2014: Year in Review

2014 was another incredible year. I continued to fuel my passion for international travel, and I had the opportunity to spend my entire summer close to home. As I close out the year, it's always fun to think back on all the amazing experiences from the past twelve months:

- Wore a traditional Indian outfit...in India...while my local colleagues wore western clothing.
- Celebrated Chinese New Year with dim sum in Bangalore, India.
- Ate fertilized duck egg ("balut") in Manila.
- Sang karaoke in Manila while we ate seafood that was swimming only minutes before hitting the plate.
- Slept on the floor of the Delhi airport (actually, I didn't really sleep but I spent the entire night there thanks to a 10-hour flight delay).
- Visited Golden Temple in Amritsar, India (and learned about the Sikh religion).
- Got 'hit on' at Golden Temple in Amritsar.
- Watched a cricket match in the hotel garage in Amritsar.
- Drank alcohol at a house party in the dry city of Ahmedabad, India.
- Smiled at the 'matrimonials' section of the newspaper every weekend in India.
- Went bungee jumping in Nepal.
- Got the worst food poisoning of my life in Nepal and lost 10 pounds in 3 days.
- Ate banh mi in Saigon (minus the mayonnaise, of course).
- Visited the birthplace of Cao Dai religion in Tay Ninh province of Vietnam.
- Crawled through the cu chi tunnels used during the Vietnam War.
- Learned that the Vietnam War is known as the "American War" in Vietnam.
- Joined an American friend for dinner in Singapore who I studied with in Shanghai. I love crossing paths with people in the most unpredictable locations around the world. 
- Took a selfie in front of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
- Saw a dinosaur walking around the mall in Kuala Lumpur.
- Spent two weeks without going outside once (in Gurgaon, India).
- Used Air BnB for the first time ever in Canberra, Australia.
- Ran in the Canberra Half Marathon.
- Watched my colleagues in Sydney win their recreation league basketball championship.
- Spent Easter in Sydney with a classmate from LSE that I hadn't seen in over 12 years.
- Saw Prince William and Duchess Kate at Manly Beach.
- Drank German beer at a German pub served by a German guy...in Australia.
- Went hiking in the Blue Mountains.
- Worked out with Cameron Diaz and Kate Upton.
- Celebrated ANZAC day in the rain.
- Went running along the Sydney Harbour.
- Ate at Hungry Jack's in Melbourne (once was more than enough).
- Drove on the left side of the road.
- Ran the Great Ocean Road Half Marathon.
- Celebrated my birthday with a Kit Kat bar.
- Ran in the Melbourne Mother's Day Classic with local staff.
- Had my name published in the newspaper in Perth.
- Went to the horse races in Perth.
- Went Sandboarding in Western Australia.
- Touched a Koala.
- Fed a Kangaroo.
- Bicycled through King's Park in Perth.
- Rode a tuk tuk in Mumbai (and Bangkok). The experiences were entirely different.
- Watched a tug-of-war contest in a hotel ballroom in Mumbai.
- Accepted a promotion.
- Ran a 10k race with my friend who inspired me to run my first marathon.
- Spent 4th of July with family.
- Enjoyed a day on the lake in my brother's boat.
- Watched a Red Sox game in Fenway Park.
- Ran the Old Port Half Marathon with one of my oldest friends who I have known since birth.
- Returned to Chicago as a tourist (and discovered why people love the city so much in the summer).
- Stayed up until 3AM the night before the Minnesota Half Marathon (but still managed to finish in under 1.5 hours).
- Genuinely surprised my parents at their 40th anniversary party.
- Got sunburnt in Aruba.
- Went to Orlando (twice) without visiting Disney World.
- Celebrated both of my parents' birthdays with them.
- Went to a Boston College football game.
- Ate a cannoli from Mike's Pastry.
- Ran a 5k in Chicago that was followed by country line dancing.
- Ran the "Run to the Rock" Half Marathon in 90-degree heat and finished 2nd in my age group (6th overall).
- Took a 24-hour vacation to San Diego.
- Visited Pike Place market in Seattle.
- Ran the Smuttynose Half Marathon with a friend's number and won the female category (before I was disqualified).
- Moved to HONG KONG.
- Got drunk with my boss and all my new colleagues in Singapore.
- Signed an apartment lease for the first time since 2009.
- Went out in Hong Kong with an MBA classmate from the UK who now works in Switzerland and another from France who now works in Korea. The world is truly shrinking. 
- Visited floating markets in Thailand.
- Ran the Bangkok Half Marathon with the registration of a 53-year-old Thai man.
- Watched Taiwanese Opera (even though I didn't understand any of it).
- Flew on a Hello Kitty airplane.
- Went skiing in China.
- Witnessed a marriage proposal in Changbaishan.
- Spent Christmas with coworkers in China.
- Watched the fireworks display to ring in the new year in Hong Kong.

