Life's a Trip: Chapter Twelve - Cambodia Dreamin'

January 3, 2007

Back in October I had decided that I wanted to take a vacation over winter break. Faced with almost a month of potential vacation time, my imagination raced with possibilities. There were so many places and activities to choose from that I didn't even know where to start. Eventually, I began by simply typing “adventure vacation” into Google to get some ideas. After perusing quite a few sites I had narrowed my search to some sort of mountain biking tour in a foreign country such as China, Laos or Cambodia.

As I was flipping through sites I came across the “Dancing Roads” website. Dancing Roads is a company that is offers dirt biking tours across the Cambodian countryside. Of course, I immediately fell in love with the possibility of ripping around on a 250cc off road motorcycle and the idea that I'd get to travel the country in a unique way. To top it all off, I read that they offer a tour which stops at the Ankor Wat. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, the Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world and it boasts some absolutely breathtaking Buddhist art. I have wanted to visit it ever since I did a project on the history of the Angkor Wat in my high school world history class. I was ready to start packing...

But of course, my fantasizing was offset by the practicalities associated with the trip. The first and foremost issue that came to mind was the fact that I'd never ridden a dirt bike. Of course, I've been mountain biking for about 5 years now, so I figured that there should be some transferability between the two disciplines. However, we're talking about switching from city/trail riding in Toronto, where my top speed on the trail is about 30-40 kph and my top road speed is 70 kph, to some pretty challenging dirt biking conditions. I'd be riding in through countryside and jungle at speeds of 60-80 kph and on-road I'd hit speeds in excess of 100 kph. But then again, no one ever learned to ride a dirt bike by sitting at home worrying about whether or not they could do it. I had to just jump in.

The second concern that came to mind was Cambodia's reputation. According to internet sources Cambodia is a pretty dangerous place, with a pretty dark history and it has the highest number of active land mines among all the world's nations. This is thanks to the Khmer Rouge regime which systematically starved and killed devastating numbers of the Cambodian population during an attempt at creating a socialist agrarian revolution. During their crusade the Khmer Rouge littered the country with over 10 million landmines (one for each member of the Cambodian population). This fact definitely made me think long and hard about going off-roading, but after contemplating my potential fate I decided that I should be passionately pursuing my desires even if it meant dismemberment or death.

I began to write to the operators of Dancing Roads to inquire about their tours. The company is run by a lovely couple named Paeng Ton and Sonia Taheri. Paeng was born and raised in Cambodia and has been cruising through life on the seat of a bike since he was youngster, while Sonia is a British ex-patriot who immigrated to Cambodia years ago as an English teacher. Over the course of two months Paeng and Sonia patiently answered (literally) hundreds of my questions and addressed all of my concerns. By the time that I actually met Paeng and Sonia, I felt as though I was seeing friends after a long separation rather than meeting people for the first time.

When I arrive in Phnom Penh at 8:00 am, I'm confronted with a hoard of people holding signs as they wait for friends, family or tourists. As I scan the crowd I find my name and meet Paeng for the first time. From the moment I meet him, Paeng has a beaming smile on his face. It gives me the impression that he's someone who truly enjoys every second of life and that he's passionate about what he does. The following days that I spend with Paeng overwhelmingly confirm my initial impression.

We load my baggage into Paeng's truck and head into the downtown core of Phnom Penh where we eat breakfast and discuss our plans for the day. We decide to stop by my hotel so I can settle in for a little bit and then Paeng will pick me up later in the day for my dirt biking lesson and some practice riding. However, when we get to the hotel we're told that my room isn't ready, so we leave my things with the hotel staff and we immediately head to Paeng's place to get the dirt bikes and go riding.

