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Thailand 2011 with Pat & Keith Davey Keith & Pat Davey in a longtail boat, Bangkok This photobook features the beginning and end stages of an Intrepid “Indo-China Encompassed” tour that Pat and I took at the beginning of 2011. We only stayed for two days at Bangkok and then joined the Intrepid team to travel into Cambodia. On the final few days of the tour we re-entered northern Thailand near Chaing Rai and travelled to Chiang Mai where the four-country journey finished. Pat and I stayed on for another couple of days, visiting some wonderful places in the Chiang Mai region. Keith Davey Indo-China Jan - Feb 2011 Pat and I visited Thailand at the beginning and end of our tour to Indo-China in January 2011. We flew into Bangkok on the 9th January. We arrived two days early so that we coud look at the architecture, culture and sights of Bangkok before starting on our Intrepid Tour. On the evening of the 11th we joined up with our fellow travellers at the New World Hotel, Sansem Road, Banglumphu, Bangkok. We were going on the Intrepid “IndoChina Encompassed” tour, comprised of three country segments, each with its own trip leader. Harry (Vanny Mann), a personable Khmer was our tour leader from Bangkok through Cambodia. Our group remained at Bangkok for the first evening before travelling to the Cambodian border and then visiting Siem Reap, nearby Tonle Sap Lake and the historic ruins of Angkor Wat. At Phnom Pehn we visited the Killing Fields and the notorious S-21 Museum depicting the the horrors of the genocide that occurred in Cambodia only 37 years ago. We spent ten days in Cambodia. Before leaving Cambodia at Kampong Cham on the Mekong River, we were joined by Tin-Tin (Thinh Bui) our Viet guide. We were also joined by another group of Intrepid Tour travellers who were doing the Viet and Laos component of the tour. We travelled the length of Vietnam from Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon, north to Hanoi. While on the Reunification Express we travelled with some of the hundreds of Viet travelling back home to their villages for their family New Year celebration of Tet. After visiting Thien Buhi’s family for the Tet celebration we turned east towards the coast to see the spectacular limestone karst scenery of Ha Long Bay. We spent seventeen days in Vietnam. After visiting the highlighs of Hanoi we were joined by Ant Mod, a Thai girl who was to take us through Laos back to Chang Mai in Thailand. With Ant we turned west to experience the beautiful mountain scenery, natural village life and adventures in Laos. We went rubber-tubing and hot-air ballooning along the Nam Song River. A highlight of the journey was to travel upriver along the mightly Mekong River, the lifeblood of millions of people in all these countries. We travelled upriver for 200 kilometres until we re-entered northern Thailand. We spent ten days in Laos. In northern Thailand we visited the fantastically modern, but quite weird White buddhist temple at Chiang Rai. The rich artist that designed this collection of buildings and sculptures has successfully blended traditional Thai art with contemporary commercial art. Our journey ended at Chiang Mai, the capital of northern Thailand. Pat and I visited an elephant camp where former lumber-harvesting elephants are being retrained to carry tourists. The whole journey throughout Indo-China was a gastronomic experience. The trip could easily be marketed as such. Our food was always wonderfully tasty, with many local flavours influencing the Asian cooking. There were some bizzare dishes as well, including snake’s eggs, fried tarantula spiders, crickets, and probably other things that we had no idea of what we were eating. All the photographs of this trip were taken on two compact cameras, a Canon G12 and a Canon SX30. Pat & Keith Davey This six week trip was a highlight of our lives. We will always fondly remember it as one of the most adventurous trips we have undertaken. Keith Davey 1 Travel to Bangkok Pat and I left Cardiff Railway Station on the Newcastle Flier at 6.42am on Saturday 8th January 2011, to arrive at Sydney Central just after 9.00am, ready to transfer to the City - Airport Line where we were conveniently dropped underneath the main Kingsford Smith International Airport. After a quick cup of coffee we waited for a few hours before boarding the plane headed for Suvarnabhumi airport, Bangkok. It was a nine hour flight. At Bangkok we stayed at New World City Hotel for two nights. This hotel at 2 Samsen 2 Road, Banglamphu, Pranakorn, Bangkok, is located quite near the historical part of the city. Interestingly, the second floor of this hotel was occupied by the Bangkok offices of Intrepid Tours, whom we were going to travel with on their “Indochina Encompassed” tour. Bangkok Bangkok is a city of contradictions. Starting as a city built on canals, called khlongs, and elephant trails, many of these waterways were filled in to make way for motor vehicles. Now roads and expressways criss-cross the city in a manner that does not seem to have been planned. The city has a population of 15 million people. Bangkok is an amazing mixture of the old ond the new, where skyscrapers are built alongside ancient temples and places of worship. Cultural Influences of Thailand Thai people have a natural pride in themselves. Although ruled by an elected government, Thai people believe that the monarchy has almost divine power. Over the years there have been many instances where the popular King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) has hauled elected officials and military leaders in for a dressing down, and they take it. Both King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit take part in numerous royal ceremonies that punctuate the Thai year. Thailand has never been colonised by a foreign power and in the past few centuries it has never tried to conquer a neighbour. When you travel through Thai cities you are always impressed by how modern it all appears, but the past does shine through with its wonderful ornate temples, palaces and cultural displays. 2 At the end of our six week journey, we reentered Thailand from Laos after travelling up the Mekong River for two days. We then drove down to visit the spectacular Buddhist White Temple at Chiang Rai and then onwards to Chaing Mai where we finished our Intrepid trip. Pat and I stayed on for another two days so we were able to visit both the Elephant Training Camp and Chiang Mai Zoo and Aquarium. We then flew home. Although we commenced our Intrepid Indochina Encompassed Tour in Thailand at Bangkok, we only spent two days there before heading to Siem Reap, Angkor Wat and Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. 