We are to go on long tail boat through mangrove forest out to the sea. There are 14 limestone island-karsk .
Main industry is now tourism like so many places. We pass by rubber trees but it is not so important any longer.
James Bond island named after the movie.
Their electricity derived from hydro dam.
In 1981, Phang Nga was made into national park
The limestone karsh formed some 2 million years ago.
Our lunch is at Muslim village (which BTW, was very good), “Koh Panyee” is built on stilts. 1200 people live in the village. 9 years compulsory education and is free. (Kindergarten is not compulsory). Teachers and other merchants come from the mainland. Strange…. They have a floating sports field…. a football pitch. It is surrounded by netting.
The local gymFootball pitchSleepy kittyRestaurant entrance Just outside the restaurantFunny the side with the restaurant was in much better shape…. more inviting!
There are 99 islands in this island province at high tide or ….104 at low tide. Everything is green… is natural and there is no traffic to speak of. Building max is 5 stories because of the eagles, so we were told.
Hotel at the pierGorgeous
The name Langkawi means “lang” meaning red eagle, (the symbol of Langkawi) plus “kawi” …the kind of rocks.
Mangrove tour-we are told that there is a 6000 MYR fine if you don’t use life jacket on the boat.
Eagle watching…. There 3 types of eagles there-#1-reddish brown eagle, is the symbol of Langkawi, #2 is the white belly eagle that has a 5 metre wing span.
Monkeys jump into boat if they see plastic, mineral water and food. Don’t panic. Don’t jump into water cuz there are snakes… cobras and vipers. Also you may see sea snakes that eagles feed on.
#3 are the Mountain eagles… that we will not see.
Make no eye contact or smiling with monkeys because you’ll both fall in love… lol! Seriously, the monkeys feel challenged and will attack. Long tailed macaque are crab eating monkeys.
The dusky leaf monkey are also known as the spectacled langur. They black with while around eyes. Baby’s are orange colour that the eagles cannot see.
We stop at a Fish farm
That is a very firm shellHead massage by crab
Bat cave… there are 3 kinds….insect eating (can eat 600 mosquitos per hour), fruit eating, blood eating bats.
To the bat caveYou’ve been warnedCycad tree….from the time of dinosaurs Sleeping batsFungusOkay…. Not goingThe sap from leaves if rubber on your eye will leave you blind for life or if eaten will give you diarrhea for week, maybe even die.Mangroves
There are 77 varieties of mangroves. They provide 10 times the oxygen (1 tree provides enough for 4 people) and absorb 4 times the carbon dioxide of tropical rainforests. When tsunami came in 2004 there were only 2 deaths. The mangrove forests provided protection from waves, as well the many islands helped block and diffuse .
UNESCO geopark
Monitor lizards don’t bite but their prey are killed by saliva. Within a few hours the prey died and then the lizards eat them. After eating their kill, the lizards have to sleep for two weeks for it to digest.
Monitor lizards can be up to 3 metre in length. Sea cumber (collagen) is the only exotic food in Malaysia eaten.
It is much cheaper to live here. It only costs 880 ringgit for rent/mo in KL but only 250 ringgit (80CAD) in Langkawi. There are also only 100,000 people in Langkawi. 80% make their living in tourism, 20% in fishing.
I would certainly consider coming back here. It is very beautiful, surrounded by nature.
First we travel through Georgetown. It originally it was a camp used for prisoners from india. It UNESCO city …all buildings protected… no demolition allowed.
I suspect this was the former prison…in total disrepairThis derelict heritage building that was in process of demolition…was halted and taken to court
Free compulsory education up to 12 grades. 90% sent to govt schools, the balance to private schools.
Palm oil and petroleum …govt source of income
1 million population.,..most Chinese. 10% Indian. 1957 independence from Britain. Most property owns by Chinese … they control business.
The King is changed every 5 years, chosen from group of sultans. Democratic constitution …, king takes advice from prime minister.
Horse racing is only for non-moslem community. Muslim men can have 4 wives but have to get approval from wife number 1.
Going to Kek Lok Si pagoda that has 88 steps … plus funicular. High tolerance of different religions.
Up the funicular to temple & down.
One of the Chinese astrological signs
To Penang Hill…. In Malay language means “flag hill” because the British that were residing there could see the waters of Georgetown. They could warn of ships that maybe came marauding, to those below by waving flags.
