Pictures that correspond with the last post

And I almost forgot, I'm going to Cambodia on Wednesday!

Art Museum:
This was actually more of a gallery than a museum. I found it fascinating, because there were many photographs of Bangkok, both from amateurs and professionals. The amateur photographs were a part of a contest in the gallery, so it was interesting to see which photos were ranked higher than the others. It was also cool to see that some places that I had previously visited in Bangkok were captured in the photographs. The gallery also had a contest for professional artists (mostly in prints), which were from countries around the world. The part that made the gallery particularly fascinating to me was the exhibit surrounding the founding of the museum. A few years ago, artists from throughout the city protested the building of the malls in the area. They believed that Bangkok needed a place to showcase art (which is indeed true). To make their statement heard, they decorated canvas bags, strung them together, and dragged them while marching through the city. Locals and passersby joined in the effort by designing their own bags and marching with the artists. In the gallery, the hundreds (maybe thousands?) of bags were on display.

Floating Market:
The name pretty much describes the excursion. Some friends and I ventured an hour and a half outside the city to our destination (which is a popular tourist thing to do). We rode throughout the canals in canoe-type boats and stopped to look at the floating sellers along the way. All of the merchandise was overpriced, but the scenery was well worth the trip.

Royal Palace:
The Cal Poly group took a short day trip to this site. The palace is surrounded by Wat Phra Kaew, which is a beautiful temple adorned with gems and gold. It houses the Emerald Buddha, which is the most important Buddha in all of Thailand. The palace itself reminded me of Buckingham Palace, since its facade was very European. Our group was allowed to enter inside (which other visitors are not allowed to do). Although the current king does not reside here, it was amazing to see the interior. It was again, very European, and reminded me of the inside of Versailles.

Slums:
This was also a Cal Poly field trip. We met with an NGO that started educational and community programming in the poorest areas of Bangkok. The organization allowed us to walk throughout the squatter community (made up of residents who are illegally residing on the land). There were shacks smashed up against one another, and the residents were obviously very poor. The streets were covered in litter and filthy water. I found it very interesting to compare the areas of Bangkok that we've visited: from the ritziest malls and health spas to the most destitute of families.

A little more about Bangkok

The shopping has ceased to end, since it is pretty much unavoidable in this city. But don't worry, I'm not blowing all of my funds! There are plenty of bargains to be found. There is also a plethora of international food (definitely a bonus). I haven't done anything majorly exciting since I last posted. My friends and I have just been exploring the city, revisiting Kao San Road, celebrating birthdays, and going to class (I know, hard to believe!). Oh, and I went to the Dusit Zoo! The highlight of that trip was playing with baby goats. So adorable.

I've been attending Bikram Yoga during the last couple of days with Sarah, Emma, and Laura. It's held at the classiest, most state-of-the art gym I have ever seen. It's on the 9th-11th floors of a tower and looks over the city of Bangkok. I'm pretty sure all of the rich people of Bangkok are members. Anyway, the yoga class is awesome! I plan on attending as much as I can.

This weekend, I'll be partaking in more productive outings (since class won't get in the way). I really love being in a big city. The only downside: lots and lots of traffic. It's not very fun riding in a taxi for more than 30 minutes.

I'm in BANGKOK!

I love it here! It's so full of life.

My stay here has mostly consisted of shopping, and I'm not ashamed to say it! The malls are massive and are all connected with pathways. I've taken the Skytrain, saw Angels and Demons at a 1200 seat theater, visited Kao San Road (market/restaurants/clubs/lots of white foreigners), and gone on a boat tour along the Chao Praya River and through the canals of the city.

I'll update more later!

Since I rarely update anymore...

Here is a bit more about our stay in Nong Khai. The pace of life here is unquestionably relaxed. As I mentioned before, our guest house is on the edge of the Mekong River, and one could easily waste a day lounging outside. This is what many of us do on a daily basis.

When we got back from Laos, we were bombarded with activities surrounding the Rocket Festival (a one day celebration in which large rockets are lit off into the sky, so that they bring rain). Some of the students participated in a fashion show, where they displayed Thai outfits. The group also attended a pre-Rocket Festival parade, where some of the same students performed a traditional Thai dance. This parade was hot and chaotic (and not very enjoyable). The next day was finally the actual Rocket Festival. It was hot and chaotic again, and we only stayed a short while to watch some of the rockets launch.

