One of the great things about BANGKOK is that one can get a full beauty treatment – haircut, facial massage & scrub, manicure & pedicure and foot massage - for a very reasonable price. As is my custom, I usually get my treatment the first or 2nd day after I arrive. Even though there any number of beauty salons that are less than 200 meters away from the President Park (Sukhumvit Soi 22) - the hotel that I have stayed the last four years - I always return to The Arena Beauty Salon, an establishment located a good 15 -20 minutes away by taxi on Sukhumvit Soi 16. While the Arena may be not as convenient as other salons, it is hands down my favorite. Whenever I walk through the door, the owner, Khun Mahuttida, who speaks reasonably good English, always greets me with a warm smile and welcomes my return; she values my business.

On my last visit, after Mahuttida gave me a very close haircut, trimmed my eyebrows and mustache, she had me go into the back room and lie down on a reclining chair. Before you know it, four of her girls were working over me at the same time. While one gal was giving me a facial massage and scrub - applying all sorts of exfoliating creams to my face - the other three were busy giving me a foot massage, a manicure and pedicure respectively. Talk about getting the Royal Treatment. Walking out the door about 90 minutes later, I felt like a new man. Total damage 1350 baht (38.00USD)

As I strolled down the street towards the Sukhumvit, I was greeted by many lovely THAIgers who called out to me – “Handsum Man, come here.”

I have just published on YOUTUBE my long awaited, critically acclaimed slideshow video on MALAYSIA. This is my 12th travel production that I have put up online and I really believe that Malaysia Farewell ranks as one of my best efforts to date. It is simple and straightforward - the pictures and the music carry the story as there is minimum text. Unlike my prior shows on YouTube*, this will be first one in High Definition. Selamat Datang!

I guess you’re probably wondering who has reviewed Malaysia Farewell – besides Jerry, an old family friend and yours truly, no one else – let it be known though that I am my own harshest critic. My rating for this home production using ProShow Gold V4.0 is 8.5 on a scale of 1-10. I really don’t want to toot my horn anymore, but you must view this latest effort - it is that good!

The video is based on my inaugural 13-day journey to MALAYSIA in November/December 2008 and is intended to be an introduction to this very tropical and exotic destination located just south of Thailand. Highlights include Kuala Lumpur, the cosmopolitan Capital; Melaka (Mallaca), the historic colonial city with a mixed pedigree of Dutch, Portuguese and Chinese Heritages located just 2 hours south of KL; Cameron Highlands, a popular hill resort about 1 mile above sea level with sprawling tea plantations covering the hillsides and a popular locale for jungle hikes; last but not least, the final segment features Langkawi, probably the most popular beach resort in Malaysia and a decent dive destination as well.

Just a couple of notes (and anecdotes) before you view the show. The footage on Kuala Lumpur is very scanty as I was there for only a brief 2 nights/1 day, just long enough to pack and unpack. The section on Melaka is the biggest chunk of the show as there are tremendous photographic opportunities in this UNESCO World Heritage Site including China Town, the colorful night bazaar, old forts and a hybrid culture and architecture that is reflective of Melaka’s colonial past (both Dutch and Portuguese). In Melaka, there is definitely a clash between the Old vs New (and East Vs West) as evidenced by the proliferation of modern shopping centers, new condominium complexes and luxury resorts in addition to manifestations of Western Culture - KFC, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, McDonalds and the like. Finally in Cameron Highlands, where I stayed for 5 days/4 nights, I have omitted gruesome images of THE WOUND, an injury I suffered on the top of my left hand while hiking through the jungle in search of the legendary Jim Thompson.

*Also see Streets of Bangkok

As usual, I have one cameo appearance in the show and there is one rather comical moment! ENJOY!

As a little child, I remember going to the historic Wax Museum in San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. I was really stoked how lifelike these wax figures of famous people looked, it seemed like some of them were going to say something or move. I also remember going to the cinema to see the horror classic House of Wax starring Vincent Price. In the movie, the museum had on display some of the most heinous villains in history. These indelible memories of my childhood were triggered when I visited this past November The Hall of Fame, Thailand’s version of the Wax Museum, at the Siam Cultural Park in Ratchaburi Province. Talk about déjà vu!

