Tasha’s Thailand Travel Tales

Tasha’s Thailand Travel Tales

by Tasha 

Our tour guide, Lee, greeted us with a large smile, a bow with hands clasped in a praying position, and a sawadee krap (meaning good morning, hello, good afternoon [ect.] in Thai). You later become accustom to this cordial salutation, for every person you meet in Thailand will address you in a similar way. By the end of our two-week trip I greeted everybody in this manner. It is through these small mannerisms, like the unique style of greeting, that you begin to understand the people who live in Thailand.

Some gorgeous, colorful flowers at the Flower Market.

In Bangkok, we went around the Grand Palace with its elaborate rainbow-tiled roofs; we visited the giant gold covered Buddha that fills a massive hall; we even went to see the emerald Buddha (actually made of jade). All of these sites were incredible, and incredibly ornate. Apart from the “must sees of Bangkok,” Lee took us around three amazing markets that truly embodied the people living in the city that was teeming with life. It was in these markets that we got to experience the real vibrancy of Bangkok. One of the markets was designated specifically for flowers. You walk down what seems like a never-ending street of flowers. Flowers on the left, flowers on the right, flowers hanging from above. Yellow, white, red, purple, and any color flower you can imagine. The flowers are brought to the market fresh every single day, and the locals consistently come here to buy every morning. We also visited the less stunning and less fragrant, but extremely fresh, fish market. Seemingly unsanitary, whole fish of every type are laid on huge blocks of ice. There were dried, fresh and fried fish ranging from puny to massive. Crabs, scallops, even sharks were available to purchase! Some people may be disturbed at the site of whole animals lying out in the open air, but it is part of their culture and was amazing to witness first hand.

When walking through the market, we never got glares from the people for being tourist, intruding on their everyday activities, rather we got entreaties to try their products, and of course the bow of the head and the usual sawadee krap!

The view of the floating market from the canal. 

The last market that we got to float around was an hour outside of Bangkok. This market, unlike theothers, cannot be visited by foot; instead one takes a long tail boat ride through tight canals. In the floating market you go from store to store where women offer you their hand made goods or food that is made on the boats right in front of you. It was there that we tasted all of the unique Thai street, or should is say canal, food. We tried a fried coconut cupcake, the best spring rolls in the world, the smallest, sweetest pineapples, taro and sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves, and mini banana with palm sugar. The markets we perused around truly captured the people of the city. They were colorful, kind, unique, confident, generous, and appreciative of even the smallest gestures.

While on the trip we saw many stunning temples, ate the most delicious Thai food (Pad Thai and sticky rice & mangoes included), went on long winding boat trips through the rainforest, and even got to ride elephants through the towns of the Karen hill tribe people. Apart from Bangkok, we got to visit Chang Rai and Chang Mai. In these locations we visited more markets, saw more things that I have never seen before, tried more food, and met more people.

The thing that I will truly cherish and remember about my trip is the people. It is always said that the Thai people are extremely kind and hospitable. But it is not until I went there that I came to appreciate

their gracious, almost unrivaled, manner.