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Published: January 7th 2009
Bedtime for Buddha!
Still wondering why he's called the "Laughing Buddha"...To say that Thailand is amazing, is like saying the pyramids are big. Thailand is a spectacularly warm, beautiful country with an abundance of culture and natural beauty. It is unfortunate, though, that the tourist areas can overshadow its natural charm. I won't pretend I completely avoided the tourist spots, what would a trip to Bangkok be without the Grand Palace and the Floating Markets? All in all, however, I think I was able to find a happy balance between the "must-see" tourist sites and sampling the local flavor. Our trip began one night in Bangkok...
Day 1 (Christmas Day)
My first day in Thailand has been unforgettable! This country is truly exotic in every sense of the word. Although our hotel is in a tourist-y part of town, it’s still a comfort to unwind at the end of the day at an open-air restaurant amongst the other foreigners and ex-pats, or wander through the stalls selling everything from silk skirts and jewelry, to frog kebabs (literally 2 frogs on a skewer!) and pad thai kitchens on wheels. Dinner was pad see ewe on the street and it was delicious! There are “tuk-tuks” all around and we hired one almost
Security Thai-style
Ok, so he's a little bigger than me... immediately. We were shown the Lucky Buddha, the Standing Buddha, and the Golden Mount but in between each sight we were dropped off at silk shops to purchase tailor-made suits so that our tuk-tuk driver could get a coupon for free gas. Scam. I have to look at it like this: we saw a few things we wouldn’t have and in the end, scam and all, it cost us about $6. After our 2-hour city tour I was in need of some ice cream, after all it was 83 degrees and humid, quite a change from back home in Korea. So, a quick stop at a 7-11, and I was ready to explore some more. Of course, it wouldn’t be an evening in Thailand without some local brew and people-watching. I like Bangkok so much! It is unlike any place I’ve ever seen; I feel like I’ve walked into a National Geographic article! They have pictures of their king and queen everywhere and we’ve been solicited to have suits and blouses custom-made at least 15 times already. I can only guess what tomorrow holds.
Day 2
Bangkok has shown me it's best and worst sides and I can still
say it’s one of the most intriguing, exotic, and beautiful cities I’ve ever visited. Whether getting around in one of the ubiquitous tuk-tuks or exchanging smiles and waves with children along the river banks while taking a long-tail boat ride, this city is full of every type of charm. On my first full day in Bangkok, I made a trip to the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, and Wat Pho. I know it’s like Bangkok 101 but it was still quite amazing! Before entering the Grand Palace, I had to get in line to borrow a shirt with sleeves since shorts and bare arms aren’t permitted. The Grand Palace isn’t a building, it’s a complex of temples, a throne room, royal residences, and ornate halls turned museums. The Grand Palace replicated the design of the previous capitol’s Palace structure, that now lies in ruins in Ayutthaya, just north of Bangkok. The Temple of the Emerald Buddha (though the Buddha is actually made of jade) or Wat Phra Kaew, is the true gem of a visit to the Palace. I was a little surprised to see that the most sacred and revered Buddha in all of Thailand is only about maybe
3 feet tall at best. He has three outfits which change with the season, he had recently switched from rainy season Buddha to his winter garb. His summer attire was on display in the museum. There was a small weapons museum (who knew anyone used tridents other than mermaid kings?) and a more interesting museum on coins and other royal artifacts like swords and royal betel nut juice sets. After returning my shirt and grabbing a quick noodle lunch across the street, it was the best meal I had the whole trip, it was onto Lak Meuang, the city pillar which holds the city’s horoscope. Funny that Bangkok’s destiny is the same as their beloved King’s. Wat Pho is the second of the three most important temples in the city and it houses a 46-meter reclining Buddha. The temple complex also has a famous massage school (Thais take massage seriously as a kind of upkeep) and a school complete with a run down basketball court. It was much more tranquil than Wat Phra Kaew and they even had a Buddha gift shop! I told you Thailand loves the tourists!
We decided to sample some coconut milk before strolling through
surrounding area. We browsed in many gift shops, poked through back alleys that dead-ended at the river, and had a deliciously authentic noodle dinner at an outdoor restaurant before heading back to our area of town. After a quick wardrobe change, we hopped in a tuk-tuk and made the commute to the infamous red-light district in search of the notorious Thai “lady-boys.” The night wasn’t a complete success but I now see what's meant by the “dark side” of Bangkok.
