After two years away I'm visiting Canada for 3 weeks: Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and now Vancouver. It's been a great trip visting with family and friends all over this wonderful country. Coming back reminds me of how different a place I now live.

 

It was really good to see everyone. In Toronto Jet and Jules put up with me for more than a week and were even nice enough to share their 1st year anniversary dinner with me! On our first night Jethro and I enjoyed a hot tub with Rob and I was able to hangout with the family on a couple more occasions. Alexandra and Jaeger - my apologies for blabbing about financial stuff through the whole dinner! I guess Rob's and my excuse is we see each other so seldom these days that when we do connect we jump right into our own stuff... I got to visit Mari-Claire and her growing family in Guelph. We had a couple of great meals with Sarah and her new husband  and I was able to see Rob Gomes and Susi too. Unfortunately I couldn't see as much of Liam as I wanted with his work and the fact that I was spemding all my time in (now his) basement wrapping boxes to be eventually shipped to BKK. I also missed Vena but maybe will get lucky and he'll show up in Thailand one of these years. Great to see you too Caroline...always a meangingful connection!

 

In Montreal I stayed at Casa Nantel's - truly a home away from home! We had lots of bicycle rides with Tedd and Nantel and enjoyed some great Canadian winter conditions in July!!!! Dad and Jeannie put on a wonderful dinner party and everyone had plenty to drink! I even got a few sets of tennis in; Chris... we'll practice in Bangkok for the inevitable Saunders Generational Doubles Rematch where, with luck and the right drugs, we may just prevail! I had lunch with Nicolas and even got to connect with Bruno and Elyse during their brief return to Montreal from their sailing adventures.... Thank you Susan and Volker for the great dinner Sunday night - Volker I hope we can see each other more - I miss all our arguments!!!

 

Thanks to Dad I drove to Ottawa in style and had a wonderful family night at the Wickhams: I truly don't think I know of a more functional, friendly and loving family - you guys are amazing!!!! The following day was a whirlwind of seeing John Cowan, Matt Stepchuk, Heather Garrod (after 27 years if our math is correct?), and then a super Pizza dinner with about a dozen of us! So nice to see Rose and Donna again! And Daniel - what a long way we've each travelled from when we met at Glebe in that Spring of grade 9 about 33 years ago!

 

Bernard - you are a life saver! SO great to see you again and thanks for the painting - Da will thank you too when she sees it!

 

Now in Vancouver I've had two short but super days with Steve and Diane... Tonight I leave for home....

 

It's been an amazing trip. Thank you everyone for the hospitality and love... My closing comment is just how comfortable it has been seeing everyone again, as Nantel said - it's like we just saw each other last week. I can truly say it felt like that with everyone. As my wonderful friend Diane told me when I first went to Asia nearly 4 years ago:

 

"When you travel you don't lose old friends, you make new ones."

Just back from my first trip to South America. I met up with two great friends, Chris Brown and Robert Brunet.

 

Chris is working as Administrative Consul at the Canadian Embassy in Caracas. Rob was able to sneak away from a busy family life for two wonderful weeks in Venezuela and Peru.

 

Our trip began with getting to know a bit about Caracas, as our host Chris showed us around the city and we visited several beaches. Caracas is apparently one of the most dangerous cities in the world. This is driven by lots of violent crime occurring is specific barrio areas; about 200 people get killed each weekend. We then visited the eastern part of Venezuela - the Orinoco River Delta area. We explored many tributaries over a 3 day period, saw thousands of birds, chased dolphins, gawked at monkeys and fished for piranha.

 

After a pit stop back in Caracas, we flew through Lima and on to Cusco, the ancient centre of the Incan Empire. At 10,000 feet Cusco is a fascinating and demanding city. We acclimatised to the elevation and explored it's beautiful central plaza. We then spent the next few days traveling through the Sacred Incan Valley visiting sites and culminating in a day at Machu Picchu. This valley was the most extraordinary natural setting and stunningly beautiful ruins I have ever seen. The whole experience was spectacular. Peruvians are fascinating people, very service oriented and have great artistic sensibility as reflected in their craftsmanship and musical ability.

 

We then spent a day in Lima prior to returning to Caracas.

 

The contrast between these two countries was a real surprise. Venezuela is a mess. A deep sense of entitlement pervades the population and Chavez's policies are making things terrible for its people. Peru, in contrast, seems to function quite well and is a real pleasure from a tourist's perspective. Unfortunately petty violent crime is an ongoing concern seemingly everywhere.

 

I hope you enjoy the photos!