At this point everything seems surreal. Cambodia is unlike any place I've ever been before, so just being there for the first little while is strange and fascinating. To make things more surreal, I've been in Cambodia for less two hours and I find myself standing in Paeng's garage in full dirt biking gear as he tosses me the keys to one of his bikes and says, “Let's go!” Our plan is to hit the Choeung Ek Memorial, which marks the place of the notorious Cambodian Killing Fields, and then we'll go practice in a field near the Killing Fields...I try not to think of this as some sort of foreshadowing.

I've never really been dirt biking before this. I went for about two hours with my friend Hide while I was still in Japan but that was about a month before I left for Cambodia and I wasn't even good enough to leave the gravel parking lot near Hide's family's house. Now I'm heading into the most lawless traffic that I have ever seen in the busiest city in Cambodia. Greeeeeeaaaat. We hit the streets of Phnom Penh and I'm overwhelmed. I'm trying desperately not to stall the bike with my amateur shifting skill, and we're on the way to my lesson...I begin to think to myself, “What's the lesson going to consist of? Jumping through fire?” I watch Paeng as he rides ahead of me and do my best to mimic him in regards to steering, positioning and shifting. By the time that we get 15km out of Phnom Penh I have forgotten all of my fears and worries and I'm simply in love with dirt biking.

We spend the next hour or so walking through the Killing Fields with a tour guide who recounts chilling details about the events that went on there.

The Choeung Ek Memorial





































Lighting incense for the victims of the Khmer Rouge


Some remains from the over 8,000 Cambodian people who were killed at this particular site






After we finish our tour of the Killing Fields, Paeng and I sit by our bikes and simply chat for a while. I ask him about his childhood in Cambodia and his personal experiences with the Khmer Rouge and ask him why he wasn't killed or enlisted. He's very patient with me and answers all of my questions without reservation. I can honestly say that this conversation with Paeng is one of the most interesting conversations that I have ever had. Many times people try to convince you that life is this way or that way and that they know something about life, while you don't. But Paeng doesn't seem to care about being right or wrong, by simply telling me about his experiences many of my perceptions about life and the state of the world are changed. As I listen to him it's humbling to realize how narrow my experiences have been and how good my life has been.

During the afternoon we stop at the side of the road and order a traditional Khmer lunch at a family's house. Among the dishes that we order is some type of chicken curry soup. As soon as we order it, a young man comes out of the family's house and grabs the chicken that's milling about near my feet, taking it inside to make the soup. That's freshness...

When the food arrives, one of the most notable characteristics is the way that the chicken is prepared. It's as though someone has plucked the chicken and then subsequently chopped it from end to end, leaving the bones and internal organs intermingled with the chicken meat. When I ask Paeng about this, he tells me that the meat has been left on the bone so that you can chew the bone and absorb some of the calcium from it. That's the interesting part about Khmer cooking, aside from being delicious, it's also very practical and hearty.



After lunch we drive to a nearby cow field and Paeng lets me practice for a few hours, while he watches and gives me pointers. As I practice, an audience begins to assemble. Many of the children who tend to cows in the surrounding area have come to investigate the rumbling sounds that sweep across the otherwise quiet plains and they're delighted to discover a pair of dirt bikers.

Ready to roll...














Some local kids

















Finally cruisin'





Night falls and Paeng drops me off at my hotel so that I can grab a quick shower. It feels great to remove the thick layer of red dirt that had accumulated on my skin. When I'm clean we head out for a nice dinner with Sonia and some of her friends on the bank where the Tonle Sap and Mekong river meet. It's a beautiful night, but I can't enjoy it for too long because Paeng is going to be at the hotel tomorrow at 6:30 am and we're going to be on the road every day after that. Let the adventure begin!

Nighttime on the river

Life's a Trip: Chapter Eleven - My Last Days in Bangkok

January 1, 2007

On New Year's Day I meet up with Joe and Thias for the last time. We spend the early afternoon kickin' around Siam Square one of the biggest/most expensive malls in Bangkok. Here are a few pictures:

Photo studio at Siam Square


The escalators at Siam Square




















While we're at the mall I buy tickets for a Thai theatrical show that I had really wanted to see. It's called Siam Niramit. The show itself is absolutely incredible and I highly recommend it to anyone who has the chance to see it.

