Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit
... actual name of the city of Bangkok
We hear you either love Bangkok or you hate Bangkok. We absolutely loved it.
Greatest Moment: Imagine a day that is so in tune with the chiropractic philosophy: heal from the inside out. One of the four days spent in Bangkok modeled exactly that. This past Sunday we woke and boarded the sky train to a town on the outskirts of the city, where Ajarn Neng practices. There, Kathy received a Sak Yant tattoo, and the experience was as powerful and magical as the tattoo itself. The day progressed at the market, and our weary limbs took refuge at a spa. There we did a Thai massage, which was another cultural adventure. There were moments when we thought, "she is standing completely on me, and I can feel my abdominal aorta pulsate". Also, one of Jamie's favorite moments was finding massive breaded shrimp at a street stall for less than $1.
Worst Moment: Bangkok is huge. Larger than expected! Cost to get around and do activities was tiresome. And eating at malls was pointless--costly and food was sub par. Alas, we were forced by hunger.
Lesson Learned: Eat street food, and know the local dishes and desserts. It will change how you look at food preparation and combination. Also, flying into Thailand will get you a 30 day visa, where as traveling across the border one only gets a 15 day visa. Luckily, we learned this in time to book a flight, avoiding the hassle of visa extensions! Lastly, and not a topic to be avoided, there is the obvious situation that Thai women are placed in. Many stand outside spas, scantily clad. Many are accompanying much older white men. You can be naive for about a day, and then it becomes too obvious the position they are placed in, and some willingly so.
Cultural Insight: There is so much respect given here towards Buddha. Campaigns are everywhere against using Buddha head statues for decoration, or Buddha's image plastered on pillows or blankets. Most popular temples instruct foreigners what to buy and how to use it. If you have Buddha, place him on a high shelf, always above the waist. He is to be respected, whether you are a practicing Buddhist or not. We find that many people do worship Buddha, idolizing him as Christianity does Christ. And yet it is very different. While religions in general hold many similarities and comparisons, being over here and learning so much more of eastern religions, one sees the individuality within them.
Street food is an incredible experience. From smoothies, kebabs, breaded seafood, coconut/egg desserts, pad thai, and freshly cut fruits, it is impossible to spend too much or for that matter, eat too much.
Thailand's food has not been the only moving cultural experience we've had. As mentioned above, the Sak Yant tattoo process was such an experience for both of us. As Kathy sat there, on a dirty tiled floor, two men pulled her skin tight. Ajarn Neng sat above her and with a sharpened bamboo, tapped the tattoo into her skin. Dogs passed under her legs, and a cat sat in front of her. A monkey lurked under a neighboring couch. While completely different from the sanitary environment of tattoo parlors in America, this place was chosen above going to a temple because they changed needles between people and there was no sharing of ink. After the tattoo was completed, Ajarn Neng blessed her and breathed into the tattoo, bringing its power into the body. His english was good, giving simple instructions and Kathy a card before leaving.
"Say this every morning. Three times. It will do you good."
And with that, we stepped over his broken gate and back onto the unmarked street, different people.
DETAILS OF BANGKOK
