Exploring Madrid

Went to bed with ear plugs last night because we had to keep the window open. There is no way to get any air into the room other than heat and that makes it too warm. But the noise from other rooms and from employees talking at the top of their lungs or even hollering at each other in the atrium out the window is amplified by the walls. I still managed to sleep 12 hours. I only woke up then when Leslie had removed the key to the room so she could slip out to go exploring.

Most people who know me know how rabidly anti-smoking I am. For years, when traveling I have just had to quietly deal with it since in most countries it hadn't been as taboo as in the United States. But now, it has become the law in most countries and  smoking is banned indoors. And now it is here in Spain as well. But there is still a very high percentage of smokers in general. The streets are littered with cigarette butts and you still see people smoking indoors near the entrance to a place or directly outside an entrance. I even had a guy walk over to where I was sitting on a low wall in a square next to the palace yesterday, sit right next to me and light up. I had to get up and walk away to sit somewhere else. I may have wondered about my action but, gee, couldn't he have walked a distance from me thinking maybe I might not approve of being around a smoker? That gives you some idea of the level of acceptance that still exists.

Today we hopped on the Metro (the subway system here) and took it three stops to the Atocha station to go to Museo de Prado, the art museum which must not be missed. We also hoped to get to the Thyssen and the Sofia Reina art museums as well. It was about a 15 minute walk from the subway to the Prado and we got there not too long after they opened.

We spent hours in the Prado looking at examples of the Spanish masters all well represented. Goya, Velasquez and others of that school along with artists of many other periods.

I particularly enjoyed watching several artists who were painting reproductions of the art on display. I was especially impressed with an artist who was reproducing Velasquez's masterpiece, The Assumption. In fact I liked the way the reproduction was looking better than the original.

We also managed to get tickets to a temporary exhibit from The Hermitage in St. Petersburg in Russia. About 180 pieces were represented. My favorite pieces were the Scythian gold pieces. So ornate and intricate. I'd never seen anything made of gold that looked so fine.

We left the Prado and walked across the street to Taberna de Dolores where we had 3 bocadillos, little sandwiches (boca means mouth). We ordered a jamon de pato (duck), a queso roquefort and a bacalao, or salted cod. We accompanied it with two canas, little beers. It was a delicious lunch. I should mention that Americans may be a little put out by the lack of friendly service at some Spanish restaurants. It is just their way it seems. Professional, yes, but they hardly acknowledge your existence beyond taking your order and delivering it.

Back to the Prado we went to take in another floor. You'd really need to spend more than a day here moving right along, no lingering, if you wanted to see the entire displayed collection. We couldn't manage it and we tried.

Leaving the Prado we headed down the boulevard with the intent to go to the Sofia Reina. We'd given up on getting to the Thyssen. There just wasn't time. But along the way we came across a tasty looking jamon restaurant called The Museo del Jamon. Jamons hung from every window and ceiling joist. We went up to the bar and ordered a jamon and queso plate, some patatas and we shared una cerveza media. On the way out the door we looked in the bakery case and an elephant ear (didn't catch the Spanish name) dipped in white and dark chocolate caught our eye.  "One to go, please!" and back out on the street we went.

Two doors down at Meson Romar, our eyes caught site of the squid, or bocadillo de calamares sandwich we were supposed to be heading for closer to the museum.  In we went and ordered one along with a cana beer. I kept eyeing these little nuggets of what I was sure was pork rinds called chicharrones. The server saw me looking and handed each of us a piece. Oh, my! Before we knew it a plate of them was sitting before us. Soft, yet crunchy, greasy and salty. Yes! We couldn't finish them so they went in a bag to take along. Oh and the calamari sandwich was really good, too. Deep fried calamari rings stuffed in a good sandwich roll. That's it. Simple but delicious!

