Hi there everyone! Well, I made the train journey north to Chiang Mai a few days ago. It wasn't as romantic as I had hoped. The train left at 6pm and it got dark an hour later, so I couldn't see the country-side as we passed. I tried to imagine it though.
It being over 90 degrees in Bangkok somehow made whoever was in charge of the air-con on the train go crazy, it was like a meat locker in there. I had two shirts on and I was still freezing. Add to it a late, cold (should have been hot) dinner and the fact that the blazing lights never went off all night and you have one tired grumpy Kate.
Thankfully, my mood changed quickly. Chiang Mai is quite different than Bangkok. It's the second largest city, so it is a city, but it isn't anywhere near as crowded and the people here seem more laid-back. The owners of the guest house I'm staying at are really nice and helpful, which is great. I went on a motorbike tour for a few hours with one of them yesterday and got to see some of the local crafts. Here's a few pictures from that...
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Just like in Bangkok, there's plenty of shopping here. There are outdoor markets during the day which sell many unfamilar (to me of course) foodstuffs and gorgeous flowers, a huge night market which spills out into the street and you can get anything from grey market designer items (Diesel being especially popular) to hill tribe crafts, to many other types of clothing, accessories and leather, to herbal Thai wine. I haven't tried that one yet, but definately want to.
Also all over the popular streets are food vendors serving noodles, curry and an interesting assortment of fried creepy things.
I'm so proud of myself for having an amount of self control. I love going to these markets, but I just look, get an idea of pricing and take pictures to help me remember the things I've seen that I like.
Other than shopping, I'm doing alot of walking. It gets pretty hot during the day, and tuk-tuks are everywhere and cheap. (btw $0.50-$1.50 anywhere in the city) The traffic here is alot less frightening than in Bangkok, so here the tuk-tuk rides are pretty fun.
And, of course, I've been going out a bit too. I think I'm the only single girl staying at my guest house and I was adopted by this group of Dutch guys. I didn't really know what to expect going out to girl-bars here. Honestly, I felt a bit emotionally uncomfortable with the prostitution situation in Thailand. It's everywhere. You walk by any bar and there are at least 10 Thai girls and you know exactly what they are there for. But, I'm travelling to learn and to broaden my understanding of the people and places I visit. Bar girls are an integral part of Thai culture and so I set out to find out about it.
So a few nights ago, I went out with the Dutch guys and the owner of the guest house (who is also Dutch).
Luckily, these guys are really nice, and they seem to care about and respect these girls. They've all been to Thailand many times and are familiar with how things work here. All I'll say about that night was that I couldn't handle it, I freaked at the thought of these adorable Thai girls selling themselves, and possibly giving diseases to my new friends. So my first attempt at 'understanding' didn't go too well.
Last night however, I went out with them again since it was their last night here. This time I made an effort to talk a bit with the girls (instead of ignoring their existance like I did the first time) and it was okay. My one friend had something going with a girl named Tomm and I talked with her about her family, and little things, chit-chat, I didn't want to ask personal questions (like, do you like doing this? Why?)
Overall, last night made me realize that these girls view what they do as acceptable. And that made me feel a bit better because I don't have to pity them. It's part of the way of life here, it's been going on a long time and they don't seem to have a problem with it (AIDS not withstanding). I've gathered that physical contact is a big part of Thai culture, which includes many types of massage and other physical healing practices. I don't think like a Thai, so I really shouldn't judge them by my standards.
Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!
Kisses,
Kate
Well, I don't know about you all, but I had a very exciting day. First though, I want to say a few things about getting here..........
My ferry from Crete left at 11pm, so the day was like pulling off a really big band-aid, really s.l.o.w.l.y.
My posse and I laughed a lot and had fun and tried to distract ourselves from what was happening. But if I maintained eye contact with anyone long enough, the sadness would come out. We had become such a large part of each others' daily lives and that was changing. Also, Marinos was sick with a massive fever and that was the cherry on my guilt sundae.
