Taling Chan Floating Market and Thai Hospitality

(Sorry about the lack of posting, everyone! I didn't disappear in Bangkok! The past few days have been unbearably hot and the heat finally started getting to me. Spending the day in a non-air-conditioned hospital, wearing your white coat, when the temperatures are between 104-106 degrees is...challenging. The past few days, I've had headaches, heat rash, fatigue, and just overall irritability. But, I'm OK! I stayed inside this weekend (in my apartment with air-conditioning...) and am feeling much better. So, back to the blog...)

Two Fridays ago, at the Songkran festival, I met a first year medical student nicknamed Earth. We were making small talk and I mentioned that I was going to Bangkok for the weekend.

"Oh! I'm from Bangkok! What are you going to do?," she asked.

I mentioned Wat Pho, the Grand Palace, and one of the floating markets.

"Really? I live right near Taling Chan floating market! I'll go with you!," she volunteered.

I took her offer with a grain of salt, both because I was a total stranger and also, because I expected her to be busy spending time with her family during Songkran. How many times has an American said, "Yeah, let's hang out!" only to be busy later or ignore your texts? Even in the Dominican Republic, I found that it was commonplace to make plans and then just not show up. No calls, no texts, just rolling out! (I scolded my cousin when he told me that he does this to girls "all the time," and didn't know it was off-putting.)

Let me just tell you, things are different in Thailand. Don't underestimate Thai hospitality.

Earth was not kidding when she offered to accompany me. She showed up promptly at Taling Chan on Sunday morning and after my first day in Bangkok with the whole "You're traveling ALONE?," I was more than happy to see her!

Fish for sale at Taling Chan.

Fresh fruits for sale at the market.

We had a choice of which boat to take, as either part of a hosted group of 20 for 100 bhat each or on a private boat for 1000 bhat total. One of the other students at KKU had taken the private boat with his friend, but given that we didn't know anything about the area, we mutually agreed on the guided tour.

Boats like the one we took the tour on. The flowers at that front were not decoration; they are gifts to the spirit that Buddhists believe is protecting the boat. Each boat has its own spirit. 

In total, the boat tour was a guided 2.5 hour tour with stops at an orchid farm and a temple.  About 20 minutes into the ride, we arrived at the orchid farm.

Orchids for sale at the market.

First time having Longan tea, which Earth convinced me to try. It was delicious and I'm a fan!

I actually bought a little hanging plant at the orchid farm to support the farmers who were clearly bringing tourists there for financial benefit. Unfortunately, it's sort of withering on my patio in Khon Kaen because it's so unbearably hot!

While on the boat tour, we were also able to see a number of wats and homes along the river.

The contrast between old and new was notable, as it's clear that some houses have been on the river forever and some must be the result of new money moving into the area.

Our second stop along the river was at one of the temples. This was the first time that I saw actual gold leaf being applied to a Buddha statue and Earth gave me a little lesson on what the various animal figurines mean.

As you'll notice, most of the gifts are chicken figurines. Back in Khon Kaen, I remembered that most of them were elephants. I was wondering if each animal was supposed to denote a different request, but Earth said that it's more of a variation by location.

She said that the people of this village believe more in the power of the chicken, and perhaps value or reverence the chicken for some reason, and that's why all the figurines are chickens. In other places, this would not be the same and the chicken would not carry as much value.

It seems that the personal or regional value of certain animals is a prominent aspect of Buddhism. Earth's family doesn't eat beef, for example, because her mother prayed for children who would be healthy and smart. She promised never to eat beef if her request was granted. It was. Hence,  no one in Earth's family eats beef.

At the temple site, there were also multiple food vendors.

I would later discover that Earth's family shows love through food, and made a legitimate attempt to give me Type II diabetes through overconsumption (Kidding). But, she did buy me multiple snacks to try.

This was my first time trying these. They're little fried corn shells filled with coconut milk, some kind of corn porridge, and various toppings (this one had chives). They were SO GOOD. Definitely one of my new favorite street foods!

Once we were back in the boat, there were more opportunities for snacking. We stopped at several little places along the river where people could buy things like this. That is sticky rice cooked in bamboo over an open fire. Since there were a lot of foreigners on the boat, Earth was our resident expert on what things were and how to eat them. We shared this sticky rice with a French family sitting behind us on the boat.

Boys playing in the river, at the house where we bought the bamboo sticky rice.

Then, there was more touring and exploration of the river.

Those little brown things near the edge of the dock are actually fluffy puppies that look like Remi. They were barking up a storm at our noisy boat!

Once we returned to the dock at Taling Chan, Earth asked me what my plans were for the rest of the day, because her parents wanted to take me to their house and out to lunch. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

First of all, Earth's parents are AMAZING.

Selfie with Earth and her mom!