In this particular Wax Museum, the emphasis was on Thai and Asian heroes from the last 100 years or so. I got the opportunity to “meet” famous people like H.E. Professor Dr. Sanya Dhammask, Thailand’s greatest lawyer, who died in January 2002 at 95 years, in addition to the legendary Ho Chi Minh from Vietnam and China’s Mao Tse Tung, founder of China’s Communist Party. The personage that I was most impressed with was Seb Nakhasathine - one of Thailand’s foremost conservationists - who died tragically by taking his own life in 1990 at the relatively young age of 41 years old. His suicide was a result of his growing disenchantment with man’s negative impact on the environment and the wildlife that he loved so much. Somehow Mother Teresa snuck into the “the mix”, but she was a true heroine in Asia as well – to many poor, disenfranchised people in the world (especially in India), Mother Teresa was considered as an guardian angel. She’s the only non-Asian represented in the exhibit, where she’s portrayed in a praying posture - looks so real!

The Siam Cultural Park was such a pleasant place to visit on lazy Sunday afternoon. Besides the Wax Museum Exhibit, there are some very ornate Buddha sculptures from three different time periods, and representative models of Thai Houses from the four regions of Thailand. There is even an artificial waterfall – very well done, I may add. A nice little walking path encircles the park; along the way there some lovely shaded areas where one can relax and meditate. Highly recommended! I will return there on my next trip to Bangkok.

The park is about a 1 1/2 – 2 hour drive from Bangkok. While you’re at it, you can also stop by and visit nearby Udom’s Plant Nursery as well!

Thailand is a predominantly Buddhist country - approximately 94% of the people are Buddhists and the largest religious minority are Muslims who represent about 4% of the population. While the greatest percentage of Muslims in Thailand reside in the southern provinces, there are some small Muslims communities in the Greater Bangkok Area. In the early 19th century, King Rama II encouraged Thai Muslims from the southern provinces to come to Bangkok to help protect the capital from Khmer invaders from the East. Many of the local Muslims who live in the outlying areas of Bangkok today are direct descendants of these early Muslims immigrants.

On my last trip to Thailand (November 2009), I had the opportunity to visit Nong Chok, one of the oldest and most prominent Muslim communities in the Bangkok area. Located about 70KM southeast of the capital, the area is very rural and most of the people are engaged in agricultural pursuits. Approximately 75% of the people in Nong Chok are Muslims and the remaining 25% are mostly Buddhists.

While I was in Nong Chok, my friend took me to a small farm which raises white/black swans as well as ducks and other birds. The birds are sold to golf courses, hotels and large estates as ornamentation and for garden decor. Inquiring as to the prices of their biggest sellers, I was told that a White Swan goes for 10,000 Baht (approximately 285USD) and the going price for two white duck was 500 Baht (approximately 142USD).
Nearby is a small very inexpensive homestay which caters primarily to Muslims tourists from Indonesia and Malaysia. There is an outdoor café and small fern nursery on the compound. The rates for the rather simple accommodations (without private bathroom) go for 100 baht/night (approximately 3USD). Of course, there are separate public restrooms with toilets for men and women.

Although Nong Chok is a featured stop on many organized bicycle tours, it remains completely unknown to most tourists who come to Bangkok, even though it is in very close proximity to the big city. The lifestyle and the rural countryside ambiance of this small town is a world apart from the hustle and bustle of urban Bangkok.

Located about 90 minutes west of Bangkok is Udom’s Plant and Garden Nursery. Located on a vast tract of land in the province of Ratchaburi, this nursery specializes in decorative and foliage plants for export – to the outlying provinces in Thailand and overseas. If you are a horticultural enthusiast and a plant lover, it is a must see! The owner of the nursery, Khum Udom, an avid horticulturalist and environmentalist, has quite a fascinating history of which I would like to share with you.

