Thailand, December, 1986
Thailand was the 3rd leg of our 6-month family trip around the world, after almost a month in Japan and few days in Hong Kong. Once again we used our hotel as a base to plan and explore other parts of the country—in this case, the fabulous Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok. Due to LLH’s work at NCS, we also had a local contact, a computer distributor.
12/11/86 - Fritz, Jack and Linda fly to Bangkok, where we will meet Kristen in about 10 days. The Oriental claims to be the best hotel in the world... we agree! While sitting by the pool a young man in a dhoti carries a slate sign: "Mr Gore Vidal, Mr Hoeschler". We wish we had taken a snapshot! (Call is from NCS contact who presumes his contact is male.)
12/12 - Morning tour of klongs (canals), replete with stop at reptile farm: great show as these things go although one guy gets bit. Ridiculous & sublime are side by side; Temple of Dawn.
More Bangkok views as seen via the canals.
Lunch on the river with Yingyong (my NCS contact) and staff: Daranee, & Kowit. Splendid seafood then tour his office, then to hotel. Such laundry service! Each piece individually wrapped, then all gift wrapped (LLH thought Jack had gotten her some gifts!) Miss Sweden & young girls sing 'Santa Lucia' nightly.
12/13 - Ayutthaya: Ancient Thai capital destroyed by Burmese in 1767. These ruins once were part of one of the largest most elegant cities in the world.
Ayutthaya continued.
Bang Po Summer Palace - downriver from Ayutthaya. East meets West; Some Hong Kong people with whom we have a delightful conversation - the Ma's (they are purchasing a condo in Vancouver as backup for Hong Kong's 1997 handover from UK to PRC).
12/14 - Off to Crocodile Farm. Ceremony for newly completed grandstand.
The elephants and snakes seemed a lot smarter than the crocodiles!
Off to take a humid tour of the Ancient City. Ancient Siam is a museum park constructed by Lek Viriyaphant and occupying over 200 acres in the shape of Thailand. Ancient Siam is dubbed as the world's largest outdoor museum.
Back to the hotel to watch the end of the Long Boat race. We do a little shopping too: Chedi shop for bronzeware; Arts for tux and tails for Jack; Bon3 for silk shirts for Jack.
12/15/86 - We fly to beautiful Chiang Mai in the North. Chiang Mai Temple tour, 12/16/86; Khantoke dinner and dance exhibit in Old Chiang Mai; Wat Chiang Man (oldest, 1300); Wat Chedi Luang (story of Buddha in English); Wat Phua Sing (big); Wat Suat Dok (ashes entombed); Wat Chet Yot; Wat Koo Tao (5 sphere chedi)
Our sweet local driver with Fritz.
12/16, Afternoon tour of handicraft factory; Parasol factory where we get 25 umbrellas & 50 silk lanterns (we fill half a container with our Chiang Mai purchases.)
12/17/86 - Mae Sa Valley tour in Chiang Mai, starting with elephant feeding, bathing, and lumberjack show! Fritz and the rest of us have survived the night before where Jonphet proposes to Fritz! (Because of his height, most Thais thought Fritz much older than 15!)
Mae Sa Waterfall & Orchid Farm.
We drive to Chiang Dao to see the Buddhist Carving. Lower left: on our hands and knees to see such forms. A farmer obliges for a sweet photo.
On the way back to Chiang Mai we try our hand at threshing. Tough work.
12/18/86 - Morning tour of McKean (Leprosy or Hansen's) Institute. Letter from our guide, a U.S. minister. (Don't understand this cutline)
12/18 - Afternoon tour of Hmong village outside Chiang Mai which has been corrupted by tourism; A typical kitchen; opium addict puts on show; The women seem to do all the work; Making corn alcoholic brew. Depressing all around.
Our guide shows us opium poppies locals grow.
12/18 - Late afternoon tour of Doi Suthep Temple, a Theravada Buddhist Temple in Chiang Mai.
We order 2 silk bedspreads at handicraft shop and meet a lovely man who had studied to be priest; we discussed plight of Hmongs in refugee camps & its effect on handicraft economy (because camp residents have lots of time, they produce a large amount of goods that depress prices of local women's output.)
12/20/86 - We start with a tour of Phitsanulok Temple & Thai dance.
12/19/86 - We fly to Phitsanulok to see more ancient capitals. We check into the Rajapruk Hotel where Jack sees beautiful women in the lobby, only to be informed that they are male singers for a wedding! I kill a small lizard in the bathroom which British diplomat Andrew Hamilton informs me is a bad idea: they eat bugs & bring luck. I go back to our bathroom and find it full of ants! After that I leave the lizards alone.
Sukothai - capital older than Ayuthaya.
Fritz gives offering; At lunch waitress offers to give Fritz a bath. We decline.
Si Satchanalai secondary capital with Sukothai; Monk's hanging tent; Here we talk to a monk about his vocation and life. At the end he gives us a homily, much like you'd expect of Christ. Very moving xperience.
Views of Si Satchanalai
12/20 - Late afternoon visit to mother temple.
12/21 - Kampaeng Phet, more ruins. Offerings to Buddha, note hog's head. Young boy sells birds as offerings. That night we attend "D.A.R.Y.L.", an American movie about a robotic boy created by the Air Force (played by a regular kid) at our guide's suggestion; our guide is shocked that we Americans live in such typical suburban houses as seen in the movie, so asks if our children are robots, too!
We return to Bangkok: Postcard to Hildur Lovas. 12/22, Kristen arrives via Chicago, Seattle, Tokyo & Hong Kong; Kampaeng Phet (boy not LLH!) cutie; A little pre-Xmas shopping. Bubblebath luxury after bathroom lizards!
12/23 - Grand palace sights with the whole family. Royal barges; Grand Palace views.
Grand Palace compound.
Wat Pho, Temple of (giant) Reclining Buddha.
So glad to have the family together.
12/24 - We finish up packing & shopping and go to the airport to fly to Bombay/Mumbai.