Dan's Adventure

Bangkok is the largest and busiest city that I have visited in quite some time. Its hot, it smells and it has something for everyone. From sites such as the Wat Pra Kaew and the Grand Palace, to the ultra modern malls, to the backpacker mecca of Khao San Road, Bangkok has it all.

Temples

Bangkok has many temples but to be perfectly honest, I’m templed out. I only visited a couple whilst in Bangkok and even then, my visits were very brief due to the sheer number of people there. Even at the Taj Mahal and Angkor Wat the crowds were smaller than at the Grand Palace!

What I enjoyed more than visiting the temples, was the view from the number 15 bus after dark. It passes by a number of Bangkok’s tourist attractions, all of which are tastefully illuminated at night time. My favourite has to be the Golden Mount which looks like a giant helter skelter when its lit up. Unfortunately I didn’t have my camera with me to get a picture.

Muay Thai

Muay Thai is Thailand’s national sport. Fights take place frequently in all of Thailand’s cities but until Bangkok I passed on the opportunity to go and watch, primarily because it usually costs quite a bit. I stumbled upon a free Muay Thai event outside the MBK shopping mall which apparently takes place every Wednesday, from around 6pm. People looked on from every view point whilst the ringside seats were occupied by excited locals who would shout and cheer as the fight progressed.

Shopping

Bangkok has a number of ultra modern shopping malls clustered together in the west of the city. MBK sells all the knock off goods that you would expect to find in any Thai night market which is rather strange considering the brand name stores that they replicate are located in the malls across the road. The rest of the malls sell designer clothing, brand name electronics and most house a cinema, food courts and bars. If nothing else, the malls are a great place to escape the heat of Bangkok as they are all air conditioned.

Royal Family

The people of Thailand really love their king. His picture appears everywhere. On billboards, framed pictures outside shops, statues and most bizarrely before films begin at the cinema. At the cinema the national anthem also plays and you are expected to stand for it. The Grand Palace was once the home of the king, it is now only used for special occasions, but it still has the royal guard. I arrived just in time to see the change of the guards.