For Cosmo...about Tong
Dec 23rd, 2006, 06:51 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,034
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For Cosmo...about Tong
This is the post I think you are looking for.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34906480
You can find plenty of others...search "Tong".
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34906480
You can find plenty of others...search "Tong".
Dec 23rd, 2006, 06:54 PM
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,034
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nope, sorry, it's this, from the post with 115 replies.
wed nov 29---a huge day with tong...
andy proposed a day with tong to me late in the summer, as i remember...tong had been receiveing glowing reports on fodors and we wanted to be able to partake in her efforts to aquaint farangs with thailand...
he made all the arrangements with her..he threw her a curve ball by saying that we had done all the regular things in and around bangkok and wanted to know if she was able to come up with some unusual or seldom done things....they went back and forth with e mails for a number of months...she made several proposals, some of which we liked and some which we did not like....finally they boiled it down to a jam packed day and this is the result....i should say that i was nervous about what HE would put together, but i was willing to go along with it...even if we hated it...in the end i give him his usual C and tong an A....
along the way we received reports that tong was scared of us...."scared"--why-- we are just pussy-cats, albeit large pussy-cats...i can understand this as we are both very vocal on fodors and she perceived it very important to please us with a wonderful day...btw, she suceeded !!
we were picked up at 6:15AM by tong at our hotel...she was to be both driver and guide...she transported us in her large station wagon with 3 rows of seats...she already had picked up the pandas @ 6...first stop was a market place to buy food for the monks who walk along the same street with their bowls collecting offerings all along...each of us got to make some merit with a monk...you buy a plate of food from a vendor which consists of rice, fish, fruit and a box of milk and a sweet...cost about 30B per plate....as the monk approaches you take off your shoes (on the dirty street---karen stood on her shoes), kneel, or in some cases for fat people (me) you just bend down....you then stand and place the food in the monk bowl, without touching the bowl....after this the vendor gives the monk a plastic bag and helps him to put the food in there....way too 21st C for the whole picture...we were already feeling better about ourselves at this point....we got to meet mr tong too as his optical shop is near-by...they are a very nice young couple...
after this we went to a shop nearby to buy packaged gifts for the monks at the temple where we would go to make further merit...karen purchased a medical kit from us and the pandas bought huge gifts---guess they have more to atone for?? well at least one of them...our medical kit was about 200B...
next we drove to one of the famous royal temples near to the grand palace...tong arranged for us to meet with one of the senior monks....we presented our gifts and he blessed us and threw "holy water" on us as we sat below him inside a reception room at the wat....he also poured some special water into a vessel that tong then instructed us how to pour it further and then we took it outside to pour onto the base of the temple tree (poe-tree)...all very symbolic...
next we drove to a local market to buy some fish ---huge cat fish...the market was very interesting and right on a canal under a makeshift tent/canopy...we bought two fish and andy and i released them into the river after a short drive to a local park....this is another ceremony in "releasing some souls"....75B for the fish...
next was a drive for perhaps 40 minutes out into the country heading south towards Sumet, maybe about 60-70 kilometers from bkk...we were not sure what we were in for here....THIS IS THE SECRET PLACE....
we turned off the main road onto a very local road that got smaller and smaller....we were near to the ocean...we entered a small fishing village and stopped at one point to see the "seed" clams or shellfish which later we would see out in the bay where they were "planted" to grow to a "harvesting size"...oysters, clams and mussels...from there we went a short distance by car and pulled into someone's yard and parked....we were on a river that leads out to the bay....there were several boats there and we were shown how shrimp paste is made and dried out in the sun---flies and all...we saw more 'seeds'....we had a w/c stop also (the so called "happy room"...
we were loaded into a small boat....the driver/fisherman, tong, karen and me and beth and andy...off we went...thank god for the umbrellas that tong had brought...it was very sunny and we were going to spend the next few hours out in the sun...i, at first, expressed my reservation about doing this, but karen convinced me i could manage---i hate the sun as i burn badly and also resist sun block...
the ride along the river was very pleasant for perhaps 3/4 of a mile...there were the houses of fishermen on either side and lots of river activity in this remote, but busy community...the boat was less than comfortable for us big guys, but we learned to deal with it...THANK GOD FOR THE UMBRELLAS....we were not the only ones hiding from the sun...most of the fishermen wear long sleeves and long pants and a ski mask sort of thing over their faces with only a slit for their eyes, nose and mouth...must be hot in there....