As I look forward to 2015, I am full of optimism. My job has so many possibilities, my new life in Hong Kong is starting to take root, and I already have a flight booked to return home for one of my favorite holidays. Just like hiking through a winding path, I cannot anticipate what will be ahead but I am excited to continue exploring. 

Changbaishan, China

Two weeks at Changbaishan ski resort in northeastern China showed me that people in this part of the world like the idea of skiing more than they do the sport, itself. 

On first glance, Changbaishan appears to be a well-developed, serious ski resort. The base of the mountain has several luxury hotels, a "European-style" village, and a beautiful new gondola. Even the nearby regional airport is expensive and limited in flight connections - just like its North American counterparts such as Vail, Taos, or Bozeman. If someone invests in a flight to this remote area, you would think they are serious about a winter holiday.

My flight arrived in the evening, and I got excited when I saw a heavy blanket of snow and some trails that were illuminated in the distance. My transfer to the hotel was in a luxury ski bus, complete with a private desk and computer.

Hotel shuttle bus, which included a desk and a private computer monitor

Despite being completely isolated and within an hour of the North Korea border, the appearance of my hotel could have rivaled any of the finest ski resorts in the world. The accommodations are spread across several villas, which give a nice residential feeling. Seeing the Christmas trees glistening in the window of the lobby immediately put me in the holiday spirit. 

Exterior of the main building

Home for the next 2 weeks

I had forgotten just how different Hong Kong is from mainland China, particularly in people's ability to speak English. At breakfast, I had my own personal waitress because she was basically the only one comfortable enough communicating with me in English. The others just stared at me like I was visiting from outer space. 

To their credit, most of the guests are from China and there are not many reasons for anyone to know English. I actually like being one of the few foreigners because it helps everyone to remember me. Not to inflate my ego or anything, but one of the staff members even told me I look like a movie star. Clearly they don't see movie stars too often!

Breakfast room in the hotel

Food throughout the resort was decent, but northern Chinese food is much less delicate than what I have gotten used to in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. I found lots of oily and salty dishes, fatty cuts of meats, and bold ingredients with a very aggressive flavor profile. 

My favorite dish of the entire trip was this giant squid.

Trying Chinese BBQ on Friday night

One night, we went to dinner in the town center (about 20 minutes from the ski resort) and I was amazed by the giant portions and cheap prices. You order from the photos on an illuminated wall (perfect for someone like me who can't read Chinese) and all the food was quite unique and tasty. My celebrity status was further elevated in this part of the town. As soon as we walked into the restaurant, everyone stared in our direction. Finally, one guy asked for a photo (with his flip phone!), which started a wave of other introductions. I was genuinely loving the curiosity and I have no sympathy for real celebrities who complain about the attention.

Making new friends in Baishan town center.

Our group in front of the order-by-picture wall

To be honest, there is not much to see in the Baishan town center other than a few restaurants and karaoke places. We walked around the ghost town for about five minutes after dinner before the sub-zero temperatures forced us to just head back to the resort.

