Author Archives: judy lawless

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Adventures in Mae Hong Son

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What a wonderful place! The noise and crowds and heavy smells of Bangkok were far behind us.

Mae Hong Son (The City of Three Mists) is the Capital City of one of the northern provinces of Thailand, and at the same time the westernmost, nestled in a deep valley hemmed in by the high mountain ranges of the Shan Hills. It is in the most mountainous province in Thailand.

We checked into the Sang Tong Huts on the outskirts of the city (it hardly seemed like a Capitol City to me). I had my own “hut” which was made of bamboo and had a thatched roof. The bed was a mattress on the raised floor and included bedding and pillows. A little table with a cloth, an electric lamp, and fresh flowers sat in one corner. What luxury! There was a porch on the front that looked into the jungle-like setting of trees and colourful, flowering plants, and mountains off in the distance. I strained to catch a view of the melodic birds that sang from high up in the tree-tops, but they were well hidden. I thought I was in Paradise.

Hut in Mae Hong Son

My “room” at Sang Tong Huts in Mae Hong Son

cabinfront porch

my front porch

View from my porch

View from my porch

Because we chose the less expensive huts (250 baht per night, or $9.45 CAD) we had a short walk along a wooden path to the toilets and showers. In the mornings I had to keep a close eye on where I was stepping to avoid the very large snails that were about, but the squat toilets and shower rooms were separate and very clean. The showers were individual stalls that were partly open on one side, away from the path and view of others, and a large water barrel that was filled from a tap. A large dipper was provided for dumping the invigoratingly cold water over one’s self. Although this was more difficult early in the morning, because the weather was hot and humid I found myself taking more than one shower a day, and the afternoon and evening ones were refreshing. This time I had my own towels, which could be hung on the porch railing to dry.

A large open common room welcomed guests with light refreshments and seating for reading books or the magazines that were there, or for just relaxing by the centre campfire. I enjoyed a bowl of granola with lots of fruit and yogourt for breakfast each morning.

The first day we walked into town to poke around the shops and tried out different restaurants for lunch and dinner. Because I have an intolerance for spicy (i.e. chili) foods, it was difficult for me to find things that I could eat, which was disappointing; Thai dishes all look and smell so delicious. It isn’t heartburn or ulcers that are the problem. It’s in my throat; I choke. Rice and stir-fried veggies became my staples.

Motorbikes in Mae Hong Son

Motorbikes line the street in Mae Hong Son

antique shop

Antique Shop

Lunch at Outdoor Cafe

Lunch at Outdoor Cafe

dinner restaurant

A more upscale restaurant for dinner

The rainy season was just coming to an end, but it was best to not leave the hut for the day without a trusty rain poncho in your backpack. We’d often emerge from a shop into a torrential downpour that might last five minutes or half an hour. During those times, we caught up on emails at a Cyber Café.

Sarah and Kendrick had planned a trek into the mountains for us, so that evening we met with our guide, Chakaphan, with whom they’d trekked before. While we sat with him in the common area, we were soon joined by other guests who had also arrived that day – one couple from Singapore; another also from Singapore, but who had been teaching in the Czech Republic for the past twelve years and had just retired; and a young fellow from Germany.  All of them spoke English and it was great chatting with them.

Our three-day trek that was supposed to begin the next day was postponed because of the heavy rains. The sun came out and we spent the day doing more exploring of the city and its many temples.

funeral parade

We came upon this funeral parade as we walked into town

guest house courtesy car

We hoped the Guest House was in better shape than this vehicle parked out front

city views

City view from up a hill

Posing in the park

Sarah and Kendrick strike a pose

Beautiful Magnolia Trees

Beautiful Magnolia Trees

Mae Hong Son temple

Mae Hong Son temple

Another temple

Another temple

Lake in centre of town

Looking across the lake in the centre of town

A huge school of fish vied for bread crumbs thrown off the shore

A huge school of fish vied for bread crumbs thrown off the shore

In the evening, though, the rain poured down again, sending us into our huts for a rest. It was still raining hard at 10:00 pm, but our guide was optimistic about the weather for the next day so it was agreed that we would strike out at 8:30 in the morning. He warned us that we’d be wading through thigh-high rivers and streams and I felt a little apprehensive, unsure that the thick soled sandals and runners that I’d packed were the proper foot wear.

Tune in tomorrow to see how that went.

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Resuming the Journey

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It’s beginning to look a lot like winter here today. After a few very emotional and tiring weeks, what better time to resume my trip down memory lane and feel the warmth of the sun on my skin, in Thailand?

