My Journey to Bangkok
Atmospheric, enchanting, vibrant, exotic and evocative.
For a long time I had avoided going to Southeast Asia. I have always been more interested in European countries and their culture, as they have always been closer to me in spirit and more familiar to me. I always found exotic Asia alien to me.
At the time, many people expressed enthusiastic surprise when they heard about such a business trip. As for myself, I was in a panic; I felt I was headed straight into my nightmare. I thought the most terrifying insects would bite me, I would melt from the hated heat or starve to death since I did not like sea creatures or anything of unknown origin on my plate. You can imagine my level of panic. Nevertheless, work is work and it has to be done. My mind was split in two – on one side were the enthusiastic voices of friends and colleagues, on the other, was my voice, frightening and cautionary.
It all happened so quickly that I had little time to pack. No enough time to prepare myself for the culture of this unknown country. I had no acquaintances who had already been to Thailand nor had I watched any blogs or films about it. The stereotypes and the plot of a book by my favourite author in the detective genre, Ju Nesbø, was firmly planted in my mind. Scandinavian detectives differ from others by their Nordic atmosphere, rather complex tangled plot and harsh morals. In Cockroaches, a young detective goes on a business trip from the cold and minimalistic Norwegian capital of Oslo to the hot, exotic Bangkok (almost like me), where the plot involves the mysterious death of the Norwegian ambassador in Thailand. I will