Bangkok and Beyond
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| 1. Tropical Paradise on Koh Kood Island, Southeastern Thailand |
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| 2. Mango with Coconut Sticky rice at Silom Cooking School |
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| 3. In the Grand Palace and Temple of Thai Kings |
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| 4. Walking with Elephants in Chiang Mai, northern city in Thailand |
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| 5. Bangkok Skyline, home to 8 million People |
Sawadee ka!
(Hello in Thai) :)
These 5 pictures are only a handful of the many I took on my recent trip to the Land of a Thousand Smiles. Although pictures do speak a thousand words, I wonder how I could possibly describe this rich, diverse and beautiful country in just 5 words?
1. Versatile:
Not only does one have to be flexible when touring the country, but the country is also so versatile in so many ways. Each city, region, location has its own culture, people groups, social norms, food and mode of transportation. My friend and I traveled to the middle (Bangkok), the south (the island of Koh Kood) and the north (Chiang Mai, Rose of the North) and we experienced all the differences that come from going from one end of a country to another. A traveler MUST maintain a sense of versatility, whether in mannerism, dress, or even how they construct the location in their mind. Bangkok is busy, bustling, and nearly nerve-wracking - never a dull moment. Koh Kood was calming and carefree (albeit somewhat crazy - if you want to know my special story from the island, feel free to personally message me). Chiang Mai has fantastic food and offers everything a tourist could possibly dream of desiring. Still, if you spent years in the country, you would never see everything it has to unveil.
2. Vibrant:
The county is rich with history and religion which creates an important role in the aliveness of the land and its inhabitants. The city lights of Bangkok never fade, and the energy from millions of people reverberates day and night. The sounds and sights of a tropical rainforest will always remain vivid for me. I remember our first ride in a songtheaw (a truck with two parallel seats in the bed) on the island of Koh Kood - the incredible the lavishness of flowers and lush greenness was more than my eyes were able to process. The colors of everything, anywhere you go, from golden gilded temples to muddy rivers is so very vibrant. I wonder if it has to do with the starkness of coming from a desert land to a land of rain and humidity? Regardless, the trees and plants and people are so very - vibrant and full of life.
3. Vital:
The inner workings of Thailand's resources is absolutely fascinating, to the extent that I have never seen its equal. We were driving back from our island vacation and into the city of Bangkok and there were trucks piled to the absolute maximum (and then some) with fruits and vegetables, caravaning in loooooooong lines to reach their drop-off locations. The pineapples and mangoes and sugar cane that were being transported was overwhelming, and vital to the commerce of the city and surrounding areas. The country fills many of its needs from within, which is a refreshing and thought-provoking type of economy to ponder. I drank tea straight from leaves and fruits produced in Thailand. I sipped coconut milk straight from a local coconut farm in Thailand. As we were heading down from Doi Pui, we passed cars stuffed with groceries making their slow way up the mountain to fill the stores of the villagers in the high reaches of Thailand. Such economy brings about a self-sustaining vitality where everyone prospers because everyone is close to the land.
4. Vivid:
I joked with my family and friends when I sent them pictures of my travels in Thailand that everything was too pretty, too fake, too vivid. My phone's camera even toned down many of the images I saw with my own eyes, as some were so bright to even capture. The gleaming gold of wats, the incredible orange-color of monk's robes and flags, the richness of the sunset could not be contained within a picture frame. I can try, but will ultimately fail, to adequately describe the colors, the sounds, the smells of this country. On my way to the MRT station some mornings the smells of spicy meat would greet me, the tangy sour sweet of broth and cooked vegetables would assail my senses, so unknown and new and interesting. The narrow alleyways of Bangkok's little tourested suburbs would be full of exotic fruits, ripe and inviting, in brilliant greens and reds and yellows. The honking, hammering, calling, highways sounds were a constant in the major bus terminals, while on top of mountains, we were greeted with the mere whisper of a tropical breeze. Sensations of hot and cold were so violently opposed, from boiling 90 degrees Fahrenheit to chilly indoors with cranked A/Cs on full. The glittering sides of mirrored gates in Chiang Mai reflected the mid-day sun, while the clatter of motorbikes reverberated as they raced boisterously in the slim streets. Nothing halfway, all or nothing. Bold and wild and vivid.
