SIGHTS VIENTIANE LAOS

Has just arrived from a day and two nights in Vientiane, Laos or known to be as the city of Sandalwood in Southeast Asia.
It has been my second visit since last year of November when I exit for a Non-B visa purposes. Didn't get the chance to go around on my first trip there because of the rain that hindered me and to some of the foreigners who went to Laos just to obtain the same desire to get a visa at Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane Laos.
Since my school contract has just ended yesterday, exiting Laos is the main country in the eastern part of Asia for those who wish to get a long term visa extension and some visas.
Well, I don't wanna go into details of explaining about the process and why we need to go Laos, Cambodia or Malaysia for visa. That's just the way it is, the immigration in Bangkok refused to cater the needs of the foreigners if visa is the issue.
Now, lucky as it may seems my second exit to Laos was a bit fun when the opportunity to see the pride of the country was just beneath the distance of my eyes.
Without wasting time, I hit the road just where my feet leads me. Of course, I asked infos to the information clerk of the hotel where I stayed but the English and so as the accent was so bad and audibly hard to understand.
Anyway, I went around with two newfound friends from Philippines also enjoying a much needed trip.

CITIES ABOUT TO SINK

My school contract is over...now I am resting for a while and preparing myself to a new venture somewhere else. I am pretty sure of the place but not sure enough of God's approval, however I have this strong and positive feelings that God would send me there.
So much of that little drama in life, let me share with you this article that I have read in the internet that shocked me. As we all know that our planet is suffering for global warming and the polar caps is slowly melting because of our cruelty. We took advantage what the Lord has given and we never give back what He deserves.
Have to pause now and bring your serious attention to this shocking news:


"Many of us take for granted the notion that all of our beloved cities will be around for centuries to come. However, cities around the world seem to be vying for the title of "The Next Atlantis." Shaky foundations and encroaching seas are posing significant threats to some of the world's largest and most beloved cities. When planning your next vacation, keep in mind that some of the world's favorite destinations have a bit of a ticking clock on them. Here are seven major cities that are preparing to take the plunge.



#7: Bangkok, Thailand
Thailand’s capital is sinking — and sinking fast. However, unlike other cities on our list, a shoddy foundation isn’t necessarily to blame. Resting on the Chao Phraya River — which flows into the Bay of Bangkok about 30 miles south of the city center — this colossal settlement is more likely to drown than sink. Experts now say that this mouthwatering foodie destination — along with the dozens of beautiful temples found here — may be under water in as little as seven years.
According to Thai scientist Dr. Ajong Chumsai na Ayudhya, the fate of Bangkok can best be explained by global warming. Asia News Network reports that “Ajong said humans were mainly to blame for such disasters because they were using up natural resources, chopping down forests and kept emitting greenhouse gases with no regard for the future.” Ajong also says that changes in the earth’s overall climate will lead to more severe tsunamis in the Gulf of Thailand that will have extremely negative effects on the southern portion of the country. With less than a decade to spare, time might be running out for a trip to Thailand’s most popular tourist getaway.



#6: New York City, New York
If you've never seen the Statue of Liberty or been dazzled by the lights of Times Square, now's the time. Much like its Thai comrade, America’s most densely populated city is doomed to suffer the effects of global warming. Sitting at the mouth of the Hudson River where it flows into the Atlantic Ocean, this concrete jungle will soon be at a much higher risk of damage from rising sea levels and imposing tropical storms. And unlike the ones bobbing around in a barrel on Halloween, this Big Apple will not float.
Science Daily reports that the sea levels in the New York City area are expected to rise about twice as quickly as sea levels around the world, meaning that Gotham will take the plunge well before the rest of the United States. However, Science Daily says that flooding is just one of the symptoms New York will suffer: "The submersion of low-lying land, erosion of beaches, conversion of wetlands to open water and increase in the salinity of estuaries all can affect ecosystems and damage existing coastal development." Not only will the Empire City be transformed into a wading pool, but it will slowly be washed out to sea.



