2003 Golden Triangle: Thailand, Burma & Laos

Grand Circle Travel

Golden Triangle

Thailand/Burma/Laos

February/March, 2003

This narrative is based on the Wulff videotape. Sometimes the script does not flow because the material is in the order it was video-taped. For the same reason paragraphs are not always thematic. I hope you can still find the “journal” useful.


Day One, Monday, February 24th

I departed Minneapolis on a Northwest Airlines transPacific flight.
.
Day Two, Tuesday, February 25th

At Tokyo, we stopped for a change of planes

Our group arrived in Bangkok, Thailand.

We were met by GCT Tour Director Pan who transferred us to our hotel, the fashionable Le Meridien President.


As the name suggests, the hotel is owned by a French firm. Ordinarily one would pay 4200B(over $100US) and up for a room per night. It was conveniently situated in the heart of the Thanon Ploenchit shopping center. At the street entrance of the hotel was a Thai policeman (with his mouth covered to filter polluted air) directing traffic. The circular roadway of the hotel was regulated by hotel staff wearing uniforms. We did not know it at the time, but security was heightened because President Mugabe of Zimbabwe was staying at our hotel. Hopefully he was not there to offer Thailand economic advice.

Day Three, Wednesday, February 26th

Full breakfast buffet at the hotel included. After breakfast we met with Pan in the Grand Circle Briefing Room. The session began with Pan distributing beautiful strings of fresh flowers. We were informed that our scheduled tour for the Royal Palace had to be rescheduled because the King and Queen of Sweden were visiting the palace that day. We substituted the optional $13 tour planned for Friday (Gold Buddha, Flower Market and Reclining Buddha). The tour bus assigned to us was quite pleasant, but obviously was not constructed for passengers over six feet tall. After a few bumped heads on the ceiling we managed to adjust. As we began our day’s expedition, it became quite evident that Bangkok had many modern buildings and interchanges.

Our first destination was the Golden Buddha Temple. In Thailand, a temple, or wat, is not a single building but a complex of buildings. Monks with yellow garbs were everywhere.

Among the temple buildings was a little worship altar where the faithful could purchase strips of gilded paper to stick onto a Buddha image. The smell of burning incense filled the air where homage was being made. The gilded stickers and incense were used to bring good fortune.

The larger temple building in front of us housed the biggest gold statue of Buddha in the world, made of 5.5 tons of solid gold. Before leaving the complex, Pan showed us where a funeral was being planned. He explained that the deceased person is placed into an elaborate coffin surrounded by flowers. After the funeral the body is cremated and placed into an urn to be saved or scattered, depending upon individual preferences. Next door was a display of broken stucco that had encased the Golden Buddha. The statue had been covered until it cracked open by accident during its transfer to the temple. At a shop there young ladies sold postcards and silk prints. I succumbed to the temptation to support the local economy and bought an attractive silk print depicting a traditional Thai legend Ramayana.

Our second objective was the Wholesale Flower Market. Our route took us through China Town with its many market stalls along the street. Our destination was along the river where we disembarked from our bus. A large ferry boat passed under a nearby bridge. On my last trip to Bangkok we visited the floating marketplace, but this time we walked through busy shops along the shore. As we strolled among the vendors, Pan explained what each was selling. The larger portion of shops were selling flowers, some of them strung together into beautiful arrangements. Nearby fish vendors scaled fish.


Pan had us sample baked bananas and fried crab. At one stop he explained how Thai food dishes were prepared and seasoned. Across the street where our bus was parked, school girls in matching uniforms were chatting on their cell phones.

Next on the agenda was the famous Declining Buddha at Wat Po. As we soaked in the beautiful temple grounds and an attractive fountain, the ubiquitous Japanese tourists were taking pictures of each other. This temple was popular with the locals who came to make offerings and burn incense at the altars.

As required by Thai tradition, we took off our shoes and entered to view the massive gold-leafed image -- 160 feet long and 40 feet high. The size made it difficult to video, but I managed a shot of the smiling face and the huge feet.



The temple here is one of the oldest in Thailand, and it was here that traditional Thai massage was started. At this historic spot there were people who offered to give personal demonstrations of massages. New Hampshire Bill seemed to enjoy his massage. The manipulations were very relaxing and merited a tip. Numerous buildings in the Wat Po complex were worthy of taping. As we were being driven back to the hotel, we passed large portraits of the King and Queen of Sweden and a number of Swedish flags that had been set out to honor the visiting royalty.

Back at the hotel we had free time until 6 p.m. when we were to gather at the Grand Circle briefing room for a presentation on Thai language, culture and festivals. Following the lesson we were treated to a welcome drink of sweet tea and dinner at the hotel Taksina Room. The menu included bean curd soup, crab cakes,vegetables in oyster sauce and chilled water crest.

Attractive young ladies in costumes performed dances that told a Thai legend dating back to Rama V.


Day Four, Thursday, February 27th

Full breakfast buffet at the hotel included. We originally had been scheduled to visit the Ayuthaya ancient capital today, but the visiting royal guests had similar plans -- so we changed our itinerary again to defer to royalty. We moved up our $25 optional tour for the Bridge over the River Kwai. (Back home everyone pronounces Kwai with a long “I” sound, but here it was called Kwai with a long “A” sound. Whatever.) The morning was warm and humid as we left Le Meridien President. Along the highway en route we encountering large buildings that had been under construction only to be left as deserted shells. Pan explained that they had been started in the booming prosperity of the early 1990s and fell victim to the declining economy of the mid 1990s.

