The King has left the building

Last Friday the King of Thailand died at 88 years old. He was the longest reigning monarch in history at over 70 years rule. 

We had been traveling throughout the country of Thailand for about three weeks and we had seen pictures of him and the royal family throughout the country. At every major intersection in every city, in businesses, and in private homes.  They are everywhere. The King is deeply revered and his death was met with much anguish and tears among the countrymen. He had brought them from an agrarian society to a modern society of cities and infrastructure. He brought them into the 21st century and built them into a country based on business and tourism, not just agriculture. 

Tribute to the King at the hotel. 

We really didn't know what to expect of our time here with the now absent ruler, so we were a bit dubious at first.  We had heard that everything would shut down for a year of mourning. Then we heard it would be only for 100 days of mourning. There would be no alcohol sales during this mourning time.  Businesses would be closed. Would we be able to go to the grocery store, or get food at a restaurant? No alcohol? God forbid! Would their be throngs of Thai people wailing in the streets? Would our hotel close down and kick us out? We wondered about all of these possibilities and the media was fueling it all with sensational reports with all sorts of scenarios and this was definitely uncharted waters for us and all of Thailand. They said there would be no music played in public, and all entertainment would be cancelled. Everyone should wear either black or even white clothing to signify mourning. They published "how to" articles explaining what to wear, how to act, and even one about how to dye your clothing black using charcoal. Tourists were told to act accordingly, respectfully, and dress modestly. Which I found pretty amazing that they would even attempt this because the women wear most scant, tiny, smallest of string micro bikinis and the men are in the smallest, tightest speedo types that both sexes leave little to the imagination of what anyone is packing under any of their garments. We wondered if we shouldn't just scrap our Thailand plans and head to Bali. We decided to give it a few days, ride it out and see what happens. 

The Google screen in B&W to honor the fallen King. 

What did happen was the King died on Friday. Saturday and Sunday were very quiet. Coincidentally the last day of Buddhist lent was also Sunday and that was a deeply religious holiday here, so most of those things we feared (no businesses open, no alcohol sales, nothing to do) came true, but it was a nice interruption to the frantic pace of street life that is Phuket. The streets were quiet and the people constantly selling tuk tuk rides, tailored clothing, and food weren't out selling their wares. There weren't even many tourists out in the streets.  Our hotel staff dressed in all black which seemed very odd in a tropical climate with temperatures in the low 90s. There were black and white sashes hung on the exteriors of businesses. There were temporary shrines with flowers set up in the hotel lobby and around the town. But other than those things, it was pretty much business as usual. I'm sure that they had to get back to the status quo quickly here in Phuket because tourists would be canceling plans, going elsewhere, and the economy would suffer. I'm sure that since the King was such a business friendly ruler he would have wanted things to get back to normal quickly so his people could take care of themselves, and that's a pretty good King to have. 

I did it Chang Mai way

We escaped the madness of Bangkok for the slower pace of Chang Mai. We anticipated some peace and quiet and we were looking forward to it. The flight was an easy hour and a half journey. I fly with earphones so I can tune out screaming babies, incessant talkers, and anything that is generally annoying to me. I sat next to a tall American guy from Southern California and strangely enough we hit it off and talked the entire way. He was an expat that lived in Chang Mai off and on over the last five years, so he was a wealth of information about what to do and see in the area. He was very thorough and wrote everything down neatly on a barf bag. It was extremely kind of him. After the flight we exchanged emails. I contacted him a few days later to thank him for the guidance since we had used much of his direction and he invited us to dinner at his favorite restaurant, The Burmese Swan. We took him up on it and agreed to meet him later in the week.

Over our time in Chang Mai we had been touring the multiple Buddhist temples it is famous for throughout the city by tuk tuk. I was getting bored with not exercising much over the last few days, so I decided I would walk the perimeter of the old walled city of Chang Mai. It was a hot afternoon, but it was a really nice self guided tour of the city and its ancient walls and moat. I got about 6 miles in and I felt good.

                                             The moat around the "old city" of Chang Mai.

