We had initially thought that travel in Thailand would be difficult for English-only speakers. That just isn't the case anymore. In fact, we hear more English and German that Thai.
Thailand is a great experiment in tourism. For forty years, Thailand has grown and developed based upon it. Huge sections of land and coastline have been set aside as National Parks. Zillions of little operations have been set up to support tourism, including the street vendors, bus companies, and guest houses. It is still an experiment, but the government is very serious. Legal and illegal logging has been stopped. Crackdowns on animal poaching are ongoing. Thailand was once a major source of opium for the world, but that has been largely halted. The economy and way of life for people has undergone a major transformation, and is not yet complete. But the Kingdom is continuing forward.
One example of the effect of rapid change is the elephants. Just a decade ago, thousands of elephants were employed in the logging industry. That has been stopped, and the elephants (which were bred in captivity and trained to work) have nothing to do. The mahouts (owners) of the elephants are in a very difficult position. It is very expensive to keep an elephant, and they have a very long lifetime, but there is no economic way to support them. Elephants are revered here, appearing on the currency and many signs and product labels. We read about (but didn't see) mahouts taking their elephants into downtown Bangkok and selling bags of peanuts to tourists to feed to the elephants. This is an example of the impact of rapid change, and one item that is not yet sorted out.
Most travelers to Thailand do not come to cover the whole country and see all of the sites. Instead it is a place to relax. People slowly roam around, staying in one spot as long as they like, and then drifting along to the next. Many stay longer than they originally planned. Most go to the south for a tropical beach vacation. Few seem to really care what country they are in, with little interest in learning local customs. There aren't any cultural centers in the south. A smaller number of people go north for trekking and to experience Thailand a bit more. The north has several cultural centers, as well as treks to visit Hill Tribes. Folks going to the north seem to have far more interest in Thailand itself, not just a tropical paradise vacation, and there are plenty of ways to experience it. There are also all of other tourist attractions: elephant rides, river rafting, etc.
Thailand is a simple place to go on a vacation of many weeks or months. The prices are very low. For just $10 a day, two people can eat well and stay at a bungalow or guesthouse. This will mean sharing bathroom facilities, and eating from open-air restaurants and street vendors. That style is working great for us but might not be for everyone. However, to stay at air-conditioned places and eat at proper restaurants, you still can have a great bargain. Allow $20 a night for the guesthouse and $10 for food for two and you will be quite comfortable. Except for drinks --expect to pay the same for a beer or drink here as you would in the states! That certainly cut down on my beer drinking!
Prices of transportation make little sense. Very long distances (1000km) can be traveled in comfortable air-conditioned buses for just $10-12, or double that for a comfortable train. (This isn't Japan or Germany --don't expect everything to run on time.) However, short local travel can be relatively expensive --it may cost a couple of dollars just to ride in the back of a pickup truck for a couple of miles. Inexpensive local travel does exist in most of the larger cities, but the bus schedules and routes are not discernable except for locals, so you instead rely on the so-called taxis.
Thailand is a safe country. There are the usual scams, but nothing too threatening. It is certainly safer than the US. The scams include overpriced low-quality gems, or touts that "help" you to find hotels or shops, and are receiving a kickback. They are easy to spot and avoid, and are much less annoying than in other places such as India. There is little bodily injury threat except for the transportation. Thai driving, while slow speed, is a bit reckless and accidents are common. Also many tourists rent small motorbikes, and minor accidents with them are quite common.
Health worries are real, but generally avoidable. The big scares are not really too bad --for example there is no malaria in any of the large cities or any of south Thailand. If traveling to the north, then you need to take medication (Lariam). The water is not safe to drink, but there are vendors selling bottled water on every street corner. Guidebooks say to be careful with food from street vendors, but most street vendors are quite good. You just need to look and make sure they are keeping the ingredients on ice, and using good sanitation in the food handling. Most are, and the different treats are quite fun to sample.
However, the temperature and humidity is a great environment for germs. Infection or fungus is pretty common, and you don't want to let anything get started. Expect to get a rash or two, and diarrhea once in a while. Be very quick to treat any infection --just dab some 3 in 1 ointment like Neosporin on any simple abrasion or rash you notice, and that is all it takes.
Regardless of health precautions, there still are risks. It is worth reading through the US Center for Disease Control website to be informed. (the link is on our Links page).
All in all, I don't understand why there are so few Americans here. Perhaps one percent of the tourists are Americans. Maybe less. We've ask if it is just since September 11, but it isn't. Americans just haven't discovered Thailand yet. Pity. The Thailand Office of Tourism describes it pretty accurately: "Amazing Thailand".
Monday, March 18, 2002
Sunday, March 17, 2002
Koh Tao
Rod spent a while researching the best place to learn to scuba dive. There are many world-class dive sites in Thailand, but many of the sights are deeper than beginners will go. So after searching based on beauty, water depth, dive centers, PADI certification and price, we headed off to Koh Tao. Here's a good description of the place: http://www.archipelago.nu/SKARGARD/ENGELSKA/THAILAND/koh_tao.htm
It turns out that many other people must use the same criteria. Koh Tao is a small island --just a couple of miles long --but more people learn to scuba dive there than anywhere else in the entire world. Several percent of the total worldwide PADI certifications are done in Koh Tao.
The entire island is based on diving. Many of the bungalows are owned by dive shops and the pricing is simple --free if you are diving and not available otherwise.
We signed up with Big Blue, the second largest operation on the island. www.bigbluediving.com . They start several courses every day, have several dive sites, and are quite flexible. We also signed up because of Paul! Paul is an instructor who is temporarily out of the water with a health problem, and is stuck in the Big Blue office in Kampong. We met him there, and figured that if the other instructors were as good as Paul, we were in great shape.
Our class started with seven people. One failed the medical check the first day (history of asthma), and two others dropped quickly due to the work load (there is a lot of reading, study, and exams). Most everyone stayed together however, and snorkeled on the surface while the others went diving.
Big Blue is an interesting operation. They are big, and it shows. At first you feel a bit like a number getting processed. However that doesn't last long, and soon the size has advantages. For example, there are enough enthusiastic instructors that when someone falls behind, private arrangements are made to help them out. There is an amazing amount of logistics getting everyone fitted properly, assigned to the right boats, tanks filled, etc. And yet Big Blue was also quite flexible, to handle changes. It seemed to always be right on the edge of chaos, but never quite spinning out of control. A great group of people.
Our instructor was Keith. Hi Keith! He is highly experienced (was that 200 dives?), and very easy going. He was quite helpful. Sometimes you got the feeling that he was a bit laid back ("Oh, that will work out okay tomorrow."), but he always seemed to get things figured out behind the scenes and keep it moving.
The diving was not particularly good. The visibility of the water was poor --often under 5 meters. Of the four dives for the Open Water Scuba certification, only one was really great. The visibility was just good enough that with Keith knowing the way very well, he was able to take us to see lots of cools stuff: rays, parrot fish, butterfly fish, brain coral, lettuce coral, stag horn coral, and a zillion other fish I didn't know.
We stayed on the island one extra day and went snorkeling on the far side. It turned out to be the clearest water we encountered and was wonderful. It was a bit ironic that we saw more when snorkeling that we had diving! The only problem was that Fran forgot to put sunscreen on the back of her legs, and got nasty sunburn. That was particularly annoying since we took pains to grease up before going in --we just forgot that her legs would be floating up there too! Oh well, eight ounces of Aloe Vera and a couple of days later she is doing fine.
Koh Tao is another example of the rapid development of tourism in Thailand. (Again there were few Americans --Thailand seems to be a vacation paradise that only Europeans know about.) Just a decade ago, there was essentially no tourism on the island, and the only residents were some coconut farmers. Today it has a paved street the length of the island, much of it with bungalows, shops and dive centers. An entire new street is being added next to the pier, with several blocks of buildings all at once. Where we stayed further north on the island, the sound of construction saws was constant.
The first bungalows were the usual bamboo huts, but the most recent construction is concrete base, tile floor, and wood panel sides. There are aluminum frame windows instead of just loose shutters. It is rapidly moving upscale. Near the dive centers is now a mix of less expensive (300-400 Baht, $8-$10) bungalows along with places several times more expensive. Unless you are staying with a dive package, accommodations are quite expensive by Thailand standards.
The pace of construction exceeds the learning curve of the locals. While wiring a building, one local was short on wire --no problem; instead of going within the walls around the room he just strung the wire directly through the room to the other side! You see water pipe that is dangling from one building through the air and along the ground going to the next building. It is also a bit scary to see people running backhoes and bulldozers when you know they hadn't even heard of one just a few years ago.
It is hard to imagine the pace of change for the locals, who lived in quiet family coconut plantations ten years ago and now are serving foreigners at restaurants, driving pickup trucks as taxis, hauling diving gear, or loading and unloading the beer and supplies from the boats. Unfortunately, the famous image of smiling Thais is not preserved in Koh Tao, or most of the other heavily touristed areas. You can view development as good, and see the economic progress of the people. Many now have electricity, running water, even a motorbike or TV. But you can't help but feel like they are instead quite downtrodden and unhappy. They work long and hard. They do not have the happy faces of the people we saw in the fishing village of Koh Lanta --well away from the tourists.
It turns out that many other people must use the same criteria. Koh Tao is a small island --just a couple of miles long --but more people learn to scuba dive there than anywhere else in the entire world. Several percent of the total worldwide PADI certifications are done in Koh Tao.
The entire island is based on diving. Many of the bungalows are owned by dive shops and the pricing is simple --free if you are diving and not available otherwise.
We signed up with Big Blue, the second largest operation on the island. www.bigbluediving.com . They start several courses every day, have several dive sites, and are quite flexible. We also signed up because of Paul! Paul is an instructor who is temporarily out of the water with a health problem, and is stuck in the Big Blue office in Kampong. We met him there, and figured that if the other instructors were as good as Paul, we were in great shape.
Our class started with seven people. One failed the medical check the first day (history of asthma), and two others dropped quickly due to the work load (there is a lot of reading, study, and exams). Most everyone stayed together however, and snorkeled on the surface while the others went diving.
Big Blue is an interesting operation. They are big, and it shows. At first you feel a bit like a number getting processed. However that doesn't last long, and soon the size has advantages. For example, there are enough enthusiastic instructors that when someone falls behind, private arrangements are made to help them out. There is an amazing amount of logistics getting everyone fitted properly, assigned to the right boats, tanks filled, etc. And yet Big Blue was also quite flexible, to handle changes. It seemed to always be right on the edge of chaos, but never quite spinning out of control. A great group of people.
Our instructor was Keith. Hi Keith! He is highly experienced (was that 200 dives?), and very easy going. He was quite helpful. Sometimes you got the feeling that he was a bit laid back ("Oh, that will work out okay tomorrow."), but he always seemed to get things figured out behind the scenes and keep it moving.
The diving was not particularly good. The visibility of the water was poor --often under 5 meters. Of the four dives for the Open Water Scuba certification, only one was really great. The visibility was just good enough that with Keith knowing the way very well, he was able to take us to see lots of cools stuff: rays, parrot fish, butterfly fish, brain coral, lettuce coral, stag horn coral, and a zillion other fish I didn't know.
We stayed on the island one extra day and went snorkeling on the far side. It turned out to be the clearest water we encountered and was wonderful. It was a bit ironic that we saw more when snorkeling that we had diving! The only problem was that Fran forgot to put sunscreen on the back of her legs, and got nasty sunburn. That was particularly annoying since we took pains to grease up before going in --we just forgot that her legs would be floating up there too! Oh well, eight ounces of Aloe Vera and a couple of days later she is doing fine.
Koh Tao is another example of the rapid development of tourism in Thailand. (Again there were few Americans --Thailand seems to be a vacation paradise that only Europeans know about.) Just a decade ago, there was essentially no tourism on the island, and the only residents were some coconut farmers. Today it has a paved street the length of the island, much of it with bungalows, shops and dive centers. An entire new street is being added next to the pier, with several blocks of buildings all at once. Where we stayed further north on the island, the sound of construction saws was constant.
