One of the experienced that I did enjoy while staying in the Lisu Village was taking a hike into the hills nearby and searching for medicinal herbs and plants used traditionally by the tribe for healing purposes. This hike I did during the morning before the heat of the afternoon with Susanon and two other guests, a dutch girl and Canadian girl, I met at the homestay who dropped in my third night. Was quite interested walking through a small forest into the hills and having various plants pointed out. Most of the clearings and hills were burned out apparently to make space to grow crops. Didn't see any animals or wildlife, probably mostly due to the burnings. I heard if you keep hiking for into the hills for 2-3 days u get to some very interesting areas, spots where monkeys, elephants, and tigers still exist. Also would be poppy fields back that far, otherwise they are non-existant from the gov't making opium illegal.
Another interesting guest who stopped in my second night in was a Polish woman in her 50's. I believe her name was Eva, she had recently came to Thailand after having lived in Varanasi, India for two yrs with her daughter, an artist. In Varanasi she explained that she was studying Japanese, a seemingly random place to study the Japanese language. As Varanasi is one of the main cities I want to visit when I travel to India in one month I was glad to have met Eva and gotten some valuable insight and information from her. Not too often that I have met Polish travelers during my four months so far, let alone a woman in their 50's backpacking solo. Just previous to stopping into the Lisu village she had done a 20 day Vipassana meditation retreat at a monastery north of Chiang Mai.
I expected the experience to be a bit more primitive than it turned out to be. While the tribe, particularly the women, still wear their traditional colorful attire typical to their respective tribe, they have also embraced alot of what would be considered modern society. While I was inside no more than five of the hilltribers dwellings, it seems as though many of the villagers have acquired televisions, dvd players, and cellphones. In addition they all pretty much own motorbikes and some own pickup trucks and automobiles, although not many. Here and there I noticed satellite dishes around dwellings and it seemed like all homes were wired for electricity. Everybody was pretty friendly in the village. It wasn't exactly the kind of homestay experience that I was expecting however. I thought it would be more inclusive of the whole community, but for the most part meals involved sitting with the family I was staying with and eating some of their homestyle cooking, which was quite delicious. One night dinner including small little shrimp that Susanan had collected from one of the nearby streams. The next night they included cooked ants or ant larvae, I wasn't exactly sure which. Tasted pretty normal with salt and spices cooked in with it.
While they possessed alot of these modern devices and luxuries, it wasn't as though anyone was living in any kind of luxury. Many places were still on the dirt without flooring overlaying the earth. Others were pitched off the ground, helpful during monsoon season and times of rain and flooding. The main road through the village and up into the higher villages was paved, otherwise all the side roads were dirt with much trash littering the place. Lots of chickens and roosters running all over
.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Living with Lisu Hilltribe
While in Pai I was in close proximity to many of the colorfully attired hilltribe villages living in the area. I had noticed flyers advertising homestay opportunity with one of the Lisu hilltribes with the chance to learn a little bit about their culture and lifestyle. They also had a very nice website describing their village while explaining and describing the various classes offered in the village. Several of the classes offered which interested me included learning Lisu style massage as well as the chance to meet with their village shaman/medicine man and learn a little bit about their healing work and spirituality, primarily a combination of animism and Buddhism. Other classes including learning about Lisu arts and crafts, jewelry making, meditation, detox, etc.
While it is strange enough that a seemingly primitive hilltribe village would be technological savvy enough to have their own website, it turned out to be the creation of an American expat living in the village, married to one of the Lisu women. Albert, in his 60's, has been living in Thailand for 5 yrs and in the village for several yrs. He is married to Susanan, a Lisu woman in her 40's. Together they take care of the majority of the services provided by the homestay experience. Albert takes care of the meditation, detox, jewelry making classes, etc, while Susanan the primary person instructing about Lisu arts and crafts, Lisu massage, hikes into the hills and forest to identify medicinal plants and herbs, etc.
The drive from Pai to the village of Nong Tong, near Soppong, was an extremely picturesque and windy route over a mountain pass and down into the next valley to the village of Soppong. I drove the route to Soppong and the village the day before I joined the homestay on a motorbike. Took a little over 1 hr each way and was comparable to driving Independence Pass in Colorado. The scenery was beautiful driving through the the mountains on steep narrow roads, seeing the ricefields, workers in the fields, cattle on the roads, and everything else common to the area. The next day I took a bus back to the town to start the homestay for 3 days. Wasn't sure exactly what to expect but seemed like an interesting way to experience authentic Thai life while getting away from the masses. Also hoped to learn something new and exotic while studying Lisu massage.
