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Published: March 25th 2008
Skytrain
Really clean stations, but limited serviceI got a solid dose of being a tourist in Bangkok on my first full day: Overslept because I was up until the wee hours updating the blog, missed out on key landmarks because of early closing, a really angry tuk tuk driver and getting invited into a sex club.
Welcome to steamy, dirty, crazy Bangkok.
My first afternoon I wandered my neighborhood and took care of logistics, but not before I reserved a ticket for the
Traditional Thai Puppet Theater's performance of the Birth of Ganesh. Completely appropriate given that I had just learned the story from my friend Stephen in Kuala Lumpur when we visited the Batu Caves! Now I had the chance to see a dramatic performance of it using traditional Thai puppets. Each puppet has three handlers, all of which appear on stage with the puppet and are traditional Thai dancers in their own right. While some moments were hokey, the experience of listening to the live music and having the readers dramatize the scenes from the sidelines while the puppets were acting on stage was fantastic. I would recommend it for the experience. The audience was a mix of tourists and locals, some had come with their
Food Stalls @ Tha Thanon
So much food, so little time. children who were fascinated by the costumes and elaborate dress.
That day I rolled out of bed at 10am despite the 7am alarm. Guess my body needed the rest. I tried not to kick myself too hard for it and went with the flow. That meant an hour of breakfast and logistics before heading out into a steamy day teeming with locals and tourists. Ah, Saturday.
I rode the skytrain to the riverfront where I picked up a water taxi and jetted up the Chao Phraya River for a look around the Grand Palace. Landing at the pier, I was immediately bombarded by vendors hawking fresh fruit, lunch, religious articles, carburetors, headphones, jewelry, you name it and it could be found. Next thing I knew, I'd spent over an hour wandering from stall to stall, looking, pointing, asking, eating. Deep in the bowels of the market, I hadn't seen another tourist in quite some time and I wandered deep enough that even the vendors were surprised to see me. The Thai phrase book got some use today.
Eventually, I made my way over to the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew). This
Grilling morsels of goodness
Sweet sticky rice with beans. Delicious afternoon treat. Considered 'cooling'. Not really served as dessert after a meal, but as a sweet treat on a hot day. is "THE" historical site to see when you are in town. Awesome in the true meaning of the word. While I didn't get to go in on the first day I made my rounds, a few days later I got there early enough to take it all in.
The Grand Palace Complex & Surrounds: Ko Ratanakosin
The Grand Palace complex was established in 1782 and covers an area of 218,000 square meters. It was built after King Rama I's ascension to the throne in the late 1700's. For various reasons, he felt that the existing administrative center and royal palace across the river in Thonburi was inadequate and has the new palace built.
The Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) defies description. The hours are not favorable for amazing pictures, but I think I managed to do it some justice. The buddha itself is made of jade, not emerald, and was originally housed in Chiang Rai under a layer of stucco. It's been moved around several times in its history and was actually in Laos for nearly 250 years until 1778 when a Thai army captured Vientiane and brought the buddha back
The Market
Right outside the ferry landing. to Bangkok. The crowds praying and ogling were interesting to watch in and of themselves. No pictures allowed inside and my efforts to score a nice shot through the open window were thwarted by a lens that is not cooperating on the long end of the zoom (ARGH!).
Nearby is Wat Pho which is the oldest and largest temple in Bangkok and houses the nation's largest reclining Buddha - 46m long and 15m high. Check out the mother of pearl inlay on the bottom of the Buddha's feet.
On that first day, I got over my disappointment and frustration and struck out north along the Na Phrathat Road until coming to the National Museum. About to close its doors, I slipped in and managed to shoot some of the buildings and see some spectacular objects inside the original Teak House of the former Queen. Once again no pictures inside, but if I could have an armoir as luxurious and well appointed I would probably never leave my room as my eyes would be glued to the intricate carvings and sparkling inlays.
This is when things start to go sideways. I negotiate with a tuk tuk
Omelete with Mussels
Yup. Savory omelettes with seafood in them are popular. Mussels are a particular treat. driver for a ride up to see Wat Intrawihan, Wat Benchamabophit and a return to Chinatown. He keeps insisting that as a favor to him we must make a stop either at a famous gem gallery or the Touristm Authority of Thailand's storefront. In this way, he will get a voucher for free gas supposedly worth 200Baht. I am paying him 20Baht for the whole trip (~60cents). I do as I've read and heard many times and insist on no stops. After some bantering, he gives up and another driver steps up who agrees to my terms. Right.
