If you know me, you know I have a shoulder that always is tight and knotted up. My ankles, hips, and knees crack and at 25 I sometimes have the body of an old lady.
If you know Valerie, you know that the sounds of snap crackle and pop totally gross her out.
My shoulder was especially hurting part way through our trip, so when our tour guide said our hotel in Ayutthaya offered a 2 hour Thai massage for 700 Baht (around $20 USD) I jumped at the opportunity. After I signed up we went up to our room and waited for our luggage and my appointment time.
Usually we just brought in our own bags, but this hotel had a grand set of stairs and no elevator until the 2nd floor lobby. The hotel bellboys decided instead to load everyone's bags up on the service elevator and bring it all up to our floor. Of course all of our stuff came up on different carts so we waited piece by piece.
Val's backpack was the first thing to show up so she went to grab it off the cart. She came back in the room and told me that the bellboys were laughing at her. I asked if maybe they were talking about something else, but she was clear they were looking at her and laughing. We laughed ourselves and shrugged.
A few minutes later we identified our bags and the guys brought them in... still laughing. Before they left, one looked at the other and then turned to Valerie and said, "Supermodel!". Yes. This happened. Of all the English words to know, that was one of them.
We noticed the rest of the people weren't tipping these guys that brought up 40 people's bags. We made sure to grab a couple bucks and hand it to them. After we did, the same guy actually ran back into our room and said, "You are so beautiful! Hehehehehe" and then ran out and shut the door behind him.
Please understand that I'm not exaggerating when I say that all 5 or 6 of them were in the hallway giggling... not laughing, but giggling. We fell on the beds in laughter and tears. Valerie was officially Ayutthaya's Next Top Model.
About 2 minutes later, my massage therapist arrived at our room. Val grabbed her book and headed down to the pool.
This woman was the tiniest person with string bean arms, a big smile, and a bag of water bottles. Now, if you've ever had a massage in the US you know it usually goes
something like this "Hi, welcome to the spa. I'm going to go ahead and
leave for a few minutes so you can have a chance to get changed. Get
under the covers and then I'll come back in and begin".
That did not happen. She came in and told me to get changed. "Right here?" I asked. Yes. She meant right there while she stood there. She went and got a towel from the bathroom (a tiny awkward hotel towel might I add) and threw it over me while I lay on the bed. Americans think of nudity in a very funny way. This woman's job is to work on the human body and get it back into alignment. That's it. Might as well let her do her job.
She got up on the bed and used every part of her body to stretch and work out my knots. Feet were in my back, my arms were being pulled up off the bed as she stood on it and her elbows and knees were used almost more than her hands. I was pretty sure this tiny woman was going to break me. This massage was quickly turning into two hours with the Hulk. About an hour in, she suddenly left. I looked up after a couple minutes thinking she was just having a drink of water or something, and then I hear the toilet flush. We had a bathroom break half way through my massage. She did wash her hands since the brand new soap was open!
After it was over I felt light headed and a little dazed. I noticed my mascara had smeared all over the bed sheet and that my hair was bigger than Amy Winehouse. She showed up 10 minutes early so I didn't get a chance to take off my makeup or do anything else to prep. I felt awful because my feet were SO dirty from walking around in sandals all day and I didn't get a chance to wash them. Poor woman. She deserved the big tip I gave her.
All while this was going on, Valerie was trying to read her book down by the pool. I say "trying" because the pool area was crazy crowded. She saw a figure in one position out of the corner of her eye. They were obviously in a uniform so she assumed they were mopping the floor or working on something. Val looked up and it was one of her fans from upstairs. He realized she was looking at him, and darted away immediately. Hilarious.
Meanwhile... let me tell you, this was one of the best massages I've ever had. I felt so sore for the rest of the night, but after a good sleep I felt so much better in the morning. This tiny little hulk lady knew what she was doing.
I'll never understand why people travel and then expect everything to be catered to them the way that things are done at home. Why waste the money? Life is about experiences and traveling is definitely about experiences. As bizarre as this night was, I'm so glad it happened. Val gained some adoring fans and I lost some tension.