Me at the entrance of Siam Niramit


A river surrounding the traditional Thai village on the grounds of Siam Niramit


Me with an elephant at Siam Niramit


Some performers at Siam Niramit




















January 2, 2007

I spend January 2nd, simply relaxing and packing my things. I have to check out and head to the airport at 4:30 am, so I need my rest. Not to mention, I've just completed the relaxing part of my vacation. Now I'm off to Cambodia for some adventure....

Life's a Trip: Chapter Ten - New Year's Eve in Bangkok

December 31, 2006

Happy New Years!!

During the daytime on the 31st, I switch hotels and spend the day relaxing. After all, during the past week and a half I haven't slept for more than four hours at a time. I'm living it up for every last second of this vacation.

Bangkok at sunset


During the evening I meet up with Joe and Thias at their hotel near Khao San. Our original plan is to head to a big outdoor party at Siam square, however by the time that we get our act together it's late and we probably won't make it in time, considering the insane traffic in downtown Bangkok. Instead we decide to stick around Khao San and enjoy a more relaxed party atmosphere. This turns out to be a very good decision...

As we enter Khao San we notice that the street is barracaded at either end by armed soldiers. It doesn't seem very out of the ordinary considering that there are soldiers crawling all over Bangkok, especially in highly trafficked tourist areas, so we proceed past the barracade and join the party. The night starts out pretty slow. As we hit the streets we grab a few beers and a bottle of whiskey and then mingle. Khao San is relatively quiet considering that it's New Year's Eve.

Here's what we didn't know at the time...

Between 6:00 and 7:30, six coordinated bombings occured across Bangkok, injuring 25 people and killing three. The New Year's festivities in locations were cancelled and the countdown at Siam square was held at 9:00 pm. With the city in relative chaos, everyone is scrambling to find a safe spot to ring in the New Year. Khao San is one of the only remaining parties in the city that hasn't been shut down. However, Joe, Thias and I have no idea that any of this is going on. It's amazing what you can miss if you don't flip on the news before heading out for the evening...

The party at Khao San gets jam packed at about 11 o'clock, as people from the cancelled parties pack into the street. The atmosphere is electric by the time that the countdown takes place. As you can see in the following video, everyone is extremely friendly. People are simply enjoying the company of those who surround them. It's an unforgettable experience. Despite the violence that occrued earlier in the evening, the melting pot party on Khao San goes off without any disruption.

Over the course of the evening, Joe, Thias and I meet a variety of people:

Two Italian sisters who are vacation together after being separated for a year because they attend school in different countries.

Two intense Austrian friends who love heavy metal and Heineken.

Russian twins who are absolutely bombed and struggle to keep track of one another.

Two Canadians who tell us all about their escapes in Southeast Asia.

A guy from India who has lived in Thailed for the past three years.

Two Thai guys who look like trouble but turn out to be really nice.

A guy from Paris who speaks very little English.

Two Americans from Minnesota, who stumble upon Khao San late in the night because they were at one of the cancelled parties.

Joe, one of the Italian girls, Thias and a Dutch guy


The Russian twins (front left), one of the Italian girls (between the Russian twins), the Americans (top left), the guy from India (middle), the Dutch guy (middle back), the Canadians (beside the Indian and Dutch guys), Me and Thias


It's great to meet all of these people. We drink and eat, we talk about our homes and our cultures, our travels, things that bother us and the things that we love. I take a minute to step back and watch the group as they interact and I see something truly incredible. Young people from all over the world speaking to each other in all sorts of different languages, laughing, getting along and having fun.

5 o'clock am rolls around and I decide that I should go back to my hotel and get some sleep. I'm starting to think about preparing myself mentally and physically for my trip to Cambodia now, so my previous vacation habits need to come to an end.

