Friday, April 15, 2005
Goodbye to Thailand
Lucky for us, one of Katrina's cousins (Sarah Shaw) came to visit us the last couple of weeks before we moved. It was so fun to have her here with us. While we finished up our business in Phimai, Sarah toured around Ayuthaya and Chiang Mai, soaking up the Thai culture, as well as 43 yards of Thai silk for her sister Marian - 43 YARDS!
We were happy to travel down to one of Thailand's most beautiful islands for a few days of sun and the beach before packing up our bags, eating our last Pad Thai, and getting on a plane for Shanghai.
We have mixed emotions about leaving Thailand. While our job introduced us to some amazing people and allowed us plenty of time to travel, our creativity for new lessons was waning, and we were itching for new surroundings. We will never forget our students and our fun times in the classroom. However, we continue to be frustrated by the Thai education system in general and hope that our broadened perspective will help us better address problems in the education system that will affect the lives of our own children.
There are only 13 universities in all of Thailand - the oldest, Chulalongkorn University, is only 88 years old (est. 1917). One of the major problems throughout Thailand's education system (from kindergarten to Ph.D.) is that very few parents encourage their children to attend a university because there is no tradition or legacy that emphasizes education. Most of the children (outside of Bangkok) have plans to become farmers, or take over their parents' shop and have little motivation for success in school. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Education has passed a "no fail" policy that allows students to progress through school regardless of their performance. We saw the problems of this policy first-hand. I taught juniors and Katrina taught sophomores - both groups of students who had received English training for at least 4 years (since at least 7th grade). Unfortunately, only a handful of students could carry on a simple conversation, and 7 out of 10 students could not decipher "how are you?" from "how old are you?" While the teachers are in part to blame, a system that does not reward or punish (and therefore encourage) students for studying to receive better marks is a disability, in the end, for the students who learn to just go through the motions.
We are intrigued by what we have heard about Chinese students who study 6 days a week in a system renowned for its strictness and competitiveness. While a part of us will always remain in Phimai, our excitement is building as we prepare the second chapter of this adventure.
We were happy to travel down to one of Thailand's most beautiful islands for a few days of sun and the beach before packing up our bags, eating our last Pad Thai, and getting on a plane for Shanghai.
We have mixed emotions about leaving Thailand. While our job introduced us to some amazing people and allowed us plenty of time to travel, our creativity for new lessons was waning, and we were itching for new surroundings. We will never forget our students and our fun times in the classroom. However, we continue to be frustrated by the Thai education system in general and hope that our broadened perspective will help us better address problems in the education system that will affect the lives of our own children.
There are only 13 universities in all of Thailand - the oldest, Chulalongkorn University, is only 88 years old (est. 1917). One of the major problems throughout Thailand's education system (from kindergarten to Ph.D.) is that very few parents encourage their children to attend a university because there is no tradition or legacy that emphasizes education. Most of the children (outside of Bangkok) have plans to become farmers, or take over their parents' shop and have little motivation for success in school. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Education has passed a "no fail" policy that allows students to progress through school regardless of their performance. We saw the problems of this policy first-hand. I taught juniors and Katrina taught sophomores - both groups of students who had received English training for at least 4 years (since at least 7th grade). Unfortunately, only a handful of students could carry on a simple conversation, and 7 out of 10 students could not decipher "how are you?" from "how old are you?" While the teachers are in part to blame, a system that does not reward or punish (and therefore encourage) students for studying to receive better marks is a disability, in the end, for the students who learn to just go through the motions.
We are intrigued by what we have heard about Chinese students who study 6 days a week in a system renowned for its strictness and competitiveness. While a part of us will always remain in Phimai, our excitement is building as we prepare the second chapter of this adventure.
Hanoi
Our trip through the old de-militarized zone into North Vietnam was uneventful, to say the least. While our trip took us along portions of the now infamous "Ho Chi Minh Trail," all the signs of a war-torn country are long gone, and the landscape - while green - is comprised of nothing more than endless rice paddies stretching in all directions.
We spent several days in the central city of Hue (pronounced "Way"), about 90 km south of the demilitarized zone, where several fierce battles took place - not the least of which was the struggle for the massive citadel in the city center. Hue was (and still is) a major center for religious studies and has a history full of religious persecution and torture. Many of the monks who later lit themselves on fire in protest of the South Vietnemese policies were trained in the temples of Hue. Near the city rest some of Vietnam's ancient emperors whose "tombs" are acres and acres of beautiful gardens and a very distinct architectural syle (influenced by the ethnic Chinese).
After an overnight train ride, Katrina and I arrived in Hanoi - the old capitol of North Vietnam which is a living relic to the French occupation of the 18th and 19th centuries. However, Soviet-era architecture and statues are juxtaposed throughout the charming, European-style store fronts throughout the city. A large statue of Lenin took my back to my days in Russia, as did the mausoleum which, in the spirit of Lenin, houses the preserved body of "Uncle Ho" whom we saw with our own eyes. Strangely enough, Ho Chi Minh asked to be cremated in his will, but his followers failed to follow this last request.
One of the highlights of our entire trip through Southeast Asia was our boat trip through the majestic limestone formations in Halong Bay to the east (and just south of China). We spent 3 days and 2 nights touring around the bay, visitng caves, coves, and beaches. The landscape was absolutely amazing (as our pictures can attest in the Halong Bay album) and we were sad to have to leave - to get back to Thailand in time for our Summer English Camp.
