Of Monks, Marketplaces, and Elephants

Comings&Goings

Chiang Mai, Thailand

It did not take long for Amy and me to embrace the city of Chiang Mai and quickly recognize a place known for its vibrancy, energy, and authentic friendliness. The Chiang Mai community appeared steeped in a seemingly simple life with many of its citizens, we came to learn, committed to the Buddhist faith as an underpinning for their focused and meaningful way of life.

We chose to say in the heart of old Chiang Mai with plenty of activity and exposures right outside our hotel. As with any arrival to a foreign place, we felt a little intimidated and tired at first but easily settled into a nice Thailand rhythm. Armed with a new Thai vocabulary “Sawatdi” (hello and goodbye) and “Kop Kun Krap” (thank you), we took to the streets to learn what Chiang Mai was all about. Thanks to my sister-in-law Kerry, who traveled to this region with her daughter Emma a year ago, we had excellent “recon” work to lay the foundation for our travels. Specifically, we seized an advantage by working with Untouched Thailand, a small group of former monks who transitioned to the world of tourism as tour guides. Suffice to say, “our monks” shared with us some spiritual lessons that were worthy of consideration as we began our trip.

Tu, formally known as a monk

With Tu at our side on our first night, we ventured into the city on a Tuk Tuk and joined the teeming streets of pedestrians, scooters, cars, other tuk tuks and bicycles. It appeared that the Thai people were more than creative when managing their own transportation. While combating a little jetlag, we stopped at a local marketplace and learned the adage “No food, no fun,” a concept that rests at the core of Thai food psychology. Thai people purchase fresh food daily and rely on 24 hour markets to supply amazing produce, beef, chicken, fish, flowers and more. We learned that most street vendors often provide the freshest of foods, purchasing only the staples that they can use and sell on any given day. We tried a few local treats, the names which now elude me, enjoying novel flavors.

Our evening tour took us down side roads to our first temples and eventually to Chiang Mai’s version of Central Park, a particularly fun place to observe Chiang Mai’s after work community. We witnessed joggers, strollers, and bikers all getting in some social and sweat time together. In the early evening light, we particularly enjoyed watching groups of young athletic men playing a version of volleyball with their feet, fast and skillfully. We ended the evening at a traditional Thai dinner and show of folk dancers, with acts that just kept on coming. Just when we felt they might be wrapping things up, onto the stage appeared another group, another song, another dance.

And of course we viewed the first of many Buddha images, and suspect by the end of our trip we will enjoy a Buddha expertise that we had not previously imagined. Did you know that there are 74 traditional and different Buddha images? We did not.

Patara Elephant Park

With jetlag at bay and a relatively good “Ambien” infused sleep, we ventured an hour out of Chiang Mai to the beautiful western mountains, home to Patara Elephant Park, one of many parks to choose from in what we learned is kind of a Thai elephant subculture. Thanks again to our recon team of Kerry and Emma who guided us to a park that is part of a new paradigm of elephant stewardship, we had an opportunity to observe, learn, interact, and care for elephants in lieu of riding them, an activity that has become frowned upon due to training techniques and elephant injuries. Our exposure was sort of a morning of elephant daycare, and the experience did not disappoint. I especially enjoyed watching Amy dodge dung droppings as she waded in a pool and bathed “her” elephant, a true test for all sorts of reasons. In short, these elephants were amazing, and I had a sense that Amy’s elephant was particularly fixated on her…

Tom, also known formerly as a monk

It didn’t take us long to learn that Tom was a true scholar, intellectual, teacher, and philosopher about all things Buddha and even popular culture. Having lived the life of a monk for over 30 years, he was a pure joy to spend time with as his narrative was far-reaching and informative. He picked us up at 5:30am following an sleep of elephant dreams, and transported us to one of Chaing Mai’s most famous temples in Doi Suthep, high in the eastern mountains of the region. Over the next three hours, we viewed chanting monks, who had arisen as they always do at 4am, ventured about the temple – many Buddha images to be sure – received personal blessings from a monk, and then watched the sunrise overlooking the city of Chiang Mai. Amy and I felt that by just be being in Tom’s presence, we might become better people.

#Amy’stakeonthings

Sitting in the airport in Thailand, waiting to board a plane to Myanmar, I wonder again if perhaps I have brought too much hand sanitizer – I have every variety: CVS, WholeFoods, the handmade-in-Tahoe version, wipes, spray – so I am prepared but possibly over packed? I am also good with chapstick. Other than this all-encompassing question, the trip is off to a wonderful start. I am bewildered though today that after last night’s Thai cooking class, Scott continues to ask if I have downloaded the recipes from our new friends and cooking teachers, Noy and her husband Brian, and that he believes I will actually try cooking some of these dishes at home…

As we got ready to leave from Jed and Kerry’s house last Sunday night, I continue to think on a point Emma and Kerry sent us off with. A wonderful aspect of travel is meeting other travelers along the way. I rested by the pool our first afternoon with a lovely woman from Sydney Australia, and the following day we ventured to and from the Elephant Park with a fearless British mother, her infant and toddler daughters, and her charming father, one of the hardest working grandfathers I have met. As Scott mentoned, we loved our Thai tour guide, Tom. Last night at the Thai cooking class we met two sisters from Ireland, (the youngest of whom had imbibed too heavily the night before so she could not partake in the class, alas), a couple from China, and a pair of Americans girls who met four years ago while studying abroad in Florence and are now best travel buddies.  How fun to meet all these new “friends” as we venture abroad.  Also, just watching the world travel, the constant motion and commotion in the airports, is fascinating to me. Our world is on the move. Now, if I could just get Scott to stop hauling his huge duffle and convert to an efficient 4-wheeled suitcase like mine…and use the hand sanitizer.

And Finally

Bagan, Myanmar

After a full day of travel yesterday, we arrived in Bagan late in the evening, found a taxi in the darkness and traveled the strange dusty and eerily lit roads to our hotel. After a restless sleep we were awakened at 4am to chanting at a nearby temple, a reminder that we had arrived at a foreign and remote place of the world.

N