An Isolated Bangkok Community

My day trip to Koh Kret proved to be a nice break from city life even though I was, technically, still in the city! I had no idea this little island located on the Chao Praya River is actually one of the northern suburbs of Bangkok. In fact, it only took my friends and me about an hour to get there this morning, driving through city the entire way.

The map of the island itself shows various highlights, such as temple with reclining Buddha and its version of Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa. Only in this case, their tower is the Leaning Chedi of Koh Kret which you can observe from the river as you approach the island.

When on Koh Kret, you get the idea you're walking in yesteryear with narrow vendor-lined streets and bicycles as the main mode of transportation -- imagine no cars in any part of Bangkok, the city with over 100,000 taxis together with cars, motorbikes and every other form of mechanized vehicle!?

The Mon villagers (an ethnic group from Burma) who live there are very isolated and their unique lifestyle has remained intact for the most part. It doesn't take long to find out they are famous for their pottery and Thai desserts.

In fact, we were able to watch craftsmen making pottery -- from forming clay on potter's wheels to drying and firing in the stone kiln. This rustic environment sure gives visitors the sense that things haven't changed much in the last century, except for the odd piece of technology and aluminum can spotted among the pieces of pottery.

I also found their prevalent everyday use of pottery interesting -- from dishware to building roof tiles. Apparently Thai ceramics date back to the third millennium BC so it should come as no surprise.

I thought I had seen all varieties of food in Bangkok but this community provided some interesting options I never imagined. How about a serving of fried flowers, or bamboo stuffed with coconut rice, palm juice, barbequed coconut patties, sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves or rice-based candy with real gold as decoration?

Of course there were vendors with familiar items such as fruit drinks and options one can find in other parts of the country, such as Popsicles -- true to its name because they actually use brand name pop or soda and freeze it on a stick. I must admit, however, their green curry with chicken was a LOT spicier than I'm used to and it sure didn't help cool me down from the outdoor feels-like temperature of 44 C (110 F).

One of the main staples in this area is what is called Kwey Tiao Reua or Boat Noodles. I learned that sometimes noodle ingredients are mixed together in a small boat and sometimes they are prepared in front of an open air restaurant. Either way, the taste for Boat Noodles harkens back to a time when there were few roads in Thailand and everyone traveled by boat -- including noodle vendors.

Whatever your experience on the island, you can't deny this community is isolated from the rest of the city and quite laid back. Life is simple and there's no thinking twice about relaxing when you feel like it.

Capital Call

I had to do the math twice to make sure I was calculating correctly. Had it really been 30 years since I was in Washington DC? I can't be that old =) Well, turns out the math was correct and I suspected a few things had changed in 30 years since the first term of the Reagan presidency.

Figuring it was about time to revisit the capital, I arranged to fly into DC from Thailand about a week before my last Masters of Education intensive course started at Liberty University in neighboring Virginia. Not only was I able to arrive early and deal with jet lag but I could take in an all-day tour of the capital buildings and monuments of Washington DC.

Transportation included a modern double-decker bus with glass roof which allowed for good views as we traversed the city. All in all, I highly recommend taking a tour when visiting Washington -- not only do they pick you up and drop you off at your hotel but you have plenty of time to get off the bus and leisurely visit various sites within the city.

The first stop was the west side of the Capital Building, a huge complex (as anticipated) including the courtyard between House of Representatives and Senate.

On our way to the World War II memorial, we passed the Canadian Embassy which is the only embassy of 176 between the Capital and the White House; the close proximity reflects on the close relationship between Canada and the United States.

We also passed the Old Post Office and Clock Tower, completed in 1899. Unfortunately the postal service out-grew this building and moved near Union Station only 15 years later, in 1914. The Old Post Office has since housed offices and is now in the throws of becoming a hotel.

The World War II Memorial is dedicated to Americans who served in the armed forces and as civilians. The location of this monument is close to the Washington Monument and is relatively new, with a construction start date of early 2001. Interesting that this 56 pillar memorial did not even exist when I visited DC last!

The following map of Washington DC shows the proximity of the Jefferson Memorial, our next stop, to the Capital Building and other monuments. Actually, all points of interest on our tour were located in this centralized area including my hotel near the Pentagon and Regan Airport.

DC Tour Map

Thomas Jefferson was a founding father and third president of the United States. I had no idea this landmark monument was only built in 1939 through the encouragement of FDR with bronze statue added in 1947 shortly after his death. Visitors can walk up the marble steps into the rotunda, which was designed after the rotunda at Jefferson's own University of Virginia. I was fortunate to see Jeffersonian architecture when visiting Charlottesville Virginia a few years ago.