I was able to practice Lisu massage the day after I arrived with Susanan. It was described on the website as a meridian and energy balancing technique with acupressure. While it was a nice massage, I didn't find anything exotic or particularly different about it than I had learned in the past. It was in some ways quite similar to shiatsu which I had learned in the past. However, there didn't seem to be a focused emphasis on balancing out energy and meridians in the body. Susanan's English speaking was ok, but not good enough to be able to communicate about balancing energy and sensing nuances in people's bodies. To me it seemed quite similar to a clothed shiatsu massage that followed a routine on the body with possible focus on real tight or troubled areas of the body, of which I didn't really have any. It employed a few Thai style stretches but otherwise didn't take much from Thai massage.
I was able to receive several times from Susanan and another woman in the village, possibly a relative of hers although she didn't speak any English. Then I went through the routine myself. I had been planning on perhaps working with them for several days on learning Lisu style massage, however after experiencing the work I really didn't find it that necessary. In looking back, I believe I thought that in learning with the village women living in a tribe that they may possess some kind of secret insight or wisdom of the body which I hadn't learned or experienced yet. Perhaps their relative isolation from the modern world would have enabled them to hold onto some ancient knowledge lost from most modern people. However I didn't find this to be so. I thought the website really hyped up the massage, as well as many other aspects of the homestay, as though it would be sometime totally unique and different. This I didn't find to be so although I did enjoy the experience and enjoy taking chances in learning something new.
Another feature advertised on the website is meeting with the village shaman or medicine man and experience Lisu spirituality and healing. In talking with Albert he mentioned that I may be disappointed with the experience. Apparently the shaman speaks no English and translation from other Lisu folk possessing beginner knowledge of English wouldn't help too much. I decided to skip out on this offering of the homestay. It would have been cool if there had been a ceremonial healing or other event involving the shaman that I could have watched and experienced. However during my 3 days there nothing of that nature occurred.
While it is strange enough that a seemingly primitive hilltribe village would be technological savvy enough to have their own website, it turned out to be the creation of an American expat living in the village, married to one of the Lisu women. Albert, in his 60's, has been living in Thailand for 5 yrs and in the village for several yrs. He is married to Susanan, a Lisu woman in her 40's. Together they take care of the majority of the services provided by the homestay experience. Albert takes care of the meditation, detox, jewelry making classes, etc, while Susanan the primary person instructing about Lisu arts and crafts, Lisu massage, hikes into the hills and forest to identify medicinal plants and herbs, etc.
The drive from Pai to the village of Nong Tong, near Soppong, was an extremely picturesque and windy route over a mountain pass and down into the next valley to the village of Soppong. I drove the route to Soppong and the village the day before I joined the homestay on a motorbike. Took a little over 1 hr each way and was comparable to driving Independence Pass in Colorado. The scenery was beautiful driving through the the mountains on steep narrow roads, seeing the ricefields, workers in the fields, cattle on the roads, and everything else common to the area. The next day I took a bus back to the town to start the homestay for 3 days. Wasn't sure exactly what to expect but seemed like an interesting way to experience authentic Thai life while getting away from the masses. Also hoped to learn something new and exotic while studying Lisu massage.
I was able to practice Lisu massage the day after I arrived with Susanan. It was described on the website as a meridian and energy balancing technique with acupressure. While it was a nice massage, I didn't find anything exotic or particularly different about it than I had learned in the past. It was in some ways quite similar to shiatsu which I had learned in the past. However, there didn't seem to be a focused emphasis on balancing out energy and meridians in the body. Susanan's English speaking was ok, but not good enough to be able to communicate about balancing energy and sensing nuances in people's bodies. To me it seemed quite similar to a clothed shiatsu massage that followed a routine on the body with possible focus on real tight or troubled areas of the body, of which I didn't really have any. It employed a few Thai style stretches but otherwise didn't take much from Thai massage.
I was able to receive several times from Susanan and another woman in the village, possibly a relative of hers although she didn't speak any English. Then I went through the routine myself. I had been planning on perhaps working with them for several days on learning Lisu style massage, however after experiencing the work I really didn't find it that necessary. In looking back, I believe I thought that in learning with the village women living in a tribe that they may possess some kind of secret insight or wisdom of the body which I hadn't learned or experienced yet. Perhaps their relative isolation from the modern world would have enabled them to hold onto some ancient knowledge lost from most modern people. However I didn't find this to be so. I thought the website really hyped up the massage, as well as many other aspects of the homestay, as though it would be sometime totally unique and different. This I didn't find to be so although I did enjoy the experience and enjoy taking chances in learning something new.
Another feature advertised on the website is meeting with the village shaman or medicine man and experience Lisu spirituality and healing. In talking with Albert he mentioned that I may be disappointed with the experience. Apparently the shaman speaks no English and translation from other Lisu folk possessing beginner knowledge of English wouldn't help too much. I decided to skip out on this offering of the homestay. It would have been cool if there had been a ceremonial healing or other event involving the shaman that I could have watched and experienced. However during my 3 days there nothing of that nature occurred.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Pai, Thailand
Was feeling better a day after not feeling well after 4 days of the water festival celebrating the Thai New Year. Took too many buckets of dirty water to the face and mouth, likely source being the canal surrounding the old city section where much celebration was occurring. Here lots of filthy and contaminated water flows. The Thais had no problem jumping in it and swimming while also using it as a water source for filling up their buckets during the water celebration.