As I sit in the back of a cab, I catch the first sign of sunlight of the New Year. I don't recall ever having seen the first sunrise of the year. It's inspiring. Bangkok whizes by outside the taxi window and I think hard about how lucky I am to have the life that I have and to be doing everything that I want to do. Here's to another year...

Life's a Trip: Chapter Nine - Thailand, Old and New

December 30th, 2006

I spend the day of the 30th travelling North of Bangkok to Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya is a city that acted as the capital of the Ayutthaya kingdom, from 1350 to 1767. It is still home to many of the truly impressive structures that comprised the kingdom.

The train ride out of Bangkok is an experience in and of itself. I get onto a rickety old train which has no doors or windows. Even though the ride will take an hour and a half, I choose to stand so that I can easily film the Thai countryside as it rolls by. Here are a few glimpses of what I saw:



When I arrive in Ayutthaya I hire a tuktuk to bring me to some of the most visited attractions in the late kingdom.

The first stop is Wat Yai Chaimongkhon. The monastery was constructed in 1357 but the large chedi on the grounds was constructed in 1592 in celebration of King Naresuan's defeat of King Maha Upparacha in their famous elephant battle.

The main chedi of Wat Yai Chaimongkhon





















A line of lovely Buddhas sitting in a row


Chedi profile




















Wat Yai Chaimongkhon tour

The second stop of the day is Wat Mahathat, home to the famous and mysterious Buddha head in the roots of a fig tree. No one knows why the Buddha head is there or how it got there, but I find it quite interesting. It definitely draws your attention to the lifespan of the structures and statues that surround you while walking the grounds. The Wat itself was built between 1374 and 1390 and underwent subsequent periods of restoration. However, despite efforts to preserve the structures, they are now in ruins due to wars waged in the area and natural forces such as earthquakes and vast amounts of rainfall during the Thai rainy season.

Headless Buddhas at Wat Mahathat


More Wat Mahathat


Posing with the famous Buddha head in the fig roots




















As the day wears on I decide that it's time to head back to Bangkok to meet up with Joe and Thias in Khao San. On the way back to Bangkok, I meet a young Thai couple and pass the some time chatting while enjoying the breeze created by the train as it shambles it's way from the countryside to the sprawling cityscape.

The Thai couple that I chatted with




















Passenger train back to Bangkok


Here's a video of the ride back into the city


Joe, Thias and I meet in Khao San around 8:00 and begin a mission to scour the city for nightlife. Our search brings us from Khao San to Sukhumvit to Patpong and then back to Khao San when we finally realize that we're not going to get into any nightclubs wearing board shorts and sandals. Although we didn't find any nightlife per se, it was a great opportunity to get out and see the city at night while having interesting conversations with friends.

A new spin on drinking and driving.
A bar/truck in the Patpong area


While we're in Patpong we encounter the same bug vendor that Joe and I had met in front of on the previous day, however this time we decide to sample his wares. Joe and Thias bought me some sort of beetle for 60 baht (which is about two dollars Canadian). Here's what ensued:

The setup (featuring Thias)


The money-shot


The bug attempting to escape


Joe sampling some beetle


Putting on a show




















When we return to Khao San we grab a few drinks (including a martini...it had been months since I had a proper martini). By this time many of the bars on the street are closing up for the night, so Joe, Thias and I decide to move our little elsewhere. Joe persuades us to go off in search a wat that he had seen while we were riding around in a tuk tuk.

Joe and Thais temple hunting at night


We stop at a convenience store, pick up some redbull and beer and set off on an adventure. About an hour later we still haven't found the Wat and we're close to my Chinatown hotel, so we make plans for hitting a New Year's party and then I call it a night.

Life's a Trip: Chapter Eight - The Jewel Con and Malaysian Mates

December 29, 2007

Today I decide to do more sightseeing but I have no particular plan. I take to the streets and after about half an hour of wandering, I come across Wat Rachabophit (Sathitmahasimaram Ratchaworawiharn...good luck saying that one). The temple was built in 1869 by King Rama V and it acted as the Royal Temple during his reign.