Now, for the skiing...

With such luxurious amenities at the base of the mountain, my expectations for the skiing were somewhat high. My lift pass included equipment rental and it was the bargain price of CNY400 (approx US$65). The hotel has its own ski house on site, so I didn't even need to go outside to pick up my gear. 

I rode the gondola to the summit for my first run and dove straight into a black diamond, advanced run. It was somewhat steep, but would have definitely been rated an intermediate trail in North America or Europe. 

Do you like moguls?  They don't exist here. The only bumps in the trail are unintentionally created as a result of people skiing all day on fresh powder. 

Fresh powder was a really fun way to start the day

Glade skiing? Also doesn't exist. The only patches of trees on the mountain are too dense for anyone to ski through. I'm obsessed with glade skiing, so this was a bit of a disappointment.

Surprisingly, Changbai mountain is the highest in the entire Korean peninsula. That said, the vertical drop is still so much smaller than anything I have become accustomed to. Each run took no longer than a few minutes before I was back on the lift.  In fact, the lifts were the only things preventing me from doing 100+ runs per day (none of the lifts are detachable, which is surprising for brand new, Doppelmayr technology). Maybe the resort designers deliberately slowed things down to give the appearance that people are traveling a further distance up the mountain!

Once you do get to the top, the views are pretty decent because this is literally the only mountain in the area. Outside the village at the base, the landscape is largely untouched.

View from the summit of the mountain

One of the days was cloudy, which actually provided a very cool white-out effect:

Cloudy day on the mountain

The lack of crowds was probably the best part of the entire experience. If I was skiing in Western countries on Christmas, it would have been absolutely filled with people, but I felt like I had the entire mountain to myself in Changbaishan. There were a good amount of people roaming around the village, but very few of them actually know how to ski. In fact, the busiest trail (by far) was the bunny hill. I loved whizzing past the few adventurous souls on the black diamond trails and feeling like I was the most advanced skier on the entire mountain. 

It was also fun to see all the people with rented ski clothing, which are even more visible by their 70's era, all-plaid pattern! Those who did bring their own clothes sometimes added a little extra padding in case they fall over...

Extra padding for this snowboarder

A group of skiers in their rental outfits

Some people didn't even bother giving the impression that they wanted to ski. Instead, they just rode the gondola to the summit for some pictures of themselves in the snow. Jumping poses were the most popular.

A photo shoot at the top of the mountain

China is the land of funny signs and even the ski resort played into the stereotype. My favorite was the safety bar on the lifts, which comes with a reminder to lift the bar before exiting. Do some people not realize this when they reach the top and try to slide off??

Do not forget to lift the bar before exiting the lift!

For the first time since I can remember, I actually finished skiing before the lifts closed down. The biggest reason is that I was bored from skiing the same 5 trails without any real challenge. The other reason was the cold weather. I know, it sounds ridiculous to complain about cold weather when skiing is meant to be cold, but this was a temperature that I rarely experience. Perhaps I have become intolerant after spending the last 3 winters in Hong Kong, India, and Mexico?  Whatever the reason, I was happy to defrost at 3:30pm. 

Instead of going back to the hotel so early, I decided to walk through the ski village and see what they had to offer. Maybe my perspective is biased because my last ski vacation was in Aspen, but I was very surprised to see Pizza Hut, McDonald's, and other low-end shops. It was not what I expected in an area full of 5-star hotels, but I suppose it is proof that even rich people like fast food sometimes.

Changbaishan Ski Resort Village

I swear, I have seen this architecture before at another ski resort...

There's no better way to end a ski day than to return to a hotel and spend some time at the spa, so that is exactly what I did. With multiple indoor pools and even an outdoor heated pool (for crazy people), I had plenty of options for relaxation. Yet again, I had almost the entire place to myself.

