REPEAT WARNING: Once again, this is not a sailing related entry. This, as well as future entires through April/May 2025, reflect our effort to capture our experiences while we explore Australia, New Zealand and other places (now Southeast Asia) across the world from the country we call home by land with some air travel assists. We are metaphorically putting our memories in a bottle to savor on some future date. If you are not interested in reading an amateur attempt to document travel experiences you may wish to skip these entries. No offense will be taken. You were warned!
Greetings from Thailand! Arriving here on December 1, we just completed Part I of our Thailand experience — Phuket to Chiang Mai. For this part of our visit we organized a private tour along with our dear friends Donna and Frank who we hadn’t seen in over a year. What an amazing reunion — more on that below! For Part II we rented a condo in Chiang Mai for 5 weeks and for Part III we resume our private tour (on our own this time) with a flight to Bangkok, exploring that city for 3 days before we head off to Singapore.
As mentioned, we started our tour in Thailand in Phuket. Phuket is a province off the southwest coast of mainland Thailand in the Andaman sea. It is comprised of a series of lush volcanic islands which includes Thailand’s largest island (and the province’s namesake), Phuket which is 222 square miles, as well as another 32 smaller but equally dramatic islands that dot the ocean off Phuket’s coast. For many people Phuket is the single destination of their Thailand holiday. Visitors can combine a relaxing beach holiday with a vibrant nightlife. We are not beach resort people (or a party at night couple) so for us this was a brief visit to explore the main island, learning about the history of the area, and taking in the beauty of the surrounding ocean before moving on to multiple locations across Thailand.
Our 2 day/3 night stay was perfect. That gave us enough time to explore Phuket by land and sea. On our first full day we quite literally ate our way across Phuket starting with dim sum, progressing to traditional Thai noodle dishes and ending with A Pong, a rolled slightly sweet (but incredibly delicious) and somewhat crunchy crepe without filling. The ones we had were prepared by a Michelin starred street vendor. Unfortunately, by the time the A Pong came along we were all too full to take anything other than a small bite. (Alas, that also meant that we passed on a treat of coconut ice cream, a local Phuket specialty. Next time!!!) In between food stops we visited the night market as well as the old town with its unique Sino-Portuguese style architecture, an Asian hybrid style incorporating both Chinese and Portuguese architectural elements.
Aside from the local food, a highlight of the day was a stroll along the old town’s Thalang Road. It was like taking a step back in time — block after block of beautifully preserved 3 story Sino-Portuguese homes (now mostly converted to shops, restaurants and hotels) built side by side and painted in various pastel colors. While lingering in the area we had the opportunity to tour an old mansion with the first floor converted to a museum. Our guide, the fifth generation of the family that originally built the home, delighted us with stories of his family history and the country’s changing culture. We also visited the Mongkol Nimit Temple and saw the grand Blue Elephant Mansion, which is now the home of a renowned Thai cooking school. During our “land” day we also learned about Phuket’s recent history (late 1600s to mid 1900s) which revolved around tin. The island’s tin deposits transformed its economy, attracting migrants looking for work in the mining industry as well as Europeans (Dutch, English, and French) who competed for trading opportunities. Aided by the opening of Sarasin Bridge which connected Phuket to mainland Thailand, and recognizing that dependence on the tin industry was not sustainable, in the mid 1960s Thailand drew up a master plan to transform Phuket Island into a haven for tourists. It was hugely successful and tourism is now Phuket’s main industry. (Unfortunately, many remember Phuket for the devastating 2004 tsunami which killed many locals and tourists on the island with the death toll in Thailand reaching 5,400.)
For our second full day we explored Phuket by sea, rising really (really) early to catch the sunrise while on a boat headed to Phi Phi island. On Phi Phi island, and while aboard our boat as we motored between islands, we were treated to breathtaking limestone formations (courtesy of the islands volcanic roots) as well as pristine white sandy beaches with that ultra fine powdery sand that feels oh so good on your feet. (We included several Phuket sea based pics on our @sailingchefigata Instagram Thailand Part I post.) We made several stops during our cruise to swim and snorkel. It was not the best snorkeling we have ever done but the water felt good and we saw a nice array of colorful giant clams with their iridescent blues and greens. If the snorkeling was a bit underwhelming, the Long-tailed Macaques made up for it. As we motored in and out of various bays we were delighted by a sighting of a group of them casually walking across a beach and frolicking in the trees close to the shoreline. These acrobats made great leaps from branch to branch entertaining us with their agility.
