Bangkok, Thailand
Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:31 am
Due to the move back to the old thread, the previous thread I made on Bangkok was lost in the reshuffle.
Here's the old thread, http://mybb.kcrag.com/showthread.php?tid=14156.
However, as I desire to add more pics, I will make a partial clone of it, then proceed from there.
So, let's reiterate from the beginning (as of June 8, 09):
I am currently in the land of temples, sois, royalty, damn good cuisine, ex-pats, coups, lady-boys, sexual exploits, and 7-Elevens... among other things.
This is for the purpose of visiting my relatives and am soon going to get out of the city to do a marine bio research internship.
I might as well get the negative aspects out of the way.
First thing you will notice when getting off the plane is the stink. Yes, that is waste you smell. This is due to the fact that the sewers are open. There is a reason that only water drank is bottled. Besides that, the city is filthy; there is garbage all over the place. The air pollution is noticeable, especially those with asthma and sensitive lungs in general. Oh and the noise pollution... the fucking noise pollution...
When you guys complain about how inconsiderate drivers in KC are to pedestrians, frankly, you don't have shit to complain about until you come here. Pedestrians don't have the right of way, it is the drivers that do. If there is no pedestrian overpass, the key - fucking mosquitos - the key to crossing a road is timing; if you are from out of town, it is best to cross the moment a couple of locals start crossing (go alongside a food cart for extra protection). The rules when driving is that there is pretty much no rules. People will change lanes, change direction, go in between lanes, etc at a moment's notice. Motorcycles and mopeds will be zipping between the cars all the time. Unless you have done it before or have experience in similar locals, driving is not recommended.
There a lot of beggars. Many are guys afflicted with some horrific ailment such as elephantiasis. Some are kids in uniform who say that they need to get to school. HAVE NO PITY ON ANY OF THEM. There are shelters to take these people in; they chose this path and actually form organizations that map where they will beg.
Urban planning is a foreign concept here. Condos just are going up randomly all over the place in cookie-cutter fashion.
I'm not going to bother going over the corruption.
Not really negative or positive; most places charge extra for foreigners. Fortunately for me, all I have to do is keep my mouth shut (I can't speak Thai to save my life) and have my relatives get the tickets.
That being said, I love this city (though I may not like it sometimes). It is like a third home to me and its part of my heritage.
Food is excellent and cheap. Oh it's so cheap. Praise the exchange rate and the good deal its prophet. You can get a well-portioned, nutritious, good-tasting, from-scratch meal for less than a U.S. buck. Temporarily getting food poisoning, due to the digestive system not being used to the local stuff ingested, is completely worth it; besides the system will get acclimated sooner or later (it depends of the person). Due to the proximity of the sea, there is much to be found among seafood. Grouper is nice, though I am one to extol the virtues of the mud crab steamed with sweet sauce. Horseshoe crab, that funny-looking arachnid, is awesome as a salad served in its shell. And then comes the selection of fruit: custardy sweetsop, sweet mankrut, mangos of varying ripeness, creamy durian (at least I prefer it to be overripe), fresh coconut juice from the shell, rambutan, lynchee, longan, jackfruit, guava, etc, etc... I am usually not one to judge, but if there is not a single fruit that can be found in Thailand that you do not like, something is wrong.
There is much to be said of the diversity of flora and fauna, especially in a city as dense as this. Whether it be listening to the geckos at night, feeding giant catfish at the Chaoprya River, or watching a meter-long water monitor sunning itself lazily on a sidewalk. And of course there be the cultivation of orchids.
Awesome public transit system. The BTS is a two-routed elevated system, while the MRT is a single-line subway. Both systems are speedy and are helpful in avoiding traffic. Soon a system to connect both MRT an BTS to the airport will be completed.
The culture is one thing that can never be underestimated here. It is expected from such an old capital city located in a central location of the nation. There are many temples to visit, most several centuries old and showing off Thai architecture at its finest. It is especially fascinating seeing traditional shrines right next to gleaming office skyscrapers. In general, the Buddhist is quite evident from the venders selling jasmine wreaths in gridlock to young monks going for food donations. Plus museums such as the National Museum and Royal Barge Museum are prevalent. Though, frankly, if you want to see more distinctive culture, get out of the city.
And possibly the greatest person here is King Rama IX. He is a renaissance man who has done more for this country in fifty years than the parliamentary government can hope to do in a century. Even without leste majeste laws in place, it is doubtful most people here will say anything bad about him, unless they have an axe to grind or need attention.
Hope that is a good summary. One more word of advice: if any of you decide to come here, don't be like a Japanese/Chinese tourist. They are aggravating as hell. Don't know whether it is the way they go in these packs or the apparent lack of respect they have in places.
