THE KING, ANNA LEONOWENS & I

Last weekend, I saw THE KING AND I performed live at the Theatre Guild. After returning from Siam (now Thailand) I watched it with different eyes. This production has been banned there!

Anna Leonowens was NOT fictional, but an actual person. She wasn’t the fetching, fair-haired woman with the mellifluous singing voice portrayed on stage and screen. However the real Anna Leonowens didn’t need to whistle a happy tune for bravery. By nature she was a forceful personality.

I’ve always liked the film version with Deborah Kerr & Yul Brenner. Even the one with Jody Foster was good, I thought. Also I enjoyed the weekly half hour TV version that aired decades ago. Unfortunately, it didn’t last a full season.

However I can understand why the production is banned in Thailand. The Thais feel there are too many creative liberties here and they have a point.

There was absolutely no romantic chemistry between Anna and King Mongkut. This is pure Hollywood hooey! Also the Thais feel that Anna herself exaggerated her influence on both him and the young Prince Chulalongkom. Both were their own man and didn’t require some foreign woman telling them how to think. However, Anna as woman of strong convictions and being teacher to the young prince must have had some degree of influence on both. Who’s to say for sure how much? She and Prince Chulalongkom corresponded for years after Anna left Siam.

Anna Leonowens brought 2 children with her to the King’s palace in Siam. Her daughter was written out of the stage play. Anna had given birth to 4 children in all. The elder 2 died in infancy.

Anna had been born in India, her grandmother was Anglo-Indian. The Thais looked down on Indians same as the British. So Anna went to great lengths to camouflage her mixed race heritage. During this period in history that was a wise move, especially for an impoverished widow with 2 children to feed & clothe.

Besides being an educator and writer, Anna co-founded the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. She was also a social activist. Anna Leonowens was a genuine heroine in reality, far more so than in the fictional version of her life.

I enjoyed the Theatre Guild’s live production. The singing, dancing, & acting were top quality and highly entertaining as usual. Plus the sets and costumes made me feel as if I was back in Thailand.

But as I watched Anna in her tight corset and long sleeves flouncing around in that long hoop skirt with layered petticoats, I was struck with disbelief! If she dressed like that in Thailand, she would have melted in her own sweat! I’ll venture a guess the real Anna packed away that corset along with the rest of her British clothes and went native.

 

FUN FACT:   Anna Leonowens’ great- grand nephew was a famous actor! A man named William Pratt, we know him by his stage name, Boris Karloff!

FAREWELL CHIANG MAI, HELLO MAE HONG SON

Bright and early as usual, we were on our way. We stopped at a place by the Mae Ping River where I feed wild monkeys. I purchased bananas at a hut and the monkeys came running. I had been warned not to touch them, because they are wild. But I was tempted! They were so cute, and often their little paws were all over me. Whenever this happened, an old woman with a stick emerged. She would pound it on the ground and they would disperse. After the bananas were gone, I was given a pan filled with peanuts. When that was empty, I was sad, I wanted to stay longer.

Afterward, we went to visit a Retirement Resort, the one that caught my eye online. Ketsara & I were driven around in a golf cart. The place was just as dreamy as the pictures. However, the units with large back porches overlooking water were deluxe, the regular ones so-so. And they consisted of only a bedroom & bath, the porch costing extra. All meals and a maid service were included. But it would be like living the rest of my life in a hotel room. This would be OK if I was incapacitated, but I’m not ready for anything like it, now! However, that day might arise. Remember, I have no children to impose upon.

This being Thailand, I could afford a deluxe unit. But it would take my entire monthly income. And medical care was NOT included, so that changed things!

As we were heading toward a unit, a resident waved us over. “The maid just left!” she shouted, “You can show her my room!”

As I admired her unit, the lady and I began to chat. As it turned out, she was from Port St. Lucie! (This is south of Vero Beach and just north of my old hometown of Stuart!!!) She moved to Chiang Mai because her daughter married a Thai man and they have 2 children. This way she could be close to the family. It was nice to know I had a friend, if I ever decided to move there.

From here, it was on to an Orchid Farm & Butterfly Garden. I’m a former florist, so this was interesting to me. In the middle, stood a restaurant featuring a buffet with traditional (over-spiced) Thai food. The room was open on 2 sides and as was typical, no air-conditioning! Normally, I like a hot caffeinated beverage with my meal, but I didn’t want to sweat in my food so I drank lots of coconut smoothies, or what I call brain freeze with lunch!

Afterward, Pako drove us to a 10 acre garden- park by the river. The entire 10 acres was filled with exotic flowers of all variety in full fragrant bloom! It took my breath away! It felt as if I was strolling thru a slice of Heaven!

