Teacher Charlie's news and adventures from the world; Korea to Germany and all points in between!

Thursday, November 30, 2006

2006 An American Thanksgiving Party in Karlsruhe Germany's "Bangkok"

A week after the more traditional turkey day in America, I threw a small party for 16 of my friends and colleagues here in Karlsruhe and Siemens in one of my favorite restaurants, "Bangkok".

Matthias and Charlie

I had ordered several dishes the previous day, selecting what I hoped to be a tasty and interesting mix of Thai spices and flavors. From the looks of the empty dishes and bowls after the 6 course meal 3 hours later, I think I chose wisely!

We of course started our adventure into Thai cuisine with the national dish of Thailand, Tom Yum Goong, which is a spicy sour soup made of vegetables including mushrooms, lemon grass as well as the "goong" which is shrimp/prawns as well as the "hot" chili peppers. For me, I like it so hot it makes you cry but to be nice to my honored guests, I had it prepared a bit mild!

We followed that up with a beef and basil dish called "Pad Gai Pow" along with skewers of chicken and a peanut sauce dip called "satay".

This was also served with another favorite of mine, "Gang Gai" which is a spicy chicken curry mix that is best served over rice but I have often eaten in as a soup. As a balance to the previous hot dishes, I had also ordered "Kow Pad Gai" which is fried rice with a chicken and vegetable dish. For me a dish that can be eaten day or night, breakfast or dinner.

The next hurdle we needed to overcome was an excellently prepared dish of everyone's favorite called "Pad Thai" which is a shiny noodle dish with shrimp and a light peanut sauce. Not 100% sure but I think this was most folks favorite this particular night although from the looks of the empty dishes, smiling faces and comments such as "awesome" from Thomas, I suspect it was all good!

Dieter, which I also call "fearless leader" was as always braving the new frontiers of foreign cusine that I have introduced him to. We have spent many an hour talking about the world while savoring an exotic dish of this or that while enjoying one of the true pleasures of life, German beer!!!

I was also shocked to have Matthias get up during the servings with a small bag and present me with a present of an incredible Swiss Army Knife. The joke was that while roaming the jungles of Thailand I would always be able to cut my way through the jungle! It was truly a wonderful gift and one which I was cherish forever.
Thanks!!!






















    Sunday, November 05, 2006

    The Western Baray (Reservoir) of Angkor Cambodia

    After several days of exhausting tours of the temples of Angkor, I often suggest to people I meet that they take a leisurely bike ride to the Western Baray for a morning or afternoon of swimming, lounging and relaxing.

    Only 45 minutes northwest of Siem Reap by bike, the Western Baray can be reached on the next road past the airport that turns north.

    The tree-lined lane that leads to the Baray is easy to find as there is a sign that shows the Paradise Resort just before the road and a sign pointing to the "Western Baray" in English. After the 30 minute ride to this point, another 15 minutes will find you are the base of the 8km dike and small dam.

    Modern facilities can be found here and if a toilet is required, locals can make use of them for 500 riel while foreigners once again have to pay the inflated price of 2,000 riel.

    If you climb the small hill from this point you come upon the waters of the Baray stretching several kilometers each way to your right and left or east and west. In the center of the half filled reservoir is an island and small temple.

    Aloing the southern flank of the water are numerous hammocks, mats, and umbrellas with Khmers willing and able to provide you a nice massage, a cool drink or an inner tube for floating in the very warm waters.

    There is a very narrow, sandy beach leading into soft muddy waters that although not clear due to constant rains is unpolluted.

    Built without a doubt over the course of two reigns, the artificial reservoir called the "clear water Baray" by the Khmer, or the Western Baray by foreign visitors, is a testament to work achieved during the 2nd half of the 11th century under the reign of Udayadityavarman II.

    Stretching 8m by 2.2 km, it is the largest Baray known to have been built during the Khmer Empire. At the middle of the Baray is found an island where the monument which once had a superb bronze statue of the Reclining Vishnu, which is today exhibited in the National Museum in Phnom Penh.

    In the middle of the island, the attentive viewer will recognize the shape of a hollow or reversed linga, that is to say, a linga which impregnates the water, making it fertile and thus causing all the rice fields and meadows over which it spreads to be fecund.

    Like the Baphuon, a monument of the same style and from the same era, the sculpted scene on the Western entrance of the Mebon are preserved in a sequence of squares.

