Finding culture.

Fun fact about me: I don’t like sunrises, waking up early and am not a “morning person.” However being a “human” in a “society,” sometimes I am forced by said “society” to get out of my warm and cozy bed at non preferential hours. On even rarer  an occasion, I make the conscious and very bold decision that something fun or interesting, maybe even someone, particularly special is worth me ending my nightly, mini hibernation early. This morning was one such event.  Mari and I woke at the crack of dawn, I was stumbling about because it takes about an hour for my eyes to become fully functional.  We proceeded to make the hour and a half drive out of Bangkok to one of the famed floating markets, Taling Chan. When we arrived, it was closed! Only open weekends? I woke up for this? Alright plan B, let’s try to make the best of it. There was a women idly sitting by the waters’ edge and she told us she could take us out on the water if we wished.  That’s how we started our private canal tour. 

Ahh, slowly gliding past the humble homes, I watched people rinsing laundry, literally from their doors step. A small child ran to the end of his homes deck and peed exuberantly into the water. A group of boys hung off a low bridge post to fish and poke fun at each other. Being a city girl myself I can’t knock city life. Sometimes though seeing the same giant malls, with the same chain stores, in every city makes me feel like someday there won’t be a point to traveling because everywhere will be the same. While that’s obviously not completely true, it does lend to the feeling that you need to get out and further away from those hubs to feel some culture and the real “flavor” of a people.  What bliss to silently cruise with my sister down the waterways just soaking up what our senses would allow. Calm and quiet, with the occasional plop of a fish poking its head through the water’s surface.  Out of curiosity we asked our driver what kind of fish they were. He shook his head in a way that implied he had NO idea what we were saying , so we smiled politely and turned back to enjoy the scenery.  At the next building we past, the boat pulled over. Our driver quickly jumped out motioning for us to stay put.  I thought he might be running a quick persona errand. Within a few seconds he emerged from the house with a loaf of bread. Once he had established that he had our attention he threw the loaf into the water. Instantaneously fish surrounded the bread and our boat with a vicious fury. Where did they all come from? We had seen a few here and there but this was intense. They were huge and all fighting to get a bite. We thanked our driver for the show and continued on. Not until we were back at home watching a show on the canals of Bangkok and environs did we learn those damn fish were carnivorous and very intimidating predators. 

Death by fish!

Oh yea, we saw snakes too...

Halfway there, livin on a prayer.

After a peaceful morning ride, we decided to go do something a little more lively. The peak of the sun had worn of and we made our way out to the strip affectionately known as Khao San Road. This area of Bangkok is a backpacker hang out. Several hostels exist near this strip so it’s impossible not to run into American or European travelers here.  Clearly, no day would be complete without adventures in food, and we were ready to dig in. There were so many little carts we didn’t know where to start or what to try. We ended up sampling from several. Everything was tasty, whether it was a pancake with fresh fruit to a rice ball stuffed with who-knows-what yummy. We had unintentionally forever tainted ourselves. The best pad thai I have eaten to date came from one of these stands at the cost of one USD. It now seems such a waste to pay ten bucks here at home for something you know won’t even compare.  

 Another amazing creation of the city is the Beer Tower. BEER TOWER. These are table top miracles that hold 6-12 beers each. The core has a tube for ice so that the beer stays nice and cold. My sister and I consumed this brilliance at an outdoor table prime for people watching. Right across from us was a bar called something like “We don’t check your ID,” subtle. Dread-locked hippies in linen pants and old ladies in traditional dress for our benefit collided down the street. The more beer we consumed the louder our cracks got about the passersby, and the longer our giggles cackled on. We found ourselves wondering as often happens why we seemed to be enjoying ourselves more than anyone else appeared to be. A girl with a sour look on her face sipped her bear behind us. Ayyyy we toasted each other and laughed on. One beer tower down, another indigenous ancient tradition checked off the list.

Its actually is all spotlights and ...

To get the morning started off right we felt some cultural activities were in order. So we headed out to explore some temples. We hit a few minor ones before making out way to the Grand Palace. Holy mother! This place is indeed grand! Have ya ever seen the inside of a Russian orthodox church? The grand palace has the same level of gilded, gold, sparkly, fabulousness but it’s all on the outside of the buildings not just within. On the inner side of the wall that surrounds the complex are intricate and beautiful paintings depicting different religious myths. If you are bold enough, you should also slip off your shoes (no one was gonna steal my sweaty sandals) to see the jade Buddha. He’s not very large but you can also admire the splendor of the interior. Be forewarned that to even buy a ticket to get in to the palace you have to have your knees and shoulders covered, this is the common respectful dress code for entering any temple throughout the region. Luckily, I was wearing a long shirt and was able to pull my skirt down to meet the length requirement, so what if I had to sag a little? I’d also like to take this opportunity to issue another warning. There are lots of men, some even trying to pose as officials or police who will tell you the palace is closed for the day. DO NOT listen to them. This is a common scam in which they take the chance to steer you towards other attractions likely to turn out to be a friend’s store. Last thing to look out for is monks. Women cannot touch or even sit next to a monk, so show some respect and stay at a distance.  My sister was very taken with the monks and at any sighting she would whisper to me enthusiastically “look- monkeys!!” Not sure they would have appreciated the nickname but hey she meant it endearingly not insultingly, so get over it. 

