I visited Thailand in two segments, both about a week each. I didn't write about it before because Thailand has sort of been my recuperating zone, where I arrange visas, flight tickets, grad applications, and did blog entries. I also responded to the emails that piled up while I was in Burma and Cambodia, where the internet quality is lacking. We also slowed down our pace, and I think I spent 10 of my 14 days in Thialand just in Bangkok. As a result, not only did it feel like I was not doing much, but I also didn't have the energy to write about it.
Despite this, I have enjoyed Thailand. I think I had the wrong opinion of it going in, and as a result, did not give it a chance. I was worried about scams, annoying hordes of tourists, and survining Bangkok itself. Like anywhere else, there are scams, and there are also large number of, in my opinion, the 'wrong' kind of tourist; the type who think because they are on vacation, and because they are relatively rich compared to the locals, they can act like A-holes to the locals, walk around the business district with no shirt, etc. However, there are lots of great tourists to hang out with in Thailand too. As for Bangkok, I actually found it quite relaxing. It has a great public transit system, including a fun taxi-boat system and modern sky-train. I just ahd to ask for the routes at my hotel, and double check every time I switched lines with at least two locals :-). In the tourist area, you can also get delicious and cheap street food and fruit shakes. Plus, there are message parlours everywhere. In retrospect, I should have planned to spend more time in Thailand. Oh well, I gues I'll just have to go back.
Despite this, I have enjoyed Thailand. I think I had the wrong opinion of it going in, and as a result, did not give it a chance. I was worried about scams, annoying hordes of tourists, and survining Bangkok itself. Like anywhere else, there are scams, and there are also large number of, in my opinion, the 'wrong' kind of tourist; the type who think because they are on vacation, and because they are relatively rich compared to the locals, they can act like A-holes to the locals, walk around the business district with no shirt, etc. However, there are lots of great tourists to hang out with in Thailand too. As for Bangkok, I actually found it quite relaxing. It has a great public transit system, including a fun taxi-boat system and modern sky-train. I just ahd to ask for the routes at my hotel, and double check every time I switched lines with at least two locals :-). In the tourist area, you can also get delicious and cheap street food and fruit shakes. Plus, there are message parlours everywhere. In retrospect, I should have planned to spend more time in Thailand. Oh well, I gues I'll just have to go back.
While in Bangkok the first time, we visited the Royal Palace, which is very well-kept and beautiful, and has great murals all over its walls. We also visited Thailand's biggest reclining Buddha, which impressed me immensly at the time, but after seeing two larger ones in Myanmar, its not such a big deal :-). We visited a lovely night-market, which has a beer garden frequented mostly by locals, who go for the free Thai-pop shows.
We left Bangkok for Canchanaburri (probably spelt wrong) eventually. It is a quiet little town where we rented a bungalow that floated on the water. I stayed there two and a half days, and Nika for a week I think. It is know as the sight of the 'death railway', made famous by the movie 'the bridge over the river Quai', which runs through Cabchanaburri. The Death railway, which the Japanese built to bring supplies from Thailand ti Burma during WWII was constructed under extremely harsh conditions by POWs and forced local labour. Its building let to thousands of deaths. There was a great museum there that taught us all about the death railway. We also thought it appropriate to smile for a picture when visiting the famous bridge.
The highlight of Canchanaburri for me was the great waterfall nearby. It had 9 different levels, lots of spots to swim, some rocks you could slide down like a waterslide, and a disturbing number of fish whick nibbled at my toes as soon as they entered the water. It was a great place to relax and swim in the March heat of Thailand.
The next time I was in Thailand, I met up the first day with Eva, the German girl I had met in Burma. We made plans to leave for Suhkothai the next day, but I backed out because it is 7 hours away and I had to return to Bangkok to catch a flight in 4 days, and didn't want to be worried all the time about getting back. Instead, we visited the 'golden mountain' in Bangkok, which offers nice views and a park-like setting with lots of shrines and gravesites, and a nearby temple with very interesting architechture and a name I forget. Even left the next day for Chang Mai, and I returned to the National Museum for a free guided tour the next morning. The English tourguide didn't show up, so I joined the French group, and I think I did alright in understanding.
I am now in Ayuthaya (spelled wrong also), Thailand. A world heritage sight, it was the former capital of Thailand until the Burmese did a great job of sacking it, leaving a few minor ruins. They are nice, but after visiting Angkor and Bagan, I am kind of a ruin snob, and don't find them very impressive. I have been hanging out with 5 English guys and two german girls who are more into the partying than the sight seeing, which is a change for me. Last night, after a bar, we went to a Thai club where our group was the only foreigners. There was no real dance floor; the dance area had tables all through it with groups sitting at them, and then occasionally getting up to dance around the table.
Tommorow I have to figure out how to get back to Bangkok in time for my flight, and then I'm off to the Philippines, where I may see Nika again for a couple of days...
No comments:
Post a Comment