Thanks, Ayutthaya. Hope to see you again soon.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Historical Monuments
Monday started off with a breakfast that included the best
coffee we’ve had on this trip. If you’re looking for a place to stay in River
Kwai, check out the Felix River Kwai Resort. All of River Kwai smelt of smoke
from the farmers burning their sugar cane fields. It was an odd reminder of
Southern California. I’m not sure if it smells like that all year round or just
during certain parts of the year. We got on our bus a little before 8 am and
didn’t leave until about 8:30. Some of our group members seem to have no
concept of what being on time means. We’re always the last group to leave and
to arrive. Oh, well.
The first stop on our way to Ayutthaya was the Bang Pa in
Palace. This is a vacation house of sorts for the current king. It is closed to
visitors when the royal family wants to visit, but according to our guide they
haven’t come around in a long while.
Many places in Thailand have a dress code: Skirts below the
knee and shoulders and cleavage covered. Pretty simple, right? Our group seemed
to have a hard time reading the piece of paper in their native language given
to them by our tour guide on what is acceptable to wear. This happened multiple
days at multiple stops. Every time they have to put on a covering garment that
Val and I nicknamed “The Clothes of Shame”. We had to wait to enter the palace
until everyone was decent… again.
We witnessed the changing of the guards and spotted many
armed guards around the property. They were totally okay with people posing to
take a picture with them! We did not.
The grounds were well manicured and beautiful, but the
structures did not match at all which created an eclectic view.
A building designed in traditional Chinese architecture was
a gift from a Chinese business man. The house the family stays in looked like
an eastern interpretation of a plantation home. This could have something to do
with the fact that it was built in the 1930s after a fire burned down the
previous one.
One building looked like a lighthouse! The rest of the
buildings had a traditional Thai flare since many of them had religious value.
The man made canals are full of turtles, fish, and even a
monitor lizard! I called him “Little Buddy”. They had huge hedges shaped like
elephants, snakes, and deer in the grassy areas. A prior king loved to hunt so
he actually had his property supplied with these animals so he could shoot
them. Thankfully no one was shooting at the hedges.
On our way out we stopped for ice cream! I got a scoop of
green tea (my favorite) and a scoop of mangosteen. Valerie got scoop of mango and
a scoop of durian because that’s the surprise ingredient they always give the
contestants on Top Chef. It was a thumbs down on the durian.
We took a lunch break at a huge mall. It was almost identical
to a mall you would go to in America which caused a little disorientation. We
only had an hour so we stopped at this little place in the food court called
California Grill. I had a sandwich and Valerie had French fries. They made cheeseburgers
with pork and there were no avocados so I’d say it was a pretty loose interpretation
of California! It was a funny experience. That’s probably how Thai people feel
when they see their culture’s food served in a fast food setting in the U.S.
After that, we went to Wat Yai Chaimongkhon. They have a
reclining Buddha there that can help grant your wishes. You take a coin and
press it against the Buddha’s feet. If it sticks, your wish will come true, but
if it falls it is still a mystery. My coin stuck! I didn’t really make a
distinct wish before trying, but h
The last destination of the day was Wat Maha That. These
grounds are a museum and cultural center now. The structures are leftovers from
the destruction caused by war with the Burmese in the 18th century. All
of the Buddha images are missing their heads. This was done out of disrespect
during times of war. Because of this history, anything with only a Buddha head
is considered extremely disrespectful and against the law. The big focal point
here is Buddha’s head in the roots of a tree. During the destruction, a Buddha
head was thrown off to the side against a Bodhi tree. Since then, the tree has
grown and the roots have pushed up the head and displayed it proudly. It is
asked that if you take a picture with it, you kneel out of respect so that you
are not standing higher than the Buddha.
This site was easily the favorite of the day for both of us.
Monday, March 21, 2016
The Jungle Cruise
Sunday morning we left our Bangkok hotel and headed to Kanchanaburi. Bangkok was very neat, but I was excited to move on and experience some more rural areas.
We made a pit stop along the way at a coconut farm. The rest stop area with a bathroom and gift shop had a huge orchid nursery. We only had about 45 minutes for our stop here, but I could have walked through these rows for hours.
The coconut farm also had people making sugar from the coconuts. They used a large vat that got to a very hot temperature and pushed the liquid around with a special long handled tool. The result was a patty that almost looked like brown sugar, but it was sweeter and a flavor I've never experienced. I was expecting it would taste like coconuts, but it didn't at all! I love coconut water, so I had to get an actual coconut here! This coconut was unbelievably delicious! What a great experience. Valerie isn't as much of a coconut as I am so she skipped out on the drink.
