LONG NECK KAREN- Thailand's forgotten tribe

Most people know of the Karen people from television and magazine documentaries. Have you ever seen a long neck Karen woman?? The Karen are often referred to as the " long neck " or "giraffe " tribes. It is only the women who wear the brass rings. This tribe serves as a tourist attraction for visitors around the globe. They are refugees that fled from Burma in the late 80's and 90's. According to our tour guide, there are seven different hill tribes in Thailand; Karen, Lahu, Hmong, Lisu, Akha and Mien. Today we are visiting the Karen Hill Tribe. They usually occupy lowland areas, engaging in agriculture and planting rice. Most of the Karen women are skilled weavers. In this village where I visited --- there were only 10 families here.

The Karen wear woven v-neck tunics of various natural colors and turbans. Unmarried women wear distinctive long white v-neck tunics.

Chiang Mai's Sunday Walking Street

To me, everywhere is great for shopping because I am a shopaholic--- who knows how to look for stuffs to buy.  I don't care much about brand name, but I buy according to my liking and mood at that moment. I had a great time shopping at the night bazaar of Chiang Mai but only managed to buy a little at the walking street. Some of the things are overpriced but you can bargain for a better price. If not, Just walk over to the next stall most likely you will find the same thing you wanted there.

Every saturday and sunday evening...right in front of the hotel where we stayed -- they would close the whole street and convert it into a walking street.  Yes, Chiang Mai has a walking street food market... wherein you can buy your meal for the evening from the traders. Do not worry... they cook the food right in front of you as you give your order.

Flight of the Gibbon - my latest adventure

The Flight of the Gibbon is a unique zip-line adventure through a pristine, 1500 year old rainforest in MAE KOMPONG... a 1 1/2 hour away from Chiang Mai. There are 18 special viewing platforms,  3 skybridges and 3 vertical drop stations ( which they call rappel drops ) that connect over 2 kilometers of zip-lines that takes you through different layers of the rainforest. The adventure is around 2 hours up on the treetops, lunch and a one-hour river or waterfall trek. 

The participants wear a secured full-body harness, and are suspended from a steel cable strung between the trees. The participants are then clipped onto the cable with double carabiners. The trees  are absolutely magnificent and even high in the canopy many of the trees are sufficiently large that 2 people could not hug the trunk and touch hands. Many of these giant trees are over 100 feet high and standing on the platform in the canopy was like being perched on the window ledge of a very tall building. 

discovering Thailand.... part 14 Bangkok -WAT PHO - The home of the Reclining Buddha..

WAT PHO or Wat Phra Chetuphon as it is generally known to the Thais, is mainly famous for its Reclining Buddha Statue. It is the largest Wat in Bangkok and technically the oldest too. It was built 200 years before Bangkok became Thailand's capital. However, today the Wat today bears no resembleance to that originally constructed because it was completely rebuilt by Rama I when the capital was moved to Bangkok.

As you enter the  grounds of Wat Pho... you will see a small temple where there are smaller Buddhas... Buddhas of happiness, fortune and marriage. Before entering this temple you will see a big brass GONG -- which you have to strike as you enter.

This highly impressive gold plated reclining Buddha is 46 meters long and 15 meters high, and it was designed to illustrate the passing of the Buddha into nirvana.

The feet and the eyes are engraved with mother -of -pearl decoration. The feet shows 108 characteristics of the true Buddha. The picture above are the details of the sole of the feet of the Reclining Buddha.

As you enter the temple where you find the reclining Buddha you will hear a distinctive sound... something like bells ringing... I went to look where the sound was coming from.. I saw the sound that I was hearing was not bells ringing but people putting coins on little brass containers. You can buy a handful of coins for 50 Baht -- and the Thai people believe that when you drop coins in these brass containers -- you will have good luck..

In the large grounds of Wat Pho contains more than 1000 buddha images, most of them come from the ruins of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai, the former capitals of Thailand.

Wat Pho is also famous as Thailand's first university and it is the center for traditional Thai massage. To get a traditional massage here costs 150 Baht for 30 minutes and they have herbal massages for 350 Baht an hour. If you want to experience traditional Thai massage, this is probably the best place available and is highly recommended, though be aware that it is not exactly a gentle experience. They also have foot reflexology massages which is 250 Baht for 45 minutes.

I watched a cultural show where young students dressed in their colorful national costume performed for the tourists. They were very good !!

Wat Pho is opened every day from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. There are guides that can be hired at the entrance for 200 Baht. But if you ask me, you really don't need one ---- I just wandered around the grounds and took my pictures of the Wats and the Buddhas.

I hope I can go back to Thailand... there are more sights I still want to go to..... I hope you liked the photos of Thailand... Till Then......

SAWADEE KAA!!

discovering Thailand.... part 13 Bangkok -The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market.......

