North Eastern Thailand

On July 25, 2011, In Uncategorized, By Owen Jones

I met my wife while on vacation in Pattaya, which is about 45 minutes south of the new international airport by taxi and the airport is around halfway to Bangkok. I met her on the first day I arrived on a double date with a friend who was already there. Within a couple of weeks she took me back to meet her family in what I later found to be north-eastern Thailand.

Isaan is known as north-eastern Thailand as well, which is actually confusing because where we are is further north but not so far east. Anyway, most people who call Isaan the north east live in Bangkok and Pattaya, the two big hang-outs for foreigners (called farang or falang in Thai), and we are all north-east from there.

One look at the map and you will see what I mean. If you travel north out of Bangkok, eventually you will come to Phitchit, which is officially the beginning of the north and the northern people as they call themselves.

Then comes Phitsanulok, at one time a capital of Thailand. Another 40 kilometres north is Sukhotai and Sri Satchenali, Thailand’s first capital and the spiritual home of Thailand. The original city is still there, uninhabited and largely restored.

I live in the next province to the east called Uttaradit, which borders on Laos to the east and the old mountain kingdom of Nan to the north. About 10% of the population of Nan are of the various Hill Tribes. One of these, the Mlabri, are nomadic hunter gatherers who live in temporary shelters fashioned from branches and leaves. Until very recently, they were living a stone-age life and their language had never been heard by Westerners before 1978 as far as we know.

This is 250 km north-east from where I live. Sukhotai is about 30 km east. So much difference within 300 km. This area was part of the old kingdom of Lanna, which translates as ‘ a million rice fields’ or even ‘millions of rice fields’. Phichai or Fort Phichai, 12 km away, used to be the capital of Uttaradit province. Phraya Phichai Dap Hak (Phichai of the two-handed swords) fought here in the late 18th Century. He is Thailand’s most esteemed and well-known warrior.

Anyway, I live in amongst all this lot. Unfortunately, I do not speak Thai well enough for anyone to give details of it to me and nobody that I know speaks English well enough to do it either. Even my wife. I wish I knew more about this intriguing area where very very few foreigners ever venture.

There are five of us here at the moment in a 20 km radius. An English teacher, a Canadian teacher, a retired Dutchman and a retired Englishman and me. Often there is an Irishman and another Canadian, but they have gone home for a spell. I normally do not see a foreigner or hold a full conversation for weeks on end. And I love it here.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a lot of topics, but is now involved with Khao Phansa – The Candle Festival. If you would like to know more, please visit our web site at Package Holidays to Thailand.

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The US Virgin Islands

On May 10, 2011, In Uncategorized, By Owen Jones

The US Virgin Islands came into America’s possession in 1917 after Denmark sold the Danish West Indies to it for $25m in gold. At the time, the USA was worried that the Germans would gain control of the islands and use them as a base from which to launch attacks on America.

The status of the US Virgin Islands is one of an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States. This means the residents of the US Virgin Islands are US citizens, but cannot vote in US presidential elections. Therefore, US citizens do not need a passport to visit the US Virgin Islands.

The US Virgin Islands are part virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward islands of the Lesser Antilles along with the British Virgin Islands. The three main islands of this American territory are called Saint Croix, Saint John and Saint Thomas. There is also a much smaller island called Water Island. All together, there are about 60 islands with a total surface area of 133.73 square miles, although most of the islands are uninhabited.

The four main islands of the US Virgin Islands are known to their residents by nicknames. These are ‘Twin City’ (St. Croix); ‘Rock City’ (St. Thomas); ‘Love City’ (St. John) and ‘Small City’ (Water Island) and their total population was 108,612 in the 2000 census.

Since the 1960′s, the islands turned their focus from agriculture to heavy industry and tourism and the US Virgin Islands are a very popular destination for American tourists and honeymooners. It is very easy for Americans to get there because a passport is not required, the islands are only 1,730 miles east south-east of Miami, the currency is the US dollar and everybody speaks English.

The islands enjoy an arid, pleasant climate. The average temperature in the capital, Charlotte Amelie, is 33c in the summer and 30c in the winter. September to November are the wettest months and February and March are the driest. The USVI are subject to hurricanes. Hurricane Hugo in 1989 was particularly devastating, but the islands were also hit in 1998, 1999 and 2008.

Tourism is the industry that most of the islanders are engaged in and about 2,000,000 people visit every year, many of them on cruise liners. St Thomas and St Croix are the best equipped to deal with tourists offering hotels and resorts along with lovely beaches and fine restaurants. Water sports are the main activity, although tourists can also hire horses or jeeps to discover the interior of the US Virgin Islands.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with St Croix Virgin Islands. If you are interested in St Croix Vacation Rentals in the US Virgin Islands, please click through to our site.

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San Diego: What To Do In America’s Finest City

On October 19, 2010, In Uncategorized, By Coleen Smith

The eighth largest city in the United States and the second largest in California, San Diego is a very popular place to visit. It has ideal weather year round, many different types of attractions, and terrain that varies from mountains to coastline. If you are planning a vacation here, read on to see what all there is to see and do!