Wat Ratchabophit




















Inner Wihan of Wat Ratchabophit




















Mother of Pearl Door Mural




















Wat Ratchabophit Door Frame Mural




















Initiates Inside the Main Wihan













A short distance from Wat Ratchabophit, I find Wat Ratchapradit. As I wander onto the temple grounds, a middle aged man wearing a yellow shirt with the King's emblem greets me and invites me to enter the main wihan. He says to me, “You're very lucky. Normally people aren't allowed to enter the main wihan, but it's being renovated today so it's open to the public. If you have some time after looking inside I would like to tell you a little bit about the history of this temple, it's very good for me to practice my English.” I agree to chat with him and proceed to enter the temple.

Wat Ratchapradit from the Outside




















The Interior of Wat Ratchapradit




















Inside I watch as three painters work at restoring the masterpieces that line the walls of the wihan. I can only imagine how the temple will look when restorations are complete, but it is stunning even in it's eroded state.

After a short while of watching and meditating, I join the man outside and take a seat next to him in front of the temple. He begins explaining the meaning behind the colours of the temple. For the life of me I can't remember what he said in regards to the temple, but I remember exactly what happened after he finished talking about it.

He pauses for a moment while he's talking to me and says, “You have really cool earrings.” I thank him for the compliment and he goes on, “You know what would be really cool though, if you got some ruby or emerald earrings. I know a place where you can get them. There's a special market that's open only today. You see, the government of Thailand is having a tourism week to celebrate the New Year and this is the last day for their special sale. You can buy jewels for 50-80% off and then you can sell them for full price in Canada. I've done it and made lots of money.” He carries on about his “great jewel sale” for a while longer but I don't bite. I recognize his scam because it's almost word for word one of the scams that I had read about on the Internet before leaving for Thailand.

As he's winding down, an older man German walks onto the temple grounds. I can see a look of panic on the jewel con man's face. If he's busy with me he won't be able to con the other man as well...at least that's what I thought his expression indicated. The con-man interrupts our dialogue about jewels and gives his introduction speech to the old man: “You're very lucky because the temple is only open to the public for a few days for renovations. Let me have my associate show you around and then I'd like to talk with you after.” He calls out in Thai and a dirty looking man scurries from around the corner of the wihan to escort the old man around the temple grounds.

The con-man watches until they've disappeared from sight and then returns to our dialogue about jewels. However, my patience has run thin and I've grown tired of the discussion so I promptly tell thank him for telling me about the sale, but that I'm not interested in going today because I have too much to do. I get up to leave and the con-man says to me, “You haven't even seen the outside of the temple. There's a magnificent statute of King Rama behind the main wihan. Why don't you have a look?” He's right, I haven't seen everything but I had wanted to before he started chatting about jewels, so I decide to take a quick walk around.

As I'm walking, I run into the old German man. He's taking photos of the King Rama statue and his guide is nowhere to be seen. I figure that it's the perfect opportunity to warn him about the gem scam in case he doesn't already know about it. He thanks me for the warning and I proceed on my way.

About 10 meters from the old man, there is another man sleeping against a column of the temple. As I approach him, he wakes up, sees me and the old man standing in the same relative area and then scurries off to the front of the temple where the con-man is. However, in his haste he drops something. I walk over to see what he has dropped and initially I think that my eyes are playing tricks on me. “That looks like a...no...it couldn't be....” I take a few steps closer and realize that my initial impression was correct, he had left behind his gun.

I stand over it and wonder what I should do. Out of the corner of my eye I see the gun man talking with the con-man. The con-man looks irritated. It becomes obvious that the men are working together and that the gun man just blew his part in the con/robbery. I think about taking the gun with me, just to be sure that they don't use it on me, but I remember seeing many soldiers in the general area of the temple and I think about the possibility of being stopped with a gun or being seen throwing a gun away and decide to leave it where it is.