Both days we return to our lovely hotel, The Rosewood Phuket, by 3:30 PM. We are not going to lie, this beautiful resort, built into the mountainside, spoiled us rotten. We were given a tasteful and exquisitely appointed 2 room suite with ocean views and a large private patio complete with a covered lounge bed and plunge pool. Throughout our stay we were assisted by our butler, the darling and gracious Bua, who made sure everything ran smoothly for us. She made us feel like celebrities. If you are getting the idea that this was an ultra luxury hotel you would be right. Because this will be a common theme as we capture our Part I experiences we remind everyone that we are in Thailand. Our money goes VERY (VERY) far. At any rate, though we are so glad to have explored the island and surrounding sea, it was hard to leave our rooms and we definitely looked forward to our mid-afternoon returns!
On December 4 it was time to say a sad farewell to Phuket as we caught a plane to Bangkok where we were to meet our guide (Wit) and driver (Bum) for the next phase of our tour. We were headed to Kanchanaburi, on the western border of Thailand’s mainland, where we would be staying at the Float House on the Kwai river. The Float House, which (as the name implies) floats in the river, is only accessible by boat from the Phutakien pier. (We included a picture of the Float House on our @sailingchefigata Instagram Thailand Part I post.) Between the 90 minute plane ride, the ~ 4 hour car ride and the exhilarating 15 minute boat ride to the hotel, we did not arrive at at our destination until about 6 PM. We had only 2 nights and one full day in the area so we packed a lot in.
Our first stop on December 5 was to Erawan National Park, famous for its emerald green, dense jungles and impressive 7 tier waterfall. We hiked through the forest up to the 4th level of the falls, with each succeeding level higher and more powerful than the one that preceded it. The crystal clear water cascaded over smoothed rocks into pale blue pools. The color of these pools looked like someone took a can of blue sky and stirred in just a touch of white cloud, adding a slight milky tinge. (We included a pic that captured this well on our @sailingchefigata Instagram Thailand Part I post.) As we walked through the forest we became captivated by these large and delicate orb webs which, when caught in just the right ray of sunlight, glistened with the tiny drops of moisture that clung to the strands, revealing the intricately woven cylindrical pattern. (Equally impressive were the large black and orange spiders who were the architects of these masterpieces.) Between the surrounding intense greenery and the magnificence of the falls we were enveloped by this incredible pocket of natural beauty.
But the beauty of the jungle belied the dark history of the area. Close to the Burma border, we were in the center of the infamous Burma-Thailand railway project, commonly known as the Death Railway. As many of you probably know, in 1942 Japan invaded Burma and other nearby SE Asia countries. The threat from Allied submarines and aircraft made the sea route to Burma increasingly dangerous, so the Japanese sought an alternative to safely deliver supplies and weapons to its troops in Burma. With an abundance of free or cheap labor — a combination of POWs and civilians from SE Asia (mostly Malayans) who were tricked into coming to Thailand with the promise of good paying work — Japan decided to build a railroad from Bangkok to Burma. Construction began in November 1942 and the Japanese estimated that the line would be completed by December 1943 — a really aggressive time line.
The conditions for the laborers was very harsh. They lived together in crowed camps sleeping on the ground. They only had the clothes they arrived with and when those gave way they made makeshift loin cloth coverings. The rations were meager, consisting of bread and dried fish. Often they had to march over a mile just to get to the work site. Once there they had to construct the railway manually, using hammers, drills and chiesels. This would have been difficult regardless but much of the railway needed to be constructed through jungle and rock. Fearing a British counter-attack in Burma, Japan felt an urgency to speed up the completion of the railway by about 4 months to August 1943 and moved into a “speedo” period during which laborers worked in shifts of 18-20 hours. (One survivor recounted working those long shifts for 150 consecutive days). Ultimately, the revised August target proved impossible and the railway wasn’t completed on October 16, 1943 — still an impressive 2 months earlier than the original schedule. Of the ~250,000 Southeast Asian civilians who worked on the railway, 90,000 died during construction. Likewise, of the ~60,000 POWs building the railway, about 12,500 lost their lives. They died from disease (e.g., cholera, dysentery, malaria), malnutrition, beatings and infections.
To see some of the original railway we took a train ride to River Kwai Bridge. We also visited the Death Railway Museum which included detailed information about the railway’s history and preserved the stories of those who built it through recordings. It was chilling but important to hear the first person accounts of those who survived the construction. After an intense and somewhat emotional day we all decided that we needed a cocktail so we picked up some local Thai gin and bought some tonic. Once back at our resort, we enjoyed sundowners on the floating veranda we shared with Donna and Frank, looking out onto the river, while the sun set behind us.