Indoor pool at the hotel spa

 

Overall, it was a lot of fun to experience skiing in China. They have done an excellent job at copying some fine ski resorts throughout the world, but the biggest thing they couldn't mimic was a real mountain. Does it work for the local clientele? Surprisingly, yes.

For me, there was a glaring disconnect between the high quality of facilities and the (lack of) ski terrain. Back at home, this would have been a mountain that local people drive to for a quick day of skiing on a weekend. I couldn't imagine spending an entire week skiing at such a tiny resort with no other mountains nearby. Would I come back? Sure, but only for a couple days. Anyone who wants real skiing should look elsewhere. 

EVA Airways

I knew it would be a strange flight as soon as I saw the check-in kiosks. 
Each one had a pink bow on top, and Hello Kitty walked me through the steps as I checked in. 

Hello Kitty Check-In Kiosks

When my boarding card was printed, it had Hello Kitty drawings all over it.

My luggage tag? Hello Kitty.

Hello Kitty Boarding Pass and Luggage Tag

 
From a nearby wall, Hello Kitty wished me a nice trip. 
 
Am I in an airport or a doll house?

Fortunately, the security area was free of any cartoon characters. I thought I was in the clear.

Wishful thinking…

As I walked through the airport, I passed Hello Kitty souvenir shops…

Hello Kitty Souvenir Shop

 
Hello Kitty world clocks…

Hello Kitty Clocks

Hello Kitty departure lounges!

Hello Kitty Departure Lounge

 
As I sat on my Hello Kitty seat and waited for the Hello Kitty monitor to announce the flight boarding, I was so curious about why Taipei has such a huge obsession with this cartoon character. To my surprise, the character did not even originate in Taiwan (it was produced by a Japanese company in 1974).

For no obvious reason, EVA Air (Taiwan’s national airline) has an unusual fascination with Hello Kitty. In 2005, the first “Hello Kitty” jet was launched for flights to various destinations in Japan. Apparently, it was so popular that the airline expanded the “Hello Kitty” fleet to several other destinations – including Hong Kong.

Lucky me.

When I stepped onto the plane, the seatback covers each had Hello Kitty’s face drawn on them. Her bow appeared on the top of the emergency exit cards and her “friends” were even dancing around on the individual TV monitors. 

Hello Kitty entertainment system

 
As the flight prepared to board, I noticed a few more people taking photos of the hilarious display of Hello Kitty and I came to the conclusion that this was the most genius (although frightening) marketing technique for any airline I have flown. 

When I think back on all the flights I have taken throughout my life, very few are memorable. I am usually crammed into a too-small seat, listening to a safety video that I can recite from memory, and reading a dull in-flight magazine until I am given permission to use my electronic devices. I occasionally make small-talk with my neighbors, or look out the window at the ground personnel hard at work. 

For the first time in my life, I was truly entertained by an airline. I smiled. I laughed. I sent photo messages to friends and family. A tiny part of me was concerned that Hello Kitty would emerge from the cockpit, but overall, I was excited to discover the next surprise in store. 

I think it is very rare for a company to create a truly engaging experience for its customers. EVA Air has managed to take that giant leap and I commend them for it. I may not be interested in Hello Kitty, but I was undeniably engaged in the experience of flying on a Hello Kitty jet. 

At this point, the only thing left to do was sit back, relax, and enjoy the Hello Kitty mystery meat and cutlery that adorned my in-flight meal. 

My Hello Kitty-themed in-flight meal

Bravo, EVA Air. You won me over.

Taipei, Taiwan

Riding towards Taipei from the airport, I was surrounded by lush green hills. As we approached the city, mid-level apartment complexes started to emerge. It was a typical modern urban landscape, other than a few temples in the hills and a giant red building with traditional architectural elements, which I learned is the historic Grand Hotel. The highway was elevated, which allowed me to see into the distance from the car. A peaceful river twisted its way through the city, surrounded by lots of green space and bike trails. From my initial back-seat perspective, Taipei looks like a beautiful city with a high quality of life.

