48 Hours in Bangkok. You Are Not in Kansas Anymore.

Bangkok, Thailand.

Growing up I never really thought about Thailand. I remember when I lived in New York one of my friends told me her company had thought about transferring her to Bangkok. I recall thinking that the idea was proposterous, just as I'm sure many of you thought I was crazy for choosing to move to Hong Kong. This story is not one about "different strokes for different folks," as my dear Dad likes to say. While I do feel like I was naive about this area of the world before I lived here, at times I still do feel naive. Economically thriving cities are constantly changing and evolving and to say you truly know a place as diverse as Hong Kong or, furthermore, Southeast Asia, would be foolish. I do, however, have a better understanding of the area in which I live than before I lived here. Living here has helped me understand more about the world. I see differences, but I am constantly reminded of similarities among humankind and am touched by how small the world can be. If my friend had decided to move to Bangkok, it probably would have been an amazing experience. Last weekend I went to Bangkok. It is rawer and grittier than Hong Kong, but I loved visiting Bangkok and had a fantastic time.

Upon deplaning at the Bangkok airport, I saw what a world mixing pot Bangkok is. There was once a time that US ports looked like that of Bangkok. The airport was full of so many people of different cultures, my mind was blown. Hong Kong is different. It is more developed, and thus feels more Western. The Bangkok airport is a legitimate airport, but I did feel like I was a stranger in a strange land. "Liz, you are NOT in Kansas anymore." For example, the line of people to pass through immigration was a sample of the entire world's population--you saw hippie Dutch backpackers, elderly British men, Swahili women, a cluster of teenagers from ___insert any country___louder than the other 5000 people in the immigration line, Indian women with henna covering their hands and feet and Saudi Arabian men wearing full-length thawbs with headdress. At one point a flock of Emirates Airlines flight attendants glamorously flew through immigration wearing their veiled hats and perfect hair-dos. It looked like a UAE version of "Catch Me If You Can." That's not to say everyone in the airport exuded a breath of fresh air...

The city has its own way of greeting you. I feel like my first "welcome to Bangkok" moment occurred at a 7-Eleven, where I bought a can of Coke, a bottle of water, and a bag of peanuts. The total was 80 US cents. I assuredly was not in Kansas anymore.

The reason for the trip was that Rob had a business meeting on Saturday morning. 4 hours aside, We had one weekend to explore the vibrant city. This was our first vacation in Asia since moving here, and I was pumped. Here's what we did in 717 words or less:
Friday
-Take the Sky Tram into the city
-check in to the hotel, in the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok
-take a cab (or tuk-tuk motor taxi) to the waterfront area to sight-see. Due to heavy traffic, we re-routed to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, which is also on the water. We had fancy drinks and a light bite. The Mandarin has never been so inexpensive as it is in Bangkok.  If you visit, do order the Thaihito--not only is it delicious, but according to the menu it is Pierce Brosnan's favorite. The helpful assistant at the hotel's newspaper stand taught us how to say thank you in Thai--Khab khun ka (thank you).
-We took took the water taxi up the river with locals (including some young Buddhist monks). We found land at Pier 9, where there was a market selling bracelets made of Jasmine flowers!
-While in the market the Thai Anthem to its Queen began playing on a loud speaker. Everyone in the market froze until the song completed. I froze as well, but I couldn't help but think how different this tradition is. It felt a bit antiquated but was a lovely, old-world nod to royalty. The Thais love their Queen and royalty.
-Rob and I explored the Shopping Markets at Khao San and ate its street food  before going back to the Hotel.
Saturday
-woke up at the crack of dawn to get an early start on sight-seeing (aka, beat the traffic)
-Take cab to The Grand Palace. Discover Rob left his new cell phone in the cab. Decide to worry about it later and proceed to change into state-issued clothing for female tourists (ahem, me) wearing inappropriate fitted tee-shirts . After putting on a collared shirt (seemingly left over from a 1960s men's golf tournement) and covering my ankles, we were good to go, exploring a truly remarkable palace. I studied the Grand Palace in art history classes in high school and college but at the time was naive and dismissed the landmark as a place I would probably never visit. In person, it is remarkable. I was glad Rob urged me to visit.
-Afterwards, we quickly visited the world's largest reclining Buddha, which I definitely studied in art history classes. I found it extraordinary. That may have been the highlight of what I saw on the trip.
-Booked it back to the hotel so Rob could go to his work appointment, and I could do some work. I also booked a massage. The shortest one available was 1 hour 30 minutes. Nervous about finishing in time for a dinner reservation, I asked if they could shorten the massage to 1 hour. They quickly told me that would be bad for my health. Okie! I indulged in the full-length massage! Thai massages are heaven.
-Met up with my friend Biz and her boyfriend Allen--friends from home. We were so happy to see familiar faces in this area of the world! We went out to dinner at a restaurant named "Cabbages and Condoms." Strange but good dinner spot! Definitely worth a visit for the open minded and young at heart.
-Saw a slew of touristy going-out areas---Soi Cowboy and Patpong Night Bazaar-- the touristy red-light districts you may have seen in the film "Hangover 2". These are the first red light districts I have ever walked through. They were quite red and had lots of lights.
-Capped off the night at the night market and backpacker's paradise, Khao San Road. We sang and danced the night away at a rooftop bar called "Roof." Eventually we needed some late night street food and a rest...zzz.
SUNDAY
-Awoke on Sunday to have an enormous breakfast at our hotel. Marble-slab frozen Greek yogurt with any topping you want? Side of Guava or Lychee juice? YES PLEASE!
-Decided to quickly visit the Chatuchak Market, the largest outdoor market in the world. It is both underwhelming and overwhelming at the same time. Underwhelming because they had the same stuff you can find in a Hong Kong market, overwhelming because it was so freaking humongous we kept getting lost and spent most of the time we were there trying to get out!
-Booked it back to the hotel to pack and get to the airport.
-Bye bye, Bangkok.

PICTURES:

Passing river taxi

Taking the river taxi upstream

buying a jasmine and rose bracelet near Pier 9

For Teddy. Revisiting a bar Rob and his friends enjoyed a few years ago.

cooling off and taking a break from the touring and shopping

Rob ordered street food from a Pad Thai vendor on Khao San Road. Rob says it was the best Pad Thai he's ever had

Highlights of the Grand Palace

Rob, at the Grand Palace.

Wat Pho--the world's largest reclining Buddha.  Must take your shoes off to see the Buddha. 

I loved the beautiful art on the walls of all the temples we entered. It resembled a tapestry but had been painted and inlaid with stones and gold.

Biz and Allen on Soi Cowboy! 

At Roof on Khao San Road
odd Thai lady who is in many of our pictures. 

Rob having a thumb war with a little boy selling roses

Little baskets of quail eggs for sale at the Chatuchak market.