Thailand: Halfway Between Here and Heaven

Thailand in April delivers a mixed bag.  You get, on the one hand, the splendor of magical beauty, like Heaven on Earth, and on the other hand, the insufferable burning heat of an unquenchable Hell-fire. 

Our introduction to Thailand began with a trek to the Palace of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok.  Though Buddha was a prophet, in Cambodia and Thailand he is revered and worshiped like a god.  Buddha worship "pit-stops" pop up like Tim Horton's on every street corner.  Small and unassuming shrines on posts, they provide an opportunity for Buddhists to light an incense stick, leave an offering and pay quick homage on their way to the market or work.

Palaces and temples rise above the streets in opulent splendor, the beating sun dancing along the gilded roofs and twinkling from a myriad of bejewelled walls and minarets shaped like an emporer's crown.

It's breathtaking...

and it's sad at the same time.  One can't help but stand in complete awe of the brilliant architecture, artistic display and elaborate mosaics requiring millions of man-hours to create.

Okay, so I'm not "standing in awe" but I'm trying to blend.

This country is in an economic struggle for survival.  There is no middle class.  Rich and poor visit the elaborate temples, the rich offering up prayers shrouded in hope for health and luck, the poor for food for another day and a better life.  Call me cynical but from what I can see Buddha is hogging all the gold!

I paid dearly for my irreverence!  Day 2 of our Bangkok experience resulted in a respiratory tract infection, fever and 2 solid days of confinement to our hotel room.  Thank goodness for Global Doctors and antibiotics but it wouldn't come in time for the tour we looked forward to the most - a boat trip through the amazing floating markets and villages of rural Thailand.  

So we booked a cruise.  Isn't that what you do when you're feeling pallid, queasy and generally cadaverous?

A genuine Thai dancing, Thai food kinda cruise.  We picked graciously at the fishy, seaweed encrusted, lemongrass infused morsels set before us secretly longing for a Big Mac and fries.  But the music and dancing...it was restorative.

I'd need to be nearly dead to sit out the dancing!

All really great month-long vacations require some down-time ...a little R & R so you don't go home feeling like you need to take a holiday after your holiday.  That's what brought us here...

Ko Phangan Island, Thailand.  A place seductively disguised as Heaven - no funeral required.    For one solid week we would enjoy an air-conditioned bungalow with a hammock and an ocean view at the Sea Flower Bungalow resort.  

With the thermometer mercilessly pushing 40 celcius every day and a humidex level driving our sweat glands into overdrive we sought refuge under giant palm branches on the beach.  Or we'd mount the common island steed (rented scooter) touring the island's hilly terrain.  This place is home to the most glorious, white sand beaches on earth, Full Moon festivals, fabulous open-air markets and wildlife reserves for elephants.  

By night we'd bask in the glow of the coconut lanterns of the Sea Flower with a frosty drink, watching the squid boats lighting up the horizon and a myriad of unencumbered stars lighting up the sky.  

This is where we'd meet the proprietors of Sea Flower, Chai and Lise.  Chai, a native Thai (picture Mr. Miyagi in Karate Kid) and Lise, a native Winnipeger, married in the early '80's and built this mecca up from a plot of wild palms and underbrush.  Their 2 daughters, now grown, live in Winnipeg...say what??

We dined at the beach bar nightly getting to know Chai and Lise, a few Aussies, Swiss and French.  Together we were the Sea Flower family of the week.  The food was simply amazing, the menu comprised of foods reflecting all of these nationalities, including a twist on Lise's French Canadian roots: curry poutine.  

Or, if you were feeling especially amorous, you could enjoy a beach barbecue alone, by a low table on a woven mat right on the sand, the tide tickling your feet.  A local, shirtless staffer flipped fresh red snapper, prawns, duck and garlic potatos over hot coals to practiced perfection.

But from all really good dreams one must finally awake.  The staff sent us off with Chinese lanterns loosed over the Gulf of Thailand and hugs.  

Sigh!

We're home now, post-jetlag and back into routines.  We were glad to return to Manitoba soil, though...

and glad to see certain cherubic faces again.

Glad also for HOME!  There's nothing quite like springtime in Manitoba.