My Taipei airport transfer

Once we exited the highway, traffic became heavier and pedestrians filled the streets. My hotel is located in the main shopping district and adjacent to Taipei 101 (the world's tallest skyscraper from 2004 to 2010, when it was surpassed by Burj Khalifa in Dubai). From my window, I got a direct view of the building and the surrounding hills in the background. I was really excited to explore this city.

View from my window, with Taipei 101 in the foreground

View from the other angle of the hotel

When I walked out the front door of the hotel, my attention was immediately drawn to live music playing in a nearby park. I walked closer and saw people waving flags that said “#HUG for Taipei”. I was confused by the message but I later learned that this was just an election rally (makes sense in retrospect, since it was happening right in front of the City Hall). I admittedly do not know much about Taiwan’s political environment (other than its contentious relationship with China), but I am a fan of any place that turns a campaign rally into a live music concert.

Pre-election rally in front of City Hall

I then walked to the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and arrived just in time to watch the changing of the guard ceremony. I always get mesmerized by the focused and precise movements, even though I’m not sure what they are actually guarding since Yat-sen’s body is not buried there. Adjacent to the main foyer, there is a small museum with various artifacts and clips from Yat-sen’s life as a beloved leader for post-Imperial China. I’m not a museum person, so I breezed through this exhibition.

Exterior of Sun Yatsen Memorial Hall

Guard at Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall

I could hear loud music as soon as I stepped outside, and I noticed that there were at least 5 different dance crews creating and practicing their routines on the landings. I felt like I was at the auditions for a Taiwanese “Battle of the Year” remake, but it was much more entertaining than the museum inside so I stayed around for at least 20 minutes to watch them. The Koreans may have emerged victorious in the "Battle of the Year" movie, but I think the Taiwanese dancers are poised to throw down a challenge!

Dance Crew in front of Memorial Hall

Everyone says that night markets are THE thing to see in Taipei, so I decided to visit one as the next stop on my agenda. I considered trying out the public transport system, but decided instead to grab a bubble tea and enjoy the sights and sounds of Taipei while I walk there. Walking proved to be an excellent decision because I stumbled upon a make-shift stage and theatrical performance on the way. I decided to stop and watch. Of course I couldn’t understand a single word, but it didn’t even matter. The colorful costumes, hilarious choreography, and over-the-top acting was enough to keep me thoroughly entertained until the end of the show.

Impromptu Theatrical Performance

Street performance in Taipei

In case photos don't do it justice, I also took a video clip:

On the other side of the road was a beautiful temple that also piqued my curiosity. I stepped inside and admired all the decorations for a few minutes. There wasn’t a single inch of unused space, which always provides a wonderful sensory overload. As much as I enjoy seeing temples and churches around the world, I feel like I always miss out on so much information by simply appreciating the aesthetic elements, rather than taking the time to learn about what everything means. I could not even determine which religion the temple is dedicated to. I may have ended up with more questions than answers after this stop, but these little discoveries are what make travel so exciting for me.
  

Outside of the temple

Visitors praying

Another scene inside the temple

Scene inside the temple

I finally arrived at Raohe Street Night market and I was instantly amazed by the sheer number of people there. Everyone basically moves with the crowd and no one gets anywhere quickly. However, with all the sights and smells surrounding you, there is really no reason to be in a rush. Most of the vendors in the center of the road were selling junk food, while the shops along both sides were filled with clothing and other inexpensive gifts. I started to build up an appetite, but nothing was appealing enough to try (street markets aren't exactly known for their healthy options). Even though I did not end up buying anything at the market, I can totally see why it is such a famous place for both tourists and locals. If you haven't been to a night market, you haven't seen Taipei.