Funicular…strange trainsThe view….wow!Hindu temples always have so many colours Beautiful door
An interesting note….Malaysia supplies water to Singapore cuz they have none.
It is monsoon season here and we saw the result today. Our guide picked us up from Port Klang.., a lovely Indian woman named Sathia. There originally was so much confusion with the company as to where we were to be picked up but finally she personally called and got it all straightened out.
This area according to Sathia, does not have typhoons but just monsoons.
We passed by a government building that was obviously burnt. She said they believe it was done purposely to hide evidence of wrong doing. It remained that way for years but now it’s being renovated.
One thing that is apparent to me is that the highway infrastructures as in Thailand, are amazingly advanced….. so far ahead of ours.
We are going to the temple of Gannish called Murugan at the Batu Caves. Batu Caves are a series of limestone caves …amazing…. Looks like it at one time was molten lava although not black. It is a popular Hindu pilgrimage site located near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is known for a 43-meter tall golden statue of the deity Murugan at its base and a 272-step climb to the main cave, which houses Hindu temples and shrines. There were another 90 plus steps to the final destination. The site is also famous for its natural beauty, wild monkeys, and being the focal point of the annual Thaipusam festival.
The grounds plus the statue covered with scaffolding This is a picture of what the statue looks like under all the scaffolding …humongous!Looking out to the city beyondAnd the long way down…
We then went to see the downtown area where the twin towers and the 2nd tallest building in the world with communication antennas.
2nd tallest building in the worldThe “Twin Towers”Odd looking buildingThe city is not just buildings but lovely boulevards as well.
Chinatown and to the National Mosque if Malaysia
Chinatown entranceCentral market…. originalNational Mosque Government building Dome on government building
Stopped into a batik factory…. Beautiful work. Besides all the fabrics made for sale, there were also many picture paintings
A piece that was in the process of being painted The piece they use for outlining with hot waxExamples of some of the picture paintings.
Its disappearance is the most significant aviation mystery since disappearance of Amelia Earheart
It happened 11 years ago in March 8, 2014. There were 227 passengers and crew of 12 on board for a total of 239. It was a scheduled flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, a 6 hour flight.
They were to fly in NE direction over Vietnam then pretty much over land in China. At weigh point IGARI…. Vietnamese air control was to take over from Malaysian air control. The captain said “Good night Malaysia” as it crosses into Vietnam control 40 minutes after departure. It disappears off the screen, no longer having any contact with anyone. Vietnam tried to contact plane. The plane had 8 hours of fuel on board. Searchers found nothing in the area that it disappeared. Nothing was seen by anyone. One possible thought was that the plane was downed by something in cargo. There was a large amount of lithium batteries in cargo. Could it have been something to do with that??? Then they thought it might be cyber hijacking possibly, or a secret landing, the Bermuda Triangle… abduction by aliens??? International searchers found nothing including in the Indian Ocean. Malaysian official were surprisingly quiet….not very transparent which made others suspicious. Primary radar at the disappearance picked up that it went in different direction….a more complicated theory by Inmarsat mobile satellite company. Data suggested for 7 hours that it has been flying south and subsequently lost off the coast of Australia… an all-silent flight. The plane flew at oscillated altitudes. It had to have a human perpetrator??? The captain began to be suspect because he had marital problems, had a flight simulator at home with exact route on it and he had asked for extra oxygen in cockpit. The sharp turn at IGARI had to be done manually. It then crossed along the border between Malaysia and Thailand to Andaman Sea (where each country would think the other was aware of the airplane), then south for 7 hours until it crashed into the southern Indian Ocean off coast of Western Australia …after running out of fuel.
The Ocean Infinity, a search ship checked the sea bed off Australia that is very deep & very mountainous…. 13,000 feet deep.
In Jul 2015 piece of metal debris (a flapperon… part of wing) washed ashore on the east coast of Africa. It was not damaged suggesting a controlled landing.….
Malaysia air command passes control to Vietnamese control at IGARISuspected routeInmarsat satellite showing route or area suspected of flyingThe senior captain on leftAreas of debris foundA piece found to the left.
The presence of barnacles indicated the location off Australia. It could have coasted on the sea currents to its African location.
