Those fabulous places where we long to be...

I have a tendency to arrive somewhere new and wonder why I’m so tired by midday.  Then I check out the weather and realize that it’s not just super humid, but also 95̊ º.

Sooo many tourists!

In light of this, I got up at 6 am on Thursday to beat the tourist crowds and sweltering heat of Bangkok, especially after realizing that this meant long pants and closed-toe shoes.  Of course, everything’s closed until 8:30 am, when massive crowds of Chinese tourists pile out of tour buses.

The crowds and the wait were well worth it to see the Grand Palace and the many buildings around it, all shimmering in gold paint and intricate stonework.  Thinking about just how many man-hours it must have taken to construct all these buildings without today’s manufacturing methods boggles my mind almost as much as the fact that the universe is constantly expanding (into what??).

Reclining Buddha

And then to think that the royalty needed to reaffirm its Buddhist values by building the huge Reclining Buddha.  At around 43 m long, it’s the same in length as the height of the Kawarau Bridge in New Zealand that I bungeed off of.  It couldn’t fit in one photo, let alone the room they placed it in (or built around it, I’d like to think) – the head ornament even hits where the wall meets the ceiling.

I also had to admit to myself that I need air-conditioning.  After the first long night of watching the small ceiling fan circulate the hot air, I moved over to an area much more accustomed to tourists – which I discovered makes me uncomfortable.  I’m halfway around the world, only to find myself in an area overwhelmingly white.

It’s here that I’ve discovered a new varietal of the classic Ugly American.  Instead of the less-than-classy tourists I’ve seen in France who fill entire sidewalks and complain loudly about how rude their waiter is in a crowded restaurant, now it’s the party-minded college-student variety.  I know that every major city has its share of these, but it’s more incongruous when early-morning drinkers walk alongside Thai monks and Caucasian tourists show up to temples in hobo chic right behind devout, modestly-dressed Buddhists.

 

Lotus flower

But, tourists aside, Bangkok is itself a hodge-podge of conflicting ideas.  The streets have the typical big-city smell, with spurts of curry, freshly-cut fruit, and flowers coming from the sidewalk stalls.  The water taxi that criss-crosses the river connects the temples with Chinatown and immaculate shopping centers, while passing by ramshackle huts on stilts over the water, held up by who-knows-what force.  The Grand Palace, images of the royal couple that litter the city, and a twice-daily broadcast of the national anthem remind everyone of the royalty’s power, but it’s too easy to forget the political uproar of the city just a year ago.

This pretty much sums up the tuk tuk experience

It’s been so much fun so far exploring each completely different area of town, from the flower markets in Chinatown with stall upon stall of carefully put-together flower arrangements, to the old city center with its plethora of temples and Buddha statues.  The food has been absolutely amazing, like the crab curry dish and fried prawns (another first!) I got with a Cornell friend last night.  And I’ve been enjoying the variety of transportation methods, from water taxis to the Skytrain and tuk tuks.

More Buddhas

Tonight I’m heading off to Chiang Mai, a city known for its massage schools, cooking classes, and nearby mountains that are excellent for hikes – a perfect place to relax for a while!

I hope everyone is doing well back at home!