The Other Side of Bangkok – part 1
December 17, 2009 by jennythomson
Despite it’s rather sleazy reputation, Bangkok, or ‘The City of Angels’ as it is sometimes known, boosts some of the most delicious food on the planet, a wide variety of unusual transport methods, an assortment of shopping malls and markets selling all a person could ever want and more, a vibrant and spiritual culture and, of course, friendly Thai people! A trip around this enormous and fascinating city shows Bangkok has so much to be famous for…
The pavement is cluttered with cafes and food stalls, all packed together selling a variety of fragrant Thai foods. The occasional ‘soi dog’ or street dog lies sleeping in the tropical mid day heat.
Vehicles are packed together closely on the city’s bustling six lane roads, all grid-locked and at a standstill at rush hour while pedestrians can cross over on flyovers at regular intervals along the main road.
Motorcycle taxis can be recognised by their riders’ orange vests and will take passengers for a small fare.
Motorbikes have the advantage on Bangkok’s roads as they weave through the traffic at fantastic speeds, slipping past standard taxis, painted in bright colours; pink, green, blue, yellow and purple, past pick-up trucks carrying many Thai workers, or furniture, or fruit, past red buses with no air-con and passengers sleeping at the windows, past pedestrians and street stalls, and monks in their orange robes carrying their alms bowls and offering blessings to food sellers who give them food.
Street vendors prepare and sell an assortment of famous Thai foods: spicy curries, noodle soup, BBQ pork with sticky rice, iced coffee served in plastic bags, a wide range of seafood including squid, fruits such as the durian famously banned from public transport because of its smell, and even deep fried insects.
FOOD
It is said that Thai food is some of the best in the world and this is in no way an exaggeration. Thailand boosts many famous dishes: green and red curries, spicy avocado salad, seafood dishes and even insects including large grasshoppers, cockroaches, and sometimes even scorpions, all deep fried, sprayed in oil and eaten like chips!
As well as street stalls there are cafes and restaurants which may vary in their standards of seating and decor, but the food is always cooked to perfection. Thai people often visit the street vendors on their way to work for a wide variety of affordable food costing between 30 – 80 Bhat.
TRANSPORT
Bangkok’s busy roads certainly sport more than just tuk-tuks – those motorised, trolley-looking vehicles decorated with Christmas lights that tourists are so fond off. For those who are brave enough, by far the best, fastest way to travel is by motorbike and Bangkok is full of them. They make light work of the city’s notorious traffic jams, weaving through the tiniest gaps in between cars and even sometimes resorting to the pavements!
For the more safety cautious visitor, there are many metered taxis, easily spotted by their bright paint jobs, and are very reasonably priced at around 100 bhat for a 30 minute journey, although they are better avoided during rush hour which is normally from 3:30pm to 6:30. Alternately, the Skytrain, Bangkok’s raised, over ground, express rail service links residential areas to the city centre and market places. It was built to tackle Bangkok’s huge congestion problem and is very cheap. It is also one of the coldest, most air conned places in the city. It is mostly used by commuting Thais but is a very easy system to use and gives passengers an amazing bird’s eye view of the city.
Tibet in Pictures
December 13, 2009 by jennythomson
My photostory: Travelling in Tibet in April 2009
Best dance I have ever seen!
December 10, 2009 by jennythomson
As posted on my new YouTube channel, this is my favourite dance of all time. I recorded this in the Lumpini Park night bazaar in Bangkok, Thailand in 2009.
It is my great ambition to some day learn this dance, although I imagine there’s a possibility of me getting beaten up if I was to do this in a UK nightclub. What a pity!
So here is the challenge: see if you can perform this dance with the same co-ordination and grace of these Thai guys!
Also I have more strange dances on my Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxIa_cKYA2o and many more to come! Enjoy.
I’m on YouTube!
December 10, 2009 by jennythomson
So, as a result of extreme procrastination I have started my own youtube channel.
http://www.youtube.com/user/ShilioHua
Fairly random funny stuff, travel and, strangely enough, a lot of dancing.
Songkran and Holi: More international holidays for Scotland!
December 6, 2009 by jennythomson
I love the fact that Scotland is a multi-cultural society and has embraced religious festivals from around the world.
We celebrate the Hindu ‘festival of light’, Diwali, Chinese New Year, St Patrick’s Day and the Muslim holidays of Ramadan and Eid, just to mention a few.
However, I would really like to see us celebrate more of them! In particular, Thailand’s New Year festival, Songkran and the Hindu ‘festival of colours’, Holi, celebrated in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Here’s why!
Thai New Year or Songkran is celebrated from April 13 to 15, when the country is at its hottest and it is a time for cleansing and renewal. On the last day Thai people take part in a huge water throwing festival and take to the streets with buckets, hoses and water pistols in order to soak everything in sight, including people and vehicles! It brings a whole new meaning to the phrase April showers!
Holi is celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna which usually falls in the later part of February or March. It is an occasion where people fill the streets and dance and throw coloured powder at each other. It is beautiful, messy, sociable and a lot of fun!
See what we’re missing out on! Put them in your calendar and let’s bring more international festivals to Scotland!
