Smiling Buddha

After the sensory overload that is China I gratefully arrived in Bangkok to a hefty dose of Western luxury:

Familiar faces, Lattes galore, Pepperoni Pizza, English bookstore, English (in general), Blue sky and sunshine, British Pub, Internet cafes with high-speed access, Waffles with strawberries, Thai massage, Pedicure, Doing laundry with a washer and dryer, Toilets with seats... that thing where you watch a TV series on DVD and just keep watching all the episodes all the way through like a worthless lazy bum. (The Office, Season 1. Yes! Wazzuuup!)

I spent a full day being lazy - my first in over two months - and it was brilliant.

My friends Jen and Ryan from Minnesota are living in Thailand. She teaches English and he is a professional poker player, so they decided to take advantage of this time as newlyweds and living abroad. I'm staying with them for a few days and their place rules: it's air-conditioned and posh and they're right by the sky train, a spa, a coffee shop, and an internet cafe. Score!

We went to Wat Pho temple, home of the 46-meter giant reclining Buddha. (Who looked kind of like me, watching The Office.) I decided that my first cultural assignment here will be to learn about Buddhism so I'll have some idea what I'm looking at in all these temples. From what I know so far, it focuses on the acceptance of reality (not explaining creation or death), and it doesn't have the same violent history of other major world religions. (Which makes Buddhism a popular idea among people at home who typically identify themselves as "Spiritual, not religious" - a growing bucket, it seems, judging by Match.com and Facebook profiles.)

Thailand first impressions: This place rules. It's super-cheap and will only cost me around $25/day. It's maintained plenty of Thai culture but also isn't too unfamiliar, and I'm really looking forward to getting to the jungle and beaches. I was worried about all the stray dogs, but it's so humid that they just remain eternally passed-out. Plus, seeing friends has been terrific and as I did China with a tour, I'm also looking forward to getting back on the backpacker circuit and meeting other travelers from around the world.