Royal Flora

Royal Flora is a once-every-five year festival of international gardens held right outside Chiang Mai.  It's the one festival we're actually here for!  And it's all about gardens, which particularly makes Dave very happy.  It came highly recommended to us, as well.

So it had massive potential, but it was marred by quite a few things:

• Royal Flora sound track song continued to loop over huge loud speakers in the entire complex.
• People tried to sell you things everywhere, with mega phones.
• Many of the gardens were more about fake architecture than real gardens.

That said, there were some very spectacular spots:

Chiang Mai Love

So here we are in Chiang Mai.
There's many reasons it's glorious here:

• Much less traffic and a slightly slower pace of life. Reminds us of Boulder and Cuzco, Peru.
• Much more vegetarian food!
• We were walking down the street from our hotel the first night and were wondering if we were going to find a veggie spot. The second Dave said it, there was a huge VEGETARIAN FOOD sign that just popped out of no where. Amazing. Dave ate some mushroom seitan grilled in a banana leaf. That made him very happy.
• The food is super creative, as it's inspired by more than just Thai and Chinese here. There's a large Burmese influence that really adds some excellent tastes.
• Our favorite places, so far:
• Khun Churn - unbelievably veggie buffet for $4 per person. Huge salad bar, unlimited unsweetened iced tea and amazing curries and noodle dishes. So good.
• iBerry. Boutique ice cream shop with local flavors - durian (yucky smell, great taste!), black sesame, mango, etc. Could have been in Brooklyn or Portland. So cool.
• Whole Earth. Fancy veggie restaurant. A bit pricy, but delicious.
• Salad Concept. Again, should be in NY. Huge salad with 5 toppings for $2.
• Veggie Stall. One of our few attempts at street food. All veggie. So yummy. $1 per dish.
• Freedom House. Great non-profit org, working with Burmese Refugees. Delicious and unusual salads and brown rice!
• Much more NGO, entrepreneurial, and environmental spirit here
• We've found several excellent spots that support refugee camps, shelters, and other great causes through their work. It's nice to be able to eat at their spots and support them.
• The owner of our first guesthouse (The Dozy House), just started her place up 3 months ago. She's a really driven lady and has produced a great guest house. Huge fans!
• A no-foam policy at the Saturday night market...only compostable containers allowed (ie banana leaves!).
• Shopping!
• It's no secret that Elli enjoys a good boutique and resale shop. Chiang Mai has many fantastic options and cool streets to walk around. Not as many malls here as in Bangkok, so it's much more enjoyable.
• Weather
• It's way cooler in Chiang Mai than in Bangkok. Enough said.
• Much more nature here
• There are actually TREES in Chiang Mai
• And gardens (Dave's hospital has a whole garden outside of it)
• And flowers! (see royal flora post)
• Much more "religion in action" here
• The wats here are very active centers of learning and prayer. We've had the opportunity to watch monks studying, chanting ceremonies, and much more.
• The monks here are bustling about....that's not to say that this didn't happen in Bangkok, but it's much easier to see in action here in Chiang Mai

There's only a few reasons it's not so glorious here:

• "Haze"
• So the Bangkok Post warned us of a "haze" that has descended on Chiang Mai.
• The Thai equivalent of the EPA called it "unharmful" and most probably an "extra ozone layer."
• This is all BS: it's of course harmful, and whether it's ozone or just particulate matter, it's no good. The real fact is that's probably been so long since a rainstorm that all the pollution has simply built up.
• The selfish bottom-line: all the typical places where there's beautiful views have absolutely zero view right now. Meh. We have imaginations.
• Transport
• Bangkok has an amazing public transit system and taxis are on a cheap meter system (if you can get a driver who will use the meter!). Chiang Mai has a different, and more challenging for the tourist system. There are crazy red trucks (former pickup trucks) that you flag down, and tell them where you're going. They're small public busses, but the driver decides where they're off to. Hopefully one is going your way and for 66 cents you're off. The old city is very walkable (2k to each side), but we live about 45 min (walking) away. Many people rent bikes and just about everyone drives a motorbike.
• And finally: Don't bring your durian (or your dog) in the hotel, please!

This one is for Dr Defer

So they are having their huge book fair right now at the hospital. They have every title you've ever seen in the States and the UK, and then some. They are all the "international version," which means they are an odd dimension and REALLY cheap. I thought all my WashU peeps (especially Dr Defer) would enjoy the fact that every Washington Manual could be bought here!!

Hospital Image of the Day 4

Any guesses where this shot comes from inside the hospital? It's a toughy...

