. He was so motivated in this regard to establish this very large park as well as the Erawan Museum nearby.
    His stated objectives: "to make modern people know about their history as the past and history is like a compass and a rudder directing smooth course for a ship.... to make use of the art which is the unceasingly precious heritage collected, to make our traditions and culture known to the world while cultivating the minds of those addicted to the flourish of science and those materialized by worldly pleasure...to declare the founders intention to make the Ancient Siam eternally last as the treasure of all mankind".

    The Ancient City is designed to showcase Thailand’s rich cultural heritage and historical landmarks. It replicates over 100 significant architectural and cultural wonders from all over Thailand, Some building are originals that were moved here, others are reproductions, both full-size and scale models, The replicas were constructed with the assistance of experts from the National Museum to ensure historical accuracy. These replicas are set within a large, beautifully landscaped park laid out in the shape of Thailand..

    Website with details at https://www.muangboranmuseum.com/en/#

    It again was very hot and the park is very large. We rented a golf cart to explore and it would have been impossible to do it any other way. The most elaborate and well maintained area of the park is central and we did the perimeter first; by the time we got back to the central area it had become too hot for us to really get out and explore individual buildings.

    Many are temples and required us to take off our lace on shoes. We had a small lunch at one of the establishments. Both of us had experienced a minor degree of tummy upset the day prior which quickly settled with a couple of doses of Pepto Bismol but between that and the heat we did not have much of an appetite.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn)Houses along the Chao Phraya RiverGlad for some shade and looking forward to a shower!1On the bridge over the canal to "our neighbourhood"

    Ferry home via Wat Arun

    10 mars 2024, Thaïlande ⛅ 35 °C

    We exited Wat Pho realizing we were hot and fatigued and decided to head home rather than take in the famous Wat Arun. First, we caught a boat which crossed the Chao Phraya River to Wat Arun, had a quick drink and glance at Wat Arun as we headed to the Blue Flag Chao Phraya Tourist Boat which took us from the Wat Arun Pier to the end of the line at Phra Arthit pier. We would highly recommend this boat as a good way to get to many of the main sites walkable from the river. A 15-minute walk along the river, through a park and down a bridge took us back to our neighbourhood. As usual, we were relieved to get to our room, turn on the aircon, hop into the shower, and cool down before heading out for dinner nearby.En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    The highly revered Royal Highesses Maha Vagiralongkorn and Suthida TidjaiLotus buds and incense sticks ever present for purchase at Buddha worship sitesThe Reclining Buddha, it is amazingly largeThere is beautiful mother of pearl detailing on the feet and also doors of the templeBeautiful but very sun exposed and hot

    Wat Pho

    10 mars 2024, Thaïlande ⛅ 34 °C

    A hot walk around the outside of the Palace brought us to Wat Pho, also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, The temple complex is Bangkok's largest temple as well as being one of the oldest, it also has the most extensive collection of Buddha images out of all Thailand temples (over 1,000). The temple was constructed about 200 years before Bangkok became the capital but was rebuilt under Rama I.

    The huge complex has all kinds of chapels, gardens, intricately painted murals, the library, bell towers and large stone statues guarding the sixteen temple gates.

    The site's top attraction is the reclining Buddha, a 46 meter long gold plated figure 15 meters high. His feet alone are 5 meters long. The statue is meant to signify Buddha's passing into Nirvana. There is intricate mother-of-pearl detail on the eyes and feet. As you approach the statue there is a long walkway lined with 108 bowls (the number 108 has religious significance). It is traditional to drop a coin in each of the bowls as you go along the path and as you drop each coin make a wish.