so picture this: a small boat, low to the water with all of us in it and the four farangs under four seperate umbrellas...we entered the wide open bay/ocean which was very calm...in the bay were stilt houses built for the fishermen as platforms for their activities...many had "seed" gardens around them...further out were huge weirs full of "gardens"
as we were about to leave the river we pulled down into a mangrove type opening....the boat man pulled over to the side and cut the engine....he made a loud calling sound....i, of course tried to imitate it....andy did too and as he is closer to his monkey heritage than am i, a few monkeys started to appear up in the trees....
the boat man was not happy with the response so we left this area...
we went to the other side of the river and entered a larger mangrove area....he yelled out again and oh my god they responded....soon there must have been 100-200 monkeys all around us...they can swim btw...they were in the trees, they were in the water, they were jumping from tree to tree...they were overhead in the trees...they surrounded us....so out came the bannanas...the boat man had purchased 500B worth of them....this is a ton of bannanas!! for about an hour we sat there and feed them...they became more aggressive as time passed....a few times the boatman had to use an oar to hit them to keep them out of the boat...one did jump in and grabbed karen as she clutched a bannana to her chest...i took a ton of pictures....there were old men monkeys, mothers carrying babies, and every sort of monkey you have ever seen....it was so much fun...and it was the unique experience we were looking for...
from there we headed out into the bay...we rode around many of the stilt houses and headed out to the weirs to observe the shellfish as they grew...or should i say how they grow...
the boatman hailed a larger fishing boat---a dragger which pulls shellfish from the bottom....the open boat which is manned by about 5 men pulled along side and showed us their equipment and their catch...very interesting...they all had the masks on so it sort of looked like a bank robbery in a boat...
after this we returned to the largest of the stilt-houses...we had to climb from our boat up a wooden ladder to reach the platform which was all made from bamboo, which had been laced together with some sort of wire...the fisherman's wife had laid out a table for us...they intended that we sit on the bamboo, but after the uncomfortable boat we (I) decided to pull up a chair....they proceeded to present us with a feast of seafood and fish...all beautifully prepared and presented...remember we are out in the middle of the ocean....no kitchen, no electricity, no cooking facility...it was all brought from shore but was all fresh and delicious...
remember our phobia about foods....we thought to ourselves, if we have to die this is where and how we want to die so we dove into the food...
we had nice conversations and relaxation out there for an hour or so..the fisherman and his wife are very nice gently people...
andy of course had to tell them that he lives in the city where their king was born...i think we heard that tale about 50 times during our stay in bangkok together... it is his claim to fame...
there is a western toilet on the platform in a makeshift "out-house"...we all used it... there is also one bedroom out there...his (fisherman) dream is to offer overnite packages out there....the area is a national park and thus he is very limited as to what can be done there....recently the government has required him to tear down two similar platforms in this area...so his options are very slim...he is appealing of course..
we took the boat back to the village, paid him: 800 B per person for the boat ride and lunch and 500 B for the bananas...a huge tip too...we loved this excursion to the "secret place"...
we packed up and headed back to bangkok...next and final stop was at an orphanage where tong had arranged several activities for us....
to be continued after lunch..
Author: rhkkmk
Date: 12/19/2006, 01:39 pm
tong gave us a choice of the type or types of orphanage(s) that we wanted to visit....our conclusion was that we could only mentally manage to visit a "well" baby orphanage, rather than one with kids with deformaties or mental issues...
as we were riding along the orphanage called to see where we were as the kids were getting anxious for their meal....among other things we were providing the evening meal for the 250 residents of the phayathai home for babies....tong told them we were running late but to go ahead and start the feeding...the kids are from infant age to 5 or 6 years old...
i told tong that if we did not hurry that the kids would have all gone home by the time we got there....a sick joke, but andy almost lost it with this one...
we finally arrived...the orphanage is a lovely set of well kept low rise buildings on the outskirts of bkk...on the porch of the building we were to enter was a welcoming sign for us listing our names...we entered a large bright room full of 3-5 year old kids...all busy eating the meal we had provided....franks, french fries and meatballs, oddly enough...
the name of the orphanage is the phayathai house for babies...
we circulated amongst the low tables, each table seating about 10 kids...they were so cute....we spoke to them in english which of course they did not understand on one level, but on another level they seemed to have accepted our willingness to be friendly towards them...they smiled...we picked up a number of them...some of them hung on us....they were all very cute...
