First Look

Thailand barely resembled what I imagined it to be! As I've been expressing time and again, ever since I've returned from there, Thailand is an amazing diversity of tradition and modernity! Our first destination was this very exotic land!

Bangkok airport, though not particularly spectacular (unlike Dubai), has its own unique identity. The airport itself offers a glimpse into the beautiful Buddhist temples and idols that Thailand is known for! The Thais love their king, and if our local guide is to be believed, unanimously so! She claimed that there may be other differences or problems between the locals, but the love for the king is a strong undercurrent that permeates their very existence! Going by the number of posters all over the country that depicted the king's picture, as also the numerous placards and the like hailing and celebrating the king, we had no reason to doubt her words! Though their king really has no power, the sway he holds over his country folk is to be seen to be believed! Truly heartwarming!

A quaint, quite unpleasant smell hovers over most places in Thailand. After a great many quizzical moments, we learnt that the smell was of fried garlic, which apparently is an important ingredient in almost all local dishes! I didn't think those tiny, white cloves could whip up such a stinky storm! It's also quite a difficult place for vegetarians to be stuck in, what with most of the food having some form of meat or the other, in them. Street food stalls serve almost everything imaginable! Some of the sea food, insects and the like made into satays may make the weak hearted turn squeamish!


Pattaya in Thailand is often considered to the 3rd sin city of the world, close behind Las Vegas and Amsterdam. One visit to Pattaya and we realized why exactly this was so! More on that later, though!