But I left (obviously) and got to hang out for about 8 hours in my favorite airport ever, Venezelios in Athens. I didn't even want to chance it by visiting the plaka, I had missed too many flights in my day. So, I played for hours on the many FREE internet terminals around the airport. I got all caught up on 'the onion' and 'homestar runner' while munching on a 1lb. bag of malteasers (like whoppers, but really, really good).
Right now, there are some old pappu's and yaya's in Greece whose only English is Strong Bad's...'Every day I check the e-mail, and I hope it's from a fe-mail' (no headphones, and the speakers were LOUD)
Then on to Amman, Jordan. I got in around 6pm-ish and had gotten really excited about an ad I saw on the in-flight magazine for this ultra-lux hamum (bath house). Then I realized that U.S.'ers need a visa to travel in Jordan. Oh well, on the plus side, I didn't have to hang out in the airport for 7 hours, they gave all each a FREE hotel room. Awesome. I rested, watched a bit of the tube (I just can't believe that Michael Jackson!).
Something that I'll always associate with Jordan is its smell........very spicy, kinda pachoulli-ee, exotic, but still clean smelling (if you can imagine pachoilli without invisioning a dirty hippy). I found myself following people around because I wanted to smell them, I LOVED being on a crowded bus for the first time!
I have to go back there one day, especially because I had to exchange about $20 into Jordanian currency, and good luck finding someone to exchange it back....
So, I arrived in Bangkok around 2pm, easily found a bus to take me to my guesthouse, and recieved an elevated view of Bangkok from the expressway. Then it was time to get all settled, eat a bit of curry, do a few emails and promptly pass out at 9pm.
I kinda felt like I had wasted my first night here, so I wanted to make it up today.
Woke up, got all refreshed-like and had a leasurely breakfast while alternatingly reading a bio of Andrew Oldham (mang. of The Stones) and Lonely Planet's Thailand, for info on Chiang Mai. Then I arranged my train ticket, had another shower (it's unbelivably hot and humid here, I've had 4 showers today so far)
and went for a 2 hour traditional Thai massage. Ahhhhh.......Ow-wow-ow....ahhhh...woah..ow.....ahhhhhh.......(continue pattern for 2 hours)
Seriously, it was quite a mixture of pleasure and pain. These massusses really employ their entire physical faculty, they use their hands and forearms, and elbows, and legs and feet, I don't know how they can keep up like that for so long. I got out and I felt drunk, I realized it may have something to do with being partially dehydrated and really hungry.
On the issue of food, I haven't been eating that much since I've gotten here. Part of it is my feelings of Thai-virgin intimidation, everywhere you look there's food, restaurants and millions of street vendors. I just have too many choices, total over-stimulation. Also, Bangkok smells really, really, really bad. Imagine an old dirty band-aid, imagine what that smells like, now set the band-aid on fire. Do you feel hungry? So here I am. I'm gonna lose those Greece-kilos in no time.
After finding some fish(?) curry, I took the Thai 'el' and then walked for a half hour to get to this huge park. I could barely breathe by the time I got there. The air here is so thick and heavy to begin with, add pounds and pounds of exhaust and smog on top of it, and it's no wonder residents wear those surgical masks (I just thought they were late on the sars trend). So I'm sitting in the park, wheezing, gasping and sweating and I'm watching 50 people or so doing aerobics. That's right, AEROBICS! To these funny, sped-up, chipmunk-sounding American songs. Man, Thais may be sweet, but they are crazy-tough too.
Something else that's cute....I've noticed that alot of older American-looking guys who must have been here during the war or something and maybe 'fooled around' a little, have now come back to visit the Thai daughter (somtimes even granddaughter) that they left behind. I'll tell ya, it warms the heart to see these geezers walking around with them and holding their hands, buying them drinks. I guess they're trying to make up for lost time.