There is a group of Thai students studying at First Global Community College (where we are studying), and many of us have befriended them. Two girls (I can't pronounce or spell their names) have been hanging out with my friends and showing us around town. On a Buddhist holiday, they took us to a wat and showed us how to participate. We walked around the temple 3 times for luck and had our fortunes read. They then took us to a riverside buffet (not really a restaurant), where we cooked our food in a hot pot. Today, some of us visited the statue park (Nong Khai's most famed attraction). It was strange and beautiful. Look at my pictures on Facebook!

Laos!

What a fascinating country. My trip here lasted from Thursday evening to Wednesday evening (which was longer than I had initially planned). Eight other girls and I crossed the border to the capital city of Vientiane. Here, we:
-ate an amazing Italian dinner at Cote d'Azur
-stayed in a cheap/basic guest house
-ate a delicious breakfast at a French cafe (one of the best croissants I've ever had!)
-visited Phra That Luang (a stupa that is the symbol of Laos)
-saw a monument that is an imitation of L'Arc de Triomphe
-enjoyed lunch at a westernized fancy restaurant (and rid ourselves of sweat in the A/C)
All of these French elements are a result of the French colonizing Laos, and are pretty evident everywhere. From Vientiane, we took a 3 hour van ride to Vang Vieng and met up with the rest of the Cal Poly crowd. Here, we:
-stayed in a guest house along the river
-ate sandwiches on baguettes
-kayaked on the Nam Song River
-enjoyed the incredible mountains along the river
-went caving
-ate some awesome Indian food
-went tubing down the Nam Song (Vang Vieng's main attraction) and stopped at the rope swings and bars along the way
This city is a popular destination for white, young tourists who love adventures and crazy nightlife! I met quite a few who decided to extend their vacation there to last a few months! After Vang Vieng, Emma, Laura, and I decided to skip class so that we could travel further into Laos to Luang Prabang. We took a 6 hour van ride (with plenty of curves along treacherous cliffs) to our next destination. In contrast to Vang Vieng, this town was filled with the older crowd of tourists. It was a beautiful town. My friend Emma described it perfectly when she said, "It looks like someone picked up all of the Asian people and just put them in a French town!". I could've sworn I was in Europe. Here, we:
-stayed in a large room in an old guesthouse
-shopped for handicrafts in the night market
-ate some delicious food, once again (modern Lao food, baguettes, etc.)
-walked throughout the town
-visited waterfalls with clear blue water
-ventured to the top of a hill, stopping at Buddhist shrines along the way, and watched the sunset from the peak
To end this adventure, we took a 10 hour bus ride back to the border. It was definitely an exhausting trip, but well worth it! Laos has probably been my favorite part of the trip so far.

Just as I promised...

Nong Khai

Our last day in Chiang Mai was Friday. It was a bittersweet goodbye. I was sad to leave because I had grown attached to the city and was finally able to navigate around easily. We had experienced all the city had to offer, so it was nice to arrive in a new location. The group departed for Sukkothai on Saturday, and stayed until Monday. There, we stayed in a very nice hotel and were able to swim in a pool! We spent many hours poolside--eating, reading, chatting, etc. There isn't much to do in Sukkothai, other than visit the remnants of Thailand's first capital. Which, of course we did. We rode bikes around the area and saw the beautiful ruins. I'll have to upload pictures soon, because they are literally breathtaking.

After Sukkothai, the Cal Poly group took an 8-hour bus ride to Nong Khai. We arrived at the Mut Mee Guesthouse, which is where I am sitting now. It is along the Mekong River, which borders Thailand from Laos. Aside from the mosquitos, this place is close to paradise. We're staying in varying types of bungalows, and there is a floating restaurant on the river. At the moment, I'm enjoying the breeze while sitting in the outdoor cafe. Again, I'll have to upload pictures.

Today was our first full day in Nong Khai, and we were able to visit another tribe (the Isan). The highlight of this experience was eating a cricket and red ant eggs! The cricket was actually delicious. Imagine the taste of chicken with the texture of a sunflower seed, and there you have it! This weekend, my friends and I are traveling to Laos. I'll update soon!

