Saturday, April 17, 2010

Back from my travels and a good time was had by all! Met up in Bangkok with our friends who had gone a week before us and spent that time at the beach. We ended up staying 4 to 5 days in each of the following cities...Bangkok & Chang Mai in Thailand, Phnom Penh & Siem Reap in Cambodia, Luang Prabang in Laos and then Krabbi at the beaches of Thailand. Highlights include Angkor Wat for most amazing temple ruins, Luang Prabang as favorite town...temples, people, Mekong River, great food, lots of monks and easy to bike or walk around, Elephant sanctuary where the animals who used to work in logging now earn their keep taking people on rides through forest, fields and a lake...they are well taken care of and eventually retire there...they eat 150-250 kilos of food a day, floating city outside of Siem Reap where hundreds of people live on boats and barges and work together as a coop to ensure everyone is taken care of, Chang Mai with best tailor to have clothes made and a fab place to stay, called Small Hotel, Krabbi as fun place where we explored on motorcycle, went to 8 different islands for snorkelling, kayaking and sailing. Our last night was in Bangkok where the protests were...we saw them but seemed very organized and controlled. Other facts: it was freaking hot and steamy...always 35' but up to 39 and 40 by the time we left. Bangkok was really our least favorite as it is huge, with lots of traffic which drives way too fast, vendors spilling out onto sidewalks so not a walking city. I sum it up by saying Thailand (the cities at least) seems to exist because of us as most of the life revolves around selling us something whereas in Cambodia and Laos it seems we are just part of their life. Was an amazing experience and I hope you enjoy the following photos....

Friday, April 2, 2010

South East Asia travels


Me at Ankor Wat


Monks on their way to prayer


Elephant


We rode an elephant!


Me snorkelling a big coral head in Thailand


Decorative offerings


Fishing boats


Market woman on Phi Phi Island


Tuk Tuk in Laos

City on the lake...Siem Reap, Cambodia


Monks in Luang Prabang, Laos


Cambodia


Cambodia


Take as much as you can on the bike!


Recycling is good!


making baby shoes


Bras! Bras! and more bras!


Packing up the market


Umbrella frames


Maker of umbrella frames


Bangkok Temple


Night market display


Monks watching monkeys


Cambodian fields of food


Cranes in oragami


Laos boat


Rubber trees

Dancer in Thailand

































Rickshaw

Temple in Chang Mail















Temple in Chang Mai















Prayer bells in Chang Mai


More photos to go with post below...enjoy!

Travels in SE Asia


A tree outside an auto garage.


Chang Mai Temple


Offering bowls


Chang Mai Temple


Laos waterfall


Kicking back in the turquoise water


Reclining Buddha


Doors to temple


Angkor Wat Magic Temple


Angkor Wat


Angkor Wat


Angkor Wat


Angkor Wat


Angkor Wat, Tuk Tuks and elephants


Angkor Wat moat

Statue in Bangkok

Wat (temple) in Bangkok

Black Buddha

Multiple Buddha's (12 more walls)

Monk at rest

Detail on temple

Offerings at temple

100' Reclining Buddha's foot

Detail of Bangkok temple

Elephants!

Show of force at the Bangkok protests.
Blue skies overhead

Longtail boats at Krabbi

The Island Life!

Fantastic Snorkeling

Tuk Tuk's




Urban landscape, Bangkok

Boat on the Klong in Bangkok