Khun Udom graduated from Kasetsart University with a degree in Agricultural Education. In 1996, while working in Thailand for an Austrian agricultural chemistry company, there was a serious nationwide economic crisis and he was laid off. Frustrated in looking for a new job, he decided to do his own business by selling some plants – the majority were cultivated from seed - at community markets. Moving from place to place with his collection of plants in back of his flatbed truck, his mobile shop was always welcomed by plant lovers as most of the plants he cultivated were hard to find. During his visits to the plant markets, he made many friends.

Khun Udom enjoyed finding new and rare plants while traveling throughout Thailand and to foreign countries. One day after enduring many hours traveling by bus to visit a particular plants nursery, he had a very unusual experience. Upon arriving at the front gate, he was not allowed to enter - the owner did not open the gate to outside world because he was afraid that someone would steal his secrets. This particular incident played a pivotal role in Khun Udom’s life and career as he promised to himself that he would open up his own plants nursery and make it big, bigger than this one. He would welcome everyone, provide an education to plant enthusiasts and encourage everyone to plant and make the world green. Eventually his dream came true.

While nurturing his new plants nursery business, he also worked part time as a gardening consultant and landscaper to some rather wealthy home owners. After his job was completed, he found himself often cheated so he decided to give up this practice and focus on Udom Garden.

He received the Best Agriculturalist Award (horticulture) in 2006 and was appointed to the Honorary Committee in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

Can we say ‘Hardtimes creates a Hero?’

The Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is definitely bizarre. Strolling through this crowded ½ mile stretch of wall-to-wall sidewalk concessions is definitely a can’t miss experience for the first time visitor to Chiang Mai. Everything under the sun is for sale here – from handbags, knockoff jeans, pirated DVDS and a variety of clothing accessories to tacky (and obscene) T-shirts to faux bugs and snakes. Weaving through the parade of tourists are young Akha girls and women dressed in their native finery, trying to sell costume jewelry as well as wooden frogs that croak when you rub their top with a small wooden mallet. Whenever I hear the croaking frogs, I say “poot Gop” (in English, frog speak) as the Akha girls pass me by with a big smile on their face. In the past, I have purchased a couple of these novelty items. The variety of T-Shirts with tacky and tasteless designs is amazing, however if you look hard enough you’re bound to find one that has a design that is both aesthetically pleasing and made of quality material. On my last trip, the most outrageous T-Shirt I saw was a satirical condemnation of our former President, George Bush, who certainly is not the most highly regarded man in the world.

Before my little stroll through the night bazaar, I took my colleague and friend, Ms Moongmink, out for dinner at the Whole Earth Restaurant. Specializing in nouvelle interpretations of traditional Thai and Indian dishes (with many vegetarian choices), Whole Earth is a casual and semi-elegant restaurant, very popular with both well-heeled Thais and the tourist crowd. Unlike many Thai restaurants in Chiang Mai which cater to young backpackers, it is not cheap, but for a western tourist the Whole Earth cannot be considered expensive either.

After a very enjoyable dinner, a very unusual thing happened when I requested the bill “check bin”. I was simultaneously shocked, offended and humored when the young waitress presented the bill to my female friend instead of me. Feigning embarrassment, I immediately snatched the bill from my friend. Call me an American chauvinist if you will! I told her that this was the first time in my life that a waitress/waiter at a proper restaurant handed the bill to my female date. Explaining the young waitress’s rationale for her behavior, Moongmink gave me some very valuable insight into Thai culture and mentality. I’m sure Moongmink will come forth with her explanation shortly!

In early December while on vacation in the popular Malaysian beach resort of Langkawi, I discovered that some malware had compromised my website/blog. It took me awhile to fully comprehend the severity of the havoc wreaked by this malware – in essence, all my search engine traffic had been hijacked and redirected to the spam website. The story of this hijacking was chronicled in a prior post.