Jefferson consistently references God when he addresses the nation and there is no doubt he envisioned a country that recognizes God, lives in accordance with His law and fears His justice. The following is text from one of his quotes that attests to Jefferson's desire for a God-designed morally-based country:

"God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever. Commerce between master and slave is despotism. Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than these people are to be free. Establish the law for educating the common people. This it is the business of the state to effect and on a general plan."

Franklin D Roosevelt, an admirer of Jefferson, served as President for four terms (1933-1945) and led the nation through difficult times of Depression and World War. The FDR Monument consists of four areas, representing the four terms of office he served. Famous FDR quotes are etched in the walls of the monument -- many revealing the compassion he felt for those who suffered during the Depression. The memorial also includes a waterfall in memory of his use of water to treat his polio.

Next on our agenda was the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial, dedicated to this man who was an American pastor, activist and leader of the African-American Civil Rights movement. Mr King is only one of four non-presidents to be memorialized in such a way on the National Mall. Interestingly, the monument itself has an address of 1964 Independence Avenue which is the year the Civil Rights Act became law in the US. Inscribed on the statue: "Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope."

The Korean War Memorial is one of my favorites, after the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials. When approaching the memorial you get the sense of what it was like for a squad of soldiers traversing through fields in a war zone. It gives you the impression you are there with them! Ghost images of soldiers also appear as you walk by the wall that flanks the memorial.

Demands for a national memorial to Abraham Lincoln started shortly after his assassination in 1865. Voices were heard and eventually the Lincoln Memorial was designed and constructed in the early 1920s. Americans have been addressed from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial over the century including Martin Luther's I Have a Dream speech, while Lincoln's own Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural Address are immortalized on the interior walls of the memorial.

Image of crowd at King's 1963 March on Washington

I don't see how anyone can leave this memorial without being moved by the temple-like structure that houses a 19 foot white marble statue of Lincoln. A lot can be said about its design such as the number of columns representing the 36 states that existed at the time of the Civil War and emancipation of slaves. The Lincoln Memorial also sits in a prominent place overlooking the reflecting pool that aligns with the Washington Monument and Capital Building.

I often heard about the Vietnam Memorial but did not comprehend its scope until I saw firsthand. As of 2013, the Vietnam Memorial displays 58,286 names of fallen soldiers (listed by year) from the war's inception in 1955 to when the US pulled out in 1973. Needless to say, it is sobering to witness all the names on the reflective wall... and then to think about the millions of others in southeast Asia who also died in the conflict.

In a similar vein, our visit to the Arlington National Cemetery was another reminder of the casualties of war and the cost of freedom. This cemetery that houses 624 acres of casualties was established during the Civil War.

It is an interesting story how Arlington was originally the home and estate of a confederate leader, Robert E Lee, who eventually sold the property to the US Government. Initially, slaves helped run Arlington and their bunkers still exist in back of the estate house. Eventually this property was used as a settlement for freed slaves both during and after the Civil War. Our guide pointed out a tombstone of a former slave who died and was buried in Arlington in 1864.

Arlington Cemetery provides places of rest for military personnel and over 3,800 former slaves. Tribute to these servicemen and women are performed at the Memorial Amphitheater that is located within the cemetery. It is here that state funerals and Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies are held, as well as the guarding of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

I didn't realize the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has been perpetually guarded since July 2, 1937 by the U.S. Army. The changing of the guard occurs every half hour during daylight hours and every two hours when the cemetery is closed at night. The tombstone reads: "Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God."

The Marine Corps War Memorial proudly stands outside the walls of the Arlington Cemetery, dedicated to all who died in defense of the United States since 1775.

No DC tour would be complete without a visit to the White House. I must admit the building itself seemed smaller than imagined but perhaps that's because we saw it sitting on its 18 acre property with extensive lawns...?

A statue of the Unionist leader and seventh president of the United States, Andrew Jackson, is located directly in front of the White House with inscription: "Our federal union; it must be preserved."

I understand that touring the interior of the White House has been an on-again off-again possibility determined by security concerns. For instance, tours must be arranged through a member of Congress since the 2001 terrorist attacks. Needless to say, I didn't get a chance to see the interior but hope to someday.

My tour of Washington DC turned out to be one jam-packed day! Lord willing, I would like to go back again to spend time in the Library of Congress, National Cathedral, Treasury Building, National Archives, and not to forget the inside of the Capital Building and White House. Another story for another day.