The next couple of days in Bangkok were quiet. I experienced the first torrential rain since my arrival, which kept us inside one afternoon. We waded through some flooded streets that evening on our way to dinner at the home of the parents of another of Sarah’s students.

On our final day before heading out to experience more of the country, we roamed around the city. We visited the Isaan Village that had been set up around Government House by people protesting the building of a dam that had destroyed their fishing and their rice paddies. We had a ride in one of the Khlong* boats which carry passengers and floating markets up and down the polluted canals that wander throughout the city. Then we boarded an evening train for Chiang Mai.

boats on Khlongs

boats on Khlong

Passengers disembark

Passengers disembark

 

At 5:15 am I wrote in my journal:

“We have been travelling all night on the train to Chiang Mai.  It has been reasonably comfortable with the seats folded out into beds.  I think I went to sleep at about 9:00 pm, exhausted after our day of roaming the city.

The train isn’t air-conditioned, but there are ceiling fans and open windows. At night screens and shutters cover the windows.  I haven’t tried the toilets yet, after Kendrick’s negative description.  I’m hoping I can hold off until we arrive in Chiang Mai. Even then I’ll have to use the squat type, which I find hard to get used to.  I thought Sarah had said we’d arrive at 5:00 am, but everyone is still sleeping. A shower and some breakfast would be nice. Some people are starting to stir now.”

I soon discovered that in Thailand, scheduled time has little meaning. We were still on the train at 7:30.

“We’re still on the train but everyone is awake. The seats are back and the windows are open to a beautiful, sunny day.  The country is gorgeous – tree covered mountains, lotus growing in the ponds, and a little cooler temperatures. Our new arrival time was supposed to be 7:30 so we should be in Chiang Mai soon.”

We arrived in Chiang Mai at around 8:00 am and had just enough time to grab some breakfast at an outdoor café, where a roll of “toilet” paper set in the centre of the table served as napkins, before catching a tuktuk to the airport. Chiang Mai was not our destination that day.  We boarded a plane for Maehongson, which cost only ten baht more than my room at the Atlantis!

*The Thai capital Bangkok was crisscrossed by khlong and so gained the name Venice of the East.[1] The khlongs were used for transportation and for floating markets, but also for sewage. Today, most of the khlongs of Bangkok have been filled in and converted into streets, although the Thonburi side of Bangkok (covering areas west of Chao Phraya River) still retains several of its larger khlongs.

Central Bangkok has the Khlong Saen Saeb, which is a route for a boat service that remains a vital public transportation function in the traffic-congested capital. (Wikipedia)

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Virtual Thailand Trip Temporarily on Hold

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Unfortunately my trip down memory lane has had to be postponed, due to a couple of family crises. I’ve had an unplanned trip to Florida.

I will get back to Thailand as soon as I can.

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A Day Spent with Buddha’s and Wats

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On day three Sarah and I decided to escape the crowds of Bangkok and catch a train to Ayutthaya, an hour and a half trip.It was at the train station that I experienced my first “squat” toilet, and was surprised when a package of tissues was offered to me for purchase as I entered the stall.  I was grateful when I saw that toilet paper was not commonly used in Thailand. Instead the job was done with a bowl of water for rinsing, which often missed the toilet and accumulated into puddles on the floor!

At Ayutthaya we hired a “tuktuk” for the day and did a tour of the many Buddhist temples (Wats).

tuktuk

Our tuktuk and driver

Wat Suwan Dararam

Wat Suwan Dararam, a modern temple

Reclining Buddha

Reclining Buddha at Wat Lokayasutharam

Ancient Palace Ruins -Ayutthaya

School girls climbing up for a better look at Buddha

schoolclass2

These giggling girls were practising their English. “Hello, you take our picture?” My daughter, Sarah, at back.

Wat Phra Sri Sanphet

Sarah in front of Wat Phra Sri Sanphet

A row of sitting buddhas

A row of sitting Buddhas

Wat Phukhao Thong

Wat Phukhao Thong

Now that I’ve  become a better photographer and more observant traveller, I’d love to do this trip again.  Unfortunately, I didn’t make notes of the temple names.  I’ve managed, I think, to identify some of them from internet pictures, but if anyone cares to help me out with accuracy, it would be appreciated.

