one of the bridges.  doesn't it look so inviting!

 

The greenhouse at the park.  I like how the bricks are smaller here.

Adult Playground

 

Yesterday we went to a park that is adjacent to the university campus.  It took a while to find the entrance but once we were inside it was so beautiful!  The plants are so different from home.  The park had water catchment areas that were shaped like canals that ran throughout the park.  Palms and other wacky trees lined the canals and very whimsical bridges went across them.  There was a big run/walk track that went all the way around.  There was a greenhouse where they grew things to plant.  

But, the best thing was the adult playground for exercise!  There were these things that looked like playground stuff that were all exercise equipment.  Each one had a sign that said (I'm assuming) how to use it and what it does.  They were in a little circle so it was easy to move on to the next one.  THEY WERE SO FUN!  America needs adult playgrounds.  I'm hoping this sort of thing is in all the city parks, not just this one.  

Come to Bangkok for Transportation Planning!

 

These are little truck taxis they have in the suburbs.  there are also buses but if the buses cost $.50 to ride, these are like $0.15 to ride.  really cheap and easy and kind of fun, like riding in the back of a pickup truck!  they are numbered and have routes too.

BIKES!!!

 

i LOVE LOVE LOVE the bikes here.  they are in every color and there is usually a seat on the rear tire and two pegs at the wheel for another person.  And, there are some with little seats at the front for kids.  I want these bikes in America (or, A-MER-EE-GAAAAAAAAAAAA, in thai)

Streets

 

This is the street in front of the university.  I love how the streets are lined with cramped, tiny shops with as much green as possible.  There are trees and flowers and plants EVERYWHERE!  7/11 is just off the right side.  And, they drive on the "wrong" side of the road.  Pedestrians don't usually cross at street level, there are bridges over the street every so often, which is where I took this photo.  Some people do cross just anywhere and I fear for their lives because all the drivers are crazy and traffic laws are really just suggestions.

View from my room

 

A little hazy but that's downtown Bangkok.  Definitely not "monocentric" HA HA HA CITY PLANNING!

My Current Home: KMUTT

 

Sawatdee Ka!  (that's hello is Thai)  I am staying in a guest house on the campus of KMUTT.  It's in the "suburbs" of Bangkok so we haven't had many chances to check out the city.  But the area around the campus is still pretty lively so we've gone out around here.  I like how the picture is a little cloudy--the camera lens got a little foggy because it's so humid out.  The frst day we moved in, we had two student guides give us a tour of campus and of the local night market.  It was just an open-air market that sold all sorts of things.  It had a huge area just of food so we ate there.  The language barrier is pretty steep so we just kind of pointed and our guides ordered for us.  

We also went to a grocery store which was super exciting!  The group was all girls because only the girls are staying on campus (not sure why) and all of us were silly in the fruit section---we filled our baskets with the craziest looking stuff!  I've been enjoying Rambutans (which sounds like nuhhhhhhh in Thai, seriously) and cheap cheap pineapple.  There are 7/11's everywhere which is convienent for when they serve us lunch and it is the tiniest sandwich.  My favorite 7/11 drink so far is this juice box of pomegranate juice with a splash of soy milk called a "juice latte."  

KMUTT is a nice place--all the buildings are so interesting:  every side has some major sunscreens and the bottom floors have deep porches that are always being used.  The building rooms are airconditioned but on every floor, the corridors/"Guts" are open.  My guest house (which is just a dorm) room has a grea panoramic view of downtown Bangkok, which I will post now!

Welcome to Bangkok!

I'm HERE! a quick note: what a long flight! i didn't sleep much so I'm a little delirious right now. Also, it's HOT. SO HOT. And HUMID. It's also crazy busy. There is so much activity on the streets all the time. And they're packed with people and carts full of food and drinks. We went to a supermarket today and went a little nuts in the fruit section. I don't know the name of what I tried but it looked like alien flesh and it was delicious! Well, I should go to bed now....some photos coming soon!

Ready to go!

All packed and ready to go! I fly out tomorrow morning. I know I'm forgetting something but it will have to be a surprise when I get to Thailand! I'm definitely ready to get this summer adventure STARTED!

WHAT AM I DOING?

So what, exactly, am I doing in Thailand??

I am a 2nd-year graduate student in City and Regional Planning at UNC in Chapel Hill, NC. This summer, I have been awarded a position in the TRAI Internship program, which is through the Kenan Institute Asia, part of the Kenan-Flagler Business School on campus.

I am working with a team of 5 other planning and business students to create a master plan for sustainable redevelopment of one of the provinces hit by the 2005 Tsunami. The Phang-Nga province, just north of Phuket,is a world-reknowned tourist destination. It's supposed to be one of the most beautiful places in the world and a lot of its unique ecology and natural resources are what brings so many tourists to the area. We will work with local governments, business owners, residents, and other stakeholders to create a plan for future development that protects the ecosystems and also supports the tourism industry.

The TRAI program has other teams that are working on different aspects of the tourism industry in the area: some are focuing on accomodating different types of tourists or the entrepreneurial side of tourism. It is an ongoing program that brings students over every summer.

I'll be living in Bangkok and making trips to the region. I may also do some other traveling and sight-seeing! I love exploring new cities, especially by foot so you can take in the full street life.

(photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenk1977/204098067/)

things i'll miss....continued

the grizzly bear show in june at cats cradle*! this is my favorite band ever, for all time, hands down. when i was a tween (hah), i loved boy bands. i like to think of grizzly bear as my grown-up boy band.

*john has promised to get me a tour shirt so its ok. and, i'll never forget the time we drove to toronto to see them open for radiohead.

more things i'll miss...

things i'll miss while i'm gone, sports edition....

watching the hurricanes play the pittsburgh penguins for the eastern conference championship!!!
the monaco formula one race: i've BEEN there, i want to see it for real.
other sports events i look forward to searching out in bangkok: the french open and wimbledon. i cheer for marat safin and tsonga.

things i won't miss...
driving.

things i'm happy happened today....
visa was received! it looks so cool and exotic and shiny!

Even though I will be leaving Durham shortly, here is an awesome new city guide, created by a classmate's GF and published on a great design blog. She hits all the best places in Durham and she is right on when describing Durham as casual but still "gritty." I've loved Durham since going to HS here and I'm so glad to be back (even if I do live extremely far away from downtown).

Some of the Durham places I'll miss while I'm gone: La Vaquita, Pinhook, Bean Traders (the south durham one!), the Federal, all of downtown because I love old, brick converted buildings, the taco trucks.

Here's the guide!

Go Canes!

"Woooooooooooooo!" -Rick Flair

go canes!

Tiny Town photo of Glencoe Village! My historic preservation class took a tour of this restored mill village, just north of Burlington, NC. I used free software from http://tiltshiftmaker.com/ to alter the original photo.

Testing 1-2-3--

A hearty welcome from Pouncey