Eileen & Rick Pics: 2010

Here are some of the 2200+ pictures that Eileen and I took.

This is Bangkok from the balcony of the Pantip Suites Hotel.

This is the pool at the hotel.

The gardens at the hotel.

Eileen, Sandy and Jerry enjot the pool while "big brother" uses his telephoto to keep and eye on them.

Another view of the city.

This is what the traffic was like every day in Bangkok. It was by far the worst traffic we have ever seen anywhere.

Boarding a boat for a cruise around Bangkok on the Chao Phra River.

A stop on one of the canals for lunch.

Eileen as usual is right in the middle of lunch preparation with Dale and Toom, our expert chef.

A stop at a water warehouse for the royal barges of the King.

Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn.

Visiting a flower market in Bangkok with our expert guide "Lift". (These roses are actually made of soap; the ladies each got one for Valentine's day.)

A delicacy in Thailand.... roasted rat !

Goes down quite easily... "tastes like chicken".

"Longtail" boat trip on River Kwai.

Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

1945 photo of the two bridges over the River Kwai. The closer one was destroyed by Allied bombers.

This is the second bridge (steel) as it looks today.

Fine dining at a restaurant on the River Kwai.

You can see the bridge in the background.

Hellfire Pass. Allied prisoners built the Burma railroad by creating this pass through the mountain. Some of the original track.

Three intrepid explorers take on the pass.

Our next lodging at the Kao Nam Na Resort in Kanchanaburi

In the city of Pitsanuloke roasted bugs are fine dining !

Just a sampling of the different types of eats...

Yes I did try one of each.

Most were crunchy but a few were still "juicy" inside...

Don't believe this pic... the morsel never entered her mouth...

Washed all the fine tastes down with some Thai saki... flamethrower fuel !

Our transportation that night was by rickshaw.

Our next stop was the "flying vegetable" restaurant. You dressed up like a fool then stood on top of a truck while the cook hurled stir-fried morning glories, which you had to catch in a (clean) garbage can lid. Of course a quart of Thai whiskey was consumed by all before attempting this feat !

While Eileen (one of the few sober ones) tried to give Dale a drumming lesson.

My favorite stop was at the Tiger Temple. Buddhist monks raise the tigers.

These are real LIVE tigers, resting in the heat of the afternoon AFTER being well fed !

Some say the tigers are drugged, but shortly after this picture the tiger was up and runnng... see next pic !

Then the tigers were given their play time!

This was really an "up close and personal" experience.

This is the Damnoensaduak floating market. All fresh exotic fruits and vegetables sold from the boats.

A salt field. Salt water is collected on ponds and left to dry.

It is then collected, bagged and sold.

This is rice farming. They are planting in frsh water fields.

Visited different tribes in the mountains: Yao, Akha and Long Neck.

Eileen and Carol in their finest attire !

This was our home hosted dinner.

Hostess is showing who to prepare our favorite dessert: coconut "fritters."

Ah...chef Rick... yea, right...

Lunch at another private home prior to visiting a school in Baan Phra Prang, Sriatchanalai, wrapped in banana leaves.

The children from the school coming to greet us.

We each had our own private escort.

We all participated in a school activity.

Many of the children performed for us.

Visit to the villa of the King's mother and the royal botannical garden there.

Visit to Wat Tha Soong, the Cryatal Palace temple.

Visit to and elephant camp in Maetaeng. These elephants are a lot smarter than some folks I know...

Eilee gets a welcome smooch !

All aboard for a trek through the jungle.

Have to stop for refueling (sugar cane)......

Okay, this is hard to believe and if I hadn't seen it... well...

The elephant is painting a picture...

And the final result. This was not trickery. The elephant did paint it (and sign it) just as you see it here. We bought one of the paintings so when you come to Margate you can see it for yourself.

Sukhothai Historical Park, home of the ancient Thai temples.

Children visiting Sukhothai.

The Golden Triangle Area where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar (Burma) converge.

A cruise on the Mae Khong River.

With a visit to Laos.

Phowadol Resort in Chiang Rai.

A small section of a word carving done by hand.

Transportation on a farmer's truck (Songtaew)

Lunch at La Valle Restaurant n Chiang Rai.

The fish (tilapia) was excellent .

Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple.

A visit to a Buddhist University.

With a talk by Phra Kaew who is in his last year at the University.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple. The dark Buddha in the enter is the world's largest carved jade Buddha.

Wat Pho Temple with a LARGE reclining Buddha.

This reclining Buddha is appox. 190 ft. long and 50 ft. high.

In Thailand monks come out of their monastary before dawn to receive alms in the form of food that they then take back to share with all the monks (and anyone else who is hungry).