We stop at both wats and then the negotiating starts again. Why can't we just make a stop as a favor to him? He goes on and on about how he has no money, shows me his wallet, actually gets down on one knee and pleads with me. I refuse. The string of expletives in English that proceed to come out of this man's mouth shocks me. Realizing I have no other choice but to rely on him to get me out of there (no other drivers or tourists in sight), I keep my cool, explain that we had an agreement,
A glimpse of the Grand Palace
This was all I got to see that first day. Just some roof lines. and that I was honest with him from the start. My trump card. He didn't like it, but he knew I was right. So he got back in the tuk tuk, glared at me the whole way and made the stop at the gem gallery anyway. I stayed in the tuk tuk while he got agitated talking to a man sitting on the sidewalk behind a folding table and pointed in my direction. Eventually, he sulks all the way back, gets in, stares me down through his rearview mirror and drives me to Chinatown. Well, close enough anyway. He was so disgusted with the whole situation that he dropped me off several blocks away and pointed. PHEW! That was an ordeal I never want to repeat. I've been leery of tuk tuk drivers ever since.
Where he dropped me worked out perfectly, because this is when I found the most delicious snack I've had yet. I don't know what it's called, but a woman was frying these pastry purses up on the sidewalk and they were a thin wrapper around a shrimp something filling, made into a small satchel and tied around the neck with a garlic chive. Going
rate was 5 for 20Baht and she handed them over in a plastic pouch (everything is in plastic baggies here, including beverages), poured some sweet chili sauce over them and gave me a couple bamboo skewers to eat them out of the bag with. Love at first bite. The street was teeming with people so there was no where for me to pull over and take pictures, but the burst of flavors when I ate my first one were incredible and remain unmatched. Much better use of my money than that damn tuk tuk ride!
Why were the streets so crowded? I had stumbled right into the middle of a Saturday evening market that went on for blocks and blocks and blocks. Food, produce, miscellany. Used batteries, car parts, baby clothes, toys, chinese new year decorations, I can't even begin to describe it. Once again, I'm the only tourist in sight and wander around for hours on end until I can't keep my eyes open and all I can think about is making my way home.
Walking towards Hualamphong Station where I plan to catch the metro to a stop closer to Silom, I find myself on a
street of coffin makers. As I stroll down the street, I start noticing that each storefront has large wooden boxes. I was in such a daze, it took at least a block or two for me to realize they were coffins! Eerie.
Back in Silom after a brief train ride, I am once again bombarded by people and vendors. Don't people in Bangkok do anything other than sell or buy stuff on the street? Except now there is a substantial sprinkling of tourists involved which makes navigating the cramped sidewalks much more difficult. I'm tired and getting cranky, but I keep walking because traffic is so bad it will take longer to get home if I hop in a cab.
Suddenly a conversation strikes up behind me between two men negotiating for a girl. I eavesdrop - not that anyone is being subtle. The bars lining the side street I am on are filled with pole-dancing naked women. The conversation goes something like this:
Pimp (P): I have girl for you
Tourist (T): What can I do with her?
P: Whatever you want, two hours.
T: I want all night.
P: Hmm. I have pretty girl for
Wall Murals
Walls were covered in fine work like this. you. You come see.
T: Only if I can have her all night and do whatever I want.
P: All night? 3000Baht. (~95USD)
T: I hear should be 250Baht (~9USD)
P: I have pretty girl! Why you want so cheap? Nice place. Clean clean. Only best. Come see.
I'll spare you the rest, but it goes on and on and on because these guys are actually behind me for the next 10minutes. Families, children, tourists, locals, everyone is just pretending it's not going on. After some time, I couldn't take it anymore and crossed the street just so I didn't have to, but not before taking a peek to see who was involved!
I bought a beer, went home, and crawled into bed wondering if I would ever find my groove in Bangkok.
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stephen
non-member comment
Tuk tuk
am glad you got out safely - it is a good idea to have a powerful whistle - to signal for help, just in case. Whatever, it is pretty safe generally for travellers in Asia, the public are tourists-friendly. More great shots.