    A Sunday Christmas holiday trip to Lake Bueng Boraphet



    A Sunday Christmas holiday trip
    to Thailand's Lake Bueng Boraphet



    e-mail

    Last Edited
    Charlie Jones


    "Go and look behind the Ranges-something lost behind the Ranges. Lost and waiting for you. Go! "
    ---
    Rudyard Kipling


    Sunday on Lake Bueng Boraphet

    Captain Y relaxing on Lake Bueng BoraphetThe day after Christmas turned out to be a Sunday as well as a full moon. Full moons usually make me a little crazy anyway, with Sundays sometimes becoming a bit depressing, so to shake off some of the Sunday/Christmas holiday blues, my best friend Captain Y surprised me with a road trip by handing me the keys to his Audi and telling me to get in the car and drive!

    Captain "Y" on Lake Bueng Boraphet

    After grabbing a couple of Singhas from the refrigerator, we headed north out of Sapphaya and were soon tooling down the highway north to places unknown (at least for me...).

    As I like nothing better than driving, sailing or flying, this was an easy assignment and we were moments later cruising towards Chai Nat. After reaching Chai Nat, we turned north and headed towards Nakon Sawan. Passing through the town which the Lonely Planet guide book has found to be so boring that it has been deleted, we soon turned right off the main road onto a road marked with a sign indicating “Bueng Boraphet”. Not knowing what this was, I was soon pleasantly surprised to notice a large lake appearing which as it turned out was to be the destination for this particular journey of ours.

    A few minutes later Captain Y had me turning into a government complex of some sort which turned out to be a Thai fisheries research station. As the gate was open and no one was there to tell me I couldn’t enter, I kept driving and after proceeding slowly over some rather large speed bumps, turned along a road which was paralleling this huge lake.

    Parking the car in front of a massive statue of a crocodile, we headed towards the floating docks making a quick stop to buy a six pack of Singha Beer. Still not quite sure what was going on but knowing it was serious and long enough to warrant 6 Singhas, I just went with the flow so to speak and followed Y down the docks towards several long-tail powered pontoon boats. It became apparent that we were heading out onto the lake and after negotiating a rate of 400 baht an hour for the boat and driver, we boarded our fine vessel and headed north along the shore.

    Knowing absolutely nothing about the lake before this moment, Captain Y gave me a short history of his experience of the lake telling me he first noticed it while flying over it everyday from Chiang Mai to Surat Thani and later visiting it while driving down from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

    As it turns out the lake is the largest fresh water lake in Thailand and at times has been referred to as Thailand’s northern sea, having an area stated to be 212 square kilometers. Today the signage refers to it as a swamp as it is very shallow, with numerous areas where the land juts out of the shallow waters. Dredging is ongoing and it seems man made islands are being produced from the efforts to keep some depth in the lake.

    The highlight of the trip was taking the boat through an area densely populated with floating water lilies and plants. As we made our way slowly through the area along a path previously cut by other boats at earlier times, birds were swooping around us, seeming to taunt us to catch them. In reality they were diving at the numerous insects being forced to go airborne as our vessel approached. It was almost a bit surreal to slowly pass through this water forest, surrounded by hundreds of swooping and diving birds and then to suddenly come upon large moving objects straight in front of us.

    Captain Y pointed them out first with neither one of us able to immediately ascertain what it was we were looking at. My first thought as I laughed to myself was I was seeing the Lock Ness Sea Monster as one large object seemed to leap out of the water. Knowing this wasn’t Scotland however, I continued to watch the object or objects and after moving farther forward towards it, was finally able to recognize it as a water buffalo. That was a relief as I just wasn't prepared to handle any sea monsters on this particular early Sunday day after Christmas morning...

    As it turned out, it was not only a single water buffalo, but a rather large herd of them, all slowly moving through the lilies, jumping from area to area, keeping just parts of their head and horns above the water as they munched on the lake’s delicacies.

    Water buffalo eating in the waters of Lake Bueng Boraphet.Even after the discovery we had come upon a large herd of water buffalos many hundreds of meters from the closest shore, we discovered yet another smaller herd a bit farther away. As we were a long way from the shore line, it was extremely interesting to watch these creatures move their huge bulk gracefully through the lake’s waters as they fed themselves on a beautiful and crisp (...for Thailand) December day.


    Continuing north and then turning back south towards the docks we had left from, we saw many more birds and lone fishermen and their skiffs hauling out their fishing traps from the shallow waters. I was quite fascinating to watch them and their traditional gear slowly but meticulously moving through the shallow weeds of the large lake, occasionally pulling a lone fish from a solitary trap. On one boat, a fisherman could be seen sleeping and basking in the noon-day sun, obviously enjoying the fringe benefits of his profession and the fruits of his labor.