On December 6, after 2 nights, it was time to move again. This time we were headed to the Bohemian Residence, a private retreat located in the heart of a small village along the Tachin River between Ayutthaya and Uthai Thani. The Bohemian Residence was a 4 hour drive from our last accommodation but, fortunately, our guide, Wit, broke up the trip with several interesting stops along the way. Our first stop was to the former capital of Thailand, Ayutthaya. There we visited the Summer Palace, commissioned by the late King Rama V. Interestingly, this really wasn’t a summer palace at all. King Rama V., who ruled from 1868 to 1910, feared an invasion by Great Britain and France, a fate the befell surrounding SE Asian countries. So in 1897, he decided to visit England and France to protect Thailand’s sovereignty by making a favorable impressions and putting the Thai monarchy on par with European dynasties. Though that was his primary purpose he also sought to acquire Western knowledge to promote the modernization and development of his country. The visit was a success in all accounts. Thailand remained free and King Rama V is credited with abolishing slavery and developing the country’s public infrastructure. There is conflicting information about what influenced King Rama V when designing the Summer Palace. It is constructed in a European style and many believe that was part of his strategy to impress European rulers. The fact that this palace was really never used as a residence — it was more of a showpiece — somewhat supports this theory.
Following our visit to the Summer Palace we visited the ruins of two different Buddhist temples, Wat Phra Si Sanphet, completed in 1448, and Wat Chaiwatthanaram, completed in 1630. As was common at the time, both temples were commissioned by the then ruling kings. The original splendor and massiveness of these temples is clear when looking at the size of the ruins and the intricacy of the brick work. (You can see pics of these ruins on our @sailingchefigata Instagram Thailand Part I post.) Unfortunately , in 1767, the Burmese conquered the capital of Ayutthaya and began the extensive destruction and looting of numerous temples including these two. As a result of the invasion, the temples were deserted. Theft, sale of bricks from the ruins and the beheading of the Buddha statues (to look inside for hidden treasures) were common. Still, standing in these imposing complexes, looking out at the remains, it is not difficult to imagine what these temples looked like when alive with monks and members of their communities.
After another long but enriching day, we arrived at the Bohemian Residence at 7 PM. What a sight for sore eyes! The Bohemian Residence is not really a hotel or resort. It’s more like a private villa. We shared a 2 bedroom villa with Donna and Frank. The villa housed 2 large master bedrooms, each with spacious en suite baths, and a shared common room with a wet bar and dining area. The dining area included a beautifully crafted dark teak table which was apparently custom made for the property. Outside the front of the villa was a large wooden deck of distressed wood and a long and narrow plunge pool (think 40’ X 10’) in the style of an infinity pool lined with dark tile. Home cooked meals were included and we dined inside for dinner while enjoying breakfast and lunch at an outside table overlooking the pool. The food was amazing BTW. Authentic Thai cuisine cooked with only fresh ingredients bought at the market that day before each meal — breakfast, lunch and dinner. The owner commissioned a builder for construction who would adhere to old age standards including flared roof tiles, glazed canopies, and detailed woodwork in dark rich tones (including double floor to ceiling doors to enter the property as well as its two bedrooms) to create a living space that reflected old world Thai elegance but with modern amenities. In our opinion, he hit the ball out of the park.
But what really set our stay at the Bohemian Residence apart from other places we have stayed — both during this trip and others — was the warmth and hospitality of the manager, Air. There was a casualness or familiarity with how she interacted with us that made us feel more liked cherished dear friends than paying guest. She is the one who cooked those amazing meals and did the food shopping, arriving at the local market by 6 AM for breakfast to buy us the freshest fruit. And she didn’t stop until after dinner when she cleared away our plates from another delicious authentic Thai meal. We loved her infectious laugh and hearing about her life and family. The final flourish was when Air gave each couple a bowl of baby fish to release into the river right before our departure. Thai people release fish into rivers — which gives the fish a new lease on life — as a way to earn merit, or good karma. We understood the significance of this because our guide in Phuket shared that information with us as we walked through a market selling fish, turtles and eels for release. She told us that after release Thai people won’t eat whatever type of animal they released back into the river from that same river for fear that they could be eating the animal they freed as that would negate their gift. After reading the description of our visit you can understand why we didn’t want leave our villa at the Bohemian Residence (during our stay or ever). In fact, during our stay we only briefly left the property twice — once for a late morning walk (which included a climb up 400 steps to visit a small local temple for Donna and Jill) and a second time for a late afternoon/early evening sunset cruise on our private boat docked on the river just steps from our villa.
On December 8, after 2 glorious nights and one full day (much too short!), Wit and Bum practically had to pry us away from the Bohemian Residence. Sigh, it was time to move north to our next location, Sukhothai, continuing our adventures along the way. Our first stop was Wat Tha Sung, a Buddhist temple also know as the palace of mirrors or the “Crystal Temple”. One step inside of this Buddhist temple and it is clear why. Mosaic mirror tiles cover every inch of the walls — even the abundant columns that grace the great hall (328 feet from end-to-end) are covered with them — and large crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling. (We included a few pictures from inside the Crystal Temple in our @sailingchefigata Instagram Thailand Part I post.) At one end of the great hall stands a gold leaf covered Buddha that almost reaches the tall ceiling. On the other end there is a large image of the principle Buddha, Luang Phor Lersi Lingdam, encased in glass.