3. Vital:
The inner workings of Thailand's resources is absolutely fascinating, to the extent that I have never seen its equal. We were driving back from our island vacation and into the city of Bangkok and there were trucks piled to the absolute maximum (and then some) with fruits and vegetables, caravaning in loooooooong lines to reach their drop-off locations. The pineapples and mangoes and sugar cane that were being transported was overwhelming, and vital to the commerce of the city and surrounding areas. The country fills many of its needs from within, which is a refreshing and thought-provoking type of economy to ponder. I drank tea straight from leaves and fruits produced in Thailand. I sipped coconut milk straight from a local coconut farm in Thailand. As we were heading down from Doi Pui, we passed cars stuffed with groceries making their slow way up the mountain to fill the stores of the villagers in the high reaches of Thailand. Such economy brings about a self-sustaining vitality where everyone prospers because everyone is close to the land.
4. Vivid:
I joked with my family and friends when I sent them pictures of my travels in Thailand that everything was too pretty, too fake, too vivid. My phone's camera even toned down many of the images I saw with my own eyes, as some were so bright to even capture. The gleaming gold of wats, the incredible orange-color of monk's robes and flags, the richness of the sunset could not be contained within a picture frame. I can try, but will ultimately fail, to adequately describe the colors, the sounds, the smells of this country. On my way to the MRT station some mornings the smells of spicy meat would greet me, the tangy sour sweet of broth and cooked vegetables would assail my senses, so unknown and new and interesting. The narrow alleyways of Bangkok's little tourested suburbs would be full of exotic fruits, ripe and inviting, in brilliant greens and reds and yellows. The honking, hammering, calling, highways sounds were a constant in the major bus terminals, while on top of mountains, we were greeted with the mere whisper of a tropical breeze. Sensations of hot and cold were so violently opposed, from boiling 90 degrees Fahrenheit to chilly indoors with cranked A/Cs on full. The glittering sides of mirrored gates in Chiang Mai reflected the mid-day sun, while the clatter of motorbikes reverberated as they raced boisterously in the slim streets. Nothing halfway, all or nothing. Bold and wild and vivid.
5. Vigorous:
Energetic in everything, I think the Thai people have a passion for living, and not just living, but living life to its absolute fullest. The cities were full of people, so many people! Rushing through subway stations to get to their shopping, their cooking, their eating, their everything. They live well, as best they can, always doing, going, being. They give everything they have to everything they do, and say, and are. It is evident in their architecture, their business, and their absolute busyness. Even on the island, they served us well, gave well and smiled easily. They work hard, but I hope that they also can play hard, too. I don't know if I ever saw people resting - perhaps the other tourists we met on our travels - but rarely a Thai person. They hustled and scrambled and lived big, loud, and strong lives - cramming much into every breathing moment.
Energetic in everything, I think the Thai people have a passion for living, and not just living, but living life to its absolute fullest. The cities were full of people, so many people! Rushing through subway stations to get to their shopping, their cooking, their eating, their everything. They live well, as best they can, always doing, going, being. They give everything they have to everything they do, and say, and are. It is evident in their architecture, their business, and their absolute busyness. Even on the island, they served us well, gave well and smiled easily. They work hard, but I hope that they also can play hard, too. I don't know if I ever saw people resting - perhaps the other tourists we met on our travels - but rarely a Thai person. They hustled and scrambled and lived big, loud, and strong lives - cramming much into every breathing moment.
All of this can barely contain my travels for two weeks, but thank you for sharing in some of what I was able to describe of my trip! If you're interested in discussing more of the religion, history, or even more of my experiences, please feel free to message me or leave a note!
Khob khun ka!
ELEPHANT!
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