Chonburi - Mimosa City of Fakes

Mimosa brands itself as "City of Love", so one could expect it to be related to weddings or romantic dinners. But it is basically three rows of traditional Thai shop-houses that have been converted into a poor replica of various European architectural styles. I cannot figure out how that relates to love.

Mimosa promotes itself as a community lifestyle mall, which - I must admit -  I don't know means.

In this case, the local community would never dream of going shopping at Mimosa. The products offered are aimed at tourists (and priced accordingly) plus there are plenty of food outlets. And judging from the mostly Thai (Bangkokian) visitors, the lifestyle seems to be to snap photos.

Is this a Dutch or a German shophouse ?

Mimosa is yet another" snap cute photos and buy tacky souvenirs" destination, which can be reached on a day trip from Bangkok. It is located on Sukhumvit Road in Na Jomtien, a few kilometers south of Pattaya.

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2012/11/prachuab-khiri-khan-hua-hin-floating.html

Time stands still in Italy

Udon Thani - Well Worth a Visit

I haven’t visited for years. I remember my first visit where I noticed that not only did the city have a large number of massage parlors, but also a large number of folk music bars.

Back then, there were still quite many ageing Americans in Udon (and in surrounding provinces), but their numbers had been trending down for years. Consequently, the U. S. consulate in Udon had recently been closed, so the “guide” during my first visit was a “fixer” living in Nong Khai. A veteran from the Vietnam war that had lived in Isan for many years and was very well connected. He helped “fix” my first entry into Laos, but before that, we took a drive around Udon and Nong Khai that included a visit to the restaurant of a another vet – supposedly this was Isan’s best steak house.

Nong Prachat Park, Udon City

Anyway, today Udon looks much the same although there are fewer Americans and more activities (including folk music bars) have moved out along the ring road. At the city center, Nong Prachat Park is a nice place to relax. It is a swamp that has been converted into a lake with a small island. There are jogging and bicycle tracks running for roughly two kilometers around the shore of the lake.

The city has, of course, also a couple of must visit Buddhist shrines.

Standing Guard

Chaiyphum - Tat Ton Waterfall

Tat Ton National Park is a scenic little spot on the edge of the Laenkha mountain range, 23 km north of the city. Covering 218 sq km, Tat Ton is best known for its photogenic namesake waterfall. Tat Ton waterfall is only 6 meters tall, but stretches to 50 meters in width during the May to October rainy season.

It is a great picnic destination for families and it is among Chaiyaphum's most famous nature destinations.   Rustic bungalows are available riverside, but the English version of the sign leading to the national park's store is a bit mystifying. Major benefits apparently include souvenirs, trinkets, snacks, and cold drinks.

Chaiyaphum - Stonehenge of Thailand

Mor Hin Khao is a number of large rocks in strange and rare shapes similar to mushrooms, boats, elephants, turtles and chedis scattered on a plateau. Moreover, there are five large stone columns standing in a line thus earning the place the nickname "Stonehenge of Thailand". The five stone columns, Grun Sao Hin, rise to heights of as much as 15 meters.

Mor Hin Khow is the most popular part of Phu Laenkha National Park, but the signs giving directions to visitors are few and infrequent. Just as you think you've missed a turn-off, a new sign appears.

Khamphaengphet - a hidden jewel

I must admit that I was positively surprised by Khamphangphet.

All these years, I have been rushing through - or rather, around – the city. But after spending a joyful and relaxed weekend there, I can say it is a place to visit again. The roads along the river are small but not crowded and one can take leisurely walks along the shop houses, stop in small public parks, visit the local market, and take a rest on a small island in the river.

The Scenic Riverside Resort - which I chose from my GPS simply based on its name – turned out to be very neat, fairly priced, and family-run as I like my accommodations to be. The owner’s personal touch was clearly seen in the theme of the bungalows as well as in the interior design accessories. I felt like entering into a teenage girl’s room as the bungalow was cram-packed with stuffed animals and other cute stuff.

In any case, it was a good base for exploring the town and furthermore located in close proximity to the ruins from the town’s grand past. Khamphangphet was a religious center and had an important strategic location (both in terms of military and trade) during the Sukhothai and Aytthaya periods. The ruins are well preserved and the museum exhibition informative. If one is interested in history or simply likes to stroll around and enjoy fresh air under the shade of trees, then a visit to Khamphangphet’s Historical Park (ancient city area) is highly recommended.

Nakhon Nayok - Waterfalls

Nakhon Nayok is a major weekend destination for Bangkokian nature lovers. The province has several waterfalls to visit and plenty of resorts scattered around lush hill sides. Some of the national parks that commonly but incorrectly are referred to by Bangkokians as “Khao Yai” protrude into the northern parts of Nakhon Nayok.

One of the famous waterfalls is Nangrong. It is not a tall or otherwise impressive waterfall, but it is a  very popular destination. It is so, probably because it offers plenty of opportunity for people to settle down for picnic and splash around in the river.

 Another famous waterfall is Sarika, which is located inside a national park. It is a tall waterfall with water flowing in a narrow rapid stream. There are a few places for visitors to splash around, but yet it is a relatively popular destination. The reason why it is famous / popular is probably that the waterfall has an impressive nine levels that combined make a drop of 200 meters from top to bottom.

Near Nangrong, a small detour can take you to the Khlong Tha Dan Dam, which is also referred to as Khun Dan Prakan Chon Dam It is not an especially high or imposing dam, but it is reportedly the largest dam in Thailand based on the number of cubic meters of cement (actually, compacted concrete) used to build the dam.

From the top of the dam, you can take in the view of the valley below and all the way into town. The reservoir behind the dam is woefully underutilized – no boat trips are on offer and no kayaks can be rented. One reason may be that the dam is relatively new (2005) and the tourism industry has not yet put boat trips on the agenda for tours to Nakhon Nayok. 

Nakhon Sawan - where Chaophaya is born

This city is known as the birthplace of the mighty Chaophaya River. It is where the Ping and Nan rivers merge to form the river that makes the central flood plains a huge rice basket and that on occasion threatens to flood Bangkok. 

However, to see the rivers merge is not at all impressive. It felt like a bit of a letdown. I had not expected the same awe as when seeing two rivers merging to form Amazonas, but I had expected something like when Mun River flows into Mekong. Instead, it felt / looked very ordinary.

Likewise, I wasn’t impressed with the town itself, which lacks charm. However, the golden pagoda (Prahulamanee) located at a hill top in center of town looks very impressive, especially when seen in the waning light of a sunset.