Elephants and temples

Asian Elephant ride
Old temple ruins
19 day-old baby elephant
Oldest Buddha
My Krathong

November 3, 2009

Yesterday I was awoken at 5 am by Thai music and public announcements. Apparently that is how they wake people up here. I went back to sleep until breakfast, which included hard boiled eggs, fruit and toast with jelly. After breakfast we had a quick meeting and then our leader, Paris, took us around town. We saw some crocodiles, some really cute puppies and got to see how people in the village live.

When we got back to the house we hopped in the back of a truck/bus and headed to a local restaurant for lunch. It was quite good and we met another group doing a similar program. After lunch we went to make coconut bracelets. Mine ended up being an anklet although I also bought a bracelet with my name carved on it in Thai alphabet. On the way back to the house we stopped by the local market and bought supplies to make a krathong.

Loy Krathong Day is celebrated annually during the full moon in the month of November. Krathongs are made or bought at the local market and floated down the river. They are made of banana leaf, flowers, a candle and incense. You add a piece of your hair and your nails, put in a small coin, light the candle and incense, make a wish and put it in the water.

To do this we traveled about an hour from the house to the fairgrounds. There were carnival games, praying, fireworks and even a main stage where concerts and pageants were being held. Basically something for everyone. After we floated our krathongs we wandered around for a bit and then headed back to the house.

Earlier that evening some of the local children stopped by the house to throw us a welcome party. They performed a drum dance for us as well as a candle dance and a cane dance. At the end they invited us to join them. They had on traditional clothing and had their hair and makeup done.

I woke up around 8 am this morning and had breakfast. We left at 10 am to go see some temples. We saw four in all. They are all very different. The first included some very old ruins and next to it was a newer temple. The third temple had one of the oldest Buddha statues in it and the fourth featured a giant reclining Buddha.

We also had the opportunity to ride on some Asian elephants and visit the elephant city. The elephants here a slightly smaller than the ones in Africa, and have smaller ears and more coloration. Their trainers sit on their heads and control them with a stick that has a poker on the end. We even got to see a 19-day-old baby elephant.

The day ended with a dinner cruise and karaoke. The food was good and very filling. Karaoke was interesting to say the least. Overall the cruise was cold and rainy but still a good time. We then drove the hour and half home and headed over to the bar for a snack.

November 4, 2009

Yesterday morning I woke up feeling feverish, stuffed up and generally not good. I had had a sore throat for the past couple of days and when I looked at my throat noticed some spots on my tonsils. We had a Thai language lesson at the house in the morning but I spent most of the time lying in bed. That afternoon we went to see a temple and then went to Singburi. After dropping everyone else in town Paris and I went to the private hospital to see the doctor. They did a blood test, throat swab and tested me for H1N1. The tests came back negative but I was given antibiotics, Tylenol and an anti-inflammatory.

I asked Paris a little bit about the medical system here in Thailand. The government pays for public healthcare. Patients must pay just one dollar for consultation and treatment. The downside is the long lines and possible lower quality of health care offered. The private sector, however, is very nice. The doctor I saw studied in the United States and spoke very good English. They did the tests quickly and got the results back almost instantly. It did cost a bit more ($50) but probably worth not waiting in line all day.

That evening we ate out and had Thai-style BBQ. They brought raw meat, including pork and squid, vegetables and a Thai grill for us to cook it on. They also brought us out green curry, fried rice, noodles and dipping sauces for the meat. It ended up being a very good meal. When we got back to the house I crawled into bed and stayed there until the next morning.

Today I am feeling a little better but my throat still hurts. We visited a school today to play with the children. I took a few pictures but mostly just sat and watched. This afternoon we have another Thai language lesson followed by a Thai cooking lesson. I am planning on attending these but we’ll see how I feel.