#5: Houston, Texas
Houston, we really do have a problem — soon, NASA's Visitor's Center won't only be stuck on Earth, but in it as well. The city that Fodor's deems is arguably Texas’ most cosmopolitan is struggling to stay above ground. Built on a gold mine of natural resources and the determination to flourish, Space City has become a major energy hub and the taking-off point for U.S. space exploration. However, America’s fourth-largest city was built on a foundation of sand. Literally.
Houston sits on the loosely packed banks of four major bayous that empty into the Gulf of Mexico. For years, residents of Houston relied on groundwater to fulfill their needs, but the mass amounts of extraction needed to supply the ever-expanding city weakened Houston’s foothold. Oil extraction was also damaging to the foundation, as was continuous sprawl, not to mention the 300 or so active fault lines that run beneath Houston’s streets and skyscrapers. Now, many parts of this metropolis — specifically Jersey Village to the northwest — are sinking by as much as two inches per year, according to Science Daily. Experts note that while sinking has slowed significantly in areas that have stopped extracting ground water, a permanent solution to Houston’s problem has yet to be found. If Houston is on your list of cities to see, you best prepare soon for take-off.



#4: Shanghai, China
Things aren't looking good for Shanghai, either. Located on China's coast, this sprawling city was built on swamplands surrounding the mouth of the Yangze River. Originally a small fishing village, Shanghai began to draw more and more residents in the mid-19th century. Modest homes were replaced by breathtaking skyscrapers (not to mention some of the best shopping venues in Asia), and Shanghai soon became the most densely populated city in the world, housing over 20 million people by 2001. The city was handling rapid expansion just fine until the early 20th century, when wells became a major source of water and the underlying sediment deposit was disturbed. According to PBS, Shanghai sank roughly eight feet between 1921 and 1965, which equals about two inches per year. The city still continues to drop at a rate of about half an inch per year.
According to experts, not much can be done to keep Shanghai above ground — the city is simply too heavy for its foundation. However, in an effort to slow the sinking process, all new high-rise buildings must be built with deep concrete piles to help support their weight. If you have any interest in seeing the architecture for which Shanghai is both famous and floundering, don't wait too long.



#3: New Orleans, Louisiana
When colonists chose New Orleans as the capital of French Louisiana, they did so because of its inland locale. However, any land protection the city had has been washed away, making America's favorite place to celebrate (approximately half of which sits at or below sea level) even more prone to tropical storms.
It wasn't until after Hurricane Katrina that experts really took note of New Orleans' downhill situation. In 2006, National Geographic reported that the city sank about a quarter of an inch per year in the years leading up to Hurricane Katrina, while the levees designed to protect the city from the Gulf sank at four or five times that rate, exacerbating the long-term effects of the storm. Experts say that not much can be done to save the Big Easy. According to a report issued in 2009 by the National Academy of Engineering and the National Research Council, "Levees and floodwalls surrounding New Orleans … cannot provide absolute protection against overtopping or failure in extreme events. … If relocation is not feasible, an alternative would be to elevate the first floor of buildings to at least the 100-year flood level." Just goes to show that there's never a time like the present to don your Mardi Gras mask and head south to Bourbon Street.



#2: Venice, Italy
It's been several hundred years since the Venetians decided to construct the towering St. Mark's Basilica and sprawling Piazza San Marco atop submerged wooden planks and forgo roads in favor of canals. Back in the day, the city's geography made sense: Direct access to the sea was necessary in order for Venitians to maintain control of commerce on the Mediterranean Sea. But the dig for fresh water proved to have a negative impact on this fish-shaped city: According to The Christian Science Monitor, Venice has sunk almost a foot over the past 100 years. To make things worse, water levels in the Mediterranean Sea are also rising. Although acqua alta (high water) has plagued this ornate tourist hotspot for centuries, flooding frequency has increased dramatically in recent years. Justin Demetri of LifeInItaly.com notes that Venice now experiences over 60 bouts of acqua alta each year.
Preserving Venice has been a priority of the Italian Government for about 30 years. Several billion euros have been dedicated to a flood defense system, the MOSE Project, which is expected to be completed in 2011 or 2012. However, some experts claim that the only way to save the city is to move it altogether. Either way, if you've always dreamed of a gondola ride through the Bride of the Sea, you had better do so soon with galoshes in tow.