at the end of the hall there was another big "thank you" sign with our four names on it...it made us feel very welcome...
in addition to the food we also provided a quantity of pamper diapers for the little ones...tong had purchased those for us and delivered them the day before, with the assistance of some other fodorites (thank you)...
after they were finsihed eating we took a few group pictures by the sign with our names on it...then we all went outdoors....there are a few playgrounds around the property and we pushed the kids on the swings, etc...
we also visited the nursery and saw the new borns and other small babies...
there is one building with aids babies residing in it...two tables in the eating area were kids from this group...they are segregated a bit...i think they are color coded with a green symbol-thier eating table and the building itself...the building is green and so were their tables and chairs...nothing that they would be aware of however....its just another building and table to them...i asked the male aide who toured around with us about the death rate...he said several years ago they lost 3 or 4 aids babies each month, but that now they have much better medications and that they rarely loose a baby these days...
karen commented that they all looked very clean and well cared for .....all had shoes on, or flip flops ....this was the only odd thing we noticed...the shoes often did not match...
when this all came to an end, we were physically and emotionally exhaused...tong had planned one more thing for us: buying coffins for the poor, but we were way too tired to do that...
so back to our hotel and she dropped us off--hugs all around....she had provided us with both a wonderful and perfect day...her charge was 3000 B for the day plus 300 B for gas...we had done some of the exact type of things that we had asked her for...we all were very pleased...
i will write something more about bangkok guides at the end of my report...
that nite we were again invited to the manager's reception at the marriott, so we had to make a quick change when we arrived back at the hotel and down stairs for that...could not miss those free drinks and canapes and small talk with other invited guests...we managed to eat enough to surfice for dinner...with one other american we were the last ones to leave, eating up all the left-overs and having one last drink....
we were exhausted after two very full days...off to bed by 10:30...
wed nov 29---a huge day with tong...
andy proposed a day with tong to me late in the summer, as i remember...tong had been receiveing glowing reports on fodors and we wanted to be able to partake in her efforts to aquaint farangs with thailand...
he made all the arrangements with her..he threw her a curve ball by saying that we had done all the regular things in and around bangkok and wanted to know if she was able to come up with some unusual or seldom done things....they went back and forth with e mails for a number of months...she made several proposals, some of which we liked and some which we did not like....finally they boiled it down to a jam packed day and this is the result....i should say that i was nervous about what HE would put together, but i was willing to go along with it...even if we hated it...in the end i give him his usual C and tong an A....
along the way we received reports that tong was scared of us...."scared"--why-- we are just pussy-cats, albeit large pussy-cats...i can understand this as we are both very vocal on fodors and she perceived it very important to please us with a wonderful day...btw, she suceeded !!
we were picked up at 6:15AM by tong at our hotel...she was to be both driver and guide...she transported us in her large station wagon with 3 rows of seats...she already had picked up the pandas @ 6...first stop was a market place to buy food for the monks who walk along the same street with their bowls collecting offerings all along...each of us got to make some merit with a monk...you buy a plate of food from a vendor which consists of rice, fish, fruit and a box of milk and a sweet...cost about 30B per plate....as the monk approaches you take off your shoes (on the dirty street---karen stood on her shoes), kneel, or in some cases for fat people (me) you just bend down....you then stand and place the food in the monk bowl, without touching the bowl....after this the vendor gives the monk a plastic bag and helps him to put the food in there....way too 21st C for the whole picture...we were already feeling better about ourselves at this point....we got to meet mr tong too as his optical shop is near-by...they are a very nice young couple...
after this we went to a shop nearby to buy packaged gifts for the monks at the temple where we would go to make further merit...karen purchased a medical kit from us and the pandas bought huge gifts---guess they have more to atone for?? well at least one of them...our medical kit was about 200B...
next we drove to one of the famous royal temples near to the grand palace...tong arranged for us to meet with one of the senior monks....we presented our gifts and he blessed us and threw "holy water" on us as we sat below him inside a reception room at the wat....he also poured some special water into a vessel that tong then instructed us how to pour it further and then we took it outside to pour onto the base of the temple tree (poe-tree)...all very symbolic...
next we drove to a local market to buy some fish ---huge cat fish...the market was very interesting and right on a canal under a makeshift tent/canopy...we bought two fish and andy and i released them into the river after a short drive to a local park....this is another ceremony in "releasing some souls"....75B for the fish...
