My Visit to Thailand

One of my goals for living here in Japan is to use it as a base, not only to travel throughout Japan, but to see all or most of Asia and South East Asia. The Kingdom of Thailand is one of those countries I have always wanted to travel to, but never had the chance to visit yet. It has always been a part of my bucket list, and even though that list has gotten significantly shorter over the years, modern day Siam had so far eluded me. I came close to visiting her many times, but she somehow managed to escape my grip over the years. This time around, I booked the flight tickets several months in advance after finding a good deal on the world wide web, determined to make it happen at the start of the new year, and more so, the new decade. I was determined and there was no turning back this time.

The five-hour flight wasn't really that bad, as it was in the wee hours of the morning, and I was able to catch some zzz's along the way. During the flight, I couldn't help but think that I was finally on my way to visit a kingdom that’s about a thousand years old. Five hours later, I knew I was in Thailand when my skin started feeling sticky from the hot equatorial humidity in the middle of winter in Japan. Additionally, the humidity, the somewhat familiar sights, the smells and the roaring traffic sounds left little doubt in my mind that I was in South East Asia. One of the first things I did was to chill and people-watch on the famous Khao San Road while sipping on a Singha and munching on prawn crackers. Strolling Khao San Road, I passed by vendors selling exotic munchies like BBQ crocodile meat and grilled scorpions.

The next day I made my way to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya was the old capital of Thailand until the Burmese sacked and destroyed it between 1765 and 1767. In the 16th century, Ayutthaya was described by foreign traders as one of the biggest and wealthiest cities in the East. The court of King Narai (1656–1688) had strong links with that of King Louis XIV of France, whose ambassadors compared the city in size and wealth to Paris. I was only able to take in four Wats, or temples, out of the 12 or so Wats in Ayutthaya. It was definitely something to be able to walk along the temple grounds and pathways built so many years ago. Although Wat Lokaya Sutha may not be one of the most famous historic sites in Ayutthaya, it remains an impressive location to visit, thanks to the temple's most striking feature, the giant reclining Buddha image. Another interesting sight not to be missed is of the Buddha head embedded in the roots of an old Banyan tree in Wat Mahathat.

I spent the rest of my time there doing what most tourists in Thailand do – shopping, eating, visiting well-known Bangkok tourist sites, and getting an authentic Thai massage. Thailand did not disappoint me, so I believe I will be back to pay her another visit soon.

Patrick

Vocabulary

elude (v) – to fail to find, achieve or attain something you want
determined (adj.) – having a strong desire to do something; processing or displaying resolve
the wee hours (exp.) – the hours that are very early in the morning
catch some zzz's (idiom) – to get some sleep
equatorial (adj.) – of, at, or near the line of 0° latitude on a map that divides the earth into northern and southern hemispheres
munch (v) – to eat (something) with a continuous and often audible action of the jaw