Sa wat dii kha Bangkok!

Our United Airlines flights to Tokyo, and then on to Bangkok were quite flawless. The flights were on time with very smooth landings. Everyone's luggage arrived, which is always a thrill. Most of us were able to catch some sleep on the Tokyo to Bangkok leg, so we weren't zombies when we arrived, near midnight local time. We had our share of laughs on the journey.

Arriving late at "The Oriental Hotel" on the Chao Phraya River was an amazing experience. The reception staff presented us with chilled juice and fragrant floral arrangements, which resembled intricately designed wrist bands. All eight of us (Al & I, Gary & Janet, Ernie & Jan, Steve & Jan) were in awe. This was only the beginning of the most phenomenal hotel experience any of us have ever had. The service at The Oriental is phenomenal. No wonder this gorgeous hotel is listed in the book, "1,000 Places to Visit Before You Die".

The rooms were equally lovely, with fresh flowers, silk robes and divine bedding. Al and I had complimentary champagne in our room, chocolates and fruit. Despite our late arrival, we were all excited to be in Bangkok, and the eight of us celebrated by sampling the champagne and treats. We took lots of pictures to capture our enthusiasm.

Breakfast at the Riverside Terrace. Wanting to experience something unique, I ordered Kai Jiew Moo Sab, which is a Thai omelet with pork, and Hom Mali rice on the side. It was fantastic! The hotel's coffee was superb. The group worried about me having excessive amounts of caffeine, for fear I would start bossing everyone around. This has been known to happen when Maija has caffeine. The river is a true working river, and quite muddy looking. I understand it's not very deep. Let's just say you wouldn't want to fall in. You might not drown, but that could be a preferred alternative.

Highlights of Bangkok:

- Touring the Chao Phraya and one of the canals in a "long boat" (which the men were totally fascinated by!). It was very interesting seeing how the people live along the shores. Small, open dwellings. Laundry hanging everywhere. People fishing with nets or makeshift poles from their property. Lunch, we presumed. Children frolicking and splashing in the murky waters (we later learned that it was a two week school holiday).

- Seeing the splendid decor of the numerous Wats (Buddhist temples). They are so ornate. The people are very devoted to the Buddhist traditions. Homes often have a Buddha room. The grandest temple is the Wat Phra Kaew, on the grounds of the Grand Palace. It gleams and glitters with gold and color. This is the spiritual core of Thai Buddhism and the monarchy. The Thai people absolutely love their King and the Queen. There are larger than life murals and portraits of the royals throughout the area (including glittering overpasses, on the roads, which bear their portraits). During our visit, the King was in the hospital. People, by the thousands, were honoring the King each day, by bringing flowers to the hospital, and gathering under his window. We noticed that a disproportionate number of people were wearing yellow. It turns out that each day has its special color. Since King Rama IX was born on a Monday, and Monday's color is yellow, people were wearing yellow to honor him (especially because he was in the hospital).

- Stepping back in time to WWII and the building of the "Death Railway" in Kanchanaburi province (about two hours west of Bangkok). During the war the Japanese used Allied POWs to build the railway along Mae Nam Khwae (Small River Kwai). The plan was brutally ambitious, resulting in the death of 100,000 laborers due to starvation, disease and torture. 16,000 of them were Western POWs.

- Saiyok Elephant Park, where we all had a chance of a lifetime to RIDE the elephants! Each couple was on their own elephant, with a guide. Our half hour ride took us through mud, along a very rustic village, into the rivers, and included a photo session, with the guides taking many pictures (using our cameras). Oh, how we all enjoyed this experience! The guide encouraged me to get out of the seat, mounted on the elephant's back, and go "bare back"! That was a sight, I'm sure. Steve and Gary also did the bare back ride. (www.elephantpark.com)

- Seeing a "monkey crossing" caution sign on the road, and then... better yet.... seeing about 50 monkeys hanging from the trees, and crossing the road. Our tour guide had brought along some bananas so we could attract them, if we spotted them. She was very alert at noticing them. We were cautioned not to get out of the van, however, because they are known to bite. We don't really need to have monkey bites.

- Dinner show at The Sala Rim Naam (part of The Oriental), a short ride across the river from the hotel. The Thai cuisine was fabulous, and we thoroughly enjoyed the cultural performance with the beautiful dancers and the male warriors. So colorful and high energy. The Thai women truly are beautiful.... and so tiny!

- Becoming acquainted with the wide variety of fruits of Thailand. The funniest one we saw is the Khanoon, also known as Jackfruit. It is larger than a watermelon, green in color, but the skin is made up of what would appear to be green barnacles. It was fascinating to see at a local market.

- Very fancy cocktail party, hosted by the hotel's management. We aren't really sure why we were invited, but we were happy to be there. The appetizers were a work of art. Since wine is quite expensive in Thailand (high import taxes for "non-essential" goods), we made sure we had our fair share of free wine during the one hour event. It really was quite elegant. My favorite appetizer was the heart shaped, open face mini-sandwich, with cheese on one half, ham on the other, and delicately garnished with a small piece of parsley and a carefully carved radish. Exquisite! I will have to try to duplicate this at home. (We took pictures.)

- I have to mention Sirintra, our concierge at the hotel. She was gorgeous, competent, and took care of our every need regarding reservations and sightseeing suggestions. We filled out comment cards to compliment the exceptional service that she provided. She had told us that it is a true honor to work at The Oriental, and her parents are very proud of the position she holds. I would add that The Oriental is lucky to have HER!

It is very humid, perhaps more so at this time of the year, since it is still the rainy season. We found that the heat can be exhausting, so one cannot necessarily accomplish as much sight seeing in a day. On our first day we were ready to get back to the oasis of our hotel after several hours out and about. On our second day we had a wonderful tour guide (Katy... her English name) and her very reliable driver. The van was spacious to accomodate all eight of us, and it was air conditioned for the trip to Kanchanaburi.

Traffic moves VERY slowly in Bangkok during peak times. Saying it even "moves" is an exaggeration. A vision of what Seattle might be like in another decade or so, if we don't begin to solve our traffic issues more aggressively. It took 2 1/2 hours to get to Laem Chabang, where our cruise ship departed. It would have been a considerably shorter drive if it weren't for the congestion and road construction. Pollution is evident. A gray fog hangs over the city. We saw a lot of people wearing masks or scarves over their mouths and noses, presumably to filter the bad air. Curiously, we really didn't notice any odor, and the air didn't bother any of us. Our guide, Katy, did tell us that pollution in Bangkok reduces life expectancy in the city.

Thailand is a country of 65 million people, 10 million of whom live in Bangkok. Thailand has been a democracy for 75 years. At the same time when the King (Rama VII) gave up his total powers, the country changed its name from Siam (Land of Gold) to Thailand (Land of Freedom). The Thai people are appropriately very proud of the fact that they were never colonized. One of the country's big challenges is the significant gap between the wealthy and the poor. They don't have a social security system, and health care is not free. Only the first six years of schooling are provided at no cost.

Thank you, Thailand! Khob Khun Ka! This visit was a great introduction to Asia. We are happy to have been here in the Year of the Pig, 2550 (the number of years after the Buddha's death). Now we are sailing to Singapore. We will be sure not to chew gum, nor spit.