Bangkok... not enough? want some more?! (part 2)

[Jonas]

Want some more? My pleasure!

1.
In a shopping mall... some of the staff will pose for a photo and give a big smile :)
Shopping experience in Bangkok is something substantially different from the one you might get in London. A friendly slap or poke to the bottom or a naughty "compliment" seems rather normal... I also found out that I got my mp3 player with a discounted price because I looked "handsome and sexy"... did I?:)
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1121/1463406804_d59d8eb7b0_o.jpg

2.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1348/1463407374_3fcafbfc1c_o.jpg

3.
street trade near Baiyoke tower
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1248/1463407904_c90a45e883_o.jpg

4.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1131/1462552447_2c259fcc87_o.jpg

5.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1068/1463408964_e2c636bca5_o.jpg

6.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1343/1462553387_1df3e2f756_o.jpg

7.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1165/1462553799_3f3514f3f4_o.jpg

8.
you'll never have to look for an internet cafe, it's just five meters away from you anyway
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1255/1462554157_4a3cccd01c_o.jpg

9.
some electronic toys... if you can't figure out what's "wrong" with them then think twice. Most of them are fakes (yes, including mobile phones and touch-screen PDAs... I bought a 'Nokia N96' which doesn't actually exist yet...)
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1134/1463410772_43c493feac_o.jpg

10.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1321/1463411286_4465a9cbb9_o.jpg

11.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1014/1462555507_4114808859_o.jpg

12.
Gullivers Tavern, a popular place to hang out among Western/European tourists located in Sukhumvit Soi 5 (don't miss it if you're around, just opposite side the Sukhumvit rd. from Nana Hotel which I'm sure many of those traveling to Bangkok know). Hard to believe, but this must be the best English pub I've been to (along with the one in Khao San Road)... despite the fact that I live in England for 3 years now and do indeed go to pubs from time to time.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1166/1463412126_93888725b0_o.jpg

13.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1053/1463412602_b2e7ba18ce_o.jpg

14.
Taxi ride
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1086/1462556755_4d5a4fba65_o.jpg

15.
Democracy Monument... Thailand had some issues with democracy in the recent year (US was the first one to declare "concern" last year after the coup... so caring, isn't it?) but it seems things are ok and democracy is about to thrive once again (even if it doesn't I'll stay in love with Thailand)
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1101/1462557031_e36aed8434_o.jpg

16.
In the Grand Palace complex
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1071/1463413778_cf47f8e76e_o.jpg

17.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1354/1463414286_18f9c2d4d8_o.jpg

18.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1235/1463414940_65b512126d_o.jpg

19.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1257/1462559261_d4d462be5b_o.jpg

20.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1312/1463415958_a64368cff3_o.jpg

21.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1090/1462560221_ed156381f5_o.jpg

22.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1374/1463417016_d11f71b8f4_o.jpg

23.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1046/1462561269_3e3ba94423_o.jpg

24.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1353/1463418144_6ea8a3287f_o.jpg

25.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1222/1462562343_928fa6f900_o.jpg

26.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1116/1462562631_5e7fc85b9b_o.jpg

27.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1329/1462562997_1eecf0352a_o.jpg

28.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1231/1463419972_6767236feb_o.jpg

29.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1369/1462564047_10ead86dc9_o.jpg

30.
Emerald Buddha in Wat Phra Kaew. The most important (?) Buddha in Thailand (world?). Not actually made of emerald but clothes are actually made of gold
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1261/1462564467_b121c3dba2_o.jpg

31.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1101/1462564923_c6af5237cf_o.jpg

32.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1220/1464891814_9fe631f602_o.jpg

33.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1060/1464892458_ef06c005e9_o.jpg

34.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1358/1464037561_2e5b53f462_o.jpg

35.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1252/1464893872_738571cd29_o.jpg

36.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1028/1464038959_cec2a259d6_o.jpg


More to come!

[Chelsea Spy]

cool!

[the dude]

i'll get there some day. thanks for the tour.

[Gregbx]

Thanks guy, you caught the atmosphere just great! However, I'm telling you, it is far more enjoyable as a place to visit for a couple of days than as a place to stay...

[hlwjw06]

hell yes, thanx my friend ;)

[BnaBreaker]

What an amazing city. Thanks for the pics!

[Jonas]

Thanks guy, you caught the atmosphere just great! However, I'm telling you, it is far more enjoyable as a place to visit for a couple of days than as a place to stay...

You might be right but after my second visit to Bkk, my feeling of willing to stay there only got stronger. This time I spent 7 days there and I didn't want to leave... just like after the first time last year (when I spent just 3 days). Just now it didn't seem so chaotic, big and crazy as it did the last time. So I suppose it's not so bad and horrible to stay there for a longer while. If you can live and work near a Skytrain line it's more than perfect. It's a massive airline hub which means you can get anywhere at anytime, fantastic food, safety, low cost of living and top class nightlife and entertainment with similar shopping. That's quite enough for me to wish to live there :)

[TNTtribute3]

simply wonderful =].

[Buckeye Native 001]

Loving the opulence of those temples :tup:

[boden]

That first pic is a classic.

[boden]

I love those feet!

[harryc]

Thanks

[edmontonoilers89]

Thanks for the pictures!

I've always been fascinated with Bangkok more so than with other cities for some reason! I can't wait to go there!

[ady26]

very nice! What about part 3?