After the coconut farm we headed off to the docks where our long-tailed boats awaited to whisk us through the canals leading to the Damnern Saduak Floating Market. The boats take about 8 passengers each and are very sensitive to weight distribution.
Valerie and I snagged the front seat of our boat! This is what our view looked like for the whole boat ride.
I had the best Thai iced tea in my entire life from a tiny little coffee shop pop up on the street outside of the market. We bought lots of stuff, some things probably a little overpriced, but I was proud of our haggling skills.
After our jungle cruise, we headed to lunch by way of the War Cemetery. This is a place that any WWII history buff would appreciate. This cemetery is a resting place for the allied prisoners of war who died working on the Japanese "Death Railway" that stretched from Burma to Thailand.
For lunch, we ate at a floating restaurant with view of the Bridge over River Kwai that was part of this railway system. They let people walk on it and take pictures, but there are signs that say to move aside if a train comes and that it is your fault if you get hurt!
After a long day we retired to our gorgeous resort for the night.
We enjoyed some fruity drinks by the pool and had lovely and relaxing afternoon!
I'm so amazed at how many people are reading my little blog! I started it as a way to journal and always remember our adventures, but it makes me so happy you all are enjoying it, too!
Lots of Love,
Val & Chelle
We made a pit stop along the way at a coconut farm. The rest stop area with a bathroom and gift shop had a huge orchid nursery. We only had about 45 minutes for our stop here, but I could have walked through these rows for hours.
The coconut farm also had people making sugar from the coconuts. They used a large vat that got to a very hot temperature and pushed the liquid around with a special long handled tool. The result was a patty that almost looked like brown sugar, but it was sweeter and a flavor I've never experienced. I was expecting it would taste like coconuts, but it didn't at all! I love coconut water, so I had to get an actual coconut here! This coconut was unbelievably delicious! What a great experience. Valerie isn't as much of a coconut as I am so she skipped out on the drink.
After the coconut farm we headed off to the docks where our long-tailed boats awaited to whisk us through the canals leading to the Damnern Saduak Floating Market. The boats take about 8 passengers each and are very sensitive to weight distribution.
Valerie and I snagged the front seat of our boat! This is what our view looked like for the whole boat ride.
There are no life jackets, no safety briefing, and really no talking from your driver at all. Don't expect them to tell you puns as you sail along like the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland. Other countries just assume you aren't stupid enough to stand up or do something endangering while having an experience, so they don't feel the need to give you a speech about what is allowed and what isn't. If you're common sense escapes you, well then that is your fault.
The scenery through the canals is breath taking. It was part nature and part "back yards".
The boats are extremely agile and can pass each other within a few inches with no problem. Steering boats is very much like how they steer cars here! I should have told the lady behind me that she needs to just roll with it and that her screaming doesn't help the situation. Their job is to drive so I'm guessing they are decent at it since they don't have tons of scratches and holes on their vehicle.
When we approached the market, we were greeted with tons of shops, people, and a big welcome banner. This floating market is very geared toward tourists. The plus side of that is that they have a huge variety of the stuff we would want to buy. They know exactly what we want to take home to our friends and families. The down side is that the prices are raised like crazy. Tourist prices! The key is to haggle. This floating market actually reminded me a lot of Tijuana, Mexico. Lots of fun, lots of things to buy, pushy salespeople, and aggressive haggling. Once you get the groove of it, you have a good time.
I had the best Thai iced tea in my entire life from a tiny little coffee shop pop up on the street outside of the market. We bought lots of stuff, some things probably a little overpriced, but I was proud of our haggling skills.
After our jungle cruise, we headed to lunch by way of the War Cemetery. This is a place that any WWII history buff would appreciate. This cemetery is a resting place for the allied prisoners of war who died working on the Japanese "Death Railway" that stretched from Burma to Thailand.
For lunch, we ate at a floating restaurant with view of the Bridge over River Kwai that was part of this railway system. They let people walk on it and take pictures, but there are signs that say to move aside if a train comes and that it is your fault if you get hurt!
After a long day we retired to our gorgeous resort for the night.
We enjoyed some fruity drinks by the pool and had lovely and relaxing afternoon!
I'm so amazed at how many people are reading my little blog! I started it as a way to journal and always remember our adventures, but it makes me so happy you all are enjoying it, too!
