I needed a root canal and a new crown. What better place to go than Thailand to have the procedures done? Yes indeed, I researched dental clinics, made an appointment, booked flights and hotel, and, after weather related setbacks and re-booking, I arrived in Bangkok and went to the dentist(s)!
Dental Clinic + Hotel next door!
The extremely long flights from Prince Edward Island, Canada to Bangkok were not fun, or even comfortable, but well worth the discomfort to receive dental treatment superior to any I’ve experienced in Canada, United States, or Mexico!
I also took advantage of their exceptional healthcare, seeing a dermatologist and vascular specialist (for advice on preventing varicose veins). The hospital I chose sent an 11-person van (for only me!) to my hotel for pick-up/return service, at no cost, to attend my appointments. What a relief to sit back in air-conditioning, chauffeured by an experienced driver for 45-60 minutes (depending on traffic). The driver never spoke a word to me but received at least 25 phone calls + text messages during each trip.
Definitely a party van!
11-seater, just to fetch me!
Bangkok’s population of 15 million is evidenced in the amount of vehicular traffic, public transportation traffic, and pedestrian traffic. Even Bangkok’s gigantic shopping malls that stretch several blocks and 8 or more floors high are busy, busy, busy! As a frame of comparison, our friend explained to his Thai sons that the population of the small Canadian province we arrived from “has the same number of people as in this mall”! (that certainly put it into context for me!)
8 cool floors of shopping, entertainment + aesthetic services
Shop, or preview & watch a movie at mall
…or get a haircut!
Only 6 floors in this mall
Of course, more shopping outside in front of malls…gotta’ love the headless mannequins!
With so much to do, some folks are simply tired…
Asleep at the wheel
Asleep at the table
Asleep on the job
There’s always a friendly massage parlor to alleviate stress; some fancy–some not so much.
With 15 million inhabitants (and counting) there’s always a crowd…
Waited for only 2 trains this time!
Simply the way it is in Bangkok
Food vendors squeeze in everywhere, motorbikes pass on center line!
Who yields?
We always felt safe in Bangkok, even off the beaten path as Bill walked and explored every day for a month; even walking or shopping by myself in the evening. With so many people out, day and night, we seemed inconsequential!
Temples, shrines, offerings are conspicuous on main streets, and some not so much…
In residential neighborhoods in full view…
…or quite obscured
At grocery store in shopping mall
At a hotel’s front entrance
At Bangkok’s International Airport
We were in Bangkok for the 2018 “Blood-Red Blue-Moon Super-Eclipse” and viewed the eclipse in front of our hotel on a busy avenue. We shared our binoculars with staff members of my dental clinic who had emerged to catch a glimpse of it. They were thrilled by the gesture, some of whom had never viewed thru’ binoculars. We admired the Thai people whom we had the privilege to meet and interact with.
The city’s architecture and design is incredible. Good that we weren’t driving because we were constantly looking up and around! Our photo’s are marginal examples of the stunning sights…
Alongside huge buildings, development projects, and super-highways with numerous toll booths is the extreme opposite in deplorable conditions. Indeed, a city of much contrast.
Directly across road from high-end hotel…
…a putrid canal gags pedestrians.
High-rises loom over squalid communities.
A wooden path would be no fun at night.
The focus of a month long visit to Thailand was my dental work; not much time was allocated to ‘touristy’ pursuits—simply being there as tourists was reward enough! We did take 2 side trips from Bangkok—first to Pattaya, a beach town 3 hours via bus from Bangkok. We were shocked by the enormous number of tourists, vacationers, and X-pats in this locale. Bill refers to Pattaya’s atmosphere as “wall to wall people” which is definitely not our kind of place!
View from hotel–Pattaya is not a small town!
Dozens of buses parked near our hotel—not even close to the beach!
Pattaya’s Beachfront Streets
Darn, didn’t have the sticker I needed
Offerings abound, big or small
Gigantic billboards
No cost spared on McD’s building!
All the fuss over this beach?