This temple was originally built years ago during the Ayutthaya Period but eventually fell in to disrepair. In 1968 a very revered Buddhist monk, Luang Phor Lersi Lingdam, decided to rebuild the temple. The Buddhist religion eschews material possessions so many Buddhists live in very modest dwellings regardless of wealth. They also believe, however, in the importance of gift giving — it promotes good karma. As a result, when monk Luang Phor Lersi Lingdam announced he was going to rebuild Wat Tha Sung the donations poured in. The opulence of the rebuilt temple corresponds with the Buddhist pride in giving — the grandeur reflects the generosity of the donors. Interestingly, the donations were so great that the project expanded and a second large building was built in the mid-1990s. This building is home to literally thousands of glass encased Buddha statues that can be viewed by walking through a labyrinth of passages and hallways.
One of the most interesting parts of the visit was getting to watch the gift giving process in action. At the Crystal Temple you could purchase Buddhas of various sizes as well as other gift items such as a monk’s robe. These gifts, which also ranged in cost, covered a very long banquet table. People visiting the temple (and there were hundreds there during our visit) would buy these gifts and present them to the presiding monk who would accept the gift, bless the gift giver and give them a small gift in return. We then watched as the same items that were purchased and just donated were placed right back into circulation on the table to resell. This gave a whole new meaning to the concept of recycled gifts! Another interesting aspect was a few interactions with the locals. Though December is high tourist season in Thailand, at the time of our visit, we were the only foreign tourists in the temple. Apparently, many people from rural parts of Thailand rarely see caucasians so both Donna and Zack were approached by Thai visitors who asked to take a picture with them. To Zack’s delight, his picture taker told him in broken English that he was very handsome!
After exploring Wat Tha Sung we stopped for lunch at a lovely local restaurant built over and around a large pond. Our table was in a private alcove that jutted out over the water. If the atmosphere was delightful the food was even better. We enjoyed another fresh authentic Thai meal with most of the food grown on the premises. Our lunch location was still over 2 hours from our next accommodation in Sukhothai (ugh) so we broke up the car ride with a stop at Bueng Boraphet in Nakhon Sawan – the largest freshwater lake in Thailand, covering an area of just over 77 square miles and earning it the moniker of “Northern Sea” or “Great Lake”. We took a ride around the lake — which was very Everglades like — in a boat that seemed to be a cross between a pontoon and skiff, weaving around a large variety of water plants including lotuses and water hyacinths. December and January is when birds migrate to the area so we saw thousands flying in the sky — many with nesting material in their beaks — and in the trees along the shore. Unfortunately, none of us are ornithologists (and neither was our guide Wit) so, other than the cormorants, the ever graceful egrets and grey herons, we were woefully inadequate at identifying the birds we saw. Still, we enjoyed watching them fly against the clear blue sky and seeing them sit together in overcrowded trees seeming to defy gravity with branches that did not give way under the weight of the gathering.
Our home away from home that night and for the following night (December 8 & 9) was the Sriwilai Sukhothai Resort & Spa. Despite its posh sounding name it was a very lovely but low key authentic feeling hotel. Nothing flashy here. It was built in the architectural style prominent in the 1200s — the era when Sukhothai flourished as a trading and cultural hub. The hotel overlooks lush green rice paddies and the ancient ruins of Wat Chedi Sung, a Buddhist temple dating back to the late 14th century. The patio off our rooms faced west towards the ruins, treating us to the most glorious sunsets we’ve seen in Thailand. It was hard to not feel a strong sense of tradition when looking out at the remains of a temple built in the 1300s and surrounded by the period architectural style and decor.
During our one full day in Sukhothai we explored the ancient capital which is now a UNESCO world heritage site. This capital, which dates back to the 13th century, is considered the birthplace of Thai art and architecture even though it is widely agreed that the history of the Thai people began well before Sukhothai was established. This is because Sukhothai thrived during a particularly prosperous and peaceful era of Thai history when people had freedom in trade and cultural traditions, producing architectural and sculptural gems. We were able to walk around the ruins of the capital, marveling at the expanse of the area as well as the size of the structures which included remains of the royal palace, remnants of the city wall, the moat which surrounded the capital complex and a plethora of temples with their large Buddhas and conical towers called stupas. Even with the deterioration that has occurred over the years, the artistry of the carved edifices — with intricate details (like beautifully carved elephants) still evident — was very impressive.
