Hello all. Moon and I leave next Tuesday for SE Asia. I thought an itinerary would be helpful for those who want to be in the know......and I'll do it in two parts so not to bore you. I'll also warn you that I am not a writer and have no editor....so all factual errors, grammatical mistakes, spelling snafus, bad or inappropriate humor, or whatever else could go wrong or offend.......is on me...Now if you could just sign the release at the bottom of the page we're ready to go....(really?..I hope you didn't actually look down there...seriously.)
First stop is Bangkok.....the World Meteorological Society has identified Bangkok as the Hottest City on the planet.....Literally.....with an average temperature of 93.3 degrees Fahrenheit, (or 34 degrees Celsius for almost everyone else in the world except the US folks). And, believe it or not, there is actually a Thai law,(I'm not kidding here), on the books prohibiting anyone from leaving their homes without underwear. Could this be a coincidence? I think not.......Anyway, I love Bangkok for reasons I'll identify later......But 8.2 million people can't be wrong.....or the other 7 million in the surrounding region.
Next up is Mae Sot.....in the western part of Thailand about 3 miles from the Myanmar Border, formally called Burma. It's a favorable mix of cultures. Sixty Minutes just aired a bit on Myanmar and it's struggle to become a democracy after years of Military rule. Historically, this area has been a point of entry for human trafficking and drugs. These activities have been greatly reduced. ...unfortunately, not completely.
On the bright side, we'll be staying in a wonderful little place called the Picture Book Guesthouse....a small hotel with a great story,.....teaching marginalized and unemployed youth vocational skills that will enhance their ability to find a job in the future.....the net address is http://picturebookthailand.org if you want a broader picture of what they are about.....or if you're feeling generous....offer up a small donation.....a little goes a long way here. Finally, where two different countries meet....there is a very good chance that excellent food follows.....I'm up for that......!
On to Chiang Rai in the northern tip of Thailand.....near the borders of Myanmar and Laos. According to Wikipedia the city was founded in 1262....which would make for a very long invitation list of relatives for Thanksgiving Dinner.....whoa.
This region used to be part of the Golden Triangle, which included an area about the size of Nevada situated in and around the tri-border of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar....most famous for opium production.....which at one point, not too long ago, produced 60% of the heroin consumed in the US of A. Aaah, the American's appreciation for the exotic never ceases to amaze. Maybe we could start a poppy crop in, say....Wyoming.....help the local economy, reduce unemployment, and save on postage from Asia? A portion of the first batch would have to go to Dick Cheney.....maybe that would finally help him chill out a little.
All for now folks. Stay tuned. Leaving in 6 days.