The first bungalows were the usual bamboo huts, but the most recent construction is concrete base, tile floor, and wood panel sides. There are aluminum frame windows instead of just loose shutters. It is rapidly moving upscale. Near the dive centers is now a mix of less expensive (300-400 Baht, $8-$10) bungalows along with places several times more expensive. Unless you are staying with a dive package, accommodations are quite expensive by Thailand standards.
The pace of construction exceeds the learning curve of the locals. While wiring a building, one local was short on wire --no problem; instead of going within the walls around the room he just strung the wire directly through the room to the other side! You see water pipe that is dangling from one building through the air and along the ground going to the next building. It is also a bit scary to see people running backhoes and bulldozers when you know they hadn't even heard of one just a few years ago.
It is hard to imagine the pace of change for the locals, who lived in quiet family coconut plantations ten years ago and now are serving foreigners at restaurants, driving pickup trucks as taxis, hauling diving gear, or loading and unloading the beer and supplies from the boats. Unfortunately, the famous image of smiling Thais is not preserved in Koh Tao, or most of the other heavily touristed areas. You can view development as good, and see the economic progress of the people. Many now have electricity, running water, even a motorbike or TV. But you can't help but feel like they are instead quite downtrodden and unhappy. They work long and hard. They do not have the happy faces of the people we saw in the fishing village of Koh Lanta --well away from the tourists.
Saturday, March 16, 2002
Wat Suan Mokkh
We embarked upon this trip to grow and change, increasing our knowledge and satisfaction, helping to set the compass for the second half of our lives.
In Japan, we visited many temples and shrines, but it seems that the much of the religion is just that --the shrines and temples, and not particularly visible or important in the daily life. In Thailand, Buddhism is much more important. We wanted to experience it. After a quick search through the Internet, we found a monastery that accepts foreigners, teaches in English, and doesn't attempt to replace Judeo-Christian beliefs, but just adds to them. The ten-day retreat is held at the beginning of each month. We were off to the Wat Suan Mokkh.
The monk at the Buddhist temple Wat Suan Mokkh is an unusual Monk. He is thoroughly schooled in all of the world's religions (he even startles Judeo-Christian theologians by knowing more of those traditions than many western religious leaders at world conferences). He has a strong passion to bring people together, believing that diverse religions can unite instead of divide people.
He founded Wat Suan Mokkh many decades ago to help bring people together. Today, this has spawned the International Dhamma Hermitage, which holds a monthly meditation retreat for 120 westerners every month. The focus of the retreat is meditation practice. The Buddhist belief is people must experience their religion, not just read it in a book or hear it in a sermon. Buddhists experience their religion through meditation.
The daily schedule at the retreat is to rise at 4 AM and intersperse five hours of meditation with lectures, chores and exercise. The cement dormitory is designed to resemble sleeping in a cave (the best place for monks), with a mat on a cement bed and a wooden pillow. Attendees keep silence the entire ten days. Only breakfast and lunch are served, with fasting all afternoon and night. For younger people fasting was a challenge, but we have only been eating two meals a day anyway, so it just moved our mid-afternoon meal a couple of hours earlier.
The attendees include people in their twenties, thirties, forties and fifties. There are people from every walk of life. The sitting and exercise was more of a challenge for our older bodies. They don't flex like they used to! The meditation sessions are sitting or kneeling without a chair back. It is important to have a very straight back when meditating, and the sitting postures are quite difficult for westerners. The yoga helped loosen up the old bodies and felt quite refreshing. (We might continue yoga after the retreat.) Our bodies were sore the whole time, but got better at the end. (A Thai Nun quipped that with the increase in the use of chairs in Asia, within twenty years the Thais will not be able to sit and meditate comfortably either.)
The timing is good. We have spent two years simplifying our lives. We feel much better without all of the stuff, both the possession and the daily torrent of tasks.
The meditation technique taught is the anapanasati meditation, which is concentration on the breath. By focusing on the breath exclusively, you learn to concentrate your full mind. Meditation, at least at the beginning, is mostly about clearing the mind and retaining focus. Western minds are so cluttered. We are accustomed to a constant storm of noise and interruptions. We have created a world that is very difficult for many to live in --I wonder if the number of children on Ritalin is more an indication that our environments are over stimulating rather than that the child is hyperactive. It took several days for us just to slow the mind down and concentrate.
The basic technique is to initially capture the mind's attention on the breath by making it exaggerated, and to eventually reduce it to a very subtle level. The mind initially wanders so easily it is quite difficult to corral it. The first stage is to breathe in and breathe out in long breaths, and to focus the mind on chasing the breath as if there were a long pipe from the nostril to the navel. With each breath in, the mind follows the breath from the nostril to the navel, and with the breath out it traverses back. With practice, you can capture the mind and stop it from wandering. Then you can reduce the breath to shorter breaths, and eventually just focus on the air coming and going at the nostrils. With 10-20 hours of practice we were able to capture the mind and cease most of the wanderings. At that point, the mediators begin insight meditation. Once concentration meditation has quieted the mind, insight meditation is possible. Insight meditation is simply focusing the entire mind on one thought completely. It is a fundamental part of Buddhism.
Another form of meditation is walking meditation. The concept is to completely focus the mind on walking, such as by moving slowly and observing and controlling every lifting, moving, and dropping of the foot. Rod had just partial success with walking meditation, but can relate it to swimming. For weeks, he has been swimming in the ocean. Rather than swimming for exercise, it has become instead a discipline of swimming for form. Swimming properly requires full concentration, shutting everything else out of the mind. Swimming form (at least mine) is never perfect, so the mind is constantly observing and tuning. I have gotten so I can swim several miles without feeling any tiring, since my emphasis is on making the form better. The downside is that swimming is no longer a very good exercise, since it neither makes me breathe hard nor works the muscles hard. But if I step up the pace, I lose the form, and I have found the concentration on the form to be the most enjoyable part. It's kind of like dance I suppose. Anyway, that is what walking meditation is supposed to be like
Here comes a one-minute synopsis of Buddhism for those of you not familiar with it (I apologize to those who are --this oversimplification is pretty horrible).
Buddhists believe that change and impermance are the laws of Nature, and that humans suffer because we resist it. We attach ourselves to possessions, and are troubled when they disappoint. We also resist the fact that our bodies age, become sick, and die. A fundamental Buddhist truth is that everything is in fact impermanent, and we will only suffer if we attach ourselves to it. Fortunately, we can overcome this cycle of cause and effect. The key point is that whenever we take the natural ebb and flow of the natural world and attempt to define it as "mine" or even "me", then we are attaching ourselves to things that will change and perish, and we will suffer. Instead, we need to transcend that thinking to be more universal, beyond just "me", and accept the entire world as a natural, changing process.
So what is a Buddhist supposed to do? A key point is to achieve purity and develop concentration of the mind, to be ready for action when needed. The vast majority of our daily lives is just distractions and should be ignored. The key is to keep the mind very alert and concentrated on what is right, and take actions accordingly.
An example? When our bodies sense something, we quickly develop a reaction. For example, a foul smell may cause us to judge something or someone bad. But since we are all one connected entity, it makes no sense to judge another bad. Instead, there is simply a smell. That's it. Now, if the smell tells us we should take action, such as empty the garbage, then we do it. We do not think about who made it dirty, why we have to clean it, how horribly unsanitary it is. We focus the mind to filter out many thoughts and perceptions before they develop, allowing us to concentrate the mind on what matters. Especially, we filter out those thoughts that divide the world into "me" and other objects, and all of the resulting judgments about good and bad.
Another way to understand Buddhism is to look at Westerners through Buddhist's eyes. Buddhists avoid over stimulation, which cloud the mind. Clear concentration is critical to right living. Westerners, on the other hand, do not seem comfortable to be quiet. We avoid facing the true nature of the world, including aging, sickness and death, by over stimulating our minds, seeking constant entertainment and pleasure. But since the objects of our attention are changing and impermanent, we unavoidably are disappointed and want more. We get caught in a cycle, refusing to recognize the basic laws of nature, spending our time in denial seeking new experiences to replace the ones that have disappointed us. A monk described Consumerism as the religion of the west. When we have an unsatisfied need or want, we buy something. We overeat and are obese. We think we can run away from unpleasant things, and keep pleasant things. Neither is true. We have such noisy, chaotic lives that we cannot see the simple truths, and are caught in a vicious cycle of becoming attached to our possessions and our thoughts and beliefs. Instead, we need to purify our mind, concentrate our mind, and see that such things will never be satisfying.
Thai Buddhists also view the Westerners as using competition to define how people interact with each other, with disastrous results. Competition is alienating and dividing. This further increases our feelings of "self" versus everything else, preventing us from being at peace.
Buddhism is 2500 years old, while competition and consumerism is just 100 or 200. The west is an extreme example of the excesses that the Buddha warned against, and is suffering from those excesses.
Regardless of whether you agree with Buddhism, on a practical level there is some wisdom to be gleaned. It is certainly the case that much of the world's problems (and our own) comes from worrying too much about "me" and "mine". We get our feelings hurt, we protect our egos, and we defend our pride. Nothing good comes of this. Learning to disassociate ourselves with the initial instances that give rise to such feelings allows us to live much more peaceful lives, both internally and externally. Maybe you cannot accept the Buddhist notion that in fact there is no "self", but on a practical level we certainly can all live much better if we develop the skill to remove our "self" concerns from our actions and reactions to the world around us.
"An effort to reform society which is not coupled with an equal effort to develop one's spiritual self cannot bring about lasting results. It is like trying to cool a pot of boiling soup by merely stirring it, while ignoring the blazing fuel underneath." --Buddhist parable.
In Japan, we visited many temples and shrines, but it seems that the much of the religion is just that --the shrines and temples, and not particularly visible or important in the daily life. In Thailand, Buddhism is much more important. We wanted to experience it. After a quick search through the Internet, we found a monastery that accepts foreigners, teaches in English, and doesn't attempt to replace Judeo-Christian beliefs, but just adds to them. The ten-day retreat is held at the beginning of each month. We were off to the Wat Suan Mokkh.
The monk at the Buddhist temple Wat Suan Mokkh is an unusual Monk. He is thoroughly schooled in all of the world's religions (he even startles Judeo-Christian theologians by knowing more of those traditions than many western religious leaders at world conferences). He has a strong passion to bring people together, believing that diverse religions can unite instead of divide people.
He founded Wat Suan Mokkh many decades ago to help bring people together. Today, this has spawned the International Dhamma Hermitage, which holds a monthly meditation retreat for 120 westerners every month. The focus of the retreat is meditation practice. The Buddhist belief is people must experience their religion, not just read it in a book or hear it in a sermon. Buddhists experience their religion through meditation.
The daily schedule at the retreat is to rise at 4 AM and intersperse five hours of meditation with lectures, chores and exercise. The cement dormitory is designed to resemble sleeping in a cave (the best place for monks), with a mat on a cement bed and a wooden pillow. Attendees keep silence the entire ten days. Only breakfast and lunch are served, with fasting all afternoon and night. For younger people fasting was a challenge, but we have only been eating two meals a day anyway, so it just moved our mid-afternoon meal a couple of hours earlier.
The attendees include people in their twenties, thirties, forties and fifties. There are people from every walk of life. The sitting and exercise was more of a challenge for our older bodies. They don't flex like they used to! The meditation sessions are sitting or kneeling without a chair back. It is important to have a very straight back when meditating, and the sitting postures are quite difficult for westerners. The yoga helped loosen up the old bodies and felt quite refreshing. (We might continue yoga after the retreat.) Our bodies were sore the whole time, but got better at the end. (A Thai Nun quipped that with the increase in the use of chairs in Asia, within twenty years the Thais will not be able to sit and meditate comfortably either.)