Her mom drove me all around Bangkok, showing me the King Rama V monument, Anant Samakhom Throne Hall, Congress, and Wat Benchamabophit. 

In front of Anant Samakhom Throne Hall

At the entrance to Wat Benchamabophit

Then, we went to pick up Earth's dad from work. He is a government official, with high security clearance, so we got to go behind the gates of the Anant Samakhom to pick him up. I got an insider's sneak peak, but of course, I couldn't take pictures or get out of the car, so take my word for it!

Then, we all went out to eat!

Earth's family showered me with food! This was not the entirety of what four people were served for lunch. And, to show their hospitality, the Thai don't just offer you more--they just pick it up and put it on your plate! I felt like I was fighting an uphill battle. As soon as I cleared my plate, more food would appear! I was so. full.

We also stopped by Earth's parents' beautiful home in Bangkok and posed next to this painting in their living room like we were in a museum. I have to ask Earth about the painting again, but it's a very important painting depicting one of the battles of King Rama IV (I think).

Then, as if all of this wasn't enough, Earth's parents took me to MBK Center in Bangkok, which is an indoor, 8-floor street market. Since it's street market style, you can bargain with the vendors and Earth got everything I was buying for AT LEAST half off. I bought a ton of Thai silks, in various forms for gifts and souvenirs, as well as Thai silk cloth to have a dress made for myself.

And, of course, there was more food at MBK! This is toast with Thai tea dipping sauce. Toast is a dessert item in Thailand and we ate at a "milk bar," where all types of milk and teas are served along with yes, TOAST!

I ended the day back at my hotel, with an hour on the elliptical machine...for obvious reasons. :)

Bangkok Part I- Wat Pho and Being "Alone"

I arrived at midday on Saturday in Bangkok, but there was a little bit of an issue with my hotel. When I made the reservation, I accidentally booked for the wrong dates. They were full, but someone canceled, but before they realized that, they told me they couldn't accommodate me... Anyway, long story short, I checked into my original hotel, but didn't get going until mid-afternoon because of the mistake.

My original plan was to go to the Grand Palace, but since it closes at 3:30 p.m., I decided that Wat Pho was a better bet for a short afternoon of sightseeing.

It is truly magnificent and despite being the oldest and largest temple in Bangkok, it was completely doable in just an hour or two. As an added bonus, I ended up being there right before sunset, when it was much, much cooler.

An explanation of the religious significance of Songkran.

The main bot houses the meditating Buddha, which I didn't get a photo of, but there are many other smaller buildings housing smaller buddhas, which people were praying at while I was there. The details were truly magnificent.

I had also planned to get a massage at the Institute of Massage, on the grounds of Wat Pho, but when I got there, it seemed pricey and dirty. 

There was a huge line of waiting tourists and a 30 minute massage was 260 bhat. (You'll recall that in Khon Kaen, I can get a 120 minute Thai massage for 300 bhat.) Also, inside the Institute of Massage, everything just felt...germy. I'm telling you, medical school will forever change your view of otherwise normal activities! The air felt heavy and with that many people waiting, I couldn't imagine that they were actually changing all of the linens in between massages. After waiting in line with my little ticket number for 5 minutes, I left.

I know. I've been in Thailand less than two weeks and I'm already calling things out on being dirty, overpriced tourist traps. 

Anyway, I skipped over the massage and went to the Reclining Buddha.

This Buddha is 150 feet and takes up the entire witan (building).

The feet are spectacularly carved and detailed.

In fact, the feet are inlaid with intricate, mother of pearl designs. They were truly fascinating to see up close.

Then, I sat on a shady bench in the courtyard and planned my next move, as far as dinner went. While I sat there, I heard the evening chanting of the monks start and even got to see a small group of boys doing evening prayer with their teacher.

More young monks milling around the courtyard.

I decided to get dinner on the Chao Phraya river, both because it was scenic, but also because a lot of the recommended restaurants in my guidebook were located in hotels that overlooked the river.

I chose to eat at the Sheraton River Orchid and while I had an amazing view of the water and ferries going by, let's just say that the Thai are not quite up to speed with the West when it comes to a single woman traveling or dining alone. It was pretty much not OK. I got a lot of looks, a lot of "You are here...alone?" and even more, "Wow, you are a...strong...woman." 

I'm pretty sure "strong" was being used as a euphemism for "crazy," "stupid," or "misguided." I came very close to lying about a made up husband who was in a meeting or across town at work or any number of places that a spouse could be, which would make my presence at dinner alone more socially acceptable.

Mostly though, I was just really dumbfounded. Obviously this isn't an issue that comes up in the US and it's hard for me to imagine my life in the parts of the world where traveling alone as a woman is unacceptable. What about for residency interviews? I had 10 interviews, but some of my classmates had 30. Thirty round-trip plane trips, thirty hotel room reservations, thirty rental car reservations, at least thirty meals ALONE. 

