Tokyo & Thailand

Mar 3-12, 2006
AC1 YYZ-NRT, Mar 6 TG677 NRT-BKK, Mar 8 TG102 BKK-CNX, Mar 10 TG111 CNX-BKK, Mar 11 TG640 BKK-NRT, Mar 12 AC2 NRT-YYZ

Our first long vacation of the year.  My first personal trip to Thailand and Tom’s first trip to Japan and Thailand.  Tom was on points, I paid to get to Tokyo and then pointed the rest of the way.  We had a day in Tokyo in each direction and about 5 days in Thailand, including two in Bangkok and two in Chiang Mai.  Unfortunately we spent too much time traveling to and from NRT airport to Tokyo (1.5 hours x 4).  However, we enjoyed Thailand and the small taste of Japan -- we’ll definitely be back.

Mar 4-5
Tokyo to Bangkok; arrived evening of the 4th and stay in Roppongi

Sumida-gawa (river) at Asakusa

Nakamise Dora shopped lined entrance to Senso-ji

Ginza intersection

Tokyo International Forum Building

Skyline Along Imperial Palace moat

Gord at Niju-Bashi Bridge at Imperial Palace

I loved the thin buildings -- this is in Roppongi

Mar 6
Bangkok to Samut Songkhram

Wat Phra Kaew at The Grand Palace

Angkor Wat replica in the Grand Palace grounds

Yaksha Demons at Wat Phra Kaew

Tuk tuk, luckily we had a local guide, so we didn’t get cheated and it was a fun ride

Reclining Buddha (16th century) at Wat Pho

Wat Pho grounds

Across the river to Wat Arun (19th century)

Temple in Samut Songkhram

Mar 7
Samut Songkhram to Bangkok

Amphawa market at night on fire fly boat tour

Early morning, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market -- everything you could want

Rush hour has started by 8:00 am, our boat was stuck a few times

Phra Pathom Chedi - tallest Buddhist structure

Bangkok Skyline from Grand Hyatt

Mar 8
Bangkok to Chiang Mai on early flight

Tha Pae Gate, near hotel in Chiang Mai

One of over 300 Wats (temples) in Chiang Mai

Wat Pan Tao - all teak construction

Remains of Wat Chedi Luang after 1545 quake

Wat Chiang Man (1296) Chiang Mai’s oldest

Close-up of Chiang Man temple elephant

Mar 9
Chiang Mai area

Mae Se Elephant Camp - 30 minutes north of city

Gord and Tom on elephant ride through hills

Elephant bath

They really seemed to enjoy the scrubbing

Part of the show - quite amazing skills

Elephant painting skills

Original elephant art for sale

Starving Buddha statue outside Wat Umong

Wat Umong Grounds

Wat Bupparam dragon

Wat Bupparam

Fountain in East moat around old city

Mar 10
Chiang Mai to Bangkok on early flight

Royal Bangkok Sportsclub and Bangkok skyline

Bangkok traffic under the Skytrain tracks

Shopping at MBK

Mar 11
Bangkok to Tokyo (a full day of travel)

Golf course between two active runways at BKK

Shinjuku region at night, the neon is everywhere

Mar 12
Tokyo to Toronto (a very long day)

52nd floor view - Tokyo Metro Government Office

Shinjuku Chuo-Koen Park with Park Hyatt behind

Tokyo Metro Government offices

Early cherry blossoms in March

 Torii at entrance to Yoyogi-koen park

Garden inside park

Menji-jingu shrine (rebuilt in 1958 after WWII)

Park building with Japanese flag

Gothic Lolita posing for tourists in Harajuku