Well, the second part of my trip to Canada was wonderful and scary. I had just returned to Toronto from a great few weeks in Montreal and Ottawa when we found out my father had to have an emergency operation. All went well and we ended up having a rare family time with Chris and Tara coming from Melbourne and Kelowna. Dad was very patient with us as we got in the way, provided unneeded advice and otherwise distracted him from his more important concerns! My apologies to people in Toronto that I was hoping to visit and/or reconnect with; next time we'll get better caught up and everyone will have more stories to tell!

 

I finished up my Canadian travels with 2 weeks in Vancouver visiting with Diane and Steve. Many thanks Stell, for your patience as I messed up your apartment and ate all your food! We were able to do a working road trip around the southern Gulf islands and onto Vancouver Island. We spent several wonderful days on Salt Spring Island where my mad friend Stevie joined us. Steve, thank you SO much for rekindling my interest in photography and some excellent coaching!

 

I returned to Bangkok briefly August 6th and then flew to Beijing with some great Australians.

It's been a long time since my last update; several people have asked why: the short answer is laziness; the slightly less short answer - and hopefully more accurate -  is I've been living in Bangkok for a year and have been mostly sedentary; and I view this as a travel blog, with the emphasis on "travel".

 

So I've been travelling in beautiful Canada for the last month, with one more to go before heading back to Bangkok. Reverse Culture Shock? Definitely: mostly around the wide open spaces (and very quiet..) different interactions between people (lots of good bickering) and the most wonderful, sweet and fresh air.... Oh yes, 9pm and still light in the sky is wonderful too.

 

So it's been a whirlwind so far and amazing to get to catch up with so many friendly faces. It is deeply touching to be remembered, especially by the kids who, were wonderfully patient with their Uncle Bruce. My embarrassed apologies to Nelson, Roger and John for my humiliating golf game; but it was all designed to lull Nelson into a false sense of security for the Fall when Chris and I beat his ass in Melbourne!

 

There are many photos in the "Canada" album and more to come!

 

Love to everyone!

 

Bangkok Bruce Abroad

Thailand has more than its fair share of holidays. The last two weekends were the King's Birthday and Constitution Day. Nattiya and I did two great road trips: the first to Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai and the second to her family home in Ratchaburi - about an hour west of Bangkok.

 

Lots of photos for anyone who has the patience...

It is a year to the day since I arrived in this fair city and helped celebrate my brother's birthday.

 

The last couple of months in Bangkok have been wonderful. My teaching schedule has eased a bit as I'm now working for only one school and I've been able to do a little local traveling.

 

I've met many great people and as a wise friend once told me, "When you travel, you don't lose old friends, you make new ones." How true Stell.

 

I continue to be amazed by this country and people. I don't think there's any place quite like Bangkok.

 

This weekend a few of us head to Chiang Mai to see the Royal Flora Expo and explore the area. We'll be driving the 9 hours and I'm looking forward to spending time in the countryside.

 

Friends are coming at Xmas and planning to visit the Andamman coast.

October 23rd was the anniversary of Rama V's death - one of the major monarch's of the current dynasty. It was a big long weekend so many people left Bangkok.

 

I spent a few days on Ko Chang with friends. Lovely island, will definitely go back. More photos to come.

Well it's been a little over 3 months since I've settled in Bangkok. And it just keeps getting better...

 

I've taken a teaching course and have been working with two language schools who keep me as busy as I want to be. The money's better than expected so I'm able to live a comfortable life. I'm starting to think in baht so feel quite affluent when I tell myself I'm making 80,000B a month!!! For that I get to hang out with wonderful Thai people and help them improve their English while making sure to have a lot of fun! One tough assignment... I work with corporate clients; lots of pharma (Pfizer, GSK, BMS) as well as many large Thai companies; I even did some work with the Ministry of Education - great people! It's a fantastic way to get to know the city. I move around all the time, while most of my work is downtown, I do have a few clients out in the "burbs".

 

An overview of my life here wouldn't be complete with out describing the party life... I can't imagine a better scenario for fantastic nightlife: an amazing, modern city; gorgeous women; wonderfully warm weather; the gentle and liberal temperament of these lovely people and  all night access to delicious food to soak up any excess alcohol; oh yes, and all that for about a third of the cost "chez nous". I've included some photos that got past the censor board!

 

I am staying put in my cute little studio place for the time being. It's "cheap and cheerful"; I've been doing some small fix ups including curtains, furniture rearranging and some minor painting. I'll probably get something more permanent when I come back from Canada next summer. I'm in the process of organizing a laptop so Jet, and Volker, be patient, I'll be up and video chatting shortly!

 

The plan is to come to Canada around mid May and spend a couple of months sponging off of all my western friends! So if you don't want me sleeping on your couches and trying to borrow your cars, then don't pick up the phone when I call!!! But then you won't hear some of my crazy travel stories...

 

So for any of you who want to call me:

 

011 66 7 060 5368

 

Bangkok is 11 hours ahead (will go to 12 hours ahead when you switch to Eastern Standard Time). There's really no best time to call; I'm usually up quite early; my shcedule varies daily - which I love - so try me anytime!