Lots of Love,
Val & Chelle
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand
On Saturday, we had the choice of paying an additional fee to see more temples with our group or to have the day free. We took the day to ourselves and set out on a journey to visit a wildlife rehabilitation center. On Sunday our tour group was set to participate in an optional tour that went to ride elephants and see a show. After doing a little research and reading some reviews from past travelers, I got the hint that the elephant experience selected by the tour group wasn't a very ethical practice. Val and I decided to opt out on that trip and visit the rescue organization instead.
Our day started off by being picked up at our hotel by a cab for a 3 hour car ride. We stopped for gas on highway 35 next to Thailand's salt farms. It looks a bit like how rice is grown. From what I understand, the process works by pooling salt water into contained areas and letting the water evaporate. The salt left behind is then accessible to be collected and sent to be processed.
At our stop I got some freshly cut up mango from a fruit stand and a green iced tea from the gas station stop. I was set for the next two hours of the ride.
Upon arriving at WFFT, Val and I noted how out in the middle of nowhere this place was. I later found out it was because the organization owns most of the land around it. Their property is huge!
It was about 10 am when our volunteer guide Sabre from Saskatchewan met us at our taxi. She was very kind and knowledgeable during our tour. If I remember correctly, she had been there volunteering since September.
We started the day by walking through the grounds. The organization houses many animals of different species. Their main goal is rehabilitation and release, but that isn't always possible for every resident. Animals with disabling medical conditions and/or animals who have lost their instinct for wild survival are not fit for release.
For the most part they are completely hands off because human contact does not aid in the animal's regaining of natural instinct. They have many gibbons which are native to the area and are often able to be released. The way they sing is unbelievable!
The primates were stunning and very smart. As Sabre told us, they have very long strong arms and will love nothing more than to grab your sunglasses and camera so don't get to close!
Along with the primates, the center housed iguanas, otters, crocodiles, parrots, elephants, and many sun bears. Thailand has a big problem with people taking in baby exotic animals for pets and then realizing they aren't as cute (and quiet possibly very dangerous) as adults. WFFT has no confiscation power and is not government funded. Their animals come mostly from individuals looking for a new place of care for their animal.
The site as two veterinary facilities. While the center is mostly run by volunteers, there are two employed vets and one vet nurse that live on site. They have their main clinic and are currently in the process of building a special clinic sized just for elephants.
After lunch we got to assist in taking an elephant for their daily walk following a cool down bath afterwards. Walking an elephant can be done by taking 20 steps and then giving them a piece of fruit. Repeat. Spending time with Jelly was an experience I'll never forget. What a special soul I got to spend some time with that day. Her presence was humbling.
Elephants unfortunately cannot often be released back into the wild. If they've been reared by humans their entire lives they do not have the skills to be sent back to their roots. Often, elephants given to the WFFT from the tourist attractions suffer from medical ailments that would make them unsuitable candidates as well. While the facility operates with mostly a hands off policy, they make some special circumstance for a few of their elephants.
According to Thai law, elephants must be purchased and not given as a gift, donation, or rescue. They buy their elephants from people who run elephant rides, circuses, and other forms of animal entertainment. The center pays roughly $10,000 USD per elephant. They do not pay more for them if the price is raised because they fear a higher pay to the owner will give them the funds to purchase a different and younger elephant. Personally, I think there are ethical animal caregivers all over the world who work with their animals in entertainment. The issue though is that while they very likely do exist, their unethical counterparts overshadow their work. WFFT does a nice job taking care of the animals not lucky enough to have an ethical and natural life from the beginning.
This experience is incapable of matching. I'm out of words to tell you how joyous it was to spend the day with these beautiful creatures. I could sit and watch them for days.
We didn't need to ride them or watch them do tricks to appreciate them. I'm so thankful we did our research before visiting elephants in Thailand. I'm also extremely grateful that we were able to find WFFT to fill a day of our trip.
In my humble opinion, WFFT has some wonderful strengths, but some weaknesses as well. They do a great job and have a wonderful rehabilitation and release program. I love that their workers are almost all volunteers. That means they are there because they care and they have a passion to fulfill. On the other hand, being a volunteer doesn't mean that the person is trained extensively in animal behavior or medicine. While they may take direction and training from educated staff members, I wonder if the care of the animals would be any different if the center was run completely by educated and paid experts. This is how almost all rescue organizations operate, though and that is totally okay. While I understand that those who work with WFFT find all exotic animals ownership wrong and inhumane, I am inspired to do some research about the laws regarding animal ownership in Thailand. Obviously something can be the wrong thing to do, but still not be illegal.