The timing is good. We have spent two years simplifying our lives. We feel much better without all of the stuff, both the possession and the daily torrent of tasks.
The meditation technique taught is the anapanasati meditation, which is concentration on the breath. By focusing on the breath exclusively, you learn to concentrate your full mind. Meditation, at least at the beginning, is mostly about clearing the mind and retaining focus. Western minds are so cluttered. We are accustomed to a constant storm of noise and interruptions. We have created a world that is very difficult for many to live in --I wonder if the number of children on Ritalin is more an indication that our environments are over stimulating rather than that the child is hyperactive. It took several days for us just to slow the mind down and concentrate.
The basic technique is to initially capture the mind's attention on the breath by making it exaggerated, and to eventually reduce it to a very subtle level. The mind initially wanders so easily it is quite difficult to corral it. The first stage is to breathe in and breathe out in long breaths, and to focus the mind on chasing the breath as if there were a long pipe from the nostril to the navel. With each breath in, the mind follows the breath from the nostril to the navel, and with the breath out it traverses back. With practice, you can capture the mind and stop it from wandering. Then you can reduce the breath to shorter breaths, and eventually just focus on the air coming and going at the nostrils. With 10-20 hours of practice we were able to capture the mind and cease most of the wanderings. At that point, the mediators begin insight meditation. Once concentration meditation has quieted the mind, insight meditation is possible. Insight meditation is simply focusing the entire mind on one thought completely. It is a fundamental part of Buddhism.
Another form of meditation is walking meditation. The concept is to completely focus the mind on walking, such as by moving slowly and observing and controlling every lifting, moving, and dropping of the foot. Rod had just partial success with walking meditation, but can relate it to swimming. For weeks, he has been swimming in the ocean. Rather than swimming for exercise, it has become instead a discipline of swimming for form. Swimming properly requires full concentration, shutting everything else out of the mind. Swimming form (at least mine) is never perfect, so the mind is constantly observing and tuning. I have gotten so I can swim several miles without feeling any tiring, since my emphasis is on making the form better. The downside is that swimming is no longer a very good exercise, since it neither makes me breathe hard nor works the muscles hard. But if I step up the pace, I lose the form, and I have found the concentration on the form to be the most enjoyable part. It's kind of like dance I suppose. Anyway, that is what walking meditation is supposed to be like
Here comes a one-minute synopsis of Buddhism for those of you not familiar with it (I apologize to those who are --this oversimplification is pretty horrible).
Buddhists believe that change and impermance are the laws of Nature, and that humans suffer because we resist it. We attach ourselves to possessions, and are troubled when they disappoint. We also resist the fact that our bodies age, become sick, and die. A fundamental Buddhist truth is that everything is in fact impermanent, and we will only suffer if we attach ourselves to it. Fortunately, we can overcome this cycle of cause and effect. The key point is that whenever we take the natural ebb and flow of the natural world and attempt to define it as "mine" or even "me", then we are attaching ourselves to things that will change and perish, and we will suffer. Instead, we need to transcend that thinking to be more universal, beyond just "me", and accept the entire world as a natural, changing process.
So what is a Buddhist supposed to do? A key point is to achieve purity and develop concentration of the mind, to be ready for action when needed. The vast majority of our daily lives is just distractions and should be ignored. The key is to keep the mind very alert and concentrated on what is right, and take actions accordingly.
An example? When our bodies sense something, we quickly develop a reaction. For example, a foul smell may cause us to judge something or someone bad. But since we are all one connected entity, it makes no sense to judge another bad. Instead, there is simply a smell. That's it. Now, if the smell tells us we should take action, such as empty the garbage, then we do it. We do not think about who made it dirty, why we have to clean it, how horribly unsanitary it is. We focus the mind to filter out many thoughts and perceptions before they develop, allowing us to concentrate the mind on what matters. Especially, we filter out those thoughts that divide the world into "me" and other objects, and all of the resulting judgments about good and bad.
Another way to understand Buddhism is to look at Westerners through Buddhist's eyes. Buddhists avoid over stimulation, which cloud the mind. Clear concentration is critical to right living. Westerners, on the other hand, do not seem comfortable to be quiet. We avoid facing the true nature of the world, including aging, sickness and death, by over stimulating our minds, seeking constant entertainment and pleasure. But since the objects of our attention are changing and impermanent, we unavoidably are disappointed and want more. We get caught in a cycle, refusing to recognize the basic laws of nature, spending our time in denial seeking new experiences to replace the ones that have disappointed us. A monk described Consumerism as the religion of the west. When we have an unsatisfied need or want, we buy something. We overeat and are obese. We think we can run away from unpleasant things, and keep pleasant things. Neither is true. We have such noisy, chaotic lives that we cannot see the simple truths, and are caught in a vicious cycle of becoming attached to our possessions and our thoughts and beliefs. Instead, we need to purify our mind, concentrate our mind, and see that such things will never be satisfying.
Thai Buddhists also view the Westerners as using competition to define how people interact with each other, with disastrous results. Competition is alienating and dividing. This further increases our feelings of "self" versus everything else, preventing us from being at peace.
Buddhism is 2500 years old, while competition and consumerism is just 100 or 200. The west is an extreme example of the excesses that the Buddha warned against, and is suffering from those excesses.
Regardless of whether you agree with Buddhism, on a practical level there is some wisdom to be gleaned. It is certainly the case that much of the world's problems (and our own) comes from worrying too much about "me" and "mine". We get our feelings hurt, we protect our egos, and we defend our pride. Nothing good comes of this. Learning to disassociate ourselves with the initial instances that give rise to such feelings allows us to live much more peaceful lives, both internally and externally. Maybe you cannot accept the Buddhist notion that in fact there is no "self", but on a practical level we certainly can all live much better if we develop the skill to remove our "self" concerns from our actions and reactions to the world around us.
"An effort to reform society which is not coupled with an equal effort to develop one's spiritual self cannot bring about lasting results. It is like trying to cool a pot of boiling soup by merely stirring it, while ignoring the blazing fuel underneath." --Buddhist parable.
Friday, March 15, 2002
Ao Nang and Khao Sok
Ao Nang is a well-traveled beach on the Andaman Coast near Krabi. If Thailand is shaped somewhat like a tennis racket, Ao Nang is half way down the handle, on the left side. Ao Nang was once a beautiful place, with white sand beach and limestone cliffs. Today it is wall-to-wall tourist facilities. The buildings obscure the view of the cliffs and hills, and the water is so full of boats that swimming is restricted to one small area.
The pace of development in Thailand is fast and visible here. There is a mix of the original cheap guesthouses, along with several larger resorts, which are gradually replacing them. The tourists include more older or out-of-shape people than other places. The new up-scale rooms cost $15-25 (600-1000 Baht), instead of the $4-10 (150-400 Baht) typical of places earlier in their development, and are great facilities with balconies, air conditioning, TV, and other amenities.
Development is a mixed blessing. One Thai tells us that people used to grow their own food, drink rainwater, and fish the streams. Industrialization dammed and polluted the rivers and the fish are gone. Now Thai must buy things they previously could supply themselves. The cost of living is higher, but not the quality of living. People now need jobs and money, but they didn't before. The country has spent billions on large projects such as dams, and now owes the west these loans. But the debts are a huge burden, and the money must come from the people. This Thai wonders if it really is any better, after all.
There is a Wat (Buddhist monastery and temple) in Krabi, at the base of Karst (limestone) mountains. The original monastery is built into caves in the mountain, and is fascinating itself. But then there is the vertical hike... At the top of the mountain is a temple, and there is a simple staircase up to it. Well, more like a set of staircases. Actually, a whole bunch. 1274 stairs in all! And these are not just your average stairs. Many have a tread of only a few inches, with a rise of 10-12 inches! In parts it is more like climbing a ladder! It was a good test for Fran's fear of heights, and she passed with flying colors. Actually, she neither flew nor turned colors, which we considered a great success. We stayed on the top as the light passed to late afternoon, and shown in angled streaks through the clouds. It was quite impressive.
On the way up the stairs, we try to talk with a Thai Buddhist nun. Her English is limited. All she manages is "America is at war with Muslims". That is probably a common belief here. In the States, we believe that we have separated the issue of terrorism from religious persecution. I was thrilled when Bush started from day one to emphasize tolerance of Muslim people, at home and abroad. But these nuances get lost abroad. Sadly, it is likely a common impression that America is at war with Muslims, and that belief will feed into the cycle that breeds terrorism.
In this area of Thailand are some Mangrove forests along the tidal flats. The roots and the branches grow dense and intertwine, holding together tiny islands, with tiny passageways in between them. As luck would have it, we timed it wrong and were there at low tide, so it was difficult to get around in the kayak. It was beautiful nonetheless. The Mangroves are home to Macaques (monkeys), and we were fortunate to see them twice. The first monkey came down to meet us, looking for a handout. They can be quite feisty when they want your banana! The second group included a mother with a baby hanging on around her neck. We also saw Kingfishers and other birds.
We had the good fortune of a wonderful guide, Mr. Deans. He leads groups of sea kayakers, and for this trip the entire group was just him and us! Our own personal guide! Mr. Deans' family lives on an island further out, past Ko Hong. Thai culture is strong on supporting your family, so he sends his money back to his parents, and helps support the education of his younger sister. His employer gives him a free room, and $5 and meals on days that he works. Mr. Deans is a great guy --any of you who go to Thailand should get him! He is Muslim, and we had a number of interesting conversations.
Next, we headed off to the Khoa Sok National Park, which has one of the best-preserved rainforests in Southeast Asia. The forest is a transition forest, between the tropical rainforests and the monsoon (seasonal) rainforests. Tropical forests are evergreen, while the monsoon forests are deciduous. Khoa Sok includes some of each. Rod was surprised that the tropical forest is not particularly dense --there is considerably less total biomass that the forests in the northwestern US. Instead it is very diverse. In the northwestern US, a forest usually has just a 2-3 varieties of trees in a given spot. In Khoa Sok, there are 30-40 varieties interspersed together. We usually get plant id books when we hike, but they are not very useful here --there are just too many. Instead, you are satisfied being able to simply classify them as "another type of Palm", or "another bamboo".
There are many stories to the forest. The upper canopy provides the shade for many layers underneath. Overall, the forest is not tall --the whole thing is shorter than the northwestern forest. However, it is much richer. In fact many of the animals and even plants never come down to the forest floor. The soil itself is very poor. In the northwestern US forest, 80-90% of all moisture and nutrition comes from the soil, but in the tropical forest only 10-20% does --most is captured up in the canopy. There is even one type of vine that grows around a tree, slowly (20-30 years) enveloping it. Eventually, the tree dies and the vine remains as a hollow cylinder climbing up into the canopy. The vine also tangles itself into many other adjacent trees, so that it does not fall with the tree. It continually hooks rides with fast growing, new trees and stays in the canopy.
It is difficult to see wildlife in the rainforest. We could hear birds no more than 3 meters (10 feet) above us, but couldn't find them, even with binoculars. But the sounds were astonishing. Of special note were the gibbons’ calls. In the mornings, the female gibbons climb to the top of the canopy and issue their calls for about two hours, to stake their territory. We could hear quite a symphony as the gibbons called back and forth to each other on the hill just across the creek. With the birds, gibbons and cicadas, the rainforest is loud! The various species of cicada have even divided up the day to take turns with their noisemaking --some locals can tell the time of day by which type of cicada is making noise! There is also another noise that takes some getting used to --stuff crashing down! At first we thought the sounds were some large animal, but it turns out that there is a fairly constant barrage of junk falling from the sky!
We had a great hike along the stream to a waterfall and swam in the cool pool. A nice day!
The pace of development in Thailand is fast and visible here. There is a mix of the original cheap guesthouses, along with several larger resorts, which are gradually replacing them. The tourists include more older or out-of-shape people than other places. The new up-scale rooms cost $15-25 (600-1000 Baht), instead of the $4-10 (150-400 Baht) typical of places earlier in their development, and are great facilities with balconies, air conditioning, TV, and other amenities.
