Temples Everywhere

Asia & Australia – 2010

“It is not enough to say I have been there.

A voyage is not just a journey.

It’s a period carved out of time,

when the impossible can happen.”

                             - Unknown

Sunday, November 7, 20110 – At sea between Darwin, Australia and Thursday Island, Australia

          Well it’s Sunday morning and I am sitting on our veranda with Champagne & Caviar.  A Sunday treat on this ship… they really have spoiled us for going back to Carnival (beer drinking contests poolside anyone?).  Enough silliness; the ports are amazing (I think I said that already) and the experiences priceless.

          When we were in Viet Nam we traveled along Halong Bay and it is just beautiful.  The Limestone Mountains jut out from the water in beautiful shapes and formations.  We stood on the front deck for almost two hours oohing and ahhing at them.  There are mountains in the mist behind the more defined front ones forming wonderful trace mountains in the background.  Each formation was more beautiful than the next… candy for the eye!

          When you approach Thailand you get a glimpse of what is to come.  The shore line is scattered with temples – the front of a temple should face the water with the back towards the mountains for the best feng shui.  The bridge you travel below has golden spires with the royal crest gleaming out at you.  You know immediately you are going to be in for a treat.  The Grand Palace, home to the King (you remember The King & I) is dazzling.  Everywhere you look there is gold, carvings, paintings and statues.  It is almost too much for the eye to process and then comprehend.  Even “The Queen of Glitz” aka Pat was overwhelmed.  The pictures speak for themselves without any additional explanation.  The current King (he is over 80 years old and sickly) is revered and loved by everyone.  The people have such respect and admiration for him; it is so refreshing to hear of a leader so well liked.  BUT… the next generation doesn’t sound like it will have the same effect.  People do not like the Crown Prince and are concerned as to what will happen when the King dies.  The politics were interesting along with the amazing architecture.

          We were then on to Ko Samui, Thailand… it was our first day of pouring rain.  We had several stops on our tour and the rain managed to subside while we were in the bus and pour every time we got off the bus.  We were fearless in our plastic rain jackets (great if you like saunas) and didn’t miss a tour spot covered.  We watched the demonstration of the working monkeys who climb the trees to gather the ripe coconuts.  The monkeys go to school for six months to learn how to climb the trees, detect the ripe coconuts, spin them so they drop to the ground and then return to their master on the ground.  They then frantically pick off the ants from their bodies… they were probably getting bit by the little buggers.  It was really interesting but it did disturb me wondering how they were “trained” and what their life is like (slave labor?).  We were told they were treated as part of the family (they are the major bread winners) and when the monkey retires, because he is too old to work, they still live with the family.

          We were then off to the Big Buddha on top of the mountain in the rain with lightning and thunder.  One of my biggest fears in life is lightning… so here I am standing barefoot (I hate walking barefoot) in ankle deep water on top of a mountain with a HUGH Buddha all gold and spiky.  Oh, the adventures of traveling!  It was actually a fun experience and Mike got to hit all the gongs in the shrine which guarantees us a return trip someday.

          Next we were on to Singapore; you could not imagine a cleaner, more pristine city… maybe that caning works.  The buildings were fantastic, each one more artistic and beautiful than the rest.  The city has distinct areas, one being Muslim.  The interesting part about the Mosque was the fact that they wanted all the people to feel like they contributed to the building even if they did not have money to donate.  They designed the building with an area made of the bottoms of soy sauce bottles so the local poor people could save the empty bottles, donate them and feel like they were contributing to the building.  We went to the famous Raffles Hotel and had Singapore Slings at the Long Bar.  We saw the safe where the recipe for the drink was kept for years so no one could duplicate it.  Then a waiter was bribed and the recipe became common knowledge.

          After our tour we ventured out on our own and decide to ride the Singapore Flyer (several feet larger than the London Eye).  The views of the city are breathtaking, the ride smooth and comfortable.  It is a continuous motion wheel but it stopped momentarily twice and we held our breaths… our ship leaves in two hours and what if it got stuck.  Luckily it didn’t and it was a wonderful end to a terrific day.

          I know it sounds like I just had breakfast but I have been writing for awhile and it is almost lunch time so I will end the blog for today.  Hope you enjoy sharing our journey and it really is fun remembering the stories to share with you.

                   Pat & Mike

Pat's 2nd Dress

Made in Saigon

Halong Bay

More Halong Bay

Breakfast on the Veranda

Nice Legs for an Old Guy

Bridge Approaching Bangkok Harbor

The Jade Buddha

Thailand

The Grand Palace

Thailand

Bangkok Skyline

More Rooftops

Roof carving detail

Ko Samui, Thailand

Don't take my poncho!

Big Buddha Temple

Singapore Flyer

View from Singapore Flyer

Singapore Sling

Mosque with section of soy sauce bottle bottoms