    We saw directional signs to massages, which seems strange, but a claim to fame is this is the birth place of modern massage. Before the temple was erected this site was an educational institute for Thai medicine and the massage school is still located here.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Entrance to Grand Palace
    Entrance to Grand PalaceEarly morning food vendors already busyAlways narrow walks along market streets1Khao San Road early morningOne of the 178 murals from the Ramakien epicApproach to the Grand Palace1Prasat Phra Thep Bidon - Royal PantheonGolden ChediPhra Viharn YodRoyal Chapel of the Emerald Buddha - RearEntrance to Royal Chapel of the Emerald BuddhaMosaics on facade of Royal ChapelChakri Prasat Masat HallReal orchids growing within the treesDusit Maha Prasat Hall

    Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaeo

    10 mars 2024, Thaïlande ⛅ 31 °C

    In the morning, we walked through the backpacker district of Chakrabonse and Khao San Roads without much evidence of the infamous non-stop nightlife at 8am!. We approached the Palace along grand streets and arrived around 9 (along with many others!). It was already very hot and humid.

    The Grand Palace complex was the official home of the King since 1782, however today the present King Rama IX lives at Chitralada Palace and the Grand Palace is used for important events and ceremonies. The palace was also the base for the royal court up until 1925. The Grand Palace was built in 1782 under Rama I when he transferred the country's capital from Thonburi to Bangkok (along with the Emerald Buddha). Each successive king had structures added to the palace complex up until the Royals moved out in 1925 followed by the government officials who left the palace in 1932 when a constitutional monarchy was established.

    Wat Phra Kaeo is the temple complex within the enclosure of the Palace and is more commonly known as Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The temple's claim to fame and main attraction is the Phra Kaew Morakot, the Emerald Buddha which was carved out of a single piece of jasper and has a long history of movement; it is believed to bring legitimacy and prosperity to those who possess it. The only person who is allowed to get within touching distance of the Buddha is the king. The Buddha is "dressed" in a different cloak for each season of the year and this is done by the king in a special ceremony.

    Within the temple complex there is a beautiful mural depicting the epic tale of Ramayana and many beautiful highly-decorated buildings and chedi (where the cremated remains of important people come to rest).

    We did not have a chance to enter the actual royal palace buildings, but could admire them from outside. Very ornate, we can imagine requiring much effort to maintain in this humid and hot climate. Construction materials: wood, brick with stucco, paint, gold leaf and glass,    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur

    Big C

    9 mars 2024, Thaïlande ☁️ 32 °C

    Looking for the simpler mall we met our food tour guide in, we walked
    about a half hour to the Big C mall. Big C is a large superstore chain based in Thailand that is a department store and supermarket somewhat along the lines of Walmart. This 4 story mall had Big C, plus a few independent stores.

    Nancy managed to find a couple of light clothes.

    We finished the evening with a food court before walking to the Hyatt to call for a Grab home. Everything in the food court runs on cash, no credit cards. The inconsistencies are a bit frustrating; at the food court with meal in hand, Doug had to buy a debit card specifically to pay at one food stand, then the drink place across the aisle did not accept the debit card and wanted cash...go figure!    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Easy to get lostA Timmies on each floorElevated Monorail line and highways everywhere it seemsMalls, traffic and noise!

    MBK Center

    9 mars 2024, Thaïlande ☁️ 34 °C

    This 30 year old megamall was a 15 minute walk from Jim Thompson House and Nancy was looking for a couple of things so we went there. It has 2,000 stores selling everything you could possibly want. MBK is not a "high class" mall like Siam Center and stores here are on average less pricey than other Bangkok malls and each floor is dedicated to a particular item or range of goods, like the floor where all the stores sell shoes and the fourth floor which focuses on electrical gadgets plus an area called shopping street which has a maze of booths like a street market. On the top floor there is an entertainment section with cinemas, karaoke, a games arcade, bowling alley and restaurants.

    MBK is connected by elevated walkways to the high end Siam Discovery and Siam Paragon shopping centers.

