Bangkok, July 26 - August 1, 2013

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I had heard good things about Bangkok, which is why it was on our itinerary. To be honest, it's the first place I've ever been that I've regretted spending my money on. Bangkok is overrated. Yes, it has amazing temples. But also poverty so intense that all those ornate temples and palaces started to make me feel sick. Bangkok is the place to be if your a sex tourist, that's for sure. There were so many prostitutes that when I passed by a homeless woman sleeping on the sidewalk with her young daughter wrapped in her arms, I felt really sad because I just knewthat little girl was going to be sold to some fat white, sun burnt pervert in a few years.

I tried to give Bangkok a chance, I really did. And the food and night markets are really great. But you can't walk through any night market without being propositioned for a "ping pong show" a hundred times. I just wish the sex trade in Bangkok could be confined to certain areas like in other cities, so that if you don't want to be bombarded with it you don't have to be. In Bangkok, there is no escape - it's in your face constantly, unless your in one of the temples. I found it pretty ironic that your not allowed to walk into the Grand Palace with your ankles exposed, yet the Thai government doesn't seem to do anything to protect children from being sold into the sex trade. There were so many prostitutes I really started to wonder if there was any other option for women in this country. But no, that's a big exaggeration - there were lots of women dressed in business suits heading to and from the office - sure they had whitening cream slathered all over their faces, which is a different form of prostitution I suppose.

While we were in Asia, there was a big scandal over a whitening cream that was giving women blotchy skin and had been found to be unsafe. The company executives were on the news apologizing at press conferences. There is something truly sick about being a woman in this world if those with dark skin are always trying to make themselves look whiter, and women with light skin and often trying to be darker, no matter how hazardous to our health. White women spend their money on tanning salons, or those stupid creams that make their skin look orange. Or they just lay in the sun accumulating skin cancer, in the misguided quest for beauty that actually makes them hideous. Is there any society where women are comfortable in their own skin? Funny how many hippie tourists go to Thailand seeking some sort of spiritual journey - the place made me feel very demoralized, but maybe that's because we stayed in Bangkok the whole time. We had considered taking an excursion to Ko Samet or Hua Hin, but there was an oil spill and all the tourists were leaving the beach resorts. I am hoping this is the reason I saw so many tourists in Bangkok with their young children. Bangkok is no place to bring your children.

We stayed at the Trinity Glow Silom, a swanky hotel within a 10 minute walk of two transit stations, Si Lom and Sala Daeng. Our hotel room was the largest we had our whole time in Asia - and the shower was massive. There was a rooftop pool we had access to in the hotel across the street, and we also enjoyed some Thai massage there. It was pretty nice. Though if I were to go again, I would try to find a hotel in or closer to the Old City, where mass transit doesn't go for some odd reason. The subway and skytrain systems are owned by different private companies, and they often follow the same routes while ignoring huge chunks of the city.

The best way to get around the Old City is via the Chao Phraya river boats, but watch out for the splash. That water is pretty disgusting. I knew it must be bad when I saw a local woman was really grossed out when she got water splashed in her face, and she did everything she could to prevent it from happening a second time. Regardless, the boat trip up the Chao Phraya is a nice cheap way to see the city as well as get around. You can see several temples, high rise buildings, and decrepit shacks that look as if they will collapse into the river at any moment. The tuk tuks are another option, but instead of the risk of polluted water splashing in your face, you get to breath in exhaust fumes. While we were waiting at one of the piers for a river boat, we noticed a whole bunch of really large fish hanging out under the dock. They were freaky looking, and I wondered how safe they were to eat. You'd think in a city with so many poor people, some would be catching these giant fish for dinner. Yet I don't recall seeing anyone fishing in the rivers or canals of polluted Bangkok.

The lack of green space is another negative aspect of Bangkok. Romaneenart Park was one of the few exceptions - it used to be an old prison and has been converted into a beautiful park. We went there after walking through Chinatown, where we visited Wat Traimit (Temple of the Golden Buddha) and had a delicious and cheap dim sum lunch at Canton House (530 Thanon Yaowarat). Lumphini Park is Bangkok's largest green space, the equivalent to New York's Central Park. We walked through it one evening - there's a lake, people doing aerobics classes, the loud cacophony of birds. It was a welcome respite that we probably should have spent a larger part of the day enjoying.

