Trip to Asia

I've been back from Asia almost 4 weeks now and I've yet to post a blog about my awesome trip.  Mainly, I have been playing catch up.  My suit case just got put away last week.  On November 8th, we flew from JFK to Dubai, UAE.   From Dubai we flew directly to Bangkok where our trip began.  Bangkok is a big city with lots of people in it.. Also with lots of cars, mopeds, and SMOG.  Unfortunately, I can't tell you that I loved Bangkok because I did not and I have no desire to ever go there again.  I did find it interesting!! Very interesting!! The first day we were there, we went to China town.  Ok.. I found this odd because we were in Thailand but we went to China town.  I wanted to see how the Thai people lived not the Chinese.  Of course this is not your typical China town found in NY or San Fran.   After China town, we walked threw the flower market. WoW-I've never seen so many flowers.  They were celebrating their 2nd largest holiday called Loy Krathong. During this time, many people will send a raft made from the tree of a banana trunk down the river.  The raft is decorated with beautiful flowers.  So after dinner one night, we also took part in this tradition.  Some people will take part of their fingernail and place it inside their raft.  So after our walking tour of Bangkok, this somewhat set the tone of how I wanted to spend the next day in Bangkok.. IN THE SPA... So that's exactly what Dan and I did.  For dinner one night, we went to a restaurant called the Vertigo.  It's located 61 floors above the streets on the rooftop. After diner we took a cyclo to the Bangkok night bazaar.   Each night, the street closes so that vendors can sell anything from fake Pradas to fake Mont blanc pens.  After spending three nights in Bangkok we flew to Chiang Mai, Thailand.  

Chiang Mai is in Northern Thailand.  We stayed at the most fabulous Mandaran Oriental called the Dhara Dhevi. It is located on 60 acres surrounded by paddy fields and every room is a villa.  I think our villa must have been at least 2000 sqft.  It was two stories with a kitchen, living area on the first floor and on the second the bedroom and bathroom area.  It had an outside & indoor shower and also a outdoor jacuzzi.  I could have stayed there the entire time relaxing.  But!!!!!! if your going to travel almost 30 hours by air..you should probably see the sights.  So the next day...we went to the Mesa Elephant Camp and boy was that a treat.  We first hand fed bananas to the elephants. The elephants were in an open grassy area..no fences..We then learned how to climb on and off a bareback elephant.   The elephant will actually lift his foot for you to place your foot on and then you grab his ear and lift yourself up onto the gigantic animal. The Asia elephants are very gentle and much smaller than the African elephant.  From there we got on a elephant seated for two and took a 45 minute ride up the mountain.  The ride ended in a village where the Karen Long Tribe people live.  The Karen long people are known for their very long necks.  The women actually wear rings around their neck starting at a very young age adding one a year.  It is strictly for beauty.  At one time it was believed to scare off evil spirits.  The women look as if their necks are longer but actually the growth of their collar bones has been stunted over time which gives the appearance that they have longer necks in reality they do not.  The elephant experience was definitely the highlight of Chiang Mai.  Oh..I forgot to mention..the elephants can paint.  One painted the words ACURA which took him a month to learn.  

From Chiang Mai..we flew to Hanoi, Vietnam.  This was even a bigger cultural shock than Thailand.   Again..mopeds and people everywhere!! Cows unfenced..Just grazing wherever they please.  On the mopeds people carried everything.  One guy was carrying a dead pig.  

 Our first night in Vietnam was at the Temple of Literture.  For appetizers, we were served snake meat.  It tasted good but then after eating it, I was mentally disgusted.   The next day we took a helicopter to Halong Bay.  In the bay, are thousands of limestone karsts.  Basically, it looks like small mountains in the ocean. Absolutely gorgeous!!!  We took a boat from the bay to the islets and went inside one of the limestone caves.   Seeing the limestone karsts made the trip to Vietnam all worth it.   And I also might add that the people of Vietnam and Thailand were extremely friendly.  

I've left so much out!!  After being gone for almost 2 weeks it was time to return to the great USA.  But one last stop before heading home.  SINGAPORE..

We spent one night in Singapore.  Singapore was not part of the Acura trip.  Originally, we were going to be in Singapore for 5 hours waiting to board a second plane but our trip was extended so we could see the city. 

Ok..I spent way too much time at this computer trying hard to explain my adventures.  Usually I find this time to be therapeutic but this post was not.