In February 2024, Jill and I toured Southeast Asia by land and by sea. We sailed from Thailand to Hong Kong on board the Crystal Symphony and spent two days in Bangkok and two days in Hong Kong before and after our cruise. We had an epic adventure!
Click HERE to read a short introduction to our journey.
This story, part of a series, is about our second day in Bangkok.
Click HERE to read a short introduction to our journey.
This story, part of a series, is about our second day in Bangkok.
Thailand, Bangkok (February 15, 2024) Jill and I were blessed with wanderlust—literally, a lust to wander. Whether it was travel near or (more often) far and wide, we loved to explore new places and other cultures and discover hidden gems. Wanderlust was an itch we’ve scratched on our own for many years, and together since our first daughter-father getaway to Ireland in 2018.
Traveling leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.
~ Ibn Battuta, 14th century explorer and scholar
~ Ibn Battuta, 14th century explorer and scholar
I can’t say Jill and I were speechless at day’s end—witness my myriad of Facebook posts that night!—but we were in awe of two of the most revered sites in Bangkok and thrilled by the cultural experiences we had.
This, then, is my story of our second day in Bangkok—a day in which we visited The Grand Palace and Wat Pho, dined at Char Arum, and attended a performance of Khon at the Sala Chalermkrung.
This, then, is my story of our second day in Bangkok—a day in which we visited The Grand Palace and Wat Pho, dined at Char Arum, and attended a performance of Khon at the Sala Chalermkrung.
It’s not often I got a good night’s sleep when I traveled—especially when I traveled long distances, like from the States to Asia. Jet lag, strange room, hard mattress (or too soft), and soft pillows (or too hard)—you name it, and it was a problem for me.
Not last night, though, as I slept eight hours—exhaustion + great mattress + great pillows. I awoke refreshed and rarin’ to go!
Jill and I enjoyed a delicious buffet breakfast on the riverside terrace at the Mandarin Oriental. I wrote about the buffet in my first story, Bangkok: Temples, Markets, and Food. The food was outstanding, and we enjoyed it as we gazed on lovely views of and across the Chao Phraya River.
Not last night, though, as I slept eight hours—exhaustion + great mattress + great pillows. I awoke refreshed and rarin’ to go!
Jill and I enjoyed a delicious buffet breakfast on the riverside terrace at the Mandarin Oriental. I wrote about the buffet in my first story, Bangkok: Temples, Markets, and Food. The food was outstanding, and we enjoyed it as we gazed on lovely views of and across the Chao Phraya River.
“It’s gonna be another hot one,” I said to Jill as we ate. “The forecasted high is ninety-nine degrees with 42% humidity. That sounds brutal!”
“Do you remember what Noon told us yesterday?” Jill asked.
I smiled because I remembered EXACTLY what Noon, our tour guide, said: “There are three seasons in Thailand—hot, rainy, and cool...and this is our cool season.”
Thank God it’s the cool season, I thought at the time, a wry smile on my face.
“Do you remember what Noon told us yesterday?” Jill asked.
I smiled because I remembered EXACTLY what Noon, our tour guide, said: “There are three seasons in Thailand—hot, rainy, and cool...and this is our cool season.”
Thank God it’s the cool season, I thought at the time, a wry smile on my face.
Jill booked a private full-day tour, In and Around Bangkok, with an English-speaking tour guide, who we met in the lobby of the Mandarin Oriental. Her name was Sunny…and as you can see from her radiant smile, she was.
Sunny, Jill and me at The Grand Palace
After introductions, Sunny confirmed our itinerary (“Is there anything else you want to see or do?” she asked. “Let’s play it by ear,” we answered.) and ordered a taxi (a real taxi, not a tuk-tuk) to take us to our first stop, The Grand Palace.
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Minutes before we arrived, we passed this large mural of Maha Vajiralongkorn, known as King Rama X. It wasn’t the first mural of him I had seen, nor would it be the last...but seeing it triggered something I had wondered about.