We spent several days in the central city of Hue (pronounced "Way"), about 90 km south of the demilitarized zone, where several fierce battles took place - not the least of which was the struggle for the massive citadel in the city center. Hue was (and still is) a major center for religious studies and has a history full of religious persecution and torture. Many of the monks who later lit themselves on fire in protest of the South Vietnemese policies were trained in the temples of Hue. Near the city rest some of Vietnam's ancient emperors whose "tombs" are acres and acres of beautiful gardens and a very distinct architectural syle (influenced by the ethnic Chinese).
After an overnight train ride, Katrina and I arrived in Hanoi - the old capitol of North Vietnam which is a living relic to the French occupation of the 18th and 19th centuries. However, Soviet-era architecture and statues are juxtaposed throughout the charming, European-style store fronts throughout the city. A large statue of Lenin took my back to my days in Russia, as did the mausoleum which, in the spirit of Lenin, houses the preserved body of "Uncle Ho" whom we saw with our own eyes. Strangely enough, Ho Chi Minh asked to be cremated in his will, but his followers failed to follow this last request.
One of the highlights of our entire trip through Southeast Asia was our boat trip through the majestic limestone formations in Halong Bay to the east (and just south of China). We spent 3 days and 2 nights touring around the bay, visitng caves, coves, and beaches. The landscape was absolutely amazing (as our pictures can attest in the Halong Bay album) and we were sad to have to leave - to get back to Thailand in time for our Summer English Camp.
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Saigon
Our visit to Saigon was short, but memorable. I'll let you read Katrina's post about traffic patterns and peddlers - definitely part of Saigon's identity.
I was personally moved most by the War Remnants Museum in the heart of old town. Filled with war-torn tanks, jeeps, helicopters, and bombers used by the U.S., there were also several exhibits which pointed to some of the reasons the war became so controversial.
We visited the so-called "tiger cages" used to house the suspected Viet Cong sympathizers, the guillotine room still intact with the original guillotine, and read numerous stories about interrogation practices that will wrench your heart. It's not surprising that the museum is full of such stories, inasmuch as the North defeated the South and established the museum. But the accounts recorded are no different than the accounts I have read in numerous accounts of the war written by Americans and South Vietnemese. Obviously, the tactics of war are never pretty and are often tolerated in the name of "just doing what we gotta do." In the end, however, I think the raw emotions evoked by the exhibits are healthy for the public. Hopefully world leaders will someday be able to settle their differences without resorting to such cruel measures.
In the afternoon we visited the Reunification Palace - once home to Ngo Dinh Diem and Nguyen Van Thieu. It was here where tanks rolled in April 1975, received the South's surrender and hoisted the North Vietnamese flag. There's nothing special about the actual structure outside of it's historical role.
We're happy to be back in a country with paved roads and KFC (not to mention a currency called "dong"). We felt quite rich to pull out 2 million dong from an ATM upon our arrival. Our excitement was quickly put to rest when our simple dinner came to 81,000 dong. On the bright side, the T.V. in our guest house lobby was showing the Suns-Pistons game. Not surprisingly, Katrina decided to take a nap...
I was personally moved most by the War Remnants Museum in the heart of old town. Filled with war-torn tanks, jeeps, helicopters, and bombers used by the U.S., there were also several exhibits which pointed to some of the reasons the war became so controversial.
We visited the so-called "tiger cages" used to house the suspected Viet Cong sympathizers, the guillotine room still intact with the original guillotine, and read numerous stories about interrogation practices that will wrench your heart. It's not surprising that the museum is full of such stories, inasmuch as the North defeated the South and established the museum. But the accounts recorded are no different than the accounts I have read in numerous accounts of the war written by Americans and South Vietnemese. Obviously, the tactics of war are never pretty and are often tolerated in the name of "just doing what we gotta do." In the end, however, I think the raw emotions evoked by the exhibits are healthy for the public. Hopefully world leaders will someday be able to settle their differences without resorting to such cruel measures.
In the afternoon we visited the Reunification Palace - once home to Ngo Dinh Diem and Nguyen Van Thieu. It was here where tanks rolled in April 1975, received the South's surrender and hoisted the North Vietnamese flag. There's nothing special about the actual structure outside of it's historical role.
We're happy to be back in a country with paved roads and KFC (not to mention a currency called "dong"). We felt quite rich to pull out 2 million dong from an ATM upon our arrival. Our excitement was quickly put to rest when our simple dinner came to 81,000 dong. On the bright side, the T.V. in our guest house lobby was showing the Suns-Pistons game. Not surprisingly, Katrina decided to take a nap...
Cambodia
Cambodia - once a synonym for civil unrest and heinous war crimes is now a very poor country with the most primitive road system we've ever encountered. The country's main highway is a 2-lane road no wider than Birch Lane and only paved about 25% of the time. When we crossed the border from Thailand, we were quickly reminded how much more advanced Thailand is than it's other Southeast Asian brothers.
Our first stop was at the magnificent temples of Angkor Wat - one of mankind's true wonders of the world. The gigantic central complex remains the largest religious building in the world to this day. Built over a half century ago, the temple is slowly giving way to nature's deteriorating forces, but is still breathtaking and impressive. We spent the entire afternoon walking around the complex as well as visiting other temples located nearby - some well preserved, others in ruins. For you Angelina Jolie fans: both Tomb Raider films were shot here. Although we fraternized in the same cafe as Jolie and her crew, we decided to pass on her "favorite" creation called the "Tomb Raider:" cointreau, lime, and gin.