#1: Mexico City, Mexico
Resting on a fickle lake bed in the Valley of Mexico, Mexico City has been facing the possibility of going under for centuries. However, according to geologists, there are parts of this massive metropolis that are sinking by as much as eight inches per year. Because of a lack of sufficient drainage, the city was heavily prone to flooding from groundwater flowing down from the surrounding mountains, leading to the construction of a vast underground drainage system. But over-extraction of groundwater from the Texcoco lake bed during the 20th century has caused the city's clay foundation to crumble, forcing the metropolis to sink deeper into the ground. And as the city sinks, so does the drainage system, forcing waste water to reverse its course and head back into the city. According to AZCentral.com, Mexico City's drainage capacity has decreased by 30 percent since 1975.
There are several projects underway to keep this sinking city afloat, including a 23-foot-wide ($1.1 billion) Eastern Drainage Tunnel that will deposit waste water about 40 miles north of the city. The tunnel should be completed by 2012. Work is also being done to help save the architectural gems — like the popular Metropolitan Cathedral — found in the Historic District, which are one of the city's major tourist draws. But despite best efforts, engineers say that there is no way to keep Mexico City from sinking."
(Source: Fourwinds )

WISH MAKER

It's been quite a while since I've last posted (Sorry for that, again). My lifestyle has been so different lately till now. I dunno why. I am getting so irritable, yet, trying to control it. October 6: It's the first week of the month. One week more to go and I am leaving (pretty soon) the place where I considered home for a year. It's kind of hard to believe that I survive for a year in a place that is so peaceful and no recreation to amuse myself. Right now,I just dunno where I'm going to go for the reason that I entrusted everything unto the Lord. I notice how this world changes for its goods. Although I stumbled and fall and is still does it, yet, I let God decide for me since my human-ness has no enough power to decide what's best for me. I wanted to go home and see my parents. My heart is bleeding and there's no cold night that I shed a dipper of tears how I miss them so badly. End of September, I went to Bangkok not just to go around and meeting friends, but I ran errands for such an essential job. Wish that God would grant me this time too. My contract supposedly lasted at the end of September but my headteacher asked me if I could still teach for two weeks in October. The students were expecting that I won't be visibly seen in the school by October, shocking as it is I told them that I am given two weeks more to go. Honestly, I'll be missing a lot of things in this little warm town and I just don't want to think of it. Yet, I know I have a lot of goals to accomplish before that. It's going to be a challenge as I am jobless and a floating for while, just as I am anticipating the result of my applications. If I could just lay on the carpet of green grass and watch the blue sky, daydreaming just I used to do in the Philippines my missingness and worries would be temporarily gone. Well, I entitle my blog "Wish Maker" 'coz I myself is a big wish maker since I learned to think deeply. The pictures here were recently taken.

 

HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE

I didn't know- why I entitled my blog today - Here, There and Everywhere. Maybe its because it's one of my fave songs popularized by the famous band of all time, the Beatles.