“Why have there been 10 kings named Rama?” I asked Sunny. “They are all members of the Chakri dynasty, who have ruled Thailand since 1782—the year Bangkok was founded,” she replied. “The first king, Phra Mongkutklao, adopted the name of the Hindu God Rama. In our culture, each successive king from the same dynasty is numbered, so we have Rama I through to our present king, Rama X.” |
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“How long as Rama X been king?” Jill asked.
“He became king when his father, King Rama IX, died in 2016—although he waited three years before he officially took the throne so that he had time to mourn.”
Fascinating! I thought. What love for his father he must have.
“He became king when his father, King Rama IX, died in 2016—although he waited three years before he officially took the throne so that he had time to mourn.”
Fascinating! I thought. What love for his father he must have.
The Grand Palace
By his royal command, a palace was built to serve not only as
his residence but also as the site of administrative offices.
~ royalgrandpalace.th
his residence but also as the site of administrative offices.
~ royalgrandpalace.th
The year was 1782, and the new king, King Rama I, moved the capital city of Thailand from Ayutthaya to Bangkok. While no one lives there now, for most of its history The Grand Palace, a complex of magnificent buildings, served as the official residence of the King of Siam, as Thailand was known until 1939. This “walled city within a city,” which covers about 50 acres, was opened to the public as a museum in the 1930s.
The Grand Palace, one of the most ornate structures in Bangkok—and certainly the most ornate we saw during our two day stay in the ‘City of Angels’—was a work in progress for more than 200 years, an “evolution of architectural and artistic styles” with intricate designs, carved wood and other decorative elements, vivid colors, gilded surfaces (lots of gold leaf!), stepped tiled roofs, and lush grounds.
We spent the better part of two hours wandering through The Grand Place, stopping often to look at one building or another and stepping inside several for a closer look-see. Sunny did a great job narrating our tour, and without the information and insights she shared, we would have wandered aimlessly with no understanding of the history and cultural traditions behind what we saw.
At one point, Jill remarked, “I feel sorry for the tourists who didn’t hire a guide.”
I suspected that covered most of the people who toured The Grand Palace that day…and every day.
(Full Disclosure: In the narrative that follows, I am solely responsible—not Sunny—for any mistakes in the names or descriptions of the sites and sights we saw.)
I was an eager cameraman, mesmerized by the architectural splendor no matter the direction I looked—so eager, in fact, that I took nearly 100 photos, as I did not trust my mind’s eye to remember what I saw. Don’t worry, though, as I’ve included only 17 pics, in no particular order, in my account of The Grand Palace.
The Chakri Maha Prasat, completed in 1882, was designed by English architect John Clunich with a ‘western look’ as directed by King Rama V. (In Thai architecture, ‘prasat’ refers to a royal or religious building with ornate, multi-tiered roofs.) The original domed roof of Chakri Maha Prasat was subsequently replaced with a Thai styled roof; thus, it earned the nickname ‘westerner with a Thai hat.’
The Grand Palace, one of the most ornate structures in Bangkok—and certainly the most ornate we saw during our two day stay in the ‘City of Angels’—was a work in progress for more than 200 years, an “evolution of architectural and artistic styles” with intricate designs, carved wood and other decorative elements, vivid colors, gilded surfaces (lots of gold leaf!), stepped tiled roofs, and lush grounds.
We spent the better part of two hours wandering through The Grand Place, stopping often to look at one building or another and stepping inside several for a closer look-see. Sunny did a great job narrating our tour, and without the information and insights she shared, we would have wandered aimlessly with no understanding of the history and cultural traditions behind what we saw.
At one point, Jill remarked, “I feel sorry for the tourists who didn’t hire a guide.”
I suspected that covered most of the people who toured The Grand Palace that day…and every day.
(Full Disclosure: In the narrative that follows, I am solely responsible—not Sunny—for any mistakes in the names or descriptions of the sites and sights we saw.)
