Posted in Tuesday Travel
|
Thailand wins the award for Most Different Place I've Traveled. I have been there a couple of times and it has rather a Through the Looking Glass quality about it. The last time was in the fall of 1992. In Thailand, they have everything we have, yet nothing is the same. Blogless Kingofthehill spent an entire year in Bangkok teaching computer skills to Buddhist Monks. The idea was that his Godly, Christian character would rub off on them, even though he wasn't allowed to actually proselytize. He was thrown into an immersion program to learn the language, and shockingly enough, learned to read and write it fluently. He has a bible in Thai. It, like all Thai writing, looks a whole lot like hen-scratching or slug trails: And sometimes, like with the word "mai" above, the same word can mean many different things if said with what are to the Western ear imperceptible changes in tone. Lots of words and names are ridiculously long. But somehow, the king muddled through. He taught in a Buddhist Temple; I honestly can't remember which one and he's not available to tell us -- perhaps he will post a comment. This link will take you to pictures of many of the Wats in Bangkok. The many photos I have from Thailand are not digital and our house is in such disarray, it isn't at all realistic to scan them in right now. It would take too long to describe all the places we visited In Thailand, so I will gear my description more toward the cultural features. For example, in Thailand you get a level of service that is just unrivaled anywhere else. Hotel, restaurant, shops, etc. The people are just plain nice and you are treated like, well, a KING! That is a beautiful side of Thailand. As Buddhists, though, they are very accepting of other people's eccentricities and probably think of themselves as realists where the flaws of mankind are concerned and you see much trafficking of prostitution in Bangkok. Sadly, this seems designed primarily to meet the "needs" of the tourism industry. That's the ugly side of Thailand.  The klong runs through Bangkok
The prevailing attitude of the VERY smiley Thai people is: "mai pen rai." This means something akin to "never mind." They don't get uptight about much at all. Good thing, too -- you should SEE the traffic!! If you are a shopper, Thailand is the place for you. Unlike other countries where things tend to be inexpensive, the quality of most Thai products is fabulous. Things to look for: Thai silk is very special. It's signature qualities are bright colors, colorful patterns (see mudmee silk) and a two-toned sheen (meaning that something may be one color viewed in one direction and quite another color when viewed differently). When I was there, I bought my silk at a palace store and drew up designs and had someone custom make outfits for me. That was fun! When in Bangkok, you should at least visit the Jim Thompson Thai Silk Company -- just to see the loot! It is pricey, though. Other products to buy: silver, leather, and gemstones. The food, of course, is out of this world because it is Thai food! So, if you are looking for a shift in your personal universe, book yourself a flight to Bangkok. Make sure you also hop a flight up to Chiang Mai -- a cooler, more mountainous setting with a night market to satisfy the savviest shoppers. |
Comments
|
|
|
|
|
Posted by
|
|
|
|
|
Posted by 