Day 10 - Bangkok, Thailand

The flight to Bangkok was only 2-3 hours long, but we took off from Hanoi in sunny skies, and landed in a torrential downpour. It took us two attempted landing before we touched ground, and it looked like flash flooding outside the clear glass windows of our futuristic Star Wars-like airport.

I had mixed feelings returning to Thailand...we visited there back in '98 for the first time. This was when my international travel experience was practically nil (I'd only been to Canada and Japan...two other First World countries), and I was not prepared for the noise/chaos of the city and well, many other things. I nearly had a stroke when I saw our 'hotel' (it was nothing more than a dirty bed in a filthy, old room that looked abandoned and possibly where a murder had taken place). Sure, sure...it was only $10-15 a night, but I was appalled that such a room would even be deemed 'fit' to sell. Our communal shower had a mildew-covered shower curtain, no hot water and we were instructed to not let the water enter our eyes or mouth.

This was all shocking to this privileged, naive American...as was the city's rats, stray cats, trash on the street and the noisy, polluted air from the bajillion scooters/tuk tuks. Almost within hours of arrival, I was asking Rich if we could leave. He tried to convince me to stick it out (he was more of a backpacker than I ever was) and I did...but the stifling heat, the constant barrage of touts trying to con/guilt us out of our money was overwhelming.

A trip down south to the island of Koh Samui did not improve things (I called it a 'dirtier, cheaper' version of Hawaii), although I did enjoy a trip we took up north to Chiang Mai (which was a lot more charming than Bangkok). While there, we hiked up to a remote (Karen tribe) village for an overnight stay, rode elephants, paddled up a river and ate amazing food. I still remember sleeping high atop a mountain that took us most of the day to get to, and sleeping in a stilted hut that had no electricity or plumbing (we slept above chickens and roosters roaming down below).

Having said all that, I will admit that Thailand had something then that absolutely blew my socks off- an ornate, sparkling palace that glitters and shines from a mile away. I cannot even begin to fathom the amount of materials and labor it took to construct the Grand Palace. Even on my second visit there, I was still taken aback by how stunning it was.

I am happy to say that my second trip there was far and away a completely different experience. Of course the country had evolved and modernized over time. But the far greater impact was that when I returned, I was less ignorant/spoiled about the world...and honestly, it didn't hurt having a little more money this time around. Our accommodation was a lot better (this makes a difference), and we were less intimidated by dishonest touts.

Naughty tourists cruising the Star Wars terminal in the luggage carts (that do not allow kids in them)

Our hotel was a converted former elementary school. Though the property was completely and cleverly renovated (though you could still tell it was a school, which I loved).  Best of all, it was reasonably priced, in the heart of Bamglamphu and near all the wats and Khao San Road (where the action is).

We were also lucky in that by the time we sat through an hour of traffic to get to our hotel, the heavy rains had stopped...and we were able to dash out and do some late afternoon sight seeing.

The hotel lobby

Our hotel shrine...every shrine, temple, mosque, cathedral is the same to Ryan. A place to pray and express gratitude for where he is. :-)

Directly across the street of our hotel was a wat (Ratchabophit) whose splendor nearly rivaled the Grand Palace.

The only thing that could have made this moment more amazing would've been a hot plate of pahd thai noodles.

I felt like I was in a giant Russian Faberge egg! You could definitely see the European influence in this wat.

We learned that you cannot position yourself to be higher than the Buddha or point your feet toward the Buddha...nor is it ideal to wear sleeveless shirts, shorts (pants or long skirts are preferred, and required at some wats), or even brightly colored attire (my hot pink top was a bit of a no no).

When we visited here in '98, we learned that the King and Queen of Thailand were highly revered and beloved by the Thai people. Nearly every block or two anywhere we traveled, we would see large pictures of the Queen prominently displayed on medians, bridges, etc. Their presence is also seen in nearly every building (pictures, photos)... There is actually a Thai law that forbids defaming or insulting the King or Queen, but by all accounts...they appear to be very well regarded by most of the population (think Princess Diana).

From the wat, we walked another 10 minutes up Feung Nakorn to our beloved Khao San Rd...made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio's movie based on the novel "The Beach" (fyi, I was not a fan of the dreary novel). It was a complete dump 16 years ago when we were there. There's now the presence of a few chains (Subway and KFC as you can see), but I think it's much better now (though hardcore backpackers may disagree). It's a little cleaner (good luck finding a trash can though!), less chaotic, still cheap, charming. and best of all- still offers ice cold pressed fruit drinks, coconut ice cream, cheap pahd thai, massages (the best!), etc. Sadly, they still have the same arrogant, unregulated tuk tuk drivers who take great pleasure in overcharging tourists (many will refuse to take you unless you pay at least 3x the regular rate). One yelled something nasty at us, so I did what any middle aged American wife/mother would do- I turned around, waddled back over to him, pointed my finger at him and said very slowly and loudly- You. Are. Rude. (Boy did I show him. I bet he felt really awful after that.) That's me. Making the world a better place, one a-hole at a time!

As is inevitable with a caricature drawing...Ryan's was mind boggling, but entertaining. He looked about 25, pretty sexy (not the intended look we were going for with a 7-year old) and quite effeminate/pretty. I kept it for kicks...but...um...what the heck, man.

So I'll be the first to admit that with a more open mind, a few more dollars and a lot more confidence- Bangkok rocked on Round 2. We only about 4 days there, but I would love to go back someday!