Entrance to Raohe Street Night Market

Filling some dumplings

Large quantities of food for the evening rush

Meat on a stick

Deep Fried Goodness

Street markets may get all the attention, but I also found downtown Taipei to be a wonderful area for high-street shopping. The mall inside Taipei 101 anchors a pedestrian-only street that is lined with shops and restaurants for at least a half-mile. I was pretty impressed by the range of brands, some of which I had never even heard of before. Although it was not even Thanksgiving back at home, the Taiwanese people wasted no time in putting up Christmas decorations and getting all the shoppers in the festive holiday mood.  

Pedestrian shopping mall at night

Another view from the outdoor shopping mall

My hotel was also decorated nicely for the Christmas holidays:

The hotel is ready for Christmas

The next few days in Taipei involved a lot of food. I love the family-style atmosphere of Chinese restaurants, but I inevitably eat more than I need. As a foreigner, I feel even more obligated to try everything that is placed in front of me so I don’t offend anyone with the false impression that I may not want to try the local cuisine. Fortunately for me, I enjoyed it all.

My view at almost every meal this week...

Speaking of food… On my last night in Taipei, I had the pleasure of eating at the famous Din Tai Fung. This location is in the basement of Taipei 101 and I loved the unpretentious atmosphere that allows the high-quality food to speak for itself. Din Tai Fung doesn’t take reservations, so the lobby is always filled with hungry people who are anxiously awaiting their number to be called. Once inside, my eyes were immediately drawn to the show kitchen. The dumpling chefs were crowded around small tables, each wearing a mask and hairnet. They delicately filled each dumpling and placed it on a bamboo steamer. Din Tai Fung may not be a fancy restaurant, but it is an experience that anyone should enjoy in Taipei.

Dim sum chefs at Din Tai Fung

Taipei is a city full of contrasts...
Shortly after watching dance crews push the envelope with an international hip-hop beat, I stumbled across a traditional Chinese theatrical performance.

Taipei is a city full of extremes...
At the same moment that street vendors hastily fill dumplings from a giant vat of mystery meat, nearby restaurants serve dumplings that are made with surgical precision and only using the highest quality ingredients.

Taipei is a city full of surprises...
In a country where Christians comprise only 4% of the population, Christmas decorations fill the streets and hotel lobbies. I felt more in the Christmas spirit here than I did in Paris last December.    

In Taipei, you can walk through the streets without an agenda, but still end up with non-stop entertainment. Despite being a modern industrial economy, Taiwan still retains many cultural traditions. I think this variety is what made the city so exciting for me to visit.

Buildings in downtown Taipei are lit up beautifully at night

Day trip from Bangkok

Even the best cities in the world deserve an escape. Thailand has such a rich culture and identity, but it’s hard to absorb it all in Bangkok. Like any big city, Bangkok has been infused with international chain restaurants, Western fashion brands, and activities that appeal to any international traveler. It is an easy city for tourists to enjoy, but the urban environment is hardly reflective of Thailand’s history. I was excited join a tour with some colleagues and visit a few markets and temples in the outskirts of Bangkok.

Our first destination was the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, which was like a photographer's paradise. Shortly after arriving, we all piled into boats and set off for our shopping adventure on the river. Our driver navigated the busy waterway while we looked around in awe. Some of the vendors sat in narrow boats and sold everything from fresh fruits to fried noodles. The river was also lined with many small shops. To be honest, there were so many things surrounding me that I found it difficult to focus. 

View of the Damnoen Saduak floating market from a bridge over the river

Whenever one of us showed even the smallest interest in anything on display, the shopkeeper would pull in the entire boat using a long stick with a hook attached. It is not possible to get out of the boat and walk around the shop, so all you have to do is point at the things that interest you. The whole experience felt like full-service window shopping. It’s hard to say 'no' to a purchase when you look at the faces of people who have clearly lived a very difficult life and who work hard for every dollar they earn.

