I am out of Bhutan and into what has been referred to throughout the year by all of my friends as "the real world" "the other side of sanity" (okay, that one was mine) "city life" "real life" "the cultural gauntlet" just to name a few.
Otherwise known as Bangkok, Thailand.
 |
| A city view of Bangkok from the top of the Golden Mount |
My first observations:
1. This place is big!
2. This place is hot! (the second I stepped outside)
3. There are so many people here! Oh, good, there are some chilips I can go and talk to, maybe they have an idea of where to go.
4. Those chilips don't know me. No one here knows me. And talking to strangers is frowned upon.
5. The power hasn't gone out yet. Must be a good day.
Well, the power has yet to go out, the water runs hot, and there are still so many people here, but I am settling in. Luckily, a friend of mine from college who works in Myanmar was in Bangkok and spent the first few days with me. We divided our time between getting our western fixes (mexican food, starbucks coffee, coldstone creamery, just to name a few) and doing touristy things like visiting Wat Pho, and the Golden Mount.
 |
| The temple complex of Wat Pho, one of the most visited, and truly beautiful temples in Bangkok |
 |
| The giant Reclining Buddha, at the Wat Pho |
 |
People putting gold leaf on Buddhas at Wat Pho
|
It was a great way to ring in the New Year and slowly start the adjustment to life outside of Bhutan. I have a few more days here, then up to Chiang Mai and Laos with another BCF teacher, and then to Vietnam with more friends from college.
 |
A Buddha outside of Golden Mount, we thought it was funny with the traditional statue, and then the modern, cartoon-like monk-dolls at the foot of it
|
I am very happy with my beginning of 2013