3 Wat Chana Songkram The full name of this temple is Wat Chanasongkhram Rajaworamahaviharm. It is located opposite Khao San Road in Bangkok. Inside is the famous Buddha image called the “Phra Buddha Norasee Trilokachet Mahetthisak Puchaniyachayantakhodom Boromsasada Anaworayan”. It has been associated with Bangkok since it’s foundation. The name of the temple means “Victory in War” and is easily confused by non Thai speakers with “Songkran” the watersplashing festival in April. Built in the 18th century, the temple has been recently rennovated. I was particularly taken by the ornate dragon figures, both on the walls and wrapped around poles alongside the six-sided building. To my untrained eye, the architecture and figures had a distinct Chinese appearance, but I may be mistaken. This building may have been influenced by the large Thai-Chinese population that may be found in Bangkok. Buddhist temples in Thailand are usually distinguished by tall golden stupas. The Buddhist architecture in Thailand is similar to that found in other Southeast Asian countries, in particular Laos and Cambodia. Thailand’s culture shares both a historical and cultural heritage with these two countries. If approaching the temple from the riverside area, you first pass though the shady courtyard (and parking lot) of the temple housing (kuti), where both the monks and lay workers for the temple live. The courtyard also usually has a few stalls for the tourists. From the kuti, you pass under a bell tower to reach the temple compound. The ubosot lies in a simple courtyard. If coming from the river, you are at the back of the ordination hall. The gable ends of the ubosot are beautifully decorated in carved gilded wood and mirrored tiles. Inside the ubosot, the altar is quite impressive with its golden Buddha image in front of a large fan, and ceremonial umbrella above. Of special note are the elephant tusks, one pair of which is ebony. Also of note in a side aisle is a small enthroned statue of King Taksin. As with temple compounds throughout the country, Wat Chana Songkhram is used for all sorts of neighbourhood activities (including car parking and football games). Part of the temple yard has been appropriated by stallholders selling secondhand books and travellers' clothes, making the most of the constant stream of tourists who use the temple as a short cut between the river and Khao San. The gables of the sanctuary's roof are beautifully ornate, embossed with a golden relief of the Hindu god Vishnu astride his birdlike vehicle, Garuda, enmeshed in an intricate design of red and blue glass mosaics, and the golden finials are shaped like serpents. Peeking over the compound walls onto the guest houses and bars of Soi Ram Bhuttri are a row of kuti, or monks' quarters. These are simple but elegant wooden cabins on stilts with steeply pitched roofs. 4 Thai Temple Architecture Multiple roof tiers are an important element of Thai temples. Ornamented multiple tiers are restricted to the roofs of temples, palaces and important public buildings. Two or three tiers are often used, but some royal temples have four. The use of multiple roof tiers is more aesthetic than functional. Since temple halls are large, they have massive roofs. Usually, the lowest tier is the largest, with a more small middle layer and the smallest on the top. Each roof might also have multiple breaks. Most roof decorations are attached to a bargeboard, a long, thin panel on the edge of the roof at the gable ends. The decorative structures are called the lamyong, sculptured into a long serpent-like nag sadung shape that resembles a naga, or mythical snake figure. The blade-like bit that sticks out has both naga-like fins and Garuda-feathers, ending in a naga-like head that points up facing away from the roof. On top of the lamyong is a curved ornament, or chofah that resmebles the beak of a bird, or Garuda figure, that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Garuda is the mount of the God Vishnu. 5 Dancing Apsaras While we were walking about the old parts of Bangkok, near a fountain we came across a troup of Thai Classical Dancers. The Thais first acquired a dance troupe when in AD 1431, when they attacked the ancient Khmer capital of Angkor and took the entire corps de ballet. 6 These dancers were seen as a symbolic link between nature, earth and the realm of the gods. The two major forms of classical dance drama are khon and lakon nai. Note the Buddhisttemple inspired stupa-like hats each dancer is wearing. This group appear to be Lakhon dancers, who are able to prortray more stories than the more traditional Khon. Lakhon dance can include folk tales and Jataka stories. With Lakhon, dancers are usually female and perform as a group rather than representing the mask-wearing Khon Dance forms. In the beginning both the Khon and Lakhon dance were only court entertainments. It was far later that the Likay Dance form evolved as a diversion for the common folk. The Scams of Bangkok - Shady Tuk Tuk Drivers Pigeon Feeding The first mistake we made was to walk around Bangkok with a map. We were immediately trounced upon by a super-friendly local offering to get us a “good price” with a Tuk Tuk driver. Although we said that we wanted to visit the Royal Palace, they both said that it was “closed that morning and that we should go on a tour of the city instead”. So for 10 Baht we were taken to a tailors and a jewelers, where the Tuk Tuk driver would receive a small fee for delivering a potential customer, to help with his fuel costs. Fortunately we didn’t buy anything. Often the “gem-stones” are cut glass and the swiftly-made tailored suits fall-to-bits or hardly fit. The ride through the streets was one to remember, weaving in and out between larger cars and turning around mid-road to get where the driver wanted to go. Eventually we were dropped near the Royal Palace. As we walked along a street away from the Royal Palace back towards the New World Hotel, we came across a large group of feral pigeons on the pavement. An enthusiastic and friendly woman gave Pat and I a bag of bird seed to feed to the pigeons. When we had finished, the woman strode up to us and demanded, I think it was $5 US each. When we baulked, she became quite aggressive saying that we had used her food to feed the pigeons and that she wanted to be paid. Rather than create a fuss, we paid up. As we walked away, we could see the next group of tourists being conned. I took this photograph of their encounter. 7 Khlongs and Streets Because of the importance of the Chao Phraya river and its tributaries, called khlongs, Bangkok was once called the “Venice of the East”. Even now along the river and canals a large fleet of watercraft range from rice barges to long-tail boats and paddled canoes. Many homes, temples and trading houses are oriented to a life alongside the water rather than roads. In the past, the Thais considered themselves to be jao naan or “water lords”. The two views on the left are of the Khlong Rop Krung that ran past the New World Hotel where Pat and I stayed before meeting the Intrepid crew we were going to travel with through Indo-China. Traveling along the Chao Phraya river you will pass Chinatown, the Memorial Bridge, The Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, the Royal Barges Museum as well as the Floating Markets. You can take a two-hour river cruise upriver to the ancient capital Ayutthaya. Although not quite as awe-inspiring as Angkor, there are many remnants of this fascinating civilisation before the Thais shifted to Bangkok. Roads have taken over as the primary way Thais get around. Bangkok streets are not well planned and due to the large population numbers in the city, there is often gridlock at periods of peak traffic demand. 