Day 3
Today was an early day, we even missed breakfast! We boarded our shuttle bus to the
Floating Market at 7:30am and began the 1 ½ hr. drive. The bus made two brief stops at a coconut sugar plantation and a wood carving site but both were just attempts to sell souvenirs, since we didn’t get to really tour either facility. When we arrived at the floating markets in Damnonen-Saduak, my first impression was that it was there strictly for the tourists. Fabrics and vegetables had been replaced by “100% Thai silks,” various trinkets, fruits, postcards, spices, and noodles. We took a boat through the canals of the marketplace where we found ourselves stuck in a tourist boat
traffic jam. Some of the more aggressive vendors would pull our boat alongside theirs and wouldn’t let go until they’d finished their pitch. After the tour, there was a bit of time before the “official” long-tail boat tour of the canal system, markets excluded. Walking alongside the market, I had pork and noodle soup for lunch and it was prepared right on one of the boats! Knowing full well we were in a tourist trap, I couldn’t resist picking up a beautiful green and gold Thai silk skirt. After all, I was going to need something to wear on New Year’s Eve. Next it was on to the long-tail boat tour which was much more interesting because we saw a couple Monitor lizards climbing onto the river banks and the reality of how people live outside of the city. Homes were mostly on stilts or set back from the water, and as I watched a woman brushing her teeth in a bucket on the river bank, it was pretty clear that running water wasn’t part of the deal in those parts. Most homes had steps or a dock leading down to the water and I was surprised how many children
Smooth sailing at this market!
The Floating Market in Damnonen-Saduak. would play close to the water, knowing there were 5-foot lizards just beneath the surface. The tour concluded with a quick visit to feed the fish with a Buddhist nun. After the hustle and bustle of the morning, I was ready for a more tranquil afternoon wandering through the rubble of the ancient capitol in Ayutthaya.
Ayutthaya served as the capitol of Siam until the 18th century when it was destroyed by the Burmese. I admired the remaining pagoda and Khmer-style prang temples, some of which held the remains of various royals including several kings. We were able to ride an elephant through certain areas of the old city and I almost felt like a British imperialist (minus the whole "taking over the world" thing), traveling through a new country 200 years ago.
The photos practically took themselves, especially when we returned after dinner to see the ruins lit up at night. Ayutthaya is so big it would take quite a long time to see everything, though I’m certain the wild dogs who call the ruins home, probably cover the area several times a day. Dinner was preceded by yet another long-tail boat ride but with only four
How'd you do that?
When Ayutthaya was destroyed, this Buddha head landed here, and a tree grew around it. of us on the boat, it was much more relaxing (I even got a whole bench seat to myself!) and it was really beautiful to see the sun setting over the river. At dinner I met a retired couple from Tel-Aviv and it was nice to have good food and good conversation while overlooking the lit-up boats floating down the river. It was no surprise that I fell asleep on the drive back to Bangkok and was even happy (a very little bit) to see my very tiny hotel room!
Day 4
Sunday seemed like the perfect time to check out Chatuchak Market to pick up some souveinirs for people back home. At first glance it appeared to be a small maze of shops rather than stalls, selling trinkets, books, jewlery, and clothes but we quickly realized that we were only on the outskirts and as soon as we turned a corner, thousands of kiosks sprawled out before us. One could spend hours perusing the shops but I found that a couple of hours was more than enough time to make some purchases, refresh with an icy beverage, and move on. It's basically another tourist trap, though adjacent to
Ruins of the ancient capitol
The once magnificent: Ayutthaya the main marketplace, there was an area that appeared to cater to a more local crowd. We peeked into this neighboring market and then the mall next to it and it was surprising to find that the shopping mall was just like the outdoor markets. Mom and Pop shops or just little kiosks were all housed in the big, multi-tiered, air-conditioned building with no big retail chains in sight. After a lightning-speed wardrobe change back at the hotel, it was of to dinner and a show! The shuttle took us right to the theater where we were greeted by a woman in traditional dress who pinned orchids to our shirts before posing for a picture with us, that they would try to sell us post-performance. Dinner was an East-West buffet with everything from sushi and Thai-style noodles, to chicken a la king and ice cream. Actually, it was the perfect opportunity to sample some Thai foods that I'd been unsure of (that means you green curry!) Shockingly, everything right down to the green curry was delicious! After dinner, a few performers and elephants were waiting downstairs to entertain the guests and I even got to feed an elephant sugarcane! We
walked through the Thai folk village and tried some traditional treats. I think that the real stand-out moment of the night, hands down, was my impromptu "jam session" with the guy playing the Thai instruments. After a quick tutorial we were rockin' the bamboo house! Lastly, there was a long-tail boat ride around the lagoon which afforded a complete view of the village.
The show "Siam Niramit," was the definition of a spectacle. They enacted six or seven vignettes depicting life and culture in different regions of Siam, during different periods. Elephants lumbered onstage and through the aisles, entire ancient cityscapes were transitioned on and off the stage, an actual river weaved its way across the set and women in canoes paddled by, they even made it lightening and rain! This show had everything, eleborate costumes and good song and dance. It was a trip highlight for me and I wouldn't recommend a trip to Bangkok without it!
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