Tied to Thailand

Furnishings and home decor fill the shops and boutiques of this Asian country.

Of course, considering language
orget traipsing all around
and logistical difficulties, the Blaus
town searching for that
couldn't have engineered their ambi-
perfect piece of furniture.
tious Thai shopping sprees all on
When Diane and Larry
their own. That's where David
Blau need home furnishings they go
Thomas, a British ex-patriate, and
to Thailand, halfway across the
his wife, Wanna, who grew up in a
world.
Thai rice-farming family, come in.
In 15 visits over the last 20 years,
Operators of Wanna Tours in
they've blitzed street markets, shops
Chiang Mai, they offer private, cus-
and showrooms throughout
tomized tours of northern Thailand
Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Today,
for travelers interested in pursuing
their suburban Detroit home is a
special interests and experiencing the
showcase of
high-quality
handicrafts and
decor — a veri-
table museum of
Asian art.
Large and
contemporary,
. the house is fur-
nished from
these shopping
sprees with
everything from
small accessories,
such as mother-
of-pearl picture
frames, lacquer-
ware accents, cotton
Above: A bronze stat-
ue by Samchai makes
tablecloths and
a beautiful statement
antique-fabric pil-
in the Blaus' yard.
lows, to custom-
made rattan furni-
ture. And their yard, Far right: Leather
antique trunks from
landscaped with a
Bangkok adorn Larry
menagerie of bronze
and Diane Blau's
animals and other
home.
objets d'art, is a love-
ly sculpture garden,
Right: The Blaus pur-
complete with a koi
chased this wood
pond.
dancer statue/sculp-
What's more, even ture in Chiang Mei.
with shipping and
insurance, the Blaus
country in greater depth than
say their home furnishings cost far
offered by standard package tours.
less than if they'd purchased similar
Over the past 10 years, they've
items in the United States.
designed individualized itineraries
"We're crazy about Thailand —
and guided some 100 Detroit-area
we're hooked," declares Blau, a
clients, usually couples or family
retired physician. "Of all the Asian
groups, referred by Steven Kalt, of
countries, it has the most diverse
Bee Kalt Travel in Royal Oak.
cultural experience."

F

Diane Blau, who entertained the
Thai couple in her home when they
visited Detroit this fall, says "Wanna
is mishpuchah, unique in the uni-
verse!"
David Thomas, noting, that their
upscale tours generally include such
personal attention as a Thai dinner
in the Thomas home or a favorite
restaurant, says: "We teach people a
different culture. Most of our clients
are not just coming with a camera to
click and say, "Been there, done
that, let's go to another country."
For Dr. Jimmy Bittker of Bloom-
field Hills, a retired dentist and
amateur photographer, traveling

through northern Thailand for a
week with Wanna allowed him to
seriously pursue his hobby. He got
great shots, including some of the
"longneck" Karen tribeswomen and
girls chosen to wear heavy, brass
collars for religious and cultural rea-
sons.
"We visited villages with thatched
roof houses and really met the Thai
people," Bittker recalls. "You can't
linger for photos on a [group] tour

TIED TO THAILAND on page 41

lF

mountain. Far below, rice paddies in
varying shades of gold and green
shimmer in the sun.
Throughout the land, which is _
roughly the size of California, Thais
take new cars to be blessed by monks
who inscribe a pattern of dots above
the rear view mirror. And spirit hous-
es, birdhouse-like structures designed
to appease the spirits, stand on
pedestals in nearly every yard ---
shops, hotels and offices included.
Similarly, pictures of King Bhumibol
Adulyadej, universally revered among
the nation's 59 million people, are
displayed everywhere, from the most
humble abode to the richest man-
sion.
Floating markets — convoys of
narrow boats called sampans — show-
case tropical flowers, magnificent
mangoes and come-hither cucumbers,
all artfully arranged to tempt even the
pickiest shopper. And delicately bal-
anced Thai cuisine, prepared by chefs
who are veritable Matisses in melon
rind, looks as good as it tastes. It's
exquisitely flavored with fresh garlic,
chilies, coconut milk, coriander, basil,
ginger, tamarind, lime and lemon
grass.
Even at Bangkok's crowded
Chatuchak Weekend Market, bolts of
vibrantly-hued Thai fabrics, cascad-
ing orchids and huge, iridescent bee-
des in lucite stand out from the
mishmash of traditional and Western
goods, whose prices generally are
negotiable.
Happily, the city's busy waterways
offer an alternative to the congestion,
with frequent ferry service across the
Chao Phraya River from the deluxe
hotels to various temple and shop-
ping sites. Rice barges ply Bangkok's
canals, or klongs, offering a behind-
the-scenes look at how locals live.
And in a land where massage is a
national art form, many travelers
head for Bangkok's oldest temple,
Wat Po, a respected school of mas-
sage therapy, where traditional Thai
massage is offered cheaply and en
masse. By all accounts rigorous, Thai
massage is a combination of manipu-
lation, stretching and acupressure
and is not recommended for the faint
of heart.
Much more indulgent is a "Jet Lag
Massage," papaya body polish, herbal
THAILAND on page 40