Sawadeekaa friends :-)
I'm really surprised at how much of a brain-bend it has been visiting Bangkok this week and seeing my friend from home. For starters it is understandably very different from when I was here 10 years ago. It is so much more modern now! It's cleaner than I remember and has so many Western influences -- I actually had a Subway sandwich for lunch the other day while listening to American pop music, wow. But then some things never change, like how you can buy sodas in a plastic bag from street vendors, and tuk-tuks are the main form of transportation :-) In some ways it's similar but different to Vietnam and China too (same same, but different), like when I walk down the street, instead of hearing "hello, motorbike?" I hear "hello, tuk-tuk?" Too funny. <<<PS. If anyone doesnt know what a tuk-tuk is, please Google Image search it because they are too cute>>>
We've had a good week with plenty of adventures. The other day we took a taxi like I've never experienced before... it was a Karaoke Taxi, I kid you not! The driver actually had a little DVD player in the dashboard and microphones all set up! He was crazy! We also visited a few temples, including the Temple of the Dawn, which is where these two photos are from. We climbed as high as we could on the stuppas, and the last flight of stairs was so incredibly steep! The steps were literally only 6 inches deep but 24 inches high. I love these two photos we got.
Last night we went to a birthday party for one of the people in Samantha's program, and oh the karaoke that ensued after several pitchers of free beer, hehehe. The highlight by far was when I put on "Kung Fu Fighting", EVERYONE was singing along, and doing kung fu moves at every chorus! Hilarious!
Today was probably the coolest though because we took a day trip out to Tiger Temple. Yup, a temple where they not only have tigers but you can sit right next to them and pet them and take pitures with them!! *Yes, I will post those pics asap* It was so awesome so be next to these enormous beasts (even if they were sedated) that most people only see in zoos from across 10 ft moats with fences! Not only that, but as we were leaving they brought out a baby tiger that wasnt on a leash and we got to hold it!!! :-D :-D :-D Here's how the day went -- Transportation to the middle of nowhere: 350 baht, Admission to Tiger Temple: 300 baht, Picture holding a baby tiger: PRICELESS!! :-D
I'm back to Hanoi tomorrow to start another trip with a full contingent of 12 passengers, so wish me luck. Now I'm about to do something I've never done before, which is post a poem online for everyone to see. Oh well, here's a glimpse of my brain from an unusual bought of insomnia this week; it's called "Farsighted"
FARSIGHTED
Exhaust and heat
exotic smells
and words in tongues I dont understand
Surround me as I walk
down the streets
Every Day.
I'm out of place
but I belong
because this is where
I am meant to be
Right Now.
My dream is fulfilled
the hard work paid off,
every step has brought me
Right Here.
Why then does my mind
continue to wander?
I think of home with deep
love and longing;
I look to the future with
excitement and anticipation;
I revel in the present, knowing
I've done it! I'm here.
It must be in my nature
to never stagnate.
The itchy feet of wanderlust
may never give me peace.
So instead I look ahead
with great hope and faith
to the unfolding of the next path,
the next dream,
the next adventure.