After a day of rest I took a minivan to the quieter, hippy town of Pai, about 2.5 hrs northwest through the mtns on slow winding roads. Lots of beautiful scenery on the ride which gave me my first glimpse of the rice fields of Thailand. I had heard lots of great things about the town and been planning on checking it and surrounding area out when I got to the Chiang Mai area. It is nestled in a valley with mountains and wilderness surrounding it on almost all sides. Not Colorado sized snowcap mtns but sizeable and majestic enough in themselves. Unfortunately I can't see a super clear view of much of the mtns as the weather is hot and hazy, obscuring some of the clarity. Also lots of landed being burned to clear space for growing crops, sending lots of smoke in the sky. There is a nice river flowing through town but not at its highest level since rainy season ended last fall and is coming up soon in several months. Also nearby are hot springs, some beautiful waterfalls and various caves. A bit too hot for the hot springs at the moment unfortunately as hot as it is.. The river and waterfalls would be awesome during and after the rainy monsoon season coming up soon. Lots of rafting and tubing opportunities available with local businesses. Tons of trekking and other opportunities to visit the hill tribes in the nearby area are also available.
As the weather is currently summertime and in the middle of the hot season, it is hot as hell and the prime tourism season has ended. Very quiet and lowkey here in Pai. Great chance to relax from the crowds and madness of the Thai New Year and the big crowds of the past few months. Kind of a Nederland, Colorado type feel to Pai as it is nestled in the mtns with a sizable hippy contigent. Also similar to Boulder with the amount of healing centers, meditation classes, and vegetarian restaurants around town. There is a big live music and jam session scene thriving in town. I found a cool little cafe serving fresh wheatgrass grown in the front of the store. Also a huge tea selection with all kinds of herbal and medicinal teas available. I got a large bag of very good Chinese herbal tea acclaimed for its healing and immune enhancing effects, exactly what I need at the moment. Can't remember the name of it as I had never heard of it before. Nice place to hang out and meet interesting people traveling from all over the world. Met a beautiful Japanese girl there traveling byself and passing through Pai for the day. I sat with her and another crazy Austrian guy telling wild stories of traveling on the trains and busses in India 10 yrs ago.
Prices are outrageously cheap at the moment as it is the low season and not as many people in town. My first few nights I had a cheap 100 baht a night - $3 - bungalow along side the river. Thank goodness the mattress had a mosquito net as there were huge gaps all throughout the dwelling allowing easy access for anything to come inside. Not worried about snakes entering as much as the nasty centipedes and spiders. I don't need them crawling into bed with me. After 2 nights in that space I upgraded for tonight. Now paying 200 baht for a place I believe would be over 1000 baht during the high season. Still doesn't have an air conditioner but as long as I have a fan i'm ok.
After a day of rest I took a minivan to the quieter, hippy town of Pai, about 2.5 hrs northwest through the mtns on slow winding roads. Lots of beautiful scenery on the ride which gave me my first glimpse of the rice fields of Thailand. I had heard lots of great things about the town and been planning on checking it and surrounding area out when I got to the Chiang Mai area. It is nestled in a valley with mountains and wilderness surrounding it on almost all sides. Not Colorado sized snowcap mtns but sizeable and majestic enough in themselves. Unfortunately I can't see a super clear view of much of the mtns as the weather is hot and hazy, obscuring some of the clarity. Also lots of landed being burned to clear space for growing crops, sending lots of smoke in the sky. There is a nice river flowing through town but not at its highest level since rainy season ended last fall and is coming up soon in several months. Also nearby are hot springs, some beautiful waterfalls and various caves. A bit too hot for the hot springs at the moment unfortunately as hot as it is.. The river and waterfalls would be awesome during and after the rainy monsoon season coming up soon. Lots of rafting and tubing opportunities available with local businesses. Tons of trekking and other opportunities to visit the hill tribes in the nearby area are also available.
As the weather is currently summertime and in the middle of the hot season, it is hot as hell and the prime tourism season has ended. Very quiet and lowkey here in Pai. Great chance to relax from the crowds and madness of the Thai New Year and the big crowds of the past few months. Kind of a Nederland, Colorado type feel to Pai as it is nestled in the mtns with a sizable hippy contigent. Also similar to Boulder with the amount of healing centers, meditation classes, and vegetarian restaurants around town. There is a big live music and jam session scene thriving in town. I found a cool little cafe serving fresh wheatgrass grown in the front of the store. Also a huge tea selection with all kinds of herbal and medicinal teas available. I got a large bag of very good Chinese herbal tea acclaimed for its healing and immune enhancing effects, exactly what I need at the moment. Can't remember the name of it as I had never heard of it before. Nice place to hang out and meet interesting people traveling from all over the world. Met a beautiful Japanese girl there traveling byself and passing through Pai for the day. I sat with her and another crazy Austrian guy telling wild stories of traveling on the trains and busses in India 10 yrs ago.
