The site and smells were so tempting at every cart that I could not resist trying a little of everything. From exotic fruits to sweet bread and smoked fish, my taste buds were in heaven. The food sold was cheap in price but pure in taste, fit for Kings and pons alike. Yet the most unexpected taste was that it longed to be shared with a living soul. As I looked at my journal, I realized again writing words, no matter how profound, wouldn’t cut it.
One of the main reasons I decided to stay in city center was that it paved an easy path to have a positive impact on the local environment by reducing my carbon footprint. After eating a few too many poultry and rice dishes, I left Khau Son Road to explore the magnificent ancient golden temples of Bangkok. The unsteady sidewalks were not created or designed for long walks; however, the adventure of trying not to get a twisted ankle only lasted 40 minutes when I came upon an open lush green field. After looking down at my feet and the trash-covered roads for almost an hour, the sites that now stood in front of me were even more profound. Both Wat Phrakaew, otherwise know as the Emerald Buddha Temple and Wat Pho, both Buddhist temples were beyond my imagination.
The memory that sticks with me the most was the first temple I decided to visit: Wat Pho, filled with silent reverence and busy tourist chatter, I entered the through the thick walls and secure gate surrounding the temple. Soaring towers, powerful statues, and intimidating staircases blanketed all of the buildings at the site. As I got closer the small sacred patterns and architectural details became more and more apparent. After a few minutes of walking the grounds, I noticed a smaller temple opening, away from the larger temple near the entrance. A few Thai men and tourists had taking off their shoes to enter the temple to pay homage to Buddha. It didn’t take long until I was taking off my shoes to join the others. When my shoes were off and bare feet hit the cool marble floor I felt a single feeling--Bangkok is too romantic to explore alone. I knew, right then and there, that I would return home, only to begin planning me next trip.
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