West Meets East: 36 Hours in Thailand: Life in the Tuk-Tuk Lane

Our only real day in Bangkok – there was not a moment to spare.

We took a water taxi across the Chao Phraya River to the city center of Bangkok and promptly hired a few Tuk Tuks to take us to The Grand Palace and its surrounding temples and pavilions. Tuk Tuks are classic Thai vehicles that look as if someone affixed a buggy to the back of a motorcycle – they have three wheels, open sides, and are operated by peddles and a handle bar. The name Tuk Tuk originates from the loud noises of its grating and rumbling engine. Tuk Tuk rides are a popular way to get around the city – especially with tourists – because they are fast, inexpensive, and an exhilarating mix of fun and terror!

The hot pink city taxis should’ve given us a good idea about how lively and colorful Bangkok would be. The Tuk Tuks were different splashes of color – greens and blues and pinks and oranges and reds – on the seats, on the roofs, on the side panels – no two Tuk Tuks were alike. The entire city of Bangkok is like a dreamland of color and whimsy and cultural decorations...it’s as if the city officials unleashed a million children with boxes of crayons (the big Crayola boxes with the sharpener built into the back, not those wimpy 8 color assortments) out into Bangkok with total creative freedom. It’s almost like what LA wishes it could be. So we zoomed through the city on Tuk Tuks, screaming and laughing and holding on for our lives. The many Tuk Tuk rides we took were one of the highlights of the trip, and I wish that could have been my souvenir… “Excuse me, customs, I need to declare my Tuk Tuk…No, I don’t have a receipt.”

The Grand Palace is not just one building, but a massive sprawling (218,000 square meters enclosed by walls) and unfathomably ornate complex of royal residences, throne halls, government offices, and temples, including the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The Grand Palace was built in 1782 under the rule of King Rama I.

There is a dress code to enter the complex and my classmates and I, clad in sundresses and shorts, had to use the clothing rental service at the compound. Besides being a little bit gross, and not so fashionable, there was something really fun about putting on the rental clothes – it added something special to the experience. (This is why in pictures you’ll see me rocking a men’s turquoise shirt, the boys in baggy army-surplus pants, and some of the other girls in wrap-skirts)

Once inside the palace grounds, we wandered around, mouths agape, lost in the dizzying colors and intricate details and ornate gems and sparkling gold and near-ostentatious decoration. No surface was left untouched, every spot of every building was covered in gems or tiles or paint or gold or wood or some other design piece. Everywhere we turned, there was something new to see and appreciate. It was breathtaking. It was overwhelming. The scale and scope of it all was immense and I remember feeling distressed that my camera couldn’t come close to capturing it all…and I took close to 200 pictures in the palace complex. Everything was grand, and grand to a degree I didn’t imagine could exist. Looking at my pictures now, it is so perfect and so magnificent, it’s hard to think that I was actually there, seeing and touching and exploring those sights.

We entered the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, one of the most venerated temples in Thailand. The Buddha was carved from a block of green jade and was first discovered in 1434. We had to take our shoes off to enter the temple, and when inside, we had to be careful to not point our toes toward the Buddha, as it is a sign of disrespect. After the Temple of the Emerald Buddha we found our way to the Grand Palace itself, just in time to watch the changing of the guards.

After a full morning at the Grand Palace complex, our group parted ways. Dominic, Melinda, Casey and Shannon went on a tourist package excursion to see rose and orchid gardens, ceremonial performances and dances, and the highlight – feed and ride elephants. I decided not to go on the excursion because it would take up the rest of the day and I wasn’t yet done exploring the city, although I was sad to turn down elephant rides.

Kevin, Adriana and I stayed in Bangkok for the afternoon and went to Wat Pho, which houses the famous reclining gold Buddha. This was impressive, but didn’t come close to anything we saw at the Grand Palace. Feeling a little Buddha-ed out, Kevin, Adri and I departed for the nearby weekend market at Chatuchak which is comprised of over 8,000 open-air stalls – the best shopping and street food around Bangkok. I bought some jewelry and artwork that caught my eye and we sampled all sorts of savory and sweet treats from the market carts. My favorite was spicy barbequed pork, dirty street noodles, and a coconut milk dessert. Adriana and Kevin split crab and shrimp cakes which looked awesome. Thai chicken sausage is also pretty extraordinary.

We didn't just indulge in food; we sat down for foot and shoulder massages at the markets, the real authentic Thai treatment – for less than $10 USD. After hours of good food, relaxation, people watching, and culture absorbing, we headed back to meet our friends for dinner.

For dinner we went to a popular neighborhood restaurant (by way of Tuk Tuk!) with a beautiful ambiance and we ate traditional Thai dishes, tested our limits with spices, and we were delighted to see shark fin soup on the menu – a politically incorrect dish that, I can now say from personal experience, is delicious!! After dinner we browsed the nearby night market and then caught a local cultural performance and dance show, which was interesting. We ended the night poolside, with cocktails in a cabana under the starry Thai sky…perfect.

PHOTOS FROM SATURDAY