The Burma Railway (Death Railway) was built from 1942-1943 in order to supply the Japanese army in Burma when it was thought the sea path was too dangerous as the Allies recovered from Pearl Harbor and started the Pacific campaign. Over 60,000 troops; 6300 Brits, 2800 Aussies and 2500 Dutch and Americans worked on the RR and over 12,000 lost their lives. Forty-four Aussie MD’s employed tropical medicine learned from the Dutch physicians who had grown up in the East Indies and improvised. Bamboo IV’s, splints and crutches. They used homemade charcoal for dysentery and cholera plus maggots to clean ulcers to prolong lives. 

The most deadly portion of the Railway construction was dubbed “Hellfire Pass” because condition of the POW’s resembled a scene straight from hell.

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From a survivor: 

MATE

Me mind goes back to 43,
To slavery and ‘ate,
When man’s one chance to stay alive
Depended on ‘is mate. 

With bamboo for a billie-can
An’ bamboo for a plate,
A bamboo paradise for bugs,
Was bed for me and me mate. 

You’d slip and slither through the mud
An’ curse your rotten fate
But then you’d hear a quiet word:
“Don’t drop your bundle mate.” 

An’ though it’s all so long ago
This truth I ‘ave to state:
A man don’t know what lonely means,
Til ‘e has lost his mate. 

Also in this province of Kanchanaburi stands the rebuilt bridge over the Mae Khlong (River Kwai) profiled in the movie of the same name and Kanchanaburi Cemetery of Commonwealth soldiers which is definitely worth a visit.

HINTUK RIVER CAMP

We glamped at the Hintuk River Camp above the River Kwai Noi for two nights and enjoyed the service and the scenery and the boat ride.

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Charming and cultured, food-loving and spiritual, wanton and warm, Thailand sparkles.  I am returning after a 25 year hiatus….it is much the same but different too.  Traffic jams, pollution but the same friendly people.

Sabai, Sabai (take it easy) is a local slogan in Bangkok, gateway to Southeast Asia. This elephant shaped country formerly known as Siam is the only country in this region not to be colonized. Since May this land of almost 70 million people has been ruled by a military junta.  It is not okay to talk or disparage the monarch in any way… 

Are you a foodie? Consider a trip to Thailand.  Lemongrass, kaffir lime zest, tamarind, chilies, cilantro, ginger, galangal, garlic, coconut, basil, fermented shrimp paste….of course they make their own curry…the textures of papaya, bamboo shoots, cabbage, green beans all married together are a feast for your taste buds! Thais do not use chopsticks.  They use a tablespoon in their right hand and a fork in their left hand packing the spoon with food. Each bite is layered with rice on the bottom and the entree or veggie on top. It’s all 🌶! Hello Patrece and Joe! Noodles made from rice, wheat and mung bean flour or rice form the basis for every dish. Dessert is fresh fruit often with sticky rice….. yummmm.  And all the markets, especially the floating markets blast every sense.

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New Flower Market

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This country seems very spiritual.  Everywhere you look, along the busy streets, at homes and restaurants are “spirit houses”.  The spirit world is everywhere in Thailand where animism and folk beliefs are deeply infused with Buddhism.  These little houses come in all shapes and sizes from the very small to the very large.  Thai spirit houses are a shrine to the protective spirit of a place and are positioned in an auspicious spot most often in the corner of a property, home or business. High enough to show respect but low enough to enable daily offerings.
94% of Thais describe themselves as Buddhists.  Large temples and truly magnificent Buddhas are everywhere. The flower markets house workers making flower arrangements mostly for religious offerings.  The scents of jasmine and lotus abound.

Spirit Houses

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Bangkok’s famous palace complex was built in 1782 and features several magnificent buildings including Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), which contains a beautiful Emerald Buddha that dates back to the 14th century. Shoes are removed before entering and no pictures are allowed. They change the golden clothing of the Emerald Buddha either seasons. It’s a grueling day in the sun but definitely amazing Palace. The royal family has not lived in the palace since 1910.

My first trip to Hong Kong was nearly 50 years ago, in 1973.  As a junior in college I traveled to visit my aunt and uncle and their three children over Christmas vacation with my parents.  Promising to take me along if the price of wheat hit two dollars a bushel seemed a safe bet for my dad, but alas for him, the market went up and he kept his promise. 

A little history.  Of course much has changed.   The United Kingdom acquired Hong Kong in perpetuity following the first Opium War in 1842 via the Treaty of Nanking. The Kowloon Peninsula was added in 1860 and New Territories we’re leased in 1898 for 99 yrs.  The Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed by the Prime Ministers of the People’s Republic of China and the United Kingdom governments on 19 December 1984 in Beijing. This ceded Hong Kong , Kowloon and the New Territories to The People’s Republic of China effective July 1, 1997.  China promised “one China two systems” (communism and capitalism) for 50 yrs. Today Hong Kongers are trying to hold Beijing to that promise; hence the widespread protests.  A seat mate on my United flight said protests now occur mostly on weekends but to check the news everyday before leaving the hotel.  The Icon Hotel said the same.  No problems so far. A guide in the adjacent sampan last night said tourism is down 70%. But this is “the fight of their lives”.

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In Hong Kong, on Chinese New Year’s Eve, January 24, the crowds are especially heavy at the flower markets. About 15 temporary markets are set up each year in parks or other public places. The scramble can get intense. Many vendors keep selling after midnight.It is thought that gifts of fresh flowers and plants give good luck. So it is a part of how Hong Kong and Macau people celebrate their holidays.

The Star Ferry is THE Hong Kong Ferry,one of the beloved icons of the city and a lot more than just a means of transportation. It has been shuttling residents between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon in the mainland for over 120 years. Up to 1978 when the Cross-Harbour Tunnel opened, it was the only way to cross the harbour.

Did I mention my traveling partner Ann is an adventurer at heart?Guided by Cathay Pacific‘s culture recommendations, we ended up in a seedy “typhoon shelter” (small inlets where boats are sheltered during the storms) for a dinner aboard a sampan.  We were actually in the Causeway Bay area of Hong Kong Island and were dropped off by a baffled taxi driver and after finding no signs for the “restaurant” we called the Shen Kee proprietor and she walked down to retrieve us.  Onto a beat up old boat chugging to a gently swaying sampan and our delicious dinner of beer, boiled shrimp, garlic crab and spicy crab and noodles began. About 8 o’clock the laser light show in the Harbour started and our night was complete! Good call Ann!

A guide on the neighboring sampan advised us to take a taxi to the top of the Peak Tram and ride it down to save time. There were no lines…. according to that guide, tourism is down 70% since the protests… I believe it.

The Peak Tram is a funucular railway in Hing Kong, which carries both tourists and residents to the upper levels of Hong Kong Island. Running from Garden Road Admiralty to Victoria Peak via the Mid-Levels, it provides the most direct route and offers good views over the harbour and skyscrapers of Hong Kong. The current renovations will be finished in 2021.

At the bottom of the peak tram we  decided to walk to lunch through the Central Business District teeming with young professionals everywhere and dressed for the part.  Escalators, gardens, sidewalks with a crush of people and google Maps turned the 20 minute walk into a 40 minute adventure but it was exhilarating! We were headed to another Culture Trip recommendation, Dim Sum Square.  My daughter would say it was dim sum done in a fast casual way… small place,  small seats and tables and a grumpy manager willing to help the lone visitors who were not Hong Kongers.  Tea in a pot at each table and a menu in Mandarin and English.  We decided on barbecued pork buns, crystal shrimp, soup dumplings and a bun with a filling that looked like a runny egg yolk but tasted sweet.    Mmmmm good!

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