Two Weeks in Thailand

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In Thailand we found that we could travel in so many different ways. In Bangkok we rode in taxis and on the new elevated train line which is convenient and fast in this city suffering from too much traffic. But we also rode on long-tail boats on the rivers and canals around the city and we enjoyed a dinner cruise on a teak boat. We also rode on the local tuk-tuks, a sort of motorized rickshaw, as well as the traditional rickshaw. And we even rode on an elephant!

Our favorite restaurant in Bangkok, which we went to twice, was the Lemongrass. It is housed in a charming converted teak residence (we're great suckers for ambience!), worth a visit just to see the interior and furnishings with many antiques displayed. The food is "nouvelle cuisine", with temperatures adjusted to more western tastes, perhaps a disappointment to some visitors, but welcome to us. We had the lemongrass chicken and a crispy duck dish, both of which pleased us. Coconut ice cream, a serving large enough for two, was the refreshing finale. The restaurant is rather expensive according to Thai standards.

Jim Thompson, born in Delaware in 1906, was an American OSS operative in WWII who settled in Thailand following the war. He was an architect with an interest in all art. He promoted hand woven Thai silk and gave the craft a world-wide market. He was a designer and textile colorist, and with these talents he enhanced the growth of this cottage industry.

His simple house and landscaped gardens are a must-see for visitors. Traditionally Thai houses are single rooms built of teak. He took six of these houses, most of them over 2 centuries old, and had them joined together into a large and beautiful home with fabulous furnishings. A Buddhist monk determined auspicious dates for commencing the construction according to astrological elements. The houses were raised on stilts to protect them from the flooding in rainy seasons. Once the home was completed, a monk again determined an auspicious date to move in in the spring of 1959.

In 1967 Thompson disappeared in Malaysia. No trace of him has ever been found.

Another teak residence we visited is the Vimanmek Mansion, the world’s largest golden teak building built in 1900 as the home of the King of Siam, King Rama V. In 1982 it became a museum. The bedrooms, throne room, and bathrooms may be visited, all filled with elaborate furnishings and art. On the grounds of the Mansion we viewed demonstrations of Thai dancing and Thai kick-boxing. Thai people’s hands must be jointed differently than ours – they extend them gracefully with fingers curving backwards for a very elegant look.

We had signed up for a 6-day group tour of the North, but the usual tourists (the Aussies and Kiwis) weren’t traveling at the moment so we had a private tour. Just Tim (female), our fabulous guide; David and I; and Mr. Jamnian, our driver, in his big fat E-type Mercedes. We were spoiled. Driving north we saw flocks of storks, herds of water buffalo, beautiful frangipane trees, buttercup trees, raintrees, rice fields, pomelo groves. And we talked with Tim about everything – Buddhism, daily life, the language,the friendly Thais, trees crops, even "The King and I" which is banned in Thailand.

The tour included Ayuthaya, the Thai capital from 1350 to 1767 and Sukhothai, the original capital in the 12-13th centuries. We visited a pottery museum, took a long-tail boat up the Kok River in Chiang Rai to visit a hill tribe (refugees from China and Korea whom the Thais have given land to and made full citizens), visited many Wats, stayed in a beautiful resort at the Golden Triangle where we could see Burma, Laos, and the Mekong River from our balcony, visited an orchid farm. A highlight was a visit to an elephant farm where we rode an elephant, watched them bathe and play in the river, and saw a show where elephants played harmonicas, painted, and even played soccer. The goalie was terrific!

We visited Night Markets in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai where we shopped like mad, had massages, and marveled at the prices. We spent another evening watching more Thai dancing and even participated, which was great fun. We also found a bar with the Thai version of the Everly Brothers! And we tried so much wonderful food – a dessert like a small puffy pancake with coconut milk and onion!; pineapple at EVERY meal, including a fruit salad of pineapple, banana, and corn!; peanuts with 4 nuts in each shell, served steamed and tasting more bean-like than nutty; crab fried rice, pomelo salad with shrimp, salmon satay, and so much more! We loved every minute.