I call the German man over and explain to him what I've found. He doesn't seem concerned in the slightest and continues to take pictures. I figure, I've done the right thing by telling him and now the only thing left to do is to leave. I turn my camcorder on and make it obvious that I'm filming as I casually pass through the entrance of the temple and make my way to the main road. What a crazy experience!



During the evening I decide to visit Khao San Road. Khao San is an area of Bangkok that's famous for it's bohemian atmosphere, interesting street scene and it's high density of backpackers. I spend a few hours wandering the streets as I take in the sights and shop for souvenirs.

Khao San just before sunset


As night falls food vendors begin to swarm the market and set up shop to serve the mass of drunk foreigners. Most of the vendors serve some variety of pad thai or kabobs, but one particular vendor stands out. He's serving fried bugs. He's got beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, and various sorts of larvae. Mmmmmm.

Bug Vendor


As I contemplate trying one of the exotic delicacies, I turn to the guy who's standing next to me and ask him if he's going to try something. He laughs and replies in a friendly fashion. The question quickly turns into a conversation and then into introductions.

Meet Joe. He and his friend Thias just arrived in Bangkok via bus from their homes in Malaysia. They're about to check out the nightlife on Khao San and they invite me to join them. For the rest of the evening Joe, Thias and I check out various bars and clubs until nothing is open and we call it a night.

Me, Joe and Thias

Life's a Trip: Chapter Seven - Back in Bangkok

December 28, 2006

Not much happened on December 27th, so I'll sum it up briefly. I spent the day on the beach and got burned beyond belief. During the evening I flew back to Bangkok. Nice and simple.

On the morning of the 28th I wake up and
resolve to go “temple hopping.”

First stop: Wat Suthat Thepwararam Ratchaworamahawihan

This temple, colloquially known as Wat Suthat, was constructed in 1807 after the 27th anniversary of the founding of Bangkok by King Rama I. The temple contains the largest bronze cast Buddha image in Thailand and the grounds contain representations of the Satta Mahasathan or the “Seven Great Sites.” The Seven Great Sites are the places where the Lord Buddha resided after enlightenment.

According to the plaque at the entrance of the Seven Great Sites, “Lord Buddha attained under the Bodhi Tree in the fifteenth hour on the lunar full moon day of the sixth month. He enjoyed the happiness of enlightenment through seven weeks in the Seven Great Sites as follows:”

Site One: The Bodhi Tree

“The Lord Buddha sat under the Bodhi Tree and meditated for some time. It was here that he attained Supreme Enlightenment.”



Site Two: Animissa Chedi

“After the Lord Buddha had achieved Supreme Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree at Animissa Chedi he gazed at the tree in gratitude for providing him with shelter. From then on the tree was known as the Bodhi Tree or the Tree of Enlightenment. He sat in this place for one week.”





















Site Three: Rattanajangkom Chedi

“Lord Buddha created this place for walking meditation between the Bodhi Tree and Animissa Chedi. He practiced walking meditation here for one week.”



Site Four: Rattanakara Chedi

“Lord Buddha sat in a crystal house which a deva (celestial being) created for him and considered Abhidhamma in this place for one week.”





















Site Five: Achapalanikrotha

“Lord Buddha sat under a Banyan Tree where a goat herd had rested. At that time Evil's daughters (Tanha, Raka and Aradi) came to seduce the Lord Buddha by dancing, singing and showing their bodies. But he did not succumb to them and drove them out.”



Site Six: Mujjalin

“At the time that the Lord Buddha rested at Mujjalin it rained all day. The King of Naga, Mujjalin, had faith in the Lord Buddha and worried that he might get sick from sitting in the rain. He covered Lord Buddha and made his reverence.”





















