Bangkok

November 27-30

Thailand is amazing.

Since the start of this trip, Cal and I have had a few places that we just knew, right from the first step, that we would love. Krakow was one, Bordeaux was another, and Bangkok was the same. Even with the annoyances we experienced getting from the airport (which I noted in my last post), there was instantly an energy and attitude that made us feel welcomed and excited for our time here.

It is also, quite frankly, nice to be in a place where we can afford a little luxury. As we approached our hotel, multiple Thai Massage parlors lined our way, advertising hour-long foot massages for about $7. Dinner our first night (which just so happened to be Thanksgiving) cost us about $10 and was truly delicious. For the first time in a while, we knew we could go out to eat or indulge in a whim without worrying too much about the cost.

Day 1: A Taste of Luxury

Our first full day in Bangkok we decided to lean into the luxury. After perhaps the best hotel breakfast I've ever had--it included western staples like bacon, waffles, and an omelet bar along with Thai classics like curry and friend rice--we went down for our appointment at the "Let's Relax" spa in our hotel. For 1200 THB a piece (about $37), we got to experience absolute pampering. First, the staff brought us out iced green tea, a cool towel with essential oils to clean our hands and faces, and clean slip-on shoes for our feet. Then, they gently washed our feet in little pedicure baths. We were then led back into our massage room, which included 3 beds on the floor, some cushions, and silk clothing for us to change into. Once we were changed, the two women came back into the room and proceeded to wring out our bodies like wet rags for 2 whole hours. If you aren't familiar, Thai massage is very physical, and at some points the tiny woman who was massaging me literally climbed on all fours on my back while she worked. There are also some poses where they wrap their own body around yours to get the leverage needed to manipulate your limbs the way they want. The picture below does a good job illustrating this. After they were finished, we were led back out to the front room, where we were brought incredible coconut sticky rice with fresh mango. The entire thing was ethereal and entirely relaxing--exactly what we needed at this point in our travels.

Now fully relaxed and feeling a bit like jelly, we set back out from our hotel to explore the cultural experience right across the street--the Central World Mall. You might be wondering how a mall provides a cultural experience. Well, Thailand does malls WAY differently than back in the US. There are 3 major malls within Bangkok, and they are all multi-story, extravagant, and very luxurious. To fully paint the picture, Central World has a Starbucks on 3 different levels of the mall--FANCY! To add to this, Central World also had a full-blown Christmas market out front, which for some reason was Disney themed. Large models of classic Disney characters were scattered around food stalls and craft booths. Locals with Mickey Mouse ears were going around posing with each, as if they were in Disneyland. Inside the mall, there was a full-scale princess castle where you could pose and take pictures. We explored the Christmas market, got a snack, climbed through the various levels of the mall, and Calvin even got a jacket at a secondhand store. All in all, a productive afternoon.

After a quick stop back at the hotel to drop our bags, we set out around the corner for a restaurant I found on Google Maps with excellent reviews from tourists and locals alike. Back from the main drag, past a money exchange, some food carts, and a gambling hub, we found a small, unassuming restaurant with tables out front under a small awning. Almost everyone already seated appeared to be a local, including the group of 3 women at the table next to us who proceeded to knock back eight .5 L beers in the time we were there, and didn't appear to be slowing down any time soon. Thankfully, the menu had both English and Thai, and we were happy to learn that Thai food in Seattle is pretty darn authentic, because everything looked and tasted pretty familiar to us. Cal ordered a Chang beer (which, after sampling other brews, we have quickly adopted as our local go-to) while I opted for a Coconut, because how often do you get to order a coconut? We shared green curry with pork and fried fish with chilies, which the waiter warned us would be spicy. He was right. But it was also delicious!

Day 2: Visiting Temples and Me Being Really Stupid

Our second day in Bangkok we decided to venture out a bit farther to visit a few of the famous riverfront temples in the old part of town. We had to walk about 20 minutes to catch the train to where we needed to be, but fortunately we had figured out that mode of transportation by this point and things ran pretty smoothly. Our first stop was Wat Pho, a royal temple famous for its giant reclining Buddha and known as the birthplace of Thai Massage. The architecture was incredible--everything was ornately decorated with mosaics made of colorful ceramics and mirrors. As we walked around, I tried to take as many pictures as I could, but it is still hard to capture everything.

A note about Buddhist temples, as they have continued to be a regular stop for us on our adventures through Thailand. First of all, women need to cover knees and shoulders to enter, and the temples usually have scarves and skirts available to borrow. When you enter certain buildings, you need to remove your shoes, so sandals are a big help to make things move faster. Temples are active, so monks are common, even though the complexes are often swarming with tourists as well. Generally speaking, as long as you are respectful and follow the guidelines, visitors are welcome, and entrance fees help a lot with the upkeep.

Now back to our story, and where I was really stupid.