Following our tour of the capital, we visited the home of a local history expert who told us how life changed in Sukhothai following the invasion by the Ayutthaya Kingdom, a neighboring Thai polity, in 1349. Basically, the people of Sukhothai where considered expendable by the new rulers unless they fell in one of three categories: Buddhist monks who were revered for their knowledge, artisans who were needed to build temples and farmers who could grow food. We then had an opportunity to demonstrate whether we would make the cut as an artisan as we tried our hand at making Buddhist amulets. Our host graciously granted us life though our skills were definitely somewhat questionable. Still it was really interesting to experience the process of creating an amulet from mixing the calcium powder (produced by heating shells at high temperatures), tree sap, banana and sugar syrup together to make the clay to placing the clay in a mold — adding bits of our hair to make the amulet unique to each of us — and receiving our host’s “blessing.” This final step did not bless us in the traditional sense. Rather, in the Buddhist tradition, it encouraged us think about others (family members, friends and most importantly our partners) over ourselves. Another amazing lunch at a local restaurant concluded the day’s activities. And, because we can’t ever pass up an opportunity to eat an authentic Thai meal, after a brief rest back at Sriwilai Sukhothai Resort, we went back out to dinner, enjoying another great Thai dinner. Ironically, while all the other restaurants in the commercial district of Sukhothai Province are owned by locals, the restaurant we chose — based on the recommendation of our guide Wit — was actually owned by a Brit, Graham, who somewhat stumbled upon this place that was originally a garage. After confirming that the chef was Thai, we thankfully did not allow Graham’s nationality to scare us away. We not only enjoyed another fabulous meal but we had the pleasure of chatting with Graham and learning about the local laws he must follow as a foreign business “owner.” For instance, he can not own more than 49% of the business (so he had to find a trusted Thai partner), he can’t own the business premises (so he must rent) and, most interestingly, he cannot handle money. A Thai had to give us our check and take our money.
On December 10 in was time to move on to the final destination of our tour with Donna and Frank, Lampang. Lampang, about 4 hours north of Sukhothai, is off the tourist beaten path. So much so that our travel agent didn’t have a guide to help us navigate the area. We would be on our own for 3 days once our current guide and driver dropped us off at our hotel. Of course, that was precisely why we wanted to visit Lampang. Specifically, after visiting areas frequented by tourists we wanted to spend some “quality time” seeing the real Thailand. Jill had read an article about Lampang in a New York Times which she tucked away knowing that we would visit Thailand at some point during our circumnavigation. (You can read it here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/04/travel/lampang-thailand-vacation.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare ). (If our kids are reading this post they are now rolling their eyes. “Mom read an article” was a common, sarcastic, refrain in our home.) Jill shared the article with Donna and after reading it Donna and Frank were excited to include Lampang in our itinerary.
But before dropping us off at our hotel, the Lampang River Lodge, Wit had one more place to share with us: Wat Phra Phutthabat. Located about an hour outside of Lampang , Wat Phra Phutthabat is a Buddhist temple of special significance. (Detail on that below). The temple is built in two locations. There is one temple, dating back to the 17th century, at the foot of the mountain which is accessible by car. The second more recent temple (constructed in 1988) — the Temple in the Sky — is built high on the mountain top. To get there you have to drive 3.5 km (~2 miles) in the back of a pickup truck fitted with bench seating and then walk another kilometer (.6 miles) up 1,049 stairs. Though the drive is a bit harrowing — the unpaved road is narrow and steep with little margin for error between the vehicle and the mountain cliff — and the stairs are uneven, it was definitely worth the journey to top. Aside from the great views, the mountain top temple is fascinating because it is more like a sculpture garden. There is a series of white pagodas (somewhere between 10-12) scattered on the rocks running along the ragged mountain ridge. Interspersed among these pagodas are several large but narrow irregular cone shaped towers covered in colorful shiny mosaic tiles of green, red and gold. Across a divide is a small Thai-style pavilion next to stupas with a gold-topped spire. All these structures popped against the bright clear blue sky. (You can see a few pics of the Temple in the Sky in our @sailingchefigata Instagram Thailand Part I post and we used a picture of the white pagodas on the mountain ridge as the feature photo for this blog post.)
Though we spent most of our time on the mountain top, the temple at the foot of the mountain is what attracts pilgrims from across Thailand. Long story short, as legend has it in the early 1600s a hunter chased an injured deer into the forest. The deer was out of sight for a bit but when the deer emerged, the deer was healed. Curious, the hunter entered the woods himself and came upon a puddle in a rock in the shape of a footprint. Splashing his body with the water cured him of his long-standing skin ailments. Word of the miracle spread to the then king who had been looking for Buddha’s footprint since hearing about its existence from Sri Lankan monks. These monks claimed that an ancient scripture spoke of such a footprint in Siam (now known as Thailand). (Are you following along?) The king declared that the depression was indeed Buddha’s footprint and had Wat Phra Phutthabat — which means “temple of Buddha’s footprint” — built to honor the ground that Buddha had walked upon. The footprint is housed in a very ornate mondop (that’s the name for the traditional Thai square shaped pavilion with a spired roof) on top of a small hill, accessed by a beautiful triple staircase. A colorful five headed snake statue sits at the bottom of the stairs. We really enjoyed our visit to Wat Phra Phutthabat and it ended with a bit of excitement. A truck carrying people to the mountain top temple broke down, blocking the road. That meant that we had to walk most of the way down the steep hill to get beyond where the truck was stopped so another truck could meet us. We got a great additional workout at no extra charge! We were so exhausted when we finished our tour of this template that we told Wit and Bum that we didn’t want to pass GO and collect our $200. We wanted to go straight to the Lampang River Lodge, our accommodations while visiting Lampang.