Since there was time remaining before catching my plane, Ketsara took me to a pastry shop because she knew I love sweets. I chose a slice of both green tea cake and an orange one.  (These were thin slices!) Both tasted bland! The frosting was whipped crème spread thin; I like butter cream spread thick! I don’t understand how Thai food can be so ultra spicy and yet their desserts are so flavorless. Even the pizza I had back in Chiang Rai screamed for garlic & oregano!

The only tasty dessert I had so far was a thin pancake wrapped around spun sugar. Ketsara had purchased it for me (out of her own money) at an outdoor market back in Sukhothai.

Now it was off to the airport and much sadness, I had to say good-bye to Ketsara. Probably I will never see her again in this life, although we have since been emailing.

My luggage was overweight and I had to pay a $30 fine! Ketsara told me that if I wanted to get rid of anything, to give it to the hill tribe in Mae Hong Son. “They are poor and can make use of it,” She said. Ketsara also suggested that I buy a large bag to use as a carry-on.

Only 10 people were flying to Mae Hong Son. I was the only Westerner, the rest Chinese. As we were led outside our plane came into view. Many balked and I heard nervous giggles among the passengers. This was the smallest airplane I’d ever seen close up! I could now understand why my luggage was overweight!

As we boarded, we were handed a box. Inside the plane, there was no cockpit, passengers sat right behind the pilot & co-pilot. The plane seated only us 10! After we took flight, I opened the box. It contained a sandwich & a bottle of water. I swear the sandwich tasted just like peanut butter & mayonnaise!

We flew low the entire way; mountains were always visible below. The flight lasted only a half hour. Mae Hong Son is Thailand’s second northern most province.

After landing and collecting my luggage, I spotted a lone man holding up a sign. It had numbers followed by a dot.com. The man pointed at me and I shook my head. -- I had been told the sign would have my name as Ketsara’s did. Also I had requested a female guide!

Soon, it was just the two of us there. He stated it HAD to be me,  he'd been instructed to pick-up just ONE person.

I was suspicious and wondered if my real guide was in the bushes somewhere, hacked up and bloody. Perhaps he planned to rob and do likewise to me. However, no one else was around. So I decided to take a chance and go with him.

FARANG - A - DANG - DANG!

Farang is the Thai word meaning foreigner. This is not a derogatory term any more than the word Gringo in Spanish-speaking countries. Chiang Mai was already my favorite city in Thailand! There were so many exciting and interesting, exotic things here to see and experience. And I was enjoying it to the fullest!

Thailand’s highest mountain called Doi Inthanon is located here. The road up was so steep our driver Pako didn’t feel comfortable taking the van. Instead, the 3 of us opted for public transportation or what I call the limo of tuk tuks. This vehicle was open on 3 sides and seated 6 people, 4 comfortably. Happily, it was just the 3 of us.

We were driven only part of the way, the rest we had to walk. Pako led us up the long winding steps. Whenever we came to a missing or irregular one, he would turn and point down. (Bless his heart!) Markets were plentiful here too, along with Buddhist monks. Finally, we reached the summit which is 8,415 feet high.

My guide Ketsara sighed repeatedly, saying she was exhausted from the climb. And she wasn’t 65 years old with swollen, banged-up feet! But we were rewarded with a magnificent view of Chiang Mai below.

I was driven back to the hotel to shower and change for the Khantoke dinner and dance performance later in the evening. As I took off my clothes I was horrified to discover that my calves were now swollen along with my feet & ankles. Plus I was aching all over.

Before entering the elaborate and enormous dining room, I had to remove my shoes. Tables were on the floor, diners sat on cushions. Beneath the table was a drop to place your feet making the seating feel normal and comfortable. Dinner was served in the Lanna Kingdom Court style with a variety of Northern Thai cuisine.

To be honest, I didn’t care for Thai food. Everything is so over-spiced it all tasted similar to me. Asian food is probably my least favorite.

No one sat across from me, so I had an unobstructed view of butt cleavage on the burly Australian at the next table. This didn’t help my appetite! Fortunately, the lights went down after the meal. My eyes were now focused on the stage elevated in the center of the room.

Beautiful Thai women performed classical dances of the folk and hill tribes residing in Northern Thailand. For each dance, they were outfitted in a different costume. Plus they sang songs. In between these performances men played instruments. Also a man did acrobatics and another performed a dangerous act with knives.

Afterward, I was so exhausted from my day that I fell asleep in the van as we rode back to the hotel.

Tomorrow starting early, I would enjoy more of Chiang Mai before flying to Mae Hong Son, later in the afternoon. There was no sleeping in on this trip! Thank goodness, I’m an early riser!