8 Thai Buddhism origins Although it is not obvious in this photo, as you move around the inverted carving, the eyes of the Buddha continually follow you in a most uncanny, disturbing way. In the 6th century B.C. Siddhartha, later known as the Buddha, urged others to change their focus away from gods and concentrate on relinquishing the extremes of sensuality and selfmortification and follow the enlightened Middle Way. Buddha’s assumption was that life is concerned with pain or suffering, which is the result of craving. Suffering would only stop if desires cease. The end of suffering will be attained with the achivement of nirvana (nibbana), defined as the absence of craving and therefore suffering, leading to enlightenment or bliss. By the 3rd century B.C. Buddhism had spread widely across Asia and led to the establishment of several sects with different interpretations of the Buddha’s teachings. In present-day Sri Lanka or Ceylon, Buddha’s teachings were written in Pali, a Sanskrit-like language. These teachings were referred to as the Tipitaka, or the three baskets, the foundation of Theravada Buddhism. When the Thai kingdom of Sukhothai was established in the 13th centrury, Theravada Buddhism was accepted as the state religion. Historical scholars believe that Sohn Uttar Sthavira, a royal monk, was sent by Ashoka the Great from India to Suvarnabhumi around 228 B.C., along with other monks and sacred books, to bring Theravada Buddhism to Thailand. Records are scant between the 13th and 19th centuries because most records and religious texts were destroyed when the Burmese destroyed Ayutthura in 1767, the capital city of the Thai kingdom up-river from present-day Bangkok. In 1851 King Mongkut came to power and relocated the capital to Bangkok. Previously King Monkut had been a monk for 27 years. He began administrative and religious reforms that were continued by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) when he came to power in 1902. Through the Sangha Law of 1902, the King was now seen as being the protector and supporter of the Buddhism in Thailand. Golden Standing Buddha The Golden standing Buddha, Phrasiariyametri, is 32 metres tall. It is at the Indrawiharn temple, Bangkok. Now that Thaliand is a constitutional monarchy, Buddhist institutions and clergy have been granted special benefits by the government, as well as being subjected to a certain amount of government oversight. In the eyes of the Thais, the King Bhumibol Adulyadej, or Rama IX, is almost seen as a God and it is punishable by law if you speak against or criticise him. 9 Wat Benchamabophit or Marble Temple Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram, or the Marble Temple is one of Bangkok’s most beautiful temples and a major tourist attraction. After building his palace nearby, King Chulalongkorn started construction of the temple in 1899. The building is typical of Bangkok’s ornate temples with its high gables, stepped-out roofs and elaborate decorations. The Marble Temple gleams with polished white stone from Italy’s Carrara's quarries, including the pavement of the courtyards. Unlike the older temple complexes in Bangkok, the Marble Temple has no central wihaan or chedi. Instead, it has many smaller buildings that combine European influences, such as stained-glass windows, with traditional Thai religious architecture. The main bot contains a golden Buddha statue against an illuminated blue backdrop. Beyond the main bot is a cloister containing over 50 bronze Buddha images in many different styles (above right), representing various Buddhist countries and regions. Behind the cloister is a large Bodhi tree, bought from Bodhgaya, where the Buddha found Enlightenment, as a gift for King Chulalongkorn. Wat Benchamabophit is an excellent place to watch religious festivals and processions. Unlike most other temples, monks do not go out seeking alms but are visited by merit-makers from 6-7am. During the early mornings, monks chant beautifully and intensely in the main chapel. 10 Golden Statue of Buddha in Wat Benchamabophit Temple, Bangkok Inside the ordination hall, is a Sukhothai-style Buddha statue named Phra Buddhajinaraja. It was cast in 1020. The ashes of King Chulalongkorn are buried beneath the statue. The marble that was used to construct the temple was imported from Italy and the temple was designed by the King's younger brother. All Buddha statues in the temple were carefully selected. Some are copied from famous Buddha statues from all around Thailand and nearby countries. The main statue of Lord Buddha sitting in the main hall was a copy of the famous "Phra Buddha Chinarat" in Pitsanulok province, northern Thailand. 11 The Royal Palace The Grand Palace, Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang, was the residence of the Kings of Thailand from the 18th century onwards. King Rama I started construction of the multi-building complex in 1782. The Grand Palace was home to the King and his court, as well as the entire administrative seat of government for about 150 years. The plan of the Grand Palace is based upon the old palace at Ayutthaya. The Palace is rectangular in shape with the western side next to the Chao Phraya River and the Royal Temple is situated on the eastern side. All Grand Palace structures face north. The Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha are open every day, unless there is a state function. The audience halls, containing the magnificent thrones are closed on weekends. 12 The palace was the centre of the Rattanakosin government and royal court for most of the Chakri Dynasty until the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) who stayed at the Dusit Palace. The present King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) with his wife Queen Sirikit, choose to stay at the Chitralada Palace. The Royal Palace is still used for most formal ceremonies including coronations, royal funerals, marriages and state banquets. The Palace grounds contain the offices and buildings of the Bureau of the Royal Household, the Office of the Private Secretary to the King and the Royal Institute of Thailand. Most importantly, it also contains Wat Phra Kaew, the temple containing the Emerald Buddha. The Emerald Buddha is Thailand’s most sacred site. Ramakien Some versions of the epic were lost in the destruction of Ayutthaya in 1767. Three versions still exist, one of which was prepared in 1797 under the supervision of and partly written by King Rama I. His son, Rama II, rewrote some parts of his father's version for khon drama. The work has had an important influence on Thai literature, art and drama. Both the khon and nang dramas were derived from the Ramakien epic. The main story is identical to that of the Indian Ramayana, but many aspects were transposed into a Thai context, such as the clothes, weapons, topography, and elements of nature, which are described as being Thai in style. Although Thailand is considered a Theravada Buddhist society, the Hindu mythology latent in the Ramakian serves to provide Thai legends with a creation myth, as well as representations of various spirits which complement beliefs derived from Thai animism. A painted representation of the Ramakian is displayed at Bangkok's Wat Phra Kaew and many of the statues there depict characters from it. 13 14 Temple of the Emerald Buddha Blessing with a Rose or Lotus The Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Royal Palace consists of over a 100 colourful buildings, golden spires and gorgeous mosaics. The complex dates back to 1782, when Bangkok was founded. Wat Phra Kaew houses the tiny Emerald Buddha, Thailand’s most important and sacred religious icon. Photography is forbidden inside the temple, so it’s hard to gain a good photo. I wasn’t able to get a photo of the Emerald Buddha on this trip. Twenty-five centuries ago the Buddha walked up to a group of followers carrying a rose. He did not speak, but the Buddha was looking at the rose with such blissfulness, showering so much love and so much blessing and so much grace on the rose that nobody dared to interrupt him. The lotus is one of the eight auspicious symbols of Buddhist teaching. A lotus’s growth signifies the progress of the soul from the primeval mud of materialism, through the waters of experience into the bright sunshine of enlightenment. Sitting under the Buddha Tree Yaksha Guardian, Wat Phra Kaew Next to the building housing the Reclining Buddha is a small raised garden featuring a bodhi tree that was propagated from the original sacred tree at Bodh Gasya, in the state of Bihar, India. Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher later known as Gautama Buddha sat under the Bohi Tree while waiting for enlightenment. The Bodhi tree, a fig, is recognised by its prominent heart-shaped leaves. After enlightenment, the Buddha spent a whole week standing in front of the tree, unblinking, gazing at the tree with gratitude. Yakshas are towering guardian figures that flank all the main entrances to the complex. These protective warriers, decorated with rich colours, ornate patterns and tapering crowns represent the demonic characters from the mythological epic the Ramakien. They can be identified as distinct individuals and serve in a benign, protective role. 15 The Reclining Buddha and Wat Pho The reclining Buddha is 15 metres high and 43 metres long with his right arm supporting the head. It is displayed in Wat Pho, named after a monastary in India where Buddha is believed to have lived. The Buddha’s feet are 3 metres high and 4.5 metres long. They are inlaid with mother-of-pearl, divided into 108 patterns, displaying the auspicious symbols by which the Buddha can be identified. There are 108 bronze bowls in the corridor that indicate the auspicious characters of the Buddha. People donate coins to bring them good fortune and to help the Monks maintain the Wat. Wat Pho is home to more than one thousand Buddha images, as well as the famous Reclining Buddha. Wat Pho is split into two walled compounds divided by a street, Soi Chetuphon, that runs east-west. The northern walled compound contains the Reclining Buddha and the massage school. The southern walled compound contains a working Buddhist monastery with resident monks and a school. Outside the temple, the grounds contain 91 chedis that are stupas or mounds, four hivarahs or halls and a central shrine bot. Seventy-one smaller chedis contain the ashes of the royal family, while twenty-one larger ones contain the ashes of the Buddha. 16 Gold leaf on Buddha statues Throughout Thailand gold in the form of a thin sheet is valued for its purity as a religious offering and for its power to placate spirits and request favours. Postage-stamp sized booklets of gold leaves are always for sale along with incense, flowers and candles at temples and shrines. A way in which Thai Buddihists show respect is to make merit by affixing small squares of gold leaf onto images of the Buddha or other sacred objects. Even the act of making gold leaf earns merit for individuals. Sheets of gold are hammered into extremely thin sheets, usually by two poundings using wooden mallets. It takes about five hours of hammering to flatten half a kilogram of gold. The job then passes to the delicate hands of young girls who slice up the flattened gold into 2.5 centimetre squares and place them onto waxed paper and stack them into booklets ready to sell. 17 Buddha Images Wat Pho is one of the largest and oldest wats in Bagkok and has been rebuilt and added to by many kings since the creation of Bangkok. King Rama V brought 1200 statues of the Buddha from all over south-east Asia and India to Wat Pho. There are now 400 Buddhas displayed in different styles and postures around the outer cloister. These Buddha images represent the erastyles of each of the great Buddhist cultures and empires that rose and faded over the more than two thousand years since Buddha lived. Buddha lived in India in the 6th Century before Christ. Almost every Buddha statue displayed is covered with gold leaf, but occasionally some are displayed with their bare metal awaiting reburnishing with gold. 18 An image of the Buddha seated cross-legged in the attitude of subduing himself by fasting. This image shows the Greek style of Gadhara sculptures that were cast after a stone original kept in the museum at Lahore, Pakistan. A standing Buddha in the attitude of calming the ocean in the style of Ayuthhaya Period. Found at Wat Yai, Phetchaburi. An image of the Buddha seated cross-legged, in the attitude of meditation. It is in the style of the Dvaravati Period, cast and enlarged from an ancient original found in the bed of the Mun River at Wang Palad, Korat Province. An image of the Buddha sitting cross-legged in the attitude of subduing mara, in the style of the Chieng Saen period, Found at Chieng Mai. 19 Boating on the Khlongs A khlong or klong is the common name for a canal on the central plain of Thailand. These canals are attached to the Chao Phraya, the Tha Chin and Mae Klong rivers and their tributaries. The Thai capital Bangkok was crisscrossed by khlongs and gained the name “Venice of the East”. Khlongs were used for transportation, floating markets and sewage. Today, most khlongs have been filled in and converted into streets, although Thonburi still retains several of its larger khlongs. 20 Khlongs Along the river and the canals is a varied fleet of watercraft, ranging from paddled canoes to rice barges. Here, many homes, trading houses and temples remain oriented towards life on the water and provide a fascinating glimpse into the past, when Thais still considered themselves jao naam, or water lords. An exploration of the Mae Nam Chao Phraya is a journey through Thailand’s watery artery. Hulking barges transport sand upriver, or long-tailed boats ricochet from one bank to another, kicking the muddy water into a boil. 21 22 Long-tailed Boats Floating Markets Across the river in Thonburi are several functional canals, including Khlong Bangkok Noi and Khlong Bangkok Yai, both of which offer lovely leafy scenery. It usually costs 700 Baht for the entire boat for one hour, excluding building admission prices and various mooring fees. There are other similar services at every boat pier and most operators have set tour routes, but if you have a specific destination in mind you can request it. Some operators quote rates for chartering the boat and others per person. We had a boat to ourselves for our one hour tour. Floating markets are like living museums where you can immerse in the local culture and way of life as it once was before the arrival of consumerism. Lively and chaotic, small khlongs are filled with flat boats piled high with fresh produce, each jockeying for position and paddled by ladies ready to stop and bargain at a moment’s notice. It's colourful, noisy, touristy but great fun. During the long-tail boat ride to market, you’ll pass orchards, traditional teak houses and local people going about their lives. Mermaids As we alighted from a longtail boat after a one hour tour of Thonburi’s khlongs, we saw a group of three mermaid statues near the pier. There were bowls in front of them, used to collect coins and other gifts. The only mention I can find of mermaids and Bangkok mythology was that under the direction of Ravana’s mermaid daughter, fish and mermaids carried away stones from Rama’s bridge. There are mermaids in a painting at the Emerald Buddha temple. Lotteries The people of Thailand are very fond of gambling and the government run Thai Lottery is the only kind of gambling allowed in Thailand. As you walk around Bangkok, on certain street corners and in shopping areas many retailers sit behind large tables full of numerous sheets of paper covered with numbers. You select your own set of six numbers. These lotteries are drawn twice a month, on the 1st and the 16th. Each ticket costs 80 Thai Baht. The numbers are drawn live on national television. If you have chosen the only set of numbers that won, you will receive 2 million baht. If others have selected the same set of numbers as you, you share the prize. Democracy Monument The large, art deco Democracy Monument was erected in 1932 to commemorate Thailand’s transformation from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy. Italian artist Corrado Feroci designed the monument and buried 75 cannon balls in its base to signify the year Buddhist Era (BE) 2475 (AD 1932). Before immigrating to Thailand to become the nation’s ‘father of modern art’, Feroci designed monuments for Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. In recent years the ‘Demo’ has become a symbolic spot for public demonstrations, most notably during the antimilitary, pro-democratic protests of 1992. There have also been riots here, with many people kiled by the police and military. 