Highlight of the Day: We see a young man sitting in the shade next to his horse which is decorated in local Cambodian style. I offer him $1 to let Katrina sit on the horse for a picture. Much to our surprise, he offers her a cowboy hat and a sword!! I had to really talk her into it, but in the end I finally prevailed!!!Memories...
The next day we traveled to Phnom Penh - the capitol of Cambodia. We toured the Royal Palace and secured our visas for Vietnam. We decided to catch a moto-cab on the way back from the consulate and so we both piled on a scooter behind a driver who drove us home. On the way we saw the missionaries pass us on their bikes. We started yelling at them (while trying to keep our balance) but they didn't even flinch. Giving them credit, EVERYBODY here honks and yells, but they'll never know what kind of free meal and good conversation we could have offered them :)
The next morning we spent most of the day focusing on sites related to the Khmer Rouge. "Khmer" is actually "Cambodian" in Cambodian (i.e. their ethnicity). In fact, they still refer to themselves as khmers. The term "Khmer Rouge" was given to the communist faction that overtook the country in the mid-1970s. The terms was coined by the French, where Rouge means red.
One of the high schools in the city had been turned into a torture camp (now a museum) during the Pol Pot regime. They had the actual torture instruments - old battery cells used to shock the prisoners, a stretching table, a drowning tank, etc. - and pictures of some of the victims as well as explanations on the tortures. All of the prisoners would be interrogated at this camp and then marched 15 km south of the city where they were killed. However, because ammunition was so precious, almost all of them - men, women, and children - were physically beaten to death, usually with a hoe, or a bamboo stick. Then buried in mass graves.
We visited these "killing fields" where the graves have since been exhumed. There is a chilling museum there where we saw the 8,985 skulls on exhibit they have found in the nearby area. Several of the guides there had lost family members to the Pol Pot regime and had horrible stories to tell. Almost all of the deaths happened between 1975 and 1979. It was just another reminder how horrible war can be. One story that I particularly remember is how the soldiers would tear the bodies into pieces after bludgeoning them to death, and then bury their bodies in 2 separate areas. Buddhists believe that you must be buried as a whole body in order to return in the next life. Simply taking the life of somebody just wasn't enough for some who thought it necessary to insult the person's religious beliefs to make a point. Overall, it was a memorable experience in the somber way, but one we will never forget.
Our first stop was at the magnificent temples of Angkor Wat - one of mankind's true wonders of the world. The gigantic central complex remains the largest religious building in the world to this day. Built over a half century ago, the temple is slowly giving way to nature's deteriorating forces, but is still breathtaking and impressive. We spent the entire afternoon walking around the complex as well as visiting other temples located nearby - some well preserved, others in ruins. For you Angelina Jolie fans: both Tomb Raider films were shot here. Although we fraternized in the same cafe as Jolie and her crew, we decided to pass on her "favorite" creation called the "Tomb Raider:" cointreau, lime, and gin.
Highlight of the Day: We see a young man sitting in the shade next to his horse which is decorated in local Cambodian style. I offer him $1 to let Katrina sit on the horse for a picture. Much to our surprise, he offers her a cowboy hat and a sword!! I had to really talk her into it, but in the end I finally prevailed!!!Memories...
The next day we traveled to Phnom Penh - the capitol of Cambodia. We toured the Royal Palace and secured our visas for Vietnam. We decided to catch a moto-cab on the way back from the consulate and so we both piled on a scooter behind a driver who drove us home. On the way we saw the missionaries pass us on their bikes. We started yelling at them (while trying to keep our balance) but they didn't even flinch. Giving them credit, EVERYBODY here honks and yells, but they'll never know what kind of free meal and good conversation we could have offered them :)
The next morning we spent most of the day focusing on sites related to the Khmer Rouge. "Khmer" is actually "Cambodian" in Cambodian (i.e. their ethnicity). In fact, they still refer to themselves as khmers. The term "Khmer Rouge" was given to the communist faction that overtook the country in the mid-1970s. The terms was coined by the French, where Rouge means red.
One of the high schools in the city had been turned into a torture camp (now a museum) during the Pol Pot regime. They had the actual torture instruments - old battery cells used to shock the prisoners, a stretching table, a drowning tank, etc. - and pictures of some of the victims as well as explanations on the tortures. All of the prisoners would be interrogated at this camp and then marched 15 km south of the city where they were killed. However, because ammunition was so precious, almost all of them - men, women, and children - were physically beaten to death, usually with a hoe, or a bamboo stick. Then buried in mass graves.
We visited these "killing fields" where the graves have since been exhumed. There is a chilling museum there where we saw the 8,985 skulls on exhibit they have found in the nearby area. Several of the guides there had lost family members to the Pol Pot regime and had horrible stories to tell. Almost all of the deaths happened between 1975 and 1979. It was just another reminder how horrible war can be. One story that I particularly remember is how the soldiers would tear the bodies into pieces after bludgeoning them to death, and then bury their bodies in 2 separate areas. Buddhists believe that you must be buried as a whole body in order to return in the next life. Simply taking the life of somebody just wasn't enough for some who thought it necessary to insult the person's religious beliefs to make a point. Overall, it was a memorable experience in the somber way, but one we will never forget.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Ayuthaya
After leaving Kanchanburi we headed to Ayuthaya, which is about 86 km north of Bangkok. Ayuthaya was the capital of the Siam empire from 1350-1767. It was at this time that the kingdom extended well into present-day Loas, Cambodia and Myanmar. Thirty-three kings reigned from this capital until it was sacked by the Burmese. Thai culture and international commerce was at its height at this time, with Dutch, Portuguese, French, English, Chinese and Japanese merchants participating in trade. There were literally ruins all over the city – some only small mounds and some large buildings. There are 4 amazing temples that are almost completely in tact – although the outside layer of plaster has fallen off on most of them.