Site Seven: Rachayatana

“During his seventh week of enlightenment, Lord Buddha sat under the Rachayatana Tree. Two merchants, Tapusee and Phanlika, gave him Sattu rice. They listened to Lord Buddha speak and accepted the Dhamma (his discourse) as the path to true refuge.”



Lines of Buddhas surrounding the minor wihan (chapel).









































The main wihan of Wat Suthat.



Pillars of the ordination hall (ubosot).





















Phra Sri Sakayamuni, the 8 meter tall bronze cast Buddha inside the ordination hall (ubosot).











Adjacent to Wat Suthat is the Giant Swing of Bangkok. Measuring 30 meters high, this monstrous swing was originally built in 1784 for use in a Brahmin ceremony.





















Here's the story. According to an ancient Hindu epic, after the god Brahma created the world he sent Shiva to look after the new world. When Shiva descended to the earth, Naga serpents wrapped around the mountains in order to keep earth in place. When Shiva found the earth solid, the Nagas moved to the seas in celebration. The Swing ceremony is a re-enactment of this story. The pillars of the Giant Swing represent the mountains, while the circular base of the swing represents the earth and the seas. In the ceremony monks swing trying to grab a bag of coins placed on one of the pillars.

The ceremony was discontinued in 1935 due to numerous fatalities during the reenactment. What's the world coming to when you can't safely ride a 30 meter high swing while leaning off your seat in an attempt to grab a bag of coins which is attached to a giant pole as others scramble to do the same? Sometimes I think I just shouldn't leave the house.

Second Stop: The Grand Palace

The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings which served as the official residence of the King of Thailand from the 18th century to the mid-20th century. After the death of King Ananda Mahidol in the Baromphiman Palace, King Bhumibol moved the official royal residence to Chitralada Palace.

The grounds are absolutely stunning. Here are a few of the more prominent sites:

Entrance to the Grand Palace.





















Prasat Phra Debidorn: This building is only open one day a year (Chakri Day - April 6), at which time visitors can view the life-size statutes of the first eight kings of the Chakri dynasty.





















Phra Sri Ratana chedi flanked by many other chedis. Interestingly, Phra Sri Ratana houses a piece of the Buddha's breastbone.






















A "Yak." These statues of mythical giants are said to protect the Buddha images on the premises from evil spirits.





















A model of the Angkor Wat at the Grand Palace.



Incredible artisan work. You could look at it for hours and still not take everything in.





















The Emerald Buddha of Wat Phra Kaew: The most important icon for Thai people. This photo may seem to be relatively low in quality because photos are not permitted from inside the wat.











Third Stop: Wat Kanlaya

Upon completing my tour of the Grand Palace, I elect to cross the Chao Phraya River in an attempt to find Wat Arun (the Temple of the Dawn). Once I get to the opposite bank of the river I realize that I don't really know where I'm going, so I simply wind my way through the riverside market looking for someone who looks knowledgeable.

I carefully select a young man who has fallen slightly behind the group of friends that he is walking with. Each guy in the group is wearing a yellow shirt bearing the King of Thailand's emblem, so they practically look like tour guides. I quicken my pace so that I'm in step with the straggler and say, “Excuse me, could you tell me where Wat Arun is?” His reaction simultaneously reads that he's thrilled to have encountered a farang (foreigner) but he also seems petrified to reply. As he stumbles over words which I don't understand he rapidly and repeatedly shifts his gaze from me to his friends, as though he's trying to lure them back through sheer force of will.

It works because in a few seconds his friends realize that he's gone and they head back in our direction. One of the young men politely says hello to me as he approaches so I ask him where Wat Arun is. He happily explains the directions and sends me on my way.

I've walked a mere 25 meters before I hear someone yelling after me. The guy who had just finished giving me directions jogs up to me and says, “Actually we're going to Wat Arun as well, come take the bus with us.” Warning bells are most likely going off in your head right now. Trust me, they we're ringing loudly for me too However, these guys seemed nice enough and I was quite curious to see what would happen next.