    We felt the place had too much choice so decided to move on after having an iced americano and a latte.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Karemeen & Sobereen
    Karemeen & SobereenChicken Pad Krapow & papaya saladSataysJim Thompson HouseWood Silk Screen Printing BlockFoyerLiving Room

    Jim Thompson House

    9 mars 2024, Thaïlande ☁️ 33 °C

    We called a Grab (equivalent of Uber in Asia) from the Golden Mount to Jim Thompson House. On the way, googled Karemeen & Sobereen almost directly behind Jim Thompson and had a canal view lunch of Chicken Pad Krapow, papaya salad, chicken satay, beer and watermelon smoothie. Heard a Muslim call to prayer and we would shortly find out why that was.

    We got to the house where we were just on time for the 13:10 tour.

    The Jim Thompson House stands on the Saen Saeb canal across from Bangkrua, a traditionally Muslim area. The building was constructed by Jim Thompson, an American businessman, founder of the Thai Silk Company and art collector who wanted a home close to the Muslim quarter where highly skilled weavers were and also a place to showcase his private collection of Asian artifacts. Thompson revitalized the Thai hand-woven silk industry in the region in the 1950s and 60s following WWII.

    Apart from being a businessman with a father who had been in the textile industry, Jim Thompson had trained to be an architect and masterfully joined six historic teak wood houses, which were dismantled and brought from Ayutthaya to form his showcase home where he lived for nine years.

    The authenticity of the traditional houses was faithfully preserved, some of the houses were elevated off of the ground, other houses he added his own twist to, like the inclusion of an indoor staircase instead of the traditional outdoor stairs.

    Valuable items in the house include a dining table which once belonged to King Rama V, Belgian glass, a 17th century Buddha statue, Italian marble floors, Chandeliers, Benjarong earthenware, Thai and Burmese stone statues carvings from Cambodia and Chinese Ming porcelain.

    In 1967 at the age of 61, Thompson was visiting friends in Malaysia; he went out into the forest for a walk and disappeared. Extensive searches for him found no trace of him, and his disappearance remains a mystery.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    11

    Wat Saket (The Golden Mount)

    9 mars 2024, Thaïlande ☁️ 31 °C

    The first stop today was to be Wat Saket but sometimes, the journey is as enjoyable as the destination. On our way, we walked a very interesting route from our hotel to Wat Saket along the canal. Bought some fruit called chompoo (Thai rose apple which isn't really an apple, but tastes like a juicy apple) from a cart, and a lady beckoned us to take a seat at her coffee stand. So we paused, and sat on this back street and saw a small slice of real life for the people of this small area.

    Wat Saket is Thailand's most revered temple due to its close association with the Royal family. This stands out with its 58 meter high golden chedi (def: also called a stupa or pagoda, the most important and sacred structure of a wat or temple complex) on the artificial hill top of the Golden Mount overlooking the temple complex at the base of the mound. The Wat dates back to the Ayutthaya period and was later restored by King Rama I. At the time, cremations were forbidden within the city walls and so they would be held here. In the early 1800s, during the reign of Rama II a plague killed 30,000 people who were then brought here for cremation. Every year the communicable disease (cholera) kept returning for forty years, the worst being in 1849 when over 5,000 died in Bangkok. The massive pile of bodies attracted vultures creating a gruesome scene with Buddhist monks praying over the dead, terrible to imagine.

    Under King Rama III (1824-1851) they found that it was impossible to build a chedi here due to the soft soil and so the king had a mound of mud and bricks constructed to add stability to the base of the chedi. The Mount was reinforced with 1,000 teak logs to prevent the chedi and Mount from sinking. The present chedi which stands on the Golden Mount was constructed during the reign of Rama V (1853-1910) to hold a relic of Buddha which was given to him as a gift by the British. To further preserve and protect the Mount from eroding reinforced walls were added during World War II.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Thai Pavilion and Buddaisawan Chapel

    National Museum

    8 mars 2024, Thaïlande ☁️ 35 °C

    From the Market, Annie called for a tuk tuk and we paid 200THB to go to the museum. Tuk tuks are for the experience, not economy -- a Grab was quoted at 80THB. The National Museum (200THB/person) is too large to do in the two hours we had before closing, but it was as much time as we had energy for, so we focused on Building 4 and 5 which covered the history.

