Michael Shapiro is the author of 'A Sense of Place: Great Travel Writers Talk About Their Craft, Lives and Inspiration' He can be reached throughwww.michaelshapiro.com. Shapiro is a contributor to National Geographic Traveler, Islands magazine and the Washington Post travel section.
PART 1
It's hard to believe we've now been in Thailand more than three weeks - life is so easy here. Though it may sound clichéd, it's true that people are warm, friendly and helpful - and the food is cheap, clean and amazingly full of flavor. I just went down to the night market, sampling satay spears for three baht (10 cents) apiece and then had a sumptuous pad Thai for 30 baht.
We spent today touring Ang Thong marine park, a stunning archipelago of verdant islands in the Gulf of Thailand about 60 km east of the southern Thai coast. On approaching this string of about 30 islands one sees sheer cliffs plunging into the cobalt sea, with lush forests covering much of the larger islands.
We boarded a sizeable ferry with about 60 other tourists and after a 90-minute ride disembarked on the island that houses the park HQ. From there it's about a 40-minute hike to the 400-meter high summit, where we saw a breathtaking view of the entire chain. Though it wasn't a long hike, it was challenging, but a thick rope was lashed to trees the entire way, making it easier to climb over the sometimes sharp and steep volcanic rock.
 On the next island we climbed to an emerald green lake, the result of the top of a cavern caving in. Though it's a lake, it's filled with salt water, which I'm still trying to figure out. Our last stop was an island with a palm-shaded beach, where we snorkeled. I saw a brilliant blue-green, foot-long emperor fish with luminescent yellow-green fins that looked like butterfly wings. Also some parrot fish and a school of pearly grey fish about 18" long that I couldn't identify.
At each stop the large ferry stopped about 100 meters offshore and we boarded long-tail boats to get to the islands. Long-tails are so named because their engines attach to long shafts with propellers at the end - this makes the boats more manoeuvrable, especially in narrow canals and gives them a turning radius smaller than a Ford fiesta.
Anyway, after the snorkel stop, the long-tail couldn't start its engine so the skipper asked about half the passengers to get off, grabbed the bow, and pulled/swam the long-tail toward the ferry, as the big boat inched closer to the island. Some intrepid young Brits decided to swim for it, but didn't figure on the difficulty of boarding the ferry from the sea. Finally they clambored aboard and a functioning long-tail showed up and ferried the rest of us across to the big boat.
I feel like I could write several paragraphs about every day here but I'll just try to briefly touch on some highlights:
We saw in the New Year with some new and old friends on the island of Ko Samui, just east of the marine park described above. Though some might say Samui has become overdeveloped, our friends Morris and Lyn (who now live in Bangkok) found a new spa and guesthouse complex in a quiet area about a 10-minute walk to the beach. It's called Tamarind Hill Retreat and comprises guesthouses where the huge rocks on the property have become walls in some of the houses. Our kitchen and bathroom were open to the elements, so we could appreciate the outdoor setting while enjoying all the comforts (fridge, mosquito-netted bed, phone) that we desired. The best part was the herbal spa, where Thai herbs were blended with steam for a relaxing and revitalizing experience. On New Year's Eve we gathered at a friendly seafood restaurant and watched fireworks explode above (and sometimes on) the beach. Then we came back to Tamarind to enjoy some fine French champagne as the clocks struck midnight (12 hours before the big bright ball fell in Times Square).
Before arriving on Samui, we spent a relaxing 12 days on Ko Tao, an island just north of Samui. Tao is more remote and therefore less developed, though while we were there we saw new bungalows being constructed, new internet cafes opening and new supermarkets being built.
It was the perfect way to start our vacation. After about a week I said to Willow "Do you know what day it is today?" That's when I knew we were on vacation. A rallying cry soon developed: Michael: "What do we have to do today?" Willow: "Nothing!"
And nothing was all we could do for a few days due to high seas around the full moon that destroyed some restaurant decks and bungalows built too close to the ocean. The highlight on Ko Tao was the people we met, some local Thais and other travelers. We really hit it off with a couple who live about 10 minutes from us just outside of Sebastopol. And another guy we met is a musician - we got to talking about his music and it turned out he was a featured songwriter on this CD of folk artists from Asheville, North Carolina. Only 1500 copies of the CD were printed but I have it and had heard his song - he told me Track 7 and I recognized the song which stunned him.
Yet don't think for a minute that all this lounging and exploring is without risk. While having lunch on Ko Tao we heard a thunderous crack - the sound of a basketball-size coconut striking a 3"-thick branch. The branch broke and coco and plank came tumbling down, striking the bamboo table next to us. Remarkably the table buckled but didn't break - I'm not so sure our heads would have fared as well. We've even seen signs warning us in English to watch for falling coconuts, though they seem about as useful as the road signs that say to beware of falling rock.
PART 2
We're now in Thailand's second city, Chiang Mai, which is more like a large village than a big city. The old city is surrounded by a 40-meter wide moat (that's just a guess) and crumbling remnants of the old wall that once encircled it. There are lots of charming little alleys and we often set out with no particular destination and wander around.
