by Loti | Mar 1, 2013 | Africa, Animals, Thailand
Thailand. In 1989, a worldwide ban on the sale of elephant ivory was agreed to by 105 (out of 110) countries as part of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Although Thailand is part of the agreement, they have a unique law that allows for the sale of ivory from domesticated Asian elephants. Huh? This law has been used to launder illegal African ivory thru Thailand. Today it is estimated 2,500 elephants are slaughtered a month worldwide for their tusks which is a status symbol in many Asian countries. Poaching is the biggest threat to African elephants while habitat encroachment is the biggest threat to Asian elephants. Next week, Bangkok hosts the annual CITES meeting. Yesterday, a petition was delivered to the prime minister of Thailand from the World Wildlife Fund (it is free to join) calling on Thailand to ban the trade of all ivory in the country. The petition had over 500,000 signatures, including mine and Leo DiCaprio’s. Oh my. How very cool to feel like I am making a difference. By the way, you may be wondering why the photo today looks different than the previous elephant photos. The elephant’s ears are much larger and she has tusks. Asian elephants have smaller ears and the females do not have tusks, unlike the African ones. So this is a photo of an African elephant I took while on safari in Botswana. An entirely different life experience just waiting to be shared! ...
by Loti | Feb 27, 2013 | Thailand, Uncategorized
Having never heard of Jim Thompson until researching our trip to Thailand, he is now one of those people I would have loved to meet. He was an American, who single handedly, revitalized the Thai silk industry after World War II. He was also was an architect, retired army officer, a spy (that is the one I am really intrigued by), an antique collector and a silk merchant. In the picture, we are at The Jim Thompson house, run by the Foundation established in his name, watching silk being spun from cocoons. The cocoons are boiled and a single thread at a time is pulled and put on a spool. It is then used to make beautiful silk cloth. More on silk later, but the story of Jim is fascinating. After retiring from what is now known as the CIA, he moved to Thailand and started the Thai Silk company. He convinced Vogue magazine to do an article on his silks and then achieved a great coup when his Thai silks were used in the movie production of The King and I in 1951. He helped raise thousands of Thai’s out of poverty by providing them with a living making silk. He built a beautiful house in Bangkok, filled with antiques he collected and entertained royalty. Then on Easter Day in 1967, he went for a walk in Malaysia while on holiday and was never seen again. Much speculation exists about a possible kidnapping by all sorts by shady characters or maybe even a tiger ate him. Oh my. But the mystery remains to this day. And the silks...
by Loti | Feb 26, 2013 | Thailand
Thailand. Part stretching, acupuncture (without the needles), reflexology, and deep compression. All of these are used during a Thai massage which helps you feel mentally alert and physically energized, unlike a Swedish massage. At least that has been my limited experience. With origins dating back to the 5th Century BC, a confidant of Buddha is said to have originated the beginnings of Thai massage. The diagrams shown in the photo are in the same temple as the Reclining Buddha, Wat Pho. After Thailand was invaded by the Burmese in 1776 most of the manuscripts on massage were destroyed. King Rama III had the best surviving texts and diagrams inscribed in stone and installed in the temple. A Thai massage, recognized by the Thai government as a medical discipline, is performed with loose clothes on and increases flexibility, detoxes, improves your immune system, reduces stress, helps arthritis, and boosts energy. A massage and a cup of tea with a slice of pineapple and coconut and I will be orbiting the moon. And speaking of moons, when I went to book a Thai massage at a local yoga/massage center, the website said they were closed yesterday due to a full moon (which was absolutely gorgeous last night). They are also closed for new moons. Really? That is a new one for me and just shows how much I have to learn!...
by Loti | Feb 24, 2013 | Religions, Thailand
Thailand. So what does a reclining pose for Buddha mean? In the case of the longest reclining Buddha in Thailand, at 160 feet long and 50 feet high, it illustrates Buddha passing into Nirvana. Nirvana? Simply put, Nirvana means a state of peace or bliss. Or as we now know, it could also mean you were born on a Tuesday since a reclining Buddha pose represents Tuesday birthdays. This monument is spectacular, completely covered in gold leaf with the eyes and feet inlaid with mother-of-pearl. While the temple is over 300 years old, the Reclining Buddha was commissioned in 1832 under the reign of King Rama III. And there are all sorts of rules and customs involved in viewing Buddha statues. First, you must take your shoes off and leave them outside (which is a little weird because my first thought was what happens if someone takes my shoes), no bare shoulders or knees are allowed, and you should never point your feet at a Buddha. And if you are really into the customs, you should walk clockwise around the statue, and enter the temple with your left foot and leave with your right foot (which sounds a lot like not stepping on a crack in the sidewalk when I was a kid). And in acknowledging it’s importance as a Bangkok landmark, it was Obama’s first stop on his recent Asian tour. And yes, even he had to take off his shoes. ...
by Loti | Feb 20, 2013 | Food, Thailand
Thailand. What better snack while on a long boat off the coast of Thailand than a berry, I mean a pineapple? Actually a pineapple is a cluster of berries fused to a central stalk. This particular pineapple happens to be the best I have ever eaten and we ate the whole thing between 2 of us. And it turns out the pineapple is incredibly healthy. Not only does it help with digestion, arthritis, asthma, and blood circulation, it helps prevent scurvy and most important, worm infestations. So there you have it. The pineapple is also great as a natural detox and is low in calories. My kind of food. But they are challenging to grow. The plant takes 2 years to produce a fruit, only one fruit is produced a year and only 2 fruits are produced in the life of the plant. The perennial plant is then plowed under and the process starts again. Hawaii is the only US state to produce pineapples, hence the expense. Long known as a symbol of hospitality and friendship, the pineapple shows up in all sorts of interesting places. On furniture, hats (think Carmen Miranda), and even adorning the top of the Men’s Singles trophy at Wimbledon. So keep your eyes open. You just might see a pineapple where you least expect it. ...
by Loti | Feb 19, 2013 | Animals, Sports, Thailand
Thailand. The Four Season’s Elephant Camp in Northern Thailand offers polo lessons on elephants as an activity. We didn’t have time to try it (I was too busy riding my elephant, Bounma and taking pictures from my perch on her head of the elephants in front of me), but I was fascinated with the concept. Turns out there is a World Elephant Polo Association. Last year 48 riders from over 15 countries participated in the King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament. Not knowing anything about polo with horses, let alone elephants, I set out to learn the rules. There are 4 elephants per side with 2 people riding each elephant and elephants are strictly forbidden from lying down in front of the goals posts to prevent a goal. My favorite rule is “elephants are to be given sugar cane or vitamin enriched rice balls at the end of each match and players get a cold beer, but not vice versa. That is the actual rule! Money is raised thru the tournaments for the future care of elephants and their mahouts and conservation efforts. Of course not everyone is happy including the animal activist folks who contend polo is cruel to the animals. Seeing how well the elephants are cared for at The Four Seasons, I look forward to my first polo lesson....