The movie was based on the fictional story by a French prisoner of war. It’s the story of the POWs sabotaging the building of the bridge.
It all started in Feb 1942 with the fall of Singapore. The Japanese goal was to take British India by going overland through Siam and Burma…250 miles through jungle, mountains and rivers. Japan needed manpower…. because they themselves were stretched thin. There were 140,000 of all different nationality POWs. They had to build their own accommodation. Before that they had to walk to where they were to build the railroad/bridges, through hot steamy jungle with mosquitos that caused dengue, malaria and dysentery was rampant. Their diet consisted of only 1/2 cup of rice or soup a day. They endured brutal treatment by Japanese and Korean soldiers. It took 60,000 allied prisoners of war to build plus 200,000 south Asian workers. No one tried to escape because of the thick jungle. They wouldn’t have a chance of survival. They felt that the only way to escape was to complete the railway. Only 4 workers worked together at a time….. one to chip away at the dirt or rock, one ti put it into containers and 2 to haul it away. The Japanese disregarded Geneva Convention on ethical treatment of prisoners. Elephants were also used and were also treated poorly, consequently dying. 1+ deaths of allies POWs plus many more SEAsians for each 2 sleepers. It was also called the Death Railway. There were over 100,000 deaths. The bridge was not blown up as in movie. The allies attempted to blow it up from air finally bombing 2 of spans of River Kwai bridge. The nuclear bombing of Japan brought about the release of ally POWs of as well as SE Asian POWs but many never recovered….. suffering from modern day PTSD. There is 80 miles in Thailand that remains even if the rest has been dismantled. The bodies of those that died were never repatriated. 1 person died for each 2 sleepers. The British military was not happy with the movie because it implied that the British helped the Japanese.
No room to sit… only standWalking to their destinationStarving POWsSign of the Death Railroad“The” bridgeWith railway dismantled
“The Narrow Road to Deep North….”is an Australia modern version of the story about the railway.
We actually met the speaker coming off the elevator when we were heading to the solo meet up. He also happened to be joining the group. His name James Grant-Peterkin.
The Portuguese were the first of many to “discover” & colonize this area. The Dutch influence in Indonesian (Melucecas islands) and French in Vietnam. This area had British influence but Thailand had never been ruled by Britain nor any other country. Mostly the explorers came because of trade…. silk, gold, spices, etc. Because of the expeditions there was also an exposure to & exchange of religions.
The book Travels of Marco Polo, written in 1298, inspired exploration. Polo purposely didn’t tell all because he thought Europeans couldn’t accept all the knowledge he had acquired.
The Straits of Melacca, a highly active route… is the key to international trade to this day. Spices that they were in search of back in that era, was not just for flavour but to hide the taste and smell of rotting meat…. also for making perfume, creating wealth. Spices were used also in making health concoctions. Indonesian has 17,000 isles of which
Moluccas, a group of Indonesian islands formerly known for their exclusive production of nutmeg, mace, and cloves. They opened the sea route on return to Asia by land, because of costs charged to go both directions. Dias was first to find east route…. around the tip of Africa. Dias did not venture farther though but others did.
Christopher Columbus used the writings of Marco Polo to find his way to the Americas in October 11/1492. He was actually searching for the East Indies. The people that he saw though didn’t look like the East Indies peoples he was expecting nor did they have the spices, etc. Amerigo Vespucci actually named Americas. Vasco de Gama found a route to India, Magellan, then Francis Drake circumnavigated world.
Because of these attempts to find the best routes to the Spice Islands, the globe was explored.
Our guide’s name today is Phon. She says just call her IPhone
We will be going to Ang Sila where they make mortar from stone and to make special sticky rice sweets
First we stop in a market where all kinds of sweets are made especially. And, all kinds of fresh fish…. all for sale. Khaolam… rice is soaked in water first for 30 minutes then coconut milk and salt, then stirred. Then black bean and taro are added….. and sugar. It is then put into bamboo only partly filled wrapped in banana leaves & burned for 2 minutes or in bamboo for 2 hours. So many kinds of sweet treats made with sticky rice. 😋
Thai custard😋-rice mix cooked in bamboo for 2 hoursMixture of sticky rice coconut milk, sugar, taro, etcCute kid being watched by grandmaHuge pawnsIguana Taking scales off with wire brushGround coconutCooked hoofs feet/hocksDragon fruit
Next is to Ang Sila
Before arriving we were issued face masks because there is lots of dust at the mortar “factory”. Basically it’s a granite quarry that they make figures of elephants, Buddhas, granite slabs (for countertops?) and mortar and pestles for grinding spices, etc. Pretty much all done with hammer and chisels. There is some final work done using a grinder.