Yah, so I walked around the park for a while, and then went next door to this HUGE night bazaar. Sarah and Britt: you would totally have the biggest field day here. I almost passed out, but managed to restrain myself to 2 pairs of shoes (wait till you see this one pair, they look like feet!)
After this I was just exhausted, a nice air-con taxi ride back to the guest house was in order, but for some reason, I decided to take a tuk-tuk instead. I don't think I'll do this again, I didn't blink or breathe the entire time.
So that was my day in Bangkok, sorry no pics but this computer can't handle my card-reader anyway. What? my writing style isn't illustrative enough for you?!? Feh! Anyway, to make it up to you, I have a quiz question, whoever answers it first in a response to this entry gets.......a postcard!.................. from Thailand!,....... from me!........personally delivered by your very own postal person!
This could be yours simply by answering the following question...
In this entry, identify the following;
1) the first-aid essential mentioned twice
2) the actual answer to my toungue-in-cheek situational explanation
That's it, go for it!
(Fine print, winner will not include anyone in my immediate family, as they will be recieving postcards anyway)
Time for a Beer Lao!
Kate
Hey everyone, just a short one to let you all know I made it okay to Bangkok. I haven't done much exploring yet, but here are my first impressions....
Everyone says it, and it's so far been true; Thai people are so sweet. They seem gentle and polite, quite a contrast to being in Greece.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking Greeks, but sometimes their manners can be a bit off-putting. It's strange until you get used to it. I sort of like the gruffness, it reminds me of my brick-layer uncle......but I'm getting off track, where was I? Oh yah, first impressions of Bangkok....
Everything you could possibly want is for sale here (I'm looking forward to doin' a bit of the shop-shop meself).
Damn, there are alot of tourists, LOTS of Americans so far.
I totally should start a power-washing company here, how do the buildings get so filthy?
Anyway, that's it for now guys, I'm wiped and hungry. I'll write more later, I want to tell you about Amman, Jordan.
Ta,
Kate
So, I'm preparing to leave Chania and Crete and Greece next week. It's time. It's really getting cold here and it's a bone-chilling kinda cold since it's so wet. Plus, I'm really looking forward to challenging myself in a place where I don't know so many people.
I got a terriffic email today from my Thai friend Apple about what we'll do when she (hopefully!) gets there. New Years in Bangkok! Sweet.
Anyway, I did something interesting the other day, I went to visit our friend George at Medusa Tattoo studio..............................................
But before I get to that, check out some of these pictures from a few days ago when the weather was crazy windy and the waves along the harbor crashed so high, they threatened to take everything away.............
(these are large-format, so open them in a new window)
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Maria took this one View image
Then we all went to this tiny bar to warm up with a hot tskoudia-toddy thing. View image
They heat some tskoudia, with cinnamon and cloves, and when it gets to the right temperature, they light the thing on fire. Ahhh....just what the doctor ordered for a wet cold day.
Here's some pictures from around the homestead (Maria and Panayiotis')
Mia, she's talking to you! View image
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Marinos took these two View image
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Okay, here's the story you've been waiting for; I was on the boat from Kithera (which you may remember was an incredibly moving time for me) and I was looking through my greek language book. The letter 'psi' jumped out at me and I began thinking. Yah, 'psi' it's a beautiful, mysterious letter, representing the psyche, quantum wave functions, rotational degree...
But where? A picture come to mind of the beach on Kithera when Marinos was standing above me, dropping a rock and he snapped the picture in mid-air. If you don't remember...View image The idea came a few weeks ago, so I've been mulling and solidifying this for a while.
But, two days ago was the day! I was suprisingly nervous, it had been about six years since my last one. I selfishly chose the Georgos' last day at the studio before he goes on tour to Germany, Spain, etc. because I knew Marinos would want to run out and get one too. The idea of a reactionary tattoo didn't sit well with me. So here's the 'before'.... View image, checking it out from the stencil....View image, and the final product........View image
I feel it's an appropriate tribute to everything I've been given in Greece, it represents the things I've learned and how I've changed from being here. Important, absolutely, momentum for the spin...................................
