Despite the strife and discord throughout our world these days, Thailand is either ignoring it or is coping with it better than most western countries such as Canada or the US. At least that is my impression since I’ve been back to the “The land of smiles”. The two weeks I have been in Chiang Mai, for what is now my fifteenth time, have given me the time I needed to see if those impressions are true or not.
As some of you may already know, Thailand was once two separate Kingdom’s….Lanna in the north and Siam to the south. Lanna is actually an older dynasty than Siam dating back to its founding in 1296. Over the years amid many wars with their Burmese neighbours, Siam gradually incorporated Lanna into their kingdom which they called the Northern Provinces. In 1949 Lanna officially became a part of Siam which was then named Thailand. Although united physically by land, the Lanna culture still thrives in the north especially in Chiang Mai. One more interesting little tidbit is the meaning of the word Lanna: “Land of a million paddy fields”. After all Thailand is one of the world’s largest suppliers of rice so this translation is aptly named.
The north and the south remain quite different in many ways because of their past history. Bangkok has always been the capitol of what is today Thailand. The Royal dynasty makes their home there, the seat of their government too, and it has a much larger population. It is the centre of Thailand’s manufacturing and big business, thus, attracting more people who want to work and live there from all parts of Southeast Asia. Add to that, it is nearer to all those gorgeous beaches and islands that have made Thailand such an attraction for tourism.
With this smattering of history and culture for those of you who have never visited Thailand and would like to, I hope you have gained a bit more valuable knowledge about what makes this country so special. Now back to my story about my fifeteenth arrival to Chiang Mai over two weeks ago which is indicative of the kindness of the Thai. First of all, there were staff planted in various strategic places to meet me when I got off my plane to direct me in the direction I needed to go to fetch my luggage. I suspect it did have something to do with a sticker saying I was a senior. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful welcoming touch. When I reached the carousel, there was my bag just waiting for me. What a relief since the thought of not finding it there is always on my mind. My first task before looking for a taxi or shuttle is to always buy a plan for my cell phone which this time took all of ten minutes if not less. I also had enough baht with me so I didn’t have to go to the ATM for money. However, the icing on the cake for this tired traveller was to have the owner of the hotel where I am staying there to greet me. As soon as I settled into her car, I could feel the fatigue and anxiety which had built up after two nights of flying over here just melt away. I definitely felt like I was coming home. In case anyone reading this is looking for a wonderful place to stay where you will be treated like family take a look at it on http://booking.com. Look for Ban PongPhan and discover what this family offer for an enviable 9.5 rating.
Yes, I am happy and so thankful to be back and settled into the welcoming Thai culture. Their smiling faces and their courteous ‘weis’ {hands together at the heart with a head bow} along with a friendly greeting of ‘sawadeeka’ is a great start which we ‘farangs’ {foreigners} learn the first time we visit. I should, however, mention that theThai really are masters at putting on a brave front or saving face as they call it. It’s the Asian way but it’s also important to them because so many depend on our tourist dollars. However, the truth is that behind those smiles that I keep referring to, not just in this post but others I have written, the reality is that it’s often a cover up for much emotional turmoil within them which has built up over the centuries. Men today are showing the worst of this by resorting to violent acts of all kinds. The truth is coming out as reported recently in the newspapers of the increase in acts of violence and murder which are becoming every day news items moreso in the south than in the north. Unfortunately, women are the target of the men who might be a father or a husband who drinks too much so are speaking out and saying to them, they’ve had enough. I wrote a post last year about Thai women entitled Impressive Thai Women which addresses this change occurring with Thai women.
Tourism has morphed into one of Thailand’s important money makers over the years and all the signs are there that they are counting heavily on its future. However, there is another dark side to this silver lining which is, I am sorry to say, showing its ugly head as evidenced in the latest news. The Chinese recently uncovered one of those dark spots which resulted in an order from their government not to travel to Thailand this year. Apparently the story is that many young Chinese men wanting to have the freedom that Thailand can offer them along with a good salary decided to apply for those good paying jobs being offered here, only to find out when they arrived that it was all a scam. They found themselves being forced into menial jobs instead. Naturally this has left a bad taste with them so the government has discouraged them from coming to Thailand as a tourist.
Enough of what is hidden behind the smiles and kindness of the Thai people which is what they are famous for and has attracted so many of us over the years. Sure they have their faults, but no one that I know can honestly say that they’ve been mistreated by a Thai person. More than likely, it’s been some tourists whom I have seen mistreating them, especially the tuk tuk drivers. I have learned to smile to all the Thai I meet and once that is done, chances are I won’t be bothered by them. Of course, there are always some very cunning and brave Thai who will try to lure you into going on a shopping spree instead of taking you to your destination. This is an old ploy long used in the big cities like Bangkok. I have personally never experienced this in Chiang Mai. In fact, when I return it’s always a surprise to me when they seem to recognize and even remember where it was they first met me going back to several years ago.