Some of the figurines What a job chiselling!!! Chisel inside first Then outsideCounter slabsIPhone demonstrating Putting a design on outsideReady supply of rocks for mortar & pestlesFinished product
We stop by the pier where you can see fishing weirs (poles) out in the water. They are farming mussels.
Mussel weirs… they grow on the polesStrange coloured wash on fish at the pier Babysitting playpen on the pierStrange looking bonsai… very largeBeach used by Thais in Ang SilaSee on the way back to the ship…. I would say they are exhausted A few of the cranes in this massive port
Here we are sitting in Starbucks at Old Siam Plaza where we were to join the tour yesterday to Ayutthaya. This one is to the floating market and the train market. Got here in plenty of time today. Yesterday was a disaster getting to the meeting place. Our meeting place was to be Old Siam Playa…at 8:30 am. If you have ever been to Bangkok and tried to get anywhere during the morning rush, you will know that the traffic is unbelievable obscene. The taxi driver couldn’t find how to get there, the traffic was horrendous. He couldn’t understand us and we couldn’t understand him. We ended up having to go to another meeting point cuz the bus had to leave. OMG! He felt so bad that he refused to take payment even though it took almost 2 hours out of his time to make money. Getting to the pick up point was an experience unto itself.
Damnoen Saduak floating market
Then to train market
I wanted to attach a couple of videos of the train coming down the track as well as the removing of merchandise off the track before it gets there but I don’t seem to be able to do it. If you want to see it you’ll have to visit me when I’m home.
It is 80 kms to Ayutthaya from Bangkok. On the way out of the city we pass by the old railway station. King Rama 5th brought trains to Bangkok 125 years ago…. in 1880.
Heavy rains that we experienced on Sunday when I arrived and last night, were from a typhoon. It caused widespread flooding in the city. The lightning last evening was so close and intense that made me just about have a heart attack.
The new train station was built outside the downtown area, about 6 years ago but in another few years they with have high speed train to, starting with China & then to Europe.
We arrive at the site at 10:25. There were 34 kings that reigned in Ayutthuya.
King #25 (of the 34 kings)built the stupas outside of the city in 1630. He dedicated it to his mother. It was built on land outside the city of Ayatthuya, that had been hers …..to celebrate his victory over Cambodia. The surrounding area was for foreigners. Ayutthaya city is actually surrounded but 12 km of rivers (3rivers) …..only Thai personal/and military lived in the city area.
There are 120 Buddha images. The Burmese later burned all the buildings.
Golden Buddha in Bangkok, was made from rings & other jewelry belonging to the people as a way for them to contribute. When it was made of solid gold, it was then covered with plaster. It, along with all statues of Buddha were transferred as much as 528 kms to Bangkok where it would be protected by the king of Thailand (a different set of kings from the ones that ruled Ayatthuya). While being moved to the second floor of the building in Bangkok, it was dropped breaking the plaster and exposing the gold underneath.
In the area outside Ayutthaya city, buildings or stupas were for the keeping of the ashes of royalty. One of the princes (how dare he)had affair with his father’s concubine. He was caned….beaten and died that day while the concubine, also beaten, died 3 days later. His “stupa” is the smallest of the buildings. All of buildings were gold plated originally but are now only brick. Some are being reconstructed.
In 1374, the temple in the “city” was built by 3rd king. In the museum (that we didn’t stop at) is a room where the royal jewels were kept.
One temple, in 1911 was destroyed by earthquake.
We then stopped for lunch ….
Restaurant was along this very muddy river Elephants at the entrance to this massive palace complex
Then to most important temple (within the city of Ayutthuya) from King #8. Treasures were kept in the temple/palace. It is a massive complex. There the Buddha was 343 kilo gold 16 metres high. Our guide pointed out the burial place of kings #8, 9, 10. All the gold was taken by Burmese….palace/temples destroyed by fire in 1778.
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