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Published: February 20th 2007
Khaosan road
Busy busy day and nightI have now spent one night and two hot days in Bangkok. After Qatar’s five star conditions getting used to the backpacker budget was a bit difficult at first. Particularly when I couldn’t find the air con from my room and there was some 50 degrees. Well, the machine was found and I actually had an enjoyable nine hour sleep. And when not tired, hungry or too hot I feel much more settled and have started to enjoy the chaos here.
Yesterday I took it easy and stayed close to the Khao San Road area where all backpackers live. I guess that was mainly because I didn’t have an idea how to get around elsewhere in the city, it all felt so big and crowed. So had a massage and pedicure (and today another herb foot massage - it’s getting out of hands…), organised visas to the next countries, and just wandered around instead. You can so tell which people are new to the country - the pale and flabby ones - whereas the travelers who have spent months here are all slim and beautifully tanned with messy hairs. I so hope that at some stage I could step out
from the first category which I’m afraid I quite stereotypically represent.
Today I was more adventurous and have moved around quite a bit. First I fell to a typical tuk tuk driver set up - they promise you a cheap sightseeing tour but then take you places which are not for any interest (small Buddha temples) or shops/service providers that have commissioned the drivers. So after a couple of these places I decided to cut the tour short and took a taxi instead to the Royal Palace and Wat Phra Kaew where I actually wanted to go. I think I need to leave further tuk tuk rides for the other countries, as it is so polluted here and really don’t want to breath all the fumes. Plus you can hardly see anything from back seat!
More Buddhas and colourful temples followed as I saw another main attraction: Wat Pho where the largest reclining Buddha is displayed. It really was huge: 46 meters long and 15 meters high and nearly too big for the building. Another nice thing there was a row of some 50 cups where you could drop a coin for charity. People then walked in a
Reclining buddha
This one is one of the biggest Buddha images - it fills in the whole temple. queue and dropped a baht coin (local currency) in each cup. I don’t know what is the actual purpose of the procedure but I was thinking one of my family members or friends every time when I dropped the coin.
In addition to tuk tuk and taxi I also traveled with a boat, which was by far the most pleasant and cheap way to get around. When I come back to Bangkok I’ll take another trip to see the klongs (side canals of the main river).
It’s only beginning but so far food has been disappointing. It’s probably because I’m mostly hanging out in the very touristy areas. I’ve eaten one very basic pad thai and left prawns in a sticky thai sauce untouched. It looked so utterly disgusting. Fruit and fruit juices and shakes are on the other hand so delicious that at daytime you don’t really need anything else. And so far (knock knock) I’ve felt good and healthy apart from slight sick feeling that follows swallowing the malaria tablet.
I’m taking a night bus tonight to travel to the Island of Ko Chang, south east from Bangkok The plan is to chill out until
Scary statue
There were lots of these in the Grand palace - and other temples. Saturday, but if I haven’t read at least three books by then might stay even longer. My rucksack is so heavy and full that I really need to get lighter before continuing to north.
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Hanski
non-member comment
Terveisiä!
Mä oon niiiiin kateellinen! Toi reissu kuulostaa tähän asti aivan upealta. Täällä on jäätävän kylmä ulkona ja lämmin sisällä. Paljon haleja ja paljon kaikkea ihanaa toivotellen Hanna+muut