Happy Chinese New Year 2015

Celebrated according the Chinese calendar between 21 January and 20 February. This year (2015) on 19 February. It is also called "Spring Festival" and starts on the last evening of the old year and lasts until the "Lantern Festival" at the 15th of the first month. So it is the longest holiday time of 2 weeks and is celebrated all over the world in Chinese related countries and of course in all China Towns. In Thailand that would be especially China Town in Bangkok and the Chinese hill-tribes in Northern Thailand. But even up here in the North-East of Thailand it is celebrated by many people from Chinese origin. For more information about look HERE. Going for the next New Year ... Songkran!

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Enjoying the view at 29 Healing Space in Pua

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Another new coffee shop in Pua, although a bit more as a coffee shop as 29 Healing Space is open in the evening and from their location you have a stunning view over the valley of Pua. Beautiful to watch at a late afternoon or early evening. Of course they serve hot & cold drinks (and even beer) but also home-made cakes & desserts and Khao Soi Kai. As 29 Healing Space is on the edge of a hill in Pua you will have to park down and the walk up some stairs.  Information of 29 Healing stationBetween Wat Phuket and Wat Beng Sakad in PuaFacebook : 29 Healing SpaceServing : Hot & Cold drinks and Khao Soi KaiOpening hours : 10:30 - 21:30

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Walking over the Rainbow Bridge in Chiang Klang

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Another man-made tourist attraction .... actually just a bridge over a small river nearby Chiang Klang. But they painted it in many colours, so it looks like a rainbow. What again proves it is easy to create a tourist attraction in Thailand .... Selfie Time! It is easy to find as there are signs along the road. The last part is a small typically upcountry road and once over the bridge it becomes a dirt road. A bridge for a road to nowhere, but used a lot by the local farmers. There is parking and there are toilets. And conveniently someone made a kind of coffee shop annex restaurant in the rice fields right next to the parking. Especially the latter I liked but more about that in a next posting. Following are a few photos I took when crossing the bridge by foot.


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Overlooking the valley of Pua from the Wat Phra That Chom Chaeng in Pua

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In Myanmar they say "every hill should have a pagoda", but here in North Thailand they are also good at it. This is the Wat Phra That Chom Cheang on hill in Pua, the temple consists of a golden pagoda. The pagoda itself is not so impressive but the view over the valley of Pua is, especially at late afternoon. The Wat Phra That Chom Chaeng can be reached via a small road behind the village Don Keaow. Halfway there is a small parking where the stairs guarded by naga's is leading to the pagoda. Luckily the road continues to the pagoda itself. Be aware that if you like to sit here watching sunset that the road has no lights and it goes thru a small forrest. From the sala next to the stairs you will a stunning view over the valley of Pua. I thought that from here you would have a beautiful sunset view but unfortunately most of the sunset is just behind trees. Of course this will improve a bit during the cool season. Following are a few more photos I took. For more information…
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Traveling in Bangkok in Central Thailand

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Reposting from 2019, missing the Big Mango. Last year I did make a posting about counting all the provinces I had been in Thailand. And I saw I have been to (stayed in) 48 provinces out of the 76. So in the coming months I will travel via my postings from the most southern province I have been to the most northern province, with some photos and information about each province. This is part 10 of the 47 (out of the 77) provinces where I have at least stayed overnight once. OK Bangkok is not really a province but an administratie zone. Bangkok (in Thai Krungthep) is the capital city of Thailand and the centre of Thailand. With 2 international airports (Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi) and 2 end-train stations. It is the transport hub of Thailand and South East Asia. And I think 99% of the tourists visiting Thailand will stay at least a few days in Bangkok to see the Wat Arun, Wat Pho, make a klong tour, have a diner cruise on the Chao Phraya, sit in a TukTuk, have a drink on a rooftop lounge…
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Enjoying the view at Phu Vae View Home in Manipruek