Here's the old thread, http://mybb.kcrag.com/showthread.php?tid=14156.
However, as I desire to add more pics, I will make a partial clone of it, then proceed from there.
So, let's reiterate from the beginning (as of June 8, 09):
I am currently in the land of temples, sois, royalty, damn good cuisine, ex-pats, coups, lady-boys, sexual exploits, and 7-Elevens... among other things.
This is for the purpose of visiting my relatives and am soon going to get out of the city to do a marine bio research internship.
I might as well get the negative aspects out of the way.
First thing you will notice when getting off the plane is the stink. Yes, that is waste you smell. This is due to the fact that the sewers are open. There is a reason that only water drank is bottled. Besides that, the city is filthy; there is garbage all over the place. The air pollution is noticeable, especially those with asthma and sensitive lungs in general. Oh and the noise pollution... the fucking noise pollution...
When you guys complain about how inconsiderate drivers in KC are to pedestrians, frankly, you don't have shit to complain about until you come here. Pedestrians don't have the right of way, it is the drivers that do. If there is no pedestrian overpass, the key - fucking mosquitos - the key to crossing a road is timing; if you are from out of town, it is best to cross the moment a couple of locals start crossing (go alongside a food cart for extra protection). The rules when driving is that there is pretty much no rules. People will change lanes, change direction, go in between lanes, etc at a moment's notice. Motorcycles and mopeds will be zipping between the cars all the time. Unless you have done it before or have experience in similar locals, driving is not recommended.
There a lot of beggars. Many are guys afflicted with some horrific ailment such as elephantiasis. Some are kids in uniform who say that they need to get to school. HAVE NO PITY ON ANY OF THEM. There are shelters to take these people in; they chose this path and actually form organizations that map where they will beg.
Urban planning is a foreign concept here. Condos just are going up randomly all over the place in cookie-cutter fashion.
I'm not going to bother going over the corruption.
Not really negative or positive; most places charge extra for foreigners. Fortunately for me, all I have to do is keep my mouth shut (I can't speak Thai to save my life) and have my relatives get the tickets.
That being said, I love this city (though I may not like it sometimes). It is like a third home to me and its part of my heritage.
Food is excellent and cheap. Oh it's so cheap. Praise the exchange rate and the good deal its prophet. You can get a well-portioned, nutritious, good-tasting, from-scratch meal for less than a U.S. buck. Temporarily getting food poisoning, due to the digestive system not being used to the local stuff ingested, is completely worth it; besides the system will get acclimated sooner or later (it depends of the person). Due to the proximity of the sea, there is much to be found among seafood. Grouper is nice, though I am one to extol the virtues of the mud crab steamed with sweet sauce. Horseshoe crab, that funny-looking arachnid, is awesome as a salad served in its shell. And then comes the selection of fruit: custardy sweetsop, sweet mankrut, mangos of varying ripeness, creamy durian (at least I prefer it to be overripe), fresh coconut juice from the shell, rambutan, lynchee, longan, jackfruit, guava, etc, etc... I am usually not one to judge, but if there is not a single fruit that can be found in Thailand that you do not like, something is wrong.
There is much to be said of the diversity of flora and fauna, especially in a city as dense as this. Whether it be listening to the geckos at night, feeding giant catfish at the Chaoprya River, or watching a meter-long water monitor sunning itself lazily on a sidewalk. And of course there be the cultivation of orchids.
Awesome public transit system. The BTS is a two-routed elevated system, while the MRT is a single-line subway. Both systems are speedy and are helpful in avoiding traffic. Soon a system to connect both MRT an BTS to the airport will be completed.
The culture is one thing that can never be underestimated here. It is expected from such an old capital city located in a central location of the nation. There are many temples to visit, most several centuries old and showing off Thai architecture at its finest. It is especially fascinating seeing traditional shrines right next to gleaming office skyscrapers. In general, the Buddhist is quite evident from the venders selling jasmine wreaths in gridlock to young monks going for food donations. Plus museums such as the National Museum and Royal Barge Museum are prevalent. Though, frankly, if you want to see more distinctive culture, get out of the city.
And possibly the greatest person here is King Rama IX. He is a renaissance man who has done more for this country in fifty years than the parliamentary government can hope to do in a century. Even without leste majeste laws in place, it is doubtful most people here will say anything bad about him, unless they have an axe to grind or need attention.
Hope that is a good summary. One more word of advice: if any of you decide to come here, don't be like a Japanese/Chinese tourist. They are aggravating as hell. Don't know whether it is the way they go in these packs or the apparent lack of respect they have in places.