Departing Bangkok - the land of smiles

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The week always manages to get away from me when I'm away on these trips! I am now on the endless flight home, about halfway through. The trip was a total success, so I have departed Bangkok with a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.

Friday evening was warm and breezy, and the wind lifted tendrils of my hair as I walked along to the barge. It was made of dark, deeply stained wood, probably teak, with an angled roof. A couple of steps up to the dining area led us to a long table flanked by round-back chairs. I situated myself in the middle and this positioned me in an excellent spot for enjoyable conversation.

Dinner was a lovely interlude, and everyone greatly enjoyed it. Our experience also included the wonderful sites along Chao Phraya at night - a vastly different experience than our day tours. We saw the temples glowing with light and shined a search light on the intricate and ornate royal barges. The beautiful angled bridge looked modern and elegant in the evening glow and all the sites set the backdrop for the best evening of the trip, combining food, good conversation, and conviviality in a way that left me with such warmth and affection.

Saturday morning dawned EARLY and but after a leisurely breakfast, I was ready to go. We met Dr. Henry Holmes and Chris Wright for our cross-cultural session and their dynamic personalities were immediately engaging. The room was set up in a circle of chairs with white boards strategically positioned at the edges. The setup and topic unnerved the delegates, who feared an uneasy morning of ice breakers. We were all pleasantly surprised to find how interesting and useful the session proved to be, and it sparked conversation for the remainder of the meeting. Following the morning, we boarded an express boat for a quick trip across the river to lunch at the Peninsula at Sala Rim Naan, a lovely buffet. The tables were set up in long rows and we had to remove our shoes to be allowed on the soft green carpet. The tables and the carpet were at the same height, with a sunken floor beneath them. We chose our own spicy meals, now experts on our favorite dishes and I sat down to delightful conversation among some of our attorneys. We discussed everything from finding love in speed dating and the Internet, to our families and preferred weddings. Following lunch and goodbyes to some of the firm members, about half of the group departed for the Grand Palace. Further down the river, the boat trip allowed us time to feel the sun and wind on our faces while seeing the river bank in the daylight.

We disembarked at a floating pier and made our way in the hot afternoon sun through a market to the Grand Palace. We were met by our guide and his assistant, who serve the royal family - a rare treat for our group! His knowledge and passion for his trade instilled a wonderful enthusiasm in the group, lessened only by the intense heat and humidity. But we saw the famed emerald Buddha in his winter coat (winter?!?) and marveled at the intricate architecture and design work everywhere. After successfully sweating through our clothes, we cooled off with the breeze in the boat on the return trip.

Following a half hour of packing, I got ready for dinner and we departed by minivan a 7:15. The trip to Jim Thompson's house was quick, thanks to light traffic. We arrived and everyone departed the vans slowly, taking in this house that was clearly suited for the less urban areas in Thailand. It was fascinating - Thompson had taken these six/seven houses from the north of Thailand and had them shipped to Bangkok and put them together as one house. Our guide walked us through the low doorways that forced you to duck, thus bowing as you entered the home. Thompson lived there for eight years alone (until his mysterious disappearance in Malaysia) and had collected a number of artifacts with which to decorate it. The warm teak wood, fans and open plan with the cozy rooms was very inviting, and I greatly enjoyed Thompson's antiques, from the wrought-iron pawn shop gate to the wooden wall with the many tiny Buddha images and other Buddha figures. Everyone was silent as we wandered through the houses, but conversation picked up again when we reached the room for dinner. A long bar graced one side of the room next to the single table. The small band was perpendicular to the table and large windows traveled three walls. I sat towards the end of the room, facing the bar. Dinner began with music in the background and low conversation, and continued as the wine flowed freely. As the appetizers finished up, we were treated to two Thai dances, prompting those at the table to practice the moves we had learned at the dance school the day before. The food was delicious and following another two dance performances, my dad addressed the group to thank the host firm, and to express how much we had enjoyed the meeting. Our host smiled and asked them that the firm be placed on the list for hosting the Annual Meeting - it's a sure sign of a successful meeting when the host firm is suddenly eager to host a second, larger meeting!

Then, the biggest treat of the evening began - two dancers introduced us to the Ramayana epic, and were then replaced by two puppets. The puppets engaged the crowd by "wai-ing" to each person. The white monkey was more "naughty" - he kissed many of the ladies, stole someone's purse, rubbed another person's head, and even patted my dad on the stomach, much to the delight of the crowd. Wrapping up the evening, everyone was laughing and enjoying each other's company. All in all, it was quite successful and a great deal of fun! I will certainly return to Bangkok - although I initially was unsure of how I would like it, there is a certain pull that the city has, and it calls to me.

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