That evening we went to the night market near our hotel. It was after dinner time, and we were both hungry. Lu and I were really tired of bowls of rice, bowls of rice noodles, bowls of broth and missing our normal servings of lean protein like we usually have. There's not much protein to eat here, so we looked around and decided we would attempt street food. We have heard that street food is traditionally good and extremely cheap here. We found a guy that had what amounted to a chicken gyro or doner wrap. It was unexpectedly good quality, fresh and tasty. We felt accomplished! Our first street food of Thailand! Now if we would just feel ok and not get sick.  The next day we awoke feeling great. No street food problems.

                              Indian feast. Naan bread, hummus, followed by tandoori chicken.

The day after that I was feeling pretty brave in the food department.  With Lu's advice I sought out an Indian food restaurant for lunch. It was off of the beaten path, got good reviews, and looked clean. Lu had eaten elsewhere. Every week or so we take some alone time to ourselves so we don't drive each other crazy, so I tried this new place by myself. Fresh naan, hummus, chicken tandoori. I ate like a king for only a few baht. I was REALLY proud of myself now. I found this place on my own with the help of TripAdvisor. Yay me!

                   Burmese feast. I can't remember what each dish was, but I know it was delicious!

That night we met my new airplane friend at the Burmese restaurant and we had a delicious meal and conversation. Lots of conversation. He's a talker, but that's ok because he was interesting. We had fun and had some really unique food that we both really enjoyed. I particularly enjoyed it right up until the time when I had to quickly excuse myself from the table and try to hot foot it back to the restroom where I took up residence for quite a while. Once I broke away from the bathroom I went back to our table where Lu and our new friend were still seated and talking. I interjected that I hated to be rude, but I had to leave soon and find the fastest tuk tuk back to the hotel ASAP! We made a less than graceful but quick exit and got back to the hotel just in time for me to begin a week of what I thought was the worst food poisoning bout I've ever experienced. It's a blessing to us all that I have no photos to show of that part of the week.

The only thing that Lu didn't eat that I did was my lunch at the Indian restaurant. That had to be it. She felt fine. She took great care of me and I appreciate that very much! She visited the pharmacy many times and got me all of the necessary medications and a year's supply of butt wipes. She even sought out an English speaking pharmacist which was really huge. The amazing part was that all of the meds including antibiotics were maybe $5 US.

   

                                                                On the rough ride in.

Oh, I don't feel well.

So the next morning after our Burmese feast we had scheduled a trip into the mountains to visit an elephant sanctuary. It was a bucket list item for Lu and I knew she really wanted to do it, so I took my medication and loaded myself into the back of a covered pickup truck crammed full of 8 full sized tourists from around the world. Ireland, Australia, England, China and us from the US. We bounced around in the back of the truck through a rainstorm for a 2 hour ride. I felt dreadful when we arrived. I was sweating and pale like I was kicking a really bad heroin habit. We had to hike a mile downhill to the elephants. Not fun. I got to pet some elephants, but I spent most of my day lying horizontal under a shelter. The worst part of the day was when the guide led me and Lu out of the jungle straight up the side of the mountain with me walking a few steps, puking and repeating. Needless to say,  it took a while for me to get out of the jungle.

Fun to feed the elephants. Not fun to be sick while doing it. 

                                                The hike out. This is going to take a while.

All this time I thought it was the Indian restaurant that made me sick, but a few days later Lu got sick with the same thing I had. We were both taking the same meds and taking turns running to the bathroom. We were pitiful. I guess we caught some kind of bug. It made me question my food choices and not really like Chang Mai in general. We were stuck in our hotel room and felt terrible. We left Chang Mai only feeling marginally better and flew to Phuket where we soothed ourselves at the beach. It's amazing how when we feel bad it colors our complete outlook. Most people love Chang Mai, but I think it will be a while before we go back. Meanwhile we're loving Phuket!!

One night in Bangkok city of contrast

We actually stayed five nights in Bangkok and it was an eye opener.