    It is a very well done museum with excellent information panels and very nice artefact displays. It is interesting that 'prehistory' (i.e. before written records) lasted to the 6th century CE, long after Egypt, for example, entered into the historical era. Looking at the artefacts, it seemed to Doug that Stone Age development was very similar in southeast Asian and middle eastern areas in terms of technological and artistic development at about the same time, so he was not certain why the historical record is lacking. Were records lost due to decay in the tropical climate, or was language and writing delayed?

    Overall, an excellent overview and context for the different eras and regimes in the history of Thailand up until present. The main artefacts were statues of the Buddha and the influence of time and cultures on it. North to south cultures: Lappan, Sukhothai and Ayutthaya. There was also east to west convergence with Cambodian Khmer art impacting on the Buddha images, One notes specifically the change in the Ushnisha, the top of head of the Buddha (the symbol of his Enlightenment and Enthronement), as squarer, then flame, and finally the influence of European art with more of a bun and soft draping of the clothes.

    After closing, we walked home, and since we had so much to eat on the food tour, we just had some beers and instant noodles picked up in the hotel lobby and rested in our cool room!    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    "Flavour bombs"
    "Flavour bombs"Tapioca Rice NoodlesNoodle boothKanom Krok - Coconut PancakesThai TacosKhanom Chun (Pandan jelly) and cakeSeasonal Mango

    Food Court at Nang Loeng Market

    8–11 mars 2024, Thaïlande ☁️ 34 °C

    After the curries we walked into heart of the market, stopping first for some Miang Kham which are single bite "flavour bombs" and very good.
    We tried rice-tapioca noodles with minced pork sausage (not a fan) and desserts: Kanom Krok: coconut milk, rice flour, sugar, and coconut water poured into small cups and heated until they crisped up on the outside,
    Crisp Kanom Tua Pad Mung bean rice crepe, small tacos with a sweet and savory filling, and Pandan "jello". We finished with a type of mango only available locally for three months of the year that will likely disappear from the local market being succeeded by the golden mango as the season goes all year.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    He's been waking up the neighbourhood in this spot for 60 years.
    He's been waking up the neighbourhood in this spot for 60 years.Although he could rely on his family to support him, he has chosen to continue working

    Coffee

    8 mars 2024, Thaïlande ☁️ 34 °C

    We next visited a stand along the outside perimeter of the market where an elderly man who has been making coffee here for 60 years hand poured coffee served over ice with condensed milk and sugar. Om ran to get us safe ice. It was very delicious.En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Crisp mung bean salad

    Ya Chaem's Kanom Bueang Yuan

    8 mars 2024, Thaïlande ☁️ 34 °C

    Kanom Bueang (crepe) Yuan (Vietnamese) is a Vietnamese savory crepe that inspired a Thai version. This is a traditional Thai snack that you can treat as a light meal. A pan size thin deep fried crepe is stuffed with shredded coconut, roasted peanuts, shrimp, salted radish and fried tofu. It’s served with fresh bean sprouts and sweet cucumber sauce. Ya Chaem uses a charcoal stove to cook her crepe – a slow cooking technique that adds aroma to the food. She is ready to retire, so her recipe may not survive. She turned a samosa-like creation in oil in the wok on charcoal with ease...one sees the danger in this no doubt old style cooking method before the days of propane!En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Pork belly and Duck

    Jib Kee Chinese restaurant

    8 mars 2024, Thaïlande ☁️ 34 °C

    The non air conditioned number 53 bus (8 THB) to the Nang Leong market area was held up by a peaceful protest regarding minimum wage (the average worker earns 350 THB/day ($18) and the cost of living in a room without cooking facilities would take all these earning).
    Jib Kee are 3rd generation Chinese and introduced crispy pork belly and roasted duck to the local Thais.    En savoir plus

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