Wat Phra Si Sanphet is the largest of the temple complexes. It is absolutely huge and amazing, (And although I never saw the movie, I hear it was used as the set for filming for Mortal Kombat.) This temple was used as the royal temple. The most impressive structures on the complex are 3 identical stupas, which are burial places for kings and other nobility. (You seriously need to check out the pictures!)
Wat Mahathat was built about 1369 AD and is surrounded by a moot of water. The main tower looks a little like a corn husk. Since this is Thailand and there are yet to be a lot of rules enforced, we were able to climb all over all the ruins. They are really large and super impressive.
Phra Mongkonbophit is the main temple where royal rituals and funerals took place before the kings were put into the stupas. (It is the large white building with red roofing that looks modern.) The temple houses a huge Buddha, which is covered in gold and considered somewhat of a pilgrimage place for Thais.
Wat Chaiwatthanaram is one of the most impressive Buddhist monasteries. The complex is again huge. The main tower is from about half way up with a shrine to Buddha inside. The temple consists of the main tower, four pointed towers and eight smaller pointed towers. It is located right next to the river and has two large Buddhas in front of the main tower. Additionally there are rows and rows of small Buddhas lining the outside walls.
Ayuthaya was one of the most amazing places that I have ever seen. I was surprised at how well preserved and how many different ruins there were in the city. Additionally, there was a Dairy Queen so I was loving walking around eating a double-brownie fudge Blizzard and looking at the amazing structures. Seriously, what could be better?
Wat Phra Si Sanphet is the largest of the temple complexes. It is absolutely huge and amazing, (And although I never saw the movie, I hear it was used as the set for filming for Mortal Kombat.) This temple was used as the royal temple. The most impressive structures on the complex are 3 identical stupas, which are burial places for kings and other nobility. (You seriously need to check out the pictures!)
Wat Mahathat was built about 1369 AD and is surrounded by a moot of water. The main tower looks a little like a corn husk. Since this is Thailand and there are yet to be a lot of rules enforced, we were able to climb all over all the ruins. They are really large and super impressive.
Phra Mongkonbophit is the main temple where royal rituals and funerals took place before the kings were put into the stupas. (It is the large white building with red roofing that looks modern.) The temple houses a huge Buddha, which is covered in gold and considered somewhat of a pilgrimage place for Thais.
Wat Chaiwatthanaram is one of the most impressive Buddhist monasteries. The complex is again huge. The main tower is from about half way up with a shrine to Buddha inside. The temple consists of the main tower, four pointed towers and eight smaller pointed towers. It is located right next to the river and has two large Buddhas in front of the main tower. Additionally there are rows and rows of small Buddhas lining the outside walls.
Ayuthaya was one of the most amazing places that I have ever seen. I was surprised at how well preserved and how many different ruins there were in the city. Additionally, there was a Dairy Queen so I was loving walking around eating a double-brownie fudge Blizzard and looking at the amazing structures. Seriously, what could be better?
Erawan - Back to Nature
Outdoor recreation has been a part of life that Katrina and I have missed more than anything (well...except for some good home-cooking). As a result, we took a break from our travels to visit the Erawan waterfalls - a series of 7 cascading waterfalls along a 2 km trail in Thailand's most popular national park.
Each level of the falls featured a crystal blue pond of water, ripe for swimming - except for the fact that the fish in the water bite (actually nibble). I was a little shy to jump in. Katrina, calling me a big baby, marched unyieldingly into the water, only to scream like a school girl (agitating the monkeys above us in the trees) and retreat to the side once the "little fishies" started to bite her feet. Luckily, the top falls (also the biggest - ostensibly named after the mythical 3-headed elephant named "Erawan") was surrounded by fishless pools, so we took a dip.
The hike was absolutely beautiful (see pictures in the "Kanchanaburi 2" album) and was a nice break from the tourist-heavy sites we have been visiting. On our way back to the city, we hopped off the bus and offered some money to a local man (smoking and playing checkers) to drive us to a more remote set of ruins 20 km down the road.
The ruins - Prasat Meuang Singh - are similar to the ruins here at Phimai. The temple is quite large, but the land surrounding it was much grander. We were literally the only people in the entire complex. The most fascinating part of the temple was a burial site that had recently been excavated - in fact, the skeletons were still in place! It was eery, but very interesting as well.
As we left the temple, a nice young man offered to give us a ride to the nearest train station (3 km) so we piled onto his scooter. And just in time to catch the train which safely returned us to Kanchanaburi - over the Bridge On the River Kwai. Some of my favorite pictures are of Katrina sticking her head out of the train like a puppy to cool down (although I don't know if she thought I was watching because she closed her eyes and made blow-fish faces. Since she uploaded the pictures, I'm sure she edited out my secret photos of this - many apologies!)
Each level of the falls featured a crystal blue pond of water, ripe for swimming - except for the fact that the fish in the water bite (actually nibble). I was a little shy to jump in. Katrina, calling me a big baby, marched unyieldingly into the water, only to scream like a school girl (agitating the monkeys above us in the trees) and retreat to the side once the "little fishies" started to bite her feet. Luckily, the top falls (also the biggest - ostensibly named after the mythical 3-headed elephant named "Erawan") was surrounded by fishless pools, so we took a dip.
