Sep 5, 2010

The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free....


Being back in Bangkok after our lengthy bus ride from Chiangmai served as in instant reminder of why it’s fallen low on my list of “likes” in Southeast Asia. The fine mix of trendy Jason Mraz hat wearing backpackers along with the smatterings of homeless and relentless tuk-tuk drivers was a far cry from our experiences in Laos a week or so ago. Bangkok is a very interesting city. Loads to see, hear, smell...and touch if you're brave enough. It’s no surprise either that it’s a faster growing economy than the other surrounding countries either. When you consider the fact that within this city you can find and buy most anything you want, it becomes a very real draw to the outsider with cash to spend.   



You want a cheap woman…we got it? You want a cheap man that wants to be a woman…we got that too, maybe even on the cheap if you buy two! Not just for the perverse either, the city has positioned itself as a discount marketplace for the worlds businesses and alike.  Everything is here and at the same time, so much is gone. Fake monks, fake prayer greetings, fake cops, and as mentioned, fake women have glazed over the once vibrant allure of Southeast Asia’s jewel country. 



Now, don’t take my opinions as the final verdict on Bangkok, or Thailand for that matter. I turned in my drinkers card and players club membership a while back so there is no doubt that the majority of the excitement found here is lost on me. It is in many ways an escape. It’s truly a place where nothing imagined is far from reality and with that said, I recommend the experience of Bangkok to everyone. Just be prepared for an environment that is as mystifying as it is confusing. And as always, try to see it for what it is now and not what it has become and maybe you will find that one night in Bangkok can be your escape to nirvana. 

thanks for readin, -adam

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