Cooking

On Saturday, I took a Thai cooking class! Emma, Stephanie, Sarah, Danielle, Dana, and I participated in a program called "Thai Farm Cooking School". We first visited a large market where many Thai cooks purchase produce or meat. We then arrived at a farm where we learned how to cook Thai cuisine. Our instructor guided us around the farm and taught us about the different fruits, vegetables, and herbs that are commonly used in the dishes. We then cooked five different courses (which we were able to pick from a list). I learned how to make green curry with tofu, coconut soup, basil and tofu stir-fry, spring rolls, and bananas in coconut milk. After cooking, we were able to eat everything we had made--I can't remember the last time I had been so stuffed! They were all delicious.

Caves

Some friends (Stephanie, Kaitie, Alicia, Randy, Matt, Justin, Dana, Lexie, Emma, Laura) and I traveled to Chiang Dao on Thursday. The purpose of this excursion was to explore caves! In order to get to Chiang Dao, we took a 2-hour bus ride. It was relaxing to roll down the window, listen to my iPod, and look at the scenery along the way. I was surprised to see that as the bus picked up travelers at each stop, the driver would merely slow down--this means that these people literally had to run to get on the bus!

So, about the caves...
There were many Thais and tourists there, most likely because of the Buddhist shrines inside. Different worship areas were set throughout the caves, and people would light candles and pray at each. Our group seemed to be the most adventurous of all the visitors, because we were the only ones to wander deep into the caves. We chose to stray from the path and explore. Luckily, most of the group brought flashlights, because soon after we wandered, it was completely dark. We climbed over rocks, under rocks, and crouched through crevices. Some of us were slightly injured along the way, but that was soon forgotten because of the cave's unbelievably breathtaking beauty. There were amazing rock formations throughout the caverns, and bats! Lots of them! Towards the end of our venturing, we discovered a pool of water. It appeared to be very shallow, but as we peered around, we discovered that it curved and dropped to about 40 feet deep! Throughout this entire exploration, we kept relating our experience to different movies--The Goonies, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones, etc. I kept expecting to stumble upon skeletons or buried treasure!

Songkran

As I mentioned in a previous entry, Songkran is a New Year's celebration in Thailand that lasts from Saturday to Wednesday. Chiang Mai is the ultimate destination for this holiday, and there is no possible way to stay dry when walking outside. After we returned from Pai on Monday, we were able to partake in the festivities. Chiang Mai University invited the Cal Poly group to participate in a parade, but when we arrived at the route, we encountered pandamonium and were unsure of where to start. This was fine with me, because I wanted to be able to watch. The parade consisted of different groups dressed in traditional Thai apparel--mostly dancers and musicians, who played enormous drums. There were also floats, which were actually crafted in the back of the participants' pick-up trucks. Each one had a statue of Buddha, with elaborate decor and flowers surrounding him. Along the route, the Thais sprinkled water on each Buddha, as well as everyone else in the parade. Since water was strewn throughout the streets at every moment, we werev all obviously drenched at the end. Oh, and I almost forgot the most entertaining part--a dancing horse!

On Tuesday and Wednesday, I was able to experience the real chaos of Songkran. My friends and I walked along the moat, which surrounds the "old city" area of Chiang Mai. Here, there were cars in bumper-to-bumper traffic, with masses of people EVERYWHERE. Water (from squirt guns, large buckets, etc.) was thrown at everything and everyone. Many people rode in the backs of trucks to drench passersby, and many also lined the streets. The water was definitely not clean by any means (since the most popular way to refill ammunition was in the filthy moat)! I tried to avoid the thought of this and kept my eyes and mouth closed! The Thais obviously did not care about this, since some were swimming in the moat! Gross.

To end the festival, we danced amidst a vast sea of people, while DJs and bands performed onstage. Thai girls stood on platforms and doused everyone with hoses. To say that I was drenched would be an understatement; it was as if I had jumped in a pool with my clothes on!