Finally, we got to the Sofia Reina museum and stood in line for the free tickets that let you in from 7-9 pm. Again, we couldn't begin to cover the museum. We managed only the floor with contemporary art up to the end of WWII. Our main goal was to see Guernica, the powerful painting depicting Picasso's statement on the bombing of the city of Guernica in 1937 in which the Germans and Franco's forces specifically bombed civilian targets. This huge mural hung in the MOMA in New York until the late 1980's when, after Spain finally became a democracy, Picasso's will specifically stated it should be returned.

A big day and another tomorrow.

Getting to Madrid

So, here goes. This is the first in a series of blogs I will be posting in which I will share our insights and adventures during our recent 5 week trip, first to Spain and Portugal, then back over the pond to Toronto and the eastern Canadian cities, down into Vermont and across upstate New York. We'll be covering a lot of territory. Hope you enjoy it!

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Our friend Fred picked us up at 7:45 and dropped us off at the Lakeway Value Inn, the closest pick up spot for us to catch the Airporter Shuttle to Seatac airport in Seattle. We have a 1:00 flight on Air France that will eventually get us to Madrid, Spain after a brief layover in Paris.

But let's back up a bit, to about a week before our adventure began. I have a few travel tips Regarding packing for an extended trip. We'll be gone a total of 5 weeks. How do you pack without overpacking for a trip of that length.

In our case it is a bit of an issue since the weather reports out of Europe have been none too favorable the last few weeks. Snow as far south as north Africa! Unseasonable weather everywhere and the week before our arrival there, Madrid has seen highs in the upper 60's, even low 70's and lows in the upper 20's. Yikes!

So, how do we pack, maintain our carry-ons only rule, so we don't look like so many tourists who travel with multiple suitcases or even just one great big one they will have to haul up and down hills, flights of hotel stairs and over cobblestones?

Due to the unpredictable weather, we planned to pack with the idea that we will  layer. Colder weather means more layers of clothing. When it warms up, off come some of the layers.

Second, we take travel type clothes. That means travel underwear, shirts, pants, clothing made of materials that don't wrinkle easily, that can be washed out in a hotel sink and that will dry overnight. REI and other companies that specialize in travel clothing sell these items. They are a bit pricey but the space you will save taking only 2-3 pairs of underwear instead of a week's worth or more will make your bag smaller and lighter (you need room for those special souvenirs you just have to buy). In today's world where airlines charge you extra for each bag or for bags you check, even for taking up space in the overhead bins, going light matters.

So the goal is one carry-on bag each plus a backpack which will also be carried on. Nothing to check, thank you. This saves money and while everyone else spends an hour or more waiting for their luggage, we are already out the door and on our way into town.

One more thing, as we learned on this trip, sometimes the airline will ignore its own policies and make you check your bag, usually as a result of a sold out flight or small aircraft. Be prepared for this by taking a couple of precautions.

First, keep your meds and personal hygiene items, as well as a change of underwear in your back pack. If you get separated from your luggage unexpectedly whether due to arbitrary airline rules or because the airline looses your luggage, be prepared to be without for a day or two.

Second, I keep my camera and iPad with me too. Expensive items like that are an attractive nuisance and can disappear from luggage when out of your possession. So don't leave any items that might tempt a less than honest airport or airline employee.

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We arrived at Seatac fine and walked over to the Air France counter to check in. We'd been unable to do so on-line and wanted to check on where we were seated. We had been put in seats across the aisle from each other but got the seats changed. Air France seemed to be blaming Delta for the problem of checking in on line and Delta blamed Air France. It turns out Air France is leaving Seattle and Delta is taking over their slot. Their on-line reservation system is apparently having all sorts of problems.

So Air France flight 309/Delta flight 8401 began boarding at 1:00 and the Paris leg of our journey began.

It was one of the bumpiest, turbulent flights we've ever had but we arrived at Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris. It was overcast and cold, but, hey, it's Paris! The final leg of our journey from Paris to Madrid was equally turbulent and we felt much calmer after touching down.