I was an eager cameraman, mesmerized by the architectural splendor no matter the direction I looked—so eager, in fact, that I took nearly 100 photos, as I did not trust my mind’s eye to remember what I saw. Don’t worry, though, as I’ve included only 17 pics, in no particular order, in my account of The Grand Palace.
The Chakri Maha Prasat, completed in 1882, was designed by English architect John Clunich with a ‘western look’ as directed by King Rama V. (In Thai architecture, ‘prasat’ refers to a royal or religious building with ornate, multi-tiered roofs.) The original domed roof of Chakri Maha Prasat was subsequently replaced with a Thai styled roof; thus, it earned the nickname ‘westerner with a Thai hat.’
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The Dusit Maha Prasat, a throne hall built in the shape of a cruciform, was part of the original residential complex built by King Rama I.
The tall spire was designed to look like the king’s crown. The porch on the north face (to the right in this photo) has a ‘busabok’—a square-based throne the king used when giving public appearances. This is one of the least altered buildings in The Grand Palace. |
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The Aphorn Phimok Prasat, an open golden pavilion made of wood, was designed by King Rama IV—he was the king portrayed in The King and I—as a robing chamber to change into his ceremonial robes (behind drawn drapes) before he entered the audience room.
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Phra Sri Rattana is a chedi constructed of brick and mortar in 1855, during the reign of Rama IV, to house relics of the Buddha.
(The Thai word ‘chedi’ is a bell-shaped tower, also known as a ‘stupa,’ that houses sacred relics, while ‘phra’ is a prefix that denotes holy or royal status.) “I notice that this chedi is shinier than the others,” I said to Sunny. “Why is that?” “Originally, the brick was whitewashed,” she replied. “But Rama V had it covered in small gold mirrored tiles imported from Italy, and it is those tiles that make it shimmer more so than gilded surfaces.” |
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There was something more that Sunny shared: Phra Sri Rattana housed a relic of the Buddha, a piece of his breastbone.
Phra Maha Monthian is an ensemble of seven residential buildings constructed by King Rama I.
“The first three kings used Phra Maha Monthian as their primary residence,” Sunny told us. “It is still customary for new kings to spend at least one night here after they are crowned.”
And about that pair of tall statues in the pic at the left, Sunny said they were Asura (‘giant’) guardians built during the reign of King Rama III.
Phra Maha Monthian is an ensemble of seven residential buildings constructed by King Rama I.
“The first three kings used Phra Maha Monthian as their primary residence,” Sunny told us. “It is still customary for new kings to spend at least one night here after they are crowned.”
And about that pair of tall statues in the pic at the left, Sunny said they were Asura (‘giant’) guardians built during the reign of King Rama III.
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The most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand is Wat Phra Kaew—the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
(Inexplicably, I neglected to take a photo of this temple. Sheesh!)
The Emerald Buddha, clothed in gold, was carved in a meditative pose from a single block of semi-precious green stone thought to be jasper rather than emerald or jade. Its size is modest—just 26 inches tall—but its significance is immense, not only as “a religious symbol but also a potent emblem of Thai national pride.”
(Inexplicably, I neglected to take a photo of this temple. Sheesh!)
The Emerald Buddha, clothed in gold, was carved in a meditative pose from a single block of semi-precious green stone thought to be jasper rather than emerald or jade. Its size is modest—just 26 inches tall—but its significance is immense, not only as “a religious symbol but also a potent emblem of Thai national pride.”
Sonny told me I could not photograph the Emerald Buddha from inside the temple, but I saw no ‘no photo’ sign outside, so I snapped this pic on a zoom setting. It’s a better view, but still not great.
The gilded Phra Suvarna was one of my favorite structures, as I loved the multicolored mythical creatures with arms uplifted that surrounded its base. |
“The Buddha’s clothing changes with the seasons,” Sunny told us. “Since this is the cool season, it is dressed in a jewel-fringed golden mesh shawl and crowned with a gold headpiece adorned with diamonds.”
