Bangkok – It is a lot like Toronto in that it's pretty huge, with neighbour hoods separated by vast distances from one another, with nothing but sprawl in between. There's the stuff over by the mall, where people go to hang out, and free shows happen in the park, and locals get to have dance battles – because, hey, why not? And then there's the more touristy section with the temples, and the palace, and all that – but even still, aside from KSR there's a lot of local life.
As I've said before all the pink-skins stay in that area, and hardly venture from it. And why should they? It has loud music, alcohol, and all the cheap t-shirts, dvds, and other gidgets that they could ever want. And that's what this city it. It's one small party of farang, and then an open sprawl for the seven million locals to make their daily life.
For hours I did nothing but watch DVDs and upload movies. Seriously – I need to not fall behind in this again. When I'm in Peru I will be very conscious of every video I take, realizing that I'll have to spend terrible terrible time uploading them all again. But there it is – I uploaded almost all of my African videos, except for the ones from Vic Falls. There will be time enough for that later, I'm sure.
And since I was in a closed captioned kind of mood, I also watched Jet Li's Hero – which was a lovely Chinese myth. The girl watching it with me who kept saying “that's not believable, how could that happen?” clearly didn't understand the concept of myth (nor the fact that what was happening on screen was supposed to be imagined, and not actually happening in the world that the movie laid out either.) Good times.
If, tomorrow, my stomach isn't trying to forcibly eject itself through my bowels, then I will know that I am safe to eat in Thailand. This was an all or nothing quest, you see – and probably a foolish time to embark upon it, as I fly to Cambodia tomorrow. But, never mind that. What's done is done. Only one thing did I pass up: the squid on a stick. No thank you, but last time I was in Japan I already ate me a whole squid, and I need not repeat that process.
Strawberries were always the size of apples, right?
On my way back to the hostel, stomach full and happy – or less happy than it would have been, had I'd stopped at meal two, or even three – I turned off to a well lit Wat (temple) and sat to do some reading. And that's when I finally felt at home in this city. I had made certain spots my own, I had certain routines that I followed, and I knew where I should go for what purpose.
If I had a social network here, friends to hang at the MBK centre with, or people to go out for drinks with, or to explore the restaurants that I'd like to eat in, but would have no idea how to order at, I could comfortably live here for quite some time. So, no, Bangkok's not a tourist city. But it's one I've grown quite fond of.
It makes me miss Dresden a little. But here? A tad bit more affordable.
You shouldn't have passed up the squid, actually you shouldn't have passed up anything cooked by charcoal.
ReplyDeleteJust watch out for the plastic type pieces and the beak of the squid.
If you ate a white ball on your journey today, you most likely ate a squid ball. So what's the diff?
And as for eggs, if they were spotted eggs, they might have been quail eggs. They are quite rich and yummy.
In Cambodia, (and anywhere else in asia), try to visit a fish market. You'll probably see what i'd like to call an edible aquarium full of stuff. I think Nick mentioned to me the giant shrimp of the south east asia. Oxymoron they are when they are bigger than maine lobsters. If not for the food go see it to see what monster lie within the sea.