After the realization that my online presence was totally crippled by this insidious bug, I pleaded with My Webmaster to see if he could find a fix. Initially he was stumped, but with dogged determination he discovered both how the hijacking was accomplished and a very simple fix – my FTP was hacked and a lot of white space/blank lines was added to the .htaccess file, followed by some lines telling the web server to forward any clicks coming from search engine results to the spam site.

The fix he said was quite simple – all he had to do was remove the extra code from the .htacess line. In addition, he recommended that I change my rather simple FTP password to something more complicated to make things difficult for potential hackers. For a full explanation of how the malware was removed from my site I suggest you visit his website and read about “The Fix”. A must read! In addition, while troubleshooting this malware issue, we came across another site that also dealt with the same problem (and offered a similar fix). Needless to say, after the nasty little bug was extricated from my site, I was quite relieved.

While discussing why my website was targeted, my webmaster came up with this explanation:

“If the errant webmaster targeted thousands of sites to be hijacked, then even if each site only gets 20 hits/day, that builds up to 10s of thousands of people directed to his site instead. Even if only 1% of those people buy the products, he’s making a lot of money. Furthermore, most of the websites that are hijacked probably have low to mid range Google Page rankings (2-4) like yours, so that he’s less likely to attract too much attention. It’s a shitty, low, repugnant thing to do, but some of these internet marketers and immoral webmasters resort to using such tactics”.

What can you do to prevent your website from being hijacked? I have come up with some handy tips to protect yourself.

• Use Firefox as your browser, minimize your use of Internet Explorer
• Avoid clicking on popup windows – especially those that offer free system or virus scan of your computer or those that offer freebies
• Generate some complex passwords of at least 8 characters for your FTP access, blog log in, e-mail logins etc. Use a tool like PC Tools password generator
• Keep your antivirus, malware, spyware definitions up to date. Remember to use your Firewall at all times.

Be Safe out there!

This is a story of how my travel blog (and website) was hijacked by malware. Apparently the hijacking took place while I was staying on the island of Langkawi, one of the most popular beach resorts in Malaysia. I had checked into AB Motel on December 5th and I decided to pay for their daily internet access at 10RM per day (about 3.50USD). While surfing on the internet on my first or 2nd night there, a very loud popup ad appeared on my screen - the popup was luring me to do a free antivirus scan of my system. My gut feeling was that this invitation was bad news, however I clicked something which initiated the download. It took a while before I was able to halt the progress of the download, as the damn window would not go away immediately. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I have a feeling that is how the malware was able to sneak into the very core of my website.

Later on that evening, I tried updating my WordPress Blog in the Firefox browser using the WordPress automatic updater plugin and received a warning from Norton Antivirus that my computer was being attacked, and the installation of the update was aborted. I clicked on the link requesting more information on this attack, and I got the following explanation from Norton (see picture). Undeterred, I tried installing the update with Internet Explorer – this time, I didn’t get the warming from Norton, but the browser informed me that this address couldn’t be displayed at this time and to my check my browser settings. You know the standard stuff…

Somewhat disturbed about this new development, I called my Webmaster in Thailand. We concluded that a bug had corrupted the WP automatic upgrade plugin, which caused the installation to fail. In the days to follow, I continued to blog about my 30-day travel odyssey, but when checking my traffic numbers I discovered that visits to my site had dropped over 80%. Very disturbing to say the least, but I let the matter slide! It was only several weeks later, after returning home to the USA, that I realized the true nature of this nasty malware - how it attached itself to my website like a leech, stealing all my search engine and web traffic.

Here’s how the malware worked – Using the Firefox browser, when people clicked on a search engine listing which linked back to my blog/website, they were either directed to a different and totally unrelated website or if they had a malware detection software on their computer, they received a warning that their computer was being attacked. In the latter instance, when using Internet explorer, the clickthrough would bring up the standard “this address couldn’t be displayed at this time and to your browser settings”. In addition, any hyperlinks to my site sent by e-mail, would behave the same way. No wonder, my traffics figures were way down!

Next – how my Webmaster figured out how to extricate the malware bug from my Website (the Fix), and how you can protect yourself your website from being hijacked!