Prices are outrageously cheap at the moment as it is the low season and not as many people in town. My first few nights I had a cheap 100 baht a night - $3 - bungalow along side the river. Thank goodness the mattress had a mosquito net as there were huge gaps all throughout the dwelling allowing easy access for anything to come inside. Not worried about snakes entering as much as the nasty centipedes and spiders. I don't need them crawling into bed with me. After 2 nights in that space I upgraded for tonight. Now paying 200 baht for a place I believe would be over 1000 baht during the high season. Still doesn't have an air conditioner but as long as I have a fan i'm ok.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
water festival and Pichet
Water Festival still going on in Thailand, lasts for about 4 days, be almost kind of glad when it
is over tmrw as it is next to impossible to go anywhere in town without getting drenched by someone. However it has been an incredible experience being able to be here for this celebration. The streets are madness with revelers getting drenched and spraying up every vehicle and motorbike that drives by.
No way this kind of thing would be able to happen in the US. Would always be someone who doesn't want to get wet or others with bad attitudes starting up fights, eventually leading to shootings and other mayhem. I haven't seen any fights or anything remotely close to an altercation during the whole 4 days of the festival. U can tell some people don't want to get wet but they mostly accept it as part of the holiday. If they are traveling in certain hotspots of activity they are bound to get splashed, unless they are monks or quite old. After dark the watering dies down with the exception of some walking around with water guns. I haven't seen any accidents on the roads but apparently there are thousands of automobile and motorbike accidents throughout the country during the festival from people getting splashed with water as they are driving along or being drunk. Not too much of a problem here in the city in the main sections as the vehicles are all backed up and moving at a snail pace.
Was feeling a little moody earlier today after drinking a bunch of coffee and coming down off the stuff while sitting on computer, went outside back into the madness and felt instantly uplifted. Everybody is so happy and having a good time, dancing in the streets and getting drenched. So funny to see peoples reactions and facial expressions when they are splashed with icy cold water. When your getting splashed you never know if it is going to be tepid, regular temperature water or if it has been sitting in ice blocks getting super cold. It can make you cringe getting a nice bucket of the cold stuff dumped on you when your not expecting it. It's great seeing the theatrics and moaning noises.
Some very cool parades and other celebrations going on as well in the town during the daytime and evening. Saw some Thai girls dressed up very elaborately in traditional wear on a stage doing some dance routines, was very beautiful too watch. One of the main boulevards in the old city is closed off to auto traffic and is filled up for about a mile or so with vendors selling food on one side and all kinds of cool stuff on the other. Lots of beautiful artwork, tribal stuff from the hill tribes, jewelry, silk, the usual t-shirts, etc.
Was riding my bike through town today and saw a girl from yoga class from about 2-3 months ago on Ko Phangan. I had also seen her about 3 wks ago in Bangkok on Khao San Rd. So funny how you keep running into familiar faces like that. She had also stayed at my guesthouse while on Ko Phangan. One would almost think it is some kind of destiny that I keep bumping into her like that. I think her name is Mika or something like that, she is from Belgium and in her mid thirties. Nice girl but pretty average looking. She was telling me earlier when I saw her in Khao San Rd. about trekking for 1 month in Cambodia and how much of an amazing time it was.
Went and met one of the primary thai massage teachers I want to learn with. Named Pichet Boothume, he is very highly regarded as perhaps the best teacher in the Chiang Mai area. He is about 20-30 minutes south of town so I had to rent a motor bike to go figure out exactly where he was located. Took me a while trying to figure it out with the address I had written down off the internet while asking various Thai people. They had me going in all directions. The language differences can get quite frustrating at times. Eventually I drove by a police office and stopped in to ask for help. His address didn't make too much sense to the police officer but fortunately I had his phone # as well. The officer was able to give him a call and then write out a little map for me.
Was an interesting experience meeting him. Speaks decent English but I still didn't know exactly what he was talking about at times. As I drove up to his place he was just sitting in his drive way no doing too much of anything. Was kind of surreal to meet someone I had heard so much about and been looking forward to learning with. Chatted with him for a little while, he seemed a bit out there but had a huge smile as most Thais do. He explained how his teaching philosophy essentially revolves around learning to really sense, perceive, and feel the body, instead of merely mechanically going through the thai massage postures as most schools and practitioners do. I look forward to starting learning with him on the 21st if all goes right.
is over tmrw as it is next to impossible to go anywhere in town without getting drenched by someone. However it has been an incredible experience being able to be here for this celebration. The streets are madness with revelers getting drenched and spraying up every vehicle and motorbike that drives by.