The staff and volunteers are so passionate and dedicated. Their determination is lovely to observe. Thank you Sabre for being a wonderful guide!
Don't get me wrong, I really loved my experience with WFFT and I wouldn't change a thing. They're a great organization and I'm glad my money went to them. If you want to read more about them or learn how to volunteer, check out their website.
http://www.wfft.org/about-wfft/
-Michelle
Our day started off by being picked up at our hotel by a cab for a 3 hour car ride. We stopped for gas on highway 35 next to Thailand's salt farms. It looks a bit like how rice is grown. From what I understand, the process works by pooling salt water into contained areas and letting the water evaporate. The salt left behind is then accessible to be collected and sent to be processed.
At our stop I got some freshly cut up mango from a fruit stand and a green iced tea from the gas station stop. I was set for the next two hours of the ride.
Upon arriving at WFFT, Val and I noted how out in the middle of nowhere this place was. I later found out it was because the organization owns most of the land around it. Their property is huge!
It was about 10 am when our volunteer guide Sabre from Saskatchewan met us at our taxi. She was very kind and knowledgeable during our tour. If I remember correctly, she had been there volunteering since September.
We started the day by walking through the grounds. The organization houses many animals of different species. Their main goal is rehabilitation and release, but that isn't always possible for every resident. Animals with disabling medical conditions and/or animals who have lost their instinct for wild survival are not fit for release.
For the most part they are completely hands off because human contact does not aid in the animal's regaining of natural instinct. They have many gibbons which are native to the area and are often able to be released. The way they sing is unbelievable!
The primates were stunning and very smart. As Sabre told us, they have very long strong arms and will love nothing more than to grab your sunglasses and camera so don't get to close!
Along with the primates, the center housed iguanas, otters, crocodiles, parrots, elephants, and many sun bears. Thailand has a big problem with people taking in baby exotic animals for pets and then realizing they aren't as cute (and quiet possibly very dangerous) as adults. WFFT has no confiscation power and is not government funded. Their animals come mostly from individuals looking for a new place of care for their animal.
The site as two veterinary facilities. While the center is mostly run by volunteers, there are two employed vets and one vet nurse that live on site. They have their main clinic and are currently in the process of building a special clinic sized just for elephants.
After lunch we got to assist in taking an elephant for their daily walk following a cool down bath afterwards. Walking an elephant can be done by taking 20 steps and then giving them a piece of fruit. Repeat. Spending time with Jelly was an experience I'll never forget. What a special soul I got to spend some time with that day. Her presence was humbling.
Elephants unfortunately cannot often be released back into the wild. If they've been reared by humans their entire lives they do not have the skills to be sent back to their roots. Often, elephants given to the WFFT from the tourist attractions suffer from medical ailments that would make them unsuitable candidates as well. While the facility operates with mostly a hands off policy, they make some special circumstance for a few of their elephants.
According to Thai law, elephants must be purchased and not given as a gift, donation, or rescue. They buy their elephants from people who run elephant rides, circuses, and other forms of animal entertainment. The center pays roughly $10,000 USD per elephant. They do not pay more for them if the price is raised because they fear a higher pay to the owner will give them the funds to purchase a different and younger elephant. Personally, I think there are ethical animal caregivers all over the world who work with their animals in entertainment. The issue though is that while they very likely do exist, their unethical counterparts overshadow their work. WFFT does a nice job taking care of the animals not lucky enough to have an ethical and natural life from the beginning.
This experience is incapable of matching. I'm out of words to tell you how joyous it was to spend the day with these beautiful creatures. I could sit and watch them for days.
We didn't need to ride them or watch them do tricks to appreciate them. I'm so thankful we did our research before visiting elephants in Thailand. I'm also extremely grateful that we were able to find WFFT to fill a day of our trip.
The staff and volunteers are so passionate and dedicated. Their determination is lovely to observe. Thank you Sabre for being a wonderful guide!
Don't get me wrong, I really loved my experience with WFFT and I wouldn't change a thing. They're a great organization and I'm glad my money went to them. If you want to read more about them or learn how to volunteer, check out their website.
http://www.wfft.org/about-wfft/
-Michelle
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Bangkok
Our first full day in Thailand was spent in Bangkok.