Walking around Bangkok is kind of like walking beneath an underpass constantly. Yearning to find a bit more escape from the oppressive concrete on one of our final days, I noticed a large green spot on our map in the north of the city, labeled Chitralada Palace and Amporn Park. So, we ventured up there, but we should have just returned to Lumphini Park because we couldn't find any public access points to these two adjoining green spaces. It seemed to be a military complex off limits to the public, with a big moat protecting it. At one point I took a picture of a fountain in the moat, and a solider with a big gun appeared on the other side menacingly. We continued on, and saw a dead giant turtle belly up floating in the moat. A little later we saw a much smaller live turtle swimming around. We were walking along a giant busy road and it was a hot and very unpleasant expierence. It was also annoying because we couldn't find the restaurant in that area I wanted to eat at. It's hard to find specific addresses in Bangkok because many buildings simply do not have the number address on them. You'll pass several buildings without addresses before finally seeing one, and realizing you must have passed what you were looking for. We had to walk up and down a few streets looking for specific places, it was really annoying. Don't bother trying to find Krua Apsorn, Samsen Rd. at Soi 9, pier Thewet. I'm pretty sure this place no longer exists, or else it's so hidden it's impossible to find.

Brick Bar at 265 Khao San Rd. was another hard to find place, but we did eventually find it after asking around. I had read it was a good place for live music, particularly ska and reggae. With good live music venues so few and far between in Bangkok, I was determined to find Brick Bar. Unfortunately the band playing that night wasn't remotely ska or reggae and they played lame cover songs I didn't particularly enjoy. The bar itself was good, but according to this website they don't have many reggae and ska bands playing anymore so don't go expecting that.

Titanium Club & Ice Bar was another place the internet told me had good live music - they had an all female house band. I love girl bands so we decided to check it out, especially since they also had good drink specials. When we arrived, I had to ask one of the women if they worked there before ordering drinks from her, unsure whether she was a prostitute or server. Noticing that we did not appear to be interested in prostitutes, she asked if we were there to see the band, to which we replied yes. She suggested we sit at one of the tables directly in front of the stage. I could see the stage perfectly well from where we were sitting so we didn't follow her advice. But later realized she probably suggested that so we would only pay attention to the band and not all the prostitution taking place. Every waitress in the place was a prostitute, and they wore different colour dresses - green, purple, black and red. I wondered what the different colours meant - probably which sexual acts they perform. We tried to dechipher the code, but the only thing we were certain of was they were all prostitutes. It was a little sad at one point, an Asian man was clearly interested in one of the women, but she completely ignored him. These prostitutes seemed mostly interested in the white men. Completely absurd given the Asian man probably had more money at his disposal than some of those white guys several women were throwing themselves at.

The two house bands that played were very good, but again they played only covers. But they were good covers. They played Roxanne by the Police, which seemed appropriate, though sad because the majority of women were indeed putting on the red light that night. I kept hoping the girl band would break out into a Bikini Kill song. White Boy would have been especially great. Sad how a group of such talented female musicians probably have no other choice but to be the house band in a bar that's more whore house than music venue. Again, a very demoralizing experience for me. You always know this stuff exists, but to see it so clearly laid out in front of you is a sad experience.

I found Thailand to be much more militaristic than China or Vietnam. In fact, I hadn't seen soldiers carrying big guns like that around a civilian setting since the train stations in Paris in 2007. And all the images of the monarchs everywhere get a bit tiring. There are huge photos framed in gold along highways, streets, the airport. In public squares and on buildings. And then there's gold Buddhas and temples everywhere as well. So this mix of monarch worship, militarism, and religion really just left me with a bad taste. And rather than all the temples giving me some sort of spiritual awakening, I got the impression that these people worship money and gold, and god and spirituality really have nothing to do with it. Why do hippies like this place so much? Everyone bows and prays to golden statues. When you pay your bill at a bar or restaurant, the server/prostitute bows to the money. Maybe this is just supposed to be a demonstration of respect and thanks. I didn't like it. In Chinatown, I noticed women wouldn't pass a temple without stopping to bow. Outside every MacDonalds, there is a Ronald MacDonald statue making the same pray/bow motion. Signs of reverence, perhaps - but I saw all this as symbols of a regimented society.

All of this is of course in the context of Thailand's history - people claim to love their king so much, but every so many years people are killed in the streets by the military for the crime of public protesting. And it appears to me people have a whole lot to protest about. One day we were relaxing at the hotel roof top pool, and I could hear a protest in the streets below. Part of me wanted to go check it out. But the wiser part said no way, I was in no mood for being jailed in a foreign country should the protest turn ugly. We stayed put.