Bangkok is a city of contrast like I've never seen. Ultra wealth next to extreme poverty. It's the first time for me seeeing such contrast. The people of the Sathorn district where we stayed are hard working poor people struggling to make it in a place where there are so many people and so few opportunities. I don't know all of the dynamics of that. It's just my observation. I didn't research employment statistics and available jobs, but it seems that the Thai pounce on any opportunity to make a buck, to survive. For example, there was a nail spa/beauty shop across from an expat restaurant we frequented. The beauty shop was usually busy with local people coming and going, but outside on the sidewalk a lady had set up a coffee bar. She would open in the morning and sell to the people on their way to work. She stayed all day in the heat at the ramshackle stall waiting for a customer. We would see her each time we came or went to our hotel. Then in the evening when it was dusk, she would tear down the entire booth, move it back off of the sidewalk near the beauty shop wall and cover it with a tarp. She continued to do this day in and day out. We assumed that maybe it was her relative's shop and they allowed her to operate there, or maybe it was just an open space and the shop owner allows her to do business for a cut of the profits. I really don't know, but if there's an opportunity for earning, the hard working Thai in this area will find it. Earning for them means survival, not just making more money for a newer car with more horsepower, or a bigger house to keep up with the Joneses but feeding their families and keeping a roof over there heads.

                                                                             

Typical storefront during the day, family living room at night.
These people were stringing flowers for religious adornments.

                                   

                                                            Hangover 2 clip

Around the corner from our hotel was The Sky Bar, a luxury hotel with a rooftop bar on the 64th floor. It's a beautiful building towering over everything in the neighborhood. It's a great view over the city. You can see everything from there. If you've seen the movie Hangover 2 you've seen it. It's a beautiful place. No big deal for an American. The stark contrast comes when you are on your way to The Sky Bar. The neighborhood (we walked since it was around the corner) is a slum. At first it was intimidating to us, but after a few days we always felt safe there. Very seldom did we see any panhandling or homelessness. The people were kind and friendly. The street is lined with vendors and carts selling food that is completely unrecognizable to us. Lots of fried meat on a stick, lots of bowls of broth and noodles, lots of rice bowls. It's all from scratch, made on the spot, and cheap as chips. No it's cheaper than chips.  Just a few bhat for a meal. No big deal for us, but it is a big deal for a Thai resident in the Sathorn district. We took a food tour and our guide said the average salary for a Thai was about 300 bhat per day, or about $9 US to us. Pocket change to us, but a chunk of change to a Thai.

                  The street outside of the Sky Bar. The Sky Bar building is on the right.

We made our way through the neighborhood to the Sky Bar. Typical streets in the Sathorn neighborhood. Thai food smells, sewer smells, exhaust fumes, heat and humidity...then you walk through the gated, guarded, Sky Bar driveway to the opulent doors of the hotel where well groomed Thai people in beautiful uniforms open the door for you. The cool air conditioning rushes out and they put their hands together as if in prayer, and bow to you at the waist in a very formal way as if you're something special and their here to "serve" you.  For clarification, this is a typical humble Thai greeting which is  meaningful and a sign of respect, but after walking among the countrymen on the street into an opulent hotel it made me feel uneasy. Uneasy like there's some kind of class system and my almighty dollar is at the top. We went to the express elevator to The Sky Bar and I was quickly taken aside by a very pretty Thai woman who politely told me I wasn't welcome because of my "open shoes". I had on Keen sandals. The toe is closed, but there are some holes on the side. I was also in a collared shirt and khaki slacks. Ok they were khaki hiking pants, but they looked like slacks. I went back to the hotel, changed into my only other pair of shoes, tennis shoes, came back, and rode the elevator to the Sky Bar where where there were 100-200 tourists clad in tshirts and shorts, but their shoes were not "open" like mine. No wait, the women had open shoes, but the men weren't allowed.
                 

The view from the top. 

Anyway we ordered two drinks, elbowed and jockeyed our way to the railing where we saw beautiful views of Bangkok. We finished our drinks and asked for our bill.  We were prepared for the amount because my tenacious wife does her research, but our bill for 2 drinks was $1541 bhat ($44 US)! That's about 5 days work for the average Thai that live and work here! I felt uneasy about the whole thing. We left and went down the street to an affordable restaurant where we spent a fraction of the money for  2  bottled waters, 2 bowls of broth, rice noodles and crispy pork. We left the restaurant feeling well fed, and we definitely have more of an appreciation for our station in life, our country and our opportunities to see the world and how it lives.

Delicious crispy pork, noodles and broth. 

