For the amount of urban land area it covers, there aren’t nearly enough roads in this city. Once known as the ‘Venice of the east.’ Klongs or canals formed its transportation heart line; water taxis still remain the fastest means of getting around the city. We had read about the unending traffic jams but you have to sit in one to believe it. Sometimes it takes more than half an hour just to make it across one traffic light. The taxi drivers, as in almost all countries (except Singapore), are a strange set. Be sure to hail down meter taxis that will reluctantly oblige you by starting the meter when you hop in. But sometimes even the meter ones will want to negotiate a price before setting out. Rest assured, you shall be taken for a ride.
Oh and if the tuks-tuks (cousins of the Indian autos) fascinate you, be ready to pay whatever he determines to charge and go wherever he determines to take you. As a traveler from England commented, they’re waiting around corners to trap the first person that comes around looking like he’s not sure what he wants to do today. We considered ourselves mighty smart when we hopped into our tuk-tuk after negotiating a great price. Five seconds into our ride, the driver convinced us that everything around the area we were headed to would be shut by now and it would be a pointless trip. We solicited his advise on an optimum destination whereupon he offered to take us to a sex show. We politely declined and resolutely stuck to our boring choice of shopping. So he drove us around the block and dropped us off nearby still expecting to be paid the price we’d determined at the outset. Some arguments and a police station threat later, he lowered it by a margin and let us off the hook.
On our trip to the old city, we enjoyed a water taxi ride on the Chao Praya river until pier Thatien. It was one of the hotter days in Bangkok; which means that you sweat three bucket loads instead of the usual two within the hour. Water taxis are exactly like the vaporettos of Venice; boat buses that take you from stop to stop along the water. The ostentatious Wat Po, better known as the seat of the reclining Buddha, loomed ahead as soon as we emerged from the pier. While crossing the road, several men on the street informed us that the Wat would be closed until 1:30pm on account of a religious ceremony. Nagesh ignored the "good samaritans" and marched to the Wat entrance sure enough to find that there was no ceremony and that all visitors were welcome as usual.
The sheer magnificence of the Reclining Buddha took our breath away. We were completely unprepared for the magnitude of this gold statue. The entire Wat complex is opulently crowded with Chinese pagoda structures, ornate chedis (multi-tiered tapering conical structures), and rich sculptures. One of the temples in Wat Po houses Nagesh’s favorite Buddha statue in a meditating posture shielded by the seven-hooded serpent king.
Our next halt was the Grand Palace, home of the Emerald Buddha. This jade (not emerald) idol is enshrined in a grand hall decorated from floor to ceiling with murals from the life and times of the Buddha. The idol is dressed in three different robes in a year, according to the season, in the presence of the King. We spent several peaceful minutes admiring the idol and its intricate gold throne. A walk around the complex brought us upon a miniature model of Angkor Wat, more extravagant chedis, the entire Ramayana (or Ramkien as it known in Thailand) painted around all four walls of an oriental structure, and the King’s palace.
For some reason, we had presumed that Thailand would be as English speaking as Singapore. Surprisingly, not many Thais speak English at all. Even the staff at our hotel struggle to communicate more than the basics. The shopkeepers quote you prices by fetching a calculator and punching in the numbers. You’re expected to bargain by punching back the price you wish to pay! Talking of shopping, we visited the mother of all markets in the world: the Chatuchak weekend bazaar featuring 9000 stalls and everything from a pin to an elephant. Despite being drenched, first in sweat then rain, we scoured the entire market. It reminded us so much of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, only cheaper even than India.
A lot of international male travelers can be spotted with a Thai girl in tow. Sex seems to be as common a business as any. And although foreign travelers are most obvious clients, the Asian men, apparently, are the greatest promoters of this industry.
The weather and traffic are primary reasons why ‘malling’ has become a favorite pastime of the people in Bangkok. Innumerable air-conditioned shopping centers crammed with people cram the city. All famous designer brands can be found at one-tenth the price and custom tailoring can be done at very affordable prices.
One of the visits we thoroughly enjoyed was to the Jim Thompson’s House. An American working for the Intelligence service, Thompson arrived in Thailand in the forties just after the Second World War and stayed on permanently. He built a lovely Ayuthayan style home in Bangkok studded with antique treasures from all over the country. While Thompson himself mysteriously disappeared one day, his name is most popularly associated with the Thai silk production company he started. Our tour of his exquisite residence was followed by a visit to his store. The silks here are of the finest quality and we highly recommend the Jim Thompson designs and fabrics to anyone looking to decorate their home.
Overall the chaos and heat of Bangkok exhausted us beyond the toughest of hikes. We are so ready to visit Angkor Wat and then go home to India.
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