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Bangkok - there is absolutely no other city like it in the world. Lively it is - and it is full of life...everywhere.

BANGKOK, THAILAND

Dave
2004-02-22 13:28:30

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Bangkok - there is absolutely no other city like it in the world. Lively it is - and it is full of life...everywhere. You can't help but be caught by the hustle and bustle, the crowds and congestion - all day and all night. This is not to be ignored but is to be jumped into full throttle. Every now and then you may need a respite, but only for a little while.

This is a city of many things; it is a city of crowds, congested streets, gleaming golden temples called Wats and an ever present ebb and flow of life - all day and all night long. At first glance nothing appears to be static here - 3 wheeled automobiles called Tuk-Tuks weave in and out of traffic, the sidewalks are filled with throngs of moving people and there always seems to be another skyscraper under construction. However, there are some sights that seem to remain the same year after year - calm places like the estate of Jim Thompson, not so calm places such as the famous Wats of Po and Arun, and of course, the Grand Palace.

"Wat Hunting Without Map" is a favorite activity of mine when I am in Bangkok. I visit new streets that I haven't been to before, see new shops, and find new attractions. Every time I go "Wat Hunting Without Map" I become hopelessly and utterly lost! This is fun - I never worry too much - I always carry the handy card map of my hotel in my money belt and I have the name and street memorized in case I do lose the map card.

When I randomly disappear into crowds somewhere on the streets of this huge city it may appear that I am in the middle of nowhere. Usually I am the only visible foreigner in the crowd, no one is speaking English and everything looks, smells and feels "exotic" compared to what I am used to at home. For some reason this is comforting and refreshing to me.

Bangkok is a town of over 8 million. From the center of this metropolis you can look 360 degrees in any direction ...