My land is [still] Thailand.
A paragraph to regale two and a half weeks of sun, sand, alcohol, wat upon wat upon wat, falling through porches, sexual harassment, prostitutes, elephants, tigers and orphans, would soon turn into so much more. So I'm posting a few score photos to do the talking for me. They're worth, roughly, a thousand words to my one, right? Quick recap though. Dre and I spent the first eight days on a tour through Western Thailand, including Karen villages, Kanchanaburi, Sangklaburi, Thong Pha Phum and Bangkok. Then we met up with more JETs to take on the south, namely, the resort island of Koh Samui and the isolated-by-all-but-prostitutes-and-aging-western-men-island of Koh Phangnan. Here we go:
Bangkok by night, and tuk tuk, quite possibly the "safest" and "most reliable" method of transportation.
Elephant ride through Thai jungle. One of the most memorable experiences, hopefully, of my life. Our mahout was thirteen years old, which speaks highly of the educational system, but was one of the most friendly mahouts I've ever met, of which there is only the one.
Khao San Rd. A shoppers nightmare, or blessing. "Anything and everything a chap can unload, is found right here..." Hookers, the illustrious "boom boom", traveling VW bars (a rather novel ideal I feel) and name brand knock offs.
Muay Thai boxing. I wasn't too psyched about going, especially given a running period of six hours, but I enjoyed it, ear-piercing music and all. I'm not quite sure my re-enactments do it justice, but it doesn't look too terribly violent. The most offensive characteristic, the hot pants and rubdowns. ::shutters in disgust::
Tiger Temple. Lonely Planet says don't go. I say, if you're feeling adventurous and willing to sign a few waivers in regards to impalement and loss of life, go for it! Nowhere in the world can you walk a tiger with nothing more than a pacifist monk at your side. Largely, because it's incredibly life-threatening, and naturally one should be apprehensive, but there's something intriguing and death defying about walking alongside a fatality on four legs.
Ayutthaya, the former capital of Bangkok, known for wats, and some more wats, and maybe a 7-11, I don't remember.
Sadly, the heads of Buddha statues are revered more on the black market than in shrines, so it's rare to find a stuate entirely intact. It's nothing recent, and shouldn't be too shocking, but still disparaging to walk for hours around a temple and never discover a complete statue of Buddha.
Hey, even monks can be tourists. "Chizu!"
Jackpot! Buddha after Buddha, after Dre posing as Buddha. There is a different Buddha for every day of the week and two for Wednesday, one morning and one evening. I came to discover "my" Buddha is dubbed 'Stop Fighting' Buddha, with a hand out in a very Supreme-esque way. I find it fitting. In fact, I'm proud to represent such a Buddha. So, if you were born on a Monday, this is your Buddha too. Know him, love him, just don't stick your head above his.
Koh Phangnan island. Nice enough for a few days, and blessed to have not been ravaged by tsunamis.
New Year's Eve on the island. Not quite a Full Moon Party, but close enough. There were enough pyrotechnics to supply Metallica for a year, and enough alcohol to make said pyrotechnics probaby not the safest of ideas.
Lindsay, some random dude hopping into our pictures, and Dre. All a little drunk. Good times.
Sunset from Thong Sala Pier.
Or-Rawarn "Resort". Not sure I'd call it a resort given someone trying to break into our bungalow, cockroaches more plentiful than hot water, and porches set on destroying the lot of us. Thankfully, Lindsay fell through at just the right angle to only draw blood and NOT cause tetanus.
The island, yet again.
Bangkok by night, and tuk tuk, quite possibly the "safest" and "most reliable" method of transportation.
Elephant ride through Thai jungle. One of the most memorable experiences, hopefully, of my life. Our mahout was thirteen years old, which speaks highly of the educational system, but was one of the most friendly mahouts I've ever met, of which there is only the one.
Khao San Rd. A shoppers nightmare, or blessing. "Anything and everything a chap can unload, is found right here..." Hookers, the illustrious "boom boom", traveling VW bars (a rather novel ideal I feel) and name brand knock offs.
Muay Thai boxing. I wasn't too psyched about going, especially given a running period of six hours, but I enjoyed it, ear-piercing music and all. I'm not quite sure my re-enactments do it justice, but it doesn't look too terribly violent. The most offensive characteristic, the hot pants and rubdowns. ::shutters in disgust::
Tiger Temple. Lonely Planet says don't go. I say, if you're feeling adventurous and willing to sign a few waivers in regards to impalement and loss of life, go for it! Nowhere in the world can you walk a tiger with nothing more than a pacifist monk at your side. Largely, because it's incredibly life-threatening, and naturally one should be apprehensive, but there's something intriguing and death defying about walking alongside a fatality on four legs.
Ayutthaya, the former capital of Bangkok, known for wats, and some more wats, and maybe a 7-11, I don't remember.
Sadly, the heads of Buddha statues are revered more on the black market than in shrines, so it's rare to find a stuate entirely intact. It's nothing recent, and shouldn't be too shocking, but still disparaging to walk for hours around a temple and never discover a complete statue of Buddha.
Hey, even monks can be tourists. "Chizu!"
Jackpot! Buddha after Buddha, after Dre posing as Buddha. There is a different Buddha for every day of the week and two for Wednesday, one morning and one evening. I came to discover "my" Buddha is dubbed 'Stop Fighting' Buddha, with a hand out in a very Supreme-esque way. I find it fitting. In fact, I'm proud to represent such a Buddha. So, if you were born on a Monday, this is your Buddha too. Know him, love him, just don't stick your head above his.
Koh Phangnan island. Nice enough for a few days, and blessed to have not been ravaged by tsunamis.
New Year's Eve on the island. Not quite a Full Moon Party, but close enough. There were enough pyrotechnics to supply Metallica for a year, and enough alcohol to make said pyrotechnics probaby not the safest of ideas.
Lindsay, some random dude hopping into our pictures, and Dre. All a little drunk. Good times.
Sunset from Thong Sala Pier.
Or-Rawarn "Resort". Not sure I'd call it a resort given someone trying to break into our bungalow, cockroaches more plentiful than hot water, and porches set on destroying the lot of us. Thankfully, Lindsay fell through at just the right angle to only draw blood and NOT cause tetanus.
The island, yet again.
posted by Chishiki Lauren at 2:24 AM
4 Comments:
How refreshing to see your voice once again. I'm glad you survived orphans, and tigers, and hoes (oh my)
What a wonderful experience I'm sure...I'm almost jealous. Did you not pick up anything while you were out? I would think you'd purchase some buddhist manuscript or some trinket. Were the guys in Thailand wearing beaters with writing on their arms? just curious...
Your pictures are great per usual...or shall I say 'sans' usual =P Good thing you didn't drop your camera in the water while riding that elephant, you've become quite the risk taker. Thanks for the recap although it prolly does little justice to the true experience.
I don't want any lawsuits. But, I took the liberty (again) of using one of your pictures as my computer wallpaper. Elephants crossing the river.
Standing about fifteen feet away, my brother thought it was a psychedelic picture of a wolf's open mouth. I still don't see it.
those pictures are amazing. it sounds(looks) like it was a great time. Were you anywhere that you could see any of the damage from the Tsunami?
Fortunately, I was no where near the tsunamis. I did, however, feel the earthquake which hit Indonesia. So that's a first for me. Although I made it south, to a few different islands, my friends and I remained on the east coast, within the Gulf of Thailand, which was not hit. The only real damage I saw was the floods of refugees and evacuees crowding the Bangkok airport, scrambling for flights home.
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