Tale of Two Cities

So after an extremely stressful wedding planning process the wife and I seriosuly deserved some R&R. We spent a lot of time planning an epic homeymoon in SE Asia, and we're finally getting to realize our dreams here. After a brutal late-night 17 hour flight from LAX, we landed in Bangkok. As we stepped out of the airport the heat and humidity immediately hit us and we were instantly sweating through our clothes...at 6 AM. We grabbed a cab and headed to our hotel, the Miracle. The name could not have been more ironic. There was nothing miraculous about the Miracle. The rooms were small, dirty, and nothing worked. The rooftop pool was a nice touch, aside from the fact that it overlooked a slum overrun with wild dogs and people cooking strange smelling meats (perhaps some of said dogs...I'm not even kidding), and the internet was down. I ended up repairing their internet on the sly and using it without them knowing so I wouldn't have to pay. This was in retaliation for the constant scamming they try to pull on you as an American. Granted, some of this is deserved, since Americans in general tend to be completely unwilling to make any attempts to assimilate themselves into the culture they are traveling in. I'm guilty of that. I learned very few Thai phrases before we got there. I figured I could get by with my boyish smile and a "sa wat dee kob,' but no dice. We ended up taking a cab past the downtown warzone and into the Grand Palace (absolutely amazing) and Chatuchak, the world's largest street market. This was an unreal experience. They sell everything from food to fake handbags to puppies. The sights, sounds, and smells are absolutely indescribable.

The next morning we flew to Jimbaran Bay in Bali and posted up at the Sour Seasons. What a difference 24 hours makes! A private villa with our own plunge pool overlooking beautiful Jimbaran Bay with Mt. Akung in the distance. This place is truly an epic paradise that has no equal that I have seen. And that's why this blog entry will be so short. The sun is shining, there's fresh fish on the grill, and the Bintang beers are flowing.

Till next time friends.