Southeast Asia: Bangkok, Thailand

One night in Bangkok (OK - wait -  maybe a couple nights)

 

Jake tries to capture in one - the grandeur and simplicity at the Grand Palace. I just took a picture of him...

They say one night in Bangkok is never enough although I would add - that there is a risk of spending one night too many nights in Bangkok.!!! I unreservedly agree that one night is not enough though would go on to say that there is certainly a point at which it is  "a lot" to handle. It's biiiiizzzzeeeee.

Just back from Cambodia, I picked up the boys at around midnight from the Suvarnabhumi Airport. Having not seen Jake for 8 months he was a sight for sore eyes. I miss him and his sister very much and have been looking forward to this. I wish  Stevie was in tow but school prevented her from joining this time. I know Jake's best friend Braden very well and find myself equally glad to give him a big hug.
 As an aside -  I would remark to any city planners who may be reading that choosing a name for a destination airport that foreigners will be asking taxi drivers to take them to - should be pronounceable. How much to the suvsjuhuerblkjbxkjsblkj airport please...huh?? says the Tuck tuck guy? By the way - it sounds  nothing like it's written. Sheesh!!!

Despite the late hour of arrival we deposited our packs and headed to Ko San road where the "Chang brothers" enjoyed their first cold and delicious bevy. We were back to the hostel by the wee hours when we stumbled into our clean but simple hostel bunk beds.

I have to remark that the hostel experience is where it's at in my view. It's an opportunity to meet others from far-away lands... talk about the local sights - great food and so on. Every hostel has some kind of common area where people can meet, talk and share. Also the price !! I do love good value. 🙌
The other thing about a hostel is the person in charge at the front desk is usually someone who is friendly knowledgeable and helpful. So a moment for a tribute to Mic pictured on the left who is exceptional at this.

A more gracious host I have never met., With his unshakable smile and quick laugh - he effortlessly guided to all the right sits with details on the best ways to get the most from our visit to Bangkok. Mic was more than helpful - for us he put a face to the people of Thailand - a tireless advocate for his people and way of life. He is a prince among men and we wish him well. Also his team mate Phung Phing pictured here was equally helpful and gracious making us feel most welcome. My point here is that choosing accommodation can be the most important decision you make as it can make the difference between  good and great experience. It's about the people!



At it's core it's a fast city with an interesting mix of spiritual, commercial and social activity somehow blending seamlessly together. Ko San road is the party epicenter with a serious fun vibe and all manner of fantastic food music drink and good cheer. The food is the best I've ever tasted. I love Indian and Ethiopian food but the Thai food experience is out of this world.

It's an  inter-galactic experience because you eat on the street., You see your food cooked and it's handed to you hot and delicious. It's simple,authentic and  so damn good. The streets are lined with vendors... the smells ... the sounds...the sights... fabulous!!!!

 

Do what suits you....

We were approached 3,675 times to buy a suit on Ko San road but opted to talk to Mic and Phing before deciding. In the end, armed with their advice,  we went looking for a tailor off the beaten track. That's where we found the very capable Tony at Aman tailors. We only went in to discuss but over the next hour Tony was so professional and convincing that we measured up and bought shirts and suits on the spot. Gaberdine fit suits... for $150 dollars... custom all cotton shirts for $10  - yeah. I'll do that.

You pick the material liner style etc. He drapes your with cloth until you get the right look. He had great tips on what would look good. Tony then took 22 measurements, took a 50% deposit and told us to come back the next day for the first fitting.

We had an opportunity to stop in to see Tony in the morning as we were passing by on our way elsewhere. we thought we'd just see how they were coming along. We were were surprised to find the suits were already complete! Were there elves working through the night or something???? We eagerly climbed into our monkey suits for our first fitting and what do you know... it's the first time I have ever worn a suit that fits me. There were a couple small adjustments but really - they were pretty much perfect. What a great experience and a useful souvenir for a change.  And of course you gotta  show off the lining.... cause hey - that's where all the pizazz is....