Today we did have a destination: the annual flower festival, where immense floats decorated with thousands of flowers are displayed alongside a park. Most of the floats had scenes created from flowers, sesame seeds, lentils and other natural materials. Some were amazingly ornate, such as one that depicted Thailand's king in various poses and another done by Thai Muslims that showed rural scenes. It was a festival atmosphere, with dozens of food stalls and flower sellers, offering gorgeous orchids and little cacti. It felt like a state fair, as some of the most elaborate floats and flower designs had won ribbons. Willow noshed on home-made coconut ice cream while Michael sampled the different types of Pad Thai style noodles.
Yesterday we returned from a three-day trek through some mountainous areas northwest of Chiang Mai. We stopped in a few hill tribe villages, but we didn't have much interaction with the local people, who seemed a bit bored by farang (white) hikers. We did have some fun bargaining with them for goods such as silver bracelets, woven pouches and wristbands.
Our favorite part of the trek was rafting down an occasionally challenging river on a bamboo raft. Picture about 15 bamboo poles lashed together, each about 4 inches wide and 30 feet long. With six of us plus our packs on each raft, we didn't really float above the water - the raft was immersed and barely floated. At one rapid (Class II for you boating enthusiasts) we were almost completely sideways and I thought for sure we'd flip. No danger of course, but our packs would have been drenched. But somehow we got ourselves back up and that was our only incident of the day. It was a real treat to float in such a lovely canyon - with kingfishers flying by and lush green hillsides rising steeply from the river. The landscape we hiked though reminded Willow of Kings Canyon in the southern Sierra.
On the second day we explored a high-ceilinged cave, with impressive 'tites and 'mites, and saw some bats and blind insects. Before the trek we spent a day together taking a Thai cooking class - I'll turn it over to Willow here so she can describe it: We booked the course through a local guest house, where we stayed when we first arrived in Chaing Mai. The class met up at 9:30AM and we all (6 of us) piled into a songtao (a pickup with bench seats running parallel in the back) and headed to the open air market where you would not believe half of the items you see, such as frogs which have been skinned-dried-skewered, live cat fish swimming in shallow tubs which after you've chosen one they whack the head off and pack it all up for you to take home! Then there were the lovely pigs heads, which are a hot item around Chinese New Year, and sooo many other protein options!!!! Sautéed and fried insects (roaches, beetles, worms, crickets, etc...) are treats in these parts, and can be purchased by the kilogram for your snackin' pleasure. Then of course there were the truly gorgeous displays of fresh veggies, brightly colored chilis, herbs, root veggies, leafy greens and tropical fruits. I really had a good time, and snacked a bit on the fresh baked sugar wafers w/ coconut meringue and shredded coconut, and fresh green papaya with the chilli/sugar condiment. Our "guide" bought us all fabulous garlands of jasmine flowers to wear too.
Back at the classroom, which was laid out in a traditional Thai style with palm mats on the floor with a small cushion and mortar/pestle and cutting board awaiting us, we began our journey into Thai cuisine. We began by making a fresh green curry paste, finely chopping our fresh ingredients and pounding them for about 30 min. in the mortar/pestle into a fine paste, at which point we learned how to make an outstanding green curry chicken. Other items we mastered this day were (Michael's fave) pad Thai-sweet/sour veggies-pumpkin-coconut milk dessert-spring rolls and dipping sauce-and my favorite: tom yum soup (spicy!!!!) Then, oh my gawd, we had to eat all of these incredible dishes. I'm sooo glad Michael was there to help out. You see he joined the class for the day as an observer, jotting down notes, taking photos, and generally being a flirt and trouble maker, to the delight of all of us gals! I'm probably going to go for another half day and learn a few more of my favorite dishes, such as green papaya salad, etc...! Can't wait!!!!!
OK, now it's Michael writing again: The other highlights of the last month were a week in Cambodia visiting the ancient temples at Angkor, and a three-day sea kayak trip in Phang Nga Bay Marine Park, where we explored ocean caves. Since this note is getting long, I'll give a brief recap of each.
Angkor Wat and the two dozen or so other temples in the vicinity are truly magnificent. Each day we spent there brought fresh discoveries and a deeper sense of appreciation for the beautifully carved stones, soaring spires, and, at one temple, mammoth sculpted heads, about 6 feet high. Another highlight was renting bicycles and exploring the countryside - we were careful to stick to well traveled roads where land mines had been eradicated. As we rode along, kids shouted "Hello!" and some ran up to our bikes and grabbed onto the frames. We rode past rice paddies where water buffalo grazed and saw waterwheels turning on the edges of a river.
