Thursday was our first full day in Thailand. We woke up and got a chance to explore the bustle
of Bangkok before taking an afternoon boat tour
. We went up and down the river, stopping at the
Technicolor Wat Arun. We climbed the steep steps of the Wat and had an incredible look over the
city.
Water transport in Thailand is unlike anything I’ve experienced. Water taxis are constantly traveling from port to port with commuters and tourists. The river is also full of catfish. You can buy a bag of breadcrumbs and watch the catfish splash and fight. It is a strange and grotesque sight.
Thursday night we went to a Thai Kickboxing match. Before each match, the boxers did ceremonial dances with some sort of special headwear. The matches were violent yet compelling. The stadium was filled with Thai men holding up fingers and placing bets. We left after a violent knockout in the second match. It made me feel guilty about the whole experience of indulging in this violent entertainment.
On Friday, we saw the Grand Palace and all of its glory. There was a wall painting that stretched all the way around the inside of the Palace area
. It was incredibly detailed and it was a lot of fun to see the different stories taking place.
After taking the overnight bus to Chiang Mai, we spent Saturday exploring Wat Doi Suthep and a
Buddhist monastery. A Nepalese monk with fantastic English showed us around and told us about his daily life.
We then traveled to Tiger Kingdom, where we got to see some Tigers in cages.
Last night we went to the Saturday night market, which is kind of a big deal. Local vendors were lined up selling paintings, jewelry, street food, and more.
Today, we’re going to our first home stay, which is about two hours away in Pun Pun.
Lev (with photos from Ian and Allie)
Hello, Thailand!
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Chiang Mai, Thailand
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2025-02-15