We've been in Thailand for almost 3 days and there has been one overwhelming theme to our trip so far: the people. They don't call it the Land of Smiles for nothin'! The people here have shown incredible kindness and have been so welcoming to our group. Just imagine 90 Americans, Canadians and Brits showing up, some of whom have never been abroad, some of whom just graduated college and none of whom speak the language. We invaded this mostly residential neighborhood and have taken over every 7-11 (of which there are 3 within 2 blocks) and street food stand in the town. Everyone has greeted us with a smile and wai, or bow. So, our observations so far:
-Street food rocks my world! Tonight we ate a large bowl of noodle soup with shredded chicken for $1. Seriously, $1. We watched them cook with fresh ingredients and it's packed with flavor. Last night we stopped at a food stand for some good ol' meat on a stick. We tried chicken wings and pork, and again, we were not disappointed! For about $3 we had freshly grilled kabobs served with a smile.
-So much activity in the streets: people walking, eating, visiting, talking...The city and neighborhood come to life at night and the community comes out to cook and eat together. It feels very safe to walk around at night with everyone conversing and gathering at local food stands and outside shops.
-Crazy drivers! And by crazy I mean loco to the max! They don't stop for pedestrians, they don't even slow down. And other cars, forget about it!
-Humidity...blah. It's been in the 90s so far and the humidity hits you like a wall when you walk out of the air conditioning. I was upset, at first, when I realized I forgot my hair straightener. Now I'm glad I didn't waste the space in my suitcase. But don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I could be in Seattle where it's pouring down rain...just sayin :)
-Karaoke is serious business. Every restaurant comes complete with a dj station and large white screen displaying both Thai and Roman characters spelling out all our favorite songs: "My Heart Will Go On" and "Take My Breath Away" by Jessica Simpson. Two classics if you ask me.
We have a couple more days here in Bangkok before heading up to Chiang Rai, so we're excited to see what else Bangkok has to offer!
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