To Thai For, Part 1
The world is very small.
Here I sit, recalling the past few days of traveling and sight-seeing. I'm not exactly sure what to say about any of it, except I just cannot believe how small the world really is. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say that my concept of the world's vastness has shrunk considerably. When you can hop on a couple of flights and then 15 hours later be submerged in a wildly different culture, well, I would say the world is not quite as huge as it once seemed. I know, I know....welcome to the world of travel, right? But this is a first for me, and the novelty amplifies this concept a hundred times over.
We arrived in Bangkok in the middle of the night. As our bus approached the hotel, scores of lovely ladies dressed in fashionable apparel lined the streets. At least I thought they were ladies. Who knows, really. But I am sure that they are prostitutes. Melina, the organizer of this whole shebang, says what is obviously running through all of our heads.
"We're not in Kansas anymore, guys."
And this introduction to Bangkok highlights what is apparent during my two days in this bustling metropolis. Bangkok is a city of extremes. Starting with the weather, which is best described as languid during my short visit there. The sky each day was choked with haze and smog. Is there even a blue sky here? I couldn't tell you, to be honest. And there was no air. Occasionally, you would catch a slight breeze which felt more like somebody opened the oven door really fast with your face right in front of it. Even the animals seemed to be feeling the ill effects of such intense heat. I would say that I never saw a dog or cat that looked less than ten years old. Strange, but at least they had the sense to always be sitting in the shade or under a car. Unlike all of us humans, whose sweaty skin glistened in the humidity and hazy sunshine like the morning grass covered in the dew of another day.
But let's get back to those prostitutes for a minute, shall we? They were everywhere. And as you walk the streets here, you get an understanding of the importance of sex in this city. Massage parlors constitute every other storefront. And the way the ladies are smiling and waving at you as you stroll by, you know there are some 'happy endings' to be had. Come in, they beckon, drop your 250 baht (about 8 dollars) and let us take your cares away. Two of the young women on our trip had an experience on the first night that pretty much sums it all up. They noticed the cute dresses that a couple of Bangkok's finest ladies of the night were wearing, and began a friendly chat with them. Next thing you know, these ladies were demanding free drinks and refusing to discuss their "profession". Oh, and they might not even have been ladies. Welcome to Bangkok, city of illusions.
The streets themselves were something like New York City on steroids. Cars and mopeds shared the roads almost equally, and I use the word share very lightly here. It was more like a speedway. Don't try to cross the street even when the signal tells you its alright. "Look both ways" takes on a new meaning here. And you probably should do it more than once, judging by all the near-misses we had. The sidewalks were lined with citizens trying to sell you anything, and I mean anything, you could ever need. Thai food, shirts, shoes, small elephant trinkets, Viagra. Yes, I said Viagra. I guess some people need help to keep up with all the sexual energies here.
Then there is the other side of Bangkok. The temples. The spiritual aspect. The people themselves, who are friendly as can be. On our second day, our group of 8 took a bicycle tour around the city. This proved to be the most revealing and rewarding moments for me. Our fearless leader, a young thai gentleman named Woody, guided us through the craziness. He led us down paths barely wide enough to be bike paths, weaving through one neighborhood after another. He taught us all to say hello in Thai: Sawasdee Krob. I was glad to be able to say that as we (literally) rode through people's living rooms. Our efforts, accompanied by wide smiles, were enough for most of the people to smile back and return our greetings. Welcome to my home, they seemed to say. Hungry? I'm sure if we would have asked, they would have fed us. Women of all ages tended to aromatic bubbling vats of who-knows-what. People sat around, eating their lunch in the shades of their modest abodes. Life was happening.
A few things became clear to me. First, a smile pretty much says it all, no matter where you are. It truly is universal. I don't have to speak the language here to communicate. I just need to flash a toothy grin and make an honest effort. Second, life is life no matter where you are. We are all doing the same things, no? Whether one culture, one way of life, is better than another is irrelevant. It's just life. And while the differences can be fascinating, finding the similarities between us all is even more enjoyable. It makes me better understand my place in this world, which contrary to what you might think, continues to shrink with every new experience I have.
We are all seeking to find the balance in our lives. In some places (like Bangkok), those extremes are more obvious than others. But life is nothing if not a balancing act. We swing back and forth between pleasure-seeking and deeper understanding. Sometimes both happen at once, if we are so fortunate.
Alrighty then. Time to get back on the scales. The balancing act continues.