Though few tourists venture here, Lampang was well worth the visit. It is a unique city replete with Burmese style temples, street art, ceramics and well-preserved Chinese shophouses and European gingerbread-style buildings, making it a wonderful city to explore. Like many other parts of Thailand, the Burmese invaded Lampang province in the 1600s which started its rule over the area. In the late 1700s, a talented local marksmen assassinated the local Burmese leader which, ultimately, resulted in Lampang becoming part of Thailand. In the late 1800s, largely due to the businesses operated by Louis Leonowens (the youngest son of the tutor Anna made famous by the King and I), Lampang prospered as a mecca for the teak trade. Beautiful teak mansions, part of Lampang’s charm, remain a legacy of this period. Today, Lampang’s economy centers around agriculture, mining and ceramics. Tourism — mostly domestic — plays only a very small role.
Over 2 full days we meandered the city center with Donna and Frank marveling at the beautiful and ubiquitous temples, old and new, that we happened upon at every turn. Always conveniently located across the street were multiple vendors selling gifts to be given during a temple visit. We cover so much ground during our 2 days together in Lampang that it would be difficult to list all we did but we will cover some of the highlights. They included the following:
- Several strolls along the Wang River, on both sides of the iconic Ratchadapisek Bridge, where we saw some of the most interesting and exquisite street art ranging from paintings of children and baby chicks that were so life-like that they looked as though they jumped out of a photograph to quirky paintings like the cartoonish rooster in a horse drawn carriage and psychedelic elephants created by piecing together a series of geometric shapes. (You can see a few of these amazing paintings on our @sailingchefigata Instagram Thailand Part I post.)
- A walk along the historic streets in the Kat Kong Ta enclave with its preserved 2 – 3 story wooden buildings from the 1800s. On the street level, these buildings now house boutiques and cafes while the upper levels remain dwellings for local residents or serve as simple hotel rooms (known as “homestays”) for visitors. (We included a picture of this area on our @sailingchefigata Instagram Thailand Part I post.) On Friday and Saturday evenings these streets come alive with a night market flooded with locals. Unfortunately, we were not there over a weekend to experience that. (This gives us a reason to come back for a second visit during our extended 5 week stay in Chiang Mai, just a short 90 minute train or bus ride away!)
- A visit to the Dhanabadee Ceramics museum and factory where we learned about the local ceramics industry including the “chicken” bowls that Lampang is famous for. (More on the chicken bowls below.) Lampang became a center for ceramics as a result of the ceramics factory founded by Mr. Yi Qin in 1955. Around that time Mr. Qin was visiting from china because he had heard than many Chinese people had migrated to the area and he was looking for new opportunities. While there, Mr. Qin, a potter by trade, happened upon kaolin ore — used to make clay in China — which is abundant in Lampang Province. While locals didn’t know how this resource could be used to create beautiful pottery, Mr. Qin recognized the kaolin ore immediately and wasted no time setting up his ceramic factory using traditional productions methods from China to craft cups, plates, vases and, yes, the chicken bowls. These bowls, which have a rooster painted on them, have put Lampang on the map! (The factory is run by the second generation of Mr. Qin’s family today). It was fascinating the see the old traditional wood-fired Chinese “Dragon” kiln — the size and shape of a submarine but with a steep slant on one end — that was fired up once a month to heat thousands of pieces of pottery all at once in dim sum like containers. Instead of doors that open and close, the kiln was sealed with a brick wall that had to be demolished and rebuilt with each use. Though all pieces are still hand made and hand painted the production methods have evolved over time to improve efficiency. We got to watch as artists molded clay using the potters wheel (now electric), hand painted roosters on bowls and dipped finish products into a glaze. Why the “chicken” bowl? Glad you asked! The origins of the Lampang chicken bowl are fascinating. Chicken bowls actually originated in China where the rooster symbolized hard work as well as luck and fortune. But roosters are also the symbol of Lampang Province stemming from a centuries old legend about Buddha’s visit. As the story goes, as a visit from the Buddha was approaching, the Hindu god Indra was concerned that the care-free Lampang people would oversleep and, therefore, miss the opportunity to offer sunrise alms to Buddha. To prevent this from happening, Indra disguised himself as a rooster and crowed loudly at dawn, personally ensuring that the Lampang people would wake up early enough to show their humbleness and respect to Buddha. With this strong connection to the rooster in Lampang, it only seemed natural (and perhaps kismet) for Mr. Qin to produce the chicken bowls in his Lampang factory. In addition to being memorialized in local pottery, the rooster is incorporated into the Lampang city seal and is a common sight on Lampang’s street signs, roundabouts, and buildings — sort of like a local mascot!