next was a drive for perhaps 40 minutes out into the country heading south towards Sumet, maybe about 60-70 kilometers from bkk...we were not sure what we were in for here....THIS IS THE SECRET PLACE....
we turned off the main road onto a very local road that got smaller and smaller....we were near to the ocean...we entered a small fishing village and stopped at one point to see the "seed" clams or shellfish which later we would see out in the bay where they were "planted" to grow to a "harvesting size"...oysters, clams and mussels...from there we went a short distance by car and pulled into someone's yard and parked....we were on a river that leads out to the bay....there were several boats there and we were shown how shrimp paste is made and dried out in the sun---flies and all...we saw more 'seeds'....we had a w/c stop also (the so called "happy room"...
we were loaded into a small boat....the driver/fisherman, tong, karen and me and beth and andy...off we went...thank god for the umbrellas that tong had brought...it was very sunny and we were going to spend the next few hours out in the sun...i, at first, expressed my reservation about doing this, but karen convinced me i could manage---i hate the sun as i burn badly and also resist sun block...
the ride along the river was very pleasant for perhaps 3/4 of a mile...there were the houses of fishermen on either side and lots of river activity in this remote, but busy community...the boat was less than comfortable for us big guys, but we learned to deal with it...THANK GOD FOR THE UMBRELLAS....we were not the only ones hiding from the sun...most of the fishermen wear long sleeves and long pants and a ski mask sort of thing over their faces with only a slit for their eyes, nose and mouth...must be hot in there....
so picture this: a small boat, low to the water with all of us in it and the four farangs under four seperate umbrellas...we entered the wide open bay/ocean which was very calm...in the bay were stilt houses built for the fishermen as platforms for their activities...many had "seed" gardens around them...further out were huge weirs full of "gardens"
as we were about to leave the river we pulled down into a mangrove type opening....the boat man pulled over to the side and cut the engine....he made a loud calling sound....i, of course tried to imitate it....andy did too and as he is closer to his monkey heritage than am i, a few monkeys started to appear up in the trees....
the boat man was not happy with the response so we left this area...
we went to the other side of the river and entered a larger mangrove area....he yelled out again and oh my god they responded....soon there must have been 100-200 monkeys all around us...they can swim btw...they were in the trees, they were in the water, they were jumping from tree to tree...they were overhead in the trees...they surrounded us....so out came the bannanas...the boat man had purchased 500B worth of them....this is a ton of bannanas!! for about an hour we sat there and feed them...they became more aggressive as time passed....a few times the boatman had to use an oar to hit them to keep them out of the boat...one did jump in and grabbed karen as she clutched a bannana to her chest...i took a ton of pictures....there were old men monkeys, mothers carrying babies, and every sort of monkey you have ever seen....it was so much fun...and it was the unique experience we were looking for...
from there we headed out into the bay...we rode around many of the stilt houses and headed out to the weirs to observe the shellfish as they grew...or should i say how they grow...
the boatman hailed a larger fishing boat---a dragger which pulls shellfish from the bottom....the open boat which is manned by about 5 men pulled along side and showed us their equipment and their catch...very interesting...they all had the masks on so it sort of looked like a bank robbery in a boat...
after this we returned to the largest of the stilt-houses...we had to climb from our boat up a wooden ladder to reach the platform which was all made from bamboo, which had been laced together with some sort of wire...the fisherman's wife had laid out a table for us...they intended that we sit on the bamboo, but after the uncomfortable boat we (I) decided to pull up a chair....they proceeded to present us with a feast of seafood and fish...all beautifully prepared and presented...remember we are out in the middle of the ocean....no kitchen, no electricity, no cooking facility...it was all brought from shore but was all fresh and delicious...
remember our phobia about foods....we thought to ourselves, if we have to die this is where and how we want to die so we dove into the food...
we had nice conversations and relaxation out there for an hour or so..the fisherman and his wife are very nice gently people...
andy of course had to tell them that he lives in the city where their king was born...i think we heard that tale about 50 times during our stay in bangkok together... it is his claim to fame...
there is a western toilet on the platform in a makeshift "out-house"...we all used it... there is also one bedroom out there...his (fisherman) dream is to offer overnite packages out there....the area is a national park and thus he is very limited as to what can be done there....recently the government has required him to tear down two similar platforms in this area...so his options are very slim...he is appealing of course..
we took the boat back to the village, paid him: 800 B per person for the boat ride and lunch and 500 B for the bananas...a huge tip too...we loved this excursion to the "secret place"...
we packed up and headed back to bangkok...next and final stop was at an orphanage where tong had arranged several activities for us....
to be continued after lunch..