Development is a mixed blessing. One Thai tells us that people used to grow their own food, drink rainwater, and fish the streams. Industrialization dammed and polluted the rivers and the fish are gone. Now Thai must buy things they previously could supply themselves. The cost of living is higher, but not the quality of living. People now need jobs and money, but they didn't before. The country has spent billions on large projects such as dams, and now owes the west these loans. But the debts are a huge burden, and the money must come from the people. This Thai wonders if it really is any better, after all.
There is a Wat (Buddhist monastery and temple) in Krabi, at the base of Karst (limestone) mountains. The original monastery is built into caves in the mountain, and is fascinating itself. But then there is the vertical hike... At the top of the mountain is a temple, and there is a simple staircase up to it. Well, more like a set of staircases. Actually, a whole bunch. 1274 stairs in all! And these are not just your average stairs. Many have a tread of only a few inches, with a rise of 10-12 inches! In parts it is more like climbing a ladder! It was a good test for Fran's fear of heights, and she passed with flying colors. Actually, she neither flew nor turned colors, which we considered a great success. We stayed on the top as the light passed to late afternoon, and shown in angled streaks through the clouds. It was quite impressive.
On the way up the stairs, we try to talk with a Thai Buddhist nun. Her English is limited. All she manages is "America is at war with Muslims". That is probably a common belief here. In the States, we believe that we have separated the issue of terrorism from religious persecution. I was thrilled when Bush started from day one to emphasize tolerance of Muslim people, at home and abroad. But these nuances get lost abroad. Sadly, it is likely a common impression that America is at war with Muslims, and that belief will feed into the cycle that breeds terrorism.
In this area of Thailand are some Mangrove forests along the tidal flats. The roots and the branches grow dense and intertwine, holding together tiny islands, with tiny passageways in between them. As luck would have it, we timed it wrong and were there at low tide, so it was difficult to get around in the kayak. It was beautiful nonetheless. The Mangroves are home to Macaques (monkeys), and we were fortunate to see them twice. The first monkey came down to meet us, looking for a handout. They can be quite feisty when they want your banana! The second group included a mother with a baby hanging on around her neck. We also saw Kingfishers and other birds.
We had the good fortune of a wonderful guide, Mr. Deans. He leads groups of sea kayakers, and for this trip the entire group was just him and us! Our own personal guide! Mr. Deans' family lives on an island further out, past Ko Hong. Thai culture is strong on supporting your family, so he sends his money back to his parents, and helps support the education of his younger sister. His employer gives him a free room, and $5 and meals on days that he works. Mr. Deans is a great guy --any of you who go to Thailand should get him! He is Muslim, and we had a number of interesting conversations.
Next, we headed off to the Khoa Sok National Park, which has one of the best-preserved rainforests in Southeast Asia. The forest is a transition forest, between the tropical rainforests and the monsoon (seasonal) rainforests. Tropical forests are evergreen, while the monsoon forests are deciduous. Khoa Sok includes some of each. Rod was surprised that the tropical forest is not particularly dense --there is considerably less total biomass that the forests in the northwestern US. Instead it is very diverse. In the northwestern US, a forest usually has just a 2-3 varieties of trees in a given spot. In Khoa Sok, there are 30-40 varieties interspersed together. We usually get plant id books when we hike, but they are not very useful here --there are just too many. Instead, you are satisfied being able to simply classify them as "another type of Palm", or "another bamboo".
There are many stories to the forest. The upper canopy provides the shade for many layers underneath. Overall, the forest is not tall --the whole thing is shorter than the northwestern forest. However, it is much richer. In fact many of the animals and even plants never come down to the forest floor. The soil itself is very poor. In the northwestern US forest, 80-90% of all moisture and nutrition comes from the soil, but in the tropical forest only 10-20% does --most is captured up in the canopy. There is even one type of vine that grows around a tree, slowly (20-30 years) enveloping it. Eventually, the tree dies and the vine remains as a hollow cylinder climbing up into the canopy. The vine also tangles itself into many other adjacent trees, so that it does not fall with the tree. It continually hooks rides with fast growing, new trees and stays in the canopy.
It is difficult to see wildlife in the rainforest. We could hear birds no more than 3 meters (10 feet) above us, but couldn't find them, even with binoculars. But the sounds were astonishing. Of special note were the gibbons’ calls. In the mornings, the female gibbons climb to the top of the canopy and issue their calls for about two hours, to stake their territory. We could hear quite a symphony as the gibbons called back and forth to each other on the hill just across the creek. With the birds, gibbons and cicadas, the rainforest is loud! The various species of cicada have even divided up the day to take turns with their noisemaking --some locals can tell the time of day by which type of cicada is making noise! There is also another noise that takes some getting used to --stuff crashing down! At first we thought the sounds were some large animal, but it turns out that there is a fairly constant barrage of junk falling from the sky!
We had a great hike along the stream to a waterfall and swam in the cool pool. A nice day!
Friday, February 22, 2002
Koh Lanta
Ah, the tropical islands! Sun, swimming, reading, lounging, and eating. Conversation. And very little else.
But first we had to get there. We booked a bus from Bangkok to Koh Lanta for about $9 each. It will be a long ride. We will start at 6 PM, and arrive mid-afternoon the next day. We have been warned about scams, so we first look at the pictures of the bus. There are nice, big air-conditioned coaches.
At the appointed hour, we head for the station. We check in, but nothing seems to happen for about an hour. The bus is parked. We just wait, and eventually board and head off. The seats are comfortable, and we get a little sleep. There is a movie on the bus, but the sound is turned too low to hear. We doze a little. Periodically, the bus stops at roadside cafes. Presumably, the driver gets a kickback. We brought our own food and water, so we just sit around at each stop. The bus slowly speeds down the long peninsula. During the middle of the night, we pull into a small stop and folks headed to one destination are told to get on a different bus, and we stay on ours. By morning we have stopped several times.
Eventually we stop and are all told to get off. We are not sure where we are, but the bus the drives off. Gradually, other vehicles come by asking for the passengers going to different destinations. One group piles into the back of a pickup truck. Fortunately, the Koh Lanta passengers load into a mini-van and we are off again. Not understanding Thai, few passengers really know exactly what is going on, but just trust the drivers. It seems to work.
At about 11 AM we stop in Krabi, where a ferry will take us to Koh Lanta. The next ferry is not due for a couple of hours, so we are told to return at 1 PM for the short ride, and we wander around. A few people are late getting back, and we head off to the ferry at about 1:15. I notice that we are heading east, while the ferry is southwest. The driver stops at a few other pickup places, which is likely the reason. But the ferry leaves at 1:30 and it is getting very close. The driver continues heading east. I pull out a map, and notice an alternate route to the island. Instead of taking the two-hour ferry, there is a road around to the other east side with two short ferry rides. I guess that that is where we are headed. Watching the road signs and topography, I feel comfortable that we are on that route.
The passengers who were late begin to get nervous behind us. One young man assumes that the driver cannot understand English, and makes several condescending comments. He even mocks the sound of Thai as childish babble. He is very rude. I hope that the driver cannot understand, and feel very embarrassed by the other traveler. The other passengers get more nervous as the time moves from 1:30 to 1:45. I show them the map, and where I think we are. They presume I have a compass. While I was reading the direction fine from the sun and the topography, I do pop my compass out of my pocket and show them on the map. We soon reach an intersection that confirms that we are taking the alternate route. Everyone settles in for the ride.
Did the driver swindle us, pocketing the money intended for the ferry? Or did the late passengers make it so that we missed the ferry and the driver did us a huge favor? Or was this the plan all along? I have no idea. And it really doesn't matter. The time and the price to go across the ferry and to go around by the road is the same. We arrived as promised. Part of the adventure of the trip is to learn and grow personally, and developing patience and trust when we really cannot understand is part of that. Of course, it also sure helped that I had the map and knew about the alternate route!
Anyway, so much for the drive. On to the island!
There is no time here. Nothing happens in the future to plan for or fret about. The past is gone. There is just the present and it moves along very slowly.
We found a very convivial set of nine bungalows right on the beach. We arranged to rent a space for the tent, and get access to water, toilets and showers for $0.75 a night each. Initially, we thought we might cook some of our own meals, but it is cheap to eat out. We settle into a very simple life. We each read several books. Rob Stewart had met us in Tokyo for a nice evening with tips on Hong Kong, and had given us a great little book, "Shopping for Buddha". We each read it and several others. (Thanks Rob!) Rod swims in the warm ocean. And swims. We just lounge around. We take morning walks. We talk with others, and think about what we might do that day. We are so relaxed. Time just moves from day to day. No one seems to know what day it is, and no one cares.
We are staying at the Bee Bee bungalows. Many of the guests have been here before, and come for weeks or even months at a time. Most of the people are from Germany, with some Austrians, British, Australian, Japanese and Canadian. Life could be worse" becomes a common refrain.
We rent a motorbike for the day. (Oops, Mom delete that last sentence!) We explore the whole island. The roads are pot holed, or just dirt, so we crawl along at 20-40 km/h (12-24 mph). The wind in the face feels good. We find an incredible view on the east side of the island. High on a cliff over a jungle is an open-air restaurant. You can just look out across the forest canopy to the sea. The Koh Lanta Islands include about 15 different islands, and they are sprinkled out in the ocean. Some have white beaches; others have cliffs and rocky shores. We down some shakes and take in the view.
On the east side of the island we find a really charming little village. It has almost no tourism, and is just the native Muslim population. Everyone is outside, and everyone says "hello", especially the children with their big grins. The houses are built on stilts out over the water. The people seem so friendly and happy. The houses are quite destitute, but that doesn't seem to matter.
We hike up to a waterfall in the woods. The waterfall is small, but the hike is lovely. We stop many times to see birds, squirrels and other animals. On one of our morning hikes, we saw monkeys playing in the trees.
We used the motorbike (Mom, ignore that) to head to the town and shop. We also headed to a Reggae party and danced. A few people tried to play the conga drums, but the DJ music was too loud. Still, a nice party.
Electrical power to the island comes and goes. We talk occasionally about where we plan to go next. We talk about checking email, but don't get around to it. We read another book, take another swim. The days just slip by gracefully.
We do appreciate all the emails from home. We have broken so many roots. We really have no physical connection. We have given away or sold our stuff, and sold the house. We do not know whether to call Los Angeles or Portland home. It feels good to be free. All we keep are our friends. So we really appreciate the emails. Thanks especially to Sue for the most informative ones!
"Life could be worse".
But first we had to get there. We booked a bus from Bangkok to Koh Lanta for about $9 each. It will be a long ride. We will start at 6 PM, and arrive mid-afternoon the next day. We have been warned about scams, so we first look at the pictures of the bus. There are nice, big air-conditioned coaches.
At the appointed hour, we head for the station. We check in, but nothing seems to happen for about an hour. The bus is parked. We just wait, and eventually board and head off. The seats are comfortable, and we get a little sleep. There is a movie on the bus, but the sound is turned too low to hear. We doze a little. Periodically, the bus stops at roadside cafes. Presumably, the driver gets a kickback. We brought our own food and water, so we just sit around at each stop. The bus slowly speeds down the long peninsula. During the middle of the night, we pull into a small stop and folks headed to one destination are told to get on a different bus, and we stay on ours. By morning we have stopped several times.
Eventually we stop and are all told to get off. We are not sure where we are, but the bus the drives off. Gradually, other vehicles come by asking for the passengers going to different destinations. One group piles into the back of a pickup truck. Fortunately, the Koh Lanta passengers load into a mini-van and we are off again. Not understanding Thai, few passengers really know exactly what is going on, but just trust the drivers. It seems to work.