- We took a ride around Lampang, covering a large portion of the city center, in a traditional horse drawn carriage. Like many places around the world, horse drawn carriages were introduced into Thailand in the early 1900s as a major mode of transportation but were eventually replaced by automobiles across the country. While Lampang also adopted the automobile, it is the only province in Thailand that has continued to use horse-drawn carriages for transportation around the city. With their leisurely pace they are a great way to to see the city sights and plan targeted excursions.
- We visited a satellite location of the Thai Elephant Conservation Center. We learned that elephants had been used for labor in Thailand during the height of the timber industry to pull timber from various concession forests. The work was cruel to the elephants on many levels. This practice continued until 1989 when the government issued a nation-wide decree ending logging contracts throughout Thailand. Unable to release these elephants back into the wild, the Thai Elephant Conservation Center was established to create a healthy and safe environment for the retired elephants to live the rest of their lives. The Center also serves as a sanctuary for elephants confiscated from illegal operations and promotes conservation efforts through public eduction. (For the record, we did not visit and have no plans to visit any of these “sanctuaries” where they offer elephant rides.)
- Last but not least, no visit anywhere in Thailand would be complete without some fabulous gastronomic experiences at local eateries. We enjoyed two really special meals while in Lampang and both were at vegan restaurants — one of the benefits to Jill of visiting a country where 92% of the residents are practicing Buddhists. The first was Quan-Im, a small open air restaurant near the Lampang city center recommended by one of the tour guides at the ceramic factory. Nothing fancy about Quan-Im — it looked like very much like a 1950s school cafeteria set under a very basic pavilion — but the food was amazing. The papaya salad and red curry hot pot were particularly yummy. The second restaurant was Jay Jay Chan. We read about Jay Jay Chan in the New York Times article we mentioned. It was way off the beaten path in a largely residential area across the Ratchadapisek Bridge from the city center. It was very small family run restaurant with just 2 tables under a pavilion. Apparently, they don’t get a lot of eat-in diners because the few tables available were covered with odds and ends from the restaurant and had to be cleared to make room for our party of 4. (They don’t appear to get a lot of Americans either because our server asked to take a picture of our table.) There is no menu at Jay Jay Chan and no drinks other than water which you serve yourself. The woman taking care of us — who happened to speak fairly good English — told us what was available. We ended up just asking her to tell us what we should order. She recommended the Pad Thai, local curry noodles, lightly pan-fried tofu, tempura mushrooms, stir-fried vegetables with tofu and curry puffs. It was one of the best meals we have eaten in all of Thailand and that says a lot! And the price: 360 Baht or $11 USD for 4 people. (By the way, that is consistent with what we have experienced across Thailand at local restaurants.) We asked our server where she learned her English and she said it was from watching YouTube videos! We did have one miss in Lampang. We researched “best” vegan restaurants on our own one night and found a restaurant on the outskirts of town. When we got there though the sign on the restaurant had a picture of a chop. We may not be able to read Thai but we certainly understand pictures. Apparently, it was a meat forward restaurant. Though the restaurant served all sorts of meat dishes with mixed vegetables, the only vegan vegetable dish they would serve us was sautéed bok choy. We asked about the papaya salad and specifically asked if they could serve it with no meat or eggs. Though we asked about the presence of meat and eggs the papaya salad we knew from the States is not served with either of those things making it — or so we thought — relatively safe except for the fact that it is most often, though not always, prepared with a touch of fish paste or sauce, something Jill and Frank (who was also adhering to a plant-based diet) were willing to overlook in the interest of getting at least one other dish they could both eat. To our surprise, the papaya salad was served with shrimp. When we pointed that out to our server she apologized, took the dish back and said they would remake it. We are not sure what got lost in translation but the papaya salad did, indeed, come back without shrimp but this time little crabs, still in their shells, were liberally tossed in. Oh well, it gave us something to laugh about!
On the morning of December 13, it was time to say good-bye to Donna and Frank. We were so sad to see them go! They were fabulous travel partners. We had one day left in Lampang so we used it to visit a few areas we spotted while riding the horse and carriage that looked interesting and also to visit 2 of the largest markets in the city. It was a relaxing day with no particular agenda. We ended it back at Quan-Im, enjoying a late lunch before hailing a taxi back to our lodge on Grab, the Thai equivalent of Uber.
