Forgotten Love

Sitting on the banks of the Chao Phraya waiting for the ferry to whisk me downriver, an awkward Dutch couple approached me about the ferry schedule. In all fairness to these two, this particular pier is through a small market with three separate small piers from which to board. There really is no signage and dozens of smaller private ferry-taxis whipping around the river. After a quick "just follow me", they began asking me a series of arbitrary questions about Bangkok and how I feel like it's changed or hasn't.

While I think it has changed since I was last here, I think I've changed more. I'm more interested in the city, less in the "sights". Traveling is less bases on temples and museums and more so on food and wandering aimlessly.

But this is what I'll call : "Things I forgot I loved about Thailand and the things I forgot I loved to hate".

Somehow, I forgot how much I LOVE Street Food. Sri Lanka had absolutely little to no options for a delightful meal on a flimsy plastic stool or from a metal cart on wheels.

Particularly special items include the fried chicken pictured above, spicy crab papaya salad, Thai Iced Coffee (which typically comes in a handy travel baggy) and....

Salt fish. Lemon grass stuff, salt rubbed, grilled. doused in green chili sauce and preferably enjoyed with a bottle of cheap whiskey. Life is complete. I forgot how much I love whole salt fish.

Paragon, "The Pride of Bangkok", shopping mall housing Hermes, D&G, Chanel, Prada, Feragamo and Versace sits across the street from MBK. Where for pennies on the dollar you can buy replicas of all the overpriced things featured in Paragon. Okay, not quite all. But the proximity of this wealth juxtaposition is fascinating to me. I am unsure if this is a forgot I loved or forgot I loved to hate moment, likely the later.

I am templed out. I have to admit. I like to think I'm a big culture traveler and will always appreciate the subtle nuances of difference temples, WRONG. I am templed out. They're all the same to me. It's sad in some ways but it gets to the point that once you seen a couple good ones, ya done. But I will admit, I forgot how much I love Wat Phrakeaw, The Temple of the Emerald Buddha which adjoins to the old royal palace in Bangkok. This place is breathtaking. And will spoil you for anything you see in the future. Maybe, I'm just a girl who loves shiny things, if so, so be it!

I forgot how much I hate Khao San Road. Ugh. It cannot be emphasized enough. There is nothing more wrong with the world and humanity than a bunch of dreadlocked backpackers dressed-alike and thinking they are experiencing Thai culture while sitting on a street full of western tourists getting drunk and eating crappy Pad Thai and banana pancakes. Save the world, bomb KSR

I forgot how much I LOVE how easy it is to take a poop on one of these!