We arrived at the “death railway” depot early, enabling us to explore the nearby market of Meuang Kan (or just Kan) while we waited. One market stall was especially interesting. Here a lady was cooking with a large iron grill with circular recessed holes. She poured white coconut milk into the spaces and added ingredients to make an egg shaped dish Pan purchased some and distributed them so we could all have a taste. As always, Pan gave a helpful commentary at the various food stalls. We visited a number of market stalls which included markets for fresh meat and fish. One shop even had live turtles for sale.

At the end of the street I captured a loaded sugar cane truck rumbling along the roadway. When our time expired, we headed back to the train depot where we were met by vendors selling Bridge on the River Kwai T-shirts, Needless to say, we contributed to the local economy.

The noisy locomotive announced its arrival and I was able to video the train as it pulled into the station. (Calise Lopez is on the platform walking toward me) The track was called “the death railway” because so many allied prisoners of war had died in the construction of the Japanese rail system connecting Thailand to Burma (now Myanmar) for movement of war supplies .

The experiences of the POWs was chronicled by Pierre Boulle in his book The Bridge on the River Kwai and popularized by the movie of the same name.



The historic transportation system over the River Kwai took the lives of over 100,00 people due to malnutrition and illness. The rickety train ride took us along rice paddies, sugar cane, and, of course, Buddha shrines. Our Grand Circle bus was waiting to take us to the nearby Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. The grounds here were well watered and in wonderful shape.

The neat rows of grave markers on the right side were for Brits and those on the immediate left were for the Dutch. The Thai government has numerous workers to keep up the law and flowers, as well as to polish the 6,982 grave markers. We then proceeded to the less visited Chung Kai Cemetery where more Dutch, British and Australian soldiers were buried. Pan pointed out that to our left one can still see the lines of what had been a constructed moat.





We strolled down to the waterfront where we would board a large raft on the River Kwai or Mae Nam Khwae Noi. The mountain in the background drew our attention to hardships of railroad construction that had to be faced in the Burma terrain.

Before boarding the raft, Pan drew our attention to large Jackfruit hanging from a tree.

Our rectangular raft was covered and quite large. A small boat was used to pull us along the river as we ate a scrumptious Thai buffet lunch. Then we sat back and soaked in the scenery, watched cattle drinking on the shoreline and young boys swimming. A woman paddling a small boat on the river made it seem like we had stepped back into time. Then off in the distance was the famous bridge.

In 1945 the bridge was bombed several times and was rebuilt only after the war. The curved portions of the bridge are original. The first version of the bridge completed in February, 1943, was all wood. That bridge (no longer in existence) was built just in front of the steel bridge which was constructed in April of the same year. Passing under the bridge we then climbed up an embankment to walk on the railroad bridge. The engines used during WW II are prominently on display. I concentrated on the original makeshift engine which was a converted truck adapted to rail travel.

Next stop was to the Jeath War Museum next to Wat Chaichumphon or Wat Tai. A Thai monk who devoted much time collecting items and promoting the museum has erected a replica of the bamboo-
atap huts used to house Allied POWs during the occupation. The long huts contain various photo--
graphs taken during the war, drawings and paintings by POWs, maps, weapons and other memorabilia. The acronym JEATH represents the meeting of Japan, England, Australia/America, Thailand and Holland at Kanchanaburi during WW II.

Day Five, Friday, February 28th

Full breakfast buffet at the hotel included. I taped the dinning area where we enjoyed our daily morning fare. Today we were going to partake an included tour to Ayuthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand. As we left the hotel I taped the scenic grounds around the entrance. As soon as the bus turned out of the hotel we could view an elaborate Hindu shine (that I will later explore at great length). We made our way down to the the river front of Chao Phraya River. We waited for the arrival of the River King for our morning long cruise.

We had all of the left side of the ship for Grand Circle use. The entire voyage provided great scenery, both urban and rural. Once again we saw the shell of buildings left unfinished that marked the transition of the economy in 1995-96. We came to appreciate the economic value of the river to the economy after seeing long strings of barges being towed all along the river.

A working family lived at the end of each barge. I managed to catch one barge man giving himself a shower. We were treated to a cup of tea and banana on the boat to tide us over to lunch. Before noon we lined up for a wide assortment of Chinese and Thai delicacies served buffet style.

After our cruise ended, we climbed (or maneuvered) up steps to the upper level of our waiting tour bus. Immediately the scenery captured our attention.

We were driving through a stork refuge with large birds everywhere. Everyone scrambled to take pictures through the bus windows. Pan said the protection of these birds here all began with a Buddhist monk. As we continued our drive, we were confronted with cattle ambling along on the roadway.

At last we reached the destination Bang Pa-in or the Summer Palace of King Rama V. All of us, in spite of the heat, opted to walk the grounds rather than rent golf carts. A stoic guard maintained his composure as we took his picture. Pan explained the significance of a shrine situated under a huge old tree. The walk was really pleasant with everything well manicured in a romantic setting. Ahead was a gazebo off a beautiful pond from which tourist could toss bread to eagerly waiting fish in the water below.

The grounds contained a wide variety of architectural styles. Pan led the group through a Chinese-style Wehat Chamrun Palace, but I kept my shoes on and waited in the shade. I was more interested in the exotic flowers.

The topiary garden had bushes sculpted in the shape of a herd of elephants.

I thought the real highlight of the day was the ruins of Ayuthaya, the old Siamese capital from 1350 to 1767. Fortunately we had good bus drivers, who on many occasions went out of their way to maximize the opportunities.







