Operation: “The World” is a Go

Culture shock is right! Things are definitely different. We arrived shortly after midnight and had arranged to have a driver from our hotel meet us at the airport and escort us to the hotel. The drive to the hotel was the first sign that things were going to be a little different here. The streets were lined with super modern shopping centers and small make-shift buildings made out of tin and whatever else they could find.

We stayed at the Avana Hotel which was very nice and had all the Western amenities that we are accustomed to. It was a nice way to ease us into this new culture.

The next morning we ventured to the hotel restaurant for our first Thai breakfast. A buffet style breakfast was included and had everything from Thai rice dishes to American fried eggs. Nothing seemed outstanding yet, but it was edible and that was a good sign. At this time, we had no idea how much we would end up loving traditional Thai food. After breakfast and much needed showers we ventured out to see Bangkok.

We took a taxi to the sky train to bring us into the center of the city. The sky train again was ultra modern with flat screen TVs and trendy design. We bought day passes for the public transportation which totaled 240 Baht about $3 a person. This was a welcome change from what we were spending to get around in Europe. We got off at Siam Square and walked into what was one of the craziest and largest shopping malls I have ever been in. Everywhere I looked I saw top-end stores! Emily, you would have been in heaven. I couldn’t figure out what all this was doing in Bangkok. Were people really shopping in these stores? Or were they just there for show? I still haven’t figured it out yet and after making a couple different stops at the mall. I still have not seen anyone actually shopping in the stores. We have been told by many that Bangkok is not Thailand. I think they are right.

We made our way to the river and picked up a river express boat. Another fun form of public transportation.

We took it to one the temples where the famous large reclining Buddha was displayed.

We strolled through the grounds of the temple admiring the details of the Asian designs.

After two days at Avana Hotel we moved to the Bed and Breakfast Hotel in Siam Square which is the shopping mecca of Bangkok and also a great hub for all the public transportation. This was a small and neat little hotel and we were starting to get a good feel of the city.

To end our few nights in the city we made sure to take a trip to Khao San Road. This is the famous street or small neighborhood that has catered to backpackers for hundreds of years. As we toured this part of the city it became clear how highly regarded the King of Thailand is here. There are pictures of him posted everywhere!

The people of Thailand also found a great use for all those promotional AOL cd’s that you get in the mail. I wonder if St. Paul can implement a similar recycling strategy?

Our next stop would be the floating market in Damnoen Saduak which is just a few hours from Bangkok.