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Experiencing a City of Contrasts

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The change in time zones got me confused and I was up out of bed way too early.  While waiting for Sarah and Kendrick to appear, I took in the cityscape from my bedroom window. It was difficult to fathom the contrasting sights that I saw. There were freshly painted large apartment buildings and hotels towering over unpainted and forlorn looking buildings that families called home. Even the two sides of a duplex were different as night and day – one side painted and tidy and boasting new windows, the other very much in need of some TLC. Our day was to be much the same.

After a late breakfast in the hotel dining room, I got my money exchanged and then we went to see the school where Sarah and Kendrick taught. It’s a school for the young children of international dignitaries or wealthy business men, but it’s also an “alternative” school. The classrooms are unstructured – no desks in tidy rows or teachers standing at a black board lecturing.  Instead, the children are encouraged to participate and learn by doing, with the teachers’ guidance. An annual group building project teaches research, logistics, math skills, and craft skills.

Boat House

One project, an outdoor boat house.

Children working together

Children working together

Dragon

Another project – a colourful dragon dominates the school lobby

The children all seem to be happy to learn.  I couldn’t help but think that I might have done better in a school like this! I’m sure many others can relate.

When we left the school, we made our way through the streets that were crowded with street vendors, and into the neighbourhood where Sarah and Kendrick had lived until a few days before. This was an area of small wooden structures, some houses, some shops. We met up with good Thai friends of Sarah and Kendrick, Fatima and Daeng. They lived with their five-year-old daughter in one room in the back of a noodle shop. There older son lived many hours away with Fatima’s parents where he could attend the schooling that could not be afforded in Bangkok. Fortunately Sarah and Kendrick had become quite fluent in Thai during their years there. None of their former neighbours spoke English so I was at a loss to participate in the conversations. Daeng’s only source of income was driving a song thaew, which is the most common type of public transportation in Thailand. Named for the two benches found in the rear passenger area, the song thaew is a pickup truck converted for carrying passengers and some cargo. These vehicles are regulated and licensed by the government.

song thaew

Sarah and Fatima wait in the song thaew for Bea

The four of us drove in it to pick up Bea, Fatima & Daeng’s daughter, from public school and then had lunch at “The Mall”, the first North American style structure I’d seen so far. I ordered “ice milk” expecting plain, cold milk.  What I got was more like a pink milkshake with indiscernible flavours, possibly strawberry and mint.

Ice milk

Traditional Thai lunch, including “ice milk”

The traffic in the city was crazy. There were way too many cars, very few traffic lights or stop signs. The many motorcycles, sometimes carrying whole families, drove two or three abreast, darted between and around cars and even drove on the sidewalks to get through traffic. Some drivers wore helmets; some didn’t. Courtesy was not practised; it was every driver for himself.

At six o’clock we were once more picked up by Mrs. T’s car and driver, this time to be taken to a very fancy, modern hotel on the Chao Phraya River, for an elegant and delicious dinner. We were also adorned with gifts; a beautiful diamond necklace for Sarah as a thank you gift for the teacher, and a gorgeous piece of pink silk fabric for me!

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Bangkok, Day 1

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By the time I arrived in Bangkok at 3:30 pm, I was really too tired to take it all in.  I looked anxiously around for Sarah and Kendrick, but I seemed to be alone. Just  as a friendly face at an airport kiosk asked me, in English, if I needed help, I saw the smacked-against-the-glass face of Kendrick staring at me from another area, and Sarah’s smiling face appeared over his shoulder. Oh, what joy and relief that brought! Since I had no baggage to collect (at Sarah’s directions, I’d squeezed everything I needed for a month into a large back-pack that I was able to carry-on), I was soon on the other side of the glass, embracing them. I was quickly relieved of my bag by a handsome young Thai, and Sarah explained that the mother of one of her students had insisted on sending them to the airport in her car, with a driver! He delivered us to the Atlanta Hotel, which at one time was “the” hotel in Bangkok, having the only indoor pool to boast about. The lobby was ornately decorated with colourful tiles accenting darkly stained tongue and grooved walls. A large circular red leather (or faux?) bench sat in the middle. The same fabric covered a centre columned back rest, at the top of which sat a brass pot of what appeared to be poinsettias. On either side of the doorway leading to the pool, I could see the spiral staircase that would take us to our rooms.