At about 11 AM we stop in Krabi, where a ferry will take us to Koh Lanta. The next ferry is not due for a couple of hours, so we are told to return at 1 PM for the short ride, and we wander around. A few people are late getting back, and we head off to the ferry at about 1:15. I notice that we are heading east, while the ferry is southwest. The driver stops at a few other pickup places, which is likely the reason. But the ferry leaves at 1:30 and it is getting very close. The driver continues heading east. I pull out a map, and notice an alternate route to the island. Instead of taking the two-hour ferry, there is a road around to the other east side with two short ferry rides. I guess that that is where we are headed. Watching the road signs and topography, I feel comfortable that we are on that route.
The passengers who were late begin to get nervous behind us. One young man assumes that the driver cannot understand English, and makes several condescending comments. He even mocks the sound of Thai as childish babble. He is very rude. I hope that the driver cannot understand, and feel very embarrassed by the other traveler. The other passengers get more nervous as the time moves from 1:30 to 1:45. I show them the map, and where I think we are. They presume I have a compass. While I was reading the direction fine from the sun and the topography, I do pop my compass out of my pocket and show them on the map. We soon reach an intersection that confirms that we are taking the alternate route. Everyone settles in for the ride.
Did the driver swindle us, pocketing the money intended for the ferry? Or did the late passengers make it so that we missed the ferry and the driver did us a huge favor? Or was this the plan all along? I have no idea. And it really doesn't matter. The time and the price to go across the ferry and to go around by the road is the same. We arrived as promised. Part of the adventure of the trip is to learn and grow personally, and developing patience and trust when we really cannot understand is part of that. Of course, it also sure helped that I had the map and knew about the alternate route!
Anyway, so much for the drive. On to the island!
There is no time here. Nothing happens in the future to plan for or fret about. The past is gone. There is just the present and it moves along very slowly.
We found a very convivial set of nine bungalows right on the beach. We arranged to rent a space for the tent, and get access to water, toilets and showers for $0.75 a night each. Initially, we thought we might cook some of our own meals, but it is cheap to eat out. We settle into a very simple life. We each read several books. Rob Stewart had met us in Tokyo for a nice evening with tips on Hong Kong, and had given us a great little book, "Shopping for Buddha". We each read it and several others. (Thanks Rob!) Rod swims in the warm ocean. And swims. We just lounge around. We take morning walks. We talk with others, and think about what we might do that day. We are so relaxed. Time just moves from day to day. No one seems to know what day it is, and no one cares.
We are staying at the Bee Bee bungalows. Many of the guests have been here before, and come for weeks or even months at a time. Most of the people are from Germany, with some Austrians, British, Australian, Japanese and Canadian. Life could be worse" becomes a common refrain.
We rent a motorbike for the day. (Oops, Mom delete that last sentence!) We explore the whole island. The roads are pot holed, or just dirt, so we crawl along at 20-40 km/h (12-24 mph). The wind in the face feels good. We find an incredible view on the east side of the island. High on a cliff over a jungle is an open-air restaurant. You can just look out across the forest canopy to the sea. The Koh Lanta Islands include about 15 different islands, and they are sprinkled out in the ocean. Some have white beaches; others have cliffs and rocky shores. We down some shakes and take in the view.
On the east side of the island we find a really charming little village. It has almost no tourism, and is just the native Muslim population. Everyone is outside, and everyone says "hello", especially the children with their big grins. The houses are built on stilts out over the water. The people seem so friendly and happy. The houses are quite destitute, but that doesn't seem to matter.
We hike up to a waterfall in the woods. The waterfall is small, but the hike is lovely. We stop many times to see birds, squirrels and other animals. On one of our morning hikes, we saw monkeys playing in the trees.
We used the motorbike (Mom, ignore that) to head to the town and shop. We also headed to a Reggae party and danced. A few people tried to play the conga drums, but the DJ music was too loud. Still, a nice party.
Electrical power to the island comes and goes. We talk occasionally about where we plan to go next. We talk about checking email, but don't get around to it. We read another book, take another swim. The days just slip by gracefully.
We do appreciate all the emails from home. We have broken so many roots. We really have no physical connection. We have given away or sold our stuff, and sold the house. We do not know whether to call Los Angeles or Portland home. It feels good to be free. All we keep are our friends. So we really appreciate the emails. Thanks especially to Sue for the most informative ones!
"Life could be worse".
Thursday, February 14, 2002
Bankok
We just arrived in Bangkok, and headed for the district that backpackers normally frequent.
Our first hint that this might be quite a scene was at the airport. There are buses to Benglanphu, a district in central Bangkok every 30 minutes. While we waited, another couple with backpacks arrived. Then another. Then another. There were German, British, American, Canadian, Australian, and every other nationality. Ultimately, the bus was stuffed full of people and their backpacks (with a few people left over for the next bus), and we headed off. Contrary to any third-world images, we rode on a regular comfortable bus, down a very major freeway system into town. We remarked that this could be Los Angeles.
Then we reach the destination. I was not expecting quite the number of backpackers! This Thong Khoa San (Khoa San Road) district is several blocks wide and many long, and is wall-to-wall backpackers. The local merchants flow over into the streets selling their wares. Every 20 feet there is another Guest House, an Internet cafe, or an outdoor cafe. A huge mass of international people. It is an exciting buzz. Most of the people look like travelers, headed out for hiking or diving. There is everything from college kids to gray hairs (okay, we are on the older end, but we are not the only ones!). There are many couples, some in their twenties, and some in their thirties. Most are neat and clean. Some are quite dirty, with dreadlocks and ratty clothing. A few look like lost souls from decades gone by.
We quickly found a Guest House. To make a smooth arrival, we had decided to splurge and get a room with air conditioning, private bath, and hot shower. We really splurged: $11! That makes the first night easy, and we move down over the next few days. The places are similar to those in Japan, except that they cost $4 a night instead of $70!
Eating is easy. There are tiny restaurants and street vendors everywhere. Fran loves a fresh pineapple in the morning. Rod enjoys the banana shakes, and Fran the coconut shakes. There is a large variety of food. Some days we eat pancakes, other days we eat omelets. One woman we meet talks of some great Mexican food she found! The street vendors have many foods, including skewers of meat, or stir fry from a wok. We eat freely from those that look clean, and avoid a few others. None of the food is very spicy, but then this little district really does not represent Thailand.
The Khoa San area is quite thrilling. For about an hour. After that is just seems noisy and crowded, and too distant from the Thailand that we came to experience. Each night we shift a little further away.
One evening, we take a boat cruise down the Mae Nam Chao Phraya just after sunset. It is a beautiful evening, warm but not hot, with a gentle breeze. Evenings by a river are always special. As we board the boat, some friendly locals shoo us off and try to explain that we want a different boat. We don't really understand, but we hop off. The boat turns out to just be a ferry that goes back and forth across the river at this point. Our boat soon arrives, and we cruise down the river. We stand by the rail watching the river and the lights. A few monks board at the next stop. They travel for free, and the rail is reserved for them (presumably they don't get the benefit of the seats). We shift a bit.
Down the river we see huge water fountains, brightly lit with colored light. They are as large as those from fireboats. We hop off the cruise boat. There is a major theatre production on the river. A huge stage is assembled on the bank, with stadium bleachers set on barges in the river. We peek around the edge. Lights, dancers, costumes, musicians. The theatre is based on the history of King Rama III. The show transitions from song and dance, to village scenes, to battles, to acrobatics. Men climb two 40 foot poles, and then one man stands on top of another at the top of the pole. We do not know the story; so much is lost on us. Perhaps the pole climbers were re-enacting historic lookouts? The show is beautiful, but we move on.
We reach the famous Buddhist temple, Wat Pho. This is the largest and oldest temple in Bangkok. It is famous for housing the world's largest reclining Buddha. We are quite impressed with the exterior of the building, but are still surprised when we look inside. The Buddha completely fills the building. His head nearly touches the wall at the one end, and his feet the other. The top of the Buddha reaches into the rafters. There is restoration work going on, so the scaffolding makes the Buddha look even more crammed in. It really is big!
We continue strolling through the Wat. It is a perfect evening, quiet and peaceful. There are no people except the monks and us. The walls surrounding the temple stop all of the city noise, creating wonderful serenity. There are four really incredible spires/towers called chipes. They were built to honor the Kings Rama I, II and III (Rama III got two). There is great detail in the chipes, with colorful flowers. They reach high into the sky. Check out our pictures!
We walk back through the park. It is evening, and many of the street vendors have left. The park is quiet. Many families are there, with picnic baskets, or playing ball. We have a very pleasant walk back.
We happen to be in Bangkok on the Chinese New Year. Last year, Rod saw the dragon parade for the Chinese New Year in Los Angeles. We head off to Chinatown in Bangkok! Maybe we can see fireworks, or even a dragon parade. As we approach Chinatown, the crowds become thicker. And thicker. And thicker. The narrow road is full of people, and street vendors crowd both sides. We hear that the Royal Princess is coming, and the police stop the crowds. The crowd cannot move forward. However, it continues to surge from behind. It gets denser and denser. Fran's claustrophobia gets tested. The crowds are so thick that everyone is packed as tightly together as possible. You can barely breathe, and cannot move. The panic shows in Fran's eyes. We push through the crowd and dart into one of the vendor's stalls. They generously point a fan at Fran, and she stands a bit higher than the crowd on the curb. She has a couple of square feet. It is barely enough. Eventually the Princess passes, and the crowd slowly begins to move again.
We see two dragons. The first is magnificent --over one hundred feet long, with tiny embedded lights. However, it is stuck in the crowd and cannot move. The drummers and dancers just stand there, and the dragon is paralyzed. We walk along and find a second dragon later, when the crowds are a bit thinner. It is like the one in Los Angeles. There is an enormous head with an enthusiastic dancer bounding it up and down, left and right. The dragon plays off of the crowd, and gets especially excited for children. The drummers and percussion follow the dragon's lead, with the music ebbing and flowing with the dragon, and the crowd.
The next day we read that 200,000 people crammed into the few blocks of Chinatown for the celebration. It is certainly the densest mass of humanity we have ever seen. It made the Tokyo train station look like a wilderness area!
Scouting is very popular in Thailand. The King is a great supporter, and the royal family members are Scouts. Following their lead, the ministry of education has adopted Scouting and integrated it into the schools. The children in the playground are wearing Scouting uniforms, complete with neckerchiefs! We look up the national Scout Office to see if we can connect with some Scouters. We don't manage to, since the program is integrated into the schools and doesn't really have a separate organization.
We do find the World Jamboree staff! (We had initially planned to visit Thailand in December 2002 and join the World Jamboree, but only adults that are accompanying Scout groups are able to attend.) Most offices in Bangkok seem to close by 4:30 PM, but the World Jamboree office is still busy at 6:30 when we leave. There is an enthusiastic group, representing many different countries. Last year, they held a mock-Jamboree on the site with Scouts from all over Thailand. Next month there is another test run with leaders from around the world. They seem well organized and enthusiastic.
We find the World Jamboree Scout Shop. We meet Teddy, who recently lived in the US and has perfect English. We talk well after the store has closed. Teddy gives us some tips on the best islands in southern Thailand, which we follow. We head off to Koh Lanta!
Our first hint that this might be quite a scene was at the airport. There are buses to Benglanphu, a district in central Bangkok every 30 minutes. While we waited, another couple with backpacks arrived. Then another. Then another. There were German, British, American, Canadian, Australian, and every other nationality. Ultimately, the bus was stuffed full of people and their backpacks (with a few people left over for the next bus), and we headed off. Contrary to any third-world images, we rode on a regular comfortable bus, down a very major freeway system into town. We remarked that this could be Los Angeles.
Then we reach the destination. I was not expecting quite the number of backpackers! This Thong Khoa San (Khoa San Road) district is several blocks wide and many long, and is wall-to-wall backpackers. The local merchants flow over into the streets selling their wares. Every 20 feet there is another Guest House, an Internet cafe, or an outdoor cafe. A huge mass of international people. It is an exciting buzz. Most of the people look like travelers, headed out for hiking or diving. There is everything from college kids to gray hairs (okay, we are on the older end, but we are not the only ones!). There are many couples, some in their twenties, and some in their thirties. Most are neat and clean. Some are quite dirty, with dreadlocks and ratty clothing. A few look like lost souls from decades gone by.