We drove all around the ancient ruins before stopping to explore. This helped us to visualize what been a splendid city in Thailand’s golden age. This was the apex of a kingdom which extended well into present day Laos, Cambodia and Burma, with a dynastic endurance over 400 years before it was captured by the Burmese. The population of the city had reached a million. Today, ruins of magnificent structures cover the park-like landscape.

The bus finally parked and we walked towards a temple and the major ruins. Along the path we were sidetracked by a craftsman who was creating artwork from animal skins. Bill, Paul and Randy moved in as Pan explained the procedure behind the art work. A little further on, a vendor was selling less sophisticated artwork -- “grasshoppers with a message,” for a very low price. There were takers.

Pan pointed out the Temple or Wat Mongkhon Bophit which contains one of Thailand’s largest Buddha images, a 15th century bronze casting. The present sanctuary was built in 1956.

Moving along we came to the ultimate ruin, the Wat Phra Si sanphet, which was the largest temple in Ayuthaya in its time and was used as the royal temple/palace for several kings. Built in the 14th century, the compound once contained a large Buddha covered with 250 kg of gold, which was melted down by the Burmese conquerors. Pan paid the required 30B admission charge. Tourists were allowed to climb up on the ruins and climb they did.
We left the historic district island by crossing the Mae Nam Pa Sak and headed southward toward Bangkok.

Our bus driver suddenly pulled over to the side of the road so we could talk with a roadside vendor selling rats. Pan held up a couple of rats by the tail for us to see. He said that when he was young he used to catch them and that they really taste good.

As the bus approached the city of Bangkok, we saw many modern buildings and infrastructure that was evidence of affluence. We also saw the humble makeshift homes and crowded high-rise of the less fortunate.





Day Six, Saturday, March 1st

Full breakfast buffet at the hotel included. Today’s agenda featured the included tour of the Royal Grand Palace. We entered through the main entrance of the palace grounds.





The 945,000 sq. meter grounds were consecrated in 1782, the first year of Bangkok rule. The complex encompasses more than 100 buildings that represent 200 years of royal history.

Phra Siratana Chedi (right), a golden pagoda. This particular site was popular for Japanese tourists who like to take pictures of each other. Group pictures took considerable time in order for everyone to have correct positions.

Large demon statues took a protective stance at a pavilion entrance.

Details of a gable of the Phra Mondop. Side view of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The official name of this temple is Wat Phra Si Ratana Sadaram.









This shrine in front of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha was a busy place, crowded with people making offerings to Buddha. Flowers and vegetables accumulated into piles and the scent of burning incense filled the air. Pan explained that offerings were not made inside the temple because the smoke would be harmful to the Emerald Buddha and other furnishings. He also added that the statue is not really emerald but green jade. The royal monastery is enclosed by galleries which are decorated with scenes depicting the Ramakian, the Thai version of the Indian epic Ramayana. Originally painted during Rama I’s reign (1782-1809), the murals have undergone several restorations including a major one in 1982. The Chakri Maha Prasat Hall completed in 1882 is now a reception hall for foreign dignitaries and state banquets. It was built by British architects who used a blend of Italian Renaissance and traditional Thai architecture. The palace guards stationed here are dressed in white and are often the subject of photographers. As we returned to the bus we were besieged by young energetic vendors pushing their wares. On the bus Pan continued his narration as I zoomed in on the Buddha image by the dashboard that our driver had placed to bring good luck.

Back at the hotel, I crossed the street to investigate the Hindu shine on the corner. The shrine was teeming with activity as Hindu worshippers brought offerings and gave prayers. What struck me most was the business booth where transaction were made for employing dancers. Charts listed the amounts paid for minutes of performances that were to bring luck and good fortune. The dancers wore beautiful costumes and danced gracefully to the music.



Day Seven, Sunday, March 2nd

Full breakfast buffet at the hotel included. A coalition of the willing met before breakfast to venture out for a ride to Lumphini Park (map) to discover the art of Tai Chi aerobic exercises. The early morning air was so misty that my camcorder would not work. All I could get was a flashing “due warning.” and a section of messed up tape. The GCT group did do exercises in the park.

Our major activity of the day was just reaching the northern province of Chiang Rai (very top of map by Myanmar). We bid good bye to our bus driver at the Thai Domestic Airport where we boarded flight TG 140 our Thai Airline jet, which departed 2:15 p.m. more or less. We had eaten lunch at the airport on our own, but the stewardess served beverages on the flight.

At Chiang Rai we met our new bus driver who would serve us at both Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai the
following week.

Scenery was nice along the highway.

When we arrived at the Dusit Island Hotel we were greeted by a friendly hostess and a welcome drink. The hotel was really quite nice and comfortable. My room was spacious and included both a separate bath and a shower. I also videoed the spacious lobby area and the outside of the hotel at night.
After we settled in, Pan gave us a briefing in the Doi Kam or Doi Tong Room. We ended up in the lounge area where a lovely lady played a traditional Thai musical instrument. Pan interacted with the music by dancing and singing a Thai song. Our delicious dinner at the hotel was a combination of Thai and Chinese food that consisted of fish, chicken curry and fresh fruit.

Day Eight, Monday, March 3rd 

Our day started before breakfast with a tour of the Chiang Rai market where mountain tribes had arrived early to sell food stuff. When we arrived it was still dark. All kinds of items were sold by the hill tribe people, even little sparrows packed into small bird cages. After our market tour, the bus took us back to our hotel where I taped the entrance. Breakfast offerings were comprehensive and the coffee lounge area had atmosphere. The view through the large glass windows overlooked the well kept grounds. Stepping outside from the coffee lounge, I took shots of the River Mae Nam, the swimming pool and hotel terraces. A long-tail boat then pulled into the docking area at the nearby landing.