Random Reflections on Bangkok

Nanglet

• "One can never eat too many nanglet," says Elisheva.  These brown puffed rice cakes with a nice caramel swirl on top are officially Eli's favorite Thai snack.  They also may be the only gluten free vegetarian snack that exists in Bangkok (or at least that we've discovered thus far).  Okay, there's also bubble tea and sticky rice, but these are just not as addictive...
• Yet another quote: "YOU DIDN'T KNOW I WAS A NANGLET MONSTER."
• Nanglet will not make it back to the States because they become stale very fast (hence, one needs to be a nanglet monster to properly eat nanglet).

Ex-Pat Community

• There is quite a large and diverse ex-pat community here
• Americans
• Bangkok is home to the largest US embassy in the world.  Yeah, crazy.  So it's probably not fair to call the workers here ex-pats, because they're on more of temporary assignment, but there are a lot of them.
• Others have simply chosen to live in Bangkok.  Their multinationals bring them here, or it's just the incredibly inexpensive live-in help?
• They almost all congregate inside of one part of Bangkok, known as Sukumhvit.  Fancy apartment towers and not-so-fancy girlie bars follow suit.
• We've met some incredibly awesome ex-pats, who have been very hospitable and invited for dinner both in their home and out at fun restaurants.  It's been interesting to see how disconnected they can choose to be from the US, or how very connected they continue to be (with even monthly visits back state-side).
• Israelis
• Lots of Israelis seem to be in the gem business here, or the tech business.
• Many many Israelis are backpacking around on their post-army tour and often it's hard to find a menu or sign not in Hebrew (depending on where you are).  We actually haven't encountered this too much, mostly because we're living by the hospital.

• Many others...Awesome Brits, many others.

Atlanta Hotel & the Sex-Pat Community

• Sexual tourism is unfortunately very real in Bangkok. Even the 5-star hotels are filled with (well-dressed) prostitutes. Not that we would know. We don't hang out in 5-star hotels. 
• The Atlanta hotel is a very unique place run by a Thai-British family. Our guidebook suggests their restaurant as it has a huge vegetarian menu. However, you can't get in if you don't stay there. The reason is that they have an anti-"Sex-pat" policy.  It's really a great policy, and they present in an almost hilarious manner.
• Well, we got in, thanks to a random connection.  It was a great place to eat dinner (authentic Thai vegetarian food - Dave had his first morning glory curry...amazing) with super reasonable prices, and no, well, sex-pats present. 

Tailoring/Suit-Making

• Thanks to the pressures of Eli, Dave has given in to buying a tailored suit here in Bangkok (he figures owning one suit is perfectly fine).  This was not an easy one.  The fabric is from the UK and the labor is at least being done in a nice shop with a good reputation.

Dress-Making

• Eli found an awesome silk vendor in Chinatown thanks to a friend.  She then found an awesome seamstress thanks to the same friend.  We'll see what comes of it.  She might end up with a Victorian-era hoop dress. Hopefully not.

Elevator Etiquette

• Thais (as a generalization) are quite polite and quite impatient in elevators.
• When you walk in, someone will always be pressing the door hold button and as soon as you step in, they will immediately press the door close button so as to speed the elevator to the next floor.  We mention this only because we have yet to see it not happen :-).

The Beach

Super late update, but here's the news from last weekend (Feb 10-13):

Because of an all-Thai conference and Dave's super awesome attending, we had a four day weekend. Plus, Dave's Dad Jim came to visit before his business trip to China. Woohoo!
We opted for mainland Krabi, more specifically Ao Nang because of its close proximity to the airport and its slightly less busy atmosphere.

• Centara Resort

• Wow. What a place. Really the surrounding scenery is what makes everything so special. There's fantastic giant outcroppings of rock that beckon to be scaled with beautiful greenery careening off most every side (We needed our Aunt and Uncle to help with the geology). Apparently it's the location of the films James Bond: Man with the Golden Gun and The Beach. Either way, there's a reason Hollywood wants to film here.

• 
• Just a few tidbits of this idyllic spot
• Kayaking around these huge behemoths

