Thanks for the info about Daiso both Bkk95 and Carol. I'll definitely have to have a look!!!

Still enjoying the report too and looking forward to more.

<b>Phi Mai and Buriram</b>

Before we head to the Phi Mai Historical Park, we quickly stopped at the Lookout Point for the Lam Takhong Dam. I thought it was a rest stop as it is right off the highway, but it turns out to be a visitor center and lookout point for the dam. This reservoir can contain up to 300 million cubic meters of water and we take some photos from the observation deck. There is a mini-exhibit of things NR at the visitor center as well. Now, on to Phi Mai.

Phi Mai Historical Park is approximately 60km northeast of NR and is one of the most important Mahayana Buddhist temples in Thailand, dating back about 1000 years. It was built around the 11-12th century AD with further additions in the 13th century.

I will let Wikipedia handle the rest of the info about Phi Mai: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phimai_Historical_Park

We drive by the Phi Mai Museum and I make a mental note to stop by on our way back, time willing. As we pay the admission fee for the park, a worker snaps my photo in order to sell me a souvenir plate later on. I say,"Mai ow kop (don't want)" while motioning "no" but she takes it anyway. The gardens and walkway are well manicured and as I step on the Naga Bridge, I can't help but flash back to our visit to Angkor Wat. You can really see the Khmer influence.

The main site is beautiful and well preserved. There are two novice monks there taking pictures and I take a photo of them in front of the Principal Tower. We spent another hour exploring the ruins. As we head out, several busloads of grade school students are now entering the park. While DW and her friend look for a place to eat around the corner, I check out the <i>Meru Bhramathat</i>, the remains of a brick chedi standing on a high mound.

Next up is Phanom Rung in Buriram. As it is another 2-3 hours drive, we don't go to the Phi Mai museum. Our friend reassures us that this site is worth the long drive. She is spot on. Prasat Phanom Rung is situated on the top of an extinct volcano and is one of the most beautiful and important Khmer ancient monuments in Thailand. The monuments were built between the 10th and 13th century AD.

Other details of Phanom Rung again from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phanom_Rung

The long processional walkway and the steps leading up to the site remind me of Borobodur sans greenery. There are mostly Thai visitors and a couple of backpackers. In the courtyard, there are these mini-rock statues and wonder about their significance. One of the more interesting things from our research is that the 15 doorways are perfectly aligned in such a way that several times during the year, the rising/setting sun will shine through all 15 doorways!

It's a looong drive back. We stop off at a large store in NR that specializes in all manners of foodstuffs from the region and we buy more Chinese sausage and various chili pastes mixed with either shrimp, lime leaves or cashews. It is late by the time we return and we head straight to the restaurant. We order grilled whole free-range chicken, <i>somtam</i>, shrimp cakes, green curry with salty fish (this is a first for me as I've only eaten this with chicken) and a new dish we've never had <i>Pla Duk Phu Pad Prik King</i>, deep fried catfish, minced, then mixed with chili paste. It was interesting.

Tomorrow, we explore Khao Yai National Park before returning to BKK.

<b>Off to Khao Yai and back to BKK</b>

Khao Yai National Park is part of a forest complex designated as a World Heritage site in 2005. The park boasts a diverse group of flora and fauna such as tigers, elephants and monkeys. Right after the entrance, we stop at the shrine dedicated to the spirits of the Forest to pay our respects. I notice another car drive by but the driver honks the horn when passing the Shrine.

The roadway is all uphill and winding. The first lookout point offers a breathtaking view of the park and we take in the views. We go to the Visitors Center and read up on the displays there. There's one of the tigers found in the park. We also map out our strategy to visit the park's waterfalls. There are 44 waterfalls in all but we plan to go to the three most accessible. We also discover that a guide can take us on a hike around the park for about three hours - you can only hike with a guide but decide against it due to time constraints.

Unfortunately, this is the summer season which means the water level is low and the waterfalls aren't as majestic as they are during the rainy season (May through October). The first waterfall <i>Kong Kaeo</i> is about 100m from the Visitor Center and we cross several rope bridges to get there. I also see a long trail of ants crossing the path just like I've seen in the nature shows. However, there is no waterfall.

The second waterfall we go to, <i>Haew Suwat</i> was used in the film <i>The Beach</i>. It's easy to get to as it is right off the parking lot. The trail leads to a steep and narrow stairway and then into a dirt path. The view of the 25 meter waterfall is very peaceful and there are several groups of school kids hanging out here.

It is an intense workout just to get to <i>Heaw Nerak</i>, the third waterfall on our list. The path starts easy enough but it's the narrow, winding stairwell going up and then going down towards the observation deck that makes us stop several times to catch our breath. The waterfall goes 150 meters down and though the water is at a trickle, the view is still sensational. We bought postcards to show what it would look like during the rainy season. On the way out, we see a troop of monkeys on the road, our first animal sighting.