No way this kind of thing would be able to happen in the US. Would always be someone who doesn't want to get wet or others with bad attitudes starting up fights, eventually leading to shootings and other mayhem. I haven't seen any fights or anything remotely close to an altercation during the whole 4 days of the festival. U can tell some people don't want to get wet but they mostly accept it as part of the holiday. If they are traveling in certain hotspots of activity they are bound to get splashed, unless they are monks or quite old. After dark the watering dies down with the exception of some walking around with water guns. I haven't seen any accidents on the roads but apparently there are thousands of automobile and motorbike accidents throughout the country during the festival from people getting splashed with water as they are driving along or being drunk. Not too much of a problem here in the city in the main sections as the vehicles are all backed up and moving at a snail pace.
Was feeling a little moody earlier today after drinking a bunch of coffee and coming down off the stuff while sitting on computer, went outside back into the madness and felt instantly uplifted. Everybody is so happy and having a good time, dancing in the streets and getting drenched. So funny to see peoples reactions and facial expressions when they are splashed with icy cold water. When your getting splashed you never know if it is going to be tepid, regular temperature water or if it has been sitting in ice blocks getting super cold. It can make you cringe getting a nice bucket of the cold stuff dumped on you when your not expecting it. It's great seeing the theatrics and moaning noises.
Some very cool parades and other celebrations going on as well in the town during the daytime and evening. Saw some Thai girls dressed up very elaborately in traditional wear on a stage doing some dance routines, was very beautiful too watch. One of the main boulevards in the old city is closed off to auto traffic and is filled up for about a mile or so with vendors selling food on one side and all kinds of cool stuff on the other. Lots of beautiful artwork, tribal stuff from the hill tribes, jewelry, silk, the usual t-shirts, etc.
Was riding my bike through town today and saw a girl from yoga class from about 2-3 months ago on Ko Phangan. I had also seen her about 3 wks ago in Bangkok on Khao San Rd. So funny how you keep running into familiar faces like that. She had also stayed at my guesthouse while on Ko Phangan. One would almost think it is some kind of destiny that I keep bumping into her like that. I think her name is Mika or something like that, she is from Belgium and in her mid thirties. Nice girl but pretty average looking. She was telling me earlier when I saw her in Khao San Rd. about trekking for 1 month in Cambodia and how much of an amazing time it was.
Went and met one of the primary thai massage teachers I want to learn with. Named Pichet Boothume, he is very highly regarded as perhaps the best teacher in the Chiang Mai area. He is about 20-30 minutes south of town so I had to rent a motor bike to go figure out exactly where he was located. Took me a while trying to figure it out with the address I had written down off the internet while asking various Thai people. They had me going in all directions. The language differences can get quite frustrating at times. Eventually I drove by a police office and stopped in to ask for help. His address didn't make too much sense to the police officer but fortunately I had his phone # as well. The officer was able to give him a call and then write out a little map for me.
Was an interesting experience meeting him. Speaks decent English but I still didn't know exactly what he was talking about at times. As I drove up to his place he was just sitting in his drive way no doing too much of anything. Was kind of surreal to meet someone I had heard so much about and been looking forward to learning with. Chatted with him for a little while, he seemed a bit out there but had a huge smile as most Thais do. He explained how his teaching philosophy essentially revolves around learning to really sense, perceive, and feel the body, instead of merely mechanically going through the thai massage postures as most schools and practitioners do. I look forward to starting learning with him on the 21st if all goes right.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Chiang Mai -water festival
After arriving back from Pattaya I was able to pick up my new passport several days later and promptly purchase myself a bus ticket for Chiang Mai, the main city in Northern Thailand where many of the big time thai massage schools exist. The overnight busride up took forever, about 12 hrs, and I had a horrible air conditioner vent streaming right down at my face the entire time. The bus was the cheapest way to get up to Chiang Mai, otherwise I would have taken a train, which I will probably do on the way back as they have beds on them. Also possible to take a airplane up north, but I didn't feel like paying the extra prices for.
Chiang Mai is an amazing city. Absolutely full of incredible and centuries old Buddhist temples with Buddhas of all sizes and styles inside. Many of the temples are quite rundown with crumbling brick formations and look like they have been around forever. Some are several hundred feet high with surreal looking Buddhas lodged halfway up on the side. It is very mesmerizing being around them and their sense of history. Also many Buddhist monks of all ages walking around in their orange robes. Was talking with a few of them and asking where some good monasteries to go meditate would be. Many options in Chiang Mai as well as throughout the country. Some of the western monks I was talking with have been living in the forest monasteries for 10 yrs or more.
