Arrival in... THAILAND!

Welcome to the land of Thai! Here's a brief post of our experience so far in Thailand!

Adam slept in the bassinet nearly the whole flight!

After a series of flights, (which weren’t bad, Adam slept all but one hour of the journey!) we landed in Bangkok and drove (on the LEFT side of the road) past the sugar cane and rubber tree fields to Ban Chang, where we plan to stay for the first week.

Thailand sounds fairly exotic, but for those who have never been, I think you can get an idea of it if you have ever been to Mexico just south of the border. I've been to various locations in Mexico several times and during my first day here I felt like I'd made a mistake and landed myself in Mexico, with a few exceptions of course.

When there is no more seat room,
you pile into the bed!

Similar to Mexico, you can easily tell it’s a third world country, and in-between the tropical trees are poor homes and shacks, some appearing to have dirt floors. Recycling is unheard of, and there seems to be a fair amount of trash around, a 180 from Italy, where every possible item is placed in the appropriate recycling receptacle. Here you see motorbikes stacked with people, often holding their tiny babies with one hand and holding something else or another person with the other hand. The beds of trucks are also packed with people. If there's a public restroom chances are high it's a "squatty potty" (you know, a hole in the ground you squat over), no one drinks the tap water (bottled water only!), and be careful if you choose to go for a run because there are packs of feral dogs that may chase you down. Also similar to Mexico, there are many street vendors and people with small hole-in-the-wall stalls selling delicious food.

However, unlike Mexico, the well-tanned people are Thai and not Hispanic, there’s a bit more of a jungle feel, the humidity is intense, and the fruits are amazing! Don’t let the third world description deter you, Thailand is a beautiful place and the people I have met have been very sweet, but it’s also good to keep those facts in mind before coming.

Money:

The currency in Thailand is called Baht. One American dollar is equivalent to 32 Baht. Most things here are a steal for an American. A very large coffee drink was just over a dollar, and everything else has been fairly cheap too. (Though sometimes it’s not always the best deal, you will get what you pay for…) The only places that are ridiculously inflated are tourist locations and some of the American shops at the malls. When we went to Nong Nooch Gardens, it was 400 Baht a person for entry.

Spirit Houses:
Most homes and businesses have “spirit houses”. Anywhere that land is being occupied, one is supposed to have a spirit house so that the spirits who occupied the land before you, have a place to go. The Buddhists will often place offerings of food, like fruit, onto the little doorsteps of the spirit homes as a food offering to them. I have often wondered what happens with the food, and I was told by my hubby's step-mom, a native Thai, that it is considered acceptable to pick it up and eat it for oneself after it has sat there for a few hours, or it can be tossed. My husband said that the neighborhood animals will get the food if they are left out and forgotten. 

A common setup of Spirit Homes in the yard. Each home has a set, 
decorated as the home owner desires in various themes and colors. 

Writing:
Here is an example of what Thai writing looks like. I think it's quite pretty with all its curls and loops. In many places there is English translated underneath it. It makes me feel very spoiled to be able to travel to foreign countries, like Italy and Thailand, and be able to get by so easily because English is like a second language everywhere we go.

นี่คือตัวอย่างของสิ่งที่เขียนภาษาไทยดูเหมือนเป็น

The King and Queen:

There is a King and Queen ruling over Thailand, and the people have a great respect for them, often calling them mother and father. Father’s and Mother’s Day is celebrated on their respective birthdays, and the towns have banners and large signs with their pictures on them as you enter. It is not a rule, but a gesture quite common of native Thai people, to have a portrait of the king and Queen in a prominent place in the household.

This is the Queen and King of Thailand, though at a much younger age.  The king has reigned since June  9, 1946, making him the longest reigning monarch currently in position in today's world. 

We had our first dinner in Thailand here, right on the beach.

Sunset on the beach

And finally, here is Adam getting a bath in a bucket like a true Thai child. 

That's all I have for this post, but I plan to write more soon! Until then...