The Grand Palace

Truth be known - I'm a closet Buddhist. I love the practice, the teachings, the intersection of spiritual and physical through yoga and meditation..... the honesty of the practice appeals to me on may levels. A visit to Thailand is a closet Buddhist's dream and not anywhere complete without some time at the main temple. It's staggeringly beautiful as it gleams purposefully in the sun. It's an appealing site to be sure. A marriage of bling and purpose in perfect harmony.  It's  the surprising and unexpected love child of Kim Kardashian and Steven Hawking all at once. I love the picture below particularly of Braden. Both boys full of wonder, appreciation and a sense of the deep spiritual connection that exists in this beautiful land.

Braden full of wonder... or maybe zoned out from jet lag...hard to say...

The pants are rented because we showed up in shorts... an hour to line up for pants but worth it!!!

Many of these little guys holding up the universe... love the architecture and attention to detail.

Fuck it... lets get this party started!!!!

Thank for reading  - Layno !!!

Southeast Asia: Slow like Cambodia

The Inns and outs of Phnom Penh 

I jumped onto an overnight bus from Vietnam which turned out to be a sleeper bus. A sleeper bus, I learned,  is where there's an upper deck and the seats... lie flat!!!! My goodness!!! And so from the relative luxury of my super sleeper big bus bunk I watched the lights of Saigon disappear in the darkness and Cambodia reveal itself in the early morning light. Now this is a cool way to travel. Like watching a travel show on TV with out those annoying commercials!
Peaceful quiet and seemingly a place forgotten in many ways, farms were soon replaced with buildings as Phnom Peng welcomed me to the banks of the mighty Mekong river. A land of Temples, Monks and rice fields its a slow easier pace than either Thailand or Vietnam. There is less commercial activity though traditions and spiritualism are in abundance. The people are conspicuously nice and the food is both inexpensive and for the most part delicious.







I chose a room for $7 per night and learned that in Cambodia as elsewhere you get what you pay for. I didn't look at the room first... though should have. It was certainly more of a living insect museum than a lodging area.... no windows or air conditioning so the night was a sweat filled swat-fest that even in my drunken state was impossible to cope with. I'd met some very hospitable Germans at the bar just down the street and thought it good strategy to talk long into the night and spend my money on beer rather than an expensive room. You win some - you lose some..... this one I definitely lost. The Inns and outs of Phnom Penh....

Phnom Penh is perched on the edge on the mighty Mekong river and has a wonderful wide walkway along it's bank. At night it's a great place to hang out and watch the Cambodian world go by. Monks and prostitutes, families and fishers - street Vendors and picnickers -  it's a busy place attracting all manner of Cambodian folks. Pictured on the right is some food I bought. It looked smelled and looked delicious enough - was well priced and from the comments of the chef, thought to maybe be pork...maybe.... It was not delicious - in fact it was startlingly bad tasting. Examining it carefully later - I have to say I have no idea what it was... but will watch that I am never temped to try this seemingly tasty morsel again..... Ever! I'm fortunate that my Africa eating experience has definitely improved my ability to "handle" some questionable food choices. Again you win some and lose some. Like the Hilton suite from the previous evening -  I lost on this one as well.

The draw of Cambodia for me is The Killing Fields. While the temples of Seim Reap are apparently even more interesting for different reasons I didn't have time to visit and... have run out of pages in my passport so am unable to travel more other than to get back to Kenya.

 I have never really understood the significance outside the fact that many died at the hands of the terrible regime led by Pol Pot. I visited on the following day and admit I was a bit tired from little sleep..and hung over from too many beers. It was likely not an ideal time to visit a memorial to one of the worlds' most horrific events.  Later I struggled to escape inconsolable grief and depression as the facts and realities hit me like waves on some demonic beach. What a seriously fucked up group of people these were. As many as 2.5 million died out of a population of 8 million. The idea that if you got rid of all the smart people (like those who wore glasses) and returned to a purely agrarian existence - the world would be a better place.  WTF? The ethnic Thai, Vietnamese and Monks suffered the same demise.