The hike was absolutely beautiful (see pictures in the "Kanchanaburi 2" album) and was a nice break from the tourist-heavy sites we have been visiting. On our way back to the city, we hopped off the bus and offered some money to a local man (smoking and playing checkers) to drive us to a more remote set of ruins 20 km down the road.
The ruins - Prasat Meuang Singh - are similar to the ruins here at Phimai. The temple is quite large, but the land surrounding it was much grander. We were literally the only people in the entire complex. The most fascinating part of the temple was a burial site that had recently been excavated - in fact, the skeletons were still in place! It was eery, but very interesting as well.
As we left the temple, a nice young man offered to give us a ride to the nearest train station (3 km) so we piled onto his scooter. And just in time to catch the train which safely returned us to Kanchanaburi - over the Bridge On the River Kwai. Some of my favorite pictures are of Katrina sticking her head out of the train like a puppy to cool down (although I don't know if she thought I was watching because she closed her eyes and made blow-fish faces. Since she uploaded the pictures, I'm sure she edited out my secret photos of this - many apologies!)
Monday, January 03, 2005
Our Trip - Overview
While the first half of our trip took only 3.5 hours on a plane from Bangkok to Singapore, we spent over 50 hours in transit, almost exclusively on buses, getting back to Phimai (we spent 8 hours on a boat).
All in all we travelled 2,873 miles - about the distance from San Diego to Maine. It is nice to be home and we are looking forward to sleeping in our own bed tonight.
All in all we travelled 2,873 miles - about the distance from San Diego to Maine. It is nice to be home and we are looking forward to sleeping in our own bed tonight.
New Year's Day - 2005
We spent New Year's Eve and New Year's Day in the Gulf of Thailand. We took a 4 hour ferry from Surat Thani to the island of Ko Pha Ngan. The island is about 12.5 kilometers in diameter and very mountainous. From the pier, we caught a pick-up truck across the island, along a ruddy, dirt road over the mountains to the beach of Thong Nai Pan Yai.
We spent the afternoon reading our books on the white sand and enjoying the warm weather and rest from travelling. The beach is quite isolated from the rest of the island and has less than one hundred small bungalows and a few bars/restaurants. There were a few games of volleyball going, and a few people running along the beach. Mostly, people were relaxing on the beach, taking naps, and wading in the emerald green water.
That evening, Katrina and I walked down to a restaurant that was serving BBQ kabobs and mashed potatoes - Mmmm Mmmm. Many of the tourists took a boat taxi to another beach where they were having a large New Year's Eve bash and there were only a few people on the beach. While I was paying the tab, however, some guy came and offered to buy Katrina a drink and invited her to hang out with him and his friends. I never quite know how to respond to those situations (of which this is not the first). Part of me wants to punch the guy in the stomach, but mostly I just smile and feel VERY proud when Katrina puts her arm around me and we walk off. Maybe that stems from me being kind of nerdy when I was young. I NEVER got the girl, or made anyone jealous. Anyway, enough about Doug's psychological meditations...
Our New Year's was VERY romantic (if I do say so myself). After dinner we built a fire on the beach and looked at the millions of stars you never see from the city. The restaurant was playing great music and we had the best time talking about our accomplishments from this year and our plans for the next.
We have been in Thailand for almost 3 months and have only seen rain on ONE day. Unfortunately, that day happened to be New Year's Day. We spent the day reading, eating, walking, eating some more, and playing cards. We are like little 4th grade best friends who are never seen apart, and we love every second of it.
Katrina and I are very happy, and very excited for the new year. 2004 a very good year for both of us and we are very grateful to our family and friends who have supported us in everything we have done (even if they think we are crazy).
We spent the afternoon reading our books on the white sand and enjoying the warm weather and rest from travelling. The beach is quite isolated from the rest of the island and has less than one hundred small bungalows and a few bars/restaurants. There were a few games of volleyball going, and a few people running along the beach. Mostly, people were relaxing on the beach, taking naps, and wading in the emerald green water.
That evening, Katrina and I walked down to a restaurant that was serving BBQ kabobs and mashed potatoes - Mmmm Mmmm. Many of the tourists took a boat taxi to another beach where they were having a large New Year's Eve bash and there were only a few people on the beach. While I was paying the tab, however, some guy came and offered to buy Katrina a drink and invited her to hang out with him and his friends. I never quite know how to respond to those situations (of which this is not the first). Part of me wants to punch the guy in the stomach, but mostly I just smile and feel VERY proud when Katrina puts her arm around me and we walk off. Maybe that stems from me being kind of nerdy when I was young. I NEVER got the girl, or made anyone jealous. Anyway, enough about Doug's psychological meditations...
Our New Year's was VERY romantic (if I do say so myself). After dinner we built a fire on the beach and looked at the millions of stars you never see from the city. The restaurant was playing great music and we had the best time talking about our accomplishments from this year and our plans for the next.
We have been in Thailand for almost 3 months and have only seen rain on ONE day. Unfortunately, that day happened to be New Year's Day. We spent the day reading, eating, walking, eating some more, and playing cards. We are like little 4th grade best friends who are never seen apart, and we love every second of it.
Katrina and I are very happy, and very excited for the new year. 2004 a very good year for both of us and we are very grateful to our family and friends who have supported us in everything we have done (even if they think we are crazy).
Our perspective on "Black Christmas"
Many of the locals have referred to the recent earthquake and tsunamis as Black Christmas. Our bus from Kuala Lumpur took us to Krabi, our original destination for a sunny New Year celebration. The damage in Krabi was not nearly as extensive as we were expecting. Very few of the shops and restaurants were affected, although the beach was still cluttered with debris. Halfway down the beach we saw a crane pulling a sunken boat from the water, and many of the Thais examining the damage done to the longboats which serve as their livelihood. There were actually a handful of foreigners reading books on the beach and swimming in the water (which was full of metal scraps and seaweed).