We had to walk halfway across the airport following the ground transportation signs until we came to the exit out to the curb. We asked and received directions for getting to the bus that would take us into the old part of Madrid and where our hotel is located. Hotel Rigente is really centrally located to all the most famous must-see sites. For 2€ the bus took us less than a km from our hotel. A cab would have dropped us at the hotel but they charge about $50.

We managed a brief nap between a lot of hammering and drilling. Seems the hotel is in the midst of a remodel, then out on a walk up Calle de Arnal to the Palacios Real, the Royal Palace. Rick Steves, our long time travel guru, claims this palace ranks #3 behind Schoennbrunn in Vienna and Versailles outside Paris as the top palaces to visit in Europe. While it did have some stunning rooms, the throne room and the capilla to name my favorites and it has quite an armory, it is also looking pretty run down in some very obvious places. Plus, it lacks the beautiful gardens the other highly touted palaces have. I'm glad I saw it but it is a very distant #3 if you ask me.

Headed back in the direction of our hotel up Calle de Mayor, we took a scenic route through some picturesque little side streets stopping for several photo ops and a refueling stop at the San Miguel Market which was a wonderful, indoor, very classy tapas court. It was a bit pricey but we ordered a plate of tapas, a sangria and one of the famous vermouths on tap Madrid is known for.  Our first tapas in Spain! The tapas were skewers of peppers, olives, anchovies and sardines, pickles, pickled onions, you name it. Tapas can be pretty much anything. They just need to be small in size and served on a small plate. We walked on through the Plaza del Sol where things were definitely getting busy. Crowds had appeared where earlier in the day there were only a few folks walking about.

I was exhausted when we got here after two flights totaling nearly 12 hours, walking all over three airports and then a hike to get to our hotel. By this point in the day, my knees were fair done in and I just wanted to go back to the hotel. Leslie led me back and then took off to do a little shopping.

Many of the streets around here are pedestrian only and by about 5:30 they were crowded with folks out walking and shopping. Dinner in many parts of Europe doesn't really get rolling until about 9:00. A bit late for me.

We headed out for dinner about 7:30. Early, I know, but I'm not generally much of a night owl! That will change, as you will see, as the trip goes along. We went to Restaurante San Juan which is not more than 100 feet from our hotel and on Rick Steves list of cheap places to eat in this part of town. A three course meal for around 10€. Leslie thought she was ordering beef steak for her main, but when it arrived I took one look and new...it was beef all right. Beef liver! Which I like so I switched my pork medallions with her and everyone was happy. By the way, it was a lousy eatery. We left the place just as it started to get crowded--about 9:15.

Tomorrow we head over to The Prado and a couple of other art museums and our last full day in Madrid. 

Adventure in Spain and Portugal

The windmills of La Mancha, Spain

We just arrived home from a five week adventure that took us on a road trip through Spain and Portugal, then back across the pond to Canada's eastern big cities of Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City, down into Vermont, and west through upstate New York. It was quite an adventure. I took lots of photographs and kept a careful journal that I will use to post blogs over the next few weeks. So if you've always wanted to go to any of those places or are planning a trip there, or if you are just curious, this is the place to be.


So, start looking tomorrow for the first in the series that will cover the great city of Madrid.

Thailand Adventure--Day 13-14

Day 13:

We set out our luggage at 7:30 this morning, ready to be loaded on the bus for our ride to the Chiang Mai airport and our flight back to Bangkok. Our usual fantastic buffet hotel breakfast, then, farewell to northern Thailand as we boarded our flight.

I think, of what I saw of Chiang Mai, that it was my favorite city during this adventure. The city was bedecked with flowers that lined the boulevards, surrounded by a moat in front of the remnants of the 13th century city wall. The markets, the attractions, the more temperate climate all made Chiang Mai a very special place.

After a quick ride to the airport we boarded our Bangkok Airlines flight which lasted all of 55 minutes. It was long enough for a Thai-style lunch service. Stepping out of the airport we were quickly reminded what we hadn't been missing about Bangkok. The heat and humidity hit us over the head like a ton of bricks. Welcome back!

