Five years had been much too long and therefore wonderful to check in with many past memories. Bangkok's Sky Train connects with their new Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) underground train. Like the Sky Train, only part of the city is accessible now but considerable construction is under way. It does go to the Hua Lamphong Train station that serves the rest of the country.

I took the night train North to Chiang Mai but the air was 50% worse there than Bangkok! I had read this but it didn't seem possible because there were much fewer vehicles than in Bangkok. It turns out the cause is burning; hill people burning trees, everybody burning trash and real forest fires. The north does have charm that I prefer but I bought some new Rope Dragons and updated the ropedragon webpages.

Back in Bangkok I revisited the Ancient City. This is a park created over the last 40 years by a Philanthropist who was Bangkok's Mercedes dealer. The 320 acre park is shaped like Thailand. You enter from the south and it is filled with (at last count) 116 replicas or actual temples and statues from all around the country.

In 1996 it cost me 50 Baht to enter ($2 US-1996). There was a lot to see then but now it is almost complete and for 300 Baht (about $11US today) you get a bicycle to use. It is a wonderful place to spend a day..

Click image for QuickTime Video

Many of the historic art came from Ayutthaya, a nearby city that I finally visited.

I also re-visited Singapore - click image below for (4 Meg QuickTime) video.

I first visited this island city New Years '95-96. It is a city of rules and fines, but a social experiment that is an interesting study. This Millennium Singapore has a "Speakers' Corner" (but you better watch what you say)!

I remember in Europe (Denmark maybe), driver's honked at me to scold, "You shouldn't be jay-walking"! This boy from Brooklyn would yell back, "I'm walkin here; and you're not even in the lane!" This trip, in the Singapore Subway, the doors were closing and (so) I stuck my hand in so the door would open. As we walked on, Chris shook his head and said I shouldn't have done that.

It was certainly the best food of the trip, and the most expensive.

Back (home) in Bangkok my local food stall lady took live crabs I purchased myself, chopped them up, cleaned them and stir fried them with veggies and mushrooms for under a dollar!

I had dental work and hospital blood tests. It saved $1,000 over US prices. In the month I probably had a half dozen two hour Traditional Thai Massages. With the food and drink, how could anyone afford to stay home?

I am not a fan of most corporate fast food but it is always interesting to see what new products they have in other countries. For a decade McDonald's has had a Samurai Pork Burger, Corn Pie (or Taro or Pineapple) and juices, but they now have a Chicken McRice Burger with a blend of sticky rice as a bun! It was worth trying.........once.

Sawadee Krup, Khun Ronald

 

Next time, one of you should come along (and you know who you are!)