Day 7- West Bangkok

Saw a few saffron-robed monks today around the Grand Palace...

How much more can I see in this city? It seems like I’ve been everywhere but I know I’ve been absolutely nowhere at all. Im a day late because I was absolutely exhausted and all I could do was pass out… Yesterday I woke up early and used my legs, a train, and a boat to visit Western Bangkok, which is closely tied to the North and South running Chao Phraya River. My theory is that the city starts on the Eastern bank and sprawls Westward as it gets newer. The Western portion is much older and has a completely different feel to it. Part of that is because of the Great Flood which happened in the middle of 2011. I learned more about this later in the day when I visited the Bangkok Ark and Cultural Museum, but basically the Chao Phraya River began to overflow during the monsoon season due to the heavy rainfall. All of the provinces bordering the Chao Phraya experienced some sort of flooding and Bangkok got hit pretty hard. It wasn’t until just recently that the problem began to resolve. I have to say I’m impressed because there is hardly any signs of the catastrophe that pretty much just happened yesterday. There is significant wear and tear along the banks of the Chao Phraya, which I took a water taxi down…

One of the gates in Chinatown

There is a lot more history in this part of town. The Great Palace, Wat Arun, and Wat Phra Kaeo were on the list of things to do but I wasn’t allowed into the Great Palace because of my shorts so I had to improvise… So I decided the next best thing would be a visit to nearby Chinatown. The best way to describe Chinatown is it has a lot of life down there. It’s hard to imagine that people manage to survive in that environment day in and day out. Everyone pulling at you, everyone trying to get your attention, everyone trying to sell you something… its pretty crazy. It’s a whole different level from any of the Chinatowns back in the states. But amidst the chaos you have to respect the resolve of those people, many of them are doing what they know how to do.. and many of them are doing the only thing they can do.

One of the enlargements in the Bangkok Cultural and Art Museum. The photo
is of monks praying in the middle of the Great Flood..

Later on in the day I decided to take a trip to the Bangkok Art and Cultural Museum and just by coincidence the grand gallery was being used to showcase the relief efforts of the great flood. So I spent some time in the air conditioned museum visiting the various gallery’s before it was time to go out and fight Bangkok again. A few of the employees at the hostel mentioned they were going to the weekend market and I asked if I could tag along. I’m sure they were surprised and I’m sure they were wanting to observe how ridiculous an American was in that kind of atmosphere more than anything but they agreed. And what an atmosphere that was. Just like a Thai flee market, but that in itself is a something. Once done there we parted ways and I took a motorbike back to the hostel. Mom, I know this is not going to be your favorite part… but that was epic. Bangkok on a motorbike is what it’s all about. The streets are tamer than you typically hear- depending on who youre riding with. And my motorcycle dude was pretty daring.

Another day, another set of adventures to conquer. Talk to you all later tonight.