Hi guys, I'm really feeling the chill and it's turning my head east.
Of course I'm still having a great time here in Chania, but I did not pack for this kind of weather. I've been looking like some kind of DP dressed in baggy, borrowed clothes. Plus, I've got such a hankerin' fer some spicy Thai noodles!
So I'm planning to leave for Bangkok in about a week and a half.
Anyway, my normal parayah (loosly translated as: posse) of Marinos, Maria and Panayiotis decided to f-off to Marinos' family village yesterday and stay for the night and next morning. We were stoked to go snail hunting...........
Okay, its really like snail 'picking' but it sounds funnier the first way.
We figured it out; the going rate for snails is about 7 euro per kilo, so if we got a really big sack and an early start, we could totally find, oh, say...100 kilos=700 euro=good times for all! . Perhaps I should mention at this point that we were about 6 carafas of tskoudia into the evening while formulating this plan.
Anyway, the next day, was POURING rain. And, of course, the boys were dragging their feet about going. I didn't care, a change of scenery was neccesary in order for me to retain my sanity (I've been going a bit stir-crazy lately).
Eventually, we got into the car (with Sheeba the super-dog) and hit the road for the two hour drive south to Horio Sactouria. It's pretty spectacular when the wheather is like that here, the churning sea, the fog in the mountains, it's a real contrast to the Crete of spring and summer.
We arrive and Marinos' aunt Sophia was there to greet us. View image
She now lives in Iraklion (the capitol of Crete) but comes to the family home often and had been staying there alone for about a month this time. I think she was happy to have the company. She set out a nice spread for dinner, baked rabbit, lentils, two kinds of horta (boiled greens, and my favorite), fried potatoes (in olive oil, of course) cheese, wine........It was fantastic after the long, wet trip.
We spent the remainder of the evening playing cards (Maria whipped my butt) and the boys watched football (that's 'soccer' to all my American peeps).
The subject of my feeble attempts so-far to learn Greek language came up, and Sophia launched into this story about a South African girl who married a Greek man and how he broke this plate of food on her face and left her when she wouldn't cook Greek food for him. Eventually she learned Greek perfectly and when she learned to cook Greek food, her husband came back to her. I wasn't really sure what the moral of this story was supposed to be because it was presented in such a sympathetic way towards the husband. So my response was, 'Well, he should have married a Greek girl then, but I can understand his point of view; any guy I marry, I don't care where he's from, better learn to speak perfect English and learn to cook what ever I want to eat. He should expect a smack if he doesn't.' I was completely kidding, of course, but I was just so appalled that this story had been told to me by the Greek aunt of the guy I'm with. I'm my momma's girl and I don't take no kinda crap like that. Amazingly, no offense was taken by her, and we ended up liking each other alot.
The next morning, we were greeted outside the bedroom door by a huge, bright rainbow. View image
Maria thought I was cold, but I'm from Chicago! View image
We took a drive down to the shore to Agios Pavlos, this beach which I've never been to, but everyone here has always told me about. It was too cold for a big baby like me to go swimming, but Maria and Panayiotis did. Here's some cool shots I pulled off (the sepia one, Marinos took). View image View image View image View image View image View image
We had another awesome meal, courtesy again of Sophia, and went to the little chapel that Marinos' grandfather built. The story goes that he had this re-occuring dream about this old moseuleum (that was on this site) and that it was on top of an old chapel that should be unearthed. No one believed or wanted to help him unearth this thing so he got to work with his wife. They found the chapel, all kinds of other wierd stuff happened, and they built the existing structure incorporating the old chapel. Here's a cool picture from the roof of it View image
So, we left the village and I'm like 'Hey! What about the snail hunting!' Well, 'apparently', the snails were busy making babies, so we shouldn't pick them now (?). It's funny, but that didn't seem to stop the 10 people or so I saw snail hunting on our way home................oh well, I guess next time.
~~~~~~~K~~~~~~~