 

Please note this IS the correct number; some people have had difficulty with it, not sure why.. Kerrye called me successfully (thanks sweetie!) and used a calling card bought in Ontario - $ 5 for 80 minutes!! So no more excuses!!!! It's called "Cici" or something like that; our connection was fine so that trunk line works well.

 

I'm very excited by the possibility of some friends coming over this winter. So anyone hesitating - don't - just get over here, I miss you all!

 

Love Bruce

 

Well here I am, back in Bangkok where I started this great adventure.

 

It's been an incredible 6 months. This is a significant transition point for me as I go from wondering backpacker to Bangkok-based English teacher. So many new sights, sounds, smells, experiences/emotions in the last 6 months. If I had to pick something that encapsulates my reactions to this fascinating region of the world I would say the following: every day I've seen someone or some situation that inspires true pathos; a situation of humble humble circumstances: a war victim; a child living in poverty; a cripple struggling to survive. And you can't help thinking, "there but for the grace of God go I". It's a constant reminder of how precious life is and how lucky we, who have so much, really are.

 

So I've been in Bangkok about 2 weeks. I have a cheap and cheerful little studio place in Sukhumvit, Soi 4. I'm right by the BTS (Skytrain) so it's very convenient. I've bought a bicycle and it's been a great way to get to know the city.

 

I'll be taking a TESOL course during the first 2 weeks of July as a precursor to teaching work. After that I'll do as much corporate work as possible - I love kids and want to keep it that way! There's a huge demand for teachers here so my decision will revolve around committing to working with one language school or going on a more freelance basis. Right now I'm leaning towards working with one school as they'll pay for the course and help with work permits etc...

 

I've done some shopping and am beginning to look like a regular citizen rather than a Canadian version of Crocodile Dundee!

 

I'll change apartments once I find out where I'll be working. Accomodation is very inexpensive here so lots of options. From what I've seen I like the Silom area, especially around Lumphini park - very nice.

 

Well looking forward to having friends come to visit. Bangkok is described in Lonely Planet as "easily the most exciting city in Southeast Asia". I understand why. It's an incredible place. Don't miss it while you've got a friend over here!

Well, I'm writing this from Bangkok - several weeks later. The photos provide the best description of this "mother of all temples".

 

The series of temples that were built during the Khmer hey day (~900 AD to 1300 AD) are truly spectacular. The photos don't really do justice to the scale of the whole thing.

 

At the height of the empire (~ 1100) there were apparently about a million people in the Angkor area/city. They say London had about 50,000 at the same time... They key was construction of extensive irrigation systems to support the rice supply. The canals eventually started to silt up; this problem wa a key factor in the decline of the empire.

 

The drive from Siem Reap to the border crossing into Thailand (Poipet) is truly hilarious. The road is beyond awful. There's a stretch of 50 km where it's not paved and in EXTREMELY bad condition. I've been travelling so much I've gotten used to long bumpy trips; I couldn't help thinking of my poor gravol-dependent grandmother, she wouldn't have survived it... There's a rumour that one of the airlines is paying off the government to delay paving/improvements to this stretch of road.

Vietnam is a fascinating and challenging country to visit. The people in the south seem as different from the north as though they were from another country. What they do have in common is a tremendous drive to improve their material lives; this can prove a challenge to the new tourist accustomed to the laid back pace of the Lao and the quiet dignity of the Thai. But Vietnam  has something special: I'm already thinking about my next trip; a motorbike tour up the coast with some Canadian friends and someone who speaks Vietnamese! 

 

They have had a difficult recent past. From the latter 1800s the French occupied the country; some Vietnamese accepted colonial status and sought to learn from their new masters; others fought them tooth and nail. During WWII the Japanese controlled the country but left the French in place to administer it. During this period many factions with differing perspectives on the future of the country fought the French,and each other. By the end of the war Ho Chi Minh had consolidated power (primarily in northern Vietnam) and declared the country independent. The French had other ideas. In 1954, in an obscure location on the western frontier, chosen by the French in part to protect Laos, north Vietnamese forces decimated the French; Dien Bien Phu would take its place amongst the most important Asian battlegounds in recent history.

 

At this point the country was divided at the 17th line of latitiude with a pro-Communist north facing a US-backed democratic south. In 1959 the north began a campaign to takeover the south. From the southern perspective, everything looked good on paper: a relatively wealthy economy, large army and US financial/military support. But we all know what happened: suffering huge casualties with it's surprise 1968 Tet (New Year) offensive, the north nonetheless won the PR war; the American public, seeing a further escalating conflict and hearing news of US troops massacring Vietnamese civilians at My Lai, turned against further participation. The north consolidated power in 1975.