I dreamed of a nice hot bath or at least a shower, and a cozy bed to rest my weary body after my thirty hours of traveling in the same clothes. I was, however, on a tight budget and worried some about what such luxury might cost.  I needn’t have. It turned out that we had budget rooms, at only 390 baht, the Canadian equivalent of about $18.00, per night.  But, you get what you pay for. Our room was nine floors up, by stairs! It seemed the higher we got, the more narrow the staircases and halls became. When I opened my door and took a look around, all dreams of luxuriating in hot soapy water were dashed. The “bathroom” consisted of a small, floor-to-ceiling, no-longer-white, tiled room off the bedroom, with no door. There was a mirror on the wall, a pedestal sink with a single tap and already opened bar of soap in one corner, and a toilet in the other.  Above the toilet was a shower head and taps, cold water only! No towels or face clothes could be found. Sarah had forgotten to tell me to pack my own. Fortunately she and Kendrick had extras so were able to lend me one. My shower was quick, but refreshing and clean clothes felt good. However, in order to keep my feet clean, at least until I got my sandals on, I had to walk on the towel to get to the bed.  The floors were filthy and the paint was peeling from the bedroom walls. I had a lot of adjusting to do!

We went out to dinner with a couple of friends of Sarah and Kendrick – I have no idea what I ate. I guess I was too tired to write that in my journal. After sending some quick emails at the local Cybercafé, we were all ready to hit the sac. The hard, narrow bed with nothing but a couple of thin white sheets and two firm pillows didn’t look very inviting. The night was hot, but the whirl of the dusty overhead fan purred me to sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Tomorrow would be a better day.

 

Notes: When checking online today for the Atlanta Hotel, I found many good reviews and it has been refurbished.

I will include some pictures, but unfortunately at that time I had only an old-fashioned 35 mm film camera, the latch of which eventually broke and had to be taped closed! J

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My First Solo Travel Adventure

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There have been a lot of rather depressing things on my mind lately, things I’ve been going to write about. Maybe I will, another day.  Today, it’s time for some adventure. Since I haven’t been anywhere new lately, I think I’ll travel back in time to a trip I made in 2000.

Friends of mine are now enjoying Thailand, and reading about their adventures, on Face Book, sent me in search of my journal that I wrote when I was there in August/September of 2000. At that time internet access was limited, there was no Face Book, nor did WordPress exist, and I actually travelled without being “connected” most of the time. Trips to Cybercafes, when I was in towns where they were available, were enough to let people back home know where I was and how I was doing.

There’s an inscription in the front of the homemade-paper journal that I used. It reads, “To my wonderful mother, on your 50th birthday. I hope this year provides many good things to write about. Love always, Sarah (March/2000)”

Sarah made the journal. At the time, neither of us knew that later that year she would also provide me with many things to write about. She and her husband were living in Bangkok at that time, teaching in an International School. When their three-year contract was coming to an end at the that August, Sarah generously offered to buy me a ticket to join them in Bangkok and accompany them on their last Thailand tour before they returned to Canada.

My adventure began on Sunday August 27th, 2000 when I boarded a late evening flight from Toronto to Los Angeles. From there I caught my thirteen hour flight to Taipei, Taiwan, and arrived there at 6:30 a.m. on August 29th. The temperature was already 26 degrees Celsius and it was raining.

I’d managed to get some sleep on the plane and filled the rest of the time watching two movies – at that time they were included in the price of the airfare, as were the meals. My travel companions were all Asians and most spoke little or no English. I suddenly knew what it felt like to be a minority. I was amazed by how quiet and well-behaved the many children on-board were, compared to the very uncontrollable child who ran her mother ragged and was constantly underfoot of the attendants on the Toronto-LA flight.

Afraid of venturing too far and not being able to find my way back, unable to speak the language to ask for help, I made my way to the loading gate for my final flight, and then spent the next six hours restlessly alternating between reading my book and playing solitaire (with cards!) while sitting either on the hard plastic chairs or on the floor.  There was not a vending machine to be found. I was alone most of the time, with people occasionally joining me for an hour or two while awaiting their connecting flights. At times I questioned my decision to accept Sarah’s offer.

Over the next few days, I’ll tell you why it was all worthwhile.

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Well That Wasn’t the Day I’d Planned!

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I woke up this morning with a couple of ideas for blogs and that was to be my priority today, right after we made a quick trip to Walmart or Staples to pick up the iPad 2 that was on sale during Canada’s version of Black Friday.

So off we went at about 9:45 am, only to find that both places were sold out! It was interesting that the one at Staples was actually $5.00 cheaper than Walmart, if they had it. They could have ordered it in, but then Jim was thinking he might like to also buy an iMac computer to do his videos. He’d been using his daughter’s yesterday and was impressed. For the first time all week we had nothing on our calendar so decided to make a trip to the nearest Apple Store, at Yorkdale Mall in Greater Toronto. Sounded easy, right?

