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Route Map 
Bangkok, Thailand »
October 17-20, 2010
From Koh Tao, by boat and bus, I arrived in Bangkok on the 17 th. There are a variety of services which will take you the other islands and places. If you go off the island by catamaran it will cost more. I chose one of the cheapest options - boat and bus for 650 Baht, all the way to Bangkok. The boat first comes back to Chumphon, where you wait for about 1.5 hours for the bus. The bus leaves at 7:30 pm and arrives after 3 am. I had problems with find the hotel which was recommended to me. Oh well, as I found out later it doesn't exist anymore. They changed their name and location. The good thing is the bus arrives almost right on Tanao Road which is in Banglamphoo. The famous backpacker and tourist area in Bangkok.
It took me about an hour of walking around. All full or expensive. Finally I found one hotel. Private room, just bed and a fan, shared bathroom, and the price was right - 150 Baht. The place is clean and the food downstairs is good and cheap. It's on the Rambuttri, very close to Khao San.
Bangkok is a busy place. People complain about the traffic, but I had no problems with it. I used to live in Japan. But in Bangkok, Banglamphoo is definitely busy at night - at least half of the people there are tourists. The locals will ask you to have a custom made suite every time you pass, and the took-took and taxi drivers will hassle you to hop in and let them show you a temple or two for a bargain of 20 or even 10 Baht. Don't do it! Nothing's free in Bangkok! You will be taken to a few shops where they try to sell you jewellery, silk, silver or make shirts and suites for you. If you are not interested in any of this, refuse. But if you want new pair of silk t-shirts and nice pants, it's actually worth it. Things sold in Thailand are still a great bargain. And don't worry about the drivers - they get gasoline coupon every time they bring a couple of tourists there.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → Khao San Road in Banglamphoo.
Banglamphoo is overridden by tourists. Also the Rambuttri Road. Foot massage places, restaurants, food street vendors, clothes street vendors, and all right in your face, including tuk-tuk and taxi drivers always asking you to use their services. Many tourists like this, the shopping and hanging out in the restaureants, but in a way it's a nightmare. A real tourist ghetto.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → Clothes stand on Khao San.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → Pad Thai stand.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → Fake documents maker.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → Silver jewelry whole sellers and a few homeless. That's Banglamphoo.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → But you will really know that you are in Bangkok after you'll see a bunch of colorful taxis and tuk-tuk's.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → I ventured here, not far from the Tanao Road. There will be live performances, like a theater, after 6 pm, so for now I just looked around and I will come back later.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → Not sure what's inside this building but it seems to be prominent here. I just arrived in Bangkok and I am not so interested in getting all the facts and names of the things I see.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → Inside one of the buildings.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → The statues of Buddha, which of course are a common theme in the Buddhist Thailand.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → Climbing up a little, a closer view of the roof's design.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → Another shot. The roof of another building in the background.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → I had some time to ill so I went to take one of the boats which are part of the regular transport in Bangkok and go many locations withing the city. The canal system here is quite extensive, and taking one of there boats can be a time saver during the rush hours.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → The boat stop.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → The stop on the other side. It can be tricky to board the boats. It's not all levelled and easily accessible. The pier can be quite high and the boat's deck low. It's can be moving and difficult to climb in.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → The boats move quite fast, passing underneath the bridges. They create waves and all the boats have a pull up plastic sheets on the sides to keep the splashes away. And the water is nasty - it's like a sewer. It stinks, it's gray, and there is zero visibility. Sewers empty in them, yet I have seen people taking a bath there. I simply can't imagine anyone doing it, but as they say, seeing is believing. The boats move very fast and I wasn't able to take a photo of these people. Maybe some other time.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → Going under a bridge!
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → People who sell tickets, women, just walk around the boat while it's bouncing and moving, holding onto a rope line stretch all around it. The blue plastic sheets are the covers which the passengers can pull up to block all the nasty splashes of the canal water. This water stinks and I really don't get how the people who bathe in it don't get sick. Or perhaps they do, I just don't know about it. Or perhaps it's actually quite safe - I can't imagine any living organism survive in it. If I had one word to describe it - disgusting.
Photo: After the boat ride I walked around the area. I reached a busy intersection (one of a thousand in this city?) and I saw a small obviously place of religious significance. People were giving offerings, praying, there were dancers and all this was just there, at a busy intersection and all happening! That's Bangkok - it's not some fake staged show, like some cultural display designed let's say in Vancouver to show how multi cultural the city is. This stuff here is real, pulsating life. It's real, it's very refreshing. Bangkok, Thailand →
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → Young and old, including the sexy, give their offerings and pray for their good fortune.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → People pay the dancers who perform for good luck. They are really skillful, incredible moves and the music is great. Magical. I can only imagine how many things like this are happening at thisd very moment in this huge metropolis. Nothing like the bullshit of some staged fake cultural show in places like Vancouver. This one here is real, a part of it and it's people.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → At night I went back to Banghlampoo to see the theater. The place looks greta at night. Great to hang out if you are a couple.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → They had a puppet show in the other are and this live performance at another one. I preferred the live show. Fantastic performance, but not understanding the story and whatever they were saying it can become boring soon. And it did ;) In the meantime though, I really admired the moves of the performers.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → A female performer.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → Graceful moves and beauty. Mesmerizing.
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand → The band and the singers - the stage performers don't sing nor talk. They were quite far and the place was dark, so it was difficult to take a good sharp photo with the equipment I have. You need lenses with aperture of 2.8 or lower for this.
Enough for one day :)
My life has always been about freedom and I shall continue to walk this path.
Safe travels ! ........... Stan
Check out my Photography Portfolio
stan@ancientnomad.com
My Photography Page
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