10 things I learned in Thailand…
1 – In New York they’re yellow, in Berlin they’re tan, but here in Thailand the flashier the better. All taxis in Bangkok are painted bright, almost fluorescent colors – green, yellow, orange, pink. You’ll have a hard time missing these rolling easter eggs as they fill the streets picking up passengers left and right.
3 – Thai food is delectable. I’ve always been a fan but now I’m addicted. Pad thai and mango sticky rice are probably my favorites – one a little spicy and the other delightfully sweet. Both have been staples during my stay and I would highly recommend spending the dollar to try one of these tasty treats.
4 – Movie theaters in Bangkok are a step above the rest. Being shiny, new, and modern is just the start. One cinema even has a special deluxe theater that looks like a collection of lazy-boy love seats. Each couple has their own two chair combo complete with pillow and blanket and the nearest neighbor is over an arms lengths away.
5 – The Thai writing is beautiful. It is full of loops and twists and swirls that I have yet to decipher. I can’t imagine having to learn such a complex font as a child. I have a hard enough time making my ‘k’ look like it’s supposed to.
6 – Thai drivers make up their own rules. One of the most prominent ones is the addition of an extra highway lane. That’s right, an extra lane. There is no regard for lines or space, cars just go for it, squeezing in and lining up like the lane was always there.
7 – Squatty potties… are an interesting thing. You can find them throughout Thailand, in remote villages and fancy restaurants. I’m not sure why the Thai people prefer squatting, I’ve had my fair share of the squatty experience and I definitely prefer the sitting method. One of the funnier stories I’ve heard this month included finding two shoe prints on the toilet seat in a very nice mall. I guess some people just prefer to squat.
8 – Massage parlors are everywhere, from cheap and quaint to fancy and expensive. Nothing soothes a world racer back quite like a massage. I’ll admit I’ve indulged a few times, however, after you look at the prices can you blame me? 150 Baht = 5 US dollars, 400 Baht = around 12 Us dollars, the best part… these prices are for an hour of relaxation and rejuvenation.
9 – Northern Thailand is filled with hill tribe villages. Many of these villages are speckled across the mountain tops near the Burmese border. The people live in small huts complete with satelite TV and they take part in ancestor worship. What baffles me the most is not the irony of their big screens or the strangeness of praying to the dead, but the fact that according to the Thai government many of these people don’t even have citizenship. In this modern, ever advancing country, these people are called “servants of a slave”, and that’s just the men.