ELEPHANT & BAMBOO RAFT RIDES

My mornings started early and now it was off to the elephant camp. I’m an animal lover and had mixed emotions over this. I was excitedly looking forward to this as part of my Thai experience, but at the same time, I felt badly for the elephants. I’d been told that elephants were treated well in Thailand because they’re the symbol of its country. Also it is illegal to kill an elephant here, even if you own that elephant. I hope this is true! Remember, people ride horses and train them to do tricks. -- Yes, one is wild and one domesticated, but elephant camps exist all over Northern Thailand. These are elephants born and raised in captivity.

I climbed to the top of a small bamboo tower and from there I mounted an elephant for my ride. Something was feeling up my leg, I looked down to discover a baby elephant chained beside      its mother! Now, I really felt terrible!

The ride was anything but smooth. I had to cling tightly to both my purse & camera. As we headed down the hill into the stream, I feared I’d lose both in the water. As the 2 elephants waded down the stream, I looked back. In the distance I saw other elephants behind me. I must have been the first rider of the day, none were ahead.

Eventually, we climbed up from the stream and followed a jungle trail. Several times along the way, we came to small bamboo towers where bananas & sugar cane could be purchased for the elephants. Of course I did, each time!

We departed the jungle trail and stepped onto a road. Chinese tourist riding in ox carts passed. Some snapped my picture on the elephant and I took theirs. The ride lasted an entire hour. The Thais certainly give your money’s worth!

Soon it was time for the elephant show! I sat in the bleachers as elephants performed tricks and danced to rock music. I felt a little sick inside watching. -- I don’t even believe children should be forced to take dance lessons or play piano against their will! However, I was a guest in this country and I didn’t want to be an obnoxious one.

Then I watched with my own eyes as 5 elephants quickly and skillfully painted pictures with their trunks! Believe me; these landscapes looked WAY better than anything I could create!

Next, Ketsara & I walked down to the stream and boarded a bamboo raft. Men wielding long bamboo poles stood at the front & back. We passed elephants being bathed in the stream. One kept spraying us with its trunk! This was the deepest part of the stream. As we turned a bend, the water was only about 2 feet deep and so clear I could see bottom. The hot sun was in my face the rest of the way. I could have jumped out and waded faster!

Finally, we headed toward a hill on the left bank; we departed the raft at its shore. The steps leading up the hill were typical; irregular with some missing.

At the top of the hill, I was delighted to discover a spacious restaurant, and best of all it was air-conditioned! The buffet featured both Thai & Western cuisine, plus live entertainment. A man & woman with beautiful voices stood on a stage singing in Thai.  

After lunch, I would be taken to the top of Thailand’s highest mountain!

CHIANG RAI BEHIND & NOW CHIANG MAI

Chiang is the Thai word for city. Rai means mountainous and Mai means new. Despite being the ancient capitol of the Lanna Kingdom, Chiang Mai had a modern feel. This city boldly lived up to its name! There was a freshness and vibrancy here! It didn’t appear old as most of northern Thailand, yet it still possessed that same exotic allure.

The only downside was the congested traffic last seen in Bangkok. I heard Ketsara say, “Rawang! Rawang!” to our driver Pako several times. I had to chuckle. “Rawang” was the first word I learned in Thai before ever setting foot in Thailand. It means”beware” or “careful”.

My hotel in Chiang Mai was the Holiday Inn. I couldn’t believe it was the same chain Rose & I used in Fort Lauderdale before flying to Ecuador. Here, there was a doorman, plus bellhops to carry my luggage. Rose & I had been forced to struggle with our own heavy luggage. Also the Breakfast Bar there was only a little larger than a walk-in closet offering sparse selections. Here, in Chiang Mai the Breakfast Bar stretched half-way across an enormous room and the selections were nothing short of glorious! Lattes and cappuccinos were available, too! Plus my room was spacious with a terrace overlooking the Mae Ping River. The difference in hotels was like comparing a Kia to a Lamborghini!

Ketsara was eager to show me the Crafts Village. There, we saw hand-painted fans & umbrellas made and decorated. Another place featured silks. We were shown the process from beginning to end starting with the stages of the silk worm ending in beautiful silk clothes & accessories. Another one, we watched jewelry created and later displayed for sale.

“You haven’t been to Chiang Mai unless you’ve been to the Crafts Village,” Ketsara told me.

I SAY, you haven’t been to Chiang Mai unless you’ve been to the Night Market! This was gigantic and fabulous, plus the shopping was eye-popping and amazing! Part of it stretched out into the street but most of it was under a roof. At its entrance were lady-boys all dolled-up and looking like goddesses, each one more gorgeous than the one before.

Items on display were diverse and interesting. The merchandise here truly made me sad that I didn’t have more room left in my suitcase! However, I did purchase a few more gifts & souvenirs for friends; including a penis-shaped soap as a gag gift for my friend Rose.

