Contrasts and Comparisons in Thailand


Thailand - as I see it.

Rent a Car and Motor Cycle

Red Bus

Transportation varies greatly and I will mention five different modes of travel in and around Chiang Mai.
$5 for a Taxi  for two people on a one way trip to the mall from Rob’s house.    150 Baht
$3.25 for a Tuk Tuk open air motor vehicle for two to the mall from Rob’s house.  100 Baht   
$1.25 for a Red bus for two people from Rob’s house to the mall.    40 Baht
$3.25 to fill a tank of gasoline for a Motorcycle  approximately 100 Baht
$30 a day to  Rent a car approximately  1000 Baht a day

Spa

Massage Parlor

Massage Parlors and Spas
$10 or 300 Baht for a two hour foot massage one would pay at a regular massage parlor with no frills just an excellent massage where they wash your feet, massage your legs and feet for an hour, massage your head, neck, arms and hands as well.  They are well trained in reflexology and they give you warm water or hot ginger tea to drink after the massage.
$13 or 400 Baht for a two hour oil massage with a glass of warm water or hot tea afterwards.

$40 or 1200 Baht  you can get a hand, foot and shoulder massage for an hour and a half in a nice spa setting.  They offer you tea before hand, a special room for washing your feet and another massage room.

$75 or 2236 Baht in a spa you can have three different massages in two hours, a Thai Massage, Aromatherapy Massage and Oil Massage.  The Thai massage loosens you up, the aromatherapy relaxes you and the oil just feels great.  At the spa you are offered a cup of green tea, a lovely relaxing area before the massage and they even give you a g string and a shower cap to wear for a shower after the massage.  They have a nice place for you to put your jewelry and to hang up your clothes.  This includes tax and gratuity.




Restaurants vary greatly from $1 a meal to $25 a meal at an upscale hotel restaurant.
$1 or 30 Baht for a department store food court meal, only local Thai food.
$3 or 100 Baht for a meal at a local open air homestyle restaurant, mainly local food
$9 or 300 Baht for a meal at an indoor Italian restaurant
$12 or 400 Bah for a meal at a buffet with all the trimmings and you cook at your table
$25 or 750 Baht for a meal for an upscale hotel restaurant

Outdoor Restaurant

Local Thai Restaurant

Buffet Restaurant

Street Vendor

Rob and his son, Tyler

My son Rob and his son Tyler

Tyler right after birth with Daddy Rob    I took this picture when we were talking on the webcam.
It isn't a perfect picture, you can see me in the bottom right, but Rob's expression is perfect.

Thailand - as I see it.

Daddy Rob and Tyler at 6 months

Big Boy Tyler and Daddy Rob at 1 year  5 months.

Daddy Rob and Tyler at 1 year and 6 months.

Tyler is the joy of Daddy's life.  Rob is a kind, loving and proud Daddy and loves to take Tyler

with him whenever he can.  Tyler would much rather go with Daddy but if he can't, he waves 

and says bye and throws a kiss.

Dressing up in Hill Tribe Finery


Thailand - as I see it

Grampa Willi, Mommy On, Tyler, Grandma Marcia, Daddy Rob

Rob, Marcia Mom and Willi

We drove all the way into the mountains to visit
this Hill Tribe.  They have native costumes that you can rent and have pictures taken. It was such fun wearing the finery.  I felt like a princess.

There were very steep hills to climb to get to the Hill Tribe Museum and to the area where the pictures were taken. As we walked up the hills we viewed many shops of the wares of the people.

Ladies of the Hill Tribe were sewing by hand and also with sewing machines.  There were scarves, pocket books of all shapes and sizes, wooden carved objects, handmade jewelry and shoes.

Marcia in front of a waterfall with festive attire

Marcia and Willi all dressed up.

Tyler Cutler, 1 year 4 months old

Daddy and Tyler

The women, men and children all have elaborate costumes.  There are layers of handmade blouces, skirts, jeweled necklaces and the head piece.

Marcia and Willi

Grandma, Tyler and Mommy

Thailand - as I see it.  Today was an awesome day with our Thai Family.

Thailand - as I see it.

The King

Everywhere you go in Thailand you see posters, billboards, and huge signs of the King.  He is the supreme leader of the Thai people.

The Queen came to Chiang Mai a week ago to have some clothing made.  The streets were all cleaned, no venders were parked on the main streets.  All the school children in their different uniforms were marching and walking.  The police were on every corner and there was excitement in the air.

We were not able to see her but it was just fun seeing the preparation for her visit.

I am putting a few of the pictures of the King in this blog for all to see.

Thailand - as I see it.

Chiang Mai Night Safari

Our visit started as we drove into the property and saw lots of beautiful flowers and plants, trees and animals all lining the roadway.  There were hundreds of scarlett ibis that looked real. From then on, the deer were grazing alongside the road every few yards.and were very tame. As we entered the main gate, there were huge statues of elephants.  Through out the complex were statues of animals for picture taking.

Elephant statues at entrance to Night Safari

Wild deer and elk at night on tour.

There was a cage with white tigers and a trainer with a baby white tiger only 6 months old who was right by the visitors.  He was very playful and large already.  We were welcomed and invited to one of the trains that took us through the animal areas.  We saw lions, tigers, wild boar, elephants, giraffes, deer, elk, hyenas, buffalo, bison, zebras, vultures, and many other wild birds like emu and ostrich.  Our tour was in English and lasted for one hour on the northern side and one hour on the southern side.

Giraffe Statues.

After the train rides, we saw a Thai Cultural Dance performance.  The dancers had on beautiful costumes in various colors.  Then there was a sound and lazer lights show over the water with beautiful music.

Thailand - as I see it.

The Hill Tribes and their colorful outfits  

You can see the Hill Tribe people in Chiang Mai at the Night Bazaar, the Walking Streets, and at special festivals.  Some of them dress in bright colors, wear lots of jewelry, and even high high heeled shoes for the ladies.



 

We went to a festival and they were selling the clothing.  The band was playing and lots of people were singing and listening to the band.

 

When we go to the Night Bazaar, the hill tribe women are walking around selling their musical instruments and jewelry.

Sometimes their babies sleep in hammocks and the women carry the babies on their backs.

Thailand - as I see it

A Christmas Celebration at the Christian Church in Chiang Mai

We went to church this morning and instead of the service we went to the children’s party.  They had games for the children and each child won a prize for playing each game.  There was a lady dressed in a red and green clown’s outfit who passed out gifts to all the children. Some of the children put on skits and sang.  Each child colored a Christmas tree and put the cut out colored trees on the bare tree.  They all sang happy birthday to Jesus and also a Christmas song.

A missionary family from Texas who had moved to Chiang Mai a year ago told a Christmas story about a cake that was made for Jesus.  The top layer was chocolate for our sins, the next layer was red for Jesus’ blood that was shed for us, and the third layer was green for life and nature that goes well because we believe in Jesus.  The frosting was all white to show that all is pure when we love Jesus and when we go to heaven someday we will be with him because we believe.

As you can see in the group picture, they included me as well as the missionaries and they all sang and thanked God for Jesus and Christmas time when we remember him.