"...AH-WHAT. NOTHING... Sorry?" |
However, that was not to be. This is not Europe and English is not the near-guarantee we got used to there. In Europe, we were able to get away with attempting the local languages and our politeness would be recognized and often appreciated. Here, you had better be ready with your dictionaries (we weren't) because not many of the locals speak English. Attempting to flag down a cab that would take us to our address (printed in English, of course) was not easy. Even with our friend's phone navigating us, it was still an adventure.
Once we found our accommodations for the night, our brains had been so forcibly woken up to deal with the transportation issue that I had a little trouble getting to sleep.
The body was willing, however the mind... |
Eventually, sleep was achieved and rest was found. Let's discuss our first couple of days in Thailand in one of the only efficient means I know how; photographs.
Bangkok. |
What. |
We got to Bangkok under cover of night. The streets we walked were quiet and devoid of commerce. First impressions of the city were hard to come by as it would take a while to mine through the stratified layers of character and grime alike. Upon sunrise, the vendors begin to peel back their shutters and the nostalgic aromas of cooking oil and charred meat overpower the smells of a hot, humid urban center. It's at this moment that Bangkok achieves the apex of it's charm.
Taken in that rare, fleeting moment in Khao San when traffic is light. |
The city's countless motorbikes weave expertly in and out of traffic or simply skip traffic altogether and hop onto the sidewalk and hope pedestrians are paying attention. Cables carrying electricity, phone lines, or just drying laundry wrap around every surface like a strangler fig. The motto of this burgeoning town seems to be, 'Just keep building.' Every surface is built upon. If a structure is still standing, build on it or add to it. Pop up vendors who have found themselves a spot to call their own improvise with whatever building materials are at their disposal. Need a place to eat our delicious noodles? There is some sheet metal attached to a fence, a telephone pole and the side of a 7-11. Guess what?
...
It's perfect.
Just eating food I'll never tire of at a price I'll never believe we got away with. |
Wires, girders, and signage. Oh, my. |
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