We departed from our island to tour the city of Chiang Rai and to visit a hill tribe museum with the private collection of Baan Oub Kam used by former royalty. At the museum entrance we met the owner and sat down to watch a quaint dance performance. Tea refreshments were offered to us before we walked around the three small buildings that housed the collections.

Close by was the Wat Phra Kaew where the Emerald Buddha had originally been situated before being moved to Bangkok. A replica image was made in 1990 for this site out of Canadian jade. This replica, carved by a Chinese artist, was named the Phra Yok Chiang Rai and is housed in the impressive Haw Phra Kaew near the back of the compound.

Pan suggested we spend the rest of the afternoon boating on the River Mae Nam. We organized ourselves into groups of five or six and shared the cost of hiring long tail boats. Our group of five each paid 200B ($5US) for a total of 1000B. I took a number of shots of scenery along the river as we headed towards Ban Ruammit. We stopped at a village to help the local economy before heading back to the hotel landing site.




Dinner tonight would be different. We were going out for cooking lessons with the preparation of dinner up to us. We boarded the bus for a fun evening. Our host had the ingredients ready for us and explained what each of them were. Volunteers, one from each table, took their positions at a long table to prepare the dishes for their respective tables. Our chef was Norma Johannsen who graciously consented to represent us who were more timid. One course of the meal was prepared at a time, followed by a dance, and then served to the tables. The finished products, all Northern Thai recipes, were Somtam/Papaya Salad, Hot and Sour Chicken Soup, and Stir Fried Noodles. Good natured Norma did an admirable job and we ate well that night.


Day Nine, Tuesday, March 4th

Full breakfast buffet at the hotel included. Today we had many events planned for a day at the Golden Triangle. Our bus took us to Mae Sai (map) at the border of Myanmar (Burma). As we headed to this northernmost city of Thailand we passed along rice fields and strawberry patches. A multitude of stands had boxes of strawberries and strawberry wine for sale. In Mae Sai our bus was parked at walking distance to the border.

A policeman was stationed near a large Myanmar sign positioned over the custom office building. We crossed over a river that served as the border between the two countries.

 Grand Circle had arranged for 31 Samlor (Trishaw) and drivers to be waiting to give us a tour of the city.

Quarters were tight, but adequate. The overhead cover protected us well from the hot sun. Our long caravan peddled through the city, taking us to a Burmese village. Local vendors plied their wares as Pan explained village life here.







The villagers had looms in their homes and Pan proceeded to demonstrate to us how they operated. I took a video of the village street that we were to traverse. Pan showed us some interiors of the homes.

When we returned to our respective tricycles, I took a shot of my taxi driver, number 61 by a temple we visited. We were given time to shop in the city and visit the market place. I stopped at a woodcraft shop where I purchased an inexpensive woodcarving of elephants.

We crossed over back into Thailand to drive past rice fields to the actual point of the Golden Triangle. The bus was pulled over where an elephant stood along the bank of the Nam Ruak River. Burma was on the other side of the river, a river that emptied into the Mekong River bordering Laos. The name Golden Triangle is often associated with the opium trade which had flourished here. We toured the local Opium Museum with its display of various opium paraphernalia.

Our next adventure would be to board E-Tains (local farm trucks) that seated ten passengers in the truck bed. As we headed up into hill country on gravel roads we had a nice view out the back of the truck. Our destination was LaValee where we would have lunch outdoors along bamboo tables. The lunch consisted of roasted chicken held together with bamboo strips, rice, noodles wrapped in banana leaves and cooked bamboo shoot strips. For dessert we had mango and crepes. After we reloaded back into our trucks, the hostess of LaValee bid us farewell.

Back on the waterfront, we boarded a ferry boat that would take us along the Mekong River and then over to Laos. This river trip afforded us nice views of Burma and Laos with fishermen and children swimming along the shore line. Our stop in the Peoples Republic of Laos was at the Island of Don Sao where the flag of Laos was displayed (right).

Photo of Laos to the right. As recommended by Pan, we had letters postmarked or passports stamped at the post office. Many of us took advantage of this opportunity. I purchased a can of beer brewed in Laos to bring back home. Outside the store were two young ladies carrying baskets. Since I was in the buying mode, I also picked up a colorful puppet for 150B. When our allotted time expired, we headed back to the waiting ferry boat. Two little boys watched us cast off. Just off the dock men were working to shore up the waterfront from erosion.

Back on the Mekong River we had a nice view of Burma in the background. At the docking area of Thailand a little girl waited to have her picture taken (for tips) by a Golden Triangle sign.

Our day wasn’t over,yet. Our return trip on the highway along the Mekong River to Chiang Ria took us to the city Chiang Saen.

Scattered through the town were the ruins of the Chiang Saen kingdom, a Lanna principality founded in 1328 by King Mengrai’s nephew. Wat Pa Sak Wat  is to the right.

We saw many ruins and the ancient walls, but we concerned ourselves primarily with Wat Chedi Luang, the pagoda where Pan had the bus park.

All of us were ready for a rest at the hotel after a long and successful day.







Day Ten, Wednesday, March 5th

Full breakfast buffet at the hotel included. Our agenda of the day included the optional ($24) tour to Doi Mae Salong (map). In order for us to visit three mountain tribes at an elevation that reaches 4,000 feet above sea level, our driver had to leave us off at an embarkation point where we transferred to a fleet of green trucks to make the ascent. This mode of transportation was considerably more comfortable than the E-Tain used the day before. We sat six in the back with one seated up front with the driver. The changing scenery showed clearly that we were climbing steadily up into mountain country. At one point our trucks pulled to the side of the road so we could take photos of water buffalo.

