Travel Tips

Yesterday I've had a very lucky day. On advice of my friend I went to visit the orchids nursery down the road I live on. The outcome was very positive - I didn't only add to my flower collection another 63 photos, but got acquainted with very decent and interesting person - Mr. Piyavit Chindavat, the owner of the nurcary and one of the master of his rare profession of breeding and nurturing delicate tender and exquisite plants - Vanda Orhids

I didn't even suspect that he can be so dedicated to his profession, which is in fact not only family business for few generations, but very subtle art and kind of dinastial
heritage. One of few secrets nowdays, kept and transfered within family.

Chindavat family are known internationally for their special breeds of Vanda Orchids, typical only for Thailand. Even though he has a degree in mechanical engineering, he dedicated himself to this work. Their main and actual nursery is located in Nacosawan
Region, about 200 km north from Bkk.

He said it is very big. Whatever plants he keeps in his house here in Bangkok, 28, Soi 10, Sukhumvit Rd, are merely a tiny fraction of what they actually breed there in Nacosawan. I instantly expressed desire to visit it someday. He said
he'll provide me with address and whereabouts of that nursery and I'll update it here accordingly.

His father, is already over 90 years old, yet looks healthy and content, but he breeds other sort of flowers - rodenrods (forgive me - not sure about correct spelling). It was uncle, his father's younger brother, who's passed all the knowledge and secrets to Mr.Piyavit from
their ancestors. As I understood from Mr. Piyavit's words, he was the last and probably only person who could continue the tradition, which was in danger of dissapearing since two of his other uncles who also knew the art has already passed away.

Mr.Piyavit is very fluent in english. He said they keep in touch with American society of studying Vanda Orchids. Here in Bangkok, the resident country of Vanda Orchids, monthly exibition and contest conducted in the Bangsai Garden (I'll give the details in my Must see tips). He said that often the board or commitee of the monthly contest ask him to be one of the judges in the it!

Mr.Piyavit being a decent businessman, professional in his job and simply good person didn't
try to push me to buy anything right away, even though it was me who came with the initiative.

He has kindly explained that he recommends me to wait till he prepare for me fresh plant, which will only start to blossom and flowers will last for few weeks, instead of buying now the one which flowers will fall out after max. one week and will blossom may
be only after half year or at least 3-4 mths. I have a natural respect for such ppl !

Note: The whole perimetr of the nursary is covered by net, protecting the tender plants from tourching rays of hursh tropical sun, giving the greenish glow apart from protective shade. so pls forgive me is some of photos have may be not very precise color gamma, because it was a bit hard to find the proper color ballance due to excess of green.