Gomen'nasai

Gomen'nasai = I'm sorry in Japanese. That's the first word I learned when I came to Japan last week.  Tokyo is an expensive place to live. Since we are traveling on a limited budget, we seek out the most reasonably priced food and lodging. Lucretia is a guru when it comes to seeking out these bargains. It's not just the lowest priced item, it's the item e.g. room, meal, transportation... that fits all of our criteria once our "filters" are applied. For instance, our hotel room isn't the cheapest on on the internet because that one has a "small double" bed (read twin bed) that sleeps two (child size) people, is a smoking room, and is slightly bigger than the interior of a two door Honda Civic.

So when we found a small pizza and wine bar where we both could eat pizza and have a glass of wine  for about $20 US we were stoked. The service was great. There was even a menu printed in English. (It seems like a small thing, but the day before we were abruptly turned away from another restaurant with a very broken form of the English language, "No English menu!!") The pizza was a little different from what we were used to, but it was really good! It was prepared in a wood fired oven, and the crust was the thin, crisp, flavorful, masterpiece just like what you'd get in a Neapolitan restaurant. Delicious. The $5 glass of red wine was less than delicious, but it wasn't the worst we've ever had.

Pizza with chopsticks. Now that's talent!

So a pizza was ¥500 or $4.95 US (1 each), glass of wine ¥500 or $4.95 (1each), and we had a great salad which we shared ¥620 or about $6 US. So a grand total of ¥2620 or about $26 US give or take. The waiter brought us our check. It was a scribbled amount on a scrap of paper.  It was 42620!!! It was in yen, of course so my mind saw a bill of  ¥4262 or about $42.60 US!!?!!  So I sternly asked our waiter who, I assume was the manager, WTH? "Why is my bill $42.60? That's crazy!!?!" He said, "Tax." I was astounded. "A 60% tax rate??!! NO WAY!" So he left Lu and I to grumble to ourselves and try to figure out why and exactly how this guy was trying to screw us out of $16.42.

So whole time we were trying to figure out what happened, he's chating with a family that looked affluent, bringing out the special, crystal wine glasses reserved for wine that was much better than the swill we were drinking, and opening very expensive bottles of wine for them. I glared at him, but he paid me no attention. I summoned him to our table and started over. I was speaking slowly, clearly, and using lots of charades. "2 pizzas, 500 each, 2 wine, 500 each, that's 2000 plus salad 620. That's 2620. Why 4260?" At that point Lu interjected, "It's not 4260, it's 2620! The "4" of the "42620" is a scribbled yen sign!!" We all had this ah-ha moment together. The waiter, Lu, and myself. "I'm wrong. I'm so sorry. Thank you" we all said it in unison over and over all while he bowed lower and lower at the waist to us and we nodded our heads back at him while Lu and I felt like complete American idiot tourists. When we left he escorted us to the door, walked us out, all while bowing to us! We still felt pretty inadequate in the communication department and it was then that we realized that we were a long way from home.

As soon as we got back to our hotel and wifi I used google translator. "I'm sorry" "Gomen'nasai". My first Japanese word.

Tokyo is an expensive place, but not THAT expensive. Our pizza bargain dinner was so good and such a good bargain that we returned the next night for dinner not knowing what to expect, but we thought we'd give it a go. "What's the worst that could happen? He turns us away?" I asked. "We may get some "extra ingredients" in our pizza, if you know what I mean," Lu sarcastically answered. "I agree, that IS the worst thing!"  We walked in and the same guy was there from the night before. He graciously welcomed us in for another great pizza dinner minus any "extra ingredients", I hope. When he brought us our check it was hand written in large block numbers in the neatest possible script and no yen in front of the total amount on our bill. We all 3 had another moment again only this time we were laughing hysterically.

"It's the little differences"

From Pulp Fiction:

Jules: But you know what the funniest thing about Europe is?
Jules: What?
Vincent: It's the little differences. I mean, they got the same shit over there that they got here, but it's just it's just there it's a little different.
Jules: Example?
Vincent: All right. Well, you can walk into a movie theater in Amsterdam and buy a beer. And I don't mean just like in no paper cup, I'm talking about a glass of beer. And in Paris, you can buy a beer at McDonald's. And you know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?
Jules: They don't call it a Quarter Pounder with Cheese?
Vincent: Nah, man, they got the metric system. They wouldn't know what the fuck a Quarter Pounder is.
Jules: What do they call it?
Vincent: They call it a "Royale with Cheese."
Jules: "Royale with Cheese."
Vincent: That's right.
Jules: What do they call a Big Mac?
Vincent: A Big Mac's a Big Mac, but they call it "Le Big Mac".

