Thailand 2011

My first stop after Japan was Bangkok. I went in with a lot of expectations based on its notoriously colourful history, but found it to be a lot like many asian cities - interesting and sensory, but in the grip of an all-out race to develop and modernize, which means oppressive traffic and pollution, and glitzy shopping malls. Of course, I was only in the city for 5 days, which is hardly enough time to draw any meaningful conclusions about a city of almost 10 million people, but it seemed to me that Bangkok's time as the wildly bacchanalian centre of Asia has passed.  Bangkok definitely has its charms though; the "Wats" (Buddhist temples) are very eye-catching, with elaborately detailed temples and shining golden Buddha statues (including the massive reclining Buddha shown below).   One particular temple had a 500 meter long, intricately painted mural which detailed the religious mythology.  Fascinating - I spent a couple hours taking in the fantastical imagery.

Riding the water "bus" around the old city watching the scenery go by and stopping to explore colourful markets and excellent seafood restaurants is another great Bangkok experience.

After Bangkok I headed south to visit the famous beaches in Phuket. Beautiful indeed, but with a crush of European, Australian and North American tourists. And, or course, a disproportionate number of elderly white males shamelessly lingering in the endless go-go and hostess bars.  Sex tourism is definitely alive and well in Thailand, although it seemed to be as much about "lonely old men" as about "dirty old men". 

During the week I was in Phuket, I took a kite-surfing course.  Kitesurfing is basically riding a surfboard while tethered to a large parachute-like kite that you can steer.  It was quite challenging, particularly since I'm definitely not a natural when it comes to water-sports.  But it was a fun experience regardless and since Canada apparently has some very good kitesurfing zones, hopefully it's something I can continue when I return (although I'm sure I'll miss the tropical warm water when I lose control of the kite and do a faceplant into ice-cold Lake Ontario)

After Phuket, I ferried across the bay to the picture-perfect Railay peninsula, notable for its stunning beaches and striking terrain, and world-famous as a rock climbing destination. As you can see, the jutting limestone karsts are well-suited for climbing.

I'm pretty new to climbing and it was a great learning experience to watch and/or belay other advanced climbers as they scaled impossible-looking cliffs. One of the more unique climbing experiences in this area is "deep water soloing", which basically means free climbing cliffs (i.e., without ropes) that hang out over the water. The idea is to climb as far as you want (or are able) and then simply push out from the rock and plummet into the sea. My skill and nerves only got me to 10 meters or so before jumping off, but some of the more advanced climbers got upwards of 30 meters and then, unbelievably, jumped from these heights and torpedoed into the water, as seen in the video.

This fearless Aussie climbed to the spot where the X is, and then jumped ... crazy! 

On the way back from the deep water solo, we stopped at a very picturesque island/sand bar for dinner. The couple who had chosen this location for a private wedding ceremony were probably not excited as our boats landed (although it is a public beach), but their special moment did make for some nice photos, as did the sunset.

After I'd had my fill of the beach (and tourist) scene, I headed to Chang Mai in the north to get a more authentic feel for Thailand. Chiang Mai, at the foot of the northern mountain ranges, is a very engaging city. It has a wonderful night market with a wide range of arts and crafts available, including some of the best hand-drawn portraits I've ever seen. These guys had amazing talent; for about $15 they would draw your portrait which, when finished, was almost indistinguishable from a black and white photo. I wish I'd taken some pictures of their work or, better yet, had them do a portrait.  Next time!

In Chiang Mai, I rented a scooter and embarked on a trip through the northern mountains. Because it was the dry season and the air was filled with the haze from burning rice fields, the colours were muted. Nevertheless, the scenery was still quite striking, especially along the narrow mountain roads snaking up and down the mountain ranges on the border between Thailand and Myanmar. These winding roads were a lot of fun on two wheels, with numerous stops at quaint little mountain villages. Because of the great scenery, I ended up travelling about 500 km on my scooter!

One of these villages was Tha Ton, known for the mountain-top temple that looms over the town and from which you can peer across the mountains into Myanmar.

In addition to the freedom of cruising through outstanding scenery, one of the unexpected sensory pleasures of motorbike travel is the diverse olfactory experience: the spicy smell of burning rice straw; brief whiffs of jasmine and other flowers; and the heavy organic smell of the jungle ... all particularly vibrant when contrasted against the recurring smell of pollution and sewage.

On the return trip to Chiang Mai, I passed through the city of Chiang Rai. Unfortunately, I was sidelined here with "traveller's tummy" for a couple of days. However, before the nausea struck, I did visit the nightly food market and worked up the courage to eat one of Thailand's more unusual snacks: deep fried, salted insects (I don't think they were responsible for the sickness). The grubs and crickets weren't too difficult to eat, but the first bite of the 2 inch long cockroach was quite challenging. That said, salt always makes things easier to eat and, indeed, I cleaned up all the salty insect bits even before I finished my beer! An interesting experience ... but it won't take the place of a bowl of peanuts or pretzels for me anytime soon!

