Bangkok Has Him Now

Sa-wat-dee Kah! If you read the previous blog, you know that Hot Stuff and I packed our bags and headed to Thailand for some much needed R and R and honeymoon fun. The Land of Smiles was Hot Stuff's first journey to the Far East and we both quickly fell in love with the people, the food, and the beautiful landscape that is Thailand. 

Our journey began with the longest day of travel that I've ever completed- 2.5 hours to Seattle, 10 hours to Seoul, and another 6 to Bangkok. Feeling exhausted, and rather swollen from the airtime and turbulence,  we arrived to a rainy Lebua hotel, home to the Sky Bar of the Hangover 2. While we didn't see Bradley Cooper, we did manage to score a pretty sweet view of the city. 

We began our trip by heading to the biggest sites in the City of Angles, the Grand Palace and Wat Pho. I can honestly say I've never seen anything like this in my life. There are numerous mythical animals, temples, pagodas, and statues throughout the Palace that were so intricate and detailed, it was impossible not to be in awe. 

When you think Thailand, you don't necessarily think England, right? Well, when you walk around the Palace, you notice a lot of British influence.  We learned that the movie The King and I was based on a real Thai King who had a British teacher that influenced not just his learning of English, but also the side of the road that they drive on as well as architecture and government. However, the movie is actually banned in Thailand because it presents the idea that the King falls in love with Anna, so most Thais have never seen it...crazy right? Irregardless, I'm guessing this is one of the few places where you can pose with an elephant statue and a guard.

After checking out the grounds of the Palace, we moved over to Wat Pho. Wat means temple, and there are several throughout Bangkok, but this one is famous because it is home to the second largest reclining Buddha in Thailand. This one was also incredibly impressive, right down to the pearl ridges in Buddha's toes. Just remember not to point your toes at the statue, cover your shoulders and knees, and save the PDA for later.

Our next day of sightseeing took us to the places that gave Bangkok it's nickname- the Venice of the East. We traveled about 100 km outside the city to check out the markets. I've definitely seen my fair share of markets throughout my travels, but nothing prepared me for the Maeklong Railway Market. The shops are literally set up all around the railroad tracks to clear a pathway for people to walk. Then suddenly, the people part, the shop owners yell at the clueless tourists, and a train barrels through. Hot stuff was a little close for comfort...

Then things just go back to normal and you can go back to buying your dinner. Delish!

We also got a chance to climb into a boat and head through the mazes of the floating markets. Here, you battle other long tail boats to get to everything from snacks to paintings. Word of the wise, it's probably best to avoid drinking an iced coffee from a women without shoes or a reliable source of ice...can you say Buddha belly? 

We soon headed on to the next part of our trip, the southern island of Phuket, otherwise known as paradise. I mean, what is not to love about white sand beaches, lush tropical forests, and our own personal villa complete with personal pool and breakfast delivered daily? We climbed the crazy hills of this island where the locals called us, "Mister Dan" and "Madame Ming." It was the part of the trip where you just cycle back and forth between the beach, the pool, and the cabana while dining on coconut smoothies and food, glorious food! Are you sensing just how much I loved this place yet?

Also, we really liked the bathroom in our villa. There were flower petals floating in the bathtub everyday. Is this real life?

A highlight of our time in Phuket was when we decided to rent a motorcycle. This was equally exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time. Nothing like curvy, steep roads to test out the brakes of a rental and the abilities of a driver on the wrong side of the road. Despite the fear that came with every turn of the corner, it was pretty awesome to see the "Elephant X-Ing" signs.

While not moonlighting as Wild Hogs, we took a trip into Old Phuket Town where we had our best meal of the trip. I said no spice in my curry, which didn't appear to mean anything to the cute little man taking our order. Luckily I had a Thai iced tea to put out the fire. Hot Stuff had some amazing noodle bowl complete with all the chilies you could think of, I guess you could say we have different tastes. All this deliciousness for $9. Incredible.

I'll admit that I was pretty sad to leave Phuket, but was excited to check out some of the smaller surrounding islands. Our next destination was the small and isolated Phi Phi Island. After experiencing our first monsoon (I'm talking DOWNPOUR) while driving to the port, we hopped onto the ferry boat for the two hour ride dotted with tiny limestone islands along the way. The island is so small, there are no roads, so they wrapped our suitcases in plastic where we got on yet another boat to coast to our hotel. The tides were crazy here and came in and out twice each day. So we were greeted by a tractor that drove out on the beach to pick us up.When in Rome?

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this island that has a reputation for being a "party island," but overall, I was very pleasantly surprised. We stayed in a little hut, just steps from the beach where we spent the day on the sea kayak in water that was so turquoise and clear you wanted to dive right in. We also took a bumpy speedboat trip to visit the infamous Maya Beach where I white-knuckled the rails on the side of the boat as the waves picked us up and threw us down repeatedly until it felt like we all had a slipped disk. It was all worth it though as this was by far the most beautiful island I've ever been to. Diving off the boat and snorkeling around the coral made for a much smoother ride back.

After all the eating, touring, and traveling we had done, we were definitely ready to do as the Thais do and enjoy a traditional Thai massage. We had a massage in each city that we visited, but the one in Phi Phi was pretty much the best three hours ever. That's correct, I said three hours. We were scrubbed, rubbed, twisted, and contorted until it literally felt like you were floating. The lady even braided my hair into an immaculate updo. Seriously, if there was one thing that I wish I could've brought back as a souvenir, it would've been that little Thai lady. She was worth every penny and every minute.

Soon we were headed off from the island, but not before I managed to find Phi Phi Bakery which was supposed to be home to amazing coconut donuts. Sadly, they were a bit disappointing, but the Thai iced tea did not disappoint.

Alas, all good things must come to an end, and we made our way back to Bangkok for one last night. After listening to some epic 90s hits in the shuttle, we checked into our hotel and headed up the river to Asiatique, a neighborhood filled with shops and restaurants for one last fill of Thailand.

The next morning we headed to the airport to begin our long journey back home. We were both sad to leave and agreed that we'd be back someday. Thailand was an incredible trip for me, not only because it was our first as husband and wife, but because it was so wonderfully unexpected in every way. Food, friendly people, beautiful vistas, amazing history and culture, they truly have it all. One night in Bangkok and the world really is your oyster.