hkskyline's 2012 in BANGKOK

[hkskyline]

I wanted to visit Bangkok again but this trip was delayed over and over again due to political instability and the odd bout of violence in the past few years. With a window of opportunity, I jumped onto a plane and headed south!

Saphan Taksin is the major ferry terminal on the Chaophraya River, hosting commuter, hotel, and even shopping mall ferries. All these different ferries have their own boarding point around the bridge.











I didn't pay too much attention on what route I needed to take, so I was duped to pay 40 baht for the for the express tourist boat. Given it was only a little more than USD 1, I didn't get too upset over paying several times more than the cheapest boat.

















With a bit of searching, I found this map of the various ferry lines. The grey one is the slowest, stopping at all piers.





The piers are a bit hazardous to use when crowded. This one consists of just this floating platform with no safety barriers on the river side. Watch your step!







Bangkok is also a modern city of skyscrapers. Within sight are also some traditional markets that have survived modernization.

















I had very little interest in shopping in an air-conditioned mall. The only reason why I visited the Emporium was to savour the view from its upper floors. I was not disappointed. The food court faced west towards the skyscrapers but if only they had cleaned the windows a bit more often ...





Skytrain station concourses are suspended above the street below the train tracks. Given Bangkok's hot weather and notorious traffic, planners built numerous bridges to keep people off street-level, with various entrances to the malls and hotels that line the street. Shielded from the sun but not from the heat, it was a welcome compromise to navigating the traffic-choked streets below.















Central World even has a shrine outside the mall entrance.



























The full set : http://www.globalphotos.org/bangkok.htm

[boden]

Great tour and commentary hk!

[bunt_q]

Infrastructure heaven. Going for Christmas can't wait. Thanks for the thread!

[giallo]

How have I not been here yet? It's one of the most interesting-looking cities in Asia by a mile.

[hkskyline]

There are plenty of international hotel chains in Bangkok.



The Banyan Tree has a rooftop bar and restaurant that is completely exposed to the elements with unobstructed views on all 4 sides.



The skyline view is well-worth the drink, but not necessarily a much more costlier dinner.











Winter is a great time to visit Bangkok. The skies are clear and the visibility is quite good. You can clearly see the Chaophraya's bend.





















Located just a short distance from the Grand Palace, the National Museum is a treasure trove for history, architecture, and royal fans.

















The royal funeral chariots are lined outside along one of the buildings, decorated in typical gold colours.

[hkskyline]

Bangkok's Chinatown screams history, as even Chinese cities nowadays don't look like this. The markets are vibrant, full of cooking, raw ingredients, and people. The buildings are not too tall, making the cityscape seem a bit more human, a bit more accessible.



















I came across a number of Western tourists wandering about with their guides. Being Chinese, I had no issues with understanding what was being offered on sale, but even some of the items looked fairly unique and not seen before back home.

[hkskyline]

The Grand Palace is easily accessible by one of the river boats. After a short walk from the pier, I arrive at the north entrance where a huge crowd awaits to enter this sprawling complex.















Much of the spectacular architecture is actually in Wat Phra Kaew, the Emerald Buddha temple, occupying the northeast quadrant of the Grand Palace grounds.

[ChiTownCity]

You have a lot of good pics in here. Nice work!

[hkskyline]

[Austinlee]

Consider my Kok, banged.

[hkskyline]

Wat Pho is a huge temple built in the 16th century. Located just next to the Grand Palace, it is also unexpectedly famous for its massage schools. With so much to see inside, I had no time to try out a massage but to roam the premises before sunset took over.