It’s been more than a year since I posted an article about the community of Cornwallis Park the place where I chose to take on the responsibilities of a house owner once again. Although happy with my new home, I have been dismayed by the challenges facing this community and how the residents were meeting them. All I could see was the potential here that was being ignored. Little communication among the residents, apathy, and negative thinking was keeping them stuck in a place which would no longer help them to move forward to meet any of the challenges that would be facing them. It wasn’t my idea of what a community was supposed to be.
When I begin to feel the stress of everyday living, one of the best things I can do is to get outside and head for either the beach or the trees which are both only a fifteen minute walk from my house. I’ll bet that anyone who lives in a the city might think that quite wonderful and be envious. I agree that it is, but I have a terrible confession to make… I don’t do this enough. Why is that when I am retired and only have myself to care for? Could it have something to do with not having enough time, or might it be a bit of laziness, sometimes forgetfulness, or some other lame excuse? Regardless for what the reason is for my not getting in touch with nature more often when it’s right at my doorstep, the one thing I am certain of is that when I make time for a walk in nature, I return home feeling invigorated and more at peace. And, yes,I am more motivated to write about it on my blog.
Where has the time gone! I can’t believe that my last blog was published at the end of April over three months ago. It’s no wonder that feelings of guilt have been knocking at my door. Of course, I am as guilty as any decent human being for making up excuses about why we aren’t doing what we know deep down we ought be doing. Okay, perhaps I am being a bit harsh on myself because I need to acknowledge the fact that with the arrival of spring, I needed to get my veggie garden started. By June my transplants had to be put in and before I could catch my breath lettuce, spinach, and other greens were all begging to be picked. My days were consumed by my gardening and attempts to do a bit of landscaping around my property. Dare I compare gardening to a battle that just seems to get a little bit more difficult every year? The other battle I had to overcome was the plain and simple fact that I had lost my mojo to write. I could blame this on COVID, rampant inflation, unpredictable weather, along with myriad other reasons, but I won’t because the truth of it was that I felt I didn’t really have anything to write about. I hadn’t travelled anywhere for over a year and was faced with the glaring reality that my travelling days were probably over forever.
Many years ago when I was a student at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, I spent two of my summers working at Keltic Lodge in the Cape Breton Highlands. Cape Breton is an island connected by a causeway to the province of Nova Scotia. Today it’s considered as one of the world’s ‘go to’ places to visit. I am not surprised that it has gained this honour because it definitely deserves to be on that list. However, when my university friend whose family came from the Parrsboro Shore on the mainland of Nova Scotia called it ‘a little Cape Breton’, I was doubtful. Nothing could match what I had seen and experienced for those two summers I spent in Cape Breton. So after fifty years, I decided to check out what she said for myself.
At the same time, I wanted to learn more about why this area has recently won the distinction of becoming a UNESCO site making it another of our world’s wonders needing to be protected. For starters, it can visibly trace its history back to prehistoric times and beyond. Yes, it’s where you can find dinosaur remains and other fossils in abundance. It’s not only a geologist’s delight but also one for our young dinosaur lovers.
Parrsboro Shore with NB gray area upper left.
Today this area stretching from Truro to Cape Chignecto is called the Fundy Geopark. The village of Parrsboro, the Geopark, and surrounding area form a large chunk of land close to our neighbouring province of New Brunswick separated only by the Bay of Fundy. This map of Nova Scotia shows New Brunswick, the gray bit to the north, Prince Edward Island just to the right of that, and finally Cape Breton, the green area on the right.
I am going to digress here a little bit to explain how vulnerable this area is to the effects of our changing climate. NB and NS are connected by the Isthmus of Chignecto which is a narrow strip of low lying marshland. It’s not surprising that it is being slowly eroded by our frequent wind and rain storms which get worse every year. If some kind of action isn’t taken soon, all of Nova Scotia including Cape Breton could easily become an island separating us from the rest of Canada.
For me the best way to travel around Nova Scotia is to stick to the scenic routes to really see what this province has to offer and to get a sense of its history. The day I set out from my home in the Valley, on the western side of the province facing the Bay of Fundy, it was sunny. As I went further north and had hooked on to the scenic highway 214 commonly known as the Noel Shore, the skies began to darken and within minutes I heard the unmistaken sound of hailstones hitting the roof of my car, instantly followed by a deluge of rain which brought me to a dead halt. Thank goodness, it didn’t last long and by the time I reached Noel, the sun had reappeared.