It doesn't matter what time of day it is, because the weather is always hot and humid. We have a lovely tour guide named Nop for our time in this country. He met us in the lobby at 8:30 am Friday morning. Along with the rest of our group, we boarded our bus to go see the sights! This was the first time we had the opportunity to see the city in the daytime. Being up high in the bus was nice because it gave a better vantage point for pictures and views.
Our first stop was the Tramit Witthayaram Temple which is home to a solid gold Buddha. The detail and beauty of this temple was extremely impressive.
So the story goes, the Buddha is known to truly be solid gold because when it was being placed in it's current temple, the crane dropped it and it didn't break. If it were only plated in gold, it would have shattered.
Our second stop was to Wat Pho, or if you prefer the traditional name, Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn.
If you want to read about the historical and cultural significance of this temple, click here.
I could try to explain the traditions to you, but out of respect and a need for accuracy, I'll let you read about it from the experts.
Wat Pho is home to the Reclining Buddha which resides in the assembly hall building. It is an understatement to say this Buddha is huge.
There are 999 Buddha images in this entire temple because 1000 is considered perfection. This place was gorgeous and demanded your respect. There were tourists as well as people there to pray. This hall with the Reclining Buddha is only one of many on the property.
Wat Pho also has a Thai massage school, as it is considered one of the highest forms of medicine. This Thai traditional medical school is the first to be approved by the Thai Ministry of Education.
This place is gorgeous. Here are some photos to show you what I mean.
Hey, Adam... proud of my use of the panorama setting?
After we went to the two temples, we drove through parts of Bangkok to see the flower market and explore the city. I wish we had a chance to walk around on the streets more, but seeing it from the bus wasn't bad either. Bangkok is really beautiful, but it has it's rough areas. There is a certain interest in those areas, too though. I didn't mind being stuck in traffic (they have a lot of it) because I got to see how the city works. Here are some pictures from around Bangkok...
This seems like sort of a short entry, but I feel like the pictures say more than my words do! If you follow me on Facebook then you'll see my complete photo album. I'm going to try to get a gallery up on the blog as well so you can see all of our pictures!
We're having an incredible time. I know it is said far too many times, but pictures truly don't do it justice. I love Thailand so far and I'm already thinking about what to see when I come back.
Until next time! <3
It doesn't matter what time of day it is, because the weather is always hot and humid. We have a lovely tour guide named Nop for our time in this country. He met us in the lobby at 8:30 am Friday morning. Along with the rest of our group, we boarded our bus to go see the sights! This was the first time we had the opportunity to see the city in the daytime. Being up high in the bus was nice because it gave a better vantage point for pictures and views.
Our first stop was the Tramit Witthayaram Temple which is home to a solid gold Buddha. The detail and beauty of this temple was extremely impressive.
So the story goes, the Buddha is known to truly be solid gold because when it was being placed in it's current temple, the crane dropped it and it didn't break. If it were only plated in gold, it would have shattered.
Our second stop was to Wat Pho, or if you prefer the traditional name, Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn.
If you want to read about the historical and cultural significance of this temple, click here.
I could try to explain the traditions to you, but out of respect and a need for accuracy, I'll let you read about it from the experts.
Wat Pho is home to the Reclining Buddha which resides in the assembly hall building. It is an understatement to say this Buddha is huge.
There are 999 Buddha images in this entire temple because 1000 is considered perfection. This place was gorgeous and demanded your respect. There were tourists as well as people there to pray. This hall with the Reclining Buddha is only one of many on the property.
Wat Pho also has a Thai massage school, as it is considered one of the highest forms of medicine. This Thai traditional medical school is the first to be approved by the Thai Ministry of Education.
This place is gorgeous. Here are some photos to show you what I mean.
After we went to the two temples, we drove through parts of Bangkok to see the flower market and explore the city. I wish we had a chance to walk around on the streets more, but seeing it from the bus wasn't bad either. Bangkok is really beautiful, but it has it's rough areas. There is a certain interest in those areas, too though. I didn't mind being stuck in traffic (they have a lot of it) because I got to see how the city works. Here are some pictures from around Bangkok...
This seems like sort of a short entry, but I feel like the pictures say more than my words do! If you follow me on Facebook then you'll see my complete photo album. I'm going to try to get a gallery up on the blog as well so you can see all of our pictures!
We're having an incredible time. I know it is said far too many times, but pictures truly don't do it justice. I love Thailand so far and I'm already thinking about what to see when I come back.
Until next time! <3
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