Long Live the King

I'm sitting in the Bangkok airport waiting for my flight to Siem Reap. Wow, it's been a crazy wild ride for the past few days. I've hardly had a minute to sit down and process all that I've seen, heard, tasted, smelled.... smelled..... and smelled. Thailand is amazing in so many ways. We've been lucky enough over the past couple of days to travel outside of Bangkok and see a little bit of the countryside, which has been delightful. I love the countryside, it reminds me of Russia in many ways. The people live very simply and close to the earth. It's a totally different feeling than anything in the U.S., even when you get out into the mountains or desert.

One very interesting and surprising aspect of Thai culture is their reverence for their King. Pictures of him are everywhere, including on roadside stands, highway overpasses, in taxicabs, on sides of buildings. It's very different to be among a people who have such high regard for any individual. There is no dissent, no one expresses disagreeable opinions against the King. And, I thought it was very interesting that they actually have signs that say "Long Live the King." I first noticed it on New Year's Eve as it was scrolling on one of the towers downtown. I don't know that I've heard the phrase "Long Live the King" anywhere except for in Disney's Robin Hood or Sword in the Stone. It's one of those things that you notice and say to yourself "wow" because it's not something you would ever see at home.

We just got our boarding call so I gotta run. I'm really looking forward to Cambodia, I think because I don't really know what to expect. There's much more information widely available and circulated about Thailand, meaning that you actually hear about it occasionally on the news. That's not the case with Cambodia. It's going to be interesting to see what the country and the people are like. I'll try not to accidentally step on any land mines. :)