23 Garuda & Guanyin The Garuda, left, is a lesser Hindu divinity, usually the mount of the God Vishnu. It is the eternal enemy of the Naga serpent. A Garuda charm or amulet is used to protect the wearer from snake attack. Guanyin or Kwan Yin, right, is also known as the Goddess of Mercy. Guanyin is revered by Taoists or Daoists as an immortal. She is revered and worshipped by the Chinese community. Some Buddhists believe that when one of their members departs from this world, they are placed by Guanyin in the heart of a lotus and sent to the western pure land of Sukavati. Because of her compassion, in East Asia Guanyin is associated with vegetarianism. 24 Gun Street and the Golden Mount As we walked towards the Golden Mount we came across streets of shops selling all sorts of firearms that would not be allowed into Australia. There were high-powered automatic rifles, hand-guns, pistols including tiny guns for female self-protection. Both Pat and I felt most uncomfortable here. Golden Mount is a man-made hill right in the heart of a very flat Bangkok. 25 Views of Golden Mount This artificial hill was created when a large stupa, built by Rama III, collapsed because the soft soil underneath would not support it. The resulting mud-and-brick hill was left to sprout weeds until Rama IV built a small stupa on its crest. Rama V later added to the structure and housed a small Buddha relic from India, given to him by the British government, in the stupa. The concrete walls were added during WWII to prevent the hill from eroding. Every year in November there is a big festival on the grounds of Wat Saket, which includes a candle-lit procession up to Golden Mount. At the peak, you’ll find a breezy 360-degree view of Bangkok’s most photogenic side. 26 Final Views of Bangkok and the Intrepid Team leave on their journey On Tuesday evening, 11th January 2011 we met up with our first Intrepid crew that we would travel with through Cambodia, then Vietnam followed by Laos. As we came to each country’s city, our team would change composition as participants would join or leave the group depending upon which parts of the journey they were booked on. We met our team leader Harry (Vanny) Man who was to prove one of the best guides that we had the pleasure to have met. After going out for our first evening meal together as a group, we had to rise very early next morning to head for Cambodia and our first stop, Siam Reap. We had now started our journey in earnest. 27 Julie Rea, Christine Wilkinson, Pat Davey and Vanny Mann Anne Du Sault Team Heading to the Thai - Cambodian Border 28 The Thai - Cambodian Border As we came to the Thai - Cambodian border, Harry told us that it was important to put our cameras away and to not photograph any military installations, police or military officers, customs agents, etc. The authorities meant it. To a photographer such as myself, I felt a bit annoyed. I could easily see that you could get yourself into quite a lot of trouble if you persisted. So I grabbed a few long shots when I could, but didn’t spend much time trying to get better images. I didn’t really want to get apprehended by the authorities when I was clearly warned not to take photographs too close to the border buildings. It didn’t take too long to go through the formalities of checking our passports through the border. Our baggage had gone on before, hauled by a worker on a cart across the border to be loaded back onto our mini-bus on the other side. There was lots of official stamping of passports going on, and as long as you had the necessary visas, everything went according to plan. I was amazed just how much produce was dragged across the border on carts hauled by peasant workers. Some of the loads were massive. It wasn’t just men hauling the loads either, there were many young girls straining to pull their cart along the road. We began to notice that many of the young people were wearing face-masks. Initially we thought that this was to protect themselves from the smog of dusty, smoking vehicles that drove past them. It wasn’t until we reached Vietnam that we were told the real reason for the face masks and the long-sleeved and legged pants that many young people wore. It was to stop them from appearing to be tanned, so that they didn’t look like they had worked or come from a rural village labouring in the rice fields. It was a social behaviour. That afternoon we arrived at Siem Reap, ready to begin our journey through Cambodia, a country of extreme contrasts, ranging from the wonderful Angkor Wat to the horrors of Pol Pot’s genocide. 29 Northern Thailand Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai Pat and I re-entered northern Thailand from Laos on Friday 18th February 2011 after travelling up the Mekong River for two days by a powerful river-boat from Luang Prabang, Laos to Huay Xai, on the Laos -Thailand border. This city has been a cultural cross-roads between Siam (Thailand) and China for centuries. We then travelled to the surrealistic and very weird White Temple, or Wat Rong Kune, at Chiang Rai, built by the eccentric but very wealthy artist Ajarn Chalermchai Kositpipat. Construction began in 1997 and is ongoing. We then travelled to Chiang Mai where we bid our fellow Intrepid travellers farewell. We had decided to stay on for a few days since Chiang Mai has a number of interesting attractions that we didn’t want to miss. These included the Elephant School, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai Zoo and the associated Chiang Mai Aquarium. 30 The five locations we visited in Northern Thailand Wat Rong Khun or the White Temple of Chiang Rai The Aquarium at Chiang Mai The Buddha’s birthday at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai Chiang Mai Zoo Maesa Elephant Camp at Chiang Mai 31 Wat Rong Khun or The White Temple Wat Rong Khun or the White Temple is the most unusual, intriguing but disturbing religious construction we have ever seen. Ajarn Charlemchai Kositpat, an excentric Thai artist, is designing and building his life’s dream as an an offering to Buddha and creating a unique national art treasure. The millionaire artist spent his own money to built this complex without asking the government for contributions. As you enter the grounds, the morbid, frightening statues and figures warn about the dangers of excess alcohol and smoking. The pure White Wat is covered with whitewash and tiny mirror chips that make it glisten with purity. The amount of planning and design that has gone into every minute feature of the complex has to be seen to be believed. As you walk up the bridge of the “Cycle of Rebirth”, you feel disturbed by the hundreds of hands reaching up from hell, symbolising the overcoming of cravings to reach happiness. The visitor is now at “The Gate of Heaven”, guarded by Rahu who controls men’s fate on the left and Death who controls men’s life on the right. After crossing the bridge you have reached the ubosot or White Bot, the abode of the Buddha. Ajarn Charlemchai would not allow himself to be confined to traditional beliefs and art. The temple walls are adorned with a mix of traditional Thai Buddhist art and contemporary art scenes such as a wide range of modern super-heroes and comic characters. This is one of the most unusual and interesting places of worship we have ever visited, with every feature and embelishment full of deep spiritual meaning, but expressed with a wild creativity. 