The ride back to the hotel took longer than the flight. It was kind of comforting to be back in the same hotel where our adventure had begun two weeks ago. Our group gathered around Anil one last time as we each received our room keys from him for the final time. Each couple handed him an envelope with his tip in it and he thanked us placing his hands together and touching them to his head, in the Thai way of saying thank you. We were all effusive in our praise to him with regards to his performance as our guide. I assured him he was THEE best guide we had ever had. The moment was kind of anticlimactic really. He was grateful but there was no group hug thing or kisses on both cheeks like the French would do. We all just said thank you and then went our separate ways.

Leslie and I headed off to visit the home of Jim Thompson, the American ex-pat who fell in love with this country and it's people after World War II and decided not only to stay but to make it a better place. He was instrumental in restarting the Thai silk industry that had almost disappeared. He gathered several old traditional Thai-style buildings on property he had purchased and then after lovingly restoring them, filled them with stunning antiquities from all over Asia. He finished it by landscaping the grounds with lush plants and trees and placed cooling ponds around the grounds stocked with exotic fish. Sadly, Mr. Thompson mysteriously disappeared in 1967 without a trace. But he left behind a beautiful legacy.

Back at the hotel, I headed for the pool in the 8th floor outdoor garden. It felt great to feel the heat of Bangkok just slip away.

We had our final Thai dinner at the same little hole-in-the-wall restaurant next door to the hotel we had gone to earlier in the trip. We loved the food and it didn't disappoint this time either. We ordered our usual curry along with a salad and a bottle of water. Then we headed upstairs to pack for the trip home and head to bed.

Day 14:

It has come down to the final day of our Thailand Adventure and I must admit to feeling a bit melancholy. We'd said our goodbyes yesterday afternoon, but when we went down to breakfast this morning, there sat Anil and a few other hangers on. So goodbyes had to be expressed all over again. It might have been better to have just been dropped off at the airport when we arrived back in Bangkok yesterday, boarded our flight home and been done with it. Sigh.

We look forward to sharing photos with the folks on our tour. We passed around a copy of all our e-mail addresses so we could do that.

Our last day in Bangkok before heading off to the airport in the afternoon was all just about repacking our suitcases as efficiently as when we prepared to leave on the trip, taking a final swim in the hotel pool and then sitting around waiting for the appointed hour to head to the lobby and catch our shuttle to the airport.

So, let me finish with a few thoughts about this trip.

My initial feeling about Bangkok hasn't changed much since my arrival. It is big, very hot and humid, the traffic is an absolute nightmare most of the day. It is a pedestrian  beware city. The sidewalks are uneven and difficult to walk on in many places, made even more difficult since pedestrians are fair game to any motor scooter driver that finds it an easier route to get where they want to go. Seldom does anyone stop for a pedestrian, unless they are lying in the street.

We finally found out that, at least in the area where our hotel was located and where most tourists stay, that keeping above the traffic is the best way to get around. Heads up! The Sky Train will whisk you along to most of the tourist hot spots in air conditioned, if not crowded, comfort. And the elevated walkways adjacent to the stations allow you to stay above the traffic and walk right into most of the major shopping centers. Come down from the elevated Sky Train walkways when you need to go to a street level shop or up a side street to your hotel or a restaurant.

Do your outside activities early in the day or as late in the day as you can. The earlier morning hours can be comfortable but by around noon it gets pretty intolerable. By early evening though, when the sun has set, the temperature begins to drop a bit, the sun is no longer bearing down and, if you're lucky, a soft breeze will come up. Then eating al fresco or walking the night markets becomes fun. There is a practical reason for these night markets being--at night!

Please keep in mind that I am not a lover of heat or especially heat when accompanied by high humidity. If you don't mind those conditions, then you'll love Bangkok.

My only other criticism of Bangkok is the noise. Traffic, hordes of people, I am just not a big fan.

