The Journalist and The Story Seeker

For our latest epic family adventure over the holidays, we decided to check out busy Bangkok.

These two happen to be the best travellers.

They are game to go anywhere. Try anything. And eat (*almost) anything. With wholehearted enthusiasm. (*as long as it's not durian) 

The thing I Ioved the most was observing their totally different approaches and takes on all the various new experiences during our holiday. 

Here's how I frame it...

The Journalist

Grace is all about the facts. Seeking tangible experiences. Getting her hands (and sometimes feet) stuck right in. At the floating markets, she persuaded us to go for a boat ride down the klong. At Chatuchak market she spotted a big garish display of barbecued baby octopus and urged daddy to buy some to try. At one of the temples she spotted a monk offering blessings and unabashedly went forward to receive one too. She was the only one in the family who tried out the feet-tickling fish spa at one of the night markets we visited. She snapped random photos of various things that caught her interest with her little camera. And she documented everything in her 'My Bangkok Holiday' journal.

(*Not that Nathan did not enjoy participating in in the same experiences, Grace just tends to be the one who initiates or takes an interest and asks to try things out first)

The Story Seeker

Nathan on the other hand is usually drawn to the stories, legends and folklore. If he spotted a poor beggar or disabled person, he would ponder over what might have happened to them. At various statues and figurines in the temples and historic sites we visited, he would ask who they were and about the story behind them. He was captivated by the legendary battle between the Wat Arun giants against their archenemy giants at Wat Pho across the Chao Phraya river which decimated the land resulting the gods cursing them to become stone statues guarding each temple for eternity. He was fascinated by the statue of the the seven-headed Naga protecting Buddha from the elements as he was meditating to seek enlightenment. He was even drawn to the somewhat disconcerting story of the beautiful Nang-Ai and her lover Pha Daeng desperately trying to escape the clutches of the devious Naga King who disguised himself as a white squirrel to be killed and eaten, then come back alive to curse everyone who ate him and kidnap Nang-Ai into his underwater kingdom. So weird yet oddly fascinating. Nathan doesn't bother to write or record any of these stories down (even though I think he should) but sometimes I see elements of such stories coming through in his Lego play or in his fictional writing assignments.

As different as chalk and cheese... mango and rice... fried chicken and milo powder... but they taste surprisingly delicious together!