Bangkok

A lot of people have been to and wrote about Bangkok already so I won't really put too much into this since it's not even where I'm staying but suffice it to say it's a big city with a crazy story. I had a great time there, but mostly thanks to my awesome family who knew exactly where to take me for a good time, and bypassed all (or at least most) of the tourist traps, price gouged markets and general sleaze (don't get me wrong, we still saw enough human trafficking to fill me with plenty of rage).

When entering the Grand Royal Palace I was snuck in with my family and last name through the Thai Entrance (which was a few hundred baht less) which was more of a blast than most of the palace itself. I saw the Chao Praya on a river bus that was a few thousand less than the tourist trip down that took us somewhere useful (instead of a hotel). After that it's a bit of a blur as my cousin took his sons, a maid's daughter and I on a dizzying tour of what must have been every single major (and possibly minor) mall in Bangkok and covered at least 3k by foot before we all finally collapsed back in his taxi completely exhausted.

For the next few days I was given a little easier treatment: getting small trips to awesome open-air markets that would make Anthony Bourdain weep (accompanied by my cousins who grew up with the vendors and were local shop owners themselves), road trips to the hometown of one of their fiance's, an art museum (one of the better ones I've been to), ancient ruins of Ayatollah, a floating market, and plenty of great, great food.


I never made it to the real slums, or the crazy Kao San  Road and skipped the night life altogether. I stayed in a beautiful room with a nice view and home made breakfast every morning so my experiences feel leagues apart from those others who've been there, but I'm honestly glad for it and while it's definitely not my favourite city (I don't even like it, really), I can see why others love it and it's as famous as it is.