Today we will be heading to the floating market outside Bangkok... We had an early start because our tour guide/driver told us we should be there very early to avoid the traffic of the city and.... the tourists going to see the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market.

One of the most visited tourist sites on the outskirts of Bangkok, is the famous Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, the original and most promoted floating market. It is located 110 kilometers from Bangkok in Rachaburi province.

Boasting of a vast range of fruits, vegetables, hand-crafted products, and tours that captivate thousands of tourists and locals annually, the floating market provides the ideal day-trip destination for both first-timers and return enthusiasts.

Getting to the floating market takes between 1 1/2  to 2 hours from Bangkok depending on the traffic conditions. I recommend to do this tour on a weekend rather than a weekday to avoid spending unnecessary amount of time in traffic. The cost of this floating market tour is 800 Baht per person... and the tour takes almost 2 hours on the river.

Day in and day out from about 8:00 am to about 11:00 am the Floating market is routinely crowded by hundreds of vendors and purchasers floating in their small rowing boats selling and buying or exchanging their goods. What they produce are mostly from their own orchards. They usually travel on their small rowing boats. However, today the long- tailed engine boats have become very popular.

The original canals which now make up the floating market were built in 1866 by His Majesty the King of Thailand to help ease the communication in the province. The actual floating market started in 1967 and thrives today with the hordes of tourists from all over the world.

Regardless of which day of the week travelers decide to visit, the ambience at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market will entice your senses from the moment you arrive. One of the most popular products for purchase is food. The floating market offers travelers a seemingly limitless array of food drink to choose from. There are also sit-down restaurants beside the canals of Damnoen Saduak.

However, for a traditional Thai experience, opt for the " open eateries " along the canal, which usually specializes in one or two dishes such as noodles or soups. You can order food from a boat merchant and enjoy.  Although the price is rather cheap, the food is  delectable.

There was even a man selling /showing off his pet snake.. and people would scream as they would get closer to him.

Some food photos for you!!!

Most people visiting the floating market are foreigners and Thai tourists, but it does offer visitors an excellent opportunity to see something different and take some great pictures of what is a true Thai icon. If you  haven't had breakfast... you can actually have your breakfast in the floating market.. Your boat will stop wherever you tell them to stop so you can buy food.

Most tours to the floating market include some side trips such as this visit to the Coconut Sugar House where you will see how the Thai's make sugar from coconuts.

On our way back from the floating market.. i saw some children  swimming in the river....

 and this HUGE LIZARD crossing our boat... The guide told us .. that this lizard is a delicacy in Thailand...

Perhaps the only question that remains is ---- IS IT WORTH SPENDING half a day minimum on a tour to this floating market?? what I would say is ... If you have enough time , and have looked at the pictures and feel it would be of interest then... DEFINITELY.. I recommend it!!

Have fun at the Floating market!!! It is worth the time spent going to DAMNOEN SADUAK floating market. I would recommend that you wear light clothes since the boat ride will be very warm...

SAWADEE KAA!!

discovering Thailand.... part 11 Ayutthaya, Thailand- Wat Yai Chai Mongkon Temple

While we were in Ayutthaya for the day..... we  decided to  go and see another  site.... WAT YAI CHAI MONKON.

The ancient city of Ayutthaya, Thai capital for 417 years, is one of Thailand's major attractions. Many ancient ruins and art works can be seen in this city that was founded in 1350. During the Ayutthaya period, the Thai capital was ruled by 33 kings of different dynasties.

Ayutthaya is 72 kilometers away from Bangkok. It boasts of magnificent ruins. The UNESCO listed Ayutthaya in the list of World Heritage in December 1991.

At the southern edge of town lies the huge bell- shaped chedi of Wat Ya Chai Mongkon. It was built in 1592. This temple is still functioning.

The Reclining Buddha....

If you love ancient ruins and Buddhists wats, you would love Ayutthaya. I you don't, then Ayutthaya looks like a abandoned construction site. Ruins stand side by side across Ayutthaya. The city was built on an island surrounded by four rivers.

I also entered one of the temples to take some photos of their Buddhas...

and I was so amazed at this enclosed Buddhist monk that was sitting quietly staring at me.. I guess this was one of their high priests that died and they embalmed him and placed him inside the temple.

I tried to climb the steep stairs up to this chedi to see what all the locals where going to....

and this is what I saw inside...

Some of the temples are located outisde the island city of Ayutthaya, but not too far from the river banks.If you have the stamina, you can explore all the ruins by foot. Among the ruins worth visiting are Wat Mahathat, Wat Phra Ram and Wat Phra Si Sanphet.

When planning a trip to Ayutthaya, you should spare at least one full day to fully cover all the major and minor sights. The admission to the park is 100 baht. It is better to hire a private car with a travel guide/driver ( 2500 Baht ) for the day so you will not be stressed with the time limit spent inside this historical park.