 

During the next decade Chinese-style collectivisation of agriculture lead to dramatically lower production and widespread famine. In the mid 80s policies were reversed and within 3 years Vietnam was able to again export rice; they are now the world's 2nd largest exporter after Thailand.

 

The Mekong Delta provides more than half of Vietnam's rice output. It is one of the most densely populated regions of southeast Asia. The guide books promote packaged tours as a good way to see this area; so - for the first time on my trip - I took a 3 day bus tour and enjoyed seeing the rice milling process, fish farms and floating markets.

 

From Chau Doc I take a boat up the Mekong to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

 

The road to Nha Trang is gorgeous: mountains, rice fields and ocean/beaches. I think Vietnam is the most beautiful country I've yet seen.

 

Nha Trang is a party beach town. I've found a great local gym and swimming pool so am keeping fit. I've also rented a bicycle which is just a great way to see these towns: you move quickly enough not to get pitched by every street corner sales person, still get exercise and feel safer than on a motorbike.

 

I've spent just a few days here and am now moving on to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).

Have spent a couple of nights in this cute little coastal town. Great if you like shopping but not a lot else to do. Tomorrow it's on to Nha Trang - "beach capital of Vietnam".

I guess I'm not in Kansas anymore", writes this thin-skinned Canadian.

These people are very entrepreneurial; unfortunately some have lttle ethics to temper their capitalistic enthusiasms. So if you visit, bring a thick skin, count your change and when you're ready to reach out and throttle the bastard that's blatantly trying to rip you off just smile and say, "No, I won't be paying that".

To be fair, these people have had a very tough, recent history: the Japanese, French and then American wars/occupations have left deep scars on these people. A classic over here, The Sorrow of War (Bao Ninh) poignantly describes the experience/effects on a handful of survivors.

You see strange contrasts in the behaviour of these people: little laughter, sullen faces; yet they play and sing the most beautiful music I have yet heard in South East Asia.

An open question to those annoyin' Hanoians, 'Do you treat each other as you do the tourists'? If so, I pity your children.

After crossing southern Laos I entered Vietnam at the Lao Bao border, just below the old DMZ at Khe San. The countryside here is gorgeous, low mountain ranges with fertile rice fields. You can feel the energy of this country; construction activity everywhere and everyone seems to be busy! Stark contrast to Lao!

 

I've spent the last week in Hue, which was actually the capital of Vietnam from 1804 until the August Revolution of 1945. This is a beautiful city of about 100,000 people. There is a large citadel built by the first of the Nguyen emperor's shortly after Hue became the capital. There are also many mausoleums, pagodas and monasteries to fill one's itinerary; mine included all of the above plus a trip to the local beach: my first experience looking out across the Pacific (nominally the South China Sea) from the western shore.

 

The Vietnamese are very different from the Thai and Lao - much more aggressive with tourists and loud with each other. It's taken me some getting used to... I think the best way to learn how to deal with the locals is to watch other locals; they just ignore the stream of "hellos" and requests to "buy something"! So that's what I've done and, hell it works!

 

You can sense the effect of the American War (as they call it) with these people. There's a tension to them that I've never felt in Thailand. And you see it too. At the beach yesterday one of the elderly food vendors had lost one of her arms and her upper body and face had been terribly burned (napalmed?). So many of these people have so few material things; what they do have is an intense energy and drive to succeed; it is very impressive.

 

Tomorrow I take an overnight bus to Hanoi.  

No, I haven't mixed up the entry dates! New Year's for Thailand and Laos (and I believe Cambodia/Vietnam as well) happens around mid April.

 

I ended up spending two weeks in and around Vientiane over the New Year period. I've been hanging around with a great group of people many of whom know each other through Nui, who's juice restaurant produces the best fruit shakes and fruit salads in Vientiane. A group of us went up to Vang Vieng for the weekend and celebrated Nui's son's 7th birthday.

 

A big part of the 3-day New Year celebrations is partying on the street and soaking as many people with water as possible. One popular t-shirt says "It's New Year so can I please soak you with water?" Are these not a wonderfully polite people? I have some nice shots from my guest house balcony of the street activities.

 

After getting my Vietnames Visa I headed to southern Laos and spent a night in Savannaket before heading across the country and crossing into Vietnam at the Lao Bao border, just below the old DeMilitarized Zone. I've just arrived in the lovely city of Hue - stay tuned for the next entry!

North from Vientiane on Route 13 lie Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang. I'm spending 2 days in Vang Vieng. The town itself reminds me a little of Hat Rin, full of farang and basically geared towards the younger party crowd. The charm of this place lies outside the town in the spectacular limestone mountains and incredible caves. Check out the Vang Vieng photo album for proof of what I say! Next stop is Luang Prabang.