We soon reached our first village, that of the Aka. This hill tribe lived in thatched houses built along the hill side. Pan introduced us to an old lady with black teeth (who evidently had chewed betel-nut). Some of the villagers were busy putting together thatches for their homes. All of them wore traditional hill tribe garb. We walked along shops with Pan stopping to cut up a ginger root for us to taste. At the end of the village we met a woodcarver cutting out an elephant and a woman sitting against a building nursing her child.








The second village we visited was populated with ethic Chinese descendants of the KMT, the Nationalist Army regiment that had taken refuge in Thailand almost fifty years ago when Communist forces won the civil war in mainland China. The Thai government had assisted these people to cultivate tea as a livelihood.

We were invited to a tea tasting session of their special OoLong tea. On the counter was a bowl of white worms that were used to flavor the tea. Also available were bottled drinks flavored with snakes and large insects. At a nearby booth children were playing and giggling like typical children. Below the shops was a massive tea plantation and workers in the field. These hardworking Chinese had succeeded in establishing a viable economy here.


We had lunch at a well kept Chinese resort that served Yunan cuisine prepared from fresh vegetables and livestock. Paul and Norma appeared to enjoy the tasty dishes. After lunch we walked through a small photo gallery that had pictures that were taken of the Nationalist Army from which these people had their roots.

The third village we visited were hill tribe people of Chinese/Tibet origin. One of the old women here was smoking an old traditional pipe. Farm animals like chickens and pigs helped create a rustic setting. After helping the local economy, we boarded our green trucks. Once back to our waiting bus we tipped our truck drivers and were on the way home.


Grand Circle had made special arrangements for us with a Northern Thai family to host a home dinner at their private home (called Baan Dokman). The neighborhood was quite nice. The owner, his wife, daughter and two servants greeted us with a welcome drink served in silver bowls. We toured the upper level of the home where the family lived. Beautiful wood furniture. Nice flowers in the yard. We ate on the lower level where tables had been set.

Day Eleven, Thursday, March 6th

Full breakfast buffet at the hotel included. At 8:30 a.m. we left our hotel for the 3 1/2 hour drive from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mia (map). Our driver pulled over near a stand where a young lady was selling sugar cane pieces filled with cooked flavored rice. Pan bought some and demonstrated on the bus how the cane was stripped like a banana to reveal the core of cooked rice. He passed some around the bus for us to sample. Another unexpected stop, and quite a treat, was a school. Teachers came out to meet us as did some children. The teachers had been trained in a two year program. We entered a classroom where we visited with the children. Children learned mainly by rote and independent thinking was not stressed. The school was soon to recess for a three month vacation, April, May and June. The cost for schooling and for uniforms are paid for by the government. They had a hot lunch program in the “canteen,” which naturally included a rice dish.






Along the highway farmers were growing rice, so important to the food supply in Thailand. The bus made a stop so we could “take care of the flowers and shoot rabbits”. This particular stop had natural hot springs behind the market place. It was quite interesting to see women selling eggs that could be dipped into the hot water to harden.

When we reached our hotel, the Amity Green Hills, we couldn’t believe the friendly reception that greeted us. The staff started waving even before the bus was parked. The welcome drink was augmented by the entire staff singing “You Are My Sunshine” in front of a banner that read “Welcome Home Grand Circle.” That was just the beginning of the friendly hospitality we would experience at Amity Green Hills. Our rooms were quite nice, too. And, on the table in each room was a nice plate of fresh fruit.




I explored the hotel before dinner. The lobby area was cheerful and spacious. Off to one side Stephanie and Ann were already busy making flower patterns. Grand Circle Travel had its own exclusive lounge where one could play cards, read the newspaper or watch television. Our included international buffet in the dinning area was satisfying with a wide variety of dishes.

We departed by bus for a waking tour of the popular Chiang Mai Night Market.

The shopping street was literally teeming with people. Prices were not fixed. A good number of the vendors walking around touting their wares were from the Aka tribe. Bill bought one of their distinctive traditional hats and hammed it up for the camera.


Day Twelve, Friday, March 7th

Full breakfast buffet at the hotel included. The day featured an included tour of the Old City (map).As we left the hotel a street vendor walked by selling locally made brooms. Just as we approached the old city we stopped for a light. Policemen were waiting here to catch unsuspecting law violators as they rounded the blind corner. Sure enough, as we watched, they nabbed a cyclist who had a passenger not wearing a helmet. They also stopped another car because the passenger in the front seat was not wearing a seat belt. Both faced stiff fines.

We drove around the old city and viewed the remaining stone walls and corner defensive works.

The moats had fountains in them spraying water into the air.

Our main objective, of course, was the temple Wat Phra Singh. In front of the temple was a statue of a prominent monk. As elsewhere, serpent dragons defended the entrance.

Also common around temples are vendors selling little sparrows in cages. Pan pointed out the swan structures on the roof of the assembly hall. (Japanese tourists were taking pictures of each other.) After viewing the Buddha image, Pan came back to the topic of the sparrows being sold by vendors. He said they are caught with aid of decoys who attract them. They are not afraid of people and come right up to you and are easily captured. Each cage contains up to five birds. To free them you pay anywhere from 50B to 100B. When the cage is unfastened they flee. These particular sparrows fly back to the rice fields. The reason you are supposed to free them is to bring good fortune and a long life.

