The sleepy era, when Bangkok was called the Venice of the East because of the klongs (canals) crossing it, today seems as distant as the Paleolithic. When the building boom hit, the Klong lost their rivalry with the city streets and the city changed beyond recognition. Today, Bangkok is a 10-million-strong concrete monster that greets visitors with a whirlwind of five-lane highways in every direction. Around only metal, glass, concrete and asphalt. Skyscrapers stretch to the horizon. A sacred and cursed place, saturated with golden temples and smelling of slums forgotten by gods and people.
Bangkok – Krung Thep in the Guinness Book
Thais call Bangkok Krung Thep, the city of angels. But this is only the beginning of the long and pretentious name of the capital. During his coronation in the 18th century, Rama I gave him an impressive name of 43 syllables. Then 21 more were added. In the end, the city entered the Guinness Book of Records as the longest place name in the world: Krungthepmahanakhornbowornrattnakosinmahintaryutthayamahadilokpopnopparatrachatathaniburiromudomratchaniwetmahasathanisathanamornpimanatharnspathitsakav,
which in broad translation means “The magnificent city of angels, the greatest treasure, the earth, no one can win and the famous kingdom, the enchanting capital of the nine gems, the highest residence of the king and the great palace, the divine retreat and the place where the next incarnations of the spirits dwell. “No more, no less. You just have to see it.
Bangkok – glass houses and incense
At first glance, Bangkok looks modern and even futuristic. But if you look closely, it turns out that in the most amazing, and sometimes bizarre way, it combines tradition with modernity, the past with the future, backwardness with progress. Next to exclusive restaurants, there are outdoor kitchens on the sidewalks. The skyscrapers are adjoined by wooden houses on stilts, suspended over narrow canals, preserved in the left bank, historically the oldest part of the city. And each glass house of the 22nd century has its own temple, reminiscent of a dollhouse. It is a haven for ghosts who take care of the owner, the company, the store, the building, and must ensure prosperity. In front of the figurines, symbolizing ghosts, offerings – fresh flowers, tangerines, cookies, drinks. Burning candles and incense.
Bangkok Vanity Fair
When the hot day falls asleep, the adventurous head to neon-lit Patpong, Bangkok’s most famous entertainment district. Here, under the cover of night, the bars pump music to the max, flooding the streets with a cacophony of sounds mixed into one deafening cocktail. The venues are filled to the brim with locals and tourists, and the streets host a huge market for toiletries. The largest markets are Chatuchak in Chinatown and Suan Lum, a night market. The most exotic are the floating markets, the most famous of which is Damnoe Sudak, located outside the city. On the water, as well as on land, you need to bargain, so it’s noisy and very colorful. It is best to get here at dawn, because at nine the charm of the place is destroyed when buses full of tourists arrive.
Bangkok and its second face
A morning in Bangkok reveals the secrets of this other, angelic face of the city. Already at dawn, the monks left the churches for the daily procession. In front – the abbot of the monastery, and at the end – the novices. Everyone has a beggar’s bowl in which the followers of Buddhism put rice. Worshiping the Buddha, giving food to monks, and visiting holy places are the merits through which lay Buddhists hope for a better life in their next incarnation. Moments later, parades of tourists begin to visit other temples.
First on the list is the Grand Royal Palace with the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, then the oldest Wat Pho with the reclining Enlightened One, then Wat Saket on the Golden Hill, which offers a panoramic view of the entire city, and Wat Arun – the Temple of Dawn overlooking the waters of the Chao Phraya River.
Everything is studded with gold and precious stones. Getting to them all and moving around the world’s traffic jam capital, as Bangkok is called, is quite difficult. If possible, it is best to go by speedboats on the Chao Phraya River.
Buses and minibuses remain in the strict center, but finding a route and getting on board is a real miracle. It is better to choose vehicles without air conditioning – they often do not close the door at all, so at least there is no risk of crushing your hand. It is a big mystery how the elderly, the sick and the disabled move around Bangkok. Maybe tuk-tuks, three-wheel auto rickshaws? They are cheaper than taxis, and also smaller and more maneuverable, so they do not get stuck in traffic jams.
Emerald Buddha in Bangkok
Being in the temple becomes a real relief. Wat Pho, located next to the Royal Palace, is the most visited monument in Bangkok. Both tourists and followers of Buddhism. Sound and prayers can be heard from inside the temple from dawn. Believers bow to a giant statue of a reclining Buddha. Children with playful solemnity imitate the prayers of adults, and the Enlightened One slowly swells with golden leaves glued by successive generations of Buddhists.
The Buddha at Wat Pho is 46 meters long and 15 meters high. Its complete opposite is the statue located in the temple of Wat Phra Kaew. It is small, carved from greenish jasper, and is the object of the greatest cult. The Buddha sits in a lotus position, arms down, palms on top of each other in front of him.
The Buddha is everywhere in Thailand: he sits when he meditates, he stands when he teaches, and he lies with his head on his hand when he rests. Carved in teak, marble, bronze and alabaster. Smiling enigmatically, deeply thoughtful, or deeply troubled. Pilgrims pray to him and make offerings to him. In the spiritual atmosphere of the temples dedicated to him, they have been relaxing, meditating and deepening the secrets of traditional Thai medicine for more than 2500 years. Wat Pho Temple is home to the most famous massage school, where the greatest experts in this extraordinary art of healing and relaxation come from.
Massage Capital
You can’t leave the city without visiting one of the thousands of beauty salons. Thai massage parlors are waiting for clients on almost every street in Bangkok. After all, Thailand has a centuries-old tradition of massage, and in every Thai home, the skills are passed down from generation to generation. The Thais themselves willingly obey them, deeply believing in the beneficial effect of these procedures on the state of the body and soul.
There are over 500 schools across the country that shape future massage therapists, and Bangkok is the massage capital of the world. Among tourists coming to Thailand, short courses of massage or cooking according to the principles of Thai cuisine are in vogue. In any case, you can learn a lot more from Thais without any courses, such as a smile for any occasion and the ability to keep your nerves under control – anger is seen as a lack of culture and a sign of immaturity.
Good to know:
Weather
Thailand has three seasons:
• winter (XII–II) – it rarely rains, the temperature is 28–32 ° C. Now is the high tourist season.
• Summer (March-June) – hot and humid, above 38°C.
• rainy season (VII-XI) – pleasant for walking and hiking. It usually rains during the day and evening.
What to take?
The less the better, because the place is cheap and the choice and quality are good. In the rainy season, wear a thin jacket. Some very trendy restaurants require jackets. It is worth arming yourself with a supply of antiallergic drugs and insect bites, as well as copies of important documents.
Required
Visa available at the border (for 15 days; payment and photo).
The passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of departure.
Drivers
An international driving license applies. Left side traffic. The roads in the country are very good. The motorway network is not limited to Bangkok. Numerous car and motorcycle rentals.