One of the most exciting things about this area is its over seventy miles of beautiful beaches and coastline. Some of the best scenery, swimming, and sunbathing in the region is right there. Coronado Beach and the historic Hotel Del Coronado have been popular for decades because of their breathtaking beauty. Of course this is but one of over twenty in the county! For those who love the ocean, there are pleny of water activities available, including surfing, water skiing, diving, whale watching and fishing.

San Diego offers some of the very best zoos and aquariums in the world, making it very popular with animal lovers. It is home to one of the few locations of Sea World in North America. There, you can view all types of marine animals in their exhibits and even take in shows where the dolphins, killer whales, and seals are the stars! The famous San Diego zoo also calls this wonderful town home. The Wild Animal Park is huge and animals can be seen in the African and Asian exhibits.

Sports fans will definitely find plenty to interest them. Catch a Chargers game during football season. If you’re more of a baseball fanatic, the Padres team resides within the city limits! Should you want to take a more active part, there are several world class golf courses around as well. You can find basketball and tennis courts to play on with ease. And don’t forget the wide variety of water sports, both at pools and in the ocean. The out of doors is the most popular place for sports here because the weather is almost always nice.

For those of you that would like to take in some local culture and history, there are many different types of tours available throughout the county. Depending on where you are, you may be traveling by boat, bike, segway, or even a trolley. See the city’s beauty and learn its history. Learn about the over four hundred species of birds found here, go whale-watching, or maybe go brew hopping at the different breweries!

Nightlife and gaming are alive and well in San Diego. Well, you’re in luck because this is also home to several world-class casinos! Play the slots, blackjack, poker and more. Visit the Harrah’s Rincon Casino and Resort for over 1600 slots, sixty tables games, eight eateries, and over six hundred hotel rooms!

There is also a large variety of exciting and educational museums found within the city. There’s something here for everyone: cultural history, art, natural history. With it’s rich military history, maritime, space and air museums are a given. One of the most popular is the San Diego Natural History Museum, and with good reason. It has a well deserved and very good reputation.

Much adventure, excitement, beauty, and fun awaits you in America’s Finest City. Don’t delay any longer! Get out there and have a great vacation!

San Diego Kids Activities Archery Range San Diego

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Saint Croix: One Of The US Virgin Islands

On August 28, 2010, In Uncategorized, By Owen Jones

Saint Croix is the biggest of the US Virgin Islands although the capital city, Charlotte Amelie, is located on St Thomas. Saint Croix itself has two towns Frederiksted (pop. 830) and Christiansted (pop. 3,000). The name of the island derives from the original Spanish name given by Christopher Columbus in 1493 – Santa Cruz or ‘Holy Cross’. As Santa Cruz, Saint Croix gets a lot of mention in swashbuckling stories of pirates and buccaneers sailing on the Spanish Main.

The populace before the Europeans arrived was Arawak and Carib and they had probably been there since about 5000 BC. After 1493 the population of the Caribbean became embroiled in a 100 years war with the Spanish and the kind of people living on the island changed forever.

Saint Croix has been owned and therefore predominantly occupied by the Spanish, The British, the French, the Dutch, the Maltese and the Danish all of whom had slaves and plantations

The slaves were manumitted in 1848, but many chose to stay on Saint Croix. Descendants of slaves still live on the island. The total populace of the island is now roughly 60,000.

English is the official language and is the most commonly spoken, although there is also some Spanish, French Creole and Virgin islands Creole, better known as Crucian, which is spoken by most inhabitants in informal situations.

This Hispanic segment of the Crucian populace is mostly of Puerto Rican lineage. The US bought Vieques from Puerto Rico during the Second World War and evicted its inhabitants. Many moved to St Croix because of its similarity to Vieques. These people have integrated well, but also kept a few of their old customs. They usually speak a mixture of Spanish and Crucian English in a distinctive form of Spanglish.

Continental Americans make up about 13% of the population and mostly live on the eastern side of St Croix. Arab Palestinians are also a sizeable minority owning most of the petrol stations and supermarkets on St Croix. Other modern immigrants have come from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and the Philippines.

There has been some tension between immigrants and those calling themselves ‘real Crucians’, but it has largely evaporated due to intermarriage. There have been attempts to define a ‘real Crucian’.

The issue seems to have been sorted out when in 2009, the proposed U.S. Virgin Islands Constitution voted by the Fifth Constitutional Convention laid down three definitions of U.S. Virgin Islanders: “Ancestral Native Virgin Islander”, who have ancestral ties (and their descendants); “Native Virgin Islander”, who were born on the island (and their descendants); and “Virgin Islander”, who are any United States citizen who has lived in the region for five years.

Christianity, in the guise of Protestantism is the main religion, although the Hispanic community is Roman Catholic. There are also small groups of Jews and followers of Rastafari, Islam.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with St Croix Virgin Islands. If you are interested in St Croix Vacation Rentals in the US Virgin Islands, please click through to our site.

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