I picked a great time to make it to Chiang Mai. The Thai New Year is celebrated each year from April 13 -15. The new year celebration is referred to as the Songkran Festival, sometimes called the Water Festival. Everybody is going crazy in the streets dumping buckets of water on everyone, hosing everyone, and squirting water on everyone who passes by, except for older folks and monks who are given upmost respect in the Thai community. This goes on for about 4 or 5 days and the main streets in the city are mayhem. It is a crazy party and everyone is drenched with water. There are big barrels of water filled up from hoses everyone dips into for water. Many times people dump large blocks of quickly thawing ice into them so that you get really cold water, the best water for dumping on people and really shocking them. I got a nice little squirt gun that is fun spraying into people's faces with. Lots of others got huge pump squirt guns that really blast water in your face and body. Pretty much everyone and all ages are involved, the little kids on up to middle aged and older folks. So cool seeing the excitement and exhilaration in the young kids faces as they are enjoying themselves. The busiest activity is on the roads along the water filled moat surrounding the square shaped old city portion of Chiang Mai. Here there is lots of fierce water battling between people on pick-up trucks cruising the streets and those on the sides.
I read somewhere that the dumping of water on everyone is a way of washing away bad luck for the year. Also a great way to cool down in the heat of the hot season in Thailand. The heat is not as bad up here as it is down in Bangkok. Bangkok was almost unbearable at times. Chiang Mai is so much more cleaner and peaceful. It has an amazing spiritual vibe about itself with all the temples, monks, thai massage schools, and healing centers throughout the city. The mountains and hill tribes are nearby and tons of opportunities for trekking are available.
Seen several elephants being walked around town during the evenings. It's amazing seeing how huge they are in person, standing over 10-15 ft high. Hopefully get a chance to ride one later on during a trek in the mtns.
Chiang Mai is an amazing city. Absolutely full of incredible and centuries old Buddhist temples with Buddhas of all sizes and styles inside. Many of the temples are quite rundown with crumbling brick formations and look like they have been around forever. Some are several hundred feet high with surreal looking Buddhas lodged halfway up on the side. It is very mesmerizing being around them and their sense of history. Also many Buddhist monks of all ages walking around in their orange robes. Was talking with a few of them and asking where some good monasteries to go meditate would be. Many options in Chiang Mai as well as throughout the country. Some of the western monks I was talking with have been living in the forest monasteries for 10 yrs or more.
I picked a great time to make it to Chiang Mai. The Thai New Year is celebrated each year from April 13 -15. The new year celebration is referred to as the Songkran Festival, sometimes called the Water Festival. Everybody is going crazy in the streets dumping buckets of water on everyone, hosing everyone, and squirting water on everyone who passes by, except for older folks and monks who are given upmost respect in the Thai community. This goes on for about 4 or 5 days and the main streets in the city are mayhem. It is a crazy party and everyone is drenched with water. There are big barrels of water filled up from hoses everyone dips into for water. Many times people dump large blocks of quickly thawing ice into them so that you get really cold water, the best water for dumping on people and really shocking them. I got a nice little squirt gun that is fun spraying into people's faces with. Lots of others got huge pump squirt guns that really blast water in your face and body. Pretty much everyone and all ages are involved, the little kids on up to middle aged and older folks. So cool seeing the excitement and exhilaration in the young kids faces as they are enjoying themselves. The busiest activity is on the roads along the water filled moat surrounding the square shaped old city portion of Chiang Mai. Here there is lots of fierce water battling between people on pick-up trucks cruising the streets and those on the sides.
I read somewhere that the dumping of water on everyone is a way of washing away bad luck for the year. Also a great way to cool down in the heat of the hot season in Thailand. The heat is not as bad up here as it is down in Bangkok. Bangkok was almost unbearable at times. Chiang Mai is so much more cleaner and peaceful. It has an amazing spiritual vibe about itself with all the temples, monks, thai massage schools, and healing centers throughout the city. The mountains and hill tribes are nearby and tons of opportunities for trekking are available.
Seen several elephants being walked around town during the evenings. It's amazing seeing how huge they are in person, standing over 10-15 ft high. Hopefully get a chance to ride one later on during a trek in the mtns.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Pattaya
While I had heard that Pattaya had a decent prostitution scene, I was not prepared for how insanely widespread and busy it actually was. Street after street was filled with bars filled with beautiful, and some not so beautiful, thai women working to sell themselves for the evening or a couple hrs. The busiest street of all was Walking Street, an crazy street filled with gogo bars, strip clubs, entertainers, and thousands of prostitutes. Some of the interesting street performers including a little girl around 8 showing off insane contortionist skills, a young Thai boy continuously juggling a soccer ball for hrs, some magicians, some animals showing off tricks, etc.
Another interesting aspect to the prostitution scene was the inclusion of many beautiful blond haired Russian and European girls out selling themselves for apparently lots more than the typical Thai girl. Apparently Pattaya is marketed very big back in Russia and many Russians are seen and heard walking the streets. I remember having heard Anna Kournikova the tennis player was paid several yrs ago to sponsor Pattaya. I only saw one club where the Russian women were to be found entertaining. Located on Walking street, there was a large glass showcase on a 2nd floor showcasing single Russian ladies dancing very provacatively on a pole. Outside of this spot, I didn't see any other locations in around town featuring Russians or European women. I had also read that there is a contigent of Jamaican men hustling themselves out to Asian, primarily Japanese women. It must be quite low key as I didn't notice any of this scene in my hours of walking through the city.