Now, having said all that, Bangkok is a hopping, happening place. If you want an exotic, lively, urban vacation spot you should see Bangkok. Like most capital cities, Bangkok is the place to go to see the country's culture concentrated. It's music, dance, art, politics, night life are all at a fine focus here. It is also a safe (at least we felt that way) place. We never once felt uncomfortable anywhere we went. While people occasionally did want to sell or offer you something to buy (nothing illegal although I'm sure it can be found easily enough) we never felt harassed. The Thai people are warm and friendly, quick to smile and so polite.

 

Personally, I found the countryside the best place to find the real Thailand. Staying in a thatched roof cottage on the Kwai River, cruising the Mekong in a long tailed boat, the Floating Market and the Train Market, visiting the hill tribe villages, the elephant camp, were the high points of the trip for me. Don't come to Thailand without a visit to these places. And as you travel further north the temperature falls to a much more tolerable level.

Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai were both much more comfortable places than Bangkok even during the hottest times of the day.

I am glad we traveled here on a guided tour though people do it all the time on their own. College students and young adults back packing their way across Southeast Asia is a common sight.  But we found few with english language skills enough to be able to answer our questions or give directions. Even in the bigger hotels it was often a challenge. I am sure it is our demographic that drives these tour companies to a great extent. We like our creature comforts and it was nice not to have to haul our luggage through the hot streets of Bangkok trying to locate our hotel.

The success of our trip was helped immensely by the fact that we had a small group that got along well. It was especially great because our guide, Anil, was so amazingly competent. I can't say enough about the fantastic job he did. He understood, not only the Thai culture, had flawless english down to the correct use of idioms, had a great sense of humor, and used his knowledge of our culture to help us understand his.  He went over and above the call in finding little experiences, not on the itinerary to add even more special moments to our trip. Stops at the bamboo rice hut and the star (rats) meat hut, the temple celebration and parade, the rice paddies, the salt processing fields, even the little exotic candies he'd pass around the bus, sharing his family photos, all added to the specialness of our Thailand adventure.

Oh, one more thing. About our flight. We traveled to Thailand in two legs as I mentioned early in this series. LAX to Taipei and Taipei to Bangkok. The first leg took us 13 hours aboard a 747. The second required a transfer to another 747 and took about 2 hours. I was genuinely hopping for even a modicum of civility with China Airlines. I must say I was very disappointed. The seating, which should have been a little roomier considering the duration of the flight, was no better than any American domestic airline and I believe I have mentioned my disdain for American airlines many times in blogs past.

The food? Well, drum roll please! We have a new winner for thee worst airline food in the industry. The award goes to......China Airlines. Awful! Inedible! If this Chinese airline were owned by the People's Republic of China, the chef in charge of the cuisine would be tried and then shot! Unfortunately it is not and we are the sad beneficiaries of it.

So, My suggestion is to choose another air carrier when traveling in Asia. Do I have any suggestions? Sorry, no. The current state of affairs in the airline industry where economy travel is concerned is abysmal.  It is little more than a Greyhound bus with wings. So, pick your poison. Good luck.

I hope my Thai Adventure blog entries have been helpful whether you are planning a trip to Thailand or living it vicariously by reading my blog and viewing my trip slideshow. This was an amazing adventure and Thailand is a special place.

For now, with apologies to my Thai speaking friends--

Tieow hai sa nuk, good bye for now.

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Watch for my upcoming  blog series when I travel to Spain and Portugal. A little later I will write about our adventure in traveling to the major eastern Canadian cities or Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City and Ottawa. Then we will swing down into Vermont and upstate New York. Lots more exciting travel adventures in the weeks ahead.

I look forward to your comments about any of my blog entries and if you'd like to receive my blog automatically, sign up for it on the side bar on the right.

Bon voyage!

