A day and a half in Bangkok was more than enough.
The city is a clamorous affair with congested traffic, high rise skyscrapers and a seedy underbelly and at first left a poor taste in my mouth (at times literally, the cacophony of smells and tastes is overwhelming).
The poverty is humbling, it is not uncommon to see men strewn about the streets sleeping on a piece of tarp with a plastic bag of belongings tucked neatly under their heads. Children root through bins for the discarded water or beer bottles deposited by unthinking tourists to help make a few baht on the recycling fee. Begging is frequent and upsetting, the cities most maimed and disfigured residents park themselves on busy corners feeding off sympathy and the sad eyes of young backpackers. It felt unhuman to walk by, but the alternative opened up too many unknown issues that it was the only practical way to get around.
It seems every person in the city is out to get you, walking down a street in Bangkok you will be asked to buy suits, to jump in a tuk tuk, to attend a pingpong show so often it all becomes white noise, frequently you'll have seemingly friendly thai men come speak to you to let you know that national monuments are closed for a holiday but for a few baht they'd take you elsewhere... often down to a silk or gem shop where you'll be expected to buy tacky crap for exorbitant prices.
Having spoken to fellow backpackers in the city and beyond it seems that the overwhelming assessment of Bangkok is that a few days there and you're 'burnt out'. It's fast pace is exhausting and the constant unease and worry of being pickpocketed, held up or scammed is also tiring.
While I'm focusing on the negative I must also say I've really enjoyed my time in the city. Everything, it appears, is conducted on the streets so I've never been so rewarded from exploring a new place. On our second day in Bangkok we went to visit the grand palace and afterward decided to walk along the Chao Phraya River to see if we could take a water tour.
On our amble we discovered a sprawling market that was a world apart from the souvenir strewn stalls in the tourist areas, this was where real Bangkok was happening. The stalls were varied, many sold trinkets and charms depicting the Bhudda in various stages of his life. I wish I knew more about what these were, we watched monks and lay people alike thoroughly inspect them under spy glass before making a purchase. They were then placed onto a necklace and worn around the neck.
Beyond the market was a street where blankets were laid out and wares were displayed, you could buy anything from live shellfish to a set of dentures. Upsettingly many of these street 'stalls' were manned by children, most no more than four or five years old, who were dressed in rags and covered in filth. I suspected much of what was for sale was taken from the pockets of unsuspecting tourists or businessmen in Bangkok's financial district.
Beyond this we found a more slumlike area, it was a world apart from the noisy, obnoxious tourist hive that was Khao San Road and yet it was a 10 minute walk away. Here men, women and children lazed about in the hazy sunshine, rubbish and filth littered the streets and the smell was overwhelming. It felt like a lawless land, where the residents had to live by their wits. As we walked through we crossed the road to avoid a man with no legs defecating on the street, we delayed lunch for a little while.
The food vendors in the city, while possessing questionable hygiene standards, are masters at work. Having recovered from our walk we decided to pick up egg Pad Thai from a nice gentleman pushing a cart. For 30baht (80c) you can get a full serving of delicious noodles, egg, cabbage, beansprouts all cooked and flavoured in a wok right before your eyes. A meat option was also available, but the cut was a little different to back home and to avoid uncomfortable toilet sessions we're gently acclimatiszing ourselves to the local cuisine.
Later that evening we visited the more touristy Patpong area of the city. With brash neon signs and lager swilling louts I found this zone to be far more unsettling that the packpacker hive that was Khao San. We walked through the streets being propositioned by bar owners to attend various shows, strips and the like. When I politely declined one gentleman he leant in and told Conor to come back later without me... I was clearly a kill joy. Another man advertising an S&M show and dressed in a manner I'd prefer not to repicture and describe almost clattered Conor with a whip, it was quite the event.
We eventually found a regular bar where we began to chat to those around us. Having spoken to a table of fresh out of college Dubliners we left them be when Amhrán na bhFiann erupted and ended off the night having harrowing and humbling chats with a pair of Royal Marines fresh off a tour to Afghanistan.
We awoke to a lightening storm and rushed to the airport to take a heart stopping flight in a flimsy plane through the flashes and clatter of thunder that has brought us to our current spot in Chiang Mai. While I know the city may not always be seen in the best light, and we saw many facets of it that would make you believe it to be a nasty place, I enjoyed every second there. Absorbing the atmosphere as we walked the streets, we discovered magnificent temples and palaces, beautiful canals, busy markets and a vibrant nightlife that had something for everyone.
I'm sitting here writing this blog on our hostel's outdoor computer hub, nestled next to a frog pond while hens and roosters flit about my feet. It is all a little surreal.
I have to dash now, Conor's up and we're visiting a tiger sanctuary shortly! Will be back soon with more info on Northern Thailand!
Love Cliona
xxx