A “Flower Pot” island on the Noel Shore.
Spotting an eye-catching sign naming a place called Burntcoat Head, a place I had never heard of before, I decided to stop. Here I got my first glimpse of the unique rock formations, commonly called ‘flower pots’ which the Bay of Fundy is famous for in the southern part of New Brunswick. Unfortunately, the tide was on its way in so I couldn’t walk the ocean floor to look for fossils. Signs were posted everywhere reminding us to not go down the steep stairs since the tide comes in so quickly and can leave you stranded.
My next stop was the town of Truro where I was going to stay for a night with another Mount Allison friend. We had five years of catching up to do. The following morning, she took me on quick tour of the town which included a visit to Victoria Park, a 3,000 acre natural park in the centre of town. As we walked up the stairs to see the two waterfalls, I was reminded of the fun times I had when my father took me, my brother, and my grandmother in his old black plymouth for a Sunday picnic to this wonderful park.
Leaving Truro the next day, I had to get back on the main highway to connect to Highway 2 now known as the Glooscap Trail. This road will take you through several small villages of note with lovely views of the Minas Basin an adjunct of the Bay of Fundy. The first village, unfortunately, happens to be Portapique. For those who don’t know about Portapique, two years ago this community was literally attacked by a mad gunman, dressed up in police uniform and driving a police car who went on a rampage killing 22 people. Today, it is reported as one of the worst crimes in Canadian history.
The next village is Bass River famous for the Bass River Chair Co. which manufactured and shipped caned-back chairs worldwide until its closing in 1989 after a succession of disastrous fires. One of the original buildings is still there operating as a General Store along with a small museum where you can find many pieces of their fine furniture.
A little further on is the Dutchman’s Cheese Farm in the village of Economy where you can buy the owner’s famous ‘dragon’s breath’ cheese. As the road veered closer to the water, I spied the scenic Five Islands in the distance. Here you will find a popular and well equipped Provincial Park for RV owners and campers providing all the amenities for outdoor living, a spectacular view of the islands, and another opportunity to walk the ocean floor…if the tide is out! Yes, walking on the beaches and looking for fossils are activities around the Bay of Fundy dictated by its tides.
Furthermore, this is Mi’kmaq land as much of Nova Scotia once was. Legends galore exist with their tales of how much of what we see today was created by Glooscap, their Chief. In the distance, you can see Cape Blomidon on the other side of the Basin where he resided. Legend has it that the Five Islands grew from the sticks that he threw at a beaver damming up his medicine garden. He trapped the beaver and turned him into a lump of gold. Such legends are fun to read and can be found in bookstores and tourist sites around the province.
My final stop that day was Parrsboro where I had made reservations to stay at the stately Gillespie House Inn.There is much choice when it comes to finding a lovely B&B in this town. I was totally satisfied with my tastefully furnished room, the huge breakfasts, and the peaceful garden for relaxing after a busy day of driving and sightseeing.
After I had settled in, I decided to take a quick tour of the town before dinner. What really caught my attention was the bits of artwork scattered everywhere: in the Service Park with its gazebo and notice board for the town’s activities, on gates connecting some of the old buildings, on the telephone poles, on fences, some houses, and even their recycling bins all lending an atmosphere of quaint and thoughtful creativity.
However, one noticeable thing lacking was places to eat right in town. Two I knew of were outside the town so you would have to take a car. If you didn’t want to do that there were three places you could walk to: a brewery with an outdoor patio which had the most action, the Black Rock Bistro where I ate which was okay, and, if you wanted coffee and a donut, there was a Tim Horton’s constructed in a house making it look like all the neighboring houses.
I have been referring to Parrsboro as a town but it’s now become a village which isn’t surprising. Its heyday as a major shipping centre in this part of the province is long gone, leaving it with little industry other than tourism and a population of a little over 1,000. Nevertheless, there is still much to attract tourists despite its size and being a little off the beaten track.
The Ship’s Company Theatre
There is the Ship’s Company Theatre drawing patrons from all parts of the province with a cast of talented locals, the ever popular Fundy Geological Museum, the Ottawa House Museum, once the summer home of Sir Charles Tupper one of Canada’s prime ministers, a golf course, and Partridge Island which really isn’t an island as it’s connected by a causeway to the town/village. For outdoor enthusiasts, there are hiking trails, a beach for fossil hunting , and guided tours either by foot or by boat.