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Last week I made a small motorbike trip to Manipruek and I had breakfast at Phu Vae View Home in one of the Manipruek villages. Stunning location, friendly English speaking owner and most of all a good hot choco served with my Thai omelet on rice. And that all in the early morning. So if you are going to Manipruek I would highly recommend to make a stop here. 
Phu Vae View Home is not only a coffee shop but also a homestay and camping ground. It must a great location to wake-up and see sunrise over the mountains. But when staying here please respect the village rules : No parties, no loud noise after 21:00, take all the garbage you create with you. 
Information of Phu Vae View HomeAt Manipruek in the mountains of Doi Phu KhaFacebook : Phu Vae View HomeServing : Hot & Cold drinks and simple Thai foodHomestay : 1 bungalow with private bathroom 990 ฿ for 2 persons incl. breakfast1 Bamboo room with shared bathroom 700 ฿ for 2 persons incl. breakfastTent 500 ฿ for 2 persons incl. breakfa…
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On the motorbike from Pua to Song Kwae

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This morning I made a small motorbike riding loop from Pua to Song Kwae, and back of course. I did wake up with the sound of the temple bells and got dressed up for motorbike riding. When walking in the garden to open the gate I did notice that it was actually a bit raining. Well never mind, let's hit the road. My trips more or less always start at the PTT Gasoline station in Pua, from there I took route 101 to Chiang Klang. And in Chiang Klang I took route 1097 to Song Kwae, once in the mountains there was no rain anymore but it was cold! Luckily I was wearing my leather motorbike jacket, gloves and motorbike boots. Route 1097 passes a small mountain range with the highest point of 750m above sea-level, actually 2 times. You are also passing Tat Man Waterfall and 2 Hmong villages. Route 1097 ends at route 1148 and to get to Song Kwae you will have to ride 4 km north. In Song Kwae are some shops, even a coffee shop. But in the very early morning that was still closed. So I had a H…
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Visiting Phitsanulok again

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Reposting from 2017. Phitsanulok is mostly famous for its evening market along the Nan River and the Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat but of course there is much more to see. And when visiting Phitsanulok we were invited to make a small tour in the city, to see a bit more of the old history of the city. But with all the rain from the past days some temple complexes were a bit flooded, like here at the ruins of Wat Chula Manee. It is supposed to be the oldest temple in Phitsanulok build in the Sukhothai era. For me the most interesting was a Chedi where stairs are leading to the top where originally was a huge sitting Buddha image (but of course moved to Bangkok). Following are a few more photos.







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A day trip to Phu Hin Chang Si near Khon Kaen

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Reposting from 2015. After visiting a friend of us who lives near Ubolratana Lake I had the idea to try to go to the mountains area along Ubolratana lake, there is supposed to be a national park there called Namphong National Park. Well, at first we ended up at a dirt-track after a small village (thanks Google Maps) so I made a u-turn with the idea just to drive back home, but then I saw a sign "Hin Chang Si" 18 km. So I followed the road but of course never saw a sign again .... This is Thailand. But just when I wanted to take a left turn in direction of the highway I saw a sign in my rear mirror ... u-turn again and followed the signs again.

After passing the park entrance (free admission as no guards in sight) we had to drive another 8 km going up the mountain, just 200 meter before the end there is a parking place but you can drive on to the end. From there you have to start walking the last 500 meter to the top and view point. It is an easy walking trail and after 250 m…
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Visiting the temple of the Golden Buddha in Bangkok

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Reposting from 2017. The Golden Buddha, officially called Phra Phuttha Maha Suwana Patimakon, is seated in a new marble temple building at the Wat Traimit in China Town in Bangkok. The Buddha is probably made in the Sukhothai period and weights 5.500 KG of said to be solid gold. It is said that the gold was discovered by accident as the all statue was casted in cement. When transported to the Wat Traimit a piece of cement did break and people saw the gold. Or at least that is the story. Since 2000 I must have been here a dozen times and I prefer the old style temple before the renovation. 


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Rice harvest in Pua

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At the end of the green season it is time to do the rice harvest. The first step was a few days ago when the rice was cut. This is not done anymore by hand but with a small machine that cuts the rice like a razor. After that the rice has to be collected for threshing & cleaning the rice. And that was done yesterday. The  threshing & cleaning is again also not done by hand anymore but again with a small machine that is taken to the rice field. This is a terrible job as the remains are blown out of the machine together with all dust. An unhealthy job and also for us it is unhealthy. So we close all our windows and wait 1 hour inside our house until the dust settles down. But as the rice fields near our house are all small plots, every farmer will be doing this on different days. After the rice some farmers will plant corn, others will plant chillies, unions or garlic. For more about farming in Pua click on the label Farming. 



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