Author: rhkkmk
Date: 12/19/2006, 01:39 pm
tong gave us a choice of the type or types of orphanage(s) that we wanted to visit....our conclusion was that we could only mentally manage to visit a "well" baby orphanage, rather than one with kids with deformaties or mental issues...
as we were riding along the orphanage called to see where we were as the kids were getting anxious for their meal....among other things we were providing the evening meal for the 250 residents of the phayathai home for babies....tong told them we were running late but to go ahead and start the feeding...the kids are from infant age to 5 or 6 years old...
i told tong that if we did not hurry that the kids would have all gone home by the time we got there....a sick joke, but andy almost lost it with this one...
we finally arrived...the orphanage is a lovely set of well kept low rise buildings on the outskirts of bkk...on the porch of the building we were to enter was a welcoming sign for us listing our names...we entered a large bright room full of 3-5 year old kids...all busy eating the meal we had provided....franks, french fries and meatballs, oddly enough...
the name of the orphanage is the phayathai house for babies...
we circulated amongst the low tables, each table seating about 10 kids...they were so cute....we spoke to them in english which of course they did not understand on one level, but on another level they seemed to have accepted our willingness to be friendly towards them...they smiled...we picked up a number of them...some of them hung on us....they were all very cute...
at the end of the hall there was another big "thank you" sign with our four names on it...it made us feel very welcome...
in addition to the food we also provided a quantity of pamper diapers for the little ones...tong had purchased those for us and delivered them the day before, with the assistance of some other fodorites (thank you)...
after they were finsihed eating we took a few group pictures by the sign with our names on it...then we all went outdoors....there are a few playgrounds around the property and we pushed the kids on the swings, etc...
we also visited the nursery and saw the new borns and other small babies...
there is one building with aids babies residing in it...two tables in the eating area were kids from this group...they are segregated a bit...i think they are color coded with a green symbol-thier eating table and the building itself...the building is green and so were their tables and chairs...nothing that they would be aware of however....its just another building and table to them...i asked the male aide who toured around with us about the death rate...he said several years ago they lost 3 or 4 aids babies each month, but that now they have much better medications and that they rarely loose a baby these days...
karen commented that they all looked very clean and well cared for .....all had shoes on, or flip flops ....this was the only odd thing we noticed...the shoes often did not match...
when this all came to an end, we were physically and emotionally exhaused...tong had planned one more thing for us: buying coffins for the poor, but we were way too tired to do that...
so back to our hotel and she dropped us off--hugs all around....she had provided us with both a wonderful and perfect day...her charge was 3000 B for the day plus 300 B for gas...we had done some of the exact type of things that we had asked her for...we all were very pleased...
i will write something more about bangkok guides at the end of my report...
that nite we were again invited to the manager's reception at the marriott, so we had to make a quick change when we arrived back at the hotel and down stairs for that...could not miss those free drinks and canapes and small talk with other invited guests...we managed to eat enough to surfice for dinner...with one other american we were the last ones to leave, eating up all the left-overs and having one last drink....
we were exhausted after two very full days...off to bed by 10:30...
Dec 29th, 2006, 02:29 AM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry Kim for my very slow THANK YOU! I dont know how but I missed your thread with my name on it! amazing as I checkin about 5 times a day for interesting posts. Im off to read it now -thank you. Ive actually emailed Tong and looks like she has one day that we are there free. So this info is perfect timing as she is waiting for me to reply as to what we want to do.
cheers
cheers
Dec 29th, 2006, 03:24 AM
#4
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 6,664
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As an aside, we just got a wonderful holiday card from Tong. She's a great person with whom to spend the day. As you can tell from Bob's tale, she's very responsive to E-mail inquiries/suggestions.
Feb 11th, 2009, 10:09 AM
#8
I enjoyed reading this too, as Fodorite Mari808 and I did a similar day with her two years ago. It WAS fun. I have never laughed so much with a guide in my life!
And that was despite having a bad case of Bangkok Belly.
amp;
And that was despite having a bad case of Bangkok Belly.
amp;
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
RM67
Asia
74
Jan 31st, 2018 06:37 AM
sundowner
Africa & the Middle East
25
Jan 16th, 2013 07:26 PM
