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September 17th 2009 - between Chanthaburi and Chonburi
In the morning, the usual habit pulls us out of bed and finally we decide to make another step forward to take not one, but two days to rest and to be able to answer all emails, to get back to shape and arrive at the scheduled appointment in Bangkok on September 22nd in the morning.
We cycle this time at a slightly slower pace, enjoying the lush Thai scenery and eventually join the seaside that we will not leave until our final destination.
The cheerful "hellos" of Cambodian children are quickly replaced by the barkings of dogs, which we sometimes race against for several hundred meters. Very surprising, this difference with Cambodia... There, the dogs watched us go quietly, and never barked.
We make a quick stop at the foot of a huge "Buddha" tree, used for offerings and meditation by Thai Buddhists. Beside the tree is a Spirit House; animist tradition deeply rooted in this Buddhist country. These buildings are in fact miniature traditional Thai houses, mounted on one or more pillars. Many Thais believe when a family builds a new house, that there is always the possibility that they have disturbed the spirits who live on the property. To protect their new home from damages, harm or retaliation, some Thai families put up a living pole.
A little further, it is a temple which attracts our attention. New stop. We take this opportunity to quench our thirst. It's getting hot, the sun replaced the rain with our greatest happiness.
We rode a little over 100 km. Even if we are physically on the "Siamese" ground, our thoughts are kind of somewhere in Cambodia, recalling the welcome of this population which was so warm. We think regularely about the families we met, about all the smiling children, walking barefoot, working in fields or markets or those a bit more lucky going to the village school.
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