32 Bizzare Artwork What is interesting about the artwork created by Ajarn Chalermchai is the strong contrast between the bizarre statues that surround the White Wat and the serenely beautiful paintings that hang on the walls of his studio. “I painted the murals portraying the coming of the Lord Buddha from the edge of the universe in Nirvana, or heaven. I want people to feel peace and happiness and to envision the kindness of the Lord Buddha towards all beings”. “I want to be the only artist in the world who can create anything with utmost freedom. I don’t want to work under anybody’s influence or thought processes. No-one in the world can order me to do their bidding, because I do not accept any monetary donations from sources including government officers, politicians or millionaires. Money can give the donors power to influence the takers, much like many artists who work as employees. I, then, need to find fundings to build the temple by myself’. Ajarn Chalermchai Kositpipat 33 34 Ornate Architecture At Wat Rong Khun there is no admission fee. Even the ornate golden toilet above is free to enter and admire. Since starting the project, which Ajarn Chalermchai expects to take 90 years to complete, he has reduced taking painting assignments that have earned him his name and wealth. Ajarn can be seen at the site every day ensuring that every architectural plan and design is created and executed in minute detail. He rises at 2.00am, meditates for an hour, then creates, sculpts, plans for his day and corrects the work of his students. Arjan looks after everything from organising the planting of trees and collecting garbage, to cleaning the compound. Ajarn Chalermchai wished to build a heavenly garden, representing happiness, for humans to stroll in. “I want all visitors of whetever religion to have a feeling of peace, happiness and at the same time to get to understand the meaning of Buddhism that can be seen all over the temple whether it’s in the architectural, the drawings, or the moulding works”. His plan is to have a team of architects, painters, designers and a committee who will continue his work, even after he passes away. 35 The Artist - Arjan Chalermchai Kositpipat Arjan Chalermchai was born into a Chinese-Thai family. He attended Silpakorn University, Thailand’s primary visual arts school, graduating with a bachelor of fine arts degree in Thai Art in 1977. He commenced painting movie billboards, but early murals mixed traditional Buhhist temple art with modern commercial images. In 1988 Arjan Chalermchai was commisioned to paint murals for Wat Buddhapadipa in London that took four years to complete. He got complaints from everybody - from the Thai government, from monks and other artists who complained that what he was doing was not Thai art. Over time, his work became more accepted and he became an extremely popular artist. Today, Arjan is a milionaire and has devoted his life and money without other financial assistance to designing and creating Wat Rong Khun, an extremely ornate white Buddhist temple being built at Chiang Rai. Work started on the temple in 1998 and continues. Together, with more than 60 followers, they have devoted their efforts and energy to make this structure their life work. Arjan Chalermchai escorts the Thai Minister for Arts on a guided tour of the temple complex. 36 Cashew Nuts As we drove down from Chaing Rai to Chiang Mai we stopped at a small village that specialised in “Condoms and Cabbages” as well as processing cashew nuts. We had no idea how dangerous, poisonous and labour-intensive cashew nut processing is. Extracting cashew nuts from their tough outer shells is a laborious and dangerous job. The outer shell contains a burning sap. The traditional way, as seen in the photo on the right, shows how the worker cracks open the shell with a hammer, punch or machine, while wearing protective gloves. Unbelieveably, each husk is cracked open one at a time. Cabbages and Condoms The Population and Community Development Association was established in the remote provinces of Thailand. Initially it worked with lowland populations, but quicklty expanded to include hill tribe communities with high rates of mother and child mortality due to poor health conditions and a lack of access to basic medical services. In Chaing Rai, the main office is located alongside the Cabbages and Condoms Restaurant. The restaurant is PDA’s public-benefit restaurant used to promote family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention in Thailand. At the peak of their family planning service promotion work, an army of 12,000 volunteers worked in sixteen thousand villages across Thailand, covering about a third of the Kingdom. Through its grassroots actrivities and education programmes Thailand’s rural growth rate was reduced from 3% in 1974 to 0.6% today. You may wonder how the Cabbages and Condoms Restaurant got it’s unusual name. Mr. Mechai (aka Mr. Condom) said that, “you can go to any shop around Thailand and find cabbages. Condoms should be like cabbages, everywhere”. And so the name Cabbages and Condoms (C&C) was conceived. One thing that Intrepid Tours consistently fosters is the patronage of organisations and activities that serve the local good for the indigenous peoples of a region. Whether it be restaurants that hire once disadvantaged workers, or promote the sale of tourist goods by people with physical handicaps, it was always obvious that Intrepid Tours and their staff were always seeking to give back to their local communities that we visited. 37 38 Arrival at Chiang Mai Phra Mae Thorana Chiang Mai is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province, a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna (1296 - 1768) and became part of the Kingdom of Siam in 1775, being the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai between 1774 - 1939. It is located 700 km north of Bangkok, situated in very mountainous country. It is a favourite destination for tourists due to its many attractions and pleasant hill-top climate. Images of Phra Mae Torani are common in shrines and Buddhist temples of Burma, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. According to Buddhist myths, the Bodhisattva was siting in meditation under the Bodhi tree. Mara, the evil one, tried to drive the Bodhisattva from his throne.The Bodhisattva reached down and touched the earth, calling forth an earth deity in the form of a beautiful woman. She twisted her long hair and torrents of water created a flood, washing away Mara and his army, allowing the Bodhisattva to reach enlightenment. 