So of course, I came into Bangkok guns blazing, ready to face any sign of danger. Except there wasn't any. Bangkok is full of the friendliest people I've ever met. Sure, they'll try to rip you off and charge you more for a taxi ride or a pound of clementines...and by "more" I mean $0.30 more. Can you blame them? Just like the stories that brought my parents to the U.S., the Thai hear stories of gold paved road and the "American Dream". And yes, they will try to take advantage of that. But hurt you? No way.
I can confidently say that Bangkok is the safest city I've ever visited.
I have a habit of pre-booking a room with airport transportation whenever I visit a place, especially an unfamiliar country. There is nothing more relieving than seeing a sign with your name on it after multiple days of travel. And I was so grateful to see that in Bangkok and even more grateful to find myself in an incredible room with the comfiest bed I've ever slept in (that opinion may be influence by 40 hours of non-stop movement and plane hopping).
After a night of great sleep, I was ready to take on Bangkok. I was dropped off at the metro station and had my first public transportation experience in Thailand. Having experienced metros of many US cities, the Thai experience proved to be a piece of cake. My first stop was the Indian Embassy. In a spurt of spontaneity I added India to my itinerary without thinking through the Visa part (typical Yelena) so there I was, a white girl with a backpack refusing to take a taxi and instead navigating foreign streets with a map in hand. Without any trouble, amazed at the ease of navigating streets and my map reading abilities (all those wilderness skills!), I made it to the embassy. Three hours later I walked out with a receipt in hand and instructions to pick up my visa in 6 business days. So there it is- I am officially going to India!
I walked to my hostel and was blown away by the views from my balcony.
I quickly learned that walking is my preferred method of transportation and in the process determined that it's also the best way to explore a city. By walking you are able to see the good, the bad, and the ugly. You find yourself falling in line with the pace of the people and get an appreciation for their day to day life. So I walked everywhere. The only time I didn't walk was alone at night. In fact, I was so tired from my full days of walking that I was in bed by 8pm every night.
Here are some highlights from my two days in Bangkok:
1. Lumpini Park
Lumpini Park is Bangkok's version of NYC's Central Park. Much smaller in size, it had waves of runners, Tai Chi practitioners, and all sorts of other health conscious individuals. Walking through Lumpini Park, I realized that daily exercise is part of the Thai lifestyle. There were individuals of all shapes and ages moving their bodies in whatever way felt good.
2. The Grand Palace and Reclining Buddha
A typical tourist attraction that cannot be missed. It is so beautiful.
And the reclining buddha was a sight to behold. It was HUGE.
The next few are a result of walking and really getting a feel for the city away from the beaten path.
3. The altars all over the city.
As a nation of Buddhists, there are altars and places of worship on every street block. They are all very unique with their own sense of charm. It is typical to see people praying and stopping multiple times a day for a moment of worship is a way of life for the Thai people. Their strong sense of spirituality radiates in every inch of their city.
4. The slowly emerging eco-consciousness of Bangkok.
Bangkok is dirty. There is trash all around and the sanitation of places isn't a high priority. However, there is a slowly emerging "green" culture. They have an official bikes only day, and there are places you can rent bikes and return them at a different location. Slowly but surely, Thailand is stepping towards a more environmentally friendly way of life.
5. The charm of Thai streets, shops, sidewalks, and alleyways.
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