A little description of the 12 sights and things I have enjoyed in my new home. Here is the second half:
Admiring the Lady boys
Thanon Patpong and Soi Cowboy had the prettiest lady boys I have ever seen. The girls sat in bikini tops and mini-pleated skirts, enticing all men passing by to enter the bar. Neon lights and lots of noise made for sensory overload, but I could not take my eyes off the new couples walking side by side in the area: Old men and young girls, young boys and young “girls”… what a mix!
But you don’t just have to go to the reserved districts… sex is everywhere! “You want massage?” and “Sec movie?” can always be heard. My personal favourite are the light projections that display pornographic images against the wall, like a naughty flashlight.
Chatuchak Market
The weekend market at the Mo Chit BTS (Skytrain) station has everything you could possibly think of buying. Bring money, patience and possibly an umbrella to survive a day or two there. The first (money) is because you will want to buy everything you see, and since it is all so cheap, you won’t even notice the money leaving your wallet until it is too late. If you are price sensitive like myself, then patience is key. Negotiating the price of dishes while sitting on the pavement under a 30 degree sun took lots of it. Which leads me to the last item: “the umbrella”. It helps you to stay focused (and conscious) during the negotiations, as you will be better able to withstand the heat.
Thai Food
Spicy, cheap and delicious. A little mime can go a long away here with street vendors, and these are not to be passed up for an English menu or one with pictures. Just point at the things you would like to try and you are bound to be pleased. Lunch costs $1, so even if you don’t like your first choice, you can always try something else. Crispy pork in red curry with sweet basil served with sticky rice is my personal favourite, but Tom Yum seems to be more popular with everyone else.
The King’s Song
I first experienced respect rituals to the King at the Imax theatre in Siam Paragon when I went to see “Avatar” in 3D. Right before the movie began, everyone had to stand in tribute to the King. There was a commercial that played, showing all the things that made up Thai life (minus the sex industry). Similarly, when I went to a small theatre next to Marina HK where I saw “Up In the Air”, a song played and we all stood in silent respect.
At the market (Chatuchak, in fact) with my roommate, I had a similar experience. We were sitting, escaping the heat with fruit smoothies when a song came on, which I later learned was the National Anthem. It plays twice a day, once in the morning, and again at 6:00pm. When the song began, everyone in the crowded market just froze, and as soon as it ended, continued on normally.
Riding the Skytrain and the MRT
Such an efficient way to get around such a crowded and chaotic city!
Ten years ago I set a goal to visit 30 countries by my 30th birthday. With no plan or country list to fulfill this goal, I decided to let life take me where it wished.
“See Simi Travel Blog | Adventures of a travel snob“, is just that. The account of an ex-20-something year old exploring the world, usually solo, and on a very limited budget.
Every other week I try to tell you a story about the friends, food, fun and fails I’ve had along the way.
