สวัสด, Sawatdee, or Hello from Southeast Asia

Jon: Adventures ahead beckoned, but it was sad to leave South Africa – such a wonderful country filled with beautiful landscapes and people. A lengthy flight from Cape Town brought us to the country of Singapore for a half-day layover. Though long, the flight on Singapore Air (total shout out here) was really comfortable with good seats, hot wash cloths, ample food, free socks, cologne in the bathroom, and plenty of entertainment options. Not to be outdone by the flight, the Singapore Airport is filled with amenities. Koi ponds, orchid gardens, two movie theaters, sleeping lounges, free internet kiosks, and lots of shopping were amongst the notables. The one thing we most looked forward to, however, was the free city tour.

Amy and I were whisked through passport control onto a bus that would carry us around the city. Singapore is very modern with skyscrapers and fancy buildings. Some of the old charm is still visible in China Town and similar pockets. The two and a half hour tour took us through many sites stopping twice along the way. Stops were brief, but allowed for a leg stretch and some photo ops. The brevity wasn’t a bad thing, as it felt like entering an oven when stepping off the bus. The tour left us questioning whether Singapore would be a place we’d like to revisit. The modern amenities were quite attractive, but prices run high and shopping seemed to be a common thread throughout the tour, literature on the flight, and in the airport. We’re not shoppers and aren’t traveling on a first-class budget. Maybe we’ll return when we’re older or win the lottery. Regardless, it’s a good place for a layover.

The Bangkok we were introduced to is a hopping place, which was more or less as expected. The first night was special. I had discovered that Loi (or Loy) Kathrong, a celebration of the full moon and rainy season end, was taking place. After checking in and a quick nap, I left Amy in the room and made a short walk to familiarize myself with the area. The streets were lined with vendor stands and food carts, the roads were filled with tuk tuks and tourists, and I felt quite at ease with things. Amy was easily convinced to join me, so we ventured further out together finding a beer and some street food along the infamous Khao San Road. Khao San Road was sold to us as a must-see/stay by our friend Steve back at Khotso in South Africa. He said it was an amazing place filled with “backpackers, prostitutes, alcoholics, and drug addicts”. Not exactly our scene, but we had to check it out. Though those things can be found, especially with a keen eye, the street is mostly filled with European tourists and people catering to them. Not scary, not intimidating, and quite easy. It makes for a cool spectacle though.

As the night progressed, I got some directions on how to get to the nearby river park for the Loi Kathrong celebration. A short walk took us to a fortress on the edge of the park and on to the river’s edge where people were floating lit incense down the river – carrying wishes along the way. Music was playing on two separate stages, there was all sorts of food and merchandise being sold, and people were really having a good time. The great thing was that this was not some tourist production, but an authentic celebration that we happened to be in the right place at the right time to experience. The night was filled with unique acts. Boats decorated with lights floated down the river. A group of men brought dragons to life and paraded them around in twisting and turning acrobatic fashion. Human towers were formed with a little girl perched on top of several others. The music played on and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. What a good evening. For some, as heard through paper thin walls of our hostel, the evening became a late night and faded on into the wee hours of the morning. Sleep eluded us often in Bangkok.

Days were filled with exploration of the area including a walk through the Royal Grounds, past the Grand Palace, and into Wat Pho. The latter is an amazing walled compound housing the largest collection of Buddha statues in the world. This is home to the well-known reclining Buddha, which is the largest single Buddha in the world. There are many smaller temples as well as awesome architecture that is almost overwhelming in size and design. Walking past the same building a second or third time, I’d notice some other intricacy in the adornments – impressive. Amy was happy to see school children around and we popped into the school within the compound to have a look.

We made our way from Wat Pho back to the Grand Palace and were stopped by a well dressed young man on the sidewalk who seemed to speak perfect English – “please stop here”. Okay. He seemed official. A massive assembly of police cars, motor bikes, fancy cars, and blacked out SUVs, hurried down the street. Royal Guard stood along the palace entrance. Though unsure who was in the procession, it’s fair to assume they were quite significant. As we moved on, we enjoyed sitting in the park just watching local people walking, running, biking, feeding squirrels, and flying kites. These little moments away from the prime tourist areas are some of our favorites. The sun left the city and the palace lights came on as we watched from the Royal Grounds. Quite a good end to our walk-about for the day.

Nights were colorful and festive. Streets near our lodging are lined with people of all types. Tourists speak various languages. Food is plentiful and cheap. The two of us would seek out whatever tempted our tummies, or in once case what a Swiss gal goaded me into trying. Let’s just say that scorpions aren’t as scary to eat as they look – just overcooked crunchiness.

Oh, beer is also easy to find and just as reasonable as the food. We found dinner and beers for around $6 – not bad. I enjoyed the lights of town, the excitement at night, and the beautiful temples.