If you know me, you know I love cats. I have a tattoo of our cat on my arm. I follow cats around the neighborhood on walks. I am happier every time I see a cat. Like many places in southeast Asia, Bangkok has many street cats wandering around, and Wat Pho Temple is no exception. While we were in the small museum about Thai massage, I heard a meow by the door and saw a beautiful ginger cat lounging in the sun. On the way out, I noticed another visitor petting him, and when I crouched down he quickly came over to say hello. I tried to take a picture, but he came even closer and snuggled beneath my feet.

At this point, another visitor came up near me and joined in petting the cat, which I think spooked him, because he hissed and bit me. This didn't phase me at all, but fortunately Cal has a better head on his shoulders (and is a bit paranoid) and told me in no uncertain terms that we needed to go and get it checked out. I was thinking we would get turned away--this did NOT feel like a medical issue to me. After all, the cat lives at the temple! I saw his food bowls! He seemed healthy and well-cared-for! However, when we made our way to the hospital, it quickly became clear to me that this was definitely something we needed to take care of.

I have had a few experiences with international healthcare at this point, and I am continuously amazed by how much more efficient and high quality the care is than what I have experienced at home. When we entered the hospital, we were pointed to the registration desk. We took a number and were almost immediately called forward, where the worker spoke perfect English and got me checked in. We were then pointed to another area, where another employee went through some basic questions for me, and helped me figure out my height and weight in metric. Then, we were quickly taken back to the care center, where nurses and doctors were in constant contact with me, all with excellent English and kind demeanors. Everyone was calm and compassionate--no one made me feel stupid or worried about my plight, but everyone clearly took my care seriously and made sure I understood everything that was happening. A nurse came and cleaned my wound, and the doctor came to explain to me the rabies prevention protocol, which is 5 shots over the course of 30 days. He then asked where I would be over that time period, and when I told him we were supposed to travel to Koh Samui the next day (a trip I was fully sure was in danger of being cancelled due to my stupidity), he immediately told me which hospital on the island I could visit and which paperwork I needed to bring when I did. At this point, I was also given the estimated bill and opportunity to pay--about $300 all in.

The intramuscular vaccine was easy--I didn't even have a sore arm afterwards, and the nurse assured me there were no side effects to worry about. The bad part was the immunoglobulin straight to the wound, which is injected right into where the skin is already broken (as it was in my case). I'm going to have to let Calvin tap in here, because I immediately got light headed and had to lie down, with a very kind nurse holding my hand and waving a q-tip with ammonia on it in front of my face to help me come to.

Now, I am loathe to say the phrase "I told you so," but sometimes it just feels so good. Not that I did say that. I could have, because I had told her so. For three months, in fact. But no. Saying those words would have been unloving, unnecessary, and in a situation as tense as this one, more than a little incendiary. Plus, I already had multiple medical professionals from both the clinic and ER telling her so. Wanting more than that is just greedy. As Delaney sat on that hospital bed, I felt like the experience of a needle tunneling its merry way through inches of her hand while forming a squishy mound of anti-rabies atoms or whatever was more than enough. But we are who we are, so I still said "I told you so" when she woke up.

Once I was bandaged and injected, I was sent upstairs to the pharmacy and cashier with a number. The cashier immediately refunded me about $30, which they had calculated already that I had overpaid once the services were rendered, and then sent me next door to the pharmacy. I was given saline solution for cleaning my wound, antibiotic ointment, a course of antibiotics to take to prevent any other kind of infection, and paracetamol (ibuprofen) for any pain I might experience. From the time we entered the doors of the hospital to the time we left was about an hour, and at the end I felt fully cared for and sure of my next steps. Our travel insurance has already reimbursed me for the cost of this treatment. By comparison, when I had to get stitches a couple of years ago, we were in the emergency room for over 4 hours, I received 3 different bills over the course of the next several months, and with insurance the treatment was about $1100. I had been completely sure my stupidity was going to cost us the rest of the day, if not the trip. Calvin thought we might have to look into overnight flights back to the states. But thanks to the incredible care we received, this amounted to an unpleasant bump in what was otherwise a good day in Bangkok.

Once we left the hospital, it was unfortunately too late to visit the Grand Palace, so we had to adjust. Instead, we made our way north to the Chatuchak Weekend Market--one of the world's largest. The sprawling market has more than 15,000 stalls peddling everything from jewelry, clothing, tasty food, and even (according to their website) exotic pets (which I was NOT in the mood to try to find, after my earlier adventure). The market weaves its way along pedestrian only roads, some stalls winding through an indoor covered area, others lining the street. I found an amazing sunhat for our upcoming trip to the island, and Cal found some whole grilled octopus he just had to try. We found our way to a little bar, where we sat, had a couple of beers, and watched the world go by.

At this point, we felt that we had lived this very long day to the fullest, and returned back to our hotel to pack for our early flight to Koh Samui the next day. In retrospect, both of us are sad we didn't spend more time in Bangkok. We barely scratched the surface of what there is to see and experience, and quite frankly it was still one of our favorite cities of the trip. From the people to the food, we are truly loving Thailand, and can't wait to share more.