The killing fields are an industrial yard on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Somehow I thought it would be a grassy plain like the Canadian plains of Abraham or Flanders fields.... I didn't expect a commercial lot. Simply a large piece of land surrounded by tall walls and a series of outbuildings. There are still bones and bits of cloth revealed with each passing rain .... and the yard is as it was in many ways. And I expected it to be older... a lot older - even though I know that Pol Pot had led the Khmer Rouge for just 4 years from 1975 to 1979 it was not so long ago.The building above is full of skulls - yup - a shitload of them... below a better shot looking through one of the viewing panes.

Not only did many many innocent people die here - but died employing the most horrific and barbaric means. There was no funds for mercifully ending lives so the main choice was to get the smart guy close to the edge of the pit and whack him with an car axle.Worse - much worse - the tree below is known as the killing tree. Babies and young children were killed here by swinging them by their feet and smashing their little heads against this tree. Day in - and day out.

In my travels and work over the last couple of years I have enjoyed leaving the cozy cocoon of naivety behind and soberly embraced the astonishing way in which people can behave toward one another. The killing tree ended my day and I was reduced to a weeping boy ..... feeling utterly disconnected with my fellow man and the 54 years of learning about our world that surrounds me. If anything good came from this it's was my strengthening resolve to devote more time and energy to humanitarianism and maintaining a positive if not hopeful philosophy that the world is changing and we are learning to tolerate if not love one another.




Thanks for reading Layno!!

Southeast Asia: Vietnam

Vietnam .... not what I was expecting and what I was afraid of.

 
"Don't take my picture she said".... but unfortunately it was a little late as you can see. It got a bit louder and animated just after this picture was taken as I didn't buy Lychee nuts from the lady.... oops. Should have just offered up a few Bhat and saved myself the scolding. But -  what is more quintessentially East Asia than a the ubiquitous roadside vendor tempting you with some of the greatest foods the world has to offer!

Waterfall in Northern Thailand

So my goal over my next 5 blogs is describing a 25 day trip to South East Asia that included  visits to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand (Bangkok, Northern Thailand, Southern Thailand). My son Jake and his best friend Braden joined me in Thailand where we spent 20 amazing days hanging and exploring this wonderful corner of the planet.

I'll simply describe some of the adventures and observations that we found interesting along the way. From swimming with elephants to motorcycling through the mountains of northern Thailand to snorkeling secluded bays in the south...I'll do my best to share the experiences we were so fortunate to have had.

We traveled (like locals) using buses, hostels and local transport to better connect with the experience. Through all that traveling we didn't miss a single connection, have a "negative safety experience, or find ourselves in any real difficulty. The hawkers are quite aggressive - but in many ways I think we have created that reality.





 

In sum and as introduction, Buddhism is alive and well - the food is even better than expected (more on that later) - the people are kind,warm and accommodating - It's busy busy busy - The rural is unchanged from a 100 .....nay 500 years ago - the landscape and beaches are unbelievably beautiful  - the culture is rich and fascinating - the living is easy .....and best!  - it is a really inexpensive place to visit. Love that!

Drinks at Chilli's rooftop bar...

Formerly Saigon (which I prefer... as it reminds me of my favorite TV show MASH) Ho Chi Minh city is a complete and massive contradiction living cooperatively and efficiently with itself. I've never seen more scooters and motorcycles in one place before. At a stop light there may be 300 or 400 2-wheeled wedged between the cars transporters like packing paper around a gift or water flowing around rocks in a stream. I know - it's a weird analogy but I was really taken by the efficiency of the motorcycles vs. cars. One zipping quickly and efficiently about as the other lumbers pathetically and reluctant. It's a  city of parties and sparkling LED lights with fun and excitement all around you. On the first night I somehow partied until 6am belying my age and only slight affinity to late nights and alcohol fueled fun. That said - I'm not completely opposed :)

I met the twins Dan and Eve from New Zealand and spent a schwack of time hanging with them. At 21 years of age I was blown away by their maturity and fearlessness in the face of adventure. They had both come from volunteering at animal rescue centers in Thailand and had amazing stories to tell. As inspiring as friendly - they really made my Vietnam adventure rich and fun.