September 1-5 :
First week of September wasn't a good opening of the month for me. I was in the recuperating period. I got sick, had eaten an unwanted food that caused diarrhea. Being sick away from my family and my country was a tortured if I am going to imagine it. Thanks heaven it only lasted 5 days but the diarrhea lasted a week. I quickly lose weight & physically weak at that. Now, I am in full gear again.
September 11:
The second Saturday of the month was a blessing. I was invited by some common friends in Saraburi-northern part of Bangkok to join their Sabbath visitaion at the orphanage. We offered songs, Bible story, shirts to wear on and the church promised a mini soon library for the girls. After the service done, the entire group went to the park at the biggest water dam in Thailand. for nature communing till sundown.
September 18:
The English Club in our school headed by our department chair held a trip for the students who are English club members. We visited Siam museum in Bangkok to fill up the cultural knowings of the young studes. The museum preserves some of the artifacts of Thailand. In the museum itself you'll learn the origin of Thailand, their culture, religion and their ancestors strange worshiping to frogs during the old times.In there you'll see how the country evolves from such a poor country to Agricultural and embracing the fast chancing time technologically to the most top tourist destination in Asia. From Siam museum, we headed to JJ market or known to be Chatuchak market. We tried to huddle the crowd and bargaining. Chatuchak market is a famous weekend market in Thailand. Both locals & foreigners enjoying the not-so-cheap clothing to shoes, books and other souvenirs. The weather then didn't agreed to our fun trip, instead poured its strongest rain that made us wet & stopped our shopping. Part of the English trip was to acquaint the students about the things & what people do in the airport. We let the students to enjoy & feast their eyes watching the foreigners going here & forth. As the trip was a bit tiring because its more on route for walking, the Thai English teachers expressed their desire for food, our head teachers drove us to the hottest restos in Bangkok which the place was really good with English songs sang by local band(at last, I heard English songs). The food wasn't that sumptuous & palatable not mentioning the grandeur of the place. Our head teacher ordered the common ones and too bad for us SDA christians who don't eat pork which the food was more on porky served.














I've got two weeks more to stay in the school and most probably in Thailand. I am honestly enveloped with excitement readily venturing to another country. New challenges, environment, culture and everything to face. But what makes it more exciting is that I am gonna work as a missionary teacher. Can't proclaim it right now because it needs a lot of kneeling and hoping it'll materialized soon.
Sorry for the blog delayed..sometimes stress loses my appetite to write something down for my blog or think something what to write.

A YEAR WORTH OF DISTANCE

I may be scribbling this entry in advance prior to my end of contract this October but the chance of writing it while it's still warm and freshly intact in mind might be too late or gone to forgetting. It's my 11 months now here in Thailand and as if a year already. Didn't expect that I could survive for that long, knowing that I didn't ask God to send me here in Siam country. I can still clearly remember how reluctant I was to leave the Philippines to teach in Thailand. Loneliness, frustrations visibly painted on my face on that day which you couldn't really see any excitement in me though working abroad is really a dream. When I finally arrived here in Thailand, the more homesickness and directed down I felt that day. Sighing and deep audible breath of weariness was the only gesture of expression I could possibly utter, to say the least. First, two months were filled with begging to the Lord if He could possibly send me back to the Philippines that He may perform unusual miracles that may cause any rejections and disapproval of my visa and everything. Because He planned everything according to His gracious will, things went well, and let me stay. For my 10 and almost 11 teachings in Thailand aren't easy. Some part of it is enjoying & challenging, some are roller coaster rides. Of course, gaining new friends is another tool to consider why I still survive the roller coaster ride of homesickness. Traveling to Thailand's tourist sightseers was among the enjoyable adventures I have had. You can safely travel anywhere else without worrying about your safety. No pickpockets, swindlers nor hold-upper. Seeing those amazing temples, historical places, pagodas, and buddhas up close were kind of a perfect experience-sense of fun. My imagination runs wild when I took a week trip to Hongkong so as a one day visit to Macau. It was unexpected travel filled with savoring and joy in my heart that it came to reality. Amidst the simplicity of Thailand, working here is well worth telling. I might have regretted it by now if I didn't accept the challenge of teaching here. I would say, I may never get the chance of seeing Hongkong & Macau. A one year of teaching here in Thailand is a year's worth of distance a sea away from home.

