Highlights
- Taxis from the airport into town should never be over 400 baht. Even if you're in one of the supposedly trustworthy metered taxis. Especially the one we were in. Jerk.
- For the guys, forget about what you think about capri-looking pants, buy a pair of Diesel rip-offs for $2 and put them on before temple hunting in Bangkok. You have to cover your knees and elbows, and it's waaaay too hot to wear pants/jeans in that heat.
- Khao San may be a popular backpacker area, but it's a little too backpackery for our tastes. We'll leave the Chang shirt and fake ID buying up to the shadows of who we were 12 years ago that fill the area.
- Mexican restaurants in Thailand can be just as fun as those in Mexico, live band and tequila permitting.
The "Norah Jones Long Day Is Over and time to relax" version
Bangkok was more of a pit stop for us. Other than needing to see the requisite temples and palaces, and to experience backpacker life to the Nth degree, we were more or less spending time there after China so we could catch an easy flight to the southern Thai islands.
Our stay at Villa Chi Chi was nice because it had a pool and decent accommodations, that is once the air conditioner kicked in after 90 minutes and you didn’t feel like you’d pass out of heat exhaustion in the room.
The food was amazing (definitely visit Hemlock - an incredible restaurant near Khao San) and it was nice to spend a little time amongst the globe trekking crowd, yet we were ready to get out of the big city after 2 quick days in the city.
Highlights of what we saw were the Grand Palace and a Mexican food joint that Tania found downtown.
The Grand Palace is as immaculate and approachable as any monument that we've come across. The gold exterior shimmers off of the beating sun (it was winter yet still hotter than a Miami summer day) and the outlining buildings (the Bureau of the Royal Household, the Royal Institute of Thailand, and the Office of the Private Secretary to the King) are a blanket of impeccably designed pieces of art that beg for a whole memory stick (or roll of film for those that are still into that - Dad) of pictures to be taken of them. And inside the Wat Phra Kaew sits the Emerald Buddha, which is exactly as the name implies, and may be unassuming upon first glimpse, but after hearing its story and sitting on the stone floor gazing up at it for a few minutes, you'll understand why Buddhists travel across the globe to sit at its altar.
Every season, this Buddha is dressed in a wardrobe to match that season, and placed back up on its altar, which sits about 20 feet above ground. No photos are allowed while inside the Wat, and an insistent little Thai dude walks around making sure this rule isn't broken. (I found out firsthand) The statue is so little sitting way up there, but little glimmers off of it so perfectly that its green skin reflects through the seasonal garb making it seem so unassuming, yet so powerful. Even though we aren't followers of Buddhism, we were still captivated sitting on the stone floor below the statue. Pretty cool.
That night, Tania found a Mexican restaurant downtown that sounded like it would quench our taste for food that resembled what we love from home (LA) and from where we had our wedding (Puerto Vallarta). After a cab ride through rush hour traffic that would make LA bow, we made it to the hotel in which the hotel resided and took a seat at a booth next to the stage. A stage for what we didn't know, but we started munching on chips and salsa like it was no one's business as soon as it was placed on our table.
Then followed the margaritas.
Then the fajitas and enchiladas.
Then the clapping to the live band on stage.
Then the long cab ride home. It was a successful harking back to our favorite week, and to some of the best food on the planet.
And then it was off to Koh Samui to start our Thai island adventure. Bye bye mainland city living!
Highlights of what we saw were the Grand Palace and a Mexican food joint that Tania found downtown.
The Grand Palace is as immaculate and approachable as any monument that we've come across. The gold exterior shimmers off of the beating sun (it was winter yet still hotter than a Miami summer day) and the outlining buildings (the Bureau of the Royal Household, the Royal Institute of Thailand, and the Office of the Private Secretary to the King) are a blanket of impeccably designed pieces of art that beg for a whole memory stick (or roll of film for those that are still into that - Dad) of pictures to be taken of them. And inside the Wat Phra Kaew sits the Emerald Buddha, which is exactly as the name implies, and may be unassuming upon first glimpse, but after hearing its story and sitting on the stone floor gazing up at it for a few minutes, you'll understand why Buddhists travel across the globe to sit at its altar.
Every season, this Buddha is dressed in a wardrobe to match that season, and placed back up on its altar, which sits about 20 feet above ground. No photos are allowed while inside the Wat, and an insistent little Thai dude walks around making sure this rule isn't broken. (I found out firsthand) The statue is so little sitting way up there, but little glimmers off of it so perfectly that its green skin reflects through the seasonal garb making it seem so unassuming, yet so powerful. Even though we aren't followers of Buddhism, we were still captivated sitting on the stone floor below the statue. Pretty cool.
That night, Tania found a Mexican restaurant downtown that sounded like it would quench our taste for food that resembled what we love from home (LA) and from where we had our wedding (Puerto Vallarta). After a cab ride through rush hour traffic that would make LA bow, we made it to the hotel in which the hotel resided and took a seat at a booth next to the stage. A stage for what we didn't know, but we started munching on chips and salsa like it was no one's business as soon as it was placed on our table.
Then followed the margaritas.
We were SHOCKED by the image on our margarita mug (after a few giggles)
Then the fajitas and enchiladas.
Then the clapping to the live band on stage.
Then the long cab ride home. It was a successful harking back to our favorite week, and to some of the best food on the planet.
And then it was off to Koh Samui to start our Thai island adventure. Bye bye mainland city living!
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