As a predominantly Buddhist country, colourful Wats/temples can be found everywhere in Thailand. Just outside of Chiang Rai is one of the more interesting Wats in Thailand: the "White Wat". Recently constructed by one of Thailand's most famous (and controversial) artists, it is full of fantastic imagery, including a pit of straining hands over which you walk to enter the temple (symbolizing suffering on the way to Nirvana).

Unfortunately, my visa had expired by the time I returned the scooter to Chiang Mai, so I unwillingly had to move on from Thailand.  I flew to Singapore for a few days of relaxation in the generous hospitality of Sheena and Dave, and then to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in Vietnam, which will be the subject of my next post.

But I would be remiss not to mention one of the other great experiences - the outstanding Thai cuisine! Fiery green and red curries, sumptuous pad thai, fresh seafood, diverse fruits and juices, excellent coffee and, of course, some of the finest rice in the world. Surprisingly, given the rich flavour, Thai food is easy to make, with a relatively small list of ingredients and simple cooking methods, as I learned in a cooking class in Phuket.

Ultimately, it is said that Thailand is the land of smiles, and the Thai charm is certainly infectious.  Budget travel can be a frustrating experience at times, but it is much more tolerable in a place like Thailand.

Japan Ski Tour 2011

I've started this year's international adventure with a return trip to Japan to enjoy some more skiing (after spending two weeks skiing over the holidays in the interior British Columbia). My friend Jeff and I were very fortunate to enjoy snowboarding in some of the legendary powder that Japan is famous for. A couple days prior to our arrival at the ski resort, it snowed as much as 80 cm in one 24 hour period! Here's a video of me ungracefully disappearing into that powder.

I also found myself spending a week in Tokyo again, for the third time in less than two years. While my tendency is usually to bounce around to new places, I'm drawn back to Tokyo in particular and Japan more generally. The Japanese gardens are always a highlight for me - even in winter - but I'm constantly finding other wonderfully designed public spaces.  

And when it comes to commitment to detail and craftmanship, there is probably not another place in the world like Japan. Everything is done so well here - woodwork, stonework, horticulture, construction - which greatly appeals to the perfectionist in me ... although, truth be told, I don't think I could hold a candle to most Japanese craftsmen. For the construction geeks out there, then, here's a photo of a newly constructed tea-house. While it may not be directly evident from the photo, the perfection of the cuts and joinery was amazing.  That would be a fun project to build...anyone want a teahouse in their back yard??

In addition, the people are unfailingly and refreshingly polite and service-oriented. Upon entering a restaurant, there is a chorus of greetings as ALL the staff welcome you - e.g., "ohayo gozaimasu" (good morning) or whatever greeting is appropriate for the time of day - and then thank you profusely when you leave ("arigato gozaimas"). And everything is very, very clean. I blame this hospitable atmosphere (and the great food) for the fact that I gained a few pounds.

Speaking of a few extra pounds ... I also attended a Tokyo Sumo tournament, which was a fascinating experience. As you can see from the video and pictures below, Sumo is a very ritualistic sport, punctuated by brief spurts of surprisingly violent fighting. While each match usually lasts only a few seconds, the preamble can take 5-10 minutes with much posturing and intimidation (including the characteristic foot stomping). Those people seated in the immediate vicinity of the ring clearly had to be alert, as very large sumo wrestlers often tumbled off the edge into the crowd.

While I only got a very small taste of the deep historical and cultural aura around this port, I was very impressed by the refined nature of the experience. Very different from the rough-and-tumble violence of North American sports. When I left Canada, the big NHL debate was how to deal with the rash of cheap headshots taking place. I'd imagine that the idea of taking a cheap shot in the very honorific sport of Sumo is unthinkable.

Ultimately, Japan continues to be a fascinating place to return. While I won't go into boring detail with cultural observations, I spent a fair amount of time observing and reflecting on the nature of civic society in Japan. In contrast to Western-style democratic society, with a priority on the individual, the default here seems to be civility and honouring responsibilities to family, work and social order. Given the very well-functioning society in Japan, there is something quite attractive about this comparatively selfless civic attitude. Of course, Japan has it's problems too: there seems to be a strong conformist impulse which may not leave a lot of space for difference, and there is definitely a nationalist bias here. But, at the very least, Japan offers a much different perspective on the age-old debate about the appropriate balance of value between the individual and the whole in a democratic society.

Anyway, hopefully I've not been too stereotypical; like most places, Japan is far more complex than my simple generalizations convey. And, while I was very tempted to stay in Japan longer to further understand this complexity, it was time to bounce ... onward to Bangkok, Thailand, where I am now.  But I'm sure I'll be back in Japan in the future, perhaps for a longer stay.