Thailand
Thinking of Bangkok
By Tony and Thomas on May 19, 2010 | 1 Comment »
We’re sitting here in the Philippines watching the government crackdown in Bangkok on CNN. How surreal. Although only a small part of Bangkok is occupied by Red Shirt protesters, it is the very area we walked through every day while we were in the city.
We see walls of tires with bamboo spears jutting out on corners we used to pass by, gun fights in Lumphini Park, armed vehicles advancing on the Rachaprasong intersection, an area we passed through multiple times a day. It feels like our second home is under siege.
We hope all our friends in Thailand are safe: Poy, Ning, Mr. T, grandma, our friends at 7 Eleven, the little person who plays the Leprechaun at the Irish pub, the staff at the local restaurant near the tobacco factory, everyone who welcomed us and made our stay so memorable. We just wanted everyone to know we are thinking of you.
Bangkok Protests
By Tony on April 29, 2010 | No Comments »
For weeks, we have been dreaming of some rest and respite in luxuriously decadent Bangkok. Sushi at Fuji, the latest 3D films in digital perfection, sinfully delicious chocolate cake at Siam Paragon, a mega-brunch at Taling Chan. However, as many of you have probably seen in the news, the city is going through a rough patch as tens of thousands of protesters challenge the authority of the current government by occupying sections of the city including portions of the old city and the streets around Central World Mall. The latter location is just a short walk from the apartment we stay in when we are in Bangkok. And both locations are quite relevant to tourists visiting the city.
During our stay in Bangkok, the Red Shirts relocated into the downtown area shutting down the enormous commercial centers from Siam Discovery along Sukhumvit Road all the way to Central World. For those unfamiliar with Bangkok, it would be like rolling into » Continue reading this post »
Link Between Ancient Egypt and Thailand
By Tony on April 27, 2010 | 3 Comments »
Always on the cutting edge of cultural discovery, Thomas and I have happened upon cryptic indications of a mysterious link between ancient Egypt and Thailand. While riding a local bus in Chiang Rai, a small rip in the vinyl seat lining revealed that the brushed metal seat frame was covered with Egyptian hieroglyphics. Innocently adding to the rip a bit and peeking into the hole, I was able to determine that the markings extended down the entire length of the seat back.
Responding to the call of my inner Indiana Jones, I cautiously eased from seat to seat eager to avoid suspcious native eyes. Was I about to uncover one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 21st century? Were the people of Thailand secretly hiding their ancient Egyptian roots?
Seat after seat, tiny rips and holes confirmed my suspicion that this rickety old Thai bus was in fact the ultimate Egypto-Thai relic covered in magnificent hieroglyphic messages from the past. If my theory is correct, this may actually be proof of the existence of Atlantis. It just may be that we, Tony and Thomas, will go down in history as having made the greatest historical discovery of all times!
Sally and Peter
By Thomas on April 25, 2010 | No Comments »
There are two ways of looking at retirement: a scary void in your life or unlimited time to follow your passion. For Sally and Peter, their passion seems to have always been traveling. And even now, at ages 65 and 70, they are fully embracing their freedom. Yes, the baby boomer generation is quickly aging, but they seem to be aging gracefully, and I love that we are seeing more and more backpackers in their sixties, seventies and even eighties doing their thing. They definitely set an example for » Continue reading this post »
The White Temple
By Tony on April 22, 2010 | 4 Comments »
Those of you who have been following our blog in Laos, might remember from my post on Xieng Khuan that I have a particular passion for monuments designed by oddball geniuses. So when we crossed the border from western Laos into northern Thailand near the town of Chiang Rai, we made a beeline for the outrageous White Temple, officially known as the Wat Rong Khun, created by artist/philosopher Chalermchai Kositpipat.
Rumors and descriptions of this bizarre, modern temple have been swirling around us the entire time we have been in Southeast Asia. The snow-white edifice features gargoyle-like decorative statues, pools of white coy, and gardens of writhing human hand statues reaching up from hell below.
But the White Temple’s piece de resistance is its » Continue reading this post »
