exotic travel
Bangkok Thailand:
Sawasdee! Welcome to Bangkok - or Krung Thep as the locals call it! Krung Thep is the shortened version of Krung ThepMahaNakhon, which is actually the shortened version of a much longer title that would take up too much space to include here (it's the longest name of a city in the world). Krung Thep roughly means "The City of Angels" and for those of you familiar with another "City of Angels" Los Angeles, California, you probably noticed on the way in from the airport that like LA, Bangkok shares many of the same attributes such as loads of buildings and skyscrapers, freeways, concrete structures, congestion and traffic! However, once you get past all that - wandering its backstreets, byways and historical lanes - you'll find a rich and vibrant city full of history and culture - and loads of great vegatarian/vegan cuisine, besides meat cuisine.
The 10-day Kin Jay Festival in Thailand, the events where the gods are said to descend to the earth. The majority of Thais love their meats and surprisingly, given their Buddhist heritage, are not vegan or even vegetarian. In fact, this celebration, which falls during the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar, is actually Chinese in origin. When the Chinese traders came to Siam, as Thailand was then called, they brought their traditions and festivals with them. Over the centuries, the Thais have adapted and adopted, as they do so well, this Chinese festival into one of their own. Although it is still the Thai Chinese (Thais who have Chinese ancestry) who celebrate the festival with the most fervor, many other Thais also join in - as Thais love festivals! On one level, it is a very spiritual festival full of auspicious ceremonies and rituals. On another level, it is great time to be a vegetarian in Thailand as the massive (and we do mean massive) variety of vegetarian food available is astonishing - if not downright overwhelming! Today, traveling by river taxis, canal boats, trains, subway and foot, we'll spend our time exploring Krung Thep's historical sites, temples, side streets, markets and back alleys. Though not common in Bangkok, it's important to note that during the festival, especially in Phuket, there are acts that people may find disturbing. These include heavy body piercing and other acts of self-mortification. These acts are believed to rid one of bad karma, illness and of future troubles.
Krung Thep was originally just a scattering of small villages and trading communities along the banks of the Chao Phraya River. The river, a lifeline and one of the most important waterways for the people of central Thailand, has always played an important role in Thai history. In 1767 when Burmese invaders burned the old capital of Ayutthaya (also located along the banks of Chao Phraya River), the Thai royal court decided to move their capital to Thonburi, now part of greater Bangkok, which was located on the west banks of the Chao Phraya River. In 1782, when King Rama I (previously a powerful general) came to power - he moved the capital across the river to the eastern banks of the Chao Phraya, which was previously settled by Chinese traders and merchants. King Rama I gave the area a new name and the roots of modern day Bangkok, as well as the current ruling dynasty, the Chakri Dynasty, were born.
The Kin Jay Festival, though it became famous for its celebrations in Phuket, is actually celebrated throughout the country. One of the most auspicious of Thai-Chinese holidays, and Thai-Chinese making up 14% of the population (the percentage of those with mixed Thai and Chinese ancestry is much higher), and the fact that many Thai's also participate in the festival, means that throughout Thailand the festival is also celebrated. So be on the lookout for the yellow flags with red letters if you get off the beaten track to celebrate the Kin Jay Festival! From the Chao Phraya River head south to Mae Klong. Located along the banks of the river that bears its name and a short distance from the Gulf of Thailand. Mae Klong's surrounding areas are not just home to canals and rivers, but also vast expanses of mangrove swamps that local conservation societies are efforts to preserve. These mangroves are a vital habitat for not only a large variety of fish and crab species, but also other wildlife including water monitors, birds and monkeys that have literally adapted to their environment and survive off the sea....
R&R
Sawasdee! Welcome to Bangkok - or Krung Thep as the locals call it! Krung Thep is the shortened version of Krung ThepMahaNakhon, which is actually the shortened version of a much longer title that would take up too much space to include here (it's the longest name of a city in the world). Krung Thep roughly means "The City of Angels" and for those of you familiar with another "City of Angels" Los Angeles, California, you probably noticed on the way in from the airport that like LA, Bangkok shares many of the same attributes such as loads of buildings and skyscrapers, freeways, concrete structures, congestion and traffic! However, once you get past all that - wandering its backstreets, byways and historical lanes - you'll find a rich and vibrant city full of history and culture - and loads of great vegatarian/vegan cuisine, besides meat cuisine.
The 10-day Kin Jay Festival in Thailand, the events where the gods are said to descend to the earth. The majority of Thais love their meats and surprisingly, given their Buddhist heritage, are not vegan or even vegetarian. In fact, this celebration, which falls during the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar, is actually Chinese in origin. When the Chinese traders came to Siam, as Thailand was then called, they brought their traditions and festivals with them. Over the centuries, the Thais have adapted and adopted, as they do so well, this Chinese festival into one of their own. Although it is still the Thai Chinese (Thais who have Chinese ancestry) who celebrate the festival with the most fervor, many other Thais also join in - as Thais love festivals! On one level, it is a very spiritual festival full of auspicious ceremonies and rituals. On another level, it is great time to be a vegetarian in Thailand as the massive (and we do mean massive) variety of vegetarian food available is astonishing - if not downright overwhelming! Today, traveling by river taxis, canal boats, trains, subway and foot, we'll spend our time exploring Krung Thep's historical sites, temples, side streets, markets and back alleys. Though not common in Bangkok, it's important to note that during the festival, especially in Phuket, there are acts that people may find disturbing. These include heavy body piercing and other acts of self-mortification. These acts are believed to rid one of bad karma, illness and of future troubles.
Krung Thep was originally just a scattering of small villages and trading communities along the banks of the Chao Phraya River. The river, a lifeline and one of the most important waterways for the people of central Thailand, has always played an important role in Thai history. In 1767 when Burmese invaders burned the old capital of Ayutthaya (also located along the banks of Chao Phraya River), the Thai royal court decided to move their capital to Thonburi, now part of greater Bangkok, which was located on the west banks of the Chao Phraya River. In 1782, when King Rama I (previously a powerful general) came to power - he moved the capital across the river to the eastern banks of the Chao Phraya, which was previously settled by Chinese traders and merchants. King Rama I gave the area a new name and the roots of modern day Bangkok, as well as the current ruling dynasty, the Chakri Dynasty, were born.
The Kin Jay Festival, though it became famous for its celebrations in Phuket, is actually celebrated throughout the country. One of the most auspicious of Thai-Chinese holidays, and Thai-Chinese making up 14% of the population (the percentage of those with mixed Thai and Chinese ancestry is much higher), and the fact that many Thai's also participate in the festival, means that throughout Thailand the festival is also celebrated. So be on the lookout for the yellow flags with red letters if you get off the beaten track to celebrate the Kin Jay Festival! From the Chao Phraya River head south to Mae Klong. Located along the banks of the river that bears its name and a short distance from the Gulf of Thailand. Mae Klong's surrounding areas are not just home to canals and rivers, but also vast expanses of mangrove swamps that local conservation societies are efforts to preserve. These mangroves are a vital habitat for not only a large variety of fish and crab species, but also other wildlife including water monitors, birds and monkeys that have literally adapted to their environment and survive off the sea....
R&R
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