Sawadee Thailand

Our departure from Delhi was late and disorganized. (Typical of India, some might say, but stilll quite suprising for an international airport.) We waited for about two hours to check in, and then got sent to the boarding gate where we waited some more, receiving no further information until we spotted some familiar faces (the couple in front of us at the check-in counter) standing in a line to board the plane!! We joined them and boarded the (correct) plane, and everything went pretty smoothly from there. We finally left around one o'clock in the morning, at which point they came around with drinks and snacks... followed by a complete meal! I know they're trying to placate customers, but in the middle of the night? A taxi from the airport in took us straight to our guesthouse, where we promptly went to bed! Now if you think traffic in Montreal is bad, try Bangkok. Several times we came to a complete standstill, but the drivers don't get annoyed, they just turn the motor off and wait.
We spent about five days staying in an area called Banglamphu. Our guesthouse was on a tiny street lined with traditional two storey homes, with open living spaces on the ground floor, that spill onto the sidewalk. People cook outside, eat outside and the kids play in the street - it feels a bit like you're in a small village, but in the middle of a huge city. We were five minutes from the Chao Phraya River, where you can catch a boat - local, public transportation, about fifty cents per person. This is the best, cheapest and fastest way to get around, and lots of fun in itself as there are many students (all in school uniform, and yes, Villa Girls, perfectly ironed and no buttons missing!) and even a space reserved for monks!
The boat takes you to a sky train, an overground subway, right into the new downtown with huge super modern shopping plazas - quite a contrast from our "village" neighborhood. Here everything is very western, glitzy, and expensive! There are flashy Christmas decorations everywhere now, and hundreds of Thais taking pictures of themselves (especially fashionable teenagers). We did too, of course, although at 30 degrees, it feels nothing like Christmas. There is a walkway underneath the skytrain which is really neat as you have a view from above, and never have to cross the street!
A few sights included an amazing buddhist temple (with a gigantic reclining golden Buddha), the flower market, and the Bangkok Museum (with 1000 year old ceramics, carved ivory, intricate pearl inlay, wood and stone sculptures, etc...no one was getting paid by the hour when they made these things!) One evening, Jean-Francois and I ended up at a royal funeral event for the King's sister who died... a year ago. Apparently she was well appreciated, as there were thousands of people in attendance, and we were the only foreigners!
First impressions of Thailand? It's incredibly quiet... people don't honk here constantly like they do in India. Even people on motorbikes or bicycles say "beep beep" instead of honking. Just that makes it so much more relaxing. And, it's clean. Every morning vendors sweep the street and garbage (collected in wicker baskets!) is removed regularly. Quite amazing for such a densely populated city. And great street food: pad thai, fried rice, fish, seafood, fresh fruit salad, everything is made on the spot, it's cheap and delicious!