Please see post titled "apologies to Mumbai"

I really want to apologize for that last post about my initial impression of Mumbai. Now I'm in love with India! I had so many wrong expectations that I'm ashamed. Thought I'd smell garbage and urine...quite the contrary! The only smells, if any, have been deliciously wonderful (flowers, incense, personal grooming products, good cooking...yum). Right now I'm at the airport in Goa - it was fortunate to be able to get out of the big city and make it to a tropical landscape at the beach. Yeah, we saw water buffalo and white cranes and palm trees and beaches and modern construction, hotels, and nice homes amid the trash and poverty - but there's so much more. We like to meet the locals. Gene was in his heaven talking international politics with a shop keeper. For me, my favorite is the amazing fabrics of the saris the women wear (rich or poor).

Apologies to Mumbai - found the good stuff

That drive leaving the International airport really did stun me. Never saw such a trashy, depressing mess, that's true, but we did find the good stuff. While a lot of shops do look like this in Mumbai (much worse at airport!), we just needed to get the heck out of that area. The Ibis hotel hooked us up with a driver (with air conditioning thank gosh!!) for 8 hours and that day's sight-seeing changed everything and our mood was MUCH improved! Modern malls (to buy camera memory chips) and a day at the magnificent Prince of Wales museum (pic to come later - the upload of pics is slooooow in this internet cafe.)

Prince of Wales Museum - wonderful

The driver got on the freeway...seriously crazy driving with constant honking (to let each other know where they are!) and the road lines are "just a suggestion." We did pass the slum area and it was rough, but we continued past that to the modern area of town. After stopping at Thomas Cook for currency exchange and some travel agency reservations, we saw the sites. This is the "Gateway to India." Plenty of nice friendly folks want to sell you pictures. Beyond this landmark is the Arabian Ocean. Cool.

This is the Taj Mahal hotel. It became quite famous about 2 years ago due to a bomb attack - and indeed the security everywhere has been intense. Double bag-checking and X-ray scanning. Even at our Ibis hotel! The taxis are checked with under-carriage mirrors for bombs. Stuff like that. Egypt was that way, too. Anyway, the Taj is right next to the Gateway to India. We plan to return and have lunch there on our last day in India. Very ritzy.

OMG...Mumbai...

OMG... They say India will change you...
Leaving the airport was the most dirt, rubble and poverty I've ever seen. No art or color, just buildings that look like they've been bombed.
A lady knocked on our taxi window begging for food money. Then another one.
And it will be worse elsewhere.
But it will be better elsewhere...we're looking for that today.

Back in Bangkok

Up on the stage at the Hard Rock Café Bangkok – bought the T-shirt of course.

Thanon Ratchadamadan – the historical locale of many protests.

Tuk tuk rides are fun! A great way to get around; usually only 40 Bht (about $1). But watch out...they'll try to take you to see the gold dealer, the tailor and take you on "a special tour." 

As Gaew suggested, we visited the Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall. It is very high-tech and interactive. The Thais have a lot to be proud of in the Arts. Dance, puppetry, handicrafts, performance arts, painting, cloth and so much more.

Gene got the monks on our tour to interact with the puppet exhibit.

Out the window..the Metal Castle (Loha Prasart).

They took our picture with an old accordion-style camera.

Our faces then showed up in the cartoon–video!

A friend joined us for dinner outside the window.

Ayutthaya - Getting out of Bangkok

OK, enough of downtown - time to go to old Thailand, Ayutthaya, where King Rama I started his kingdom. Gaew took us over an hour away to see the Floating Market and ride an elephant. Here we are at a low table enjoying Pad Thai and drinking coconut milk right out of the coconut.

Making friends with baby goats.

Saw a production about the story of a Thai warrior hero who fought the Burmese.

Making friends with the cutest babies J

Making friends with elephants.

We leave Bangkok tomorrow...some thoughts

I would like to look up the demographics in Bangkok. On the metro, 80% of the people were quite young. Of course these were the lucky ones who could afford to ride the metro. The poor can not afford to go to even the public schools and are locked into poverty. One day we took a cut-through to get to the river and observed the living conditions – terrible. But the wonderful smiles and greetings are the same no matter the social status.

I would like to say I am most appreciative of the Queen Sirikit for preserving the most amazing display of Thai handicrafts. I could use the words “intricate,” “beautiful”, “miniscule work to the point of needing a magnifying glass” but I don’t know any words to describe the mind-blowing skill of these artisans. Royal purses woven from the Yan Lipao vine – small as sowing thread! Beyond-intricate metal works with blue iridescence from beetle wings. Really, I can’t do it justice. I’ve been to a lot of museums and seen some amazing works by the West, the Chinese and the Middle East…but again, my mind was completely blown.

Also, besides an awareness of the intrigal role Buddhism plays in daily life, I’m left with a fuller understanding of the love Thais have for their King (King Rama IX) an artistically talented man who showed great concern for the people and helped them through many projects. The politicians are looked at as greedy and corrupt; no love lost there. In a heartbeat, I would suggest a visit to Thailand to experience this beautiful culture and its lovely people.

Temples and Buddhas...more to come

More flowers I've never seen.

The Grand Palace

The Reclining Buddha - those are his toes on the right.

Our hotel in Bangkok

I love how all the people we meet greet us this way.

This is the nicest Ibis hotel yet. It's like a resort. This is the view out our window of the pool, massage area (the little pointed roof - yes, I got one!) and the Chao Phraya river. It's so hot here the pool is quite warm. 

Hong Kong revisited - new pix

Buying metro tickets is so easy. Just touch the location you want on the screen; price is listed.

Massage places are everywhere...I could use a foot massage about now!

Massage places are everywhere...I could use a foot massage about now!

Hard Rock Cafe Hong Kong. Every one in the world has the best salmon..yum

Night market. I have never seen some of these things.

Night market. I have never seen some of these things.

This is The Peak. The most fabulous 360 view. Inside is a mall. Cool and fun!

This is The Peak. The most fabulous 360 view. Inside is a mall. Cool and fun!

You can buy anything in the street markets ;-)

You can buy anything in the street markets ;-)

We prefer to travel with the locals. I was on the top, front seat of the tram. At one of the stops I was inches away from the lady in the tram in front of us...we touched hands and giggled.

Time to go to the Kowloon side, so took the "Plenty River" ferry. I'm writing in my journal, "I'm so excited to be on the water! If I had a tail, it would be wagging. I'm like a puppy dog with its head out the car window."

After a wonderful day at the Art Museum, we walked the Avenue of Stars (like a little Asian version of Hollywood actors: Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li and more).

Jackie Chan

Bruce Lee

Walkway lined with very intriguing digital art.

Almost missed this place - the Arts and Crafts Center. Price for some pieces in the millions! Check out this tusk art (illegal in the States). Inside, works included many colors of jade, coral, bronze, lapis, silk paintings that blew our minds. Such detail.

Detail of tusk art. NEVER buy, though. We must discourage the animal cruelty.