Late in the day Willow struck up a conversation with a young woman who rode along with us and asked us if we'd like to see where she lived. She led us to an orphanage where about 40 children aged 6 to 19 lived. As I played volleyball with some of the kids, Willow chatted with others. It was a beautiful scene - older kids leading little ones by the hand to water the vegetable and flower gardens while others diligently studied their language lessons. The young woman we met spoke some English and French, and since her French was better, I chatted with her a bit in French but sometimes slipped into Spanish, a source of great amusement all around. As we rode back to our hotel, we saw the sun set over the river, with silhouettes of waterwheels and thatched huts in the foreground.
It can be hard to reconcile the extreme beauty and sorrow in Cambodia - we saw dozens of kids and adults who'd lost limbs by stepping on landmines. But there seems to be a guarded optimism there now, as peace appears to be gaining a toe-hold. That evening the kids from the orphanage were performing a musical shadow puppet show at a local restaurant, and Willow and I were very impressed by their musical and dramatic abilities, as they used puppets to act out rural fables, such as two monkeys fighting and being told by a wise old lady to stop fighting and tend the garden.
A final note on Angkor: though security has improved recently, it's still largely unprotected and more treasures are stolen each year. So if you can, go soon.
Before our trip to Cambodia, we spent three days sea kayaking in southern Thailand's Phang Nga Bay, which has hundreds of sheer limestone islands that shoot straight up out of the water. You may have seen one in the James Bond movie, "The Man with the Golden Gun." Several of these islands have caves that you can enter only at certain times of day, depending on the tides. We spent the first day with a guide in the boat, who led us down narrow passages where we had to lean all the way back and the sharp ceilings were only a couple inches above our noses. After about 100 feet of paddling through the first one we saw daylight and emerged into an open room in the middle of the island. Dense foliage clung to the sides of the room and we saw sea eagles and wild creatures such as one called a skipper fish (or evolution fish) which has a front half that looks like a frog and a rear half that's fish-like. It skips along the water, appearing to run across the surface.
After spending much of the first day in these narrow passage islands, we spent the second day exploring a mangrove swamp, where we came upon a group of crab-eating macaques (monkeys). As our guide fed them bananas, one of the bolder males jumped on his boat, making himself quite at home. We watched for a while as they groomed one another and then headed back to the escort boat, which shuttled us from island to island.
Well, we only have three weeks left - on Wednesday we leave for about 10 days in Laos, then we'll be back in Thailand for a couple of days before returning to the US via Hong Kong.
PART 3
A two-day float down the Mekong in a Lao cargo boat: $10.
One night in a rat-infested, bamboo-walled guest-house halfway down the river: $3.
A bowl of noodle soup made with Mekong River water: $1.
Getting out of that cargo hold and stepping onto the shores of historic Luang Prabang: Priceless!
Willow and I have just spent two weeks in Laos, which still offers glimpses of Asia before it joined the Pepsi generation. Luang Prabang is a breathtakingly beautiful city, dotted with more than 30 glittering Buddhist temples at the tip of a small peninsula between the Mekong and Mae Nam Khan rivers. We spent several days there in a tidy guesthouse on the banks of the Mae Nam Khan, listening to the delighted shrieks of kids playing and bathing and inner tubing on the river below.
When we got to town we stumbled across a Buddhist festival at a temple near our guesthouse. It's amazing what goes down at a temple at festival time. Some people were gambling (betting on what square a spinning airplane would point to, or shooting darts), while some young monks were drumming and singing and rapping together. The monks didn't hesitate to join in all the festivities - most are kids or teens, after all. Some people watched a shadow puppet show, giggling, booing, and hissing as the stories unfolded. In the background an elderly monk with a prodigious voice sang hour after hour, while local musicians played traditional instruments accompanying him.
Our last night in Luang Prabang, we went for a Lao herbal steam and massage. The steam rose from wood-fired pots through pipes up to the floor above. The men's steam room (women had their own room) had a window that looked over the city, including a view of a golden stupa perched on a hill hundreds of meters above the rest of the city. After our massage (quite vigorous with some Tiger-balm type substance rubbed in), we went up for a last steam. Rain pattered against the corrugated tin roof and suddenly lightning started flashing followed shortly by bursts of thunder. A moment later the town went dark. With the power out, it was easy to imagine we were back in the 16th century. The manager lit candles and placed one in the steam room, and I gazed out the window, watching the city light up every few seconds when lightning struck.
The next day we headed to Vang Vieng, passing stately limestone karsts on the bus ride down. Vang Vieng is a laid back little town where the main attractions are exploring caves and floating down the river on an inner tube. As we floated down one afternoon, some kids invited me to try their rope swing. Later Willow spotted some brownish boulders in the middle of the river, which started to move as we approached: water buffalo enjoying their afternoon dip. They were quite undisturbed as we floated by, and ignored a long-tail motor boat which passed even closer to them.
From Vang Vieng, we caught another bus to Vientiane, the capital of Laos, saw a couple of the sights and got the heck outta there. Though it's not a huge city, it's more bustling and less friendly than many other places we've been recently. Now we're back in Thailand, on the other side of the Mekong, trying to figure out where to spend our last few days in Asia.
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