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SE Asia 2024SE Asia 2024
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SE Asia 2024

March - May 2024
Our DIY tour of this fascinating region enjoying the wonderful food and learning about the multiculturalism and diverse traditions. We'll visit Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines Read more
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  • 141footprints
  • 9countries
  • 65days
  • 1.5kphotos
  • 3videos
  • 42.7kkilometers
  • 39.9kkilometers
  • 2.4kkilometers
  • 108kilometers
  • 0sea miles
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  • TravelerSE Asia 2024
    Day 4

    Coffee

    March 8 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 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.Read more

  • TravelerSE Asia 2024
    Day 4

    Curry restaurant

    March 8 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 34 °C

    In this bustling food court most vendors specialized in one theme. From the curry restaurant we sampled four: green beef curry, Panang chicken curry and Massaman chicken curry and Pad Phed Pa Duk catfish curry (our least favourite).Read more

  • TravelerSE Asia 2024
    Day 4–7

    Food Court at Nang Loeng Market

    March 8 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 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 Pantam "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.    Read more

  • TravelerSE Asia 2024
    Day 4

    National Museum

    March 8 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 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 extended into 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 artifacts 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.    Read more

  • TravelerSE Asia 2024
    11
    Day 5

    Wat Saket (The Golden Mount)

    March 9 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 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 through near our hotel along a canal. Stopped for some fruit (Rose Apple and tasting like a juicy apple) and a lady bekoned us to take a seat at her coffee stand and so we paused, had one felt we 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 1:10 people died. 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 into the surrounding swamp-like ground. 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.    Read more

  • TravelerSE Asia 2024
    Day 5

    Jim Thompson House

    March 9 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C

    We called a Grab (equivalent of Uber in Asia) from the Golden Mount to Jim Thompson House. On the way there 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 were to find out shortly why that was.

    Then 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 Muslin 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 Jim Thompson, and his disappearance remains a mystery.    Read more

  • TravelerSE Asia 2024
    Day 5

    MBK Center

    March 9 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 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. It is 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.    Read more

  • TravelerSE Asia 2024
    Day 5

    Big C

    March 9 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 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.

    Finished the evening with a food court before walking to the Hyatt to call for a Grab home. Everything here 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 card specifically to pay at the the food court, then the drink place across the aisle wanted cash...go figure!    Read more

  • TravelerSE Asia 2024
    11
    Day 6

    Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaeo

    March 10 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 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. 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 beleived 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,    Read more

  • TravelerSE Asia 2024
    Day 6

    Wat Pho

    March 10 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 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 clam 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.    Read more

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