Ayutthaya to Singburi: Cycling through the rice fields.

Day 2 Ayutthaya to 10 km before Singburi at the RungAroon Resort: 65km

Ruth: We headed off at 7 am this morning to enjoy a few hours of cool riding. We were not, however, the earliest birds in Ayutthaya. These were the runners we passed on their final third of the Marathon.

We cycled up highway 309, which winds up along a river, passing rice fields and a canals full of water lilies. The riding is easy, apart from the heat, and we were able to find Maxim ice cream bars just when we needed them most. 

Gordon:  We have been struck by the wildlife that co-exists with the human population in the central part of Thailand.  The rice fields and swampy areas are full of large wading birds, including egrets and what appears to be a type of crane.  We also saw a three foot monitor lizard by the road today (this would have been more impressive if we had not already seen some eight footers swimming in the canals in Bangkok.)  Many hotel rooms and restaurants are also well supplied with the charming geckos.

Ayutthaya: Our cycle trip begins

Day 1 Bangkok to Ayutthaya: 60 kms by train and 17km to Ayutthaya

Ruth:  We are now in Ayutthaya, the former capital of Siam, which is located about 80 km north of Bangkok.  To get beyond the urban sprawl of Bangkok we took a train for the first 60km to get into the pretty countryside at Bang Pa-in.  We cycled the remaining 17 km to Ayutthaya.  This city was the capital of Siam from the 14th to the 18th century, when it was sacked by the Burmese. At its peak it had a multi-cultural population of a million, most living on houseboats on the extensive canals and rivers. It was an important trade centre between East and West and many foreign nations maintained their own villages outside the town walls.

Our route passed by the location of the late 15th century Japanese village and the Dutch East India  company headquarters. It was great to start cycling, and we were pleased to discover the roads are fantastic with wide shoulders and light traffic.

We are staying at the lovely Baan Are Gone Homestay, which is in an old teak house hanging over the river, just a short boat ride across from the main town. Last night we took a sunset boat tour of the rivers and canals, stopping  to visit three temples. Today we explored four of the ancient city's grand temple ruins by bicycle. The ruins stand elegantly in varying states of decayed splendour, set in beautiful park surroundings.

Gordon:  The first annual Ayatthaya Marathon takes place tomorrow.  I have not been training, so I will not be participating.  However, Ruth was almost registered when she went to the tourist office to purchase tickets for the historic sites.  It seems the official was struck by Ruth's lean physique and sporty cycling outfit.  In any event, even if we had trained for the event, it is hard to imagine running a marathon in 33 degree heat (today's high).  I did notice a large number of vultures circling over the finish line this morning, so perhaps they have made their own predictions.

Off to Cooking School In Bangkok

Ruth: Ok, friends and family, it is time to confess that for Christmas this year Gordon and I have not bought presents for any of you.  But all is not lost, because instead of opening up items you don't want or need, Gordon and I can now cook fantastic Thai food for you. Today we went to cooking school at May Kaidee's Vegetarian Thai restaurant in Bangkok.  I won't begin to suggest that coming to Thailand was an altruistic act, but I guarantee this couse will benefit many of you who come for dinner at our house in the future. 

In four hours we made ten vegetarian  dishes and ate more amazing Thai food than anyone ever should. I felt like I was on a cooking show, with all the ingredients chopped and diced, ready and waiting for us to do the easy part, and of course there were no dishes to do.

We started by learning how to make Chili Paste and then we moved on to prepare some wonderful Tom Yum Soup. Then we made Fried Vegetables with Ginger and Cashew Nuts.

After that we moved on to a vegetarian Pad Thai that was better than any other I have tasted. This was probably due to the fact that it was topped with fresh peanut sauce  we also learned how to create.

After a dancing and singing lesson (good for digestion) we moved on to curries: Massaman and Green. Oh I love this country! Then we buckled down to make spring rolls and a green papaya salad. Dessert was the most sensational Mango with Sticky Rice. 

Merry Christmas and see you for dinner in the New Year.

A day of Protest in Bankok

Yesterday was to be the final showdown between the anti government protesters and the the Thai Prime Minister. An estimated 150,000 protesters poured into our neighborhood to demand that the government step down. However, before the crowds arrived the Prime Minister announced her resignation and called for a new election. The mood was buoyant and the protest peaceful as the demonstrators paraded through the government district. We laid low until our host assessed the situation from the news and gave us the OK to head out. It was early enough that people were streaming down our street en route to the speeches. Note to mom: no worries, we are very safe here and we have no intention of getting mixed up in any trouble.

