Bits of Bangkok

By the end of the week, we had enough courage to use the bus and went on a tuk-tuk once, but mostly we went around on foot. Once, we asked for help and a woman of Chinese origin went out of her way (literally) to help us get back home. She got out of the bus, showed us the bus we needed, and took another bus to go back in the direction she was supposed to go! That is what I mean when everyone gets so down on the Chinese - some of them are really nice, it's their government (and the racist millions that blindly follow it) that worries me.

Anyway, when we went to Sukhumvit, the modern part of Bangkok, we took a taxi to avoid hours figuring out the bus system.

We went there to visit Veronique's (Henri's mom) handsome cousin, Christophe, and his charming wife, Wendy.

They treated us to a gastronomic adventure at the newly relocated Sofitel, and the smile on Henri's face here says everything ;)

Heatwaves and Hitwaves in Bangkok (April 18 - 19)

THIS

is how hot it was in Bangkok. It was 10pm, we had our second shower of the day, but the sweating won't stop. Our bed was drenched in sweat. I joked that this could train Henri for the heat in Manila, but in reality I don't think it was ever constantly this hot at home. 

The next day, heat notwithstanding, we went to the Grand Palace, a second time for both of us. 

We joined the free tour, but felt like abandoning it a couple of times because it was too hot, and we couldn't understand the (well-meaning, I had to admit) Thai guide whose accent we sometimes couldn't understand. I think I understood him more than most, but some foreigners disappeared after the Temple of The Emerald Buddha.

Welcome to Thailand

On a plane, you don't see where one country ends and another one begins. From above, borders don't exist. As we flew east, we said goodbye to the majestic Annapurnas and Langtang, the fertile Terai, the mighty Everest, and Tibet. Henri didn't care so much about missing out on China (because we were supposed to go there for 2 weeks after Tibet), and now that I've had time to think it over, I'm happy we didn't go this time because we would only make the Chinese Government richer; it felt like going there now while they hold the Tibetan people on display like zoo animals would only encourage them more, and perhaps embolden them to continue to encroach on other territories.

We soared past Bangladesh and looked longingly at Myanmar, another country we hoped to visit; but spending money there would only fund the military junta. It might have been especially epic to explore Myanmar because it looks so enchanting in pictures, and the people are lovely... Maybe someday. When the powers-that-be are no longer mass-murdering, child-enslaving jerks.

Arriving in Thailand was a physical shock. It was a blistering 40°, compared to the agreeable 16° of Kathmandu. At the airport, we were promised that we had arrived in the "Land of Smiles" and we are holding on to that promise; even though it's been two and a half weeks, and most of the time people are rude outside Bangkok... but we'll get to that later.

We were ecstatic to be out of the Indian subcontinent. Even though Nepal was a welcome break from India, it was still very similar to its neighbor. But this... This is Southeast Asia, baby! 

The style and level of cleanliness in the budget class is better!

The food is simple, but tasty! (We'd been dreaming of authentic Thai curry for a loooong time.)

And served with heart, hee hee.