From Krabi we travelled to Phuket where the damage was much greater. Phuket is Thailand's largest island and most popular tourist attraction. On Phuket, the most heavily touristed area is around the beach "Patong" which was one of the hardest places hit in all of Thailand. Patong is a very long, arched beach (maybe 1.5 kilometers wide). We arrived very early in the morning and were quite surprised by what we encountered. The beach was literally torn up and there were only remnants of the cement wall that separated the beach from the town. Large pieces of concrete were scattered all over the beach as were numerous (and quite large) overturned boats, some of which were literally wrapped around the palm trees. The street just beyond the beach was uneven and covered in sand and the first row of shops was completely destroyed. We saw several cars along the road, all crushed from the waves and the debris. The smell was unforgettable: moldy heaps of people's houses and shops were rotting in the street. We spent a few minutes chatting with a news crew from FoxNews who were filming a segment in front of an exceptionally demolished car. The whole experience was very surreal. (See photo album).
However, we were quite surprised to see that the damage was not as widespread as we thought. Most of the shops within a couple blocks of the beach suffered severe water damage. However, about 3 blocks from the beach we found little to no visible damage. In fact, restaurants and bars were still open for business. The contrast was very distinct with damage to stores on one side of a street, but none on the other. In addition, we were quite pleased to see how quickly the streets had been cleaned, with large piles of trash neatly pushed out of the way for local traffic. It seemed very much like the community was in control of the situation.
While much attention has been paid to Thailand because of the number of tourists that vacation here, the damage seems very minor compared to reports we have read about Banda Aceh, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Today, the death toll stands at 156,000 less than 5% of which were on the beaches of Thailand.
From Krabi we travelled to Phuket where the damage was much greater. Phuket is Thailand's largest island and most popular tourist attraction. On Phuket, the most heavily touristed area is around the beach "Patong" which was one of the hardest places hit in all of Thailand. Patong is a very long, arched beach (maybe 1.5 kilometers wide). We arrived very early in the morning and were quite surprised by what we encountered. The beach was literally torn up and there were only remnants of the cement wall that separated the beach from the town. Large pieces of concrete were scattered all over the beach as were numerous (and quite large) overturned boats, some of which were literally wrapped around the palm trees. The street just beyond the beach was uneven and covered in sand and the first row of shops was completely destroyed. We saw several cars along the road, all crushed from the waves and the debris. The smell was unforgettable: moldy heaps of people's houses and shops were rotting in the street. We spent a few minutes chatting with a news crew from FoxNews who were filming a segment in front of an exceptionally demolished car. The whole experience was very surreal. (See photo album).
However, we were quite surprised to see that the damage was not as widespread as we thought. Most of the shops within a couple blocks of the beach suffered severe water damage. However, about 3 blocks from the beach we found little to no visible damage. In fact, restaurants and bars were still open for business. The contrast was very distinct with damage to stores on one side of a street, but none on the other. In addition, we were quite pleased to see how quickly the streets had been cleaned, with large piles of trash neatly pushed out of the way for local traffic. It seemed very much like the community was in control of the situation.
While much attention has been paid to Thailand because of the number of tourists that vacation here, the damage seems very minor compared to reports we have read about Banda Aceh, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Today, the death toll stands at 156,000 less than 5% of which were on the beaches of Thailand.
The World's tallest building(s)?
We finally found a city on our list of places to live that ranks below New York - but we had to go half-way around the world to find it. Kuala Lumpur (KL) is a dirty city with no sidewalks, poor public transportation, and a lot of crazy drivers. Crossing the border from Singapore into Malaysia we realized that we were back in the Asia that we know and love (well...at least sometimes love).
Kuala Lumpur's imposing landmarks (and the reason for our visit) are the twin Petronas Towers, the world's tallest buildings until just a few weeks ago. The towers were built in 1998 and assumed the title of world's tallest buildings from the Sears Tower in Chicago which had held the record for 14 years. The Petronas towers - built by KL's Petronas Oil and Gas company - are 1,483 feet tall, and are very distinctive as there is a two-storey bridge that connects the two buildings on the 41st and 42nd floors. The 41st floor serves as an observation deck for the general public and the 42nd floor is for occupants of the towers, for quicker communication and an emergency escape. The title of "tallest building in the world" is apparently quite controversial. Many architects argue that decorative spires, observation decks, and communication antennas are NOT buildings and should not factored in to a building's height. This makes a big difference as the new Taipei 101 tower in Taiwan will surpass the Petronas towers in overall height - albeit by only 184 feet - but will NOT be taller if you only count the distance from the sidewalk to the uppermost OCCUPIED space. However, the generally accepted compromise is to separate structures by their purpose. As a result, there are 2 "tallest" lists: buildings and structures. The CN Tower in Toronto is the tallest structure and Taipei 101 is now the tallest building. (The proposed new World Trade Center in New York will surpass Taipei 101 by 109 feet).
Two interesting tidbits:
1) The 4th largest structure is ALSO in Kuala Lumpur - a communication tower
with a nice observation deck.
2) 6 of the 10 tallest buildings are located in China (not including Taiwan). The
four non-Chinese buildings are: Taipei 101, Petronas Towers, Sears Tower, and
the Empire State Building.