• Amazing recovery from the tragic 2004 tsunami
• Only way to get to Centara was via the monkey trail or via boat (Dave preferred the monkey trail)
• Breakfast buffet: fresh-baked breads, every fruit imaginable, banana crepes, salads, yogurts, lots of meat things, and did we mention fresh-baked breads (of multiple kinds). Eli discovered a new use for tapioca balls (typically found in bubble tea): balls + red beans + puffed millet + fruit + fresh warm soy milk + sprinkle of brown sugar = yum
• Dave's wedding ring was lost/stolen. Sadness maximus.
• Diving
• We were fortunate enough to take a day-long dive trip out to Ko Phi Phi island. Bleaching of the reef about 2 years ago has dulled some of the color, but government regulations (namely shutting down at-risk dive sites) have apparently helped to rejuvenate some of the reef. Despite the bleaching, we still felt the colors here were better than Belize.
• We saw our first sea turtle. S/he was enjoying yummy bubble coral.
• We saw our first shark too!
• It was not hard to find nemo. So beautiful!
• Dad even got a great view of the reef and its wildlife while snorkeling.
• Nakamanda Resort
• On the excellent suggestion of Dave's professor, we ventured to Nakamanda for our third evening.
• A much smaller spot, with an amazing rate on agoda.com. It's a beautiful cross between ancient roman and thai architecture in a super peaceful setting. We'd come back again in a heartbeat.
• Had to say goodbye to Dad...he's off for business in China...Thanks for joining us Dad!!

• Back to work - hospital + cooking classes tomorrow!

Excuse me, Mr. Short Pants

 As long as we're spending three weeks in Bangkok, we figured we might as well spend one weekend as real tourists.

• Friday afternoon: Chinatown! 
• We arrived via public transit (obviously, right?) and walked to Wat Traimit, home of the famous golden Buddha, which was only discovered in 1955 in the process of being moved! It was encased in stucco and they discovered that it was actually solid gold - valued by weight at over $10 million. Shockingly, not much security here :) 

• Walked up a quiet road looking for interesting shops. Mostly found specialty hardware shops - for your castor, screwdriver and other miscellaneous item needs. Nothing too helpful for us here. 

• Then we found the craziness - just a few blocks away. Junk, junk and more junk. All of David's favorite stuff here - made in China, of course. (or perhaps Thailand)

• Friday night: Chabad 
• 2 main choices in Bangkok - Khao San Rd for the backpackers and Israelis (with recent thwarted terrorist attack), or Sukhumvit for the expats and business travelers. We opted for choice 2. 
• Typical Chabad services.
• Atypical/amazing dinner with homemade challah and lots of salads. We stuffed ourselves silly. 
• Incredibly eclectic group of expats and some travelers. Our hat goes off to Rabbi Kantor for creating such a great community. 
• Saturday: The "farang" trail (farang = white person)
• Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaeo 
• The Wat is home to the emerald Buddha, who wears a different outfit depending on the season and whose clothing is only changed by the King of Thailand. Strict dress code for humans to enter - capris not allowed! 
• When you enter the grounds there is a woman with a loudspeaker, who calls out if you're wearing inappropriate attire, thus the title of this post.
• The grounds were uniquely beautiful, unlike any other architecture we've seen. Amazingly clean, as well. 





• Highlights include: (photo uploader now broken...we'll add the pics later!)
• Dave ate a whole-wheat bagel for lunch. 
• The rest of our lunch consisted of a delicious vegetarian stir fry, which was most definitely topped off with some MSG. Just our style. 
• Nice walk through two universities, where Eli cooled off with the requisite $.50 young coconut. 
• We walked through the amulet market, where you can also purchase dentures at ever other stand. 
• Wat Pho
• We met our new Thai medical school friends: Napatt & Oil
• They had never been here so David was the tour guide, but unfortunately torrential rain started and our tour was cut short
• Home to many Buddhas, including the famous reclining one 

• Museum of Siam = Refuge from the Rain
• Not recommended, unless trying to dry off or on a high school field trip
• Riverboat across the river to Wat Arun, known for its pottery shard decoration
• Super steep! Not for the faint of heart :) 
• Off to the mall! Brought mangosteens, our new favorite fruit, to our dinner hosts.
• Expat Dinner
• Lovely dinner with embassy employee + family, sommelier & international moving consultant. Good old American cooking. We had a great time.  
• Sunday: More Tourist Stuff
• Vimanmek Mansion - the largest entirely teak house, with no nails in construction. No photos allowed. No shoes allowed either, but that's normal here in Thailand. Contains country's first indoor ballroom & Thai typewriter. 
• Some other small museums, not worth writing home about. 
• Dusik Throne Hall - AMAZING showcase of Queen Sikrit's charity project, which involves the revitilization of the Thai arts. Incredibly intricate gold and stonework, silkmaking, and woodcarving - all made within the last 15 years. Well worth the visit. 

• Next up: Wat Benjamabophit, known as the marble temple
• I'm tired just writing about all of this! 
• Jim Thompson's House - the not-so-humble abode of the man who re-invigorated the Thai silk industry
• Eli ran into an Eat with Eli client at Jim Thompson - to both of their surprise and delight! 
• Amazing how quiet it can be in the midst of the crazy city. 
• Following an uneventful dinner, Dave grabbed some waffles on his way home. These made him quite happy.