Pao VS The Land of Smiles

"Looking back at the sunsets on the East side, we lost track of time. Dreams aren't what they used to be..."
Smile Like You Mean It by The Killers

I've just returned from a relaxing vacation in Thailand, and I now see why it's such a hot destination for travelers all over the world. This kingdom, formerly known as Siam, has everything. From wild tigers, to large snakes, and even appearances made my hideous looking "lady boys", the adventures my friend Sherraine and I encountered were countless and remarkable.

Thailand certainly has a Southeast Asian charm about it that mirrors its neighbors Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, but it's culture sets it apart in a way that you'd have to see it to believe it. In this post, I want to give an abstract look into the Thai culture that most people can only see on T.V. For someone who read National Geographics as a kid and religiously watched Andrew Zimmern on the Travel Channel, it was such a blessing to experience Thailand first hand. I hope to whoever is still reading my blog, this will help entertain the idea of making a visit to this amazing country. It's well worth it. Believe me!

The HISTORY of Thailand goes back even before the powerful Khmer Empire, but I'm no Asian history buff so I won't attempt to throw words around like I know what I'm talking about. All I can say is that the temples that we saw were nothing short of breathtaking. Decorated in gold and embedded with interesting characters, the temples spoke a lot about Thai history. What you're looking at is the Wat Phra Kaew or Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Sherraine and I pretty much got here by accident by way of a tuk-tuk and a random boat ride and ta da....temple.

The stairs going up these temples were ridiculous, but the view from the top justified the unwarranted exercise.

I mentioned tuk tuk up there and if you ever visit Thailand, you definitely need to make it a priority to ride one of them. As a Filipino American, I can't help but compare the tuk tuk to our tricicleta. The tuk tuk, however, seemed like a faster and more unadulterated way to go around Bangkok. Just keep your mouth closed when the tuk tuk is doing full speed.

Inside our first (and fortunately, not last) tuk tuk.

If the tuk tuk isn't your ideal mode of transport, then riding a motor boat would be the next ideal ride.

What I really liked about the little motorboat ride were the floating souvenir shops. These shops literally float towards you and offer trinkets, hats, and even beer. You also get dengue fever, but that comes free of charge.

Our two days of exploring the thriving metropolis that is Bangkok gave us the opportunity to see and do so many things. The Floating Market was definitely a highlight during our trek. The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market offers an amazing array of fruits and vegetables and freshly fried "street food" all while you're on your canoe.

People on floating stores scatter the canal as they scream out prices to patrons floating around. You can also enjoy bargaining the prices in half until you and the shop keep are satisfied. I'll also warn that "I'll take this for free" is not part of the negotiation.

We then made our way to Sampran Elephant Ground and Zoo where I was immediately detained and put back in my cage.
How many people that's alive can say they got to pose with two wild tigers while holding their tails? (Probably a lot since this is a popular place to visit.) It was still a really great experience.
The elephant show was incredible. They showcased the history of the uses for these gigantic creatures. I'm glad Thailand is making proactive decisions to save these Shel Silverstein-esque mammals. After playing elephant soccer, we were allowed to pose with them. I was afraid they'd mistake my arm for their bamboo snack.
The alligator show was pretty exciting, too. The leathery reptiles seemed very pissed, because the trainers kept grabbing their tails and pulling them into the center stage. I guess I'd be pretty mad, too, if a random guy took a nap in my open mouth.

And then I did something very brave. I held a wild albino python. It took a lot of guts to do, but after I saw an eight year old girl wrapping herself with it, I knew I had to do it. Also, the snake's name was Marty. How many dangerous Marty's are out there? "Who ended up killing Mr. Body?" "Freaking Marty..."



We also got to see a traditional Thai wedding, Muay Thai fighting, and dances. I really loved the make believe fight they displayed, because there was so much blood splattering everywhere! (It was make believe, right?)

Next on our schedule was Phuket. Phuket is Thailand's biggest island and serves as the place to be for foreigners and prostitutes alike. Though it has a very fascinating history, it was the 2004 tsunami that made the world take notice of this very colorful island. It was during that time that the world saw dramatic pictures of streets being invaded by violent surges of water, or large waves roaring inward, and bloated bodies washing ashore.





And, almost 7 years later, Phuket has made an astonishing recovery from the heavy damages it sustained.

As much as I praise Phuket for recovering from the devastation of the tsunami, they still have a lot of work to do in terms of preventative measures and sanitation. While we were there, Phuket experienced it's worst flooding since the 2004 catastrophe. The streets were thigh high in sewage water. We had to wade back to our hostel. Though it wasn't the safest of conditions, it was still a fun experience. Passing cars were pelted with large stones, because the ripples they made in the water kept flooding the stores that were banked near the streets. One stone came crashing into my side of the car. Good times. Also, one unfortunate British fellow was electrocuted to death due to the flooding.

Sans the rain and the flooding, I loved the entire Phuket experience. These pictures don't do it justice at all. Like I mentioned before, it was something you'd have to see for yourself to believe.

Inside my hostel room. I loved this hostel, because the service was incredible! They cleaned every morning, and they had air conditioning!
Fun was had when we went island hopping to check out the islands of Khao Ping Kan, Panak, and Hon. The boat ride was pretty epic. The emerald waters of Andaman Sea was really inviting. It also rained A LOT during our route back, which proved unfortunate for me as I slipped and fell on my back as I tried to run away from the cold, violent rain. "Are you okay?!" Sherraine asked. "Yeah...I'm just gonna sit down here and figure out if I'm paralyzed...I'll be fine."

The islands were pretty amazing. Check out the pictures.

Now known as James Bond Island, Ko Tapu is best known for being in the movie The Man With The Golden Gun starring Roger Moore. Annoying tourists have pretty much bastardized the natural beauty of this locale.

Sea kayaking was so relaxing.

Thai people and Thai food have something in common: I've fallen in love with both. The food itself is an entity one could discuss in three posts, but I'll say in three words: spicy/fresh/flavorful. You can say the same about the people. The people in Thailand are very welcoming, speak a surprising amount of English, and are generally very friendly. They call this country the Land of Many Smiles for a reason.

Even the kitty couldn't resist the smell of Thai barbecue.

Despite the monsoon, the flooding, the hordes of prostitutes, and countless missteps, I thoroughly enjoyed every second of my Thailand experience. I got to share it all with a great traveling companion and childhood friend, Sherraine. Thailand has become one of my favorite places in the world.



I'm ready for my next flight...