Kuala Lumpur is also home of one of the most amazing Chinatowns we have ever experienced. While the prices were low as expected, the products were awesome. Every name brand you can think of was represented, but not by cheap, underground imitations, but the real thing. Real Nike shoes for $15, genuine North Face equipment for cheap (we bought a backpack for $12), Addidas, Reebok, etc. etc. Many of these companies manufacture their products in Malaysia and we were the beneficiaries of ingenious merchants and a lax enforcement of patents and trademarks.
Kuala Lumpur's imposing landmarks (and the reason for our visit) are the twin Petronas Towers, the world's tallest buildings until just a few weeks ago. The towers were built in 1998 and assumed the title of world's tallest buildings from the Sears Tower in Chicago which had held the record for 14 years. The Petronas towers - built by KL's Petronas Oil and Gas company - are 1,483 feet tall, and are very distinctive as there is a two-storey bridge that connects the two buildings on the 41st and 42nd floors. The 41st floor serves as an observation deck for the general public and the 42nd floor is for occupants of the towers, for quicker communication and an emergency escape. The title of "tallest building in the world" is apparently quite controversial. Many architects argue that decorative spires, observation decks, and communication antennas are NOT buildings and should not factored in to a building's height. This makes a big difference as the new Taipei 101 tower in Taiwan will surpass the Petronas towers in overall height - albeit by only 184 feet - but will NOT be taller if you only count the distance from the sidewalk to the uppermost OCCUPIED space. However, the generally accepted compromise is to separate structures by their purpose. As a result, there are 2 "tallest" lists: buildings and structures. The CN Tower in Toronto is the tallest structure and Taipei 101 is now the tallest building. (The proposed new World Trade Center in New York will surpass Taipei 101 by 109 feet).
Two interesting tidbits:
1) The 4th largest structure is ALSO in Kuala Lumpur - a communication tower
with a nice observation deck.
2) 6 of the 10 tallest buildings are located in China (not including Taiwan). The
four non-Chinese buildings are: Taipei 101, Petronas Towers, Sears Tower, and
the Empire State Building.
Kuala Lumpur is also home of one of the most amazing Chinatowns we have ever experienced. While the prices were low as expected, the products were awesome. Every name brand you can think of was represented, but not by cheap, underground imitations, but the real thing. Real Nike shoes for $15, genuine North Face equipment for cheap (we bought a backpack for $12), Addidas, Reebok, etc. etc. Many of these companies manufacture their products in Malaysia and we were the beneficiaries of ingenious merchants and a lax enforcement of patents and trademarks.
Sunday, December 26, 2004
Singapore
I recently realized that the last 9 entries on our blog were posted by Katrina. A quick look at our photo album last week motivated me to become more involved as I saw the direction that Katrina's creativity was heading.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Katrina and I spent Christmas this year in the city/state/country of Singapore - right at the tip of the Malay peninsula. Many of you may remember Singapore as the country where Michael Fay vandalized some cars 10 years ago and was sentenced to 6 canings (later reduced to 3). Singapore is notoriously strict in the enforcement of their laws ($500 fine for littering as well as the death penalty for possession of drugs - purportedly carried out quite often). Katrina and I were not surprised to find a very clean, beautiful place, but were surprised to find such a relaxed people. We also never saw any police officers anywhere.
Singapore's population is 4.3 million - a quarter of which are foreigners. The city is therefore EXTREMELY diverse, although the exterior is very Western and modern-looking. Singapore was officially established in 1819 when a British explorer, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles landed on a shore in this old Malay town and declared it a new trading post for the East British Indies. While many might see this as a less-than-noble moment in the history of British colonialism, Singapore has become a living monument to the man Raffles. Everywhere you look you see signs that point to this colonial past: From the Raffles Hotel, Raffles Boulevard, Raffles Street, Raffles City Mall, Raffles Hospital, Stamford Street, etc. etc.
Modern-day Singapore is the busiest port in all the world (in terms of tonnage processed annually). The air is much thicker than Thailand's and smells so much more fresh. All the streets are lined with beautiful palm trees, banana trees and a whole variety of flora. As soon as we landed in Singapore, we realized that we were not in a typical Asian country: A) almost NO motor-scooters, B) motorists strictly adhere to traffic laws - including one car per lane and C) the first car we saw when leaving the airport was a bright yellow Lamborghini. We were pleasantly surprised to find that all the water is drinkable. In fact, when we first landed, a poor Thai girl was trying to figure out how the drinking fountain worked. Her dad, sensing her confusion, stepped over and explained to her that the machine was used for rich people's hands and then pushed the button so she could wash her hands.
We headed straight down to the waterfront where we enjoyed a fresh, warm, TexMex Christmas dinner while the sun set behind the Singapore skyline. Afterwards we walked around and saw the dancing, Christmas exhibits, and other lights set up for the holidays. It was very beautiful (see photo album).
Today we spent the day walking around the different ethnic quarters of the city. Arab Street boasts some beautiful, and quite old, mosques and little shops that reminded Katrina of her time in Jerusalem. Little India is home to several temples and delicious foods. And no town would be complete without cheap knock-off products in Chinatown. On the way home, we were very excited to see not one, but TWO Hooters restaurants - a perfect illustration of Singapore's diverse international cuisine.
When all is said and done, we have to admit that while Singapore is not a city full of tourist attractions and activities, the atmosphere was pleasant, the people were very friendly (and spoke some funny-sounding English), and we are looking forward to the chance to come and spend some more time here someday. For now, it's off to Malaysia...