The next day (December 14) around noon we left Lampang to head to our hotel in Chiang Mai — the last stop on Part I of our Thailand tour before we moved into our Chiang Mai condo. To be honest, the last 3 days on our private tour were a bit of a blur. After 2 full weeks of being on the move and cramming in as much as possible everyday (excluding our one glorious lazy day at the Bohemian Residence) everything started to feel like deja vu. We visited more Buddhists temples including the mountain temple Wat Doi Suthep which is situated on a hill nearly 3500 feet above sea, Wat Phrasing which houses the beautiful Lai Kham Chapel with its exquisite wood carving and Wat Chedi Luang, containing an enormous Pagoda. We also visited more local markets. It always fascinating to see what people eat in other parts of the world. This time we were impressed with the beetles, crickets and worms in small plastic bags ready to go home for dinner.
Of course, no visit to a new area would be complete without a nature hike. We traveled 1 1/2 hours south of Chiang Mai to Doi Inthanon National Park where we hiked for 3.3 miles along the Pha Dok Siew Nature Trail. This trail runs through land occupied and managed by the local Karen tribe since 1870. They live off the land, primarily growing coffee beans, and maintain the trail for visitors. It is mandatory for a guide from the Karen tribe to accompany you on the trail. Ours was very helpful in pointing out how the tribe uses different trees and flowers in their daily living. The trail was lovely — it started with a gentle descent through a dense forest and continued up and down (not so gently at times) as you got closer to the highlight of the hike, the stunning Pha Dok Siew Waterfall. This incredibly powerful multi-tiered waterfall is part of the Mae Klang River. And, because seeing 2 waterfalls is always better than one, on our way back to our hotel following our hike we stop by to see the Wachiratharn waterfall. This waterfall, which is just one level, is 230 feet’s tall. With its high cliffs and forceful flow it is considered one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Thailand. (We included pics from both these waterfalls on our @sailingchefigata Instagram Thailand Part I post.) All of these experiences were wonderful, and we loved getting outside Chiang Mai proper to see the countryside, but after visiting Buddhist temples, markets and waterfalls across Thailand these new, but similar, experiences were beginning to lose their luster. Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. (How awful do we sound!) We were definitely ready to stop playing tourist and recharge the batteries. Shifting gears to our 5 week condo stay in Chiang Mai was coming at the right time.
But first, we had one last planned activity — a visit with the Raunkaew-Yanon family who live 20 minutes South of Chiang Mai. This family is part of the Lanna people who immigrated from China about 150 years ago and still follow many of the traditional Lanna ways from subsistence farming to cooking methods and daily rituals. Our host was “Joe,” a man in his 40s who belongs to the 5th generation of the family. At the start of our visit Joe taught us how to create a small bouquet set in a cone shaped hand “vase” made of a folded leaf as a gift to Buddha. After paying our respects at the family shrine, we entered the home where we removed our shoes and sat on the floor to enjoy tea. This tea was unlike any other we have experienced. It is fermented and you place it in a leaf with a few granules of salt. You then fold the leaf over itself to form a tight packet around the tea, place the leaf in your mouth and chew it for about 5 minutes before swallowing. We would describe the taste of “interesting.” That touch of salt nicely muted the bitterness of the fermented tea so that it was not something you wanted to spit out though you didn’t necessarily want seconds either. Definitely an acquired taste. Following tea we toured the family garden where they grew just about every fruit, vegetable and herb they need for their daily meals. Our visit culminated with our host serving us a traditional Lanna meal, eaten Lanna style, on the floor with a small rectangle pillow on our laps to serve as a tray. The food was simple but tasty — single ingredients (like a particular meat or vegetable or tofu) cooked in a rich but mild gravy. It was a really nice visit that gave us a glimpse into the Lanna culture. We were thrilled to conclude our formal Chiang Mai tour with a visit to a family, rather than a visit to another “place.”
The next day, December 18, it was time to move to our condo in Chiang Mai. While we were ready to get off the tourist treadmill, in another, “we aren’t going to lie moment,” we do confess that we loved our hotel in Chiang Mai, the Rachamankha, located in the Old City. The Rachamankha is a boutique hotel with just 25 rooms. Though the hotel is relatively new it has a timeless and graceful feel. The architect, inspired by centuries old Lanna dwellings, created separate buildings that house a small reception area, a dining facility (with its own courtyard within), guest rooms and a library, all built around a courtyard with a combination of light and dark, open and closed outdoor spaces. There were plenty of cozy nooks with comfortable couches and chairs to curl up with a book or (our favorite pastime) an evening cocktail. Serenity abounds at the Rachamankha and we could definitely have stayed there indefinitely — except for the minor detail that it would have broke our budget. So, after 4 nights, we said good-bye to the Rachamankha and transferred to our condo in the Nimmanhaemin (Nimman for short) neighborhood. This residential neighborhood is known as the “hip” place where digital nomads live. There are a ton of shops and local restaurants within walking distance from the condo and most places within Chiang Mai are just a short tuk-tuk ride away. For now we will end this epic blog post and will publish our next one (hopefully much shorter) after we conclude our stay in Chiang Mail. Until then we wish everyone a wonderful holiday season.
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