Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat) 

Thailand

December 4, 2004

Dear Family and Friends,

I have had a very happy two weeks.

On 22 November, after departing Bangkok by train at 05:45 I arrive four hours later at Nakhon Ratchasima, also known as Khorat.  After a brief nap at the impressive Khorat Hotel ( A/C, TV, king-size bed, huge bathtub -- all for $14.25 per night -- a little expensive for this area),I had a buffet lunch of a variety of chicken and fish dishes and coffee and dessert (watermelon, pineapple, ice cream - not! -- for $2.25 -- also a bit expensive).  I met yet another ex-serviceman and his Asian wife . . . everybody is happy.

After lunch I hired a motorbike taxi and visited three Wats (Buddhist temples) nestled into quiet corners of this otherwise bustling city in the Northeast -- an area called Isaan.

Kantharalak

Thailand

Phra Wihan

Cambodia

December 1, 2004

Dear Family and Friends,

Giacomo and I traveled east from Nang Rong, a five hour bus ride to Kantharalak, and checked into the Kantharalak Palace Hotel.

The next morning we hired motor-bike taxis and sped south to the Dangrek Range, the mountains of the Thai-Cambodia border.

Unexpectedly, our drivers took us first to Khao Phra Wihan National Park - one of the sites designated as "Unseen Thailand." I'm glad we saw it.

Down a long railed stairway, past the "good luck" sticks "holding up" the mountain, was a small sensitively carved bas-relief executed directly into the sheer face of the cliff, looking outward to the deep valley and plains below. The smooth and detailed images are a mystery to the archaeologists.

Then, across the border to the main site.