Now it's back to BKK and we stop off at a curry puff vendor for snacks and gifts for the family before returning the car to Don Muang.

<b>Decompressing</b>

I'm eating my breakfast of champions. We had bought some <i>roti sai mai</i> from a roadside vendor and are now eating it for breakfast. It's a Thai sweet, like stringy, cotton candy dyed in various colors and you wrap it with thin roti bread. In addition, my SIL got some <i>moo ping</i>, grilled pork bbq on a stick, like <i>satay</i> but larger pieces (some fatty) and basted in coconut milk, eaten with sticky rice (<i>khao neow</i>). I can hear my doctor already. The street vendor sells this for 5B per stick and runs out of product by mid-morning. Washing this all down with coffee and tangerine juice and I am very happy.

We needed to decompress after NR (Korat). Once again, we head off to Emporium. We go to Moga as we both needed a haircut. They give me a book of men's haircuts and since I cannot speak Thai, I point to the style I wanted. The stylist shakes her head so I point to my second choice and she nods and says, "better."

It costs 800B for the service but you get a lot for it. First they shampoo your hair, then condition it, (sometimes the shampoo girl massages your scalp), then shampoo and rinse again. They then towel dry your hair, get your haircut, then get shampooed one more time while getting another scalp massage. Very, very relaxing. I don't do this at home as I usually use one of the chains so this is a treat. I tip the stylist and the shampoo girl.

We hop onto the SkyTrain and get off at Chit Lom for our next destination - Central World Plaza. DW wants to go to Muji, another Japanese store we found last year. Think Container Store meets Ikea cool with some clothes to boot! We check out Isetan Dept Store as well for more gifts for back home before looking for a place to eat dinner. The top floors of Central World Plaza has a great variety of restaurants and we opt for the kaiten-sushi at Heiroku.

We finish the day outside Central World. There is a rock concert promoting Thai bands. It is loud, crowded with teens and young adults and a lot of fun. We sit back and people watch the rest of the evening.

Almost done - i"ll finish the rest later this evening.

This is the last installment. I'm combining the last few days I was in Bangkok.

<b>New Experiences</b>
During our final days, we did the usual errands but managed to get in some new experiences. We went to a nephew's football (soccer) game against a team from the New International School of Thailand. Needless to say, the expat kids were stronger, faster, better coached and just more skilled. We were massacred 13 nil. At least our kids gave it their all and DW tells me some of the parents are questioning the coach. Sound familiar?

On Monday, we took a day trip to Nakhon Pathom, which is about an hour away from Bangkok. Our friend took us to Sanam Chan Summer Palace, one of the King's residences. What a beautiful complex! We rent a golf cart to explore the immaculate grounds. The buildings are in French and English styles.

We saw an <i>Animal Planet</i> moment. A big, monitor lizard caught a rat? I could still see the prey's hind legs, moving around in vain, dangling from the lizard's mouth. Before I could get my camera out, the lizard had swallowed it whole and was flicking its tongue. There were also some brilliantly colored roosters throughout the complex and their crowing added to the ambience of the place.

We spent most of the time exploring the five different buildings. In one of the buildings, there was a beautiful, miniature replica of Angkor Wat, a gift from the Cambodian Prince. I wanted to take a picture but cameras were forbidden. In the middle of the complex, there is a shrine to the Hindu god, Ganesh, with the head of an elephant and many human arms. I can see the Nakhon Pathom Chedi right through the shrine.

The chedi was our next destination. I had visited this area on my first visit to Thailand so it was good to stop here and take pictures with a better camera. We had lunch at one of the little restaurants in the market across from the Chedi. This area is known for its <i>khao lam</i>, a coconut, rice dessert cooked in a bamboo stalk, so we bought some before heading home.

Tuesday was spent at the recently opened Museum Siam Discovery Museum near Thammasat University. We parked the car in the Thonburi section, at Wat Kalayanimit. There is some Chinese stylings in this wat so I make a mental note to research this later on. The main prayer hall has a huge Buddha, roughly 15 meters high and 12 meters wide (50 ft x 40 ft). Outside the entrance gate, DW buys some lottery tickets from a disabled vendor.

While waiting for the river taxi, our friend points out the church nearby. She says it was the first Catholic church in this area (I find out later that it is the Santa Cruz Cathedral).

We walked to the museum. It is a 3-story building and the displays are a historical tour of Thailand. Very informative. We spend two hours here and I learn a lot about the people and history of this country. There is a Black Canyon Coffee branch on the grounds so we decide to have lunch there.

The rest of the afternoon is spent taking a relaxing water taxi ride up and down the Chao Phraya and seeing BKK from a different vantage point. My flight departs tonight (DW is staying for one more day) so we head back to the house to pack up.

Thanks for reading!
Pictures from this trip: http://stgabriel.smugmug.com/Travel

Great report and nice pictures also.