Monkeys.

 Hooray! Having a female traveling companion meant the shopping was on! Chatuchak, is a huge outdoor maze of stalls with everything from alligator head purses (very masculine indeed), to pets, to food, to cheap trinkets and clothes. In short it has a little of absolutely everything. It’s fun to browse but can honestly be a bit overwhelming. I preferred the indoor mall next door, JJ mall. Prices here are slightly higher than you would find along the streets but the quality is also higher. Plus, compared to back in Cali, most things still seem like a steal. The selection of wares was right up my alley and I bought several goodies. I like this mall because unlike several others which just have international chain stores, JJ has mostly all Thai made products.The days prize was some insanely fabulous, over the top heels which I would of course need to hit the town later that night. 

Paraphernalia.

All I ever wanted.

While we were going about our merry way exploring the streets of Bangkok we had no idea that another well known individual was doing the same. Not until we were back at home, did we discover that none other than Anthony Bourdain was there at the same time that we were. If we would have had this precious knowledge at the time who knows what we might of done in an effort to stalk him out?! Alas, by nightfall we made our way to the chic-y rooftop bar Sirocco. Sipping on a fruity cocktail we gazed out at the lit up view of city below us. Once again, we had no idea that the very bar we were lounging in would be used to shoot scenes from the movie “The Hangover 2.” Well, at least we kinda scored with that one but no introductions to the stars.

Bangkok Buddy Swap and Thai culture

 Sadly halfway through the week in Bangkok, Jon had to go home, back to work and back to ‘real life.’ I had a gut feeling it would be a turbulent flight and that feeling mirrored my sentiments about his departure. As Jon’s plane was leaving my new travel buddies plane was just touching down.  Welcome to Southeast Asia Chister!! Mari was of course exhausted upon arrival, but what kind of sister would I be if I let her stay in and sleep it off? No, we didn’t go buck wild that first night (lucky for her I was feeling particularly generous) but we did get her some Thai food and beer and ended up meeting some Thai friends. Funny how two girls attract more company in a hr. than a couple does in 3 weeks. Language barriers can be hard but alcohol is the international language and soon we were miming our way through conversation. Around 1 am I let Mari off the hook as I could see her start to fade and I knew she would need to be ready to explore the following day. So, home we went with dreams of the city before us.

Hair show winner

Spicy yumminess

Hello purdy lady.

Thailand gets my vote for most attractive females. There is a certain look that I am referring to and it’s distinctive to the area. Light golden brown skin, wide cheekbones and large ears make for a charming combo. Something in the demeanor also lends to this attractiveness. There is an underlying male centeredness to the culture that is hard to pin down exactly. In many cultures around the world women are submissive to men. No different in much of Asia, but in Thailand it’s done in a different way. There is this serving you with a smile and genuine sense that their greatest desire is to make you happy.  I’m not trying to generalize that a Thai women’s greatest joy is to serve but the vibe you get, is unique here.

Long live the king

Another thing you can’t avoid noticing is the King. He is more than a figure head with less power than a president. King Bhumibol Adulyadej has reigned for over 50 years and the people, well , they adore him. He is all encompassing around Bangkok. Large framed photos hang off buildings and altars in his honor line boulevards. At first I thought this guy must be super big headed, but Dan and Duong assured me otherwise.  Supposedly, he is quite the humanitarian. He visits far off towns and villages, walking among the people intently listening to any and all burdens they care to share with him. He then takes their pressing issues to parliament where he pleaded their causes, trying to persuade a change on their behalf. The Thai people see him as a hero, quite close to a living saint. This knowledge but mostly his friendly looking smile made me think he was a good guy. I guess I’m a fan of the King too you could say. 

Why is this here? Um hello Mangosteens are delish!

Brother across the seas

 As my sister and I roamed the streets exploring we happened to cross ways with a man holding a plastic bag filled with soda and a straw popping out. This very ordinary man to most might not have caused a second glance. Others may have felt it very odd to see someone drinking soda out of a bag. Our response was of immediate recognition and nostalgia. As kids this style of soda sippin' was reserved for our trips to visit Granny in Mexico. The glass bottles are recycled and are of value to the vendors, so when you by a soda they pour the contents into a bag and as if you had ordered 'take out' that's what you walk away with. This fantastically simple and non consequential viewing was happy. Feeling something so familiar when so far away from home is a moment in which you can relish the fact that people are just people. These small similarities are our bond. We are all humans and if we try to see it, we are often times more the same than we are different.