In this pic, Jill and I stood on the portico near an entrance to the temple. You can barely make out the Emerald Buddha—about one-third the way up from the bottom of the opening. 
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“Are those creatures benevolent or evil?” I asked Sunny.
“Yes,” she replied with a smile. “Take a close look at their faces.” I did...and I saw what she pointed me to. “Some smile, others scowl. So, the creatures that smile are benevolent, while those that scowl are evil. Right?” “Right,” she answered. And then I posed as a benevolent creature. |
Before I end this short tour of The Grand Palace, I’d like to share a few pics of the many stone and marble sculptures—some gilded—that adorn its grounds…and tell you about the sculptures in the photo at the right.
Tourist headed to The Grand Palace…to admire the 100 or so
stone statues unearthed recently from under the complex’s walls.
~ southeastasianarchaelogy.com (July 2022)
stone statues unearthed recently from under the complex’s walls.
~ southeastasianarchaelogy.com (July 2022)
The statues, discovered when a road was constructed within the palace grounds, included female and male figures attired in clothes of various nationalities and mythical animals that resembled those from a province of China.
Originally, these sculptures were in the courtyard of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, so King Rama X had them repaired and positioned near to their original placements.
Originally, these sculptures were in the courtyard of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, so King Rama X had them repaired and positioned near to their original placements.
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From the ground, it was difficult for me to envision the sheer breadth of The Grand Palace—and it would be downright impossible for you to do so from the photos above. So, I ‘borrowed’ this aerial shot from the website royalgrandpalace.th for you AND me to see the entirety of The Grand Place. I trust they won’t mind!
With more than eight million visitors per year, The Grand Palace was easily one of the most popular tourist attractions in Thailand and, I read, one of the 50 most visited tourist sites in the world. For Jill and me, The Grand Palace was numero uno on our short list of must things to see—a ‘short list’ because we had but two days in Bangkok.
I think I can speak for Jill when I say, “We were not disappointed!” The Grand Palace was spectacular, and with help from Sunny, it was a great introduction to the culture and history of Thailand.
I think I can speak for Jill when I say, “We were not disappointed!” The Grand Palace was spectacular, and with help from Sunny, it was a great introduction to the culture and history of Thailand.
Wat Pho
Although located near The Grand Palace, Sunny hailed a tuk-tuk to take us to our next stop, The Temple of the Reclining Buddha—Wat Pho.
Although located near The Grand Palace, Sunny hailed a tuk-tuk to take us to our next stop, The Temple of the Reclining Buddha—Wat Pho.
Wat Pho was built before Bangkok was established—likely in the 17th century—which made it one of the oldest temples in Bangkok. It was in poor condition when King Rama I assumed the throne, and so he had it renovated and reconstructed, and ordered that Buddha images from abandoned temples in other parts of Thailand be relocated to Wat Pho. This was the king’s primary temple during his reign, and some of his ashes were enshrined there.
The main attraction is a rather large, gilded statue of a Reclining Buddha. How large? It is nearly 150 feet long and a tad more than 49 feet tall.
The main attraction is a rather large, gilded statue of a Reclining Buddha. How large? It is nearly 150 feet long and a tad more than 49 feet tall.
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There weren’t many places that afforded an opportunity to snap a pic of the Reclining Buddha in its entirety, but Sunny found one and took this photo from the feet back.
By the way, can you see the sweat on my t-shirt? The weatherman got the forecast right—the temperature had climbed to nearly 100 degrees and the humidity reached 40%. Needless to say, the air was UNCOMFORTABLE. But I was still smiling, as was Jill, because, weather-be-damned, we were having a great time on our tour! |
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You might wonder why we didn’t dress more comfortably for the weather—shorts for me, a skirt for Jill. The answer was ‘the dress code,’ which prohibited bottom-half clothing above the knee and required that shoulders be covered. For the record, this was the dress code at other temples in Bangkok, as well.
