I've felt like an actress in an action film or a writer getting inspiration for a fantasy book during our recent tour of Thailand. I've pretended to be James Bond and sat on the same steps as the Wolfpack Gang. I've wondered if Frank Baum based "The Wizard of Oz" on the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddah. If you want to have a Hollywood style escape from reality here are sights that are sure to please.
1) The Temple of the Emerald Buddah and The Grand Palace - This "must see" of Bangkok felt and looked like the Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz. The statures of white monkeys, the emerald colored glass and gold plate adorning the sides of the temple is to the somewhat grimy and dirty Bangkok as the transformation from black and white to color is to the movie. (The picture on the left is the Temple of the Emerald Buddah at the Grand Palace. Unfortunately my photo of the Emerald Buddah did not turn out so I substituted my photo of the Golden Buddah who is easier to photograph.)
2) The Tiger Temple - The song "Lions, and tigers, and bears, Oh my..." kept running in my head as I walked with tigers and past bears to the Tiger Temple. All I needed were some red slippers and a blue and white checkered dress. Posing for photographs with tigers - including one who starred in "The Hangover II" - all while trying to appear calm was hard knowing that tigers have and do still attack their tamers.I did not want to die in this hot, dry, rocky, dusty Thai canyon.
3) The Elephant Village - Riding an elephant was fun. As a matter of fact it made me laugh out loud. From "Horton Hears a Who" to "The Jungle Book", I've always enjoyed reading about elephants and, more recently watching books about elephants be made into films. There are plenty of movies including one of my recent favorites: "Like Water for Elephants." The elephant I rode was named Long John Silver (a Hollywood icon even though Long John is not an elephant) He liked being tickled behind the ears with my toes. The owner could make the elephant walk, stop, and pose for pictures, all by what seemed to be his toes.
4) Riding Long Boats through Bangkok and to the Floating Market - We pretended we were (or would have pretended if we didn't have to wear the not-so-Hollywoodesque life jackets) James Bond from "Golden Eye" racing through the canals of Bangkok. The ride was pretty thrilling especially when our boat nearly capsized from the large wake of another boat and then rammed into the concrete edge of the canal as the long boat driver maneuvered to keep the boat upright.I didn't want to imagine swimming in the canal although some people were fishing...)
5) Evening cocktails at the Lebua Sky Bar - Exiting the hotel at the 64th floor of the Lebua Hotel, walking out to the rooftop deck, and walking down the steps where the hungover Wolfpack tried to remember what had happened, was MUCH better than watching the movie. The Sky Bar appears to be suspended in mid-air among twinkling stars, wispy clouds and blinking lights of Bangkok.
6) The Fast Boat Ferry to Phi Phi Island - Although we did not go to Phang Nga Bay where the 1974 James Bond film 'The Man with the Golden Gun" was filmed, we did see many islands that could have substituted for the evil lair of Scaramanga, Bond's nemesis, on our day boat trip around Ko Phi Phi. Snorkeling among the brightly colored coral and tropical fish made it easy to imagine being lulled into a life of tropical leisure while at the same time remaining vigilant to evil lurking around the next cave.
1) The Temple of the Emerald Buddah and The Grand Palace - This "must see" of Bangkok felt and looked like the Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz. The statures of white monkeys, the emerald colored glass and gold plate adorning the sides of the temple is to the somewhat grimy and dirty Bangkok as the transformation from black and white to color is to the movie. (The picture on the left is the Temple of the Emerald Buddah at the Grand Palace. Unfortunately my photo of the Emerald Buddah did not turn out so I substituted my photo of the Golden Buddah who is easier to photograph.)2) The Tiger Temple - The song "Lions, and tigers, and bears, Oh my..." kept running in my head as I walked with tigers and past bears to the Tiger Temple. All I needed were some red slippers and a blue and white checkered dress. Posing for photographs with tigers - including one who starred in "The Hangover II" - all while trying to appear calm was hard knowing that tigers have and do still attack their tamers.I did not want to die in this hot, dry, rocky, dusty Thai canyon.3) The Elephant Village - Riding an elephant was fun. As a matter of fact it made me laugh out loud. From "Horton Hears a Who" to "The Jungle Book", I've always enjoyed reading about elephants and, more recently watching books about elephants be made into films. There are plenty of movies including one of my recent favorites: "Like Water for Elephants." The elephant I rode was named Long John Silver (a Hollywood icon even though Long John is not an elephant) He liked being tickled behind the ears with my toes. The owner could make the elephant walk, stop, and pose for pictures, all by what seemed to be his toes. 4) Riding Long Boats through Bangkok and to the Floating Market - We pretended we were (or would have pretended if we didn't have to wear the not-so-Hollywoodesque life jackets) James Bond from "Golden Eye" racing through the canals of Bangkok. The ride was pretty thrilling especially when our boat nearly capsized from the large wake of another boat and then rammed into the concrete edge of the canal as the long boat driver maneuvered to keep the boat upright.I didn't want to imagine swimming in the canal although some people were fishing...)5) Evening cocktails at the Lebua Sky Bar - Exiting the hotel at the 64th floor of the Lebua Hotel, walking out to the rooftop deck, and walking down the steps where the hungover Wolfpack tried to remember what had happened, was MUCH better than watching the movie. The Sky Bar appears to be suspended in mid-air among twinkling stars, wispy clouds and blinking lights of Bangkok. 6) The Fast Boat Ferry to Phi Phi Island - Although we did not go to Phang Nga Bay where the 1974 James Bond film 'The Man with the Golden Gun" was filmed, we did see many islands that could have substituted for the evil lair of Scaramanga, Bond's nemesis, on our day boat trip around Ko Phi Phi. Snorkeling among the brightly colored coral and tropical fish made it easy to imagine being lulled into a life of tropical leisure while at the same time remaining vigilant to evil lurking around the next cave.
Writing this blog post from the function but not luxury (compared to what we just left) of our Bangkok Airport hotel and waiting for a return flight to reality is like the curtain going up after a great film. Although it's back to reality for us, the memories of this great "action film" will energize us until the next time.
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