    After about an hour on the lake we moved past an island with a large tower and a building that was constructed rather uniquely with slanting roofs. Once again as we passed the structure and its dock, we went alongside the island and viewed hundreds of water fowl of various sizes, shapes and colors resting in the large trees overhanging the lake’s waters.

    As we passed the southern flank of the observation island, we noticed off in the far distance several trains moving both north and south alongside the shoreline, most probably heading to Chiang Mai and Bangkok. One appeared to be a more modern express train while yet another appeared to be a slower, shabbier one with old and rusted coaches.

    After watching the trains for a bit and passing past the island and its birds, we made a beeline back to the shore’s docks and after about an hour and 15 minutes were gently pulled alongside the dock. Paying the boat driver, we headed up to where some open air restaurants were located and chose the first one we came across. As it turned out, this was a brilliant decision and an absolute culinary delight.

    The restaurant we chose was just another Thai restaurant amongst the many thousands that grace the lands within the Kingdom but without exception, this woman who was the cook had mastered a style of Thai cooking that was second to none anywhere in the world! I truly mean that…

    We started off with a large lake fish that had been prepared to perfection, followed by some pork and chicken as well as a spicy salad. Placed next to these dishes were truthfully some of the best sauces that I have ever tasted anywhere in the world, one of which I have never experienced even after many years in Thailand.

    Charlie and a feast fit for a king!

    After devouring these plates of food we couldn’t stop there, but instead had to order yet another type of fish and yet another type of salad. The only thing that could describe the two “farangs” sitting at that table on that lake on that Sunday afternoon was “fat, dump and very, very happy!”

    Unfortunately, it was time to head back to the “ranch” as we call it in America and with Captain Y taking the wheel for the return trip; we headed south, ending yet another fantastic journey of exploration off Thailand’s beaten path…

    Merry Christmas
    and a
    Happy New Year!!!


    "Bueng Boraphet is the largest fresh water swamp in Thailand. It has an area of around 212 square kilometers. It covers parts of Amphoe Mueang, Amphoe Tha Tako and Amphoe Chum Saeng. In the past, Bueng Boraphet was called the "Northern Sea" or Chom Bueng as there was an abundance of aquatic animals and species of plants here. Rare animals include white-eyed river-martin and Siamese Tiger Fish. During November to March a large number of waterfowls migrate here. Some parts of the swamp have been declared the Bueng Boraphet non-hunting area under the care of the Wildlife Conservation Division. Bueng Boraphet is also a fish breeding ground where the Department of Fisheries has set up the Bueng Boraphet Fishery Development Station.



    A fisherman on the lake.



    Traditional fish traps.



    The trains along the lake.



    Copyright © 1998-2007
    Charlie Jones
    All rights reserved.
    mysticsailor@gmail.com

    Please note: All photos and stories are mine.
    You are however welcome to use any stories or photos from this web site as long as you inform
    me of such via email and give reference on your site to AsianMystic.com, the originator of the item.
    Thanks!!!

    Sapphaya Elementary School Field Trip to Bangkok's Dream World



    Sapphaya Elementary School Field Trip to Bangkok's
    amusement park 'Dream World'
    and the old Thai capital city of Ayutthaya



    e-mail

    03-Jan-2006
    Last Edited
    Charlie Jones


    "Adversity is the
    first path to truth."
    -
    Lord Byron




    Sapphaya Elementary's Ajarn Wirat



    Where do you want to go!



    These lads are just a wee bit tired...



    Everyone is a bit wet!



    The Viking - This made more than few loose their breakfast!



    My usual teaching duties were surprisingly and pleasantly interrupted on a rather chilly and overcast Friday in January for what I had been told would be a "short trip". As is typical in Thailand, what you think you understand and what is thought to be communicated, are usually radically different concepts. This time was no different and the 'short trip' turned into an over 3 hour bus ride south from Sapphaya to the outskirts of Bangkok and a Disneyland style amusement park known as 'Dream World'.

    Things started early this particular Friday as I was told to be at the elementary school at 6AM with a scheduled departure of 06:30AM. Having gotten a late night phone call from a friend in Pattaya, I was unable to fall back to sleep and after getting up at 4:30AM, made my way to school, arriving at 5:30AM. Although this seemed pretty early to me, I discovered others already waiting in the early morning darkness with an assembling group of students, teachers and parents, all heading out on this morning's expedition.