Here are other photos of the Reclining Buddha, the bottom two from the backside.
Here are other photos of the Reclining Buddha, the bottom two from the backside.
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In the pics above and below, you can see pieces of murals that adorn the interior walls and columns. These murals illustrated various Buddhist tales, as well as ancient Thai weapons and zodiac signs.
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It’s a bit hard to see in the bottom right-hand photo, but there are 108 images decorated with pearls on the sole of each foot. Pretty spectacular, huh?!
Speaking of feet, Sunny asked, “How would you like a foot massage?”
“A massage?” Jill countered. “Where?”
“There’s a school here that teaches traditional Thai massage, which is said to have originated at Wat Pho. The school is open to the public, and their service is quite popular on a first come, first served basis.”
Jill, who loved a good massage as much as (or more than) the next person, said, “I’m in!”
I begged off, but Jill had an invigorating 30-minute leg and foot massage.
“I’m ready to see more,” she announced when she emerged from the massage room.
First, we stopped at Phra Ubosot, the main chapel built by King Rama I and reconstructed by King Rama III. Inside was Phra Buddha Theva Patimakorn, an image of the Buddha in the posture of concentration atop a multi-tiered pedestal.
Speaking of feet, Sunny asked, “How would you like a foot massage?”
“A massage?” Jill countered. “Where?”
“There’s a school here that teaches traditional Thai massage, which is said to have originated at Wat Pho. The school is open to the public, and their service is quite popular on a first come, first served basis.”
Jill, who loved a good massage as much as (or more than) the next person, said, “I’m in!”
I begged off, but Jill had an invigorating 30-minute leg and foot massage.
“I’m ready to see more,” she announced when she emerged from the massage room.
First, we stopped at Phra Ubosot, the main chapel built by King Rama I and reconstructed by King Rama III. Inside was Phra Buddha Theva Patimakorn, an image of the Buddha in the posture of concentration atop a multi-tiered pedestal.
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“Most consider this the most sacred hall in Wat Pho,” said Sunny. “One reason is that King Rama VI placed ashes of King Rama I under the pedestal to allow visitors to admire the Buddha and King at the same time.”
Then we entered the temple. You might spot Jill (with the pinkish-color backpack) and Sunny seated up front. I stood at the back because my knees were too sore from walking to sit comfortably on the ground. And then we saw two more Buddhas. Their names and the names of the halls that housed them were buried deep in my memory—so deep, in fact, that I was not able to access that information when I wrote this story. C’est la vie. |
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I read the marker near the seated Buddha: ‘The Holy Buddha radiates the wonderful energies of HEALING, LUCK, ABUNDANCE and HAPPINESS ETERNALLY.’
Lovely!
The standing Buddha was tall—how tall, I’m not certain, but I’d guess 25 to 30 feet based on the relationship of the people kneeling before it.
Lovely!
The standing Buddha was tall—how tall, I’m not certain, but I’d guess 25 to 30 feet based on the relationship of the people kneeling before it.
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Here are a few random photos from Wat Pho…
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I don’t know why, but the center photo reminded me of this dialogue from My Cousin Vinny…
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Lisa: What?
Vinny: Nothin’, you stick out like a sore thumb around here. Lisa: Me? What about you? Vinny: I fit in better than you. At least I'm wearin’ cowboy boots. Lisa: Oh, yeah, you blend. |
What do you think? Did Jill and I blend? No? Maybe it’s the hats.
Wat Pho was another fantastic cultural experience—great insights into the Buddhist culture—for Jill and me, and I wished we had more time than the hour Sunny allotted us. But we needed to press on, as another cultural experience awaited us—a gastronomical one!
Wat Pho was another fantastic cultural experience—great insights into the Buddhist culture—for Jill and me, and I wished we had more time than the hour Sunny allotted us. But we needed to press on, as another cultural experience awaited us—a gastronomical one!