Temples we visited:

Wat Saket, Golden Mount - great views of the city.

Grand Palace - so crowded, and so many rules about having to cover up entirely and rent the "appropriate attire" if your ankles or shoulders were showing, we just decided not to bother going inside. It was like when we visited Versaille, we were content with walking the grounds outside rather than compete with the crowds inside. And i get it, immaculate palace, wow so impressive how extravagently monarchs live. Let's move on.

Wat Pho - just down the street from Grand Palace, and not nearly as strict or busy. Home to the giant reclining Buddha. Ignore all the men around the vicinity trying to help you find the entrance, or asking you what your looking for. They are trying to scam you. Even if you are lost just keep walking, you'll find the entrance eventually.

Wat Intharawihan - this one has a big, 32 metre high Buddha I had read you can climb up. Unfortunately the stair access was closed, so no climbing up Buddha for us. Maybe you'll have better luck, the view is supposed to be good. Thewet Pier.

You start to get to the point where all the temples you pass begin to look the same. Be sure to check out the Hindu Temple on Silom Road to change things up a bit.



Markets:


Chatuchak Weekend Market - one of the largest in the world! Go and get lost in 14 hectares of stalls. Skytrain Mochit or subway Kamphaeng Phet.

Pratunam Market - Intersection of Ratchaprop and Petchburi roads to Ratchaprarop Soi 3. 24 hours, prices go up at night. Skytrain Chit Lom.


Siam Square Night Market

Khao San Road Night Market - from 5pm-2am. Lots of bars on this street as well - a bit of a tourist trap.



Restaurants & Bars:

May Kaidee's Vegetarian Restaurant - 111 Tanao Rd. We watched the alley this restaurant is on get flooded in a rain storm as we enjoyed our meal, beer, and black sticky rice with mango and banana dessert. The website indicates the location we ate at is now closed, so be sure to check out one of their other three locations.

Hippie de Bar - 46 Khao San Rd

Bar Bali - 58 Phra Athit Rd. There were a few other good bars on this street, and some better live music than we found elsewhere.

Bug and Bee Cafe - 18 Silom Rd, Skytrain Sala Daeng. 24 hours, crepe breakfast, vegetarian options, good smoothies.

Cabbages and Condoms - 6 Sukhumvit Soi 12. The food is very good, and the restaurant is a shine for safe sex and birth control. A beautiful outdoor terrace area as well.

Kuppa Tea & Coffee - 39 Soi Sukhumvit 16, Skytrain Asok. Why does good coffee in Asia (outside Vietnam) have to be so expensive?

Once Upon A Time - 32 Petchaburi Soi 17. Traditional Thai, three old wooden houses and a garden terrace.

Coconut Palm Restaurant - Phra Nakhon. We ate here after visiting Grand Palace and Wat Pho. Slow service, but good food.

Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand - Maneeya Centre, Ploen Chit Rd.

Venice Vanich - 1/12 Soi Mahathat. Thai and seafood restaurant, river view.

Dosa King - 153/7 Sukhumvit Soi 11. Skytrain Nana. Very good vegetarian Indian food.



Other Sites:

Baiyoke Sky Hotel Observatory - 222 Rajprarop Rd. Highest buidling in Thailand, rooftop bar where the observatory ticket price also gets you a free drink and popcorn in the skybar. The coolest part is the rotating outdoor observation deck.

Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall - We really only went into this place because we needed an air conditioning break and thought it was the Museum Siam. The Muse Pass ticket gets you in here, the Museum Siam, Loha Prasat and King Prajadhipok Museum, plus a tuk tuk ride between them, and some discounts at nearby restaurants. While some of the exhibits are good, it's a glorification of the country's history and culture I found distasteful. For example, there's one exhibit depicting the different ways that the rich and poor lived, and there's an animation of a peasant with a sick smile and speech bubble saying something like "I'm just a poor peasant, so a house made of straw is good enough for me!" This is right next to images and animations of how the wealthy lived.

Museum of Siam - Sanam Chai Rd. This museum was better than the Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall, but my anthropologist spouse was highly annoyed by the exhibit falsely depicting the origin of Thai people. They distort their evolutionary history in a way that is consistent with the country's history of fascistic politics. You get a bit of a sense of this in other exhibits, but it's so steeped in glorifying their history rather than being critical of it. It was pretty gross, as I much prefer museums glorifying the revolutinary history of China or Vietnam over the monarchial fascism of Thailand.

Tanao Rd. - old fashioned shop houses, eateries, lots of restaurants

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