The group of us walk down the street in an X formation, I'm in the middle with two of the guys in front of me and two behind me. As we walk everyone stares, which is strange because tourists are an everyday sight in Bangkok. I suppose that this situation was somehow out of the ordinary based on the looks that it attracted.

After about five minutes of walking we encounter a group of about 40 people, all of whom are wearing yellow shirts bearing the King's emblem. The men that I was walking with begin speaking in Thai to the people nearest to them and everyone bursts out laughing. The only word that I catch is “farang,” so aside from the laughter, I know that they're talking about me. As the group converses amongst themselves I scan my surroundings and notice that there is no bus stop where we're standing. Strange... As I begin to wonder what I've gotten myself into, the young guy who I initially spoke with (the one who seemed terrified by me) grabs my hand and stands there, ever so casually holding my hand. Very strange... Once again everyone laughs.

A middle aged man then comes over to me and says, “It looks like you've made a friend.” I laugh and reply, “Apparently...” He then introduces himself and asks where I'm from. I introduce myself and tell him that I'm from Canada. His face lights up. Am I about to get conned again? I feel like I am, but this situation is just so weird that I have no idea what to expect. He smiles at me and says, “I've been to Canada many times. You know, Toronto, Vancouver...I went to school in Pittsburgh for six years, so I had a lots of chances to go to Canada.” He seems really genuine when he says this, so I'm inclined to believe him, but my previous experiences tell me that I shouldn't. We converse further until the bus rolls up and the people closest to the door begin to pile on. It's definately not a public bus...

What the hell is going on? I 'm escorted onto the bus by my “friend” who is still holding my hand at this point. Guess there's no turning back. Upon entering the bus I quickly scan the scene and finally realize what's going on. These people are on a tour! Now I just need to figure out where the tour is going and how much it's going to cost me to join them. I am guided to the back of the bus by the guy who's holding my hand and we take adjacent seats. Seconds later, the man who was talking to me outside of the bus takes the microphone and begins speaking to the group, first in Thai and then he breaks into English and says, “And this is our guest, Chris. He's from Canada.” Everyone claps and says hello to me. Suddenly I'm no longer hesitant to be with this group or on their bus. I smile and wave to all of them. After the man with the mic (Peter) finishes speaking, the bus pulls into traffic and we're off to the next temple. As we drive everyone around me takes turns at asking me questions. They're exceptionally curious and friendly.

My new Thai friends


When the questions finally died down the woman who is sitting across the aisle from me leans over and says, “You have no idea what's going on, do you?” I smile and say, “To be honest with you, I don't have a clue, I just asked for directions!” She explains that I have joined a tour for members of the Computer Science department at Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok. The group is celebrating the upcoming New Year and the two year anniversary of their department by visiting ten temples in one day. Their final two stops just happen to be Wat Kanlaya and Wat Arun. She then pulls me in close and quietly explains to me that the guy who is holding my hand has autism, so I shouldn't worry about the deeper implications our hand holding shinanigans.

So, everything makes sense now. I sit back and smile. Sometimes you're pleasantly surprised in life if you simply give people the opportunity to impress you. For the next hour or so I tour Wat Kanlaya and Wat Arun with the incredibly friendly members of Srinakharinwirot University. During our encounter, I exchanged email addresses with many of the group members and have been corresponding with them ever since I returned from vacation.

Buddha under construction at Wat Kanlaya




















Wat Arun profile: There is an incredible amount of detail on the building. The apparent gradations in colour come from small tiles that cover most of the outside of the building.






















The sun getting ready to set behind Wat Arun.





After seeing Wat Arun I parted ways with the lovely folks from Srinakharinwirot University and headed back to Sukhumvit to round out the day with another suit fitting. My first full day in Bangkok had gone off without a hitch and I had high hopes for the remaining days. And I definately wasn't disappointed...