Here I sit, recalling the past few days of traveling and sight-seeing. I'm not exactly sure what to say about any of it, except I just cannot believe how small the world really is. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say that my concept of the world's vastness has shrunk considerably. When you can hop on a couple of flights and then 15 hours later be submerged in a wildly different culture, well, I would say the world is not quite as huge as it once seemed. I know, I know....welcome to the world of travel, right? But this is a first for me, and the novelty amplifies this concept a hundred times over.
We arrived in Bangkok in the middle of the night. As our bus approached the hotel, scores of lovely ladies dressed in fashionable apparel lined the streets. At least I thought they were ladies. Who knows, really. But I am sure that they are prostitutes. Melina, the organizer of this whole shebang, says what is obviously running through all of our heads.
"We're not in Kansas anymore, guys."
And this introduction to Bangkok highlights what is apparent during my two days in this bustling metropolis. Bangkok is a city of extremes. Starting with the weather, which is best described as languid during my short visit there. The sky each day was choked with haze and smog. Is there even a blue sky here? I couldn't tell you, to be honest. And there was no air. Occasionally, you would catch a slight breeze which felt more like somebody opened the oven door really fast with your face right in front of it. Even the animals seemed to be feeling the ill effects of such intense heat. I would say that I never saw a dog or cat that looked less than ten years old. Strange, but at least they had the sense to always be sitting in the shade or under a car. Unlike all of us humans, whose sweaty skin glistened in the humidity and hazy sunshine like the morning grass covered in the dew of another day.
But let's get back to those prostitutes for a minute, shall we? They were everywhere. And as you walk the streets here, you get an understanding of the importance of sex in this city. Massage parlors constitute every other storefront. And the way the ladies are smiling and waving at you as you stroll by, you know there are some 'happy endings' to be had. Come in, they beckon, drop your 250 baht (about 8 dollars) and let us take your cares away. Two of the young women on our trip had an experience on the first night that pretty much sums it all up. They noticed the cute dresses that a couple of Bangkok's finest ladies of the night were wearing, and began a friendly chat with them. Next thing you know, these ladies were demanding free drinks and refusing to discuss their "profession". Oh, and they might not even have been ladies. Welcome to Bangkok, city of illusions.
The streets themselves were something like New York City on steroids. Cars and mopeds shared the roads almost equally, and I use the word share very lightly here. It was more like a speedway. Don't try to cross the street even when the signal tells you its alright. "Look both ways" takes on a new meaning here. And you probably should do it more than once, judging by all the near-misses we had. The sidewalks were lined with citizens trying to sell you anything, and I mean anything, you could ever need. Thai food, shirts, shoes, small elephant trinkets, Viagra. Yes, I said Viagra. I guess some people need help to keep up with all the sexual energies here.
Then there is the other side of Bangkok. The temples. The spiritual aspect. The people themselves, who are friendly as can be. On our second day, our group of 8 took a bicycle tour around the city. This proved to be the most revealing and rewarding moments for me. Our fearless leader, a young thai gentleman named Woody, guided us through the craziness. He led us down paths barely wide enough to be bike paths, weaving through one neighborhood after another. He taught us all to say hello in Thai: Sawasdee Krob. I was glad to be able to say that as we (literally) rode through people's living rooms. Our efforts, accompanied by wide smiles, were enough for most of the people to smile back and return our greetings. Welcome to my home, they seemed to say. Hungry? I'm sure if we would have asked, they would have fed us. Women of all ages tended to aromatic bubbling vats of who-knows-what. People sat around, eating their lunch in the shades of their modest abodes. Life was happening.
A few things became clear to me. First, a smile pretty much says it all, no matter where you are. It truly is universal. I don't have to speak the language here to communicate. I just need to flash a toothy grin and make an honest effort. Second, life is life no matter where you are. We are all doing the same things, no? Whether one culture, one way of life, is better than another is irrelevant. It's just life. And while the differences can be fascinating, finding the similarities between us all is even more enjoyable. It makes me better understand my place in this world, which contrary to what you might think, continues to shrink with every new experience I have.
We are all seeking to find the balance in our lives. In some places (like Bangkok), those extremes are more obvious than others. But life is nothing if not a balancing act. We swing back and forth between pleasure-seeking and deeper understanding. Sometimes both happen at once, if we are so fortunate.
Alrighty then. Time to get back on the scales. The balancing act continues.
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