Chom Arun
“I picked a restaurant favored by locals,” Sunny said, “a restaurant with authentic Thai cuisine.”
Ahh…a far cry from what passes as ‘Thai cuisine’ back home! I thought.
“That sounds great!” said Jill. “Exactly what we were hoping for.”
“I picked a restaurant favored by locals,” Sunny said, “a restaurant with authentic Thai cuisine.”
Ahh…a far cry from what passes as ‘Thai cuisine’ back home! I thought.
“That sounds great!” said Jill. “Exactly what we were hoping for.”
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Chom Arun was located on Maha Rat Road on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River—less than a five-minute ride from Wat Pho by tuk-tuk. The restaurant offered indoor and outdoor seating; given the weather, we ate indoors.
“Would you like bottled water, canned soda, or a beer?” Sunny asked. I LOVED to drink local, so I opted for a bottle of Chang Classic, a European-style premium lager sourced, brewed, and bottled in Thailand. And for lunch, we ordered spring rolls (not pictured), stir fried pork with chili (far less chili than what a local might use) and holy basil, and white rice topped with an over easy egg. Our meal was flavorful and delicious! |
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As an aside, I wasn’t sure what made the basil ‘holy,’ so I used a lifeline to ask Jill. (Do you remember the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, which offered lifelines to help contestants answer tricky questions?)
“It’s a medicinal herb,” she said, “that acts as an adaptogen.”
I must have had a blank look on my face because Jill continued, “It helps your body manage stress.”
Nothing wrong with that, I thought.
Sunny’s phone rang and she answered.
“Yes,” she said. “Let me ask.”
“I arranged a boat ride on the river—a one-hour leisurely cruise to see some of the riverside sights in Bangkok. But I know it’s hot, so the choice is yours.”
Jill and I conferred. 'Too hot,' we agreed, so we politely declined this opportunity.
“It’s a medicinal herb,” she said, “that acts as an adaptogen.”
I must have had a blank look on my face because Jill continued, “It helps your body manage stress.”
Nothing wrong with that, I thought.
Sunny’s phone rang and she answered.
“Yes,” she said. “Let me ask.”
“I arranged a boat ride on the river—a one-hour leisurely cruise to see some of the riverside sights in Bangkok. But I know it’s hot, so the choice is yours.”
Jill and I conferred. 'Too hot,' we agreed, so we politely declined this opportunity.
Sala Chalermkrung
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“What’s next?” I asked.
“Follow me,” replied Sunny. And we did, from the restaurant to a stand of tuk-tuks. We climbed into one and off we went, and less than 10 minutes later, we arrived at the Royal Theater. Sala Chalermkrung, we learned from Sunny, was built during the reign of King Rama VII. Opened on July 2, 1933, it was the first movie theater with sound in Thailand. But we were not there to see a movie. |
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“We will see a musical performance today,” said Sunny. “It is called ‘Khon,” a traditional dance drama that has been performed in the royal courts of Thailand for hundreds of years. In those days, the performers were men, but today we will see men and women. I hope you enjoy the show!”
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The performance of Khon at Sala Chalermkrung is carefully carried out to ensure its authenticity in all aspects—the traditional performing details, the related rituals, the high artistic value as Thai heritage and the quality as public entertainment.
~ royalgrandpalace.th
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“Sounds interesting,” I whispered to Jill, “and it’s spot on our goal of authentic cultural experiences.”
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I must digress for a moment, as I was struck by the interior of the Royal Theater. You see, it reminded me of the Center-Mayfield Theater in South Euclid, Ohio, the suburb of Cleveland I grew up in. As a young boy, I spent many a Saturday afternoon there, when one dollar would buy admission to a double feature, a box of popcorn, and a drink, with a dime (or two) to spare. The Center-Mayfield opened in 1936, just a few years after Sala Chalermkrung opened.
