To be fair, my hostel was located in a much more sedate part of town. When I ventured out onto the streets after a peaceful night's slumber, I found the city I remembered. While other Asian mega cities I've been to tend to operate at a nonstop blistering speed, I always feel like life moves at a slower pace when I'm in Bangkok. The scenery isn't as intensely overwhelming as Hong Kong, the crowds aren't constantly shoving you along at their speed like in Tokyo or Seoul, and the Thai people will take a moment to smile and greet you.
I only planned to stay in Bangkok for a day before departing by bus the next morning. I love being in Thailand, however I had already spent one vacation there, and I was in the mood to see more of Asia this summer. I just figured that since I was in the neighborhood, a quick stopover couldn't hurt. The main objectives of my little detour were simple: to catch up with my Thai friend from my university days, and to eat as much Thai food as possible
In my last few posts I wrote very highly of the food in Hong Kong, and as much as I enjoyed it what I was truly looking forward to was being able to have Thai food once again. Most people already know Thai food to be incredibly hot, but it's so much more than that. It's spicy of course, and also sweet, often minty, always fresh. The food is filling yet light, and pops with more intense flavors than I'm capable of describing with words alone. Simply put, Thai food in Thailand is sublime, and it's something anyone with a taste for exotic cuisine should try at least once.
I had already seen most of Bangkok's historical attractions the last time I visited, so following lunch my friend took me to the impressive Chatuchak market, the largest of its kind in Thailand. Whereas the markets I had explored in Hong Kong were stocked with cheap Chinese factory goods, Chatuchak Market is unique for selling a wide variety of handmade artisan crafts. We wandered the stalls for hours, and I eventually caved in and bought something when I found a store selling super sweet designer anime robot shirts. My wallet complained, but I didn't listen.
At some point during the day, the conversations with my friend drifted towards the current political situation in her country. I told her that in the west, most news articles and political leaders condemned Thailand and its military junta. "Let democracy happen," was the common sentiment I heard from my hemisphere. But listening to my friend, she saw things differently. Before the coup, she always had to be cautious when going outside and had to plan to avoid any violent rallies or protests. Now, she said Bangkok was calm again, and the locals were beginning to feel less tense with a stable body of power finally in control. Some people smarter than I speculate that Thailand isn't ready to embrace a democracy, and though I do feel democracy is the best for a country like my own, I can understand that for people with different cultural backgrounds and histories, another form of government may be more suitable. I don't know what Thailand needs, I hardly qualify to discuss the politics of other countries, but I find it fascinating to be able to observe the process of a shifting government firsthand. Last year Thailand was a democracy, this year it's controlled by a military junta, next year who knows? Maybe it will convert back to a monarchy.
We finished our Saturday with a trip to Asiatique, a riverfront outdoor shopping mall notable for being high-end and a little expensive but also a great place to unwind after a busy day. We feasted, and when we were satisfied we said our goodbyes, and I told my friend I'd try to visit again the following summer.
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