P.S. We have been completely unaffected by the recent earthquake and subsequent tsunamis in Southern Thailand, Malaysia, and elsewhere. We are very saddened by the many deaths that have occured in so many countries. While our plans have been severely altered (we were planning to go to Krabi tomorrow) we are watching the news very carefully. Thank you all for your concern.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Katrina and I spent Christmas this year in the city/state/country of Singapore - right at the tip of the Malay peninsula. Many of you may remember Singapore as the country where Michael Fay vandalized some cars 10 years ago and was sentenced to 6 canings (later reduced to 3). Singapore is notoriously strict in the enforcement of their laws ($500 fine for littering as well as the death penalty for possession of drugs - purportedly carried out quite often). Katrina and I were not surprised to find a very clean, beautiful place, but were surprised to find such a relaxed people. We also never saw any police officers anywhere.
Singapore's population is 4.3 million - a quarter of which are foreigners. The city is therefore EXTREMELY diverse, although the exterior is very Western and modern-looking. Singapore was officially established in 1819 when a British explorer, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles landed on a shore in this old Malay town and declared it a new trading post for the East British Indies. While many might see this as a less-than-noble moment in the history of British colonialism, Singapore has become a living monument to the man Raffles. Everywhere you look you see signs that point to this colonial past: From the Raffles Hotel, Raffles Boulevard, Raffles Street, Raffles City Mall, Raffles Hospital, Stamford Street, etc. etc.
Modern-day Singapore is the busiest port in all the world (in terms of tonnage processed annually). The air is much thicker than Thailand's and smells so much more fresh. All the streets are lined with beautiful palm trees, banana trees and a whole variety of flora. As soon as we landed in Singapore, we realized that we were not in a typical Asian country: A) almost NO motor-scooters, B) motorists strictly adhere to traffic laws - including one car per lane and C) the first car we saw when leaving the airport was a bright yellow Lamborghini. We were pleasantly surprised to find that all the water is drinkable. In fact, when we first landed, a poor Thai girl was trying to figure out how the drinking fountain worked. Her dad, sensing her confusion, stepped over and explained to her that the machine was used for rich people's hands and then pushed the button so she could wash her hands.
We headed straight down to the waterfront where we enjoyed a fresh, warm, TexMex Christmas dinner while the sun set behind the Singapore skyline. Afterwards we walked around and saw the dancing, Christmas exhibits, and other lights set up for the holidays. It was very beautiful (see photo album).
Today we spent the day walking around the different ethnic quarters of the city. Arab Street boasts some beautiful, and quite old, mosques and little shops that reminded Katrina of her time in Jerusalem. Little India is home to several temples and delicious foods. And no town would be complete without cheap knock-off products in Chinatown. On the way home, we were very excited to see not one, but TWO Hooters restaurants - a perfect illustration of Singapore's diverse international cuisine.
When all is said and done, we have to admit that while Singapore is not a city full of tourist attractions and activities, the atmosphere was pleasant, the people were very friendly (and spoke some funny-sounding English), and we are looking forward to the chance to come and spend some more time here someday. For now, it's off to Malaysia...
P.S. We have been completely unaffected by the recent earthquake and subsequent tsunamis in Southern Thailand, Malaysia, and elsewhere. We are very saddened by the many deaths that have occured in so many countries. While our plans have been severely altered (we were planning to go to Krabi tomorrow) we are watching the news very carefully. Thank you all for your concern.
Saturday, October 09, 2004
One Night in Bangkok
The past few days has been a whirlwind of new experiences. We flew straight from Newark to Hong Kong (17 hours right over the North Pole) and then on to Bangkok. Katrina accidentally checked the "Doug's a diabetic" box when making reservations and so Doug always got his meal first (albeit the vegetable medley and sugar-free dessert). We were met at the airport by one of Doug's MTC friends and have been staying with him and his wife since. On our first day, Doug and Martin went golfing at the Bangkok Golf Club for $10/ea. which even included a caddie. Nice.
Yesterday, we spent the afternoon downtown visiting the Grand Palace and cruising through the city on a tuk tuk (see photo album). The palace was amazing. Every building is covered in jewels and large murals line the walkways depicting Thai fables and myths. Many tourists were enamored by our white skin and a Cambodian family even asked if they could be photographed with Katrina (she has EXTRA white skin).
After we left the palace grounds, we took a boat tour around the city. We cruised through some of the residential areas and were humbled by the poverty that seems to abound in every large city. We were quite surprised, however, to see several families out dangling their feet in the water, swimming around, and having a great time. The people here are so friendly. Everybody smiles when we walk by and says hello; in fact, they always seem to be smiling.
We will be leaving for Phimai on Tuesday morning where we will be able to settle in our apartment and meet the teachers with whom we'll be working. We will post some more pictures once we get there.
Yesterday, we spent the afternoon downtown visiting the Grand Palace and cruising through the city on a tuk tuk (see photo album). The palace was amazing. Every building is covered in jewels and large murals line the walkways depicting Thai fables and myths. Many tourists were enamored by our white skin and a Cambodian family even asked if they could be photographed with Katrina (she has EXTRA white skin).
After we left the palace grounds, we took a boat tour around the city. We cruised through some of the residential areas and were humbled by the poverty that seems to abound in every large city. We were quite surprised, however, to see several families out dangling their feet in the water, swimming around, and having a great time. The people here are so friendly. Everybody smiles when we walk by and says hello; in fact, they always seem to be smiling.
We will be leaving for Phimai on Tuesday morning where we will be able to settle in our apartment and meet the teachers with whom we'll be working. We will post some more pictures once we get there.
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Phimai is located 50 km (33 mi) outside of Nakhon Ratchasima.