We headed over to the Khoisan road area to get a SIM card and look for maps. Our bikes arrived in the night so we are now getting our heads around planning our cycling routes. Before the trip our nomadic friends Gayle and John connected us with their cyclist friend Bill Weir, who by coincidence is also in Bangkok.  We met up with him for a visit and walk along the river. Bill has cycled more of the world than anyone I know.  Gord and I have always felt that we travel a lot, but Bill has been exploring corners of the world since he quit his job in the 70's! Connecting with Bill has been a very lucky treat.  It is wonderful to share stories and learn from someone  who has cycled  so much in Thailand. 

Lying Low in Bangkok

Ruth: We made it to Bangkok even if our bikes didn't. I am guessing they spent some more quality time with the customs boys at the Seattle airport. We are hoping they will be delivered today.

Our first day in Bangkok was a calm and tranquil one. We are nicely settled into the lovely Baan Tepa Boutique Guesthouse where you would never guess that you are right in the centre of Bangkok. The backpacker chaos of Khoisan Road is less than two kilometres away but a world apart from our little oasis.

Our day's excursion out to visit one of the less touristy floating markets, Khlong Lot Ma Yom, was also a pastoral surprise. This network of canals is a living water community that has now become a popular weekend excursion for Thai families.

Gordon: We may continue to lie low on our second day, as the opposition to the government is promising the largest protests they can muster. These will occur a few blocks from our guesthouse, as we are located near many of the important government offices. This morning we walked by an education administration facility with an enormous expanse of unspooled razor wire on the grounds. It was pretty in the early morning light, but unsettling in its imagery.

Reassuring note to Ruth's mother: we are quite safe and will merely remain inside our guesthouse if there is any violence on the street. In any event, I am wearing an orange shirt, which our landlord tells us is seen as a symbol of compromise between the red shirts of the government supporters and the yellow shirts of the opposition. More significantly, as farang (foreigners) we would not be targeted.

Location:Soi Si Ayutthaya 9,ดุสิต,Thailand

Rome: Second Thoughts

On our second visit to Rome we were ready for the city. Right after the pilgrimage we were a bit too overwhelmed by the crush of tourists to fully appreciate it. We have spent the last two days walking through piazzas and streets that are full of treasures. Today we spent most of the day in the Vatican Museum. I could easily spend a month in Rome, and we will probably do that some day. However we are on day 89 of a 90 day  European visa so it's time to move on. 

We  had planned to go on to Vietnam, but a combination of travel weariness, unreasonable airline charges for our bikes, and the super typhoon bearing down on Vietnam have pushed us homewards instead. We took a break in the court yard of the  Vatican museum and in 30 minutes we had a reasonably cheap flight home. We will be back in Victoria at 3:45pm tomorrow. We ended up buying a return flight because it was half the price of a single leg!?!  I can't wait to have bath and then put on a clean pair of jeans and a top that isn't my green or red one that I have been living in for three months. This pilgrim is going home.

Naples: Overdosing on Pizza and Pompeii

After Palermo,  Naples seems less gritty than its reputation had us believe. While the traffic is loud and chaotic the city is beautiful in a vibrant way. And this is the home of Pizza.

A pharmacist directed us to her favourite local pizzeria, which coincidentally was where President Clinton also enjoyed his first slice of Napoli's best. The prices were far from presidential, with the most sublime Margherita pizza costing just 3€!!

Pompeii is the second reason we wanted to come to Naples. We visited the National archeological  museum first to see the extensive collection of Roman art from Pompeii, Heraculaneum and other sites. The mosaics and frescos were unbelievable.

But the site of Pompeii is an experience like nothing else. We were transported back into a Roman city frozen in time. The Lonely Planet guide describes it as the premier archeological site in Europe and there seems no reason to doubt that. Unlike most sites that are modified, abandoned and looted, everyday life stopped in Pompeii in an instant in 79 AD, then remained preserved under 8 meters of volcanic ash until the 18th century.  The result is a treasure trove of the minutiae of life, such as fast food restaurants, bordello frescoes, and even crosswalks.

Skill testing question for those who know us well. Which of us added the word minutiae, and would this word apply in any way to the following gentleman?