Pai

So over the weekend, a group of us traveled to Pai (pronounced "bye"). The only way to get here is to take vans/buses through two hours of mountainous winding roads. I was so close to losing my breakfast! Anyway, when we got there I noticed t-shirts for sale that said "792 curves" (meaning 792 curves in the road to get to Pai!). I guess it's part of the character of the town.

Pai is really characterized as a hippie hot-spot. There were many white tourists (Europeans, Australians, and Canadians)--lots of whom walked around barefoot as they backpacked around the area. We stayed in little bungalows along the river at the Baan Pai Resort, complete with mosquito netting and no air conditioning. They were definitely beautiful and added to the experience. At the start of the trip, some of my friends and I rented bikes for the day. We ventured around the town and up a path to the outskirts of Pai. Here, we found a vast area of open land and hills. We explored shops and markets and did a great deal of eating throughout the weekend. Pai had a plethora of varying cuisines (Greek, Italian, Thai, American), all of which were so delicious! The nightlife in the town was really fun, and I was able to meet a lot of the other tourists. It was so fascinating to hear about their different backgrounds and cultures.

Some Other Fun Little Facts:

-Everyone in the group has mosquito bites. Lots and lots of them. I'm one of the lucky few who hasn't gotten them on my face.

-To relieve the itch of these bites, we use "White Monkey Holding Peach", a little balm that smells like Icy/Hot. I don't know why they don't sell it in the U.S. It's a lifesaver.

-When someone orders sausage for breakfast, they get a hot dog.

-I've been to 7-11 here more times than I've been in my whole life. Who would've thought that tomato soup chips and pizza flavored pretzels would be so tasty?

-The sunsets here are orange. And so beautiful.

-I've come to realize that I can't bargain at all. I'll have to get better if I plan to keep shopping at the markets.

This weekend is the start of the Songkran Festival (a week-long water fight for the Thai new year)! We don't have class for a week, so most of us are traveling to Pai from Saturday to Monday. Fun!

More Animals

Some updates from the last couple of days:
Indian food, cosmic bowling, Thai cartoon movie, dance club, walk across the city, move to our new home (the International Center), massage, lack of sleep, school

Since class has actually been held for the last few days (as opposed to our field trips at the beginning of the trip), the schooling part of the program has finally become apparent. The chaos and excitement has settled down, and we've actually started to read and study for class during our free time. However, we still manage to find fun adventures!

For instance, last night a group of us went on a night safari! The facility was very state-of-the-art (think Animal Kingdom at Disney World), and before the safari began, there was a water show on the man-made lake. I could've sworn I was watching Fantasmic (again, the Disney influence)! It was so impressive! The safari consisted of a tram ride throughout the park with stops at each animal's habitat. The driver shined a light on each animal, and the female Thai safari guide offered her best attempt at English commentary. Of course, we rude Americans had to poke fun at this. Oh, and I had my first encounter with the Thailand rain last night. It poured, but it felt so nice to be out of the heat for once.

Pictures for Y'all

Flight

Today was my first encounter with ziplining. It was definitely an experience I will never forget! This eco-tourism destination, called "Flight of the Gibbon", was located in a hill tribe in the jungle. There were a total of 18 platforms throughout the trees, and to each, we ziplined, belayed, or walked across a suspended bridge. Our guides, Dino, Leo, and Dundee, were young Thai men, and since I was with a group of all girls, they really seemed to enjoy us. They sang us American songs and knew all of the lyrics. Lunch was served to the whole group at the end, we received free t-shirts, and hiked to a waterfall, all included in a discounted price!

Throughout my trip thus far, and especially today, I have really grown to appreciate how friendly the Thais are. They are all so willing to help without receiving anything in return. For instance, today after we hiked to the waterfall, a Thai woman was waiting at the bottom with damp towels and iced herbal tea (for free!). I was so impressed! A group of us recently went to a cute little restaurant across the street from our hotel. The people who work there are all young Thai adults, and we've already become friends with them. They're so happy, and they love visiting with us! Americans really seem to be appreciated here, which is kind of odd sometimes. I have noticed a lot of staring children, and some people have even asked to take pictures with us!

Trekkin'

So my idea of "roughing it" with the hill tribe wasn't exactly our experience last night. We stayed in actual rooms with actual bathrooms. Crazy! Our lodging was an eco-tourism spot, and the accommodations were made by the hill tribe villagers.

