Wat Arun

In loads of guidebooks and on various websites, Bangkok has been questionably compared to Venice due to its series of waterways and canals. I'm not sure who comes up with that stuff but it's a bit of a stretch, in my opinion, to call Bangkok, The Venice of the East. But, in true traveler fashion we decided to see for ourselves and take a highly-raved about boat ride to visit another wat (temple).

As one of the more expensive experiences on the trip, we hoped the one-hour boat ride would give us a new view of the dirty city along with some fresh air. After boarding the vessel, our seemingly distracted driver hopped in and manned the wheel.

Me: What is he, like 16?

Andrea: <eye roll and probable sigh of annoyance>

We headed out in the mist and waited for the beautiful scenery and floating markets.

And waited...

And waited.

The homes along the canal were decrepit, squalid, and depressing; not what we anticipated, but unfortunately typical for the city. The only floating market we encountered was a random man on a boat who paddled over to show his merchandise: cans of juice and random found objects. After 30 minutes, our driver turned around and announced we were now returning back to dock. Apparently, his cheat the tourists out of their money skills were better than his time-telling skills, but we set him straight and directed him toward the wat. Unwilling to waste too much gas, he spent the next 30 minutes cruising the boat at a sluggish pace of approximately 5 nautical knots so we had the opportunity of seeing another 25 feet of the canal. Tricky... very tricky.

Upon arriving at the wat we had to pay a docking fee to get out of the boat—yet another frustrating scam for helpless tourists. Pay the fee and get out or stay in the boat with the stubborn teenager. The answer was obvious.

We headed for the temple, thankful we were free from the unsatisfying boat ride, and marched right up to the front gate and... it was closed. Really? Come on!

Our teenager, more of a Gilligan than a Skipper.

The lush, tropical scenery we were promised.

The wat before docking

Oh, the disappointment...

The Monitor and the Pigeons

Just another day at the park in Bangkok...

Jim Thompson's House

Famous for bringing Thai silk to the Western world, Jim Thompson first stepped foot in Thailand after World War II on assignment with the US Army. After his deployment in 1946, he briefly returned home to pick up his wife before making Thailand their permanent home. She, however, was not on the same page and divorced him instead.

After working with various Thai investors, Thompson went on to found the Thai Silk Company in 1947. Employing women from impoverished communities, Thompson allowed them to work from home while simultaneously watching their children. The small company found huge success after the first year and turned a profit every subsequent year in business. Because Thompson gave the core group of women shares in the company, they were raised out of poverty to become millionaires in the Thai silk business.

During an afternoon walk, while on a trip to Malaysia in 1967, Thompson disappeared and was never seen again. It is still unknown today what events led to his disappearance, but locals assume it had to do with kidnapping, murder, or a tiger attack.

Today, Thompson's house, built in 1959, draws nearly as many tourists as Bangkok's Grand Palace. Designed from parts of six traditional antique Thai houses, Thompson's open-air home is now a museum showcasing his love of Asian architecture and valuable collection of art.

Jim Thompson's House

Beautiful landscaping surrounds the house

Gold, Au, #79... Whatever You Prefer

Definition of Wat: a Buddhist temple

Official name: Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn

Accepted name: Wat Pho

Known for: Reclining Buddha

Wat Pho is one of the oldest and largest wats in Bangkok and the former home of a school for traditional Thai massage. It now houses over 1,000 Buddha statues including the most famous, Reclining Buddha. The gargantuan Buddha is about 150 feet long and 50 feet high. Covered from head to toe in gold plating and mother of pearl, the Reclining Buddha is a bit over-the-top, if you ask me.

A few monks enjoying the Wat grounds

Reclining Buddha

Lots and lots of gold

Where You Going?

written October 23, 2009....

Standing on the corner of a Bangkok intersection with a map in hand has the same effect as sucking on a car's exhaust pipe while mosquitoes bite your legs. That is to say, the air is dirty and the pesky tuk-tuk drivers don't take no for an answer. Even if you already have a plan, they'll try to "help" you and offer their own suggestions.

Example #1

Tuk-tuk driver: Hey! Where you going?

Us: .... the Grand Palace.

Tuk-tuk driver: I'll take you... 20 baht. And, I'll show you Sleeping Buddha, Standing Buddha, and Golden Mount. Same price.

Us: 20 baht?

Tuk-tuk driver: Yes, you just make one stop for me. I need gasoline.

From what we've gathered, the tuk-tuk drivers are sponsored by different merchants who sell various over-priced goods: gems, silk, etc. If the driver brings a customer to the store for 10 minutes he receives money and a tank of gas. It's seemingly easy money for the driver so they insist you help them out.

Us: No, we want to go direct. How much for direct?

Tuk-tuk driver: No, direct is 200 baht. Please, one stop and you get good price. You like beautiful gemstones? Tailor? Suit, handmade.

Us: (hesitate)

Tuk-tuk driver: Two stops and you get free ride.

