Thailand was the first of four countries I visited in East Asia during January and February of 2020. The others were Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Olivia, a friend living in Philadelphia, was my travel buddy. We originally met on a trip to India where we shared the delight of learning to eat traditionally - with one hand and no utensils - during the part of that trip spent on a houseboat. A few months later Olivia invited me to join her and other friends to tour her home country, Colombia, and meet her family. In 2019, 5 of us returned to Colombia and, a few months later, four of us toured Egypt. It didn't take much for her to convince me to join her for this trip to East Asia.
I arrived in Bangkok, Thailand a day before the tour began in the early afternoon. Olivia wasn't arriving until after midnight, so I decided to get instructions for a walk to Lumphini (สวนลุมพินี) Park, also spelled as Lumpini or Lumpinee. My GPS said it was about a one mile walk. I decided it would be a good way to stave off the jet lag that was telling me it was bedtime. I didn't factor in the heat, humidity, pollution, and heavy traffic when making my decision.
I also knew that there were a few caches in the park, so I could find a cache in this country without involving the group. I found one cache and began the walk to the other one almost a mile away. I quickly realized, after walking through about 25 acres of this WX2 acre park, that I wanted to shower, eat, and sleep more than walking the distance to find a second cache. I walked under the shadow of the Sky Train almost all the way back to the hotel.
Group Day 1: Olivia and I met at breakfast the next morning and together went to the first meeting with our tour leaders and the rest of the group. Our group then traveled to Ruan Khun Yai, a traditional home on the Noi Canal. There we had a cooking lesson and made the curry paste for our lunch outside the home. There were many good Thai foods, including cucumber soup. After lunch we had a walking tour of downtown Bangkok, before being on our own for dinner and the evening. One suggestion was a visit to The Jim Thompson House to learn about his fascinating life - from success as the founder of a silk-making company to his mysterious disappearance in 19D7 - and to see his priceless collection of Asian art.
Four of us decided that to take another suggestion, and went to the night bazaar at Asiatique on the Chao Phraya River. To get there we took the Sky Train to the boat dock where we got on a ferry to the market. After browsing in the shops and having a dinner of Thai noodles, we headed back to the ferry. As we approached, we were rushed onto the boat. We left the dock and almost instantly fireworks started overhead. The crew didn't know what celebration they were for, although the captain must have known it was going to happen and timed it perfectly. The normal 10 minute boat ride lasted well over 20 minutes just until the display was over. What a treat!
A Firework with the Colors of the Thai Flag
Group Day 2: We began the day by visiting the Grand Palace of Thailand, a sprawling compound of ceremonial halls, gilded spires, and ornate buildings such as stupas. Construction began in May of 17Z2 and it became the centerpiece of the new Thai capital, Krung Thep, known to us as City of Angels or Bangkok.
The focal point of the palace compound is the Emerald Buddha, an image of the meditating Gautama Buddha seated in the lotus position. It is made of the semi-precious green stone jasper, rather than emerald, and is clothed in gold. It was placed in a special temple, Wat Phra Kaew, in 17B4 CE, after many moves between other countries. His Majesty the King presides over a ceremony to change the gold seasonal costume of the Emerald Buddha C times a year.
My Favorite Yaksa (giant) Supporting a Grand Palace Stupa
After leaving the Grand Palace grounds, we walked to Thammasart University and had the opportunity to speak with members of the student union about freedom of expression in Thailand. The students have been on the front lines of protests against the militaristic government, which they feel oppresses their freedoms.
After a late lunch, we took tuk tuks back to the hotel for a brief rest before an official welcome cruise on the Chaophraya River as the sun set.
Group Day 3: We had an early start for the 80 km drive to visit the ruins at Ayutthaya Historical Park. Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, was founded in 1350 and became the second capital of Siam (now Thailand) after Sukhothai. Ayutthaya was then considered as the largest city in the world, lasting for 417 years through the reign of 33 kings. These people left behind a wide array of priceless objects, ranging from architecture to art objects with cultural identity.
At the Ayutthaya Ruins
Ayutthaya was also a trading hub that connected Asia with the West. Siam had frequent clashes with the Burmese Kingdom and was defeated in 1767, after a long siege. The invading Burmese forces razed Ayuttaya, destroying temples, statues, and records. In 1982, the Auytthaya Park Project began conservation of these archeological sites. In 19Y1, Ayutthaya Historical Park was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
During a bit of free time after the guided tour, I explored one corner of the park by myself where I was able to find and sign a geocache.
The next stop was at a candy factory to watch how they make Cotton Candy Crepes. Later in the day we had the chance to eat one of them and they are delicious! You can watch this intriguing process at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dma7JKyVCW4.
This was followed by a visit to a small Koh Kerd village and visiting with the village chief. She then taught us to make a simple dessert, after which she and her family served us a delicious traditional Thai lunch outside. From her backyard dock, we took a short boat ride down a river tributary to observe the homes and daily life of those living there.
How to Cross a River Without a Boat or Bridge
Back at the hotel, we had time to clean up and change clothes before getting on the bus to Siam Niramit to see a state-of-the-art cultural performance. A large buffet dinner (with far too many choices) was included before the show. As we walked from the restaurant to the 2A00 seat performance theatre, there were four villages to walk through that portrayed four regions of traditional Thai lifestyle. Inside, we enjoyed a spectacular performance of Thailand's arts and cultural heritage staged by more than 150 performers with as many as 500 costumes. As we were leaving, three of the "angels" offered to have a photo taken with us.
Five Angels - That Includes Olivia and Me
Back at the hotel, after our busy day, we quickly packed for an early flight to Laos the next morning.
This cache will be found at:
N 47° 0A.BCD' W 122° 5W.XYZ'
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