We quickly found a Guest House. To make a smooth arrival, we had decided to splurge and get a room with air conditioning, private bath, and hot shower. We really splurged: $11! That makes the first night easy, and we move down over the next few days. The places are similar to those in Japan, except that they cost $4 a night instead of $70!
Eating is easy. There are tiny restaurants and street vendors everywhere. Fran loves a fresh pineapple in the morning. Rod enjoys the banana shakes, and Fran the coconut shakes. There is a large variety of food. Some days we eat pancakes, other days we eat omelets. One woman we meet talks of some great Mexican food she found! The street vendors have many foods, including skewers of meat, or stir fry from a wok. We eat freely from those that look clean, and avoid a few others. None of the food is very spicy, but then this little district really does not represent Thailand.
The Khoa San area is quite thrilling. For about an hour. After that is just seems noisy and crowded, and too distant from the Thailand that we came to experience. Each night we shift a little further away.
One evening, we take a boat cruise down the Mae Nam Chao Phraya just after sunset. It is a beautiful evening, warm but not hot, with a gentle breeze. Evenings by a river are always special. As we board the boat, some friendly locals shoo us off and try to explain that we want a different boat. We don't really understand, but we hop off. The boat turns out to just be a ferry that goes back and forth across the river at this point. Our boat soon arrives, and we cruise down the river. We stand by the rail watching the river and the lights. A few monks board at the next stop. They travel for free, and the rail is reserved for them (presumably they don't get the benefit of the seats). We shift a bit.
Down the river we see huge water fountains, brightly lit with colored light. They are as large as those from fireboats. We hop off the cruise boat. There is a major theatre production on the river. A huge stage is assembled on the bank, with stadium bleachers set on barges in the river. We peek around the edge. Lights, dancers, costumes, musicians. The theatre is based on the history of King Rama III. The show transitions from song and dance, to village scenes, to battles, to acrobatics. Men climb two 40 foot poles, and then one man stands on top of another at the top of the pole. We do not know the story; so much is lost on us. Perhaps the pole climbers were re-enacting historic lookouts? The show is beautiful, but we move on.
We reach the famous Buddhist temple, Wat Pho. This is the largest and oldest temple in Bangkok. It is famous for housing the world's largest reclining Buddha. We are quite impressed with the exterior of the building, but are still surprised when we look inside. The Buddha completely fills the building. His head nearly touches the wall at the one end, and his feet the other. The top of the Buddha reaches into the rafters. There is restoration work going on, so the scaffolding makes the Buddha look even more crammed in. It really is big!
We continue strolling through the Wat. It is a perfect evening, quiet and peaceful. There are no people except the monks and us. The walls surrounding the temple stop all of the city noise, creating wonderful serenity. There are four really incredible spires/towers called chipes. They were built to honor the Kings Rama I, II and III (Rama III got two). There is great detail in the chipes, with colorful flowers. They reach high into the sky. Check out our pictures!
We walk back through the park. It is evening, and many of the street vendors have left. The park is quiet. Many families are there, with picnic baskets, or playing ball. We have a very pleasant walk back.
Chinese New Year
We happen to be in Bangkok on the Chinese New Year. Last year, Rod saw the dragon parade for the Chinese New Year in Los Angeles. We head off to Chinatown in Bangkok! Maybe we can see fireworks, or even a dragon parade. As we approach Chinatown, the crowds become thicker. And thicker. And thicker. The narrow road is full of people, and street vendors crowd both sides. We hear that the Royal Princess is coming, and the police stop the crowds. The crowd cannot move forward. However, it continues to surge from behind. It gets denser and denser. Fran's claustrophobia gets tested. The crowds are so thick that everyone is packed as tightly together as possible. You can barely breathe, and cannot move. The panic shows in Fran's eyes. We push through the crowd and dart into one of the vendor's stalls. They generously point a fan at Fran, and she stands a bit higher than the crowd on the curb. She has a couple of square feet. It is barely enough. Eventually the Princess passes, and the crowd slowly begins to move again.
We see two dragons. The first is magnificent --over one hundred feet long, with tiny embedded lights. However, it is stuck in the crowd and cannot move. The drummers and dancers just stand there, and the dragon is paralyzed. We walk along and find a second dragon later, when the crowds are a bit thinner. It is like the one in Los Angeles. There is an enormous head with an enthusiastic dancer bounding it up and down, left and right. The dragon plays off of the crowd, and gets especially excited for children. The drummers and percussion follow the dragon's lead, with the music ebbing and flowing with the dragon, and the crowd.
The next day we read that 200,000 people crammed into the few blocks of Chinatown for the celebration. It is certainly the densest mass of humanity we have ever seen. It made the Tokyo train station look like a wilderness area!
Scouting
Scouting is very popular in Thailand. The King is a great supporter, and the royal family members are Scouts. Following their lead, the ministry of education has adopted Scouting and integrated it into the schools. The children in the playground are wearing Scouting uniforms, complete with neckerchiefs! We look up the national Scout Office to see if we can connect with some Scouters. We don't manage to, since the program is integrated into the schools and doesn't really have a separate organization.
We do find the World Jamboree staff! (We had initially planned to visit Thailand in December 2002 and join the World Jamboree, but only adults that are accompanying Scout groups are able to attend.) Most offices in Bangkok seem to close by 4:30 PM, but the World Jamboree office is still busy at 6:30 when we leave. There is an enthusiastic group, representing many different countries. Last year, they held a mock-Jamboree on the site with Scouts from all over Thailand. Next month there is another test run with leaders from around the world. They seem well organized and enthusiastic.
We find the World Jamboree Scout Shop. We meet Teddy, who recently lived in the US and has perfect English. We talk well after the store has closed. Teddy gives us some tips on the best islands in southern Thailand, which we follow. We head off to Koh Lanta!
Wednesday, February 13, 2002
Thailand
Thailand is really three places: the northern hills, the southern beaches, and Bangkok.
We will first head for the beaches. Thailand is a great scuba destination, with many wonderful dives. We will take PADI scuba lessons, and several dives. But mostly we will lounge about in the sun and sand!
The north is great hiking country. There is conflict near the borders, especially with Myanmar, and there are now many scam tour operators. But avoiding these, the country is beautiful. Thailand is very unique among countries of the world --they made a commitment to preserving wildlife and developing tourism many years ago. They totally halted all hunting and logging of the forest, which was one of the major sources of revenue for the country. Thailand is an experiment in ecotourism, and we hope it works!
Bangkok, well, what can you say about Bangkok? We will spend a few days there just to see it. But we will spend a month each on the beaches and in the hills.
We will first head for the beaches. Thailand is a great scuba destination, with many wonderful dives. We will take PADI scuba lessons, and several dives. But mostly we will lounge about in the sun and sand!
The north is great hiking country. There is conflict near the borders, especially with Myanmar, and there are now many scam tour operators. But avoiding these, the country is beautiful. Thailand is very unique among countries of the world --they made a commitment to preserving wildlife and developing tourism many years ago. They totally halted all hunting and logging of the forest, which was one of the major sources of revenue for the country. Thailand is an experiment in ecotourism, and we hope it works!
Bangkok, well, what can you say about Bangkok? We will spend a few days there just to see it. But we will spend a month each on the beaches and in the hills.
Monday, February 11, 2002
Final Thoughts
Japan is an amazing place. It was a very good place for us to start our journey. The people are amazingly gracious. The food is good, the scenery beautiful. Getting around, eating, and finding lodging was pretty simple. With the good signage in English, and our Japan Rail Pass that allowed us to change plans frequently, Japan is very forgiving for rookie travelers. There were several times that we made mistakes, and easily recovered. We will need to be more careful in other places, where strangers cannot be trusted to help.
But our main interests on our journey are to meet the people, and to see the natural beauty. The language barrier proved to be too much to talk with many of the local people. With few exceptions, conversations were limited to figuring out logistics.
Since we are staying longer in other places, we hope to overcome this. We will be able to spend more time in single places. We will also check with local Scout organizations, and hope to meet up with people that way.
Also, it was too cold in Japan to explore the natural beauty very much. There is great hiking available, but most of it is covered with snow so we just did more of the tourist tour. We knew that before we came, but in retrospect we regret not really getting to experience the natural beauty of Japan. Perhaps we should have stuck with our original plan to visit in May. We saved $800 in airfare by going now, but we probably could have saved about that much by doing more camping.
Japan was great. We are enjoying ourselves, and having a good time. We feel like we didn't get to take advantage of everything Japan has to offer, but we certainly enjoyed the time that we were here.
But our main interests on our journey are to meet the people, and to see the natural beauty. The language barrier proved to be too much to talk with many of the local people. With few exceptions, conversations were limited to figuring out logistics.
Since we are staying longer in other places, we hope to overcome this. We will be able to spend more time in single places. We will also check with local Scout organizations, and hope to meet up with people that way.
Also, it was too cold in Japan to explore the natural beauty very much. There is great hiking available, but most of it is covered with snow so we just did more of the tourist tour. We knew that before we came, but in retrospect we regret not really getting to experience the natural beauty of Japan. Perhaps we should have stuck with our original plan to visit in May. We saved $800 in airfare by going now, but we probably could have saved about that much by doing more camping.
Japan was great. We are enjoying ourselves, and having a good time. We feel like we didn't get to take advantage of everything Japan has to offer, but we certainly enjoyed the time that we were here.
Sunday, February 10, 2002
Sapporo Snow Festival
Sapporo's Snow festival (Yuki Matsuri) has fabulous ice and snow sculptures, and snow slides for the children. It is a real treat. This is the 52nd year, and it spans three sites and draws two million visitors!
Except that this winter has been too warm! They had to work hard to get enough snow assembled for the exhibits, and it has been melting quickly since the opening.
During the daytime, we could see enough of the melting structures to imagine how incredible they really were (we arrived on day 2 of the 7 days festival, but the creations were completed three days ago). There are amazing ice carvings, with swans, dragons, phoenix, etc. There are large snow structures, including recreations of palaces, and fanciful structures such as Disney's Mickey Mouse skiing. There are several hundred different structures. Many of the details were melted, but very few of the sculptures had toppled over yet.
At night, the place really comes alive. The sculptures are lit up and the crowds come out. On several stages, local performers get to show off their talents. It has the feeling of a huge community event. In fact, one of the major sculptures captures that spirit: there was a contest in the grade schools to sketch a castle with a Pegasus. Many of the crayon drawings submitted by schoolchildren are displayed. It is really cool to see the winner --it is right next to the huge finished sculpture.
It is cool to see a city of 1.4 million people put on such a large event, and yet retain a community feel.
Except that this winter has been too warm! They had to work hard to get enough snow assembled for the exhibits, and it has been melting quickly since the opening.
During the daytime, we could see enough of the melting structures to imagine how incredible they really were (we arrived on day 2 of the 7 days festival, but the creations were completed three days ago). There are amazing ice carvings, with swans, dragons, phoenix, etc. There are large snow structures, including recreations of palaces, and fanciful structures such as Disney's Mickey Mouse skiing. There are several hundred different structures. Many of the details were melted, but very few of the sculptures had toppled over yet.
At night, the place really comes alive. The sculptures are lit up and the crowds come out. On several stages, local performers get to show off their talents. It has the feeling of a huge community event. In fact, one of the major sculptures captures that spirit: there was a contest in the grade schools to sketch a castle with a Pegasus. Many of the crayon drawings submitted by schoolchildren are displayed. It is really cool to see the winner --it is right next to the huge finished sculpture.
It is cool to see a city of 1.4 million people put on such a large event, and yet retain a community feel.