The earlier rain stopped and the sun came out. Traffic wasn’t bad. We were at the mall parking lot by 11:45. Forty-five minutes later we finally found a parking spot – in the new underground parking lot. It was offering four hours free! Great! There were no numbers on the posts, but when we found a door nearby we made note of the number on it, and climbed three sets of stairs that took us … back outside!  A walk around a corner led us to a mall entrance, not too far from the store we were seeking.  However, there was a line up at the Apple Store, as there was at many stores. We waited. By the time we got in we’d decided that it would be worth the extra $90 to upgrade to the new iPad rather than the second generation one. We priced the iMacs. The latest version hasn’t come out yet. Jim wasn’t sure, so we got the iPad (they had plenty in stock), and then found our way to the food court. Finding a table in there was as bad as finding a parking space, and there was a wait for our food, but we finally got finished and did a little more looking around the stores.  Jim decided he’d buy the iMac that was in stock.

“Did you want someone to carry it to the car for you?” the salesman asked.  It didn’t seem so heavy so we declined and headed off to find our way back to our parking spot. We missed seeing the escalator so went outside the way we’d gone in and found the door to the stairs we’d taken. It was locked! By this time Jim was finding the computer getting heavier. Back into the mall we did find an elevator that took us right down to the parking level we needed. But, we got off in a completely different area than where we’d left the garage. We looked around.  Jim thought he knew where the car was.  I was carrying the computer by then.  “You stay here and I’ll go get the car,” he said.

I waited, and waited. Many other cars were heading towards the exit, apparently the drivers having had no problem locating them.  Jim appeared on foot, waved, and kept walking in the other direction. Twice more I saw him on foot before my familiar car pulled around the corner and stopped in front of me.

It was five o’clock when we got home.  That was the longest trip to Walmart that I’ve ever taken! Thank goodness we didn’t come away empty handed. 🙂 Jim couldn’t wait to get his new toy out of the box.

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Lest We Forget

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Poppy

 

 

 

 

This morning found us enjoying a late breakfast at a very popular family-run restaurant in the small community of Tincap, just north of Brockville, Ontario.  The place was packed.  Rather than wait for a table, we sat at the counter. It was a few minutes before 11:00 when we dove into our bacon and eggs.  Some old time country music played on the radio, competing with the sounds of clanging dishes and friendly chatter, including the high pitched voices of some very young patrons.  At 10:58 the music changed to a solemn voice  speaking about the desire for world peace; then the bugle sounded and the chatter began to diminish.  When the radio went silent, so did the restaurant.  Even the young children seemed to understand.  A pin could have been dropped during the next two minutes and been heard.  I swallowed the lump in my throat.

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Climbing Back Out of the Fog

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Sometimes life just gets too busy and too complicated, and I find myself pushing through a fog. The back of my mind percolates with all the things I want to do, while the front is working with my body to get me through the distractions that require immediate attention.

Two weeks ago we finally got the call that we’d been waiting a year for; a room was available for my mother in Long Term Care. No time to wait to decide, though.  We had to accept it within 24hrs and she had to be moved in five days! Twice in those five days we made the three hour trip to Brockville to start the procedure, and the packing, and finally do the moving.  Doing this for a 98 year old whose memory and comprehension have understandably diminished during the past few years (the reason she could no longer stay in the Retirement Home) was very stressful on all of us. When it was finally done and we returned home with a car and trailer full of the excess belongings that she couldn’t take with her, I had no strength to tackle the chores that were still percolating, let alone do any blogging.

I’ve been trying to climb out of the fog ever since,  but I found myself flitting from one thing to another, unable to get back to my usually organized self. I first drafted this blog a few days ago, but I didn’t like it. It sounded too depressing.  The absence of sunshine only added to my problem. I preferred to spend my time lost in the world of a fictitious novel and that’s where I spent most of the last two weeks.

But then I read a couple of inspiring blogs, one by Felice Cohen about getting organized with a To-do List, and one by Christine Peets about November challenges. I returned to my office and cleared out my space before tackling the number one project on my To-do List — the biography of my uncle. I had reams of hand written pages he’d sent me, and a box of picture albums and other photos to scan. I jumped in and got to work. What a good feeling to see the pieces finally begin to fall into place. And when I took little breaks from the keyboard, I used the time to quickly complete other small tasks, and cross them off my list. The fog began to lift.

Today the sun is trying hard to shine. There are a few blue patches in the sky. I’m once more optimistic.