Fresh grilled frog for a snack. had to hop over and try one...

Dan and I shared a frog among a number of other interesting bites from the street vendors. The food is - well - spectacular. And as you walk along casually investigating the various booths and offerings.....the Vietnamese are loud and chatty, the smells catch your attention and spin you round as you try and discover the source. Inevitably you're led to yet another tantalizing offering but reluctantly decline given the very serious amount of food you're already consumed.  Priced right too.... that makes it even tougher.

Really really fresh fish

Staying with the idea of great food, I made friends with a tour guide on the next day. Mia did a great job on an all day tour that I'll get to soon but did an even greater job taking me to dinner after the tour. At 7pm  promptly she picked me from my hostel on her motorcycle and whisked me expertly through the streets of Saigon to a roadside eatery with not a tourist in sight. After raw prawns and these sauteed vegetable stalks that tasted like sweet licorice... we pointed out a fish that was then ceremoniously "ended" and sliced thin and served raw to us on a bed of ice. The fish remains (bones head etc) were then made into soup right at the table. A heap of vegetable appeared next and Mia expertly cooked them for us over the next while. It was at least 3 hours before I once again found myself on the back of the motorcycle beingwhisked through the lively streets of the city and back to my hostel. Thanks Mia!!!!

The tank that rolled up on the Presidential palace ending the war with the surrender by the South Vietnamese.

Being a child of the early 60's I was partially aware of what was going on around me as the 70's and images of war came to my childhood. I was aware of draft dodgers and the cries for peace and love but never really understood the realities of the Vietnam war. Nor do I now.

While I didn't really understand what was happening - what I was aware of was emotionally charged talk accompanying nightly dinner table conversation and disturbing images filling our black and white tube TV's in the evening.  Both my aunt and uncle were hippies and I recall their harsh condemnation of the American President and the ongoing war.


So I expected the tour of the Vietnam war remnants museum to be a bit emotionally heavy for me but mid-tour was suddenly overcome and overwhelmed with immense sadness and grief.  Slowly but surely I came  face to face with the harsh realities of how the Americans had behaved during that terrible time.  I had to find a bathroom and get it together...it was heavy. I was confronted with the abominable means employed to keep the socialist hoards from the gates of the great capitalist bastions of America and elsewhere.  3 million killed.... 2 million of those were innocents and only crime being born in the wrong place and wrong time. It was a sacrifice of 2 million to get 1 million Viet Cong soldiers.  The agent orange exhibit was completely overwhelming and I tried my best to convince myself that it was the best choice at the time... given what everyone knew.... and without the perspective of where we are today. Agent Orange was more than a defoliant - it left deformity as an inter generational legacy and a constant reminder of the cruelty that prevailed. All that said, it still is hard to believe and understand. What the fuck? Like other memorials throughout the world  (Auschwitz, Rwanda, The rape of Nanjing, Hiroshima, The Killing Fields etc) - we must learn from these atrocities and vow to never repeat.

 I also visited the tunnels outside the city built by the North so that they could  move around Saigon. I'm not a big fan of small enclosed spaces in the first place... so the 50 meters I traveled underground was more than enough for me. I think my expression below says it all. The entrance here is touristized... but I did go into an actual hole...and had to slip in with my hands above my head. On exit I got wedged in the opening... I am clearly to big for that game. I also went to an exhibit of all the booby traps made and used during that time. Given the lack of cash and raw materials - they were amazingly resourceful, effective and frightening.

Small cramped dark spaces with snakes and scorpions...ahhhh no thank you. Any paperwork I can do....

Here I am strategizing with South Vietnamese on the Tet offensive.... grizzly but effective and likely the turning point

One other part of the tour included the opportunity to fire off machine guns of varying type and size. The safety protocols were pretty funny (Pick up a gun and start shooting toward the dirt bank) but more interesting in my mind was the choice to raise funding for a memorial condemning American aggression with the sale of bullets (you pay per bullet). Does anyone else see the irony here?... or is it just me 😂

Thank for reading - Layno!!!