Koh Chang

After the crush of Bangkok, we wanted some beach time. So off we went to Lonely Beach, at the southern end of Koh Chang. We'd been told that there were treehouses you could stay in on the beach!! Sadly, our source was misinformed-- there is a beach community called The Treehouse... so we had to settle for one of those cool bungalows that look like huts.

Lonely Beach is pretty tiny, and there's not much to do, so it was beach and books for us. Gee, how trying! Swimming each day, lots of reading, fantastic food, and there was even a kitten to play with! The owners are a Thai woman and her German boyfriend. The Thai girl is still in Uni, and her boyfriend works in China, so they come down to check on the place a few times a month. They were exceptionally friendly, and the hostel's central area, a giant deck with a raised thatched roof, was a great place to hang out.

The only tough part was the shower. As hinted before, many Thai people prefer cold showers. The hair stylist I visited lectured me on the benefits of cold showers. So our hut didn't have a water heater, and we were shaded just enough that you had to wait til noonish for a shower. But since that was when we'd come back from swimming, it was actually perfect!

And for the first time, I got to sleep under a mosquito net that wasn't merely for decoration! Foolishly, we forewent the net the 2nd night, and I was eaten alive. But no malaria, so it's all ok.

Touristy

We hit the major tourist sites in Bangkok on our first day. The Imperial Palace has a beautiful mural of the Ramayana that was being touched up. Watching the painters delicately daub on the wall was strangely enjoyable. Photos of Thailand always show deep, lush colors. But I was struck by how most objects' colors seemed washed out. Not dingy, but worn. The humidity must ravage paint, so seeing the careful touch-up made me feel more appreciative of the efforts to preserve treasures.

Then it was off to Wat Pho, which houses the largest Buddha in the world- also known as the Reclining Buddha.



Wandering Bangkok, you are constantly stopped and chatted up by friendly people. That is, friendly, money-loving people. Their goal is to send you to "the lucky Buddha" which is only ever open one day of the whole year! And that day is today! Oh, are you going to Wat --? Didn't you know that's closed today? Why don't you go on this special tour? There's a tuk-tuk waiting right there to drive you! Dodging these people soon takes on video game qualities. But you can power up at any of the convenient food stalls!

Thailand!!

Instead of huddling around in the cold weather, Aaron and I took off for 16 days in glorious Thailand!! As expected, it totally rocked! For entertainment purposes only, let's do a bit of compare n contrast:




90% Buddhist, 90% Shinto, Japan is 99% Japanese. The Japanese like their baths boiling hot, their food cold, their temples earthtone, and their Emperor is no longer a god.

95% Buddhist, Thailand is 75% ethnic Thai. The Thai like their showers cold, their food damn hot n spicy, their temples ornate, and their King is so beloved he might as well be a god.

Christmas fun

Flashback to mid-December.

With a slew of Christmas concerts in town, foreigners were in hot demand to play Santa. Accordingly, Aaron guest starred as Santa at two parties for some young 'uns. Delighted to avoid being Mrs. Claus, I was happy to join up as a reindeer for one of his shows. We taught the kids how to handjive and play London Bridge. Not seasonal? I'm sure you're mistaken... Later that day we watched a joint concert between Wadayama JHS, SHS, and Ikuno SHS. Jim from Ikuno broke Aaron's Christmas monopoly, and entertained the audience as Santa. But even better than the boys playing Santa was Ishihara-sensei...

Japanese snowmen [yuki daruma] have 2 balls instead of 3. Sitting on the stage for most of the concert was a large Japanese-style snowman, with a gigantic orange cone for a nose and a floppy red hat. During a medley, red legs are revealed! The snowman rises and tries to dance. But due to mobility issues, the dancing was pretty much just bending her knees.... All of which added up to a giant chicken bobbing on the stage. Hooray for the Christmas Chicken!