As of today I've been in Thailand for a week and already I can see myself trying to come back someday. It is not particularly romantic, nor un-romantic, but the sights, the prices, and the uniqueness of it will keep Thailand in my mind as a potential destination into the future.
Bangkok is big and loud and incredibly polluted. Nevertheless, it was fun and I imagine that returning to it and its amenities/abundance after a few weeks in the country side will be welcome. Upon arrival I caught a cab, following the guidebooks advice I made sure he had the meter on. (You are accosted by offers for a cab when you walk out of the airport, a process that continues at bus stations and street corners throughout the country. "Tuk Tuk, 40 baht," they implore, trying to get your business.) Sukumvit Soi 1 (soi is pronouced like soy sauce, not like the french moi) I told him. Once we turned onto Soi 1 I showed him the address of the place and he was utterly uninterested. The guidebook explains that addresses are not always in order, so I guess they're less useful even to Thais.
After arriving at 11.30 am I knew I needed to stay awake, so I spent the afternoon wandering the streets of Bangkok. There are vendors everywhere selling all varieties of Thai food, clothes, and other merchandise. Sometimes they serve you on a piece of styrofoam, sometimes on a plate that you must return to them, often they give you a bag with a toothpick, sometimes even your soda is poured into a small plastic bag with a straw (so the vendor can keep the glass bottle). Rather than three meals a day, you wind up grazing all day. Fruit is plentiful and we've enjoyed it as a breakfast or snack many a time. I'm always on the hunt for pastries and Bet has been enjoying meat on a skewer. We enjoy the Thai food but find ourselves looking for something more familiar (and more solid) every once in a while.
After Bangkok we went to Sukothai (small village with great ruins) and now we're in Chiang Mai for a few days. Chiang Mai is the perfect intersection of cultural capitol and tourist hotspot so authentic food, clothes, shopping, etc, can be easily found and often being sold by a Thai person who speaks English much better than they do in Bangkok. We'll be here for a few days before making a loop around the northwest.
