After the hike I caught a flight to Bangkok and arrived after midnight to the big crazy city that was still very much alive. I walked down Khao San Rd with my big backpack and searched for a guesthouse amidst the dreaded people, drunk boys and street food vendors. I found the place and immediately put my pajamas on, brushed my teeth and got in bed, feeling like I was in a different world. The cardboard-thin walls were covered in graffiti. "Why bother", written above the lock and, "don't worry no one's watching you...we promise", right above my pillow. Plus some anti-Bush sentiment and several poems and quotes. The room was only 100 baht (around US$2.50) and despite the drab ambiance I slept well.
That was my introduction to Thailand and it's been going uphill from there. Bangkok was different than any place in Thailand I've been to since. I liked it but it was strange being in a city with so many people and so little "real" contact with anyone. Many of the Thais talked to me but most were trying to sell something or take me to silk shops and souvenir shops in their tuk-tuk so they could collect petrol coupons. Traveling alone and being in the mountains or small towns and having little or no conversation is quite different from literally being surrounded with people and only having a small amount of superficial contact. I went out every day and saw the sights: many temples, markets, shopping and street food. I rediscovered fruit (Korea is not a fruit lover's paradise) and nearly every day since I have at least one fresh fruit juice or shake. My favorite one was a pineapple, banana and passion fruit shake...a tropical explosion in my mouth. I could live on them.
It looks innocent but this one almost made me cry. So spicy.The food is delicious and damn spicy. I ask for spicy and they smile and then giggle and bring me water when I'm turning red, sweating and blowing my nose after the first two bites. But I like it that way. The kind of spicy that gets you a bit high. The chili releases endorphins and it's sends you flying and it's painful but you can't stop eating. You could call it Thai food Zen meditation: while you're eating there is nothing else but the food and the fire in your mouth.
Sticky rice and mango. Heaven.So the food is excellent, the people are for the most part very gentle and friendly and the landscape is amazing, both in the north and south. I've been in Thailand a month now, I've traveled around quite a bit and have done and seen a lot that I can't even begin to put into words. I hope to update soon in more detail but for now I can just say that Thailand is good.