Male or female, we were expected to travel solo with the grace, aplomb, enthusiasm and charm needed to land ourselves a job after graduation. It probably would have been easier to have a travel companion, because I was bone-achingly tired and sometimes emotional during interviews, but as far as feeling strange about something like eating dinner alone? That ship sailed many, many moons ago.

Dinner is just dinner and this "strong" woman kept herself company like a champ! (Take note, people of Thailand!)

Songkran Has Begun!

It's Songkran here in Thailand, which means that the party is in full swing!

Oh, to be young again! The Japanese students are getting their groove on with some Thai med students.

When I planned this trip, I had no idea that it would coincide with Songran, the Thai New Year, but it has! Every year from April 13-15, Thais celebrate with a huge water festival.

I don't know if you can tell, but we are all partially wet and standing under a sprinkler for this photo.

There's more to Songkran that just big water fights, but I think that's probably the most well-known part. The water is actually supposed to represent cleansing of the past year, and there is a religious component to the ceremony as well.

On the first day of Songkran, you are supposed to pay respect to the elders by bowing to them and pouring a small amount of fragrant water (with flowers) over their hands. In return, they sprinkle you with the water and give you a blessing. There is usually also a Buddha figurine somewhere (as is the norm) and you pour water over it too, but I'm not sure on the specifics of what you do or why because I didn't participate in that part of the ceremony (sorry!). 

Also, there is also food. Lots and lots of food wherever you go!

At the university, the pediatrics department had their own Songkran party on Wednesday. Gen, one of the Japanese students, and I took part.

We were briefly instructed on what we were supposed to do and we stood in line, and watched the Thai students first.

First, we knelt and presented the older professors with fragrant jasmine and marigold bouquets.

Then, we poured a small amount of water over their hands. 

Gen was the water pourer. I was the water catcher. We were pretty skillful in our system.

And finally, the professors either sprinkled or drizzled a small amount of water onto our shoulders and "blessed" us. I was wished everything from happiness, a successful medical career, a good time in Thailand, and a wonderful experience at Khon Kaen University.

If this is not a photo for an International Medicine brochure, I don't know what is. SOMEONE PUT MY FACE ON A BROCHURE!

And then afterwards? It. was. craziness.

Notice the soaking wet hospital floor and huge buckets of water. We did that.

The Ob/gyn department had finished their Songkran party a few minutes before us and they came rushing over with cups, buckets, and bowls of ice cold water. At first, it was a nice little tossing of water in our general direction, but by the end, people were outright dumping entire bowls of water over each others' heads.

Gen and I went home after this ceremony, but I'm not sure what the other residents and doctors did. I know it's hot here and you'll dry fast, but we were all SOAKED. Before we left the hospital, I suggested to Gen that we stop and give our professor (who was not at the party) some flower bouquets. Before we entered his office, I had to stop outside and WRING MY DRESS OUT because it was dripping down my legs.

Today, at the university, the whole campus was transformed into a huge Songkran festival and we were all excused from our clinical duties. 

First, we lined up to take part in a parade early this morning. Everyone wears brightly colored flowered shirts for Songkran and there are entire street stands and stalls dedicated to these shirts. Earlier in the week, the international medicine officers took us to buy shirts for today's parade.

I know. We're adorable.

Then, the parade started.

We marched all around the university and eventually, to the hospital.

As we marched, mischievous faculty and spectators splashed us with water. In this case, they sprayed a hose directly at us! Songkran. It is all about the water.

Once back at the hospital, there was a stage set up where there were various acts, including instrumental performances, dancing, a musical with traditional Thai costumes, a presentation by the university president, and a Ms. Songkran competition. 

The women in pink (below) led the parade with a drum processional and danced for a long time once we got to the hospital. THEN, they formed a human pyramid! It is worth noting that they were all at least in their 50s and it is terrifying to watch osteopenic women climb on top of one another.

No one fall!

The rest of the hospital courtyard was transformed into a fair with games and food. All of the photos have a greenish tinge because huge green tarps were slung between the buildings to provide a shaded area for the courtyard.

Perhaps the best part was seeing patients, in their hospital gowns, walking around the fair, playing games, and eating street food. It was awesome! Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures because when water is being slung about, it's usually better to put your phone away--preferably in a plastic baggie. (Don't worry, no one threw water on the sick patients!)

Monday is the official start of Songkran, but there will be parties going on all this weekend and next week. Monday is the day to honor the elders and Buddha with the water cleansing ceremony. Tuesday is a day to spend with family. Wednesday is the huge all day water fight in the streets.

We are excused from clinical duties because everything shuts down for people go home to spend the holiday with their families. I'll be in Bangkok and Chiang Mai on my unexpected 5 day vacation! Peace out.

One of the Japanese students let a Thai girl put makeup on him for fun. Oh, young love!