Our break from the rat race: Day One: Bangkok

The original plan was to spend a couple days relaxing and recovering from jetlag. Instead (and predictably), we bounced from sight to sight, navigating Bankgok's crowded streets. Despite not getting to sleep until after 4am on Tuesday, we were wide awake by 9:30am. (9:30pm in our heads!) Lunch was at the hotel -- our first Thai meal. I had a delicious Pad Thai:

(You're likely to see plenty more pictures of favorite dishes in the posts ahead -- exploring and experimenting with good food is one of our favorite pasttimes while traveling.)

We started our sightseeing with a longtail boat trip through the canals. Though it was good to be out in the "fresh" air and on the longtail, and fascinating to see how some of the city's residents live, we had our first glimpses of the poverty that persists in Bangkok despite the presence of glittering skyscrapers and many modern amenities. (The canal trip was only a preview of what we would see a few days later in Cambodia.)

One of the recurring themes of this trip for us is the contrast between the five-star facilities and services offered to foreign tourists, and the standard of living for many people in the local communities we are visiting. The collision of these different realities is difficult to see, and has left us wanting to do more to help in a sustained way. But at the same time, the tourism industry is often a real engine of economic development, bringing jobs and opportunities well beyond those that would otherwise exist.

Even amidst the crowded neighborhoods along the canals, Bangkok's architecture is amazing, especially the temples. Here are a few shots from our longtail boat:

Our boat and driver:

We passed a parade of sorts while in the canals. Unfortunately, our Thai language skills are nonexistent and our boat driver did not speak much English, so we never did figure out what was going on.

During the canal trip, we made a stop at the gorgeous Wat Arun, the "Temple of the Dawn," a Buddhist temple built in the early 1800s.

Climbing the steep steps was a bit terrifying, but the view from the top was well worth it!

After our longtail boat driver dropped us off at the central pier, we made our way to a "recommended" tailor. I had a dress and jacket made, and J a suit and some shirts. We went back the second day for a fitting, and as of this writing, the tailor is supposedly shipping our clothes back to DC. We're a bit skeptical about the whole transaction after reading a few comments about the tailor online (of course, only after we made our purchase), but fingers crossed that we have a package waiting for us when we get home!

Tuk tuk ride to the tailor:

Getting measured:

Exhausted and hungry at the end of our first day, we made our way to to dinner at the Mango Tree. On our way, we accidentally stumbled through part of Bangkok's red light district. (If you look closely, you can see several men in metallic hot pants and white tank tops!)