sawatdee

spent the great part of the past week in thailand. spent a good half day being utterly awestruck by the grandeur of buddhist temples. made some giraffe and elephant friends. (the tiger cub was less friendly.) weaved my way in and out of impossible bangkok traffic, in motorbike vehicles known as tuk-tuks. shopped my heart out, in swanky shopping centers and sweaty night bazaars alike. the heat was sweltering; most days we went out in the morning, retreated to the oasis that is our hotel and its swimming pool during the late afternoon, and then ventured out again near dinner time. amazing experience indeed.

on my way from airport to hotel on the first day, it suddenly occurred to me how remarkable the world is. it strikes me how cities - whether it be new york or bangkok - are simultaneously so different yet somehow much more alike than we usually think. for example the same concrete networks of congested highways dominate the landscape everywhere, but vast differences lie in the details. i'm exploring and learning about these differences and similarities city by city, bit by bit. i'm only getting started.