Thailand Adventure--Day 12

This morning we were able to actually sleep in. We boarded the bus at 8:30 for an excursion to two temples. Tradition says that the King sent his soldiers out to find relics of Lord Buddha. They brought back two. This was considered a sign by the King to build his city here. Thus began the city of Chiang Mai. One of these holy relics resides in the first temple we visited here in the city. The King placed the other on the back of an elephant which wandered to the top of the mountain overlooking Chiang Mai. When the elephant reached the top, it trumpeted three times and fell dead. This was then considered the place to build a temple for the second relic.

Pilgrims receiving a blessing from a monk

This second temple, on a mountain overlooking Chiang Mai, was one of my favorite temples. We took a funicular to the very top where the temple was built. It and the entire grounds were beautiful and relaxing even though it's popularity made it a bit crowded for my taste. Still it was a stunning place. The spire housing the relic was covered in 29 kilos of gold. Monks offered blessings, sprinkling you with holy water and giving away white bits of yarn to tie around your wrist as a sign that you have received their blessing.

Us in front of the reliquary at the temple

Lines of temple bells were rung by pilgrims as they passed. Shrines were covered in marigold offerings and incense wafted into the air. These shrines were prayed before by young and old alike. Another shrine had a line of pilgrims who walked contemplatively three times around its perimeter holding prayers, incense and more marigolds. It was a truly beautiful site.

The funicular shaft looking toward the top

Some of us walked back down from the hilltop. I chose to use the funicular to go back down saving my knees. From there we all met up at the jade factory where we learned about the gem and how they carve it. It was all very beautiful and pricey. Our group weren't big spenders so the spiel was really wasted on us. Anil did take us to a terrific coffee bar right out the front door of the jade factory where we had the best coffee of the trip. We thought of bringing some home but it was not vacuum packed and was about $15 a pound. So we enjoyed our 30 Baht cup and went on our way.

Back on the bus and down the hair raising, winding road to Chiang Mai where we were back at our hotel by 1:30. Being the hottest time of the day, we elected to nap, read or go to the pool.

The late afternoon was spent repacking our bags and finding space for some of the purchases we had made. About 5, Leslie decided to go out to see a bit more of the city, especially the pedestrian walking areas and the markets that lined it. I decided to stay in to read and finish my packing. Plus, I was getting to that point that I often do towards the end of a trip, where I am just ready for it to be over. I didn't used to be this way. I was the last one to board the plane, dragging my heels to the last. But I'm ready to sleep in my own bed. I've thoroughly enjoyed our time here, but we can head home anytime now. And we will soon. In the morning we will put out our bags about 7:30, go down for breakfast and then board the bus for the airport where we will fly back to Bangkok. There we will spend one more night before heading to the airport again for the flight to L.A. A couple of days there and on to home. So I can see the light at the end of the travel tunnel so to speak and I guess that just takes the wind out of my wanderlust sails. Leslie's approach is just the opposite. She doesn't want it to end.  No worries. 3 weeks at home and we'll be off for an even longer adventure!

Thailand Adventure--Day 11

Up and out by 7 this morning. We headed for the Maesa Elephant Camp in the forest above Chiang Mai. This was a place I had really been looking forward to visiting as it was to be an up close and personal interaction with Asian Elephants which are native to this area.

The grounds were beautifully maintained, lush forest with a lively stream running through it. If it were in the U.S. I would have thought the stream would have been full of trout, but when I mentioned it to Anil he said there are no trout in Thailand and that trout are a real delicacy here.

We walked down the hill from the entrance along the stream. At the bottom of the hill was our first encounter with the elephants where a small group of four were bathing in the stream. A baby one was rolling around in the deep hole in the stream. Their keepers hollered commands to their elephants and the elephants seemed to obey them happily while still playing and getting cooled and cleaned.

Our next stop was the elephant ride. We had paid for a half hour ride. Climbing the stairs to the level where we could mount the back of the elephant, a keeper, introduced himself as Sok. He rode his elephant up to us and we were helped on. A bar swung across our laps to secure us and we were off. Billy, our new elephant friend was slow but steady. He seemed more interested in munching away on the big bundle of bamboo he held in his mouth. Billy walked us through the forest.  Sok, who spoke English pretty well, explained he had been a keeper for 22 years, but his first elephant had died and so he had been with Billy for 15. 