    Joe, Took and Jan having lunch at Dream World in Bangkok.


    With it still very dark, the first of what turned out to be 4 buses pulled into the school and parked next to the ball court. Three more soon appeared and it was obvious from the size of these buses and the food and water preparations being made that possibly this wasn't as simple as I was lead to believe. Still not really knowing where we were heading, (as I have learned over the years here in Thailand), just go with the flow and see what turns up as it will always be more than what you were expecting!

    I was informed by the school's principal that I was to be on the same bus as him and some of the other government officials that were accompanying the convoy of buses and students. It seems here in Chai Nat Province that the schools and their activities are important events watched and monitored by officials in various capacities throughout the province.

    As it turned out, this trip was no exception and it wasn't long before 'Mr. Joe', a young official from the Lord Mayor's office was greeting me and we were stumbling to communicate with each other as his English is almost non-existent and my Thai not good enough to carry on a conversation.

    I had met 'Joe' when I first moved to Sapphaya from Cambodia in late 2004 and he was always extremely helpful and giving. It seemed wherever I went around Sapphaya he somehow showed up and was offering a drink or food, always along with an ever present boyish grin that you just know made him a trouble maker for his teachers and parents when he was younger and in school.

    Today however, he was always playing the role of a gracious host and he does this extremely well. I have a feeling his real job with the government here is what I would call a 'facilitator'...or a person they turn to to get things done.

    The sun was just coming up as we boarded the buses heading south, eventually pulling out of the grounds at 06:50, 20 minutes later than the stated 06:30 departure time.

    As the buses started heading for Sing Buri and eventually the highway south to Bangkok, the bus took on a festive mood and along with the Thai music/karaoke videos (which at times were somewhat ear shattering), it seemed everyone was excited about what was ahead. For me however, not yet knowing what we were really doing or going, I was just content to watch the carnival around me and the passing fields and villages of Chai Nat Province.

    Obviously originally thinking we were on a 'short trip', at the second stop for fuel at a Q8 gas station where I watched the bus take on 102 liters of gas for 1,500 baht, I begin to suspect that we were going a bit farther than what I had been thinking. After passing the mega-huge shopping complex of Rangsit Future Park at 9AM I was beginning to think I might just as well stay the night in Bangkok (if I didn't have to teach the following day) as by all definitions we were in Bangkok!

    Still watching the places go by and knowing most of the roads, I observed we turned away from Bangkok soon after passing the Rangsit Shopping Complex and were now following the klong (canal) that headed past many famous sea food restaurants that now sit on the decks of old canal barges.

    Knowing 'Dream World' was in this direction, I wondered if this was really our destination and after passing the huge Siam International School just before Dream World, the buses entered the right lane to make a u-turn and than I knew this might be something different indeed!

    As we entered the complex I observed everything was deserted where the rides were located and I couldn't see any people. Still wondering if this was our final destination, we did pull into the large parking lot at the back of the park and lined our buses next to each other along a very tall line of pine trees sheltering the lot from the large and very green rice fields next to it.

    Sapphaya Elementary School teachers at 'Dream World'. Ajarn Pannalai, English Department Head is in the first row, second from the right.

    As we exited the buses, we were met by a young man who was wearing a colorful blue shirt identifying his alliance with 'Dream World'. He herded the 300 or so in the group towards a long, canopied area where the students were told to line up and were shortly counting off.

    As I was watching all the events around, especially the adults, it seemed that there was some 'negotiating' going on with the man from the park. My observations turned out to be correct as shortly after this, money started to materialize out of envelopes from both the principal and the head English teacher. As I watched them count out the 1,000 baht notes, 20,000 baht exchanged hands and shortly thereafter at 09:45AM, approximately 300 students, teachers and parents were being handed tickets for the park.

    As the group made its way for the park's entrance turn stiles, I noticed other brightly colored clothed groups who were obviously from other schools as well as several groups of foreign couples with no children who I guess wanted to be kids again!

    The brochure I got handed describing the park was entirely in Thai so it wasn't much help in figuring out what activities were ahead. The ticket however was somewhat more helpful as each ride had both a Thai and English name located in the area where it was torn as you rode each ride. The small, animated pictures of each ride somewhat described what was available and had names such as Bouncer, Octopus, Bump Car, Vikings, Raptor and Super Splash.

    What was interesting to me however was the mad dash to a 'ride' at the opposite end of the entrance to the park. Not nothing where everyone was almost running to, I was intrigued to find it was something called 'Snow Mountain', which as it turned out was a building housing a Thai stylized replica of a 'winter wonderland' including a small hill where you could go to the top and ride a small, rubber type raft down.