39 Donna Klipper & Brendan Williamson Pat & Keith Davey Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is a Theravada Buddhist Temple located 20 km from Chiang Mai. It is a sacred site to many Thai people. According to legend, a monk named Sumanathera had a dream where he was told to go to Pang Cha and look for a relic. He found a bone, which many claim was Buddha’s shoulder bone. Initially the relic displayed magical powers, but then split into two. King Nu Naone placed the smaller piece on a white elephant’s back and released it into the jungle. The elephant climbed Doi Suthep, trumpeted three times and died on the site. King Nu Naone ordered the 40 construction of the first temple on the site. Because it is sited on top of a mountain, it is quite a steep climb from the car-park to the temple complex. Mod Ant, our Intrepid Leader was exceptionally keen for us to visit this Wat, because the official celebrations of the Buddha’s birthday were being held. Left Photo: Donna Klipper and Brendan Williamson, the USA members of our Intrepid team. Right Photo: Pat and Keith Davey. Buddha’s Birthday, Enlightenment & Death Ant Mod, Intrepid Leader through Laos and northern Thailand was very keen for us to visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep to observe the celebration and religious observance of Buddha’s birthday, enlightenment and passing away. On Vesakha day, devout Buddhists and followers are expected to assemble in their various temples before dawn for the ceremonial hoisting of the Buddhist flag and the singing of hymns in praise of the holy triple gem, The Buddha, The Dharma his teachings and The Sangha, his disciples. Devotees may bring simple offerings of flowers, candles and joss-sticks to lay at the feet of their teacher. These symbolic offerings are to remind followers that just as the beautiful flowers would wither away after a short while and the candles and joss-sticks would soon burn out, so too is life subject to decay and destruction. Devotees are expected to listen to talks given by monks. On this day monks will recite verses uttered by the Buddha twenty-five centuries ago, to invoke peace and happiness for the Government and the people. Buddhists are reminded to live in harmony with people of other faiths and to respect the beliefs of other people as the Buddha had taught. 41 Vesakha Day On Vesakha day devotees are expected to make a special effort to refrain from killing of any kind. They are encouraged to eat vegetarian food for the day. Devout Buddhists undertake to lead a noble life according to the teaching by making daily affirmations to observe the first five Precepts. However, on special days, notably new moon and full moon days, they observe the eight Precepts to train themselves to practice morality, simplicity and humility. The Buddhist eight precepts are; Abstain from taking life. Abstain from stealing. Abstain from Speaking Unnecessarily. Abstain from Sexual Activity. Abstain from Taking Intoxicants. Abstain from taking Meals at Inappropriate Times. Abstain from Entertaining, Dancing, Singing, and the use of Beauty Products and Perfumes. Abstain from Seating on High and Luxurious Chairs and Beds. Some temples also display a small image of the baby Buddha in front of the altar in a small basin filled with water and decorated with flowers, allowing devotees to pour water over the statue. It is symbolic of the cleansing of a practitioner's bad karma, and to re-enact the events following the Buddha's birth, when divas and spirits made heavenly offerings to him. Ant Mod & Pat Davey 42 Ant Mod, Kylie Stevens, Kylee Morgan, Donna Klipper & Pat Davey 43 Walking Around the Shrine Ant Mod suggested that we purchase some joss-sticks and flowers and walk clock-wise around the central stupa five times. Hundreds of Buddhists and people from other religions took part in this activity of religious observance. Celebrating Vesakha means making special efforts to bring happiness to unfortunate others like the aged, the handicapped and the sick. Buddhists distribute gifts in cash and kind to various charitable groups throughout the country. Vesakha is also a time for great joy and happiness, expressed not by pandering to one’s appetites but by concentrating on useful activities such as decorating and illuminating temples, painting and creating exquisite scenes from the life of the Buddha for public display. Devout Buddhists also vie with one another to provide refreshments and vegetarian food to followers who visit the temple to pay homage to the Enlightened One. 44 Dhamma Before he died, The Buddha saw his faithful attendant Ananda, weeping. The Buddha advised him not to weep, but to understand the universal law that all compounded things, including even his own body, must disintegrate. He advised everyone not to cry over the disintegration of the physical body but to regard his teachings, The Dhamma, as their teacher from then on, because only the Dhamma truth is eternal and not subject to the law of change. The Buddha stressed that the way to pay homage to him was not merely by offering flowers, incense and lights, but by truly and sincerely striving to follow his teachings. This is how Buddhists are expected to celebrate Vesakha. They are to use the opportunity to reiterate their determination to lead noble lives, to develop their minds, to practise loving-kindness and to bring peace and harmony to humanity. 45 Looking out over Chiang Mai Doi Suthep is a mountain located in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. It is 1,676 metres tall and is one of the twin peaks of a granite mountain located 15 kilometres west of Chiang Mai city centre. The vegetation below 1,000 metres is mostly deciduous forest, while it is evergreen above this height. The Doi Suthep - Doi Pui hill is part of the Thanon Thong Chai Range, the southern-most subrange of the Shan Highland system. There are spectacular views of Chiang Mai city and its surroundings from the top of this mountain. The Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep temple is on top of the hill. This Buddhist place of worship dates back to the year 1383 when 46 the first chedi was built. It is an important pilgrimage spot for devout buddhists and on the day we were there was visited by thousands of devotees and international visitors. It had been fine but overcast during the whole time that we visited Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, but as night fell, the drizzle started. This mountain is part of the Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. The park was established in 1981 and has an area of 261 square kilometres that includes the Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep temple as well as Bhubing palace, placed among flower gardens. Last Night at Chiang Mai After checking into Tapae Place Hotel for a quick refreshing shower and clothing change, we all set out for the Kalare Night Bazzar to our final dinner together as an Intrepid Tour group. On a central stage in the bazzar this small group of performers were dancing a modern-version of Thai traditional dancing, with the intricate hand and foot movements. The dancers really enjoyed their performance and so did we. While the group dispersed next morning to go back to their homes in whatever countries they came from, mostly various cities on the eastern seaboard of Australia, Pat and I decided to stay on for a couple of days to see some other attractions of Chiang Mai. 47 Donna Klipper & Lola Kassim 48 Saying Farewell to Ant Mod Saying farewell to both Ant Mod and the other members of the Intrepid crew was a sad occasion on our final evening at Chiang Mai. There were lots of tears all around. Everyone had been really impressed with the dedication and attention to detail that each of the Intrepid leaders had shown us. 49 Chiang Mai Zoo In 1950 the U.S government sent military advisers to train tribal police along the border of Thailand. Among them was Harold Mason Young, son of American missionaries, who had been born in Burma. Young started helping injured animals, and his collection started getting visitors. The Chiang Mai provincial government set aside 9.7 hectares at the base of Suthep Mountain and the facility was opened to the public in 1957. When Young died in 1974, the property was taken over by Chiang Mai province. The zoo was expanded to its current 81 hectares, transferred to the Zoological Park Organization under the patronage of the King of Thailand, and opened as the official zoo of Chang Mai province in 1977. About 400 animal species are displayed in the zoo. 50 51 Chiang Mai Aquarium The Chiang Mai Aquarium is located within Chiang Mai Zoo. It is an extremely modern, beautiful and well designed aquarium. It maintains some 8,000 specimens of 250 marine and freshwater species. It first opened its doors to the public in October 26th 2008. Both Pat and I were quite impressed with the quality of both the freshwater and marine displays and the range of species there. It was a nice touch to include some submerged temple motifs from prior south-east Asian civilisations as back-drops for the tanks. Some of the fish and certainly the Nautilus were displayed in extremely small tanks, which did not seem necessary. 