At one point Sook got off the elephant with our camera and took several photos of us and walked along in front of Billy while we plodded along on our own. At another spot, Billy walked down into a stream where he tanked up on water and cooled his heels. Several of our tour group were on elephants with us so we all rode along together giggling and laughing like school children. It was a thrill of a lifetime.

We said our goodbyes to our new friends, especially Billy. Wandering the grounds, we also met  and feed several other elephants including a baby one who kept close to its mama. We bought bunches of bananas and sugar cane and when offered the elephants would reach out with their trunks, nimbly grasp the offering and stuff it into their mouths. One elephant followed us up a trail knowing we had food. I finally turned to face the elephant and he lifted his trunk towards me. He made quick work of the food I had left.

The elephant show began in a big open air theater. Some 20 elephants showcased their skills including playing soccer, bursting balloons by throwing darts and even painting pictures which were for sale in the gift shop.

 I guess one could make a genuine argument for why this all seemed wrong and I could agree with you to some extent. It did seem a bit sad. But on the other hand, these magnificent creatures are disappearing from the wild due to encroaching human presence and the destruction of their habitat. They require about 300 pounds of food a day and while thousands were once domesticated and used as construction animals, as horses and oxen once were in our country, mechanization has reduced the need for elephants.  What do you do with all these beautiful, intelligent animals?  And how do you educate the public about their plight? The answer seems to be these tourist attractions where people are willing to pay to get in, pay to feed them, pay to ride them and pay to buy their original art work. The animals are treated humanely, they seem to lead happy and busy lives. The alternative is not good.

 

For us it was an experience of a lifetime. At one point we each were able to sit on the knee of an elephant who posed for photos, We petted and scratched it. It even put a hat on our heads and gave us a kiss. In return, we offered a few Baht which the elephant took with its trunk and passed along to the keeper. We felt better for having had the experience and the money collected went to help maintain and support the camp. It seems to be a win win situation.

Later in the day, we had lunch at the orchid and butterfly gardens where we enjoyed another Thai meal and took lots of photos of the dozens of varieties of orchids on display. Lovely spot.

I was less than thrilled with the next two stops but others seemed to enjoy them. We toured first a silk factory and then stopped at a lacquer factory. I went into neither preferring to stay in the air conditioned bus and nap a bit. We'd seen both of these processes in China years ago and the idea of touring a place whose real intention was to sell me something I didn't want anyway, just didn't do it for me. To each his own.

I think Anil sensed that we had had enough and he drove us back to the hotel for an afternoon rest. Some of our group headed out to shop while others lounged at the pool. We decided to nap a while.

Rested, our evening was spent in the home of a local Thai family enjoying the hospitality and a home-cooked northern Thai meal. The hostess was a woman whose husband died a few years ago and she found herself in need of something to do. At some point she met a representative of the Gate 1 tour company and agreed to host a dinner for the group. It seems it has worked well for both her and Gate 1. She was very gracious, inviting us into her beautiful home, showing us how to cook a couple of the dishes served to us and showing us around her spacious, lovely home.

 

We sat down to dinner and the dishes came out and kept coming out. At least 6 different dishes arrived including the chicken curry she not only demonstrated earlier. She gave each of us a little gift bag with the recipe and some of the ingredients for making it. She also demonstrated cooking a soup for us that we all had as our first course.

 

As the evening came to a close our hostess walked us out to the driveway where little hot air balloons had been placed for each of us. Made of rice paper, these clever devices have a little wax burner in the bottom that, when lit, fills the balloon light and hot air. A wish is made by those holding the balloon and then it is released into the night air. The glowing bag of air rose into the night sky taking with it our wishes and concerns. We all released ours at the same time. 5 balloons rose higher and higher until they finally blended into the background of stars and then disappeared. Releasing these balloons is a common tradition in Asia with sometimes hundreds or even thousands being released at once. It must be a breath-taking site to behold. I know ours was truly a magical way to end our evening with this gracious lady.

