My Love Hate Relationship with Bangkok

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Hey All,

Bangkok, there no city like it anywhere I have been. 10 million people rushing about in such a small area, you really have to see it to believe it. I seem to have a love hate relationship with this place, its like a bad blind date, that after you get a chance to sleep on it, you think, well, maybe she was not that bad after all. She seems to lure me back again and again.

When I went to bed last night I turned on the TV for the first time in over 2 weeks to be told, oh by the way, you better watch out, the biggest storm ever recorded on earth is headed your direction. Its pounding the Philippines as I sit here and has Vietnam in its sights next. After dying a bit over the Philippines, its suppose to regain itself over the South China Sea. This storm is so big, it would stretch from Tucson to Mississippi, now that is huge, and I am not talking about a little rain, that area is the high rain and damaging wind part of the storm. So, even though Bangkok is not in the eye path, it still could be a big problem here. I tried to get a hold of my airline and they are so flooded with calls you could not get through, so any chance of an early escape is unlikely. Its due to hit Vietnam on Sunday and I leave on Monday. The big issue with Bangkok is that its so low, sorta like New Orleans, that it floods very easily and any torrential rain could cause severe flooding. I just looked at a map by the CNN weather and they are predicting the storm will track north after is crosses land again, which would be good for me since it would take it away from Bangkok. Now, they said this is just a prediction, but, when it hits the South China Sea, it could do anything. All I can do is sit here and hope for the best, at least I am 7 floors up. Bad news is, I need to head for the Airport about 5 am on Monday and that’s when the storm should be hitting here if it tracks this way, so I may not know anything until I try to leave that morning. I will just keep updating the weather.

My heart goes out to all of those in the path, this storm is just terrible.

So, today I got out and explored the area. It was a bit cloudy, but did not rain. It is humid as all get out here, and after about 30 minutes I was soaked. The one bright spot is the Sky Train, well worth staying close to a station, it glides above all the snarled traffic in air conditioned comfort. I bought a one day pass for 130 baht, about $4 and its worth it. It can take you just about anywhere and if you need you can connect to the regular underground subway and get other places, no need to get a cab or tuk tuk.

Speaking of cabs and tuk tuks, I love them anywhere else in Asia, but for some reason in Bangkok, they are not to be trusted and want to take you to get suits or buy jewelry where they get a commission for bringing you there, even if you don’t buy anything. The cabs never want to use the meter even thought the sign on the cab says Meter Cab. They want to rip you off. The cab from the airport after I got in he refused to put on the meter, so I started to write the cab number down that is posted on the door and made sure he saw me, and then he put on the meter. He could not speak English, but I made a motion I would call his company. I was not sure it would work, but it did. So needless to say, this is the one spot in the world I hate having to use a cab.

I came back to the hotel around 3 to change into dry clothes and take a bit of a rest from the heat. I also stopped at the 7-11 by the hotel and bought a jug of water, just in case I might need it if the power goes out and the rain gets to bad. Better to be prepared.

Tonight, I left again and its really funny, things are so different at night that you would not even know you are in the same area. There are street vendors, t-shirt stands, jewelry, watch, cheap souvenir, etc ., etc., etc. They clog up the sidewalk so bad you can barely get through. I decided to check out the night market and geez was that a show. There are hundreds of stands set up, and as you walk down the street on the left is all the vendors, and on the right are the nightclubs. So, you have these families with kids walking through the night market, and you have these seedy looking clubs with barely dressed girls and guys with show menus enticing you on the other side. Its so weird, It would be like you had a strip club in a mall with girls standing at the door inviting you in as you shopped with your kids. Why in the world with all the spots in Bangkok, they decided to put a night market there is beyond me. Nothing like shopping for a souvenir and get asked if you want “boom boom massage”.

As I was walking around, it started to rain again and of course after carrying my umberella all day I did not carry it with me tonight. I ducked into the Sunrise Taco place I saw today and had dinner which was quite surprisingly good hoping the rain would die down, but no luck it only got worse. So I passed on the show with 2 girls and a snake and fought my way through the crowded market back to the hotel. Needless to say I was drenched when I got there. It was interesting to see all the creative ways they keep their booths dry in the rain. Another hazard is these short Thai women with an umberella, I almost had my eyes put out a couple of times since they are about head height on me when they walk.

Tomorrow with better weather I have a couple of temples to visit, and maybe a trip to China Town, and of course keeping an eye on the weather map. I am going to try to call the airline again, even though I thinks its a lost cause. Just meandering about tonight, I did not get a sense that they seem to worried about this storm. Maybe they know something I don't.

Happy Travels, Don

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