Shopkeeper at the floating market

Shopkeeper at the floating market

Two women fill their boats with fruit to sell along the river

There were a lot of traffic jams on the river, while the boats stopped for passengers to buy things. It was obvious that this market no longer caters to locals, but it was fun to get a hint of what the floating markets are like for people living in rural Thailand.

View of the river from our boat

A woman travels down the river

After the first floating market, we had lunch at a very local seafood restaurant located in Don Hoi Lot. The restaurant literally stood above the water on a wide dock, where we could enjoy unobstructed views of the river. Occasionally, a loud motorboat would pass with a lone fisherman on board, but otherwise, the atmosphere was completely peaceful. The restaurant required us to leave our shoes at the entrance and for everyone to sit cross-legged on the floor. I was constantly fidgeting because my knees are not used to this seating arrangement, but the authentic flavors and gracious service made up for the sacrifice in seating comfort. 

One of many seafood dishes served to us at lunch

Next, we stopped at Maeklong's Umbrella Market (also called the “railway market”), which was an experience I will never forget. This market was set up alongside railroad tracks and the vendors sell mostly food items that include seafood, produce, and raw meats. At first glance, it looks just like another local market. However, several times each day, the vendors are required to pull back their displays in order to allow a train to pass.

Railway Market

Railway Market

A few minutes before the train arrived, a public announcement was made (in Thai), and suddenly, we witnessed the quiet commotion of the vendors raising their awnings and pulling back their displays. They knew exactly which items would remain safe beneath the train and how far to pull back their displays in order to avoid getting hit.   

Railway market prepares for the train to arrive

I don’t think any of us expected just how wide this train was because we were all in awe as it passed within inches of the food. Within seconds of the train passing, all of the awnings were down again and the market was back in business. 

We all agreed that we would not be excited to eat at any of the nearby restaurants, out of concern that they are serving produce that was literally sitting underneath the passing trains. Sometimes in a foreign country, we are forced to put blind faith in restaurants and just hope that we have strong enough immune systems!

Next, we visited the Wat Bang Kung - also known as the "temple in a tree". I’ll be honest- when I first heard about this place, I imagined it to be more like a tree house. In reality, it is just a regular temple that has become encased in the roots of nearby banyan trees. Outside the temple, people lit candles and prayed quietly. Once inside, they paraded around the Buddha – offering gifts and peeling off small pieces from the gold gilding. 

Outside Wat Bang Kung Temple

Adjacent to the temple is a memorial to commemorate a battle between Siam and Burmese invaders in the 18^th century. Apparently it was an important victory that allowed Siam to maintain control of a nearby naval base (or something like that), but to us, it just looked like a series of strange statues in various martial arts poses. I found the statues to be a little tacky, but they were at least worth a quick photo.

This is Thailand's idea of a memorial

Our final stop for the day was at Amphawa Floating Market. Unlike the market in the morning, this was not entirely located along the river. Instead, the vendors set up on both sides of a narrow road, selling mostly prepared food items. Along the river, there were a few boats selling food, but they were docked and selling to people who walked along the sidewalk. It's a good thing we had just enjoyed a large lunch, because otherwise, I would have wanted to try almost all the food for sale.

One of the boats selling food at Amphawa Floating Market

Amphawa market felt less touristy than the one we visited in the morning, but it was also a lot more crowded. After a quick walk through half of the market, we were all tired of being bumped every 10 seconds, so we stopped at a little waterfront café and had a makeshift happy hour to pass the time. With a beer in one hand and shaved ice in the other, it was a nice way to end our very full day of sightseeing. 

Overall, we had an awesome excursion out of the Bangkok. In some cities, day trips involve relaxation and enjoyment of the relaxing countryside. However, that's just not the way things work in Thailand. Everywhere you go is full of life and energy. Anyone who travels to Bangkok should certainly venture out of the city to see these unique sites, but they shouldn't necessarily expect a quiet and relaxing day. Relaxation can be enjoyed on the Thai beaches!

Enjoying the floating market with some colleagues!