This temple complex had two funeral parlors (like the one we saw in Bangkok). The deceased is placed in a temporary expensive ornate coffin which is surrounded with flowers and photos. The man in the photos here was 59 years old when he died. Later his body will be cremated. Pan burned incense for the man. The funeral of the woman in the next building was 69 years old. All the photos of her displayed were taken when she was young. Tables were set up outside to fed the guests for the duration of the funeral.

Just before noon we stopped at the local market to pick up something for a snack. We looked over a meat shop where monks came to buy meat. Pan said they may buy meat someone else has killed, but may not kill animals themselves. He noted that some monks do not even do gardening lest their hoe kill a worm in the soil. A myriad of vegetables were offered for sale and Pan seemed to know the names and uses of all of them. One lady was slicing up jackfruit (Pan bought some to distribute on the bus). Another shop offered fried chicken feet. On the way home Bill passed out pieces of sausage he had purchased. I thought it a little spicy. In my hotel room I made a lunch out of an orange (5B) and some bananas (15B) which cost about 50 cents altogether.

Around 7 p.m. we set off for a Benjarong Kan Toke dinner, which means you sit on the floor, Northern Thai fashion, at a low table, and are served dinner in small bowls. The Lanna style dinning area was open and quite large, with tables around a central stage area. We were welcomed by the staff. For openers we had fried bananas to go with our Singha (ha ha) beer. Musicians played as trays of food were served. I videoed a table of Grand Circle people.

The dances were very enjoyable and each one was distinctive: Fingernail Dance, Sabudchaie Drum Performance,Candle Light Dance, Coconut Dance, Hill Tribe Dance, Seungkapo Dance, Sword Dance, and the Tea Leaves Picking Dance. The program closed with an audience participation dance, in which Hugh and Paul displayed great agility. Still the show wasn’t over. When we were on the bus, Stephanie and Ann pointed to fireworks going off in the yard outside their window.





Day Thirteen, Saturday, March 8th

Full breakfast buffet at the hotel included. Early in the morning (8 a.m.) we tackled an ambitious schedule of industrial sites in an optional ($15) tour. We were going to see how the various handicrafts were made. We came to believe Pan when he said 90% of all handicrafts sold in Thailand are made in Chiang Mai. The industrial streets of Chiang Mai are actually on the west side of the city, but we started out eastward, then southward around the city and finally westward on Thanon Charoen Muang.

Stop one was at the Bronze House where we were given an orientation on the bronze industry, how bronze (tin and copper) is melted, poured into molds, refined with grinding wheels and then polished. After watching workmen in the factory area, we brandished our credit cards and headed into the massive showroom.

Stop two: Pianusol , a family business in the fabric industry. The demonstrations here were really interesting. We saw the silk worms and their cocoons. Then we watched as the cocoons were heated in water, where stands were singled out and unwound onto a wheel. This was followed by a weaving machine operation. Then we headed into the large show room to shop.

Stop three was the Louis Silver Factory (and also aluminum). We were fascinated by the time consuming work of craftsmen as they turned sheets of metal into intricate works of art.

Stop four: Umbrella Making Center in Bo Sang specialized in silk and paper umbrellas that provide shade from the sun, not umbrellas for rain protection. The construction process started with making hubs and handles from bamboo or wood. The hubs are carved from blocks of wood on a spinning spit, much like a lathe machine. The worker uses a knife to cut the desired depth on the spinning wood. The paper used for the umbrella screen is made from soaked, mashed fiber dried on frames in the sun. Ribs are made from bamboo strips.

The semifinished umbrellas are then painted. Visitors to the work area may have designs painted on their shirts, purses, whatever. I taped one artist using black paint on a T-shirt to create a beautiful pattern. The fee for this was only 50B, a little over a dollar. Umbrellas of all sizes and colors were available for sale in the show room.

Stop five: the Chiang Mai Sudaluck Co. with their world famous furniture. Exhibits of two large logs was our starting point, one 300 year old teak and the other 300 year old rosewood. Teak wood is very expensive because 60 years of growth is needed and then the cut wood needs 2-3 years to dry. To this add the cost of artistic hand carving.

I took numerous shots of skillful work persons chipping away at wood carvings. The showroom here was huge, but credit cards received a rest because of the tremendous shipping costs.

Stop six was at the Laitong Lacquer ware and Bamboo Products. Pan again led the orientation session. He started out by explaining the source of lacquer from lacquer trees. Black gum extract is spread out over bamboo pieces to dry. The process is repeated until as many as ten layers have been applied. Pan also showed how the patterns are made during the process. Work room. We walked through rows of finished products in the showroom.

After resting up from our tour (some took a break in the hotel lounge), we headed out to the riverside for a puppet show sponsored by Grand Circle to employ young Thai students and to foster Thai culture. Pan gave us a helpful summary of the story that was to be featured in the puppet show. The students did a good job with their puppetry and after the show came off stage to introduce themselves and the puppet they had manipulated. I zeroed in on the children and the beautifully costumed puppets. Our candlelight dinner with Thai food was held outside along the river. Live music added to the romantic atmosphere.

Day Fourteen, Sunday, March 9th

Full breakfast buffet at the hotel included. We headed north to the Taeng Dao Elephant Training Center between Mae Taeng and Chiang Dao. Today elephants are no longer a work force or a weapon in the army, but they are still revered in Thai society and are a strong drawing card for tourists. Elephants enjoy a brief childhood with their mothers before they begin a training process between ages three to five years. Pan said being separated from the mother for training is very painful because of the strong emotional ties. The training takes five years and is often done as a father and son team. Elephants have a working career of fifty years before they are required by law to retire. They often live for eighty years or more.

