London, England I’ve been MIA for a few days, but not without seeing some new parts of London.
This is Monday. On Saturday, I had a wonderful day out with June, Alan, and their family. We met in the interesting community of Peckham, home of Montview, one of the UK’s top drama schools. It is especially notable for featuring June as a faculty member. Her specialty is improvisation. (Brits call it impro; we know it as improv.)
Continue reading “Some new experiences”Cambodia Here is a long-awaited report from Don, deep in Southeast Asia:
I’ve been traveling throughout Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and now Cambodia for over a month. Yet, this seems to be the first chance I’ve had to put together a rudimentary record of my adventures. The Wifi access has been intermittent, as has the electricity on occasion. Plus, I don’t have my crack photographer at my side (aka Jo) capturing some amazing sights that I’ve seen. You’ll have to do with what I have been able to catch on my cell phone camera. It seems that whenever I spot something of interest it takes so much time to turn on the phone and get the camera open that the moment has passed. Still, you’ll get the idea.
I’m on an escorted tour (via GAdventures) and they keep you moving. They have it effciently organized, but at a breakneck speed — usually starting at 7:30 in the morning, and running (and I do mean RUNNING) until late evening. Plus, all these excursions, tours, temple visits, cruises, and overnight train rides put you in close proxmity to others on the tour, which demands a certain amount of group agreeableness. This, as you might know, can be exhausting unto itself. Generally, however, the other people are very pleasant and everyone tries hard to get along.
I’m traveling with my friend Willy the Rolfer. Not the Roofer. The Rolfer, as in massage technique. I met Willy about 30 years ago when he Rolfed me. I was looking to get straightened out. He was going through a divorce at the time. I tried to provide sympathetic counsel. My counsel didn’t work. The marriage ended, but I got straightened out and we’ve kept in touch ever since.
Let’s start at the beginning, if I can remember that far back.
Bangkok: Yes, it’s what you imagine. Teeming with activity and energy. Now, mostly a modern city with a few remnants of what “old” Bangkok was like. A futuristic transit system. Not as futuristic (or as clean) as Tokyo, but it still makes New York City look like an old-fashioned back-water.
Bangkok has its share of spectacular Bhuddist temples, one seemingly more beautiful than the last. None allow photos inside, but the exteriors are endlessly fascinating interpretations of the Bhudda story and myth.
Other sights included fun street scenes and a trip to a Thai boxing match. Those boys (and girls) mean business. When blood was drawn, it was considered a knockout and the fight was ended. I saw two knockouts; one with men and one with women. The crowd was rowdy. The crowd was less rowdy at the circus, which featured amazing acrobats and trained animals, including household cats, water buffalo and even a pig.
Chiang Mai, Thailand: Noted for its canals, this city (reached by overnight train) is quieter than Bangkok. Again, lots of temples. Also a trip to Jim Thompson’s house. Thompson was an American who developed the Thai silk trade in the 1950s and then mysteriously disappeared in the late ’60s. His beautiful home, just across the river from the sweatshops where the silk workers toiled to produce his highly profitable silk export business, is filled with Thai antiques he collected along the way. Chiang Mai is also home to the Grand Palace of Thailand and the country’s massive national museum, featuring buildings moved to the site from around the country.
(Note from Jo: I will try hard to coordinate the text with the numerous photos Don has been sending me, mostly at 2:00 AM UK time. But if you know better about what goes where…keep it to yourself.)
Mekong River: A “slow boat” excursion down the Mekong River took us into Laos. The river scene is surprisingly unspoiled, including a sighting of a group of wild elephants bathing in the river. Water buffalo were abundant as were the local fishermen.
The tour included an overnight “home stay” in a village of an indigenous tribe. The villlage had no electricity, and we had to sleep on concrete or wooden floors without the benefit of any type of bathroom facilities. But the people seemed extremely happy to host us. The food was prepared like a banquet and there was some dance entertainment. The kids were adorable. But this was a Communist “showcase” village, so we could only imagine the poverty of other less fortunate villages.
(Lost those photos somewhere. Will post if I find them again.)
Laos generally is a very poor country. It was also the target of the largest number of bombs dropped anywhere in history during the Vietnam war, here called the American War. The landscape is still littered with unexploded and hidden bombs, killing and maiming thousands every year.
And here, my friends, I will draw the curtain on Don’s travels for a while. He needs additional time, Wifi and energy to share more. And maybe, just maybe, I can get the photos under control.
Stay tuned!
London, England Today was spent in Greenwich, home of important nautical history buildings, and the Royal Observatory, home of the prime meridian. Only a fraction of what’s available passed in front of my camera today, as the real focus of the day was a reunion with two dear friends.
Continue reading “See-worthy”London, England I wished I had Don’s fitbit today to track my steps. I seemed to be all over the place, purely by foot power. There were several errands that needed doing, starting with a consultation with a Samsung expert. I am having a beast of a time finding a way to process the photos Don is sending me from his trip. (Rest assured, someday soon you will be hearing some tales of his adventures in Asia.)
Continue reading “Out and about”London, England As it was not a weekend day, I thought it was safe to venture a tour of Borough Market, a fabulous collection of all things good to eat near London Bridge. We stayed near here several years ago, and admired it immensely.
Continue reading “A feast for the senses”London, England A raw and overcast day here, leading one to song — if one could sing. I spent a lot of the day walking to and from a tube stop, over Blackfriars Bridge to get to the Globe theatre.
Continue reading “A foggy day in London town”London, England As it was a Saturday, I took that into consideration when thinking about where to go today. I settled on the Victoria and Albert Museum, which may seem odd. But I calculated that the V&A is always busy, so what difference would a Saturday make? Plus, children-driven decisions would probably result in visits to the Natural History Museum instead.
I was right on both counts, but I neglected to take one factor into consideration, which was getting there and back. I have never had to queue for five minutes just to tap my Oyster card. Whew. And once on the trains, no one gave me a seat!!!!
Continue reading “Have a seat”London, England I ventured into a new area today, with great results. The Battersea Power Station doesn’t sound like it would be a particularly tasty destination, but all I can say is Wow!
Continue reading “The Power and the Glory”London, England Ever since the internet became aware of my pending trip to London, I have been bombarded with suggestions and “Best” lists of things to visit.
One of the many things that did manage to intrique me was a promotion for a film of the National Theatre 2013 production of “The Audience,” starring Helen Mirren, and written by Peter Morgan.
It offered things I love – a dramatisation of Queen Elizabeth, Helen Mirren, a three-hour rest in a cozy movie theatre seat, and maybe popcorn.
Continue reading “An afternoon with the Queen”
London, England In a new, very leisurely, touristy way, I ambled over to the British Museum in late morning. What a weird sensation to not have to conform to a schedule or meet a reservation. Not all days here will be like this one, but it was a delightful sensation.
It is a very lovely and mild day in London, and the museum was packed. There were mobs of cute school children in their distinctive uniforms, and lots of tourists in their non-distinctive garb.
Continue reading “Calling on the Egyptians”