52 I’m unsure about the jellyfish illuminated by coloured-lights. However, they did provide for some very interesting-looking photographs. 53 Maesa Elephant Camp outside Chiang Mai Maesa Elephant Camp is in a beautiful lush tropical valley twenty minutes drive from Chiang Mai. The camp’s founder, Choochart Kalmapijit’s understanding of the deep intelligence of elephants inspired him to establish Maesa Elephant Camp in 1976. It is home to seventyeight elephants. Staff of Maesa Elephant Camp have become experts in the fields of elephant breeding, training, healthcare and sustainable tourism. Asian elephants have long been used as beasts of burden by man - transportation, timber logging, or in war. Once you enter the show ground, 20 elephants will parade to welcome you to their show. There are demonstrations of how to get on and off an elephant by experienced mahouts, as well as a musical performance and dancing by the elephants. Other displays show how elephants sleep lying on their side at night, play football matches, paint abstract and realistic pictures. We also saw an elephant stick picking-up competition, a dart game by the little elephants and logging and lumber dragging. 54 Elephant Health and Conservation The wellbeing and nourishment of the elephants is of prime importance at the Maesa Elephant Camp. A total of six tons of grass, bananas and sugarcane that go to feed the elephants daily are self grown. Staff also grow special grasses and herbs which are combined with the other food to assure the health and well being of the elephants. Of great significance is Choochart Kalmapijit’s founding of the Association for the Thai Elephant Procreation to encourage breeding so that the future of the Asian elephants is assured. At the turn of the twentieth century there were over one hundred thousand elephants in Thailand, one hundred years later there are less than five thousand. Some of the camp’s health care projects include Estrous Cycle and Heat Detection and the study on the Developing Semen Freezing Technique for Artificial Insemination Project for which the camp was selected as a centre for the study by the Institute of Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin (IZW) and the Smithsonian Institute, National Zoological Park, Convention & Research Centre USA, with the cooperation of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Mahidol University and Kasetsart University. Maesa now has a very successful breeding programme. Only the best bulls and cows are selected for the procreation programme which has led to the birth of many healthy baby elephants. A major aim of the Maesa Elephant Camp is that the elephants in their care, and across Thailand are, and always will be, mentally and physically healthy. 55 56 57 58 Elephant Riding Protecting the Culture There is great debate whether elephant riding should be fostered or not. It depends upon whether the elephants are being hurt or exploited by the activity. Certainly elephant riding brings in the tourists and their money. It is this money that funds the long-term sustainable health, training and breeding programmes of the various elephant training camps. Across south-east Asia and Indo-China elephants have always been seen as a beast-of-burdon, much like horses and cattle that we use to aid us in goods and people transport, timber harvesting or in ancient times, weapons of war. Northern Thailand’s original peoples are Lanna in origin, with different cultures, foods, music, arts, ways of life and languages. Some hill-tribe groups are the Tai Yai originally from Burma, Akha from Tibet and Southern China, Lahu also from Southern China, Karen who live along the river valleys, Hmong from the highlands of Southern China, Tai Lue who live in tall-poled single-roomed wooden houses, Lisu also from Southern China and Tibet and the Yao who live and grow crops on the mountain sides, but are skilled blacksmiths, silversmiths and embroiderers. It is exceptionally important that tourism fosters the continuation of these cultures rather than corrupt or destroy them. 59 Summary of the Thailand section of the trip Although Pat and I had started and finished our Indo-China tour in Thailand, we only spent a couple of days with the Intrepid Tour group there. Fortunately we had added a few extra days at the beginning of the trip in Bangkok and a few extra days at the end in Chiang Mai. These extra days allowed us to visit a number of tourist locations that were exceptionally interesting and we were both glad we hadn’t missed them. We were so impressed with Thailand’s beauty and it’s culture that we decided that we would come back and visit Bangkok as soon as we could. Again, we’ll spend a few extra days to visit some old favourites and go and explore some new locations as well. 60 Photography All of the photographs in this photobook were taken with two Canon compact cameras. My main camera was a Canon G12, while the backup camera was a Canon SX-30. I only shot RAW files on the G12 which I downloaded into Aperture, an Apple program, for initial filing and image enhancement. I then transferred a few files into Adobe Photoshop CS5 for extra improvement. I only use an Apple iMac computer. This photobook was created in Apple Aperture. © 2010 Keith Davey Thailand -2011 Pat and I visited Thailand at the beginning and end of our tour through Indo-China in January 2011. We flew into Bangkok on the 9th January. We had arrived two days early so that we could spend some time looking at the architecture, culture and sights of Bangkok before we started on our Intrepid Tour, “Indo-China Encompassed” visiting Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. Five weeks later, in northern Thailand we visited the fantastically modern, but quite weird buddhist temple Wat Rong Khun or the White Temple at Chiang Rai. The architecture, statues and paintings have to be seen to be believed. Our journey ended at Chiang Mai, the capital of northern Thailand. We visited an elephant camp where former lumber-carrying elephants are being retrained to carry tourists as well as take part in breeding programmes to ensure the future of the Asian Elephant. The whole journey throughout Indo-China was a gastronomic experience. The trip could easily be marketed as such. Our food was always wonderfully tasty, with many local flavours influencing the really tasty Asian cooking. There were some bizzare dishes as well including snake’s eggs, fried tarantula spiders, crickets, and probably other things that we had no idea of what we were eating. This six week trip was a highlight of our lives. We will always fondly remember it as one of the most adventurous trips we have undertaken. Pat & Keith Davey