Our first challenge at the center was tenderly crossing the river over a narrow swinging bridge. We were introduced to the elephants at the feeding area. Banana bunches could be purchased here so we could feed the animals who eagerly extended their trunks over the fence for the fruit. Some of us, like Hugh and Ann, could feel the vacuum like air suction on the hands while feeding these creatures.

The show began with a parade of elephants single file ambling into the river for a bath. They apparently enjoyed being scrubbed by their trainers and then joined in the process by using their trunks to shower themselves. The elephants exhibited their learned skills in handling logs -- carrying, pushing and stacking them.

The best part of the visit here was being able to ride these magnificent creatures through the forest, into a ravine, and then into the river. A camp employee borrowed the camcorder to tape Fred on his elephant. Stephanie and Ann looked like they had fun as their elephant descended down into the water. My mahout navigated his elephant by pushing his toes into the back of its ears. At the end of the journey we dismounted and looked for a place to shoot rabbits. A sign pointed to one for people and one for elephants.

The next activity was rafting down the river with the aid of a young raftsman. Sometimes just using a pole wasn’t enough for him to guide the raft along the Mae Taeng. When the raft hit the sandy river bottom it could become stuck and require the raft man to climb into the river and push the raft along. We did have one log jam, but managed to work free and head downstream again.


Some parts of the river had rapids to speed up our travel. At some points it seemed like we were drifting along through a theme park because of elephants standing along the shore. It also seemed strange to see enterprising vendors wade out to the rafts to sell us their wares. At the end of a rather long but enjoyable ride, we approached the docking area where the bus driver and Pan were waiting to assist us in getting off the raft. When we we were all back on the bus, Pan treated us to a Thai elephant song replete with animation.

Day Fifteen, Monday, March 10th

Full breakfast buffet at the hotel included. We departed at 8 a.m. for an included tour (map) for a lecture on the Buddhist religion at Mahachulalongkorn University named Wat Suandok A professional monk (Pan introduced him as Doctor) presented an overview of his religion stressing its middle path between fundamentalism and materialism. His presentation dealt with training in wisdom, morality and mental thought (through meditation). Some of the thoughts expressed echoed those of I Timothy 8:6 “Having food and raiment let us be therewith be content” and Philippians 4:8 “Think on these things” (that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good report, and virtue).

In the same complex we visited a large open temple built in 1383 and rebuilt in 1932. The wat contained a large 500 year old bronze buddha image. Just outside the temple I taped a monk walking in front of white-washed Lanna stupas. The large central stupa contained a Buddha relic (bone of Buddha) that supposedly self-multiplied. The story goes that one relic, a small piece of bone, was mounted on the back of an albino elephant to wander until it found a a site on the mountain for construction of another wat (our next destination).

We then drove up a winding mountain road to reach the Sudeva peak of Doi Suthep Mountain, the same journey taken by the white elephant. It was on this peak that the white elephant had died of exhaustion in 1383 and Wat Phra That Doi Suthep was constructed under King Keu Nadne. Pan said the site is considered very sacred and once a year in May, 20,000 to 30,000 pilgrims hike up the mountain to visit the shrine. Naturally the road is closed to vehicular traffic at that time.

At the entrance building there was a gate that led to 306 steps leading to the wat. Some of us less energetic people opted to take the tram (lift) to save energy. After exiting from the tram, I taped the dragon figures at the top of the Nava stairway. Next to the entrance/exit of the Phra Buddha Vihara was a bell tower being tolled for good fortune. Nearby a series of bells were lined up for the faithful.

Inside the quad and prominently in the center was an imposing gold covered pagoda that had been constructed on the site of the bone relic referred to earlier. The top portion was solid gold. On the platform surrounding the pagoda are four ornamental umbrellas, brightly gilded and adorned with filigree decorations.

At the Vihara I stepped inside to tape a monk scholar waiting to share his wisdom to others. To his right was a large smiling Buddha image. Continuing around the court yard I came to the Aon Muang Vihara. Here a family was offering lotus flowers and burning incense. This site also housed an emerald Buddha image that had been carved at the local Orchid Jade Factory. Originally this image had been given to the king as a gift, but he thought it so beautiful he donated it to the Wat Doi Suthep. I taped a map of the temple quad I had just visited, starting at the lower right and moving counter clockwise.

I now approached the bell tower for a closer look. Pan rang one of the bells here three times to bring good fortune, he said, to the Grand Circle Group. A Buddhist nun (in white) and a monk next rang the same bell.

From here I strolled over to the white elephant monument that commemorated the elephant who had chosen this spot for the temple.




The steps down the Naga stairway looked walkable, so I ventured downward. Youngsters coming up toward me started with exuberance, but needed to rest midway. A short distance from the stairway bottom, Hmong tribe people plied their wares.

Just outside the temple complex was the Orchid Jade Factory where we were cordially greeted with cold coke or tea. We walked through the showroom to reach an information room to view a video on jade. The wife of a gemologist introduced the video with a short talk in which she referred to Burma as having good quality jade (but not good government). In the workroom craftsmen were busy carving jade items from stones. Of course we ended up in the showroom with beautiful jade articles for sale. As we departed I taped Hmong children who were watching us. The trip down the winding mountain side was broken up with a stop for us to view a beautiful waterfall. Pan noted that this water ended up in the moat surrounding the Old City of Chiang Mai. Further on we caught a bird’s eye view of Chiang Mai through the trees.

Our included dinner tonight was at a private home rented by Grand Circle called Kom Chiang Tung. This home used to be the residence of a prince from Burma. The home had extensive use of teak wood imported from Burma over 70 years ago. Our evening meal here was enhanced by traditional music performed by young girls from a local school. The host bid us farewell as we boarded the bus for Amity Green Hills.


