Bangkok, Thailand Oct.31, 2012
Bustling roads, faithful people and Inflight meal
This is my third visit to Bangkok. Last time I visited a decade ago, I remember the airport has no access to MTR and I had to take a taxi to get down to the city center in a crowded road. Long and hectic ride to the downtown. The airport has been replaced by a new airport which had MTR service. Now I can enjoy views of Bangkok from the window of the MTR train.
I flew by Japan Airlines from Narita in the morning and hit Bangkok around the evening. The roads are bumper to bumper with cars and bikes in the downtown. Many of them are on their way home from work. I feel dynamism of the Asian city every time I visit. I visited the city for a business meeting this time. The host arranged a boat tour for us on the last day of the meeting. We went Wat Arun, temple of daybreak and saw the city along the river on the tour. I took a walk around the hotel and took a foot massage near there. So no chance to see around the city. However, I was able to see faithful people praying at shrines in the evening. There are a lot of shrines in the middle of the city center. I saw a lot of people coming to pray. I heard some 94% of Thai people are Buddhist. I saw people come to those place in town maybe on their way home and spend some time in front of buddha statues. Seeing those, I could not feel the sense of respect for them any better.
The meeting was over. I am leaving for Japan. Packed in the air-conditioned conference room, which was too cold for me, eating at a restaurant in the hotel, I had no chance to eat something not tourist but local people eat this time. Maybe I will have another chance to come and enjoy local food. The inflight meal offered at my return flight was not that bad. Sausage and Omelet with a cup of white wine and the movie “Ted” was really good.