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Is it possible, I wondered, that the same people designed both theaters? That would be too much of a coincidence, wouldn’t it!
The show opened 15 minutes after we sat down, and for the next 30 minutes, I sat spellbound, engrossed in a captivating performance that combined graceful movements, ceremonial dances, and even choreographed combat by actors dressed in lavish costumes, accompanied by a narrator (in Thai, of course!) and an ensemble of musicians who played traditional songs with wind and percussion instruments.
The show opened 15 minutes after we sat down, and for the next 30 minutes, I sat spellbound, engrossed in a captivating performance that combined graceful movements, ceremonial dances, and even choreographed combat by actors dressed in lavish costumes, accompanied by a narrator (in Thai, of course!) and an ensemble of musicians who played traditional songs with wind and percussion instruments.
(These photos, snapped in a darkened theater about 15 rows back from the stage, do not do justice to how beautiful the costumes and backdrops were.)
Now, I must admit I did not understand what the show—a series of vignettes—was about, beyond learning, from Sunny, that Khon was based on epic tales from ancient Thai literature. Still…
…I loved that this performance was another window into the customs and traditions of the Thai culture!
…I loved that this performance was another window into the customs and traditions of the Thai culture!
Old Siam Plaza
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“You mentioned you would like to visit a market,” Sunny said. “If you’d like, we can go to an indoor market at Old Siam Plaza.”
I looked at Jill, she looked at me…and we both nodded. “Let’s go,” I said to Sunny, and off we went on another short tuk-tuk ride. This market was not what Jill and I had in mind—a traditional Thai market with authentic foods shopped by locals. Instead, the food that was beautifully package seemed to favor the tourist trade, rather than neighborhood Thai. Well, even the best batter in baseball strikes out from time to time...and this was our strike out on that day. |
We didn't spend much time—or money—there, although I did purchase a small container of mixed dried fruit that I nibbled on over the next couple of days.
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“We’re ready to head back to our hotel,” Jill said to Sunny.
“As you wish,” she replied. Within minutes of leaving Old Siam Plaza, we were in a tuk-tuk that weaved its way through traffic. It WAS our most harrowing ride yet. Jill dubbed our driver ‘the Cowboy’—not that he was, but because this dude wore a cowboy hat and had a devil may care approach to driving as he zipped in and out of traffic. |
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Minutes from our hotel, the Cowboy grew impatient with the stop and go traffic. He angled left to see around the car in front of us. No go. He angled right for another look. No go…or so I thought. But then, before I knew what had happened, the Cowboy pulled into the lane of oncoming traffic and drove forward. Horns honked—and maybe a fist or two was raised—and perhaps 15 seconds later, as I saw my life flash before my eyes, the Cowboy pulled back into the correct lane. Our gain? Just one car, the car that was in front of us before the Cowboy pulled this stunt!
All’s well that ends well, though. We arrived safely and waved goodbye to the Cowboy, and minutes later, with hugs we said thank you and goodbye to Sunny. |
Too tired after our eight-hour tour to dine out, we ordered room service…and had a surprisingly good meal.
“Dad, did you have a good time today?”
“You know, I did. You picked a great tour, one filled with experiences that offered great insights to the Thai culture past and present. I especially enjoyed our first stop, The Grand Palace. The architecture was awesome! How about you.”
“I had a great time, too, and agree with you—The Grand Palace was the highlight of the tour. But I have to say that the massage was heavenly, and I savored our authentic Thai lunch. Yep, it was a great day.”
And that it was!
“Dad, did you have a good time today?”
“You know, I did. You picked a great tour, one filled with experiences that offered great insights to the Thai culture past and present. I especially enjoyed our first stop, The Grand Palace. The architecture was awesome! How about you.”
“I had a great time, too, and agree with you—The Grand Palace was the highlight of the tour. But I have to say that the massage was heavenly, and I savored our authentic Thai lunch. Yep, it was a great day.”
And that it was!