Golden Grand Hotel Phitsanulok

... Thong is, to me, much more fun because I feel I can bond better with her while walking alongside, talking to her, directing her, rewarding her with a pat etc. Back at base it's washing and feeding time, where the elephants will devour huge piles of bananas or pineapples while stealing the hose to drink from as you try to wash them. Again, their playful nature is such a joy to watch, coupled with a feeling of wonder that I can wander in and out of ...

... each carriage and then all the way back down again, the whole way there. This really friendly Thai guy helped us with our bags, offered his seat to Meals (which wasn't a seat just a little step out of the way) and he had been on for 3 hours previous with another 10 to go, all with a smile on his face. Meals didn't take the offer and so an hour later the guy gave it up to a women and her little baby and helping with her bags too ...

... streets for shopping and more food. It's not a bad way of life at all. We returned to the night market after dark, partly attracted by the reports of a local habit among the wok wielding chefs of sending cooked vegetables on journeys to the stratosphere. From the first it was obvious that the market had a really good atmosphere, loads of clothing stalls, lots of places to eat, either sit down meals or the usual Thai snacks. Along the riverside things are quieter. We stopped for a beer at ...

... In English it had the entertaining name "The Centre of Conservative Folk Cock". It's a place with fighting roosters on display. Otherwise the only thing that you can be pressured to see in Phissanulok is a temple with the first statue of the Buddha where he got one hand over his leg and one on his balls. And I wonder: how come I have to (should) wear long-pants in temples when monks have no pants at all? Toot toot.

... surrounded by forest, which were so calm and tranquil, it appears that no one else ventured out that far. Heading back into the walled city we explored some of the more famous of the temples, beautifully symmetrical arrangements of stupas, which had all been kitted out with oil laterns ready to all go up in one amazing finale later that evening, it did make you a little worried you would pull out one of the wires and mess up their beautiful show. Buildings done we couldn't ...

... for in life and after a terrible attempted sleep on a bed which made the floor seem comfortable we felt somewhat less smug... and a great deal sweatier. <br><br>Phitsanulok is located in the north part of the Thai mainland and it's where they say the culture of the north meets the culture of the centre. <br><br>Fascinatingly (ahem), it's also the ...

Arrived by morning train from Bangkok - about a five hour ride. No problem. The thing we were most excited to see in Pitsanulok was the bronze-casting buddha foundry, and it was really cool. We learned about all the steps of the process - the story is in the pictures. From Pitsanulok we took a day trip to Sukothai, one of the ancient capitals of Thailand in the 14th century. Many ...

... of what I'm seeing settles in - the hundreds of thousands of hand-laid bricks and stones, the beautiful Buddha statues, the unbelievable devotion that went into the creation of this place. Yesterday, we explored more of the nearby wats by bike. When we arrive at Wat Si Chum, I am overcome with awe. Inside a stone roofless building sits a gargantuan Buddha towering over our heads, his calm gaze looking down on us. I find myself ...

... and some hot ass peppers). Since the start of the trip Brodie and I have been trying to get each other to do stupid **** by betting 30 baht. The funny part to us is that it only equals one Canadian dollar. So far we have got each other to say some pretty funny **** (like "get ****ed, get ****ed" instead of "my cup, my cup" = no thanks to the taxi cabs). Before entering the bar I bet him 30B that we ...

Jan 18 06 - Jan 19 06 We left Bangkok by bus at 8pm on Jan 18, for a scheduled trip of 9 hours to Sukhothai (up north)... But I guess as every trip goes, everything starts changing pretty soon - we are rescheduled to another bus, that finally took (only) 7 hours to leave us in Sukhothai bus station at... 2.30AM! Nice... Melissa, Matthieu, in the middle of ...