“We have only one day in Bangkok, Donica. What should we go see?”
“What are the options, Dave?”
“Well, we’ve already been to the Temple of the Dawn, the Reclining Buddha, the Golden Mount, Khaosan Road and Chinatown. Want to visit any of those places again?”
“Nah, let’s go someplace different.”
“Hmm, didn’t you say something about corgis?”
When we travel, Donica and I tend to gravitate toward the unusual. If there’s an odd museum, a temple dedicated to tigers, or an island where they filmed a James Bond movie, that’s where we’re heading. It’s only natural, then, that during our 24-hour transit stay in the Thai capital, we’d somehow end up at “Corgi in the Garden” – Bangkok’s only dog café dedicated to the diminutive dog breed.
We’re talking corgis here – some of the cutest, friendliest dogs on the planet.
After paying our 350 baht (~$10), we enter a small, bright “café” with tons of tables and benches. This would be a perfectly nice, albeit generic, place to spend an afternoon sipping a cappuccino and noshing on a muffin. But this café has that extra ingredient – corgis! A dozen of them, bustling about, begging for treats, demanding attention.
Imagine a room full of frantic, spastic Minions and you get the idea. Delightful chaos.
As I take a seat at a nearby table, careful not to spill my decaf Americano, two corgis immediately jump up on the bench next to me and snuggle their heads into my lap. I’m sold!
During our hour at Corgi in the Garden – which isn’t really a garden – we take a LOT of pictures, because that’s what this place is really all about: selfie ops. Are the dogs exploited? It doesn’t seem like it. They appear to be well kept, healthy and happy, if a bit food-obsessed. Like in many animal cafes, the dogs here give the most attention to the guests who have bought the 100 baht (~$3) treats. A pet shelter where you learn about the denizens and tend to their care and upraising this is not. Corgi in the Garden is definitely a commercial enterprise trading on the cuteness of the pets and the guests’ obsession with Instagram. But sometimes you just have to let go of judgment and say, “No harm no foul.” The dogs seem happy. The visitors are happy.
And boy, do I want to adopt a corgi now!
(There’s a certain snobbiness you find around some backpack travelers. “I’d never go there! I’m a traveler, not a tourist!” I can understand this. I once told a girlfriend I didn’t want to go to Hawaii with her because I didn’t want to hang around with rich people. “I only travel to developing countries, where the real people live!” Such hubris! “Real” people live everywhere; there are good and bad folks wherever you go, and chances are you’ll draw the type of people who reflect your current level of judgment. In other words, if you’re stuck in a mindset of criticizing everyone you meet – “Oh, did you see that bathing suit – gross!” – chances are you’ll attract negative people to your side. However, if you look for the good in people, then good people you will find, wherever you are… whether it’s on the beach in Honolulu or hiking the Himalayas. Or petting a corgi in Bangkok. “You are you wherever you go.” Pack your suitcases but leave your judgment at home!)
(Dave Blum is the creator of Dr. Clue Treasure Hunts, www.drclue.com, a teambuilding company featuring over 150 treasure hunt locations worldwide. He has visited over 40 countries in his 60+ years of life and plans to keep traveling until he gives up the ghost. Dave lives in Northern California with his wife, Donica, and their 17-year-old Maine Coon, Ava — an indoor cat who dreams of one day escaping captivity and exploring her own neighborhood Wow Places.)