We literally packed and cleaned and rearranged things in Michael's apartment right until the moment we had to leave for the airport. And so, not until we set foot in this bustling city did we truly feel like our adventure had begun. After our 20 hour journey (5 hour transit in Taipei), we arrived in the muggy, crowded, polluted and exciting "City of Angels," Bangkok. Our dear friend Frans met us at the airport and ushered us to our guest house in the Sukhomvit area of town. It was definitely comforting to see a familiar face. This year is the beloved Thai King's 60th birthday and everywhere you look there are thousands of yellow shirts (the royal color, we're guessing) for sale. Every shirt has "Long Live the King" embroidered into it. People actually are wearing them around town.
This is Val's 2nd time to Bangkok and Mike's first. There is a very stark juxtoposition of a shiny cosmopolis against a traditional third world with a myriad of interesting smells, not always pleasant. The humidity is soupy here and multiple showers a day are a must.
Our guest house, SUK 11, was such a delightful find. It is an oasis of calm in this crazy city. A narrow teak house covered in tropical plants on the outside, and on the inside, carefully lit wooden hallways lead to rooms that go all the way down the block, it feels like you're navigating your way through a romantic little village. We have found little reason to leave, and when we have, we look forward to returning to the solice of our temporary home.
Our daily massages have pretty much wreaked havoc on our budget. Today we upgraded from hour-long massages to two-hour long massages, for a mere $10 each.
Tomorrow is our last day here. Bangkok is a little hectic for us, we're escaping north to the quieter and cooler climate of Chiang Mai.
Mike's 2 Cents
When trying to avoid a typhoon-like downpour underneath a bridge, and you need something to take the edge off, opt for Chang Beer instead of Singha. It packs a stronger punch at a fraction of the cost. Go figure.