Wednesday, February 6, 2002
Taiko Drums
Kodo is the world famous taiko drum group from Japan. That's the group that plays many different kinds of drums, including those huge ones that the guys beat with baseball bats! You have probably heard of them: http://www.kodo.or.jp
We hoped to see this group while here, but were not sure we could catch them since they tour globally. They are located on remote Sado Island, off the coast from Niigata. They have a center there where they practice, make instruments, and give lessons. When we looked them up, we found they are just starting their annual world tour, with the first concert on their island for the community. We couldn't resist. We cut short the time planned for Nara, and headed for the island.
Wow! What a treat! I cannot possibly describe it. They include great showmanship, great costume, kimono dance, and of course the drums!
One tune (or whatever you call it) was an incredible duet with a man and kimono-dressed woman. It started very simply: the man beating a solo 2-3-4 beat, accenting the 3 and skipping the 1. The woman entered the stage with very elaborate ritual dance, and gradually joined him at the drum. It is a large drum, laid on its side exposing both hides so that two people may play. She joined in playing the drum, at first duplicating the same pattern. She was able to play the drum while engaged in beautiful dance, with her arms twirling in just the right pattern to make the beats. Then he added a little different rhythm, and she echoed it. That continued back and forth, very simple and beautiful without even a single stroke off the basic four count. Then she issued a simple pattern of rim shots, off beat, which he answered. This began a conversation through the drum, with the underlying beat continuing as well as the rim shots. The dance became more vigorous, and the rhythms more complex. This continued to build and build, still with each laying down a pattern, and the other answering. What a beautiful thing!
Another tune consisted of many drummers on stage, with one master just barely making a sound on his drum (a very fast triple pedidle). He was able to coax the most delicate sound out of the drum. It seemed to whisper, rather than just be a beat. Very slowly, the others joined, and the volume increased. The rhythms again became more complex, but especially more powerful. The drummers took turns with very fast, short bursts on their drums. When doing so, the drums emitted a ringing sound that was kind of eerie. The volume increased. It began to sound much like a train coming by. The ringing of the drums was so intense, the volume so loud, that the harmonics sang from every wall of the concert hall. I have never heard such power and so many different timbres from a drum. Incredible.
Another tune featured their huge drum. It is constructed from a hollowed tree trunk, with a vertical drum head. The drum itself is taller than a person, and is wheeled in, in great ceremony on a cart lit with Chinese lanterns. The player is literally pounding this drum with his full strength. He was dressed in a simple thong, so part of the show was seeing all of his muscles work as he beat the drum. Amazing power. And on and on and on...
They are touring the US later this year. Don't miss it!
We hoped to see this group while here, but were not sure we could catch them since they tour globally. They are located on remote Sado Island, off the coast from Niigata. They have a center there where they practice, make instruments, and give lessons. When we looked them up, we found they are just starting their annual world tour, with the first concert on their island for the community. We couldn't resist. We cut short the time planned for Nara, and headed for the island.
Wow! What a treat! I cannot possibly describe it. They include great showmanship, great costume, kimono dance, and of course the drums!
One tune (or whatever you call it) was an incredible duet with a man and kimono-dressed woman. It started very simply: the man beating a solo 2-3-4 beat, accenting the 3 and skipping the 1. The woman entered the stage with very elaborate ritual dance, and gradually joined him at the drum. It is a large drum, laid on its side exposing both hides so that two people may play. She joined in playing the drum, at first duplicating the same pattern. She was able to play the drum while engaged in beautiful dance, with her arms twirling in just the right pattern to make the beats. Then he added a little different rhythm, and she echoed it. That continued back and forth, very simple and beautiful without even a single stroke off the basic four count. Then she issued a simple pattern of rim shots, off beat, which he answered. This began a conversation through the drum, with the underlying beat continuing as well as the rim shots. The dance became more vigorous, and the rhythms more complex. This continued to build and build, still with each laying down a pattern, and the other answering. What a beautiful thing!
Another tune consisted of many drummers on stage, with one master just barely making a sound on his drum (a very fast triple pedidle). He was able to coax the most delicate sound out of the drum. It seemed to whisper, rather than just be a beat. Very slowly, the others joined, and the volume increased. The rhythms again became more complex, but especially more powerful. The drummers took turns with very fast, short bursts on their drums. When doing so, the drums emitted a ringing sound that was kind of eerie. The volume increased. It began to sound much like a train coming by. The ringing of the drums was so intense, the volume so loud, that the harmonics sang from every wall of the concert hall. I have never heard such power and so many different timbres from a drum. Incredible.
Another tune featured their huge drum. It is constructed from a hollowed tree trunk, with a vertical drum head. The drum itself is taller than a person, and is wheeled in, in great ceremony on a cart lit with Chinese lanterns. The player is literally pounding this drum with his full strength. He was dressed in a simple thong, so part of the show was seeing all of his muscles work as he beat the drum. Amazing power. And on and on and on...
They are touring the US later this year. Don't miss it!
Tuesday, February 5, 2002
Sakurajima
The Japanese are crazy about onsen (hot springs). We have been thinking about going to some, but hadn't made it yet.
Many of the hot springs are indoor pools, intended mostly for healthful benefits. They are even categorized by the different types of minerals, and the potential benefits. But the indoor pools that we saw seemed awfully smelly and unpleasant. They often separated the sexes also. We wanted something outdoors, and where we could be together.
Boy, did we find the ideal place! Imagine the following: a Shinto shrine was erected at a place of special spiritual feelings, where the hot springs emerge on a small island with an active volcano. The volcano is still steaming. The shrine has been built around a sacred pool, overlooking the ocean. It is beautiful, with the pool constructed of rock and the springs coming out from under a magnificent tree with gnarled roots just up the hill. The pool is right on the edge of the ocean, with a gorgeous view. We arrived in late afternoon, and stayed to watch the sunset from the pool. If that doesn't sound dreamy to you, then you need some serious time off!
Sakurajima is an island just out from Kagoshima, at the southern end of Kyushu. Put more simply, it is about as far west and south as you can get in Japan by train. Yes, you guessed it --we figured that would be the warmest spot we could get to!
The weather worked out great. It was rainy on the train ride down and the ride back, but beautiful while we were there!
Many of the hot springs are indoor pools, intended mostly for healthful benefits. They are even categorized by the different types of minerals, and the potential benefits. But the indoor pools that we saw seemed awfully smelly and unpleasant. They often separated the sexes also. We wanted something outdoors, and where we could be together.
Boy, did we find the ideal place! Imagine the following: a Shinto shrine was erected at a place of special spiritual feelings, where the hot springs emerge on a small island with an active volcano. The volcano is still steaming. The shrine has been built around a sacred pool, overlooking the ocean. It is beautiful, with the pool constructed of rock and the springs coming out from under a magnificent tree with gnarled roots just up the hill. The pool is right on the edge of the ocean, with a gorgeous view. We arrived in late afternoon, and stayed to watch the sunset from the pool. If that doesn't sound dreamy to you, then you need some serious time off!
Sakurajima is an island just out from Kagoshima, at the southern end of Kyushu. Put more simply, it is about as far west and south as you can get in Japan by train. Yes, you guessed it --we figured that would be the warmest spot we could get to!
The weather worked out great. It was rainy on the train ride down and the ride back, but beautiful while we were there!
Sunday, February 3, 2002
Logistics
Food
The food is great! Fortunately, Fran and I like rice and noodle types of meals and can eat very comfortably. It would be quite different if we were steak and potatoes kind of people!
Japanese restaurants are very expensive. It is common to spend $30 each for a dinner, or more. However, we have been eating much less expensively. There are zillions of noodle shops and tiny cafes with simple meals for $4 to $7. It is quite easy to order, even though we cannot speak well. The restaurants have plastic models of the various offerings in the window, so you can pick out what you want before going in. Then you can either copy down the Kanji, or take the waiter outside and point. We have done both to great effect! The only thing we couldn't communicate was the time we were not that hungry and wanted to share one meal. That just didn't translate through the pantomime, and we both managed to eat a full meal each after all!
We found the most wonderful bakery in Tokyo (Andersons, in the Ikebukuro station). They have a huge bread shell (sort of a soft French bread) that is filled with cubes of cheese and a fondue. We got it one day just as they brought it out of the oven! With Fran's love for cheese and Rod's for bread, we have made regular trips back to that bakery!
Breakfast consists of a ramen that we cook in the hotel, and then we eat out for the main meal in the afternoon. That supplemented with munchies and fruit is working out great.
Oh, did I describe the oranges? There are tons of different kinds of oranges. One day at Mount Fuji we had some mandarin oranges that were simply incredible! They were packed with flavor! Sweet, acid, and orange. We have tried many times since, and always had more good ones but nothing that can compare with the "mystery" oranges that we had at Fuji.
Lodging
Lodging is very expensive in Japan. A simple room typically costs $100 a night, more or less. We cannot afford such rates, so we are staying at some pretty cheap places. We have no problem with the Japanese style rooms (tatami mats, no furniture, futon on floor, slippers, and shared bathroom). In fact we especially like the Ryokan (Japanese style hotels) and the Minishuku (rooms in someone's house). We have also found good accommodations in Youth Hostels that have rooms for couples.
However we have had problems with something more basic: drafty rooms and poor heaters. One day Rod even slept in his down sleeping bag since the room was so cold. Fortunately, we have lots of warm clothing. Well, I said we were staying in the lowest price places!
Trains
Wow, they run on time, and are very comfortable. We even scored a special treat on the long trip to the south tip of Kyushu --the two of us were in a compartment for four, with facing seats, a beautiful wood table and lamp. We just read and watched the scenery go by.
The Japan Rail Pass is working very well. It makes things very simple. There are times that we don't quite understand something correctly, so we have flashed the Rail Pass to get into the section of the station that we think we want, and then flash it again to exit when we are wrong. Without the pass, we'd have to pay for those little mistakes!
Buses
Every city is different. In Kyoto, if you want to go somewhere, you take a bus. In Tokyo you take a train. In Hakata, well, we just walked. In Kyoto, the buses are just as easy and reliable as Tokyo's trains. They are expensive ($2 a ride, regardless of destination) but then everything in Japan is expensive.
Saturday, February 2, 2002
Kyoto
Fran and Rod both love Japanese gardens. Tokyo was a bit disappointing that way (except for the Koishikawa Korakuen garden that we described earlier!). Kyoto on the other hand is absolute beauty.
Every little restaurant has a small garden in the entryway. Thousands of temples and shrines dot the city, many with incredible gardens. The camellias are blooming, and even a few plums are starting. Yes, it is winter and a relatively poor time to visit the gardens, but they really are beautiful even now. The shapes, the rocks, the water, the pines, the maples...
We visit many temples (Buddhist) and shrines (Shinto). We feel a bit too ignorant to understand them. They are beautiful, but much of their meaning is lost on us. We have been reading in the evenings to learn more. While we were both acquainted with Buddhism many years ago, we do not remember enough. We have looked for courses, seminars, or books that can help us learn. There is a great eight-week program that would be wonderful, if only Japan were not so expensive! Perhaps when we get to Thailand or China we can spend more time and learn more. We need to learn and experience Buddhism more to fully appreciate the lands in which we are traveling.
Fortunately, the Japanese people are very helpful. While at one temple, many Japanese were particularly excited to see a lacquered door on display. We had no idea why it was so special. A gentleman made a point of trying to explain that it was the door from the inner chamber, not accessible to the public, which housed the statue of a great shogun. It was a very special treat to see.
(A little side note: Rod remarked later that it was very nice of the gray-haired older gentleman to help us. Fran pointed out that with my hat on, my only visible hair is a very gray beard. Hmm, I still think of a fully gray man as a generation older than me, but maybe that distinction is becoming blurred...)
Japan is such a wonderful place to just roam. We are now habitually darting into side alleys to see what is there. Rarely are we disappointed. There are tiny shops, groceries, stores, and everything imaginable tucked into every corner. The typical shop has a storefront maybe just 20-30 feet wide. For example, we needed a locksmith and happened upon one with a tiny stall just four feet by eight feet large. He was very helpful, and would not accept payment.