It's not that things in a westernized foreign country are all that different, but the little things are, and that's what makes things interesting and new. 

For instance on my first trip to Europe in Oct 2013 we took a Mediterranean cruise with Lu's family. Our flight had a layover in Amsterdam. I had to use the restroom and the toilets were only the "stand up" type. I had been flying all night and it was more than l could handle, so I just waited for the next plane ride to take care of business. 

Also in the bathroom department at a restaurant/bar there are 2 bathrooms, men's and women's as usual, but the respective rooms only house the toilet itself. You have to exit the toilet room and just outside of the toilet is a common wash area for both sexes. It's a simple and logical thing, but it's just a bit different. 

Since I bring up restaurant/bar settings, I really like that in Europe you can go down the block to have breakfast and coffee, and also that afternoon/evening you can go to the same establishement and have a sandwich and a beer, and you'll probably be served by the same wait staff. The first time I did this was on the Mediterranean cruise. The first city we stayed in was Venice. We stayed inland to conserve funds (hotels on the Grand Canal are very expensive). We took the train to the mainland and stayed in a non touristy, working class neighborhood. Although we didn't speak the language we got familiar with the locals by exchanging smiles and head nods at mealtimes. The places the locals go are usually the least expensive, have best quality food, and have good wifi. 

Also when we were taking the train we noticed many commonalities in European countries. 

1.  Everyone drives a small car or motor scooter.  

         a.  No huge SUVs here. Small, efficient, diesel engines with stick shifts. No need to keep 

              up with the Joneses. It's a refreshing concept when compared to the consumerism of 

              the USA. 

2.  Every European house has:

   

        a. Window unit air conditioner. No huge central air units are in homes and apartments. 

             Usually only a portion of the house is cooled, and the American idea blasting cold air at 70

             degrees doesn't exist. Most places you go are hot and stuffy by our standards. We were in 

             Venice in early October, and it was still warm outside. We had inquired if the hotel had AC 

             prior to booking and they told us they did, but when we got there our room was hot. They 

             said the AC was "off for the season", but they did send us up a crank handle to open the    

             window. The window tilted open about 6". Needless to say it was uncomfortably warm that  

             night. 

        b. A small yard mostly taken up by a very healthy looking vegetable garden.  Not only a            

             vegetable garden, but a very nice looking grape vine. Everyone makes their own vino.

        c. A clothesline that most of the time has clean laundry drying in the sunshine.  Clothes 

            dryers are too expensive to run and not necessary. 

3. Every town has:

         a.  A very well used town square populated every evening by locals getting out of their tiny       

              homes, socializing, and trying to wear the kids out so that they will be calm. 

       

          b.  A beautiful, old, amazing Cathedral at the town square. I love to marvel at them and 

               wonder how the small community afforded to build them back in the day. 

          

          c.  Many great little restaurant/bars around the cathedral square where all the locals gather   

               many times a day. 

These little differences are basic, but that's why I love to travel. Every town or city is a bit different from each other, but they also have many similarities. I love the variety. Tomorrow we board our cruise ship in Vancouver, BC and take a 16 day crossing where we will stop one day in Dutch Harbor, AK and then continue on until we reach Japan. After Japan we will explore SE Asia. I am really excited to explore the new cultures. Neither one of us has set foot in the Far East, so I know I'll have lots more blog material about the differences, similarities, and uniqueness of their culture. I can't wait!!

Vancouver, BC

We arrived in downtown Vancouver around 8 or 9pm. Our hotel is centrally located in the West End very near downtown and Chinatown. There are so many restaurants I don't know how they all survive, but they are all very busy. We found a little Korean place and had a very hot, stir fried plate of chicken that was absolutely amazing and so HOT!  I don't think the waitress thought we could handle the heat of the spice because she questioned if we really wanted something that spicy, but we did it and it was delicious. 

By the time we finished dinner the restaurant was closing. I wondered why we were so tired, but by our Central Standard Time bodies it was 12am to us. We went back to our hotel and passed out. 

