Thailand: River Kwai and Elephant Ride

As soon as I decided to go on this trip, I knew I couldn't go all the way to Thailand and not ride an elephant.  Thankfully, it wasn't that hard to find a tour that included a jaunt through the jungle on an elephant.  We got 25 minutes of bouncing around on a bench precariously strapped onto the elephant's back, and it was as awesome as I was expecting.

Our tour also included a visit to the bridge over the River Kwai.  The bridge is part of a railroad that was built by Allied POWs during WWII to connect Thailand and Myanmar.  We were able to take a short train ride on the railway, which provided some really pretty views of the river.

It was awesome to get out of the city and see more of the countryside.  Thailand really is a beautiful place once you get away from hustle and bustle of the city.  Or maybe it was just the cute baby elephants that made it so fun.

Thailand: Jim Thompson Museum

This was probably one of my favorites of this trip, not only because I love a good museum, but also because it felt like an oasis within the crazy city.  The museum, or Jim Thompson's house, is set in a peaceful garden with a couple other buildings, including a cafe and a shop full of gorgeous silk items.  Jim Thompson fell in love with with the Thai culture and ended up moving to Thailand after WWII, when he set about reviving the Thai silk industry.  His house is in the traditional Thai style and contains an impressive collection of artifacts from all over Asia, including several Buddha statues.  An interesting tidbit - Jim Thompson remained a Christian, but had the Buddhas in his house because he liked their calm expression. 

Photos weren't allowed inside, but the garden made up for it by being extra photogenic.

Thailand: Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew

After our morning at Wat Po, we walked next door to the Grand Palace.  Next door being a rough estimate, it was really a fifteen minute walk.  We only had a few minutes before they closed, so we went straight to Wat Phra Kaew, the temple in the Grand Palace compound and home to the Emerald Buddha.  This Buddha, which is actually jadeite and not emerald, is clothed in seasonal robes.  These robes are changed by the king three times a year, to correspond to summer, winter, and the rainy season.  Photos weren't allowed inside the temple, so just imagine a small, green Buddha statue set atop a massive gold pedestal.  The statue itself might have been minuscule compared to the Reclining Buddha, but the overall image was equally impressive. Following our visit to the temple, we walked through the grounds by the Grand Palace.  The royal family lived here up until 1946, when they moved to another palace nearby. 

Thailand: Wat Po

Our first sightseeing destination was Wat Po.  Half of the adventure was simply getting there, as we had to take both the train and a boat.  This particular temple, or wat, is the oldest and largest Buddhist temple in Bangkok.  Its biggest claim to fame is the Reclining Buddha, a 19th-century Buddha statue that is enormous (43 m long and 15 m high).  Like most of the temples, every possible surface is decorated richly and ornately.  Everything about this temple and the grounds is impressive.

Thailand

When my parents first brought up the idea of joining them in Bangkok for ten days, I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  But I soon discovered that Thailand is a fascinating place, and although spending the majority of my visit solely in Bangkok provided only a small glimpse into the country, I found the culture to be beautiful.

My first impression of the city itself is that it's a bit disgusting.  Between the pollution, the garbage scattered on the side of the streets, the odd smells of the mystery food being cooked by the street vendors, and the oppressing heat and humidity, it's enough to make you want to hide out in the hotel room.  But then the beauty begins to shine out amidst the dirt.  The flowers growing on the side of the road, elephant statues, an ornate temple sandwiched between two rundown buildings.  And the people are so friendly.  Sure, there are plenty of guys trying to lure in unsuspecting tourists for a wild tuk tuk ride around the city, but everyone has a smile and is willing to help. 

There were plenty of adventures on this trip, all of which I'll share in future posts, but for now here are a few bits and pieces of what we saw.

Chocolate Festival!

This is one of the many reasons I love Italy - a little thing called a Chocolate Festival.  Yes, it is as amazing as it sounds. 

Basically, the main square had a bunch of different vendors, each selling assortments of all the chocolate you could imagine.

My friend Jessica and I had to do several walk-throughs before we could decide what to buy.  To help our decision making, we had to take the edge off our chocolate cravings.  We started with a yummy little treat that was like a triple-layer mousse, with dark, white, and milk chocolate.  Naturally, that disappeared before I had a chance to take a picture.  The next bit of deliciousness though, strawberries with chocolate and cream, lasted long enough to snap a photo.

I didn't come home with as much chocolate as I thought I would, which is probably a good thing, but here's what I didn't eat for breakfast.  Just kidding, sort of...

 Now off to decide which one to eat next...