F r a n l a n d: Thailand Part 1

Skipped a season or two, but now seems as good a time as any for a new post. So much has happened since last I wrote (February?), but I'll try to keep this short-ish and Thailand-centric and share a bit more of the past few months in later posts. Every time I'm inspired to add to Franland I'm convinced, or rather hoping, that the inspiration will last and I'll finally get this whole blog thing rolling. Here's to hoping.

November was a good month -- a month of vacation, really -- so no complaints there. Max and I spent three weeks in southeast Asia; mostly Thailand and a bit of Cambodia. The entire trip was adventure-filled and I would recommend every leg of it.

The Grand Palace: Bangkok, Thailand

Wat Pho: Bangkok, Thailand

View of Wat Arun from Sala Rattanakosin Rooftop Bar: Bangkok, Thailand

Our hotel's rooftop pool: Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok was mesmerizing and chaotic and vast, but we only had time for a small part of it. We did Chinatown, the temples, the street markets, and a whole lot of wandering in what direction neither of us knew. It's a great city that warrants a longer trip, if only to try the varied street food.

Siem Reap was a really special place. Also chaotic, but peaceful, humbling, and really happy. Such friendly people and oh my god the vegan food is to die for. Thank you, Peace Cafe, for taking me in as one of your own. And then there's Angkor Wat; magical and expansive and such a gratifying experience to walk through a city of temples nearly 1000 years old.

Last but not least, there's Katie (love you, boo), one of my best friends from Vermont whose temporary residence in Cambodia partially prompted our vacation. Thank you for being the best tour guide and yoga teacher ever!!

Downtown Siem Reap, Cambodia

Lotus fields: Siem Reap, Cambodia

Rice paddies and floating villages: Siem Reap, Cambodia

Angkor Wat: Siem Reap, Cambodia

Next we made a quick stop in Khao Sok National Park for some jungle trekking and longboat tours, and finally we headed to my favorite place: the beach.

Khao Sok National Park, Thailand

Ko Lanta is an island on Thailand's Andaman coast, not yet overrun with tourists. We wanted something secluded, so we headed to the southwest of the island, where we spent ten days on Kantiang Bay in a bungalow directly on the beach. Turquoise, warm waters and a sprawling beach nearly all to ourselves made this place a perfect paradise.

Kantiang Bay: Ko Lanta, Thailand

View from our balcony: Kantiang Bay, Ko Lanta

Kantiang Bay, Ko Lanta

My morning ritual consisted of a very sweaty run, a breakfast of tropical fruit and a fresh coconut (freakishly obsessed with coconuts), and then a sunny beach lay. After a few hours of lounging and swimming, we'd have a bite to eat and hop on our motorbikes to explore different parts of the island. The best spots, aside from Kantiang Bay, were the other most southern beaches on the island. Bamboo Beach and Mu Ko Lanta National Park, in particular, were untouched beauties. After motorbiking we'd go back to our Kantiang paradise where we'd hit the beach again, this time with some fruity cocktails or cold beers from the local watering hole, Why Not Bar. Then came dinner, usually at one of our three favorite spots (more on that next post) and more fruity cocktails.