With the pandemic scare easing up, the travel bug's bite has begun to spread as frustrated travelers have broken their Covid shackles with revenge and have plunged head-on to visit favorite shopping, sightseeing, and gastronomic destinations both here and abroad.
A few weeks ago, the bug infected once more a handful of senior citizens' card-bearing adventurers who liken themselves to the Los Viajeros, a handful of wandering Upsilonians who try their mightiest best to regularly travel sans family (or caregivers) to spend a few weeks outside comfort zones to savor the sights, the delights and the eats that the world has to offer while legs and lungs can still function.
I have been fortunate enough to have joined this motley band of fraternity brothers on a few wondrous occasions, the first being a month-long adventure to exotic Brazil several years ago when our spiritual leader, the late Gari Tiongco, laid down the rules that the trip would most certainly not be of the 5-star variety but would be a rough and tumble affair reminiscent of our Diliman days.
Since then, the Los Viajeros have traveled to several disparate destinations such as Russia, Mexico, Nepal and Vietnam. Unfortunately for me, I have not had the stamina to join most of these other trips and so I would typically find myself just listening with gleeful envy to the Viajeros' misadventures during our get-togethers.
With the passing of my wife in 2020 due to Covid-19, I resolved that I would take advantage of every opportunity that would come my way to relish whatever life still has in store for me.
And so after a covid induced hiatus of almost three years, when the Los Viajeros, spearheaded this time around by advertising whiz Tong Puno, announced that Thailand would be our destination this year with New Zealand, God willing, waiting on the wings for 2023, I raised my hands enthusiastically and declared unhesitatingly, count me in!
So off we went to Amazing Thailand, five not-so-hardy geriatrics, but still able and vigorous, most of the time that is. Our first stop was Bangkok, a city I last visited almost four decades ago, which was not exactly a pleasant memory then, as I was unmercifully struck down by a stomach virus due to the traditional extremely spicy Thai cuisine, probably responsible for permanently damaging my digestive system. Upon reaching Bangkok, I was immediately awed by the vast airport that greeted us but also aghast as the reality of the city's reputed nightmarish traffic slowly crept on us.
After a short rest, the first destination was of course a food stop, Baan Klang Nam, a seafood restaurant on Rama III right along the Chao Phraya River, the so-called River of Kings, which cuts across the heart of the city. The food of course did not disappoint and so did all the other restaurants we went to although I had to constantly request to always tone down the chili.
Some notables with excellent traditional Thai cuisine are Baanchiang on Sriviang Road in Silom, Taling Pling on Sukhumvit and The Local, a Michelin rated resto, also on Sukhumvit, excellent dishes but a bit too pricey. My favorite though was Hua Seng Hong in Chinatown which serves Thai Chinese dishes.
The food was so good and the prices quite reasonable, we went twice! The Chinatown resto romp was doubly memorable for me as it marked the first time I rode a tuk-tuk, a noisy three-wheeled vehicle that can weave you in and out through Bangkok's busy traffic.
Bangkok's other big thing, of course, is shopping galore highlighted by the world-class Siam Paragon, aptly named I believe, a paradise for shopaholics of all stripes, to the Or Tor Kor Market, reputedly one of the world's best fresh markets but which also boasts of an outdoor food market with a wide variety of reasonably priced dishes.
From Bangkok, we flew to the mountainous north, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, which borders the Golden Triangle. It was sightseeing time as we soaked in various Buddhist temples, the Baandam Museum, an elephant farm, and a Karen Hill Tribe known for long-necked villagers.
An article about Thailand would not be complete, however, without mentioning the recent decriminalization of cannabis which has added more color to the shopping landscape of downtown Bangkok.
You see cannabis stores advertising their products side by side with various retail establishments, golf stores, money changers, and massage parlors.
Truly, an amazing Thailand!
Until next week… OBF!
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