Pumping out of sewer…
…into ocean (gulp)
“I’ve got a Pattaya migraine–get me outta here”
Disembarking at Pattaya’s bus depot, we were herded onto a tuk-tuk with other pale folks, and were required to pay in advance to be taken to our individual drop-off points. About 20 minutes later we jumped off the truck, entered our hotel, handed over passports at the desk…and discovered Bill was missing his wallet!!! He immediately ran outside, hailed a taxi and returned to the bus depot—the last place he’d had his wallet out when paying the tuk-tuk. He inquired as to the tuk-tuk driver’s whereabouts, learning that drivers come and go at will, with no set schedules or even days when they may appear. He waited there for over an hour, related his loss to as many people as possible, but neither the driver nor the wallet materialized.
He returned to the hotel, exhausted and upset. The cash loss was his whole trip’s spending money. Other items of credit card, driver’s licence, healthcare card, travel-medical insurance card, and of course, 2 lovely wedding day photos of me. Phoning to cancel the credit card was priority, followed by other alerts to Canada. Upsetting as this was, my hope was that whomever found his wallet was in need of the money, and that the cash would have provided some relief. I couldn’t wait to quit Pattaya—3 days there seemed forever.
Encountering this couple made visit to Pattaya worthwhile!
Back in Bangkok, my dental procedures continued. Bill started coughing (a lot), then sneezing—definitely had a cold. Generous as usual, he shared with me, and 3 days later I succumbed to same, along with low-grade fever. My ailments coincided with an invitation to see a friend’s band in a small lounge. I disappointingly missed the event, staying under covers in hotel room. I watched 2 Mexican nationals in a heavyweight boxing match on TV, one of whom is apparently very popular.
Recovering from the first, and worst cold I’d had in years stole precious time from activities. Time was also lost awaiting the Canadian VISA company to re-issue Bill’s lost credit card, taking much longer than promised. Unsure of when the card would arrive at our Bangkok hotel stalled planning our next side trip. Airfares within Thailand to the exotic isles I longed to visit became more costly by the hour! Short notice bookings are very expensive; prices tripled, or more, from when we started looking 2 weeks ago. When the replacement credit card was finally retrieved from the courier’s office (not delivered to hotel!), my island choices were severely limited due to exorbitant airline fares. I settled for Krabi, which by no means is less in any way than other locales—it just wasn’t where I’d hoped to go. Krabi did not disappoint, offering us a marvelous glimpse of stunning Thailand!
KRABI – Hotel Grounds & Surrounds
Our balcony view, 1 side of room..
…other side with a private stairway
Up the road, in the forest
AU NANG
A beach town on the Andaman Sea—huge beach and plenty of tourists with nice relaxed atmosphere, didn’t feel cramped. Swam in the beautiful sea!
Size doesn’t matter–tiny cafe, great lunch!
Main street view from cafe
.
Andaman Beach
5-minute tuk-tuk ride from hotel…
…to beach across the bay
Our hotel pier in view
Nice beach, too mucky for swimming
Didn’t stay long in the sweltering heat without swimming! A few tourists lay in the shade; no one at the open-air, uniquely constructed restaurant. (archway on the path would make a great carport!)
Return to Bangkok
Couldn’t be in this city a day without commenting on food—every kind, everywhere, on every budget! Grocery store bread, probably for foreigners because locals don’t buy it. Whole wheat, uh-huh, but charcoal bread? Didn’t try it.
Regular eggs and pink eggs! Didn’t ask what bird laid them (someone suggested flamingo?)
Apples are popular in grocery stores, packaged in various ways, priced same as in Canada, with exceptions, as pictured—expensive variety, over $8/kg.
Potatoes were a big surprise—packaged in 2’s! Didn’t see bagged potatoes in larger quantity anywhere! Yams (sweet potatoes) ruled instead—even sold precooked, and as a cold salad buffet selection.
Out of the shops, and onto the streets, food rules!
Other observations…
An ordinary mailbox, until I looked closer…
… “Bangkok” and “Other Places”!
Smaller town style (Canada Post take note!)
Bridges, modern or commemorative
Great for crossing busy streets but sidewalk space gets eliminated!
Manual labor washes the stairs and bridges.
The metro and stations are spotlessly clean, super efficient (Toronto–take note of forming a polite line to board trains–no pushing!)
A rare moment of emptiness…
Bill has a friend from his Canadian hometown who has lived in Thailand for over 30 years, is well established in business and family life. He explained some of the complications of residency for foreigners. Upon my return to Canada, I delved into the intricacies of becoming an X-pat in Thailand; requirements are stringent in my humble opinion.