    Everyone was issued 'snow boots' and a parka for the cold, winter-time adventure with yours truly forgoing these comforts and keeping my boat shoes as I took photos of the the students with their parents. I also went to the top of the hill and slid down spinning sideways as I tried to snap a picture and almost falling out of the 'Dream World' provided 'sled'. Not that would have been embarrassing...

    After exiting Snow Town I quickly discovered my camera lens and display were all clouded up and it was nearly 30 minutes before I was able to clearly take pictures again. As I was a bit hungry, I made my way back to the KFC for some chicken and discovered a half dozen students already there. I joined them and even after finishing my meal, the young men were offering me parts of their meals. I trait of Thai society I have always found so endearing.

    After our meals, the boys and me headed off to find some real adventure and it wasn't long before they were dragging me to the most 'dangerous' rides in the park. Of course, no amusement park would be complete without a roller coaster and 'Dream World' has its own version called 'Hanging Coaster'.

    After lining up with my young friends, we got into the cars and after the bar was locked in place, off we went on what turned out to be a decent roller coaster ride. Lots of screaming and lots of laughter with all appearances of a really fun time.

    We than had to rush over to another ride know as the 'Vikings' which is nothing more than a huge half moon suspended from a very long pendulum. The ride builds in its swinging motion as it increases in speed. It was here that faces started to turn green and I have to admit, after a couple of minutes of this, I was ready to get off. Three of the boys with me who had just eaten at KFC were quick to exit the ride and proceeded to quickly loose some of the early lunch that they had just consumed.

    After this there was a little less enthusiasm from some of the young lads but a couple of us continued onward, next heading for the bumper cars where we lost a couple as they weren't tall enough for the ride.

    Onward and upward we charged, heading next to the something called the 'Raptor' where I once again watched the assembled group start to turn green as we spun our way around and around and around....

    As time was growing short as we needed to reassemble at 12:30, there was time for one last ride and although I had no interest in getting soaking wet on this particular chilly January day, I succumbed to the enthusiasm of my young friends and queued up for what was obviously going to be a soaking experience from the looks of everyone coming back into the ride's station. Noticing one foreigner taking off shirt shirt, I though this was a reasonable idea and having secured a seat in the back, hoped I wouldn't get too soaked.

    This little trick seemed to have worked reasonably well and even though the plunge and subsequent wall of water soaked everyone, damage was minimal and I was able to put a reasonably dry shirt back on although the front of my pants were soaked. Next time I'll be prepared and have swimming trunks under my clothes like the other smart children did in the cars before and after me.

    After this ride we started to rush back towards the entrance only to find others slowly making their way back to the buses. Of course, it was here along the many settings made specifically for taking photos that we stopped and took bunches of group photos. I also managed to grab a few photos of the children as well.

    Teachers from Sapphaya Elementary School at Dream World in Bangkok.

    Getting back to the buses everyone was given a boxed lunch of pork and rice and along with water. As I am always made to feel a bit special, someone handed me a couple of cans of Pepsi which were greatly appreciated as I was pretty thirsty by this time. Finding a place under one of the tall pines, I leaned back against the tree and enjoyed the gentle cool breeze of a Thai January day.

    After taking some photos of the buses as they were lined up under the trees I couldn't help with be impressed with the phenomenal art work that had been accomplished using the metal of the back and sides of the buses as their canvas. As I have observed from the beginning of many years in Thailand, it needs to be pretty whatever it is, from the cars of the skytrain in Bangkok to the sides of buses carrying 50 students to an amusement park. I was thinking to myself as I was taking the photos that collecting bus art from around Thailand would make an interesting 'coffee table' book to publish some day in my 'spare time' ...

    charlie


    May the Gods be with you!



    The Viking ride.


    All the gang is here!



    Copyright © 1998-2007
    Charlie Jones
    All rights reserved.
    mysticsailor@gmail.com

    Thailand's Old Capital City of Ayutthaya



    Thailand's Old Capital City
    of
    Ayutthaya



    e-mail


    Charlie Jones


    "Go and look behind the Ranges-something lost behind the Ranges. Lost and waiting for you. Go! "
    ---
    Rudyard Kipling



    A Photo Montage of the old capital city of Ayutthaya


    Although I have been here several times before and have enjoyed each visit immensely, the pronunciation of the name for this city always throws me as it is pronounced nothing like its English spelling. The easiest way to remember it is to pronounce the first 'A" as in 'another', followed by a long 'u', than a sound that is similar to 'thai' and than a final syllable like the first 'a' sounding like the 'a' in another, or 'a''u'thai'a'. Pronounced that way, you will be able to get where you need to go!