The following day which would be my last, dawned as a perfect summer day. I had so much more to see so got off to an early start beginning with the Geological Museum on the edge of town just before the causeway linking it to Partridge Island. I wanted to find out what Nova Scotia looked like millions of years ago, more about the colliding continents, and the prehistoric creatures and dinosaurs who roamed our earth.
It’s mind boggling that we can trace the beginning of life on earth to more than 45 million years ago. Scientists figure our earth has gone through five extinctions and I wasn’t surprised to find out that we are now in our sixth. A perfect museum for all ages, you can learn more by clicking on the following link http://www.novascotia.com
Which ones would you choose?
Having enough information crammed into my brain and seeing that the tide was on its way out, I decided to do a bit of beach combing. What an opportunity to look for some fossils! Minerals, stones, agates, some gems, such as agates and amethysts, or you might even be lucky enough to find a fossil hidden somewhere on this beach. I had read that we were only allowed to take a few as souvenirs. Such a difficult choice as I was tempted to take all of them.
Cape Blomidon from top of the trail
Feeling the need for some more strenuous exercise after my hearty breakfast, I took the 1.5km trail over the mountain….more like a steep hill actually but in Nova Scotia we like to call them mountains….to get a good view of Cape Blomidon…remember, Gloosecap’s birth place… which looked so close to where I was just across the Basin. Benches strategically placed to capture incredible views are available for resting, as well as a lookout tower at the top of the trail, makes this a perfect walk.
The Ottawa Museum
Time now for another change of pace so I decided to pay a quick visit to the Ottawa House one of the province’s oldest Georgian houses which for over a century served as a country inn and general store under the ownership of the Ratchford family. Sir Charles Tupper, a well known physician, Premier of Nova Scotia, a Father of Confederation, and for a short time, Prime Minister of Canada bought this house as a summer residence.Today as a museum, it gives us a peek into Tupper’s life as well as the seafaring, lumbering, and cultural history of Partridge Island and the entire Parrsboro Shore.
After a quick snack on the veranda of this gracious old home with the fantastic view, I needed to get back on the Glooscap Trail or I would never have time to see all that I had planned. My next stop was Advocate Harbour where you can access the Cape Chignecto Park.
Basically a huge wilderness park, this is a hiker’s haven for those who are fit and have at least three days to complete the 53 km loop trail which from all reports may be too rigorous for some but definitely rewarding for its natural environment. Here you will encounter steep cliffs, deep valleys, sheltered coves, fossil remains, rare plants, and old growth forest. It can easily rival many of the trails in Cape Breton.
On the Fault with red rocks behind me.
I had just enough time before the tide came in to walk down to the beach for a view of the red rocks and the Cobequid Fault, a remnant of the Pangea era when our continents were colliding with one another. For some time we have known that we were once joined to North Africa. Now are emerging into the Age of Pangea Ultima where the continents will again come together to form a larger land mass. All of this is explained in the museum I had visited in the morning.
With the end of the day and closing time for some places fast approaching, I had to make another decision. Would it be to continue on to Eatonville to a lookoff point where you can witness another iconic rock formation called the Three Sisters or turn back and make a quick detour on a gravel road leading to the Cap d’Or Coastal Park?
Captivating view of Cap d’Or
After descending a steep hill, I am greeted by another of the Bay of Fundy’s fantastic views. Here your breath might be taken away by the rugged cliffs on both sides and down below a narrow spit of land projecting out into the Bay giving you an idea of the force of the high tides that the Bay is famous for.
Cap d’Or’s iconic lighthouse and restaurant.
The only sign of civilization is the lighthouse and two other buildings. I found out that one of those buildings is the original home of the lighthouse keeper now operating as a rustic restaurant with 15 windows which give diners one fantastic view. According to the few people I spoke to who had all been there before, the food is freshly made from local produce with chowder and fresh fish as their specialty. However, reservations have to be made ahead of time.
Although my visit to the Parrsboro Shore was short and at times hectic trying to see everything, I came away learning so much more about my province. Here you truly get a sense of its ancient history well before the arrival of our first inhabitants… the Mi’Kmaq. I was also impressed with how well our tourism department has promoted it. Much thanks should go to the dedicated group of people who cared enough to keep pursuing for many years their UNESCO designation. They have definitely put this part of our province on the map as one more of Nova Scotia’s prime tourist attractions. Finally, let’s extend our thoughts of gratitude to Mother Earth who has gifted this entire region with so many of her wonders. There is a definite sense of peace and serenity prevailing over this land once ruled by Glooscap, the Chief of the Mi’kmaq. To my mind, it was well worth a visit for those who care about our history and our future.
BetsTravelsAbout 