So, rewind...to start off yesterday, we stopped at a tribal museum to learn a bit about the local hill tribes. The group then went to Doi Inthanon National Park, had lunch, and started our hike down the mountain. The highlight of this was obviously the waterfalls. After slipping on lots of rocks, we were actually able to swim under a huge waterfall! We continued on our hike and arrived at our first hill tribe. They served us coffee that they had grown, and we were able to venture around. After another short hike, we arrived at our final destination: the Karen hill tribe. The setting was unreal. The small bungalows set against the green hills looked as if we had stepped into a painting. The tribe served us dinner and performed in front of a campfire for us. The Cal Poly crew offered some of our own talents in return (Stephanie and I danced the ending of our Orchesis finale!).

Today, after our departure from the hill tribe, we visited the "King's Project" agricultural center, and then rode elephants! So cool. Our final activity was bamboo rafting down a river (which felt like a combination between Huckleberry Finn and the Jungle Cruise). There were small huts along the way, so the local Thais all offered us a "Sawatdee kha" greeting and a couple of splashes of water. To end the day, some friends and I got sushi. It was definitely nice to have a non-Thai meal. Delicious!

Wats

Today I went wat (temple) exploring with a couple of friends. Pictures are better to describe them, rather than words. You'll see why. Tomorrow, the whole Cal Poly group is going to visit a hill tribe and stay over night with them. While we're there, we get to swim in waterfalls, ride elephants, and go bamboo rafting. There won't be any running water or toilets, but I think I can live without.

Look at some more pictures!

Chiang Mai Zoo and Wat Doi Suthep!

Farangs

I went with a group of friends to the Chiang Mai Zoo yesterday. I couldn't believe how beautiful it was! There was almost no one in the park, and the animals' habitats were amazing. While we were walking throughout, we stumbled upon an elephant and its keeper just wandering around the park! We all took turns feeding him. So cool!

Last night, we went to a Muay Thai boxing match. This was something I was a little unsure about, but it turned out to be a lot of fun. It seemed to be a tourist hot spot, since there were a lot of white people ("farangs") there. The best part was when four guys were in the ring, and they were all blindfolded! They aimlessly kicked and punched in the air until they found another boxer. Hilarious!

It's still really hot and humid here. It's been a little difficult getting used to the food, since there isn't much variety. I've been sticking to vegetarian options, since I don't know if I trust the meat yet. My friends and I have already been craving Mexican food, desserts, pizza, etc. This isn't a good sign so early into the trip.

Some Pictures!

Picture 1: Pottery factory
Picture 2: The Night Bazaar
Picture 3: Me, Stephanie, and our new friend Poi from Chiang Mai University!

Keep reading below!

Hot and Sweaty is In Fashion

Today's activity:
11 km hike plus 306 steps up to Wat Doi Suthep (exhausting! but so worth it.)
This was my first experience in a Buddhist temple. The wat (temple) was pretty much what I had imagined it to look like: gold, ornate designs and many statues of Buddha. I got blessed by a monk, too! Outside the temple there were many vendors (selling food, t-shirts, figurines, etc.). I bought a banana surrounded by waffle on a stick! So delicious.

My days have been pretty much packed with outings and activities, and this is the first day I have actually taken some time off to nap. Tomorrow is my first day of classes, which should be nice. It'll be interesting to incorporate some structure into my days here. Tonight, I'm off to the famous Sunday market! I'm ready for some shopping galore!

My new found favorite food: mango sticky rice

I'm Here!

I am officially in Thailand! This is actually my third day here, but I haven't been able to go online until now. This country is unquestionably different than the United States. It's very laid back, hot/humid, and everyone rides motorcycles. These are, of course, just a few of the differences. We went to Chiang Mai University yesterday and were able to talk to some of the students. The Thais are so friendly! Today, the whole group went to different factories (silk, silver, wood carving, and gems) where we were able to see the Thais perform their impressive work. I'll post pictures soon!

Hello Everyone!

This is the blog that I will be updating while I'm in Thailand. I hope to fill you all in as much as possible! Feel free to comment on my blog posts, or you can email me at KWHelm@calpoly.edu. I leave tomorrow, so wish me luck!