Thailand 1999

Strongs Do Thailand Sep 24, 1999

Sunny and Mike headed for Bangkok this morning via EVA Air and Taipai. They will

spend the week there, with Mike lecturing at the Medical School in the Graduate

Program and Sunny being the tourist. The temperatures in Bangkok are in the 90s with

daily thunderstorms and high humidity so it will be a change of climate for sure from

Seattle. A follow up story will be posted upon their return.

Oct 3, 1999

Mike and Sunny have survived another cross Pacific sojourn. After 2 days of sleeping following their return, things are again beginning to appear normal. Sleeping in an upright position dose not get any easier with age. Mike spent the week with lectures and discussions with students from VietNam, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Thailand. It was an interesting week explaining the American perspective to these students. This is the first graduate program of tissue banking in the world and the Thais are to be commended for taking a leadership role despite working in less than ideal surroundings. The final day included presentations of assigned reading for each student and an written examination that took them 2 hours to complete. It was apparently an even longer week for them, with their hours in the classroom and hours of study.

Sunny, meanwhile, was cruising in boats along the Chao Phraya River and canals. This is a cool escape from the traffic and from the heat. Life along the waterways is fascinating to watch. Early in the week, I wrote my wish list, and then managed to check off each item. First, was eating delicious mangosteen fruit, found at the open market near the National Palace. Then, massage by our host's favorite massage therapists. The entrance to their house is lovely jungle with palms and geckos and wooden Thai antiques. The rooms smelled of camphor. The massage is acu-pressure. Some of the pressure was too much,

most was heavenly. Another thing on my list was a visit to Suan Pakkar Palace. One of the princes moved century old wooden Thai homes, in different styles and with beautiful teak carving, to one place, then filled them with well-displayed antiques, some of solid gold! The gems in Thailand are gorgeous in the museums. Unfortunately, the sapphire ring we bought for Dorothea and the emerald ring for Trish were not good lasting quality, so I stayed away from gems this time. However, our host gave me a 1-carat ruby. He was so generous-taking us out for our meals, paying for our massage, driving us way out of

Bangkok to see Thailand's highest pagoda plus a country fair with vendors tossing ice cream scoops high into the air, then catching them in a serving dish. Today, after two days at home, I am feeling human again and can really say it was a great trip. I was sick when we left, so the first 2 days were yucky and the last two days of jetlag were, too.