    Verse 9 of the
    Tao Te Ching

    WITHOUT EXTREMES

    The cup is easier to hold when not filled to overflowing.

    The blade is more effective
    if not tempered beyond its mettle.

    Gold and jade are easier to protect
    if possessed in moderation.

    He who seeks titles,
    invites his own downfall.

    The sage works quietly,
    seeking neither praise nor fame;
    completing what he does with natural ease, and then retiring.


    This is the way and nature of Tao.


    After leaving 'Dream World', the 4 loaded buses of students, teachers and parents made their way north to what I assumed would be a mid-afternoon arrival back at the school in Sapphaya. As usual, I was wrong, and I soon noticed we weren't heading back the way we had come and it became apparent (to my happy surprise) we were heading into the old Thai imperial capital of Ayutthaya after we crossed the Sapphaya River and entered town.

    As I am a bit of a buff on ancient cultures, it was a pleasant surprise to once again have the opportunity to pass by the old Chedis and temples of the old city but it was even a greater surprise to shortly discover we were pulling into the parking lot of the ruins of the ancient capital!

    Not really having any instructions as to how long we would be here, I immediately exited the bus and headed through the required market area of tourist junk and headed straight for the temple Phra Mongkhon Bophit, which houses the largest bronze Buddha image in Thailand, standing 12.45 meters high and 9.55 meters wide.

    This Buddha image is seated in the position of subduing mara, and is found on the west side of the old palace compound in the 'Vihara' of the temple. The image is believed to have been constructed in the early Ayutthaya period between 1448 to 1602 A.D. and was originally found at the east side of the old palace compound. Later, during the reign of King Song Tham it was moved to the west side and a 'Mondop' was built to shelter it. During the reign of King Phra Chao Sua (1706 A.D.), the top part of the Mondop and the head of the image were damaged by lightning. the Mondop was converted into a Vihara and the main restoration of Phra Mongkhon Bophit was completed during the reign of King BoromaKote (1742-1743 A.D.)

    During the fall of the Ayutthaya Kingdon in 1767, the rood of the Vihara was damaged by fire and the head and the right arm of the image were broken. Later, the image was repaired and the Vihara was completely restored again in 1956.

    On the 23rd of March in 1990, the Supreme Patriarch presided over a candle lighting ceremony in front of the image and announced that people could honor the image by covering it with gold leaf. H.M. Queen Sirikit auspiciously paid homage to the image and donated 70,000 Baht to the restoration fund. This started the temple's efforts to cover the image with gold leaf by the queen's 60th birthday.

    Ajarn Pannalai, English Department Head, with her teachers and students entering the temple.

    As I watched my students and fellow teachers making their way into the temple and making their prayers, I made my way away from the image and headed further along the ancient wall, followed by 5 of my students who just couldn't seem to go far enough, fast enough! To put it mildly, they were excited and it made my heart soar to watch them and their excitement.

    As I am a 'foreigner' here, I needed to pay an entrance fee to reach the burial tombs of the Thailand's kings located inside the wall. At 30 Baht, this was no great expense and noticing how well things were maintained, was actually well worth the fee for such a cause.

    I noticed a rather large art class sketching the ruins as we moved from ruin to ruin and was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the work that was underway. I only wish I had such talents and time for what has to be an immensely enjoyable endeavor!

    The boys and I were moving pretty fast around the grounds and one of the more mature ones motioned to his watch we needed to go back to the buses. After a few more photos and a few more ruins, we got back to the parking lot and noticed most everyone coming back to the buses loaded down with bags of food or trinkets from the market. One popular item seemed to be a small, wooden sword that I had noticed as I went quickly though the market as well as large, brightly colored plastic flowers .

    After having to wait a bit to collect some stragglers, we departed the old city at 3:30 PM, once again heading north to Chai Nat and home. It wasn't long before I noticed sleeping heads around me but this didn't last for long as the music got cranked up and the buses' interior 'party lights' started to flash...followed by dancing in front of the bus, in the middle aisle and in the rear bench area! It was time to party and the adults seemed to be doing most of it.

    I hope you enjoyed my adventures with the children. As always, stay safe and may the Gods be with you!

    Peace

    Charlie




    Copyright © 1998-2007
    Charlie Jones
    All rights reserved.
    mysticsailor@gmail.com