I spied a sign that read Fish Massage. I asked Ketsara if that meant people massaged fish or had them rubbed over their bodies. She explained the process to me as we walked over. Of course I had to experience one!

First, 2 men washed my feet. Afterward, they taped all of my raw cuts & sores and I had plenty! Then I sat on a bench over a fish tank, placing my feet down inside. Hundreds of tiny fish descended upon my flesh like piranhas eating away dead skin cells. It tickled, and felt nice on my swollen, banged-up feet.

I enjoyed it so much; if there was one in Vero Beach I’d do it every year on my birthday! In fact, if I had any kind of head for business or math, I’d start my own fish massage business right here! I don’t know of any in the state of Florida!

After my fish massage, I treated myself to an almond & mango sundae. I watched a man actually make the ice cream on a surface right in front of me, and then he added the toppings.

Ketsara & I rode a tuk tuk back to the hotel. Ketsara told me that motorcycle taxis are available, the driver just hands you a helmet and you hop on the back. These can cut thru heavy traffic better than tuk tuks. But she didn’t recommend one, because they are dangerous.

Often, I saw in Thailand something I’ve never seen before, THREE adults riding ONE motorcycle! The end person clinging tightly with their derriere hanging way down in the back, I hope these weren’t motorcycle taxis!

Tomorrow would be another event filled day in Chiang Mai!

THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE & THE WHITE WAT

This was another of those “Pinch me, am I really here!” moments as I stood in Thailand’s Golden Triangle. Below, Myanmar (Burma) was on one side and Laos the other. It was quite a heady and breathtaking sight.

Ketsara warned me not to use my credit cards here! “This is the border,” she stated “and it’s dangerous.”

She began telling me about China Road. Ketsara said that if I moved to Chiang Rai, on her own time she would drive the two of us to Laos, and then up into Mainland China. We could even go over to Viet Nam. I was intrigued with the idea. However I never want to see another squat toilet again! The bathrooms in Ecuador were challenging enough! I hated confessing I was leaning more toward South America as my future home.

Crickets are sold as food in Thailand and much of Asia along with other insects. -- No, I didn’t sample any! However, due to the exploding world population and earth’s diminishing resources, in 20 years, we may all be seeing crickets on our dinner plate, probably alongside baked cockroaches and boiled beetles, too!

I was also informed that the Thai’s eat Cobras! I told Ketsara & Pako I didn’t have a problem with that since it was a reptile. I’ve eaten Alligator here in Florida! Besides, birds are descendants of dinosaurs and nearly everyone eats fowl. 

We continued to Mae Sai on the border next to Myanmar. We explored the local markets and strolled thru shops before returning to the hotel.     

My suitcases were running short of space. I gave Ketsara the cloth purse I’d bought at Claire’s after Christmas. Also I brought lots of snacks, (granola & P-nut butter bars, cracker & cheese packs) I wasn’t sure how much food I’d get on the planes. As it turned out, I was well fed everywhere! So these were given away as well.

The following morning, we visited another world famous Chiang Rai attraction; Wat Rong Khun called The White Temple. This WAT was the one I longed to see! It stood out from every other temple in Thailand. As pure white and intricately beautiful as a snowflake, it appeared like a structure straight out of a fairy tale.

This temple, the Wat Rong Khun has actually been restored as an art exhibit, created and owned by Chalermchai Kositpipal, a local millionaire artist. In fact, HE WAS RIGHT THERE, sitting off to one side surrounded by a crowd. His creation is an offering to Lord Buddha. To me, it’s the most memorable of all temples. It is certainly unique!

It was smaller than it appears in photos, but no less impressive. Guarded by dragons and mythological creatures, two gigantic Mastodon tusks greet you as demons watch. Grim realistic looking hands reach up from Hell as you cross its bridge. The imagery is spellbinding!

I thought anything this special would be sacred and remote. It comes across this way in pictures. I was surprised to find it in the city with businesses bustling all around. And it was crowded, jammed with both Westerners & Asians, more so than any other temple.

But what surprised me most was the large inside mural. The images were current or rather semi-current along with movie fantasy. George W. Bush and Osama Bin Laden were seated together on a missile riding toward the stars, flames circled around. Planes were crashing into the Twin Towers. Featured also were Harry Potter, The Terminator, Superman, The Matrix, and Hello Kitty. Below on this same mural I was puzzled to see an image of Michael Jackson in Hell with Freddy Krueger!

It was worth a trip to Thailand just to tour this temple!

Outside close by, is an Art Gallery. Oh, and I can’t forget the Golden Public Restroom, known as the most beautiful one in Thailand!

Departing the White Temple we drove south along a winding mountain route. Our destination was now Chiang Mai several hours away.