It’s been a rocky start for CALYPSO ISLAND CHRONICLES in 2009. While I was on my 30-day odyssey to Thailand and Malaysia not too long ago, I discovered that Calypso Island Chronicles (and our associated website) had been hijacked by some nasty malware. This hijacking caused traffic numbers to our blog to drop significantly as many of our readers/visitors were unable to access our site and read our new material. Needless to say, this act of cybervandalism caused me a lot of aggravation and grief. Because of the hijacking, I decided to temporarily halt the blogging effort as of January 1st until the culprit was eradicated.

I can finally breathe a sigh of relief as it has been a couple of days that my webmaster – a young English bloke by the name of Paul who lives in the popular mountain resort of Pai in Northern Thailand - discovered a way to extricate the culprit (bug) from the site and banish it into the nether reaches of cyberspace. The details of this hijacking and how you can protect your website from being vandalized by this insidious type of malware will be treated in a subsequent blogpost. Now that CALYPSO ISLAND CHRONICLES has been debugged, we will commence our blogging effort on a variety of travel topics and issues. In particular, in the next couple of months we will feature many stories, anecdotes and memories from our recent excursion to THAILAND AND MALAYSIA. For a sneak preview of upcoming stories in CALYPSO ISLAND CHRONICLES, read on…

• A day at the Beauty Salon – how I was worked over by four ladies at my favorite beauty salon in Bangkok
• Excursion to the Moslem village of Nong Chok – interesting visit to a small rural Moslem community located just 70KM outside of Bangkok
• More Snippets from Bangkok – anecdotes, tips and random observations while stationed in Thailand’s fascinating capital city
• An eerie rendezvous with Mother Teresa, Ho Chi Minh and Mao Tse Tung – a visit to the Hall of Fame, the fascinating Wax museum at the Siam Cultural Center in Ratchaburi Province



• The Starbucks Index - the cultural impact of STARBUCKS in Thailand and Malaysia
• A pleasant Saturday excursion to the 100 Year Market – colorful outdoor Thai market, a popular weekend outing for Bangkokians
• THAIger very dangerous, eat money – a rollicking adventure in NAN in Northern Thailand featuring my amiable tour guides, Nong and Chaat
• Highlights of Nan – featuring the earth dunes of Sao Din, the Thai Hibachi factory and a visit to a Mlabri village, the most primitive and poorest hilltribe people in Thailand



• The Terracotta Lady – profile of the wonderful lady who owns Mae Pundin Guesthouse, an eclectic hostelry near Chiang Mai which features ceramic making and Thai Cooking classes
• The Plant Man – Profile of one of Thailand’s premier horticulturalists and owner of Udom Gardens and Nursery in Ratchaburi Province
• The View – commentary on the heavenly views at Phu Lang Ka, Phayao Province in Northern Thailand. Out of this world!
• Passport of Pan Hu and the Yao People – While I was Phu Lang Ka, I had the opportunity to learn about the origins and history of the Yao people



• Special Memorial Tribute to Princess Galyani by the Hmong and Yao people of Phu Lang Ka – One of the most heartwarming experiences that I have ever had as a traveler
• The ruination of MELAKA – how modern development threatens to destroy the old world colonial charm of this popular tourist town in Malaysia
• Snippets from Chiang Mai – includes a stroll through the famous night Bazaar, outrageous T-Shirts, a weird experience at Whole Earth Restaurant and more!
• Snippets from Cameron Highlands – random observations and tips about this popular hill resort in Malaysia including recommended places for dining



• Lulu, the best masseuse this side of Beijing – profile of a very talented lady in Cameron Highlands. I miss her magic touch
• The search for the legendary Jim Thompson - highlights of a most memorable all day tour in Cameron Highlands featuring a muddy 3 hour hike through the rainforest to the world’s largest flower
• Snippets from LANGKAWI – random observations and travel commentary on Malaysia’s most popular beach resort.
• Dine around Plan in Langkawi – A review of my favorite places for dining in this popular Malaysian beach resort
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