Example #2

If the roads were empty and the Wats (temples) open until late at night, time wouldn't be an issue. However, getting from point A to point B takes twice as long or more than it should thanks to the saturated roads and unbelievably out of the way "stops." If you are able to negotiate a price with your driver including or excluding stops, you're only halfway there. Once in the tuk-tuk, it is imperative to hold on for dear life. As the drivers swerve through traffic, exhaust from the surrounding cars, trucks, tuk-tuks, mopeds, and buses swirls through the air. The open tuk-tuks provide relief from the heat, but compensate their convenience by offering their riders a glimpse into death by asphyxiation.

As the crowded streets inflate at night so do the transportation prices. Taxis and tuk-tuk drivers aim to avoid the gridlock by offering their long-distance riders extreme prices.

Tuk-tuk driver: Where you going?

Us: Our hotel on Decho Road. How much?

Tuk-tuk driver: 300 baht.

Us: 300????? How about 40?

Tuk-tuk driver: (laughing) No, no. 250.

Us: That's too much! Earlier today it was only 40. Now, 250? Why??

Tuk-tuk driver: Yes, but now is busy. Too many cars. You wait until midnight and I will take you. 60 baht, good price.

Us: That's in 6 hours! We want to go now.

Tuk-tuk driver: (Shakes his head)

A taxi pulls up.....

Taxi driver: Where you going?

Us: Decho Road. Meter?

Taxi driver: No, 200 baht.

Us: No meter? The light on the top of your car says, "METER TAXI!!!!"

Taxi driver: Meter is sleeping....

Us: ????

We finally made it home that night after finding a taxi who didn't agree to the meter, but gave us a more reasonable price than the few before. However, the next day we encountered a new set of trasnportation problems. We hopped into a taxi headed to another temple and was surprised when the driver agreed to use the meter. Feeling like good luck was on our side, we were happy to be out of the dirty air and into the comfort of an air-conditioned car. After fifteen minutes in stop-and-go traffic we noticed the car starting to stall. Assuming the driver wasn't paying attention to the clutch, I thought nothing of it. Each time he restarted the car with relative ease and we continued on. Ten minutes later...

Andrea: Is that smoke?

Me: Where?

Andrea: Oh, no, never mind. I guess it was coming from those trucks.

Me: Oh, I didn't see it.

Andrea: No, wait! It IS coming from our car!!!

We pulled over and the driver got out, popped the hood, and fanned the billowing smoke.

Me: (slightly laughing out of disbelief) Should we get out? What if the car catches on fire?

The driver came back and got a tool from the glove box. After a few seconds he shut the hood and got back in. We continued driving, but at the next stoplight the car died in the middle of traffic. Cars honked as they whizzed by and the driver, clearly embarrassed and frustrated, tried relentlessly to restart the engine. Eight minutes later, Andrea and I gave him some money (including a tip because I felt so sorry for him) and got out. We fought off tuk-tuk drivers for the next 30 minutes of our walk to the temple, which was closed by the time we arrived...

Sawatdee ka, Hello

written October 21, 2009...

A city of movement and chaos, Bangkok dishes up the unexpected—nothing is as it seems. Skittle-colored taxis honk through traffic as animated tuk-tuks weave in competition with mopeds for space on the road. The view is both tropical and depressing as are many cities in paradise. Tourists in new beachwear walk alongside locals who offer various opportunities: tuk-tuk ride... good price, cheap massage... you want, exotic dance show... come see. On the street with a map in hand, you might as well be wearing a target on your back. Everyone wants to "help" you find where you're going by suggesting out of the way stops and detours that ultimately make them a buck.

Exhaustion surfaces quickly as you spend time bartering for acceptable prices. Always aiming high, merchants will settle on a lower price as long as they turn a profit. Arguing over money can be frustrating, but when you realize it's only a few dollars, or even cents, perspective sinks in and it's humbling to think the small amount they're getting is sometimes much bigger to them than you realize.

Despite the abundance of friendly smiles, after only a few days I was ready to move on to a location free from exhaust fumes and the hidden agendas behind everyone's not-so-helpful advice.

Last Shanghai Video

This video goes hand in hand with the post, "Shanghai," but I had problems uploading it at the time...

Home Sweet Home

After being gone for a little over a year, I'm back at home just in time for Thanksgiving. I'm still sorting out my feelings about being in America again and definitely feel the beginnings of reverse culture shock. Seeing my family again has been amazing and it's easy to identify what I'm thankful for this holiday season.

Now that I'm back with unlimited time and free internet access, I'll be updating the blog on a regular basis with all the pictures and videos I accumulated over the last two months.

Stay tuned...

Still On the Road

It's my last night in Cairo, Egypt before heading up to Alexandria tomorrow afternoon and then onto Turkey. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind after meeting up with the rest of my girlfriends in Jordan; and every minute has been spent energetically touring the Middle East. We're relaxing tonight in front of the TV as Egypt and Algeria play against each other for an opportunity at the World Cup.

Internet access has been accessible, but the connections are slow so I've opted to wait until I return home to update the blog when I can include all of the pictures and videos I've so diligently snapped.

Only 11 more days (Nov. 25)...