On the second day, a Kyoto University law student volunteered to spend the day with us. Thanks Mika! You were great! We visited many more temples and shrines, and she interpreted and explained much of what we saw. And since her English was flawless, we had many great conversations. The Japanese are so gracious!
Fran seems to be charmed by one guardian figure in particular. He is a protector, and appears in the guardhouse of many gates into the shrines. We do not yet know his name. He has a fierce face, and is often very bright red, but still looks friendly. He was paired up with another very similar guardian at one temple, and he is saying "ah" while the other says "um". Those are the beginning and end of the Japanese alphabet, so they are saying that everything is contained between them.
There are also figures of Jizo in great abundance. Jizo is the guardian of the children that we first met in Tokyo. Many shrines include Jizo, and some have large numbers of stone statues of Jizo. Many have a cloth bib around them, which is to protect the soul of the dead children. Jizo is also said to be a protector of the traveler. Maybe that's why we are attracted to him. Or maybe it is our own children. Or maybe it is our future grandchildren (no hurry, guys!).
We cannot possibly describe the temples and shrines. They are too beautiful. You have to see them yourself. They are also too numerous. And alas we are too ignorant to describe and explain them. But then, that is part of why we are on this journey...
We are greatly enjoying Kyoto. It is cold (even snowy today), but we spend the entire day out walking. We are walking 5-10 miles every day. The food is great --we continue to eat noodles for breakfast and then one main meal mid-afternoon. Our health is holding out well.
Every little restaurant has a small garden in the entryway. Thousands of temples and shrines dot the city, many with incredible gardens. The camellias are blooming, and even a few plums are starting. Yes, it is winter and a relatively poor time to visit the gardens, but they really are beautiful even now. The shapes, the rocks, the water, the pines, the maples...
We visit many temples (Buddhist) and shrines (Shinto). We feel a bit too ignorant to understand them. They are beautiful, but much of their meaning is lost on us. We have been reading in the evenings to learn more. While we were both acquainted with Buddhism many years ago, we do not remember enough. We have looked for courses, seminars, or books that can help us learn. There is a great eight-week program that would be wonderful, if only Japan were not so expensive! Perhaps when we get to Thailand or China we can spend more time and learn more. We need to learn and experience Buddhism more to fully appreciate the lands in which we are traveling.
Fortunately, the Japanese people are very helpful. While at one temple, many Japanese were particularly excited to see a lacquered door on display. We had no idea why it was so special. A gentleman made a point of trying to explain that it was the door from the inner chamber, not accessible to the public, which housed the statue of a great shogun. It was a very special treat to see.
(A little side note: Rod remarked later that it was very nice of the gray-haired older gentleman to help us. Fran pointed out that with my hat on, my only visible hair is a very gray beard. Hmm, I still think of a fully gray man as a generation older than me, but maybe that distinction is becoming blurred...)
Japan is such a wonderful place to just roam. We are now habitually darting into side alleys to see what is there. Rarely are we disappointed. There are tiny shops, groceries, stores, and everything imaginable tucked into every corner. The typical shop has a storefront maybe just 20-30 feet wide. For example, we needed a locksmith and happened upon one with a tiny stall just four feet by eight feet large. He was very helpful, and would not accept payment.
On the second day, a Kyoto University law student volunteered to spend the day with us. Thanks Mika! You were great! We visited many more temples and shrines, and she interpreted and explained much of what we saw. And since her English was flawless, we had many great conversations. The Japanese are so gracious!
Fran seems to be charmed by one guardian figure in particular. He is a protector, and appears in the guardhouse of many gates into the shrines. We do not yet know his name. He has a fierce face, and is often very bright red, but still looks friendly. He was paired up with another very similar guardian at one temple, and he is saying "ah" while the other says "um". Those are the beginning and end of the Japanese alphabet, so they are saying that everything is contained between them.
There are also figures of Jizo in great abundance. Jizo is the guardian of the children that we first met in Tokyo. Many shrines include Jizo, and some have large numbers of stone statues of Jizo. Many have a cloth bib around them, which is to protect the soul of the dead children. Jizo is also said to be a protector of the traveler. Maybe that's why we are attracted to him. Or maybe it is our own children. Or maybe it is our future grandchildren (no hurry, guys!).
We cannot possibly describe the temples and shrines. They are too beautiful. You have to see them yourself. They are also too numerous. And alas we are too ignorant to describe and explain them. But then, that is part of why we are on this journey...
We are greatly enjoying Kyoto. It is cold (even snowy today), but we spend the entire day out walking. We are walking 5-10 miles every day. The food is great --we continue to eat noodles for breakfast and then one main meal mid-afternoon. Our health is holding out well.
Friday, February 1, 2002
Mt. Fuji
Mount Fuji is famous worldwide. Its perfect cone shape is quite beautiful. Since it is winter, we did not plan to go to Fuji-san. But it called us anyway...
Fuji is an elusive mountain. Most of the year it is shrouded in clouds, either partly or completely. In previous trips to Japan, Rod has never seen the mountain. But during the winter, fewer clouds form around the mountain, and it is a good time to view the mountain. We saw Fuji from Tokyo, and off we went!
The most famous place to view the mountain is Kamaguchiko Lake. We hopped on a train (or two) and arrived around noon. After finding a very friendly place to stay (Masaaki is great!), we walked around the lake for the beautiful view. There were many fishermen on the lake. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon --fly fishing with a view of Mount Fuji. And they were even catching some nice fat trout. We just sat there and watched the mountain. Fuji was marvelous, but as promised became obscured by clouds just before sunset. That is part of the mystic of Fuji.
We planned to take a small hike (5-6 hours) up the hill on the other side of the lake the next day. But a storm was due that afternoon and we did not want to take any chances. During much of the year, climbing Fuji is somewhat of a pilgrimage. But during the winter it is more treacherous and only for those with mountaineering skills and equipment.
Fran noticed a couple of places to visit in the village. It is a small village, mostly for tourists, and there were craft shops and local museums. We asked Masaaki, and he said that one of them was quite beautiful. Off we went!
It turned out to be absolutely amazing! The Itchiku Kubota Art Museum is built by one artist, to show his work. Few artists ever get such an opportunity, but Itchiku Kubota made his own opportunities. It is an interesting story, and shows the determination it takes to make your own dreams come true.
Itchiku Kubota first saw an exhibit in the Tokyo National Museum at age 20 that changed his life. On display was a silk kimono, dyed with intricate patterns and wonderful blends using a technique that was lost 300 years ago. Itchiku decided right then that he would reproduce that technique. But World War II intervened, and Itchiku found himself to be a POW in Siberia. His reaction was indicative of his character. Many of the other POWs died. In fact, Itchiku often spent his days digging graves for other POWs. But the memory that Itchiku really has of Siberia is the sunsets. The sun, the clouds, and the open ground all produced the most wonderful sunsets he ever saw. His later works include Kimonos with the Siberian sunset.
It was not until age 34 that Itchiku was released and able to start his research into dyeing silk. His determination was maniacal. He had no income, yet had a wife and two children. There was no food, and no money for school. Regardless, Itchiku spend all of his energy researching and experimenting. Despite abject poverty, he persisted. And persisted. And persisted. It was not until he was 60 years old that he finally discovered the full technique, and could reproduce the lost art.
His work instantly took the breath away from everyone. It has been displayed at the Tokyo National Museum, and his was the first work ever for a living artist to be displayed at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum.
But rather than use his art to reach fame and fortune, Itchiku has a vision he is pursuing. He has a configuration of 80 kimonos, which represent the Universe as he sees it. It includes all four seasons, and many of the natural areas that inspired him (including the Siberian sunset!). He is racing against time to complete the work, as he is now 81.
Each Kimono is a major undertaking, and he can only complete one or two a year. But with his persistence, he will finish his dream. Each Kimono is an intricate design of color showing the mountains, lakes, trees and clouds of the area around Fuji-san during the four seasons. When displayed together in a series in the gallery another dimension of the work appears. Each kimono connects to the one next to it so that a larger panoramic view is revealed. One season blends into the next seamlessly - the puffy summer clouds from one kimono transform into the misty autumn clouds of the next.
Our side trip to Fuji seemed the perfect excursion. We had not planned to go to Fuji, but somehow it called us there. Then after a wonderful walk around the lake with incredible views, the next day we happened upon a truly amazing master artist. We know that the trip will have highs and lows, and we are savoring this moment.
Fuji is an elusive mountain. Most of the year it is shrouded in clouds, either partly or completely. In previous trips to Japan, Rod has never seen the mountain. But during the winter, fewer clouds form around the mountain, and it is a good time to view the mountain. We saw Fuji from Tokyo, and off we went!
The most famous place to view the mountain is Kamaguchiko Lake. We hopped on a train (or two) and arrived around noon. After finding a very friendly place to stay (Masaaki is great!), we walked around the lake for the beautiful view. There were many fishermen on the lake. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon --fly fishing with a view of Mount Fuji. And they were even catching some nice fat trout. We just sat there and watched the mountain. Fuji was marvelous, but as promised became obscured by clouds just before sunset. That is part of the mystic of Fuji.
We planned to take a small hike (5-6 hours) up the hill on the other side of the lake the next day. But a storm was due that afternoon and we did not want to take any chances. During much of the year, climbing Fuji is somewhat of a pilgrimage. But during the winter it is more treacherous and only for those with mountaineering skills and equipment.
Fran noticed a couple of places to visit in the village. It is a small village, mostly for tourists, and there were craft shops and local museums. We asked Masaaki, and he said that one of them was quite beautiful. Off we went!
It turned out to be absolutely amazing! The Itchiku Kubota Art Museum is built by one artist, to show his work. Few artists ever get such an opportunity, but Itchiku Kubota made his own opportunities. It is an interesting story, and shows the determination it takes to make your own dreams come true.
Itchiku Kubota first saw an exhibit in the Tokyo National Museum at age 20 that changed his life. On display was a silk kimono, dyed with intricate patterns and wonderful blends using a technique that was lost 300 years ago. Itchiku decided right then that he would reproduce that technique. But World War II intervened, and Itchiku found himself to be a POW in Siberia. His reaction was indicative of his character. Many of the other POWs died. In fact, Itchiku often spent his days digging graves for other POWs. But the memory that Itchiku really has of Siberia is the sunsets. The sun, the clouds, and the open ground all produced the most wonderful sunsets he ever saw. His later works include Kimonos with the Siberian sunset.
It was not until age 34 that Itchiku was released and able to start his research into dyeing silk. His determination was maniacal. He had no income, yet had a wife and two children. There was no food, and no money for school. Regardless, Itchiku spend all of his energy researching and experimenting. Despite abject poverty, he persisted. And persisted. And persisted. It was not until he was 60 years old that he finally discovered the full technique, and could reproduce the lost art.
His work instantly took the breath away from everyone. It has been displayed at the Tokyo National Museum, and his was the first work ever for a living artist to be displayed at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum.
But rather than use his art to reach fame and fortune, Itchiku has a vision he is pursuing. He has a configuration of 80 kimonos, which represent the Universe as he sees it. It includes all four seasons, and many of the natural areas that inspired him (including the Siberian sunset!). He is racing against time to complete the work, as he is now 81.
Each Kimono is a major undertaking, and he can only complete one or two a year. But with his persistence, he will finish his dream. Each Kimono is an intricate design of color showing the mountains, lakes, trees and clouds of the area around Fuji-san during the four seasons. When displayed together in a series in the gallery another dimension of the work appears. Each kimono connects to the one next to it so that a larger panoramic view is revealed. One season blends into the next seamlessly - the puffy summer clouds from one kimono transform into the misty autumn clouds of the next.
Our side trip to Fuji seemed the perfect excursion. We had not planned to go to Fuji, but somehow it called us there. Then after a wonderful walk around the lake with incredible views, the next day we happened upon a truly amazing master artist. We know that the trip will have highs and lows, and we are savoring this moment.
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