12 million + 2 more = Bangkok

(By Annie)

Our delightful Thai Airways flight landed shortly after sunrise, so we lost a night of sleep, but gained a whole lot more. Our host in Bangkok was Marilee, who those from my days of Peace Corps will remember as our former director. She now runs program management in Thailand and was so very gracious to offer her apartment as a home base for our travels in Thailand.

So, after an amazing breakfast and Starbucks for Rachael (Miller: STARBUCKS!!!!, it cost more than a meal but was worth it to hear Christmas carols order a drink with 7 words in the name) we were off to conquer Bangkok. First things first, the public transportation system is so diverse and efficient. Traffic is a huge problem for city, so there is an extensive sky train, metro, bus, and river taxi system. In two days believe it or not we conquered them all. I was impressed with how user friendly they all were. The metro and sky train rivals and perhaps surpasses any of its competitors around the world- did I mention they were air conditioned as well?

As for the sights, our first day was spent exploring the river. Most, if not all, the highly visited sites are conveniently located on or around the river. We took the river taxi and happened to stumble across this beautiful park and fort. We then headed down to the Grand Palace, the former residence for the royal family of Thailand. I am not even sure I can put into words what we saw. Imagine a giant gingerbread house made of all the ceramic tiles and precious stones you could collect in a lifetime; and put together with such detail to design and color. It is truly one of those architectural miracles. Also, inside the palace compound was the emerald Buddha – one of the most famous sites for religious pilgrimage and devotion in the entire world. It was wonderful to be a sort of fly on the wall seeing the process that Buddhists go through. It is one of the many times during this trip where I have seen things that I have read and studied come alive.

After the palace we headed home and enjoyed a hot shower and a real bed, which after Calcutta were just as valuable to us as the Grand Palace. Day two was more public transport and then logistics like buying bus tickets and post cards. We also spent some time in the central park of Bangkok watching children on all ages attempt to fly their kites. It was magical to see how they danced in the air and the change of expression on the kids faces as the parents helped them get in the air. We also walked and saw the golden mountain. Hmm, again I am at a loss. Imagine a carnival, literally a carnival – like one with a ferris wheel, games, and all the food on a stick you could ever want. Well, a mountain with a gorgeous temple on top was right in the middle of it, taking in pilgrims and tourists alike still eating the cotton candy off their fingers.

Once we climbed down, it was off to the main event – literally – Muay Thai or Thai boxing, the national sport of Thailand. We saw five different fights and perhaps even cooler than the knockout punches were the rituals performed before each battle and the spectators betting up a storm. The guidebooks described it like the stock exchange and there is not better way to put it.

Day three was finally a Monday and we needed to get down to business. The morning was spent in the Cambodian Embassy, it took a little bit of time, but it was one of the better visa getting experiences we have had. After getting back to the river we headed off to a cyber café for Rachael to finish her job application and for me to finish my scholarship application. Two beers later we were on our overnight train with 7-11 fountain drinks in hand, yes, the answer is- they even have slurpees and we have had three so far.

Fourteen hours later we are in the paradise of Krabi. Moto-ing to the beach today where we can lounge with cocktail in hand and indulge in a $4 hour-long massage, all while staring at the unreal land/seascape that southern Thailand is famous for.