Thailand should be a destination in an of itself. But for me, Bangkok turned out to be a three-night, two-day stopover on the way to Bhutan. Other than a plane change in Hong Kong, this was my first stop in southeast Asia. It pained me to limit my visit to only two days.
I arranged this portion of the trip for me, my husband, and niece, through the Internet. After a 14 hour flight from the United States, I knew we would need some serious down time when we arrived. I wanted comfort, quiet, and darkness. So I booked a hotel with a great reputation—the Banyan Tree. I also knew that after we got recharged from the flight we'd want to pack in as much as possible. That's why I hired a private tour guide.
We saw all the highlights of Bangkok that any first time visitor should see—the temple, the palace, the emerald Buddha, the reclining Buddha, the solid gold Buddha, and the many colorful markets—flower, railway, meat, sundry, and floating markets. It's all wrapped up in a video posted to my You Tube channel. Take a look at Thailand.
A Country With a Rich Musical Heritage
When I travel, I enjoy researching the music of the country, both traditional and modern. Thailand is represented by a variety of music, the most famous of which is perhaps that of the King of Thailand. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, also referred to as the King of Swing, composes and performs jazz music. On the other side of the music spectrum is the Thai Hip Hop phenom, Joey Boy. The rhythmic patter of Hip hop in Thai sounds amazing. In between there is Luk Thung, music of the countryside, and the gamelan ensemble. I've just touched the surface of Thai music!
Music Info
Thailand's Monarch is Ruler, Jazz Musician, an article from the Washington Post
Candlelight Blues / Music: King Bhumibol, King of Thailand, a video on YouTube
Joey Boy: Fun Fun Fun, a video on YouTube
Travel Info
Banyan Tree Bangkok: Rooftop With a View (review) We stayed in a two-bedroom suite in the Banyan Tree. By prepaying, the rate was the same as booking two standard rooms. It was a great deal.
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