[Jonas]

@edmontonoilers89
exactly the feeling I've got. :)

@ady26
thanks! Part 3 (parts 4 and 5 and possibly 6) are coming shortly :)

[Chelsea Spy]

@edmontonoilers89
exactly the feeling I've got. :)

@ady26
thanks! Part 3 (parts 4 and 5 and possibly 6) are coming shortly :)

Yes - give me more Bangkok. :tup:

I really liked the city when I went there - much more than anywhere else in Thailand (beaches are so boring :slob: )

[giallo]

Bangkok is on my must visit city list. Great shots.

[Jonas]

@Chealsea Spy
I fell in love with Bangkok since the first moment I got there (it was more than ayear ago) and the feeling i only getting stronger. This city has something which makes me addicted to it...

@giallo
I think it's indeed a must see city. Even if you won't like it... on the other hand you might fall in love with it just as me ad perhaps millions of others coming back there every year. :)

[muppet]

I know so many people whove said the same thing as you have Jonas, theres something massively x factor about Bangkok- combine the worlds most liberal society (in practice not on paper), cheap eats and entertainment and friendly, friendly people :).

[Preecha]

Hello, Jonas

Glad to see you here again. Welcome to Bangkok and hope you enjoy it. I'm not sure if you've left Bangkok yet. But you say you stay at Sukhumwit Soi 5, right? I went to soi 11 in the morning taday.

The photos are cool. Keep posting them. Oh anyway, have you visited the Floating market yet? I think you should go, but it's not in Bangkok.

[Alliance]

Thailand's not the world's most liberal society. If you just wander around Silom you might think so. Thailand has a strong progressive society...and few problems with its democracy at the moment.

[muppet]

when they say that I think they mean the relaxed attitude to sex, sexual preference and sexual politics from the old to the young, rich and poor and without the moralistic religious hangover of Christianity or Islam. This doesnt mean you have to flaunt it, or anything for that matter in Thai culture, just that its quietly accepted. Combine that with a laid back relaxed and (sometimes too) friendly cultural traits. But beware - alot of criminals that target tourists work on that friendliness.

[Alliance]

I'd think its more accurate to say its "quietly endured"

[RustNeverSleeps]

Awesome pictures.

The characteristics that make Bangkok such a thrilling place don't really convey through pictures. It's a city that needs to be visited in order to grasp the appeal of it.

[Jonas]

I know so many people whove said the same thing as you have Jonas, theres something massively x factor about Bangkok- combine the worlds most liberal society (in practice not on paper), cheap eats and entertainment and friendly, friendly people :).

I believe so... I see all these Europeans, Americans and Aussies wandering around the streets of Bkk... I just wonder, what the hell they do there all the time? SOme of them seem to be "living" there most of the time and doing... well, pretty much nothing. Do they just enjoy being there (well, like I do)? Bangkok's indeed got "something" what makes people addicted to it. Dunno what exactly it is but it caught me and doesn't seem it's gonna let me go anytime soon... could it be a combination of everything? People's character, good value for money, safety, no restrictions regarding some issues as in conservative Christian Western societies, tolerance and many many smiles :)

[SHiRO]

Great shots!

[SrbijaCG]

Beautiful pics John!

[ukw]

I believe so... I see all these Europeans, Americans and Aussies wandering around the streets of Bkk... I just wonder, what the hell they do there all the time?


"Sex tourism". Ever heard this term?

No wonder the author of this thread mentioned how he got some play even at the local supermarket :tup: :haha:

BTW, one of his pics shows as many as 3 spas in one small block :)

[Jonas]

"Sex tourism". Ever heard this term?

No wonder the author of this thread mentioned how he got some play even at the local supermarket :tup: :haha:

BTW, one of his pics shows as many as 3 spas in one small block :)

Oh Crist, no need to mention "sex tourism"... this is not about that, I know how a typical sex tourist looks like :D. I mean some foreigners just stay there for a long time and live in cheap hostels for months or even years... I met some guy (he seemed a little mental though) in one of the guesthouses near Khao San Rd last year... he had been living there for 3 years or so... in the same hostel and simply doing nothing, just sitting at the Internet or TV for hours every day. He didn't seem like what you call a "sex tourist". And you can see quite a few people like that.

[goldcntry]

Mai! Mai! Galluna Khap! Wonderful pics.

[muppet]

I believe so... I see all these Europeans, Americans and Aussies wandering around the streets of Bkk... I just wonder, what the hell they do there all the time? SOme of them seem to be "living" there most of the time and doing... well, pretty much nothing. Do they just enjoy being there (well, like I do)? Bangkok's indeed got "something" what makes people addicted to it. Dunno what exactly it is but it caught me and doesn't seem it's gonna let me go anytime soon... could it be a combination of everything? People's character, good value for money, safety, no restrictions regarding some issues as in conservative Christian Western societies, tolerance and many many smiles :)


I grew up across the border in Malaysia the first five years of my life which were unforgettable, and the best years I ever had (and im 29). For me it was all in the languid tropical air, the cool flourescent glare of the lights at night, the easy availability of being able to do things due to everything being so cheap, open and friendly - the night markets/malls, the streetfood, the fact people are openly nice and not judgemental/snobby.


i couldnt move back there I dont think without, at some stage, becoming listless with the comforts, like those emptied people who live in hotels all their lives.

Live there, but get a job :).

[Jonas]

^^^
You are one of those who actually know that feeling. :cheers:

[muppet]

:)

[M II A II R II K]

Cool!

Yet another side to Bangkok.

[10101000]

Merci beaucoup