It seems the usual question I get asked here (after the requisite 'so where you from?') is: are you here on business or holiday? And my answer: both. Having needed to come here on official visa business (I now have a brand spanking new business visa of which to return to beautiful Vietnam on, woohoo - job done) I thought: why not combine business with pleasure and see a bit of a new, amazing country? The beauty of both writing and running an online business is that you can do them from anywhere, providing you've got a notebook, a laptop, and an internet connection. Hmm, however the wifi and internet has been surprisingly rubbish here (for a huge, modern city, I am quite surprised...). Not that this is my excuse, but I haven't got as much work done here as I had initially planned, but that's ok. I can play catch up and be all kinds of productive when I'm back in hot, humid Hanoi.
However, it's not all been this either:
However, it's not all been this either:
This was definitely (unfortunately?) the minority of my trip. The rest included: self-guided walking tours around Bangkok to find the Vietnam embassy and various shops; a cycling tour of lesser seen / non-touristy parts of town (including a place called something like 'Bang-kachow!' Best name ever); a couple of runs, including a long run yesterday morning (always a great way to see a city and explore); visiting temples and giant markets (before realising and remembering that I really dislike touristy spots and crowds of tourists! Lol); meeting fellow business-trip travellers and Bangkok locals (in small restaurants and then in fancy rootftop sky bars) and a whole lot of wandering around eating and drinking delicious things (the best part of any trip! Naturally...). Now I could probably ramble for days re: the amazing array of food stalls littering the pavements and set up underneath all the bridges early in the morning for the commuters, along with the ubiquitous fresh fruit stalls scattered liberally throughout the streets, but instead, I'll keep it concise and short&sweet - here are the top 5 things I love about Bangkok, in no particularly meaningful order:
1) The bright pink taxis! (and pink buses, and general use of pink):
1) The bright pink taxis! (and pink buses, and general use of pink):
2) The ways cats seem to be really well loved and treated and respected.
3) Everyone is so friendly! And so welcoming too. Even when not getting anything from it (i.e. it's not a scam or a tourist thing), for example, chatting to tuk-tuk drivers while passing and showing them on the map where I'm walking to, and then they proceed to enthusiastically welcome me to their country and chat for ages about where I should see and where I'm from/what I'm doing. Everyone has been lovely here. And so polite with each other too! Even saw people give up their seats on the subway for others and let people pass first in the street - after life in China this still comes as a pleasant surprise.
4) The FOOD.... Now this one could in it's own right be a separate post. Nay a separate feature or book. But here's a taster of things, a sample if you will, of the amazing food that's on offer over here (I think I will need a lot longer than just 5 days to be able to try it all). Seriously, even the 7 Eleven stores had exciting and mysterious treats on offer (the way to my heart people: make me a dessert and make sure it's either got green tea or some kind of bean in it, i.e. kidney beans).
4) The FOOD.... Now this one could in it's own right be a separate post. Nay a separate feature or book. But here's a taster of things, a sample if you will, of the amazing food that's on offer over here (I think I will need a lot longer than just 5 days to be able to try it all). Seriously, even the 7 Eleven stores had exciting and mysterious treats on offer (the way to my heart people: make me a dessert and make sure it's either got green tea or some kind of bean in it, i.e. kidney beans).
5) Beautiful parks and green places are never too far away. Nor are amazingly beautiful temples and buildings. I also LOVED getting out of the city as part of a bicycle tour and got to legit cycle through the jungle. This was awesome!
Bangkok has also given me time to chill and reflect on a few personal things as well. It's taken me way too long, but have finally realised that the only way someone can actually manipulate or hurt you or make you feel bad (not going into details or anything though) is if you keep letting them! The power is in your own hands. Simply don't connect with that particular person or give them any power over you = extreme happiness and calm and peace. Ahhh... Why has it taken me so very long to figure this out? Oh well, better late than never I guess....
Now it's back to Hanoi for a catch up with some very good friends, and to get stuck back into work. Happy Monday everyone!!
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