We woke up Tuesday morning we realized that our hotel room has a balcony with a really beautiful view. (When we arrived the night before all of the heavy drapes were drawn.) We are staying on the 32nd floor. 

Yesterday we went to the harbor and bought a day pass on the water taxi. It was a cheap, easy, and convenient way to explore the city. A highlight of the day was the Granville Island Public Market. It's a huge place with all types of delicious looking regional foods.  

We had lunch at Rodney's Oyster House. The NE clam chowder was some of the best we have ever had. The clams were the most tender and flavorful. On the way home we stopped by a local market and bought a baguette, cured meats, including smoked salmon, cheese, fruit and a bottle of wine to take back to the room for a light evening dinner. These small meals always make our budget go farther and we really enjoy them. 

By the end of the day we discovered that we had walked almost 10 miles around town. Needless to say we were both pretty tired. 

Baja, Mexico

I still felt horrible when we got to Cabo San Lucas on 8/24. Thank goodness Lu felt better. The next day I decided that I was not getting any better so Lu took me to the doctor's office just outside of the resort gates. Medical care in Mexico is cheap, right? Apparently it is not when it's directly adjacent to a tourist resort. I was thouroughly examined by a very competent, English speaking physician who was knowledgeable and kind. I got a shot in my butt and a bag full of meds and we were off. Miraculously, I did feel exponentially better by that evening. Since I felt so much better didn't mind spending the $250 on good medical care. Let's vacation!!

Our room was very marginal. It was clean. The bed wasn't too bad in the comfort department, but we paid for an "upgraded" room with an ocean view. We were disappointed until we went out on the balcony. Our view was gorgeous. 

The staff at the resort was very kind and helpful. We immediately hit it off with our waiter, Francisco. He ordered our dinner for us every evening. When I say he ordered, I mean he ordered. We asked him to bring us something fabulous and he delivered. Every. Single. Night. Pan seared sea bass, prawns, and grilled heirloom tomatoes. One of our top meals of all time, and the seaside setting was unmatched. It was one of those perfect moments. 

Every day was beautiful and comfortable. We enjoyed our time at the resort sitting under the umbrella and reading a book. 

On Monday we checked out and took our rental car up the Baja Peninsula. I had never driven anywhere outside of the United States in my life, but Lu had driven in Mexico and other countries many times. It was time for me to put a new experience in my bag. I drove all week long. I don't really know what I thought would be different from driving in the US, but it was pretty much the same as driving in the US. The biggest difference to me was the surrounding terrain. It was scrubby, dry dessert. The cactus were as big as trees. The setting looked like a scene from the old Road Runner cartoons. 

We drove to Todos Santos. There's not a whole lot there. We tried to go to an "off the beaten path" restaurant for lunch, and we almost got the car stuck on a narrow, dusty burro path. Heading back to town to find another lunch spot we found the original Hotel California. You know, like the old Eagles song. 

We finally arrived in La Paz where we scored a really nice room with a marina view for only $40 a night. There's not a lot of beauty or appeal to La Paz other than the water, but the people were extremely kind and friendly. On a side note, driving in La Paz was a challenge for me. Even the Federales rolled through stop signs, and when I say "rolled through" I mean they might touch their brakes and just go. It took a bit of adjustment to get used to it, but in time I was running stop signs with the best of them. 

After a few days in La Paz we had to drive back to Los Cabos in order to fly back to Texas. We took a different route to get there so we could see more of Mexico. Under GPS guidance we drove on a paved highway through the desert which promptly turned into a manicured dirt road, which turned into a rough, rutted dirt road, which turned into an impassable, rough surface that I couldn't even classify as any type of "road". We turned around and after much anguish an cussing at the GPS we found our way to the Cabo airport. What should have taken us around 2 hours ended up taking almost 4 hours. Luckily we started early that morning and our flight was over an hour late. We got into Houston late that evening and got a comfortable room for the night. 

After a good night's sleep we drove back to Corpus and stayed with Lu's family for a few days. It was really nice to see them and we were both feeling great for the first time in a while. 

We flew out of San Antonio to Vancouver, BC. It was another full day of travel. It was only then that we had finally felt like our global trip had begun.