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Welcome to Thailand!

Oct/Nov 2000 -- Southeast Asian Tour (2 weeks; 5 days in South Korea, 7 days in Thailand, 3 days in Hong Kong)

After having gone to Japan and yet another Pad Thai meal in Toronto, I was thirsty for more travelling in Asia... Hence, I decided to visit South Korea, Thailand, and Hong Kong for a fall asian whirlwind tour! I got a chance to visit some friends (Rebecca, David, Jenny, and Sherman)... and a real culinary challenge for my tastebuds.

Plus, having started in -5 degrees celsius Korea, then going to +30 degrees in Bankok, and then 15 degrees in Hong Kong... it's a shock I didn't come home with the sniffles.

CITIES VISITED IN THAILAND: Bangkok, Ayuthaya, and Chiang Mai.


TOP 10 THINGS TO SEE/DO IN THAILAND

1. Wat Pho, Bangkok -- you can get a traditional Thai massage there for pennies!

2. Grand Palace, Bangkok -- sigh, so I've heard (missed it!)

3. Siam Temple Ruins, Ayuthaya -- a neat comparison to the rich Bangkok temple

4. Floating Markets (now a tourist market, but worth the trip to get a sense of the old market lifestyle. Plus you get to ride to it in a cool long-tail boat.)

5. Take an all-day cooking class in Chiang Mai -- not too expensive and you end up making about 5-7 dishes in one day (and you can keep the recipe book!)

6. Go to the snake farm, Chiang Mai -- you can take a tuk-tuk (cheap taxi) there; the snake show is very funny

7. Other Wat to visit in Bangkok: The Golden Mount, 40 ft tall Buddha, the Marble Wat (In Chiang Mai -- you must see Wat Doi Suphet, a Golden Temple at the top of a mountain)

8. Look for an opportunity to speak to the monks -- many love talking to tourist (and practising their English)

9. Thai Kickboxing, Bangkok -- fascinating rituals, though the boys start off very young

10. Go on an elephant ride and hill tribe trekking -- so I've heard as well.



BEST MEMORIES FROM THAILAND

BUDDHAS EVERYWHERE (RECLINING BUDDHAS LOOK ESPECIALLY COMFORTABLE)

BEAUTIFUL BUDDHIST TEMPLES

RELIGIOUS RITUAL OF BUYING A CAGED BIRD AND FREEING IT (TALK ABOUT ABOUT GOOD FOR RETAILERS -- YOU NEVER RUN OUT OF SUPPLIES)

STREET FOOD VENDORS -- DAY AND NIGHT

BUYING SHEETS OF GOLD AND PLACING THEM ON BUDDHAS

TUK-TUKs -- Cheap cabbies with no shocks or suspension!

WATCHING A THAI MOVIE (with English subtitles -- and seeing only Thai brands featured)

THAI KICK-BOXING

SNAKE TAMERS IN CHIANG MAI

THE HISTORIC RUINS OF AYUTHAYA, OLD CAPITAL OF SIAM

LOTUS FLOWERS AS RELIGIOUS OFFERINGS

TALKING TO AN ORANGE-CLAD BUDDHIST MONK WHO WANTS TO BECOME A SOLDIER AFTER HIS MONKHOOD

THAI MASSAGES...mmmmmm.

TOURISTY FLOATING MARKETS

TEAK WOOD CARVINGS

RIDING IN A LONG TAIL SPEED BOAT

PETTING A BABY ELEPHANT

TAKING A COOKING CLASS IN THAILAND



FAVOURITE FOODS / DRINKS IN JAPAN

Thai Fried Noodles, of course!!
Fried Bananas in Coconut Milk
Coconut Gelly Treats (Yummy...but watch out for Durian flavour!)
Beef Salad / Papaya Salad / Green Curry Chicken (Learnt these in my cooking class)
SPICY THAI SOUP FOR BREAKFAST
LEMONGRASS DRINK

REALLY WEIRD FOOD / DRINKS
(SOME EVEN I COULDN'T GATHER THE COURAGE TO TRY!)

PIG EARS (I've had those before - they're pretty chewy)... but I didn't get to try them in Thailand
PICKLED MANGOES (Pretty yummy actually, it does have a particular taste to it though)

PHOTO GALLERY


LEARNING THAI

For those of you interested in learning Thai, I have returned with some neat catch phrases;

GREETINGS:

Good Morning / Day -- Sawatdee-ka (saw-waht-dee-kah) --> FOR WOMEN (For MEN, replace "ka" with "krap")


POLITE PHRASES:

Thank you -- Korb-khun-ka (korb-koon-kah) --> FOR WOMEN (For MEN, replace "ka" with "krap")

Yes -- Chai Ka (cha-ee-kah) No -- Mai Chai Ka (my-cha-ee-kah)

WHAT WOULD I DO IN THAILAND WHEN I RETURN?

Go see the beaches areas
Go to Suthamaya (1st old capital of Siam)
See beetle or fish fighting
Elephant Back Riding
Go camping on a tribal village tour
In Bangkok, I would like to see the Grand Palace
Even though it's not in Thailand, I would also love to go to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat

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