Thailand Adventure--Day 10

Up at 6 this morning. We needed to be on the bus by 7 for our excursion to visit two local hill tribe villages. We stopped at a gas station along the highway where we transferred to one of the light duty trucks that carry locals around like taxis. The truck bed has a canopy over the bed with two bench seats facing each other. It was about enough room to seat 8 adults. The trucks took us up into the hills where we visited the Akha and the Yao tribes. We met the locals who showed us around the village while wearing their traditional costumes. 

We danced with them, visited their homes and in return they did their best to sell us their crafts. It was a fascinating look inside the daily lives of the more primitive people of this part of the world and how the modern world is impacting their lives. Sadly their traditional rustic homes built of rough hewn wood with thatched roofs are disappearing as these people become more affluent. The new homes are built of cinder block and have electricity and running water. So our view into their lives is really one that will soon disappear entirely.

We got back to the hotel by 11:00 where we relaxed, showered, did a bit of e-mailing and then boarded the bus for our drive to Chiang Mai, the last stop on our Thai adventure.

Along the way we drove passed fields of strawberries, tobacco, dragon fruit, corn and much more. Worker rest huts, round shaped with a conical roof and made of straw appeared in the fields here and there. We also passed more rice paddies in various stages of planting. We stopped a couple of times to watch as workers harvested rice plants out of the rice nurseries, wrapping them in bundles. At another spot we watched workers bent over, planting the same baby plants in freshly prepared fields. For this back breaking work, the field workers are paid only about $5 per day.

 

We made a lunch stop at another in the chain of Cabbages and Condoms restaurants. We each had a single plate lunch with fresh veggies, pork or chicken and a big scoop of rice. With a bottle of water, our lunch was less than $5. It was delicious.

Food is, generally, so inexpensive here. Imported foods are usually expensive which is fine since I didn't come here to eat Italian food or munch on M & Ms. Our experience with foods bought on the street has been very positive. Often the street food has been better than that of our hotel. The hotels are lovely, air conditioned and there is art on the wall, but your dinner will go from 45 Baht to 150 Baht or more for the privilege. Plus you will be eating with other Americans at the hotel. On the street you eat local. Is there that great a difference in the quality or quantity? Not that I could tell. At triple the price you don't get triple the food or quality. So we suggest heading out on the street and have some fun. I'd say it is less risky to stop in a place that has a lot of customers and maybe a covered place to sit and eat. The walk up stands can be great as well. Just take a close look at their sanitation and the numbers of customers that surround the place. That'll be a good indicator.

  

We both did have some intestinal distress for a couple of days, but that happens to us wherever we've traveled. It is just a part of the adventure. Take along some Imodium, take it easy for a couple of days, keep hydrated and your system will settle back down. It isn't a big enough deal to stay at home and do nothing. Besides, who hasn't had intestinal distress right at home after a spicey Mexican dinner or too much pepperoni pizza?  It happens.

Our evening was spent at a Thai classic dance dinner show. Only about 5 of the group went. It was in a lovely open air venue with a stage in the middle and low tables, asian style, all around. I was happy to find out there were wells for your legs and feet under the tables. I know I wouldn't have lasted the evening sitting lotus style while attempting to eat and enjoy the show.

The dinner was served on trays which were covered with little bowls of different foods from Thai style fried chicken, to pork curry, eggplant dip, fresh vegetables, pineapple. Everything was refreshed as many times as you wanted. My favorite was the pork skins which were like the Mexican chicharones you can buy in the states.

 

The show was pretty good, hit and miss in quality really, but a fun evening. It included dances representative of the different regions throughout Thailand.

We were back at the hotel and in bed by about 10:30. A very big day. Another coming tomorrow.