Day Sixteen, Tuesday, March 11th

Full breakfast buffet at the hotel included. Today we took our last optional tour, a tour to the cities of Lampang and Lamphun (map). We visited Lampung first, since it was only half an hour down the road from Chiang Mia. Lampung is one of the oldest cities in the region, founded as Hairpunchaii in the 7th or 8th century by the legendary Queen Chamadevi. As we pulled into the city I took a picture of a Welcome to Lampung sign.

We walked through the gate of Wat Phra That Hariphunchai to the ornate temple. To the right of the temple was the world’s largest bronze gong, hanging in a reddish pavilion. We shed our shoes for the umpteenth time and entered the temple where only a monk and a couple were visiting the Buddha image. The most important structure on the grounds was the tall stupa Chedi Suwan which dates to 1418. It was built on the site of a toilet (Pan told us how this toilet was accidentally constructed over a bone of Buddha and how birds tried to prevent its use). This pagoda is surmounted with a nine-tiered umbrella made with 6.5kg of pure gold.

Then I went back to the gong pavilion where Paul was testing the huge gong for sound (Pan warned us not to use the fist). I stepped outside the entrance to video a worker along the banks of the Nm Mae Kuang (map).


One of the big highlights of our trip was the Elephant Hospital where the ailing animals received unlimited care. It was really quite sad to see the state of some suffering elephants. I took a video of photos taken of a drug addicted elephant that had died from an overdose. She was working in the illegal logging industry along the Thai-Myanmar border when pumped full of amphetamines so she could work day and night. When concerned people found her she could not even stand (photo). To help support the costly work at the hospital T-shirts were being sold.

I was quite surprised to see the famous elephant Motala who had stepped on a land mine in the border area and shattered her left foot. The conservation group here (FAE) devised a plan to amputate her foot with the aim of eventually fitting a prosthetic limb. Around $1.000,000 US was raised for the operation. With help from a crane and enough anesthetic to knock out 70 people she was operated on. After a long painful recovery she was fitted with an artificial foot, but it didn’t work as planned. Today she stands as you see her with a bandaged stump. Other elephants have had a foot blown off by land mines. I taped two who were bathing their wounds in a medication solution. Photo (right) update 2009.





There was a little 6 day old baby elephant at the hospital being bottle fed because the mother could not fed her. She will have to be bottle fed and kept with mother at the hospital for more than a year. Very expensive. It was quite interesting to see how people working here, and Thai people in general, were emotionally attached to elephants and how emotionally attached elephants were to their mahouts. Mother elephants were extremely close to their offspring. I thought the following letter by an FAE employer in an obituary for a baby three year old elephant POOH-PAH conveyed these thoughts:

“I was informed of POOH-PAH’s sudden death on Saturday noon. I have not received the official report yet, but it seemed POOH-PAH had an acute pneumonia. I truly cannot utter a word and there would never be any adequate words to express how I feel for this great loss. Pung Auan, POOH-PAH’s mother, is very sad. I shall go there to comfort her myself after my visit to my cardiologist. My grievances unbound, Soraida Salwala”

Along the highway (Hwy. 11) we came to Thung Kwian Market which sells all manner of things like birds, puppies, pigs, bugs and even a few rare and endangered species. Pan said that once in a while the government has to crack down on them. After browsing around and shooting rabbits we set off down the highway. Nice forest scenery. We pulled off onto a side road and drove along fields with water buffalo.

We were to visit our very last temple -- Wat Phra That Luang, probably the most magnificent temple in Northern Thailand. The old walls surrounding the compound made it look like an formidable fortification.

The entranceway and steps were impressive, but Pan wanted us to go around to the back first to see the Crystal Buddha (with a green head) in the Phra Kaew House. The tall Lanna-style chedi behind the Wihan Luang was built in 1449 and restored in 1496.


Lunch was included today and our Grand Circle stop took us to a very nice location in Lampang called Wienglakor. Everything was quite open and the grounds delightful. Fortified with a fine meal, we were ready for a city tour in colorful horse carriages. Lampang is known throughout Thailand as Meuiang Rot Mah, the horse cart city. The city tour took us across the historic Wang River or Mae Wang. We were now ready for the long, but scenic filled, ride back to Chiang Mai.





Our last evening meal at the Amity Green Hills Hotel was one to remember, The hotel staff pinned flowers on us as we entered the dinning area around the large swimming pool. A tremendous variety of food was available. Chefs prepared meat to order. The lounge musicians played music for us. By the pool was a GCT ice sculpture that reflected on the water. The staff sang “God Bless America.” And since this was a “barbecue,” there was a good share of country westerns and audience participation. Good way to cap off a great stay in Chiang Mai. END OF TAPE HERE.


Day Seventeen, Wednesday, March 12th

Full breakfast buffet at the hotel included. We flew to Bangkok on Thai Air. Our lodging at the Sofitel Grand Plaza Hotel was conveniently located next to a shopping mall for those who wanted to “go out shopping”. The evening meal was called Norwegian, but we had a wide variety of everything, including sinful desserts.

Pan arranged early wake-up calls for the morning.




Day Eighteen, Thursday, March 13th

Continental breakfast was served at 2:15 a.m. so that we could leave the hotel at 3:00 a.m. for the Bangkok International Airport. Now was the time to say good bye to Pan, our most excellent English speaking tour guide. Six hour flight. We changed planes in Tokyo. After a lengthy wait in the 747 on the tarmac while repairs were made, we took off for Minneapolis, arriving at 12:30 p.m.

Thus ended a great tour,

Fred.