 

BANGKOK WAT PRA KAEW-THE EMERALD BUDDHA

I am posting another photos about my visits to an important place in Bangkok. Visiting Wat Pra Kaew-The Emerald Buddha was an inspiring one so to speak, because I've been to this place but never get the chance of going inside around the compound since foreigners or tourists has to pay for the entrace fee. The fee was truly big for a teacher like me who just receiving a meager salary.
The temple is surrounded with concrete blocks avoiding intruders and enemies to get in during the old times.
Wat Pra Kaew is only adjacent to Wat Pho temple where the reclining buddha is located. Everytime I like to hit Wat Pho for relaxing, I always hoping that I could get inside without paying the entrance fee and see those wonderful temples around Wat Pra Kaew.
For my first attempt, the Tuk-tuk(tricyle in Philippines)that I got on dropped me rightly infront of the gate for Thai visitors or worshippers, but the guard on duty held me in my arms by pointing his finger towards to the main gate where the foreigners and tourists went in. Of course, I went inside and tried to get some photos and without any question I went directly to the entrance going to the temple which another person guarding the entrance asking me to buy a ticket.
To make it short, I attempted to get in to the gate for the second time pretending to be Thai but I was failed and recognized a foreigner.
To good to be true, our school thought of visiting Wat Pra Kaew as part of the educational places that our students should see which majority of them didn't know about the importance of this beautiful temple nor get the opportunity of seeing it personally.
Herewith is a bit description of the temple:

Wat Phra Kaew or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (officially known as Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram) is regarded as the most important Buddhist temple in Thailand. Located in the historic centre of Bangkok, within the grounds of the Grand Palace, it enshrines Phra Kaew Morakot (the Emerald Buddha), the highly revered Buddha image meticulously carved from a single block of jade. The Emerald Buddha (Phra Putta Maha Mani Ratana Patimakorn) is a Buddha image in the meditating position in the style of the Lanna school of the north, dating from the 15th century AD.
Raised high on a series of platforms, no one is allowed near the Buddha except HM the King. A seasonal cloak, changed three times a year to correspond to the summer, winter, and rainy season covers the statue. A very important ritual, the changing of the robes is performed only by the King to bring good fortune to the country during each season. The temple is beautifully decorated and has a great sense of peace about it

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Standing in front of the Chinese inspired god.



With Thai teachers and our students..



Hallway of Wat Pra Kaew temple.



Another giant Pagoda at Wat Pra Kaew.



The biggest Pagoda at Wat Pra Kaew.



Unminding the heat..just to get a photo shot.



Mini temples at the background.



Holy temple at Wat Pra Kaew.



A temple Under renovation...

DREAM WORLD-THEME PARK BANGKOK THAILAND

August 12 was Queen Sirikit's birthday and so it was holiday paying tribute to the most loved Queen of Thailand. And it happened that it fell on Thursday which was on the midweek so the Government announced Friday as holiday too down to week end.
Just right after my class in the afternoon I headed down to Bangkok to see new friends whom I just met in Bangkok. Pretty excited as I was awaiting for that four days no classes, I finally gave in to my friends invitation to come along with them at Dream World. It's Thailand biggest amusement park or Theme park.
Honestly, I am not much into amusement part or recreational park which I prefer land marks and historical places...well, something more on nostalgic and something that tells about the country per se'.
Since majority of my new friends wanted to spend the holiday at Dream World, and I was hesitant to say yes 'coz I was and I am on strictly saving a little monetarily.
Well, though the weather wasn't that good that time, we still went there and enjoyed the rides that I didn't dream of.
Dream World is a theme park which caters to both young and young at hearts :-) Most of the people who visit this place are students and families.One huge complex with lots of fun rides to try.
However, some of it were a bit scary and really puke you out..but I was enjoying myself specially to that one ride that I hated most..Hurricane.
So, here goes the pictures that we took there....indulge.


The entrance part of the park.


New friends whom I just met in Bangkok.


At the gate of the park.


A solo of myself before we went in.


Just at the heart of the park.


A Disneyland inspired...


Enjoying our picture taking before we splurged on.


Trying to get a bite..was already hungry then.


The rides that I hated most..however, managed to get on and partly enjoying.


Preparing ourselves before we were thrown out and shout at the top of our lungs.


Among the faves of mine..the Vikings..that's where my name was taken.