While I was quite tempted on many occassions to break down and buy one of the women for the evening, I was able to hold off my urges. The combination of paying for a woman in addition to diseases and the number of men that these women have been with is a bit of a turnoff and deterent for me. I had fun flirting with the women and talking with them. I did get an awesome 4 handed oil massage from 2 beautiful thai girls for about $15 dollar. They didn't get me off or anything but pretty much covered everywhere on my body. They made it clear that I could have paid extra for more. Found another thai massage place offering 1 hr for 100 baht, or a little over $3, quite an amazing price and the cheapest I had found so far.
While I had considered doing a muay thai kickboxing camp while in Pattaya, I decided against it the day after I arrived. My back was feeling sore and achy and I didn't feel up for it. I did however find a very nice health club called 'California Wow', a weird name, offering yoga classes about 5 times a day. This I decided to do instead and signed up for several days. The instructors were Indian and quite good, doing yoga in styles and sequences that I had never done before.
I actually had a television in my room for the first time in a while. Typically I am fine without one as it costs more and I just read or doing something else instead. It was interesting having it and flipping through the channels. One of the most interesting shows I watched was professional wrestling from Japan. Definitely a big constrast to American pro wrestling. The audience was very quiet and polite and would clap when the wrestlers pulled off a tricky move. The crowds in American pro wrestling are mostly a bunch of adolescent and young men acting crazy booing and cheering very loud. One could see older women in the front rows of the Japanese variety. It's like they were at the theater or something. One wrestler I noticed from 15-20 twenties yrs back in the WWF was Kamala, the Ugandan giant. Hard to believe he has been around that long if it is the same wrestler.
While I had considered doing a muay thai kickboxing camp while in Pattaya, I decided against it the day after I arrived. My back was feeling sore and achy and I didn't feel up for it. I did however find a very nice health club called 'California Wow', a weird name, offering yoga classes about 5 times a day. This I decided to do instead and signed up for several days. The instructors were Indian and quite good, doing yoga in styles and sequences that I had never done before.
I actually had a television in my room for the first time in a while. Typically I am fine without one as it costs more and I just read or doing something else instead. It was interesting having it and flipping through the channels. One of the most interesting shows I watched was professional wrestling from Japan. Definitely a big constrast to American pro wrestling. The audience was very quiet and polite and would clap when the wrestlers pulled off a tricky move. The crowds in American pro wrestling are mostly a bunch of adolescent and young men acting crazy booing and cheering very loud. One could see older women in the front rows of the Japanese variety. It's like they were at the theater or something. One wrestler I noticed from 15-20 twenties yrs back in the WWF was Kamala, the Ugandan giant. Hard to believe he has been around that long if it is the same wrestler.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
no scuba diving and back to Bangkok
I had been hoping to head back to Ko Tao and take part in open water scuba diving certification at one of the many diving schools present on the island. I had found a school which offered free lodging if one signed up with them. Upon leaving Phuket on the way to Ko Tao I decided to spend the night on Ko Samui, two islands south of Ko Tao. This including taking a minivan from Phuket to the coastal town of Surat Thani, about 5 hrs, then hopping on a huge and slow moving barge carrying hundreds of people along with automobiles and several large carriage buses. The barge trip took about 2 hrs and I finally arrived in Ko Samui around 8pm. Hitched a ride in a old thai man's pickup truck to town and found myself a room for the evening.
Woke up the next morning and while I was packing up my few belongings and reaching for some cash, I discovering that my passport and money pouch were missing. I had most recently seen them the previous morning upon packing and leaving Phuket. I had gotten my passport back from my guest house where they had been holding it in collateral for the motor bike I was renting. I have absolutely no idea how it got missing in the one day. I had put the passport and cash in my belt pouch and put that into my small backpack. Then during the day I was on a mini van with only 3 others and had nobody sitting right next to me, only in front and back of me. My pack was next to me the entire time. On the barge trip my backpack was next to me the entire time and I don't remember anyone ever being up next to me. I had no visitors in my room during the night. Hence I have no idea how it either fell out of my backpack or someone was super sneaky in grabbing it out. All I can figure is perhaps the zipper on my backpack loosened and opened up somehow and the moneybelt fell out. I was quite shocked and devastated for a while as I figured my trip was over and a new passport was going to cost thousands of dollars. I am constantly vigilant and aware of my wallet, keys, and passport, continuously checking my pockets throughout the day and making sure everything is safe and secure. All I can figure is that it was a karmic thing and it was meant to happen, the killing off of negative karma from one of my past wrongdoings.
I sat for several minutes in disbelief and anger then finally got up and decided that I was going to have to visit the police and the immigration office which was nearby.
At the immigation office I spoke with a British guy who had had his passport and belongings stolen a month ago. He explained that he only had to pay about $200 British pounds or so to get a new one, so that helped put my mind at ease slightly. After speaking with immigration for a moment they told me to go to the police and file a report. This I did and also got a chance to speak with the US Embassy back in Bangkok. They told me that I would have to come back to Bangkok to file for a new passport and that it would only cost me $100, a hell of a lot cheaper than I was originally expecting. One hears that stolen passports on the black market can sell upwards of thousands of dollars. I figured there would be a substantial financial penalty for applying for a new one.
Upon leaving Ko Samui that afternoon and arriving back in Bangkok the next morning around 5am after being on the overnight bus, I was back on Khao San Rd. looking for a new guest house and being pestered by the everpresent ladyboy transvestites roaming the streets looking to make money. Several hrs later I visited the US Embassy to file for a new passport and was informed it would take 2 wks for the new one to arrive. This gave me 2 wks to kill and there was no way I was going to spend 2 wks in Bangkok in the middle of the hot season. The heat and humidity during the daytime is quite oppressive. Its tough to be outside during the daytime, particularly while enduring the 100 degree heat made worse by the emittance of all the exhaust and heat from the countless cars, motorbikes, and tuk tuks. However, as hot as it gets in Bangkok, it is still a joy to walk for hours throughout the city and check out the different neighborhoods, streets, and markets. There is so much life, energy, and culture on the streets of Bangkok.
After considering the possibilities I figured it would be best to head for one of the nearest beaches close to Bangkok. I chose to head southeast to Pattaya, about 2 hrs away, hoping it would be a bit cooler with coastal breeze coming off the ocean. I was also considering doing a 5 day thai kickboxing camp to punch and kick out my anger from losing my passport and money.
Woke up the next morning and while I was packing up my few belongings and reaching for some cash, I discovering that my passport and money pouch were missing. I had most recently seen them the previous morning upon packing and leaving Phuket. I had gotten my passport back from my guest house where they had been holding it in collateral for the motor bike I was renting. I have absolutely no idea how it got missing in the one day. I had put the passport and cash in my belt pouch and put that into my small backpack. Then during the day I was on a mini van with only 3 others and had nobody sitting right next to me, only in front and back of me. My pack was next to me the entire time. On the barge trip my backpack was next to me the entire time and I don't remember anyone ever being up next to me. I had no visitors in my room during the night. Hence I have no idea how it either fell out of my backpack or someone was super sneaky in grabbing it out. All I can figure is perhaps the zipper on my backpack loosened and opened up somehow and the moneybelt fell out. I was quite shocked and devastated for a while as I figured my trip was over and a new passport was going to cost thousands of dollars. I am constantly vigilant and aware of my wallet, keys, and passport, continuously checking my pockets throughout the day and making sure everything is safe and secure. All I can figure is that it was a karmic thing and it was meant to happen, the killing off of negative karma from one of my past wrongdoings.
I sat for several minutes in disbelief and anger then finally got up and decided that I was going to have to visit the police and the immigration office which was nearby.
At the immigation office I spoke with a British guy who had had his passport and belongings stolen a month ago. He explained that he only had to pay about $200 British pounds or so to get a new one, so that helped put my mind at ease slightly. After speaking with immigration for a moment they told me to go to the police and file a report. This I did and also got a chance to speak with the US Embassy back in Bangkok. They told me that I would have to come back to Bangkok to file for a new passport and that it would only cost me $100, a hell of a lot cheaper than I was originally expecting. One hears that stolen passports on the black market can sell upwards of thousands of dollars. I figured there would be a substantial financial penalty for applying for a new one.
Upon leaving Ko Samui that afternoon and arriving back in Bangkok the next morning around 5am after being on the overnight bus, I was back on Khao San Rd. looking for a new guest house and being pestered by the everpresent ladyboy transvestites roaming the streets looking to make money. Several hrs later I visited the US Embassy to file for a new passport and was informed it would take 2 wks for the new one to arrive. This gave me 2 wks to kill and there was no way I was going to spend 2 wks in Bangkok in the middle of the hot season. The heat and humidity during the daytime is quite oppressive. Its tough to be outside during the daytime, particularly while enduring the 100 degree heat made worse by the emittance of all the exhaust and heat from the countless cars, motorbikes, and tuk tuks. However, as hot as it gets in Bangkok, it is still a joy to walk for hours throughout the city and check out the different neighborhoods, streets, and markets. There is so much life, energy, and culture on the streets of Bangkok.
After considering the possibilities I figured it would be best to head for one of the nearest beaches close to Bangkok. I chose to head southeast to Pattaya, about 2 hrs away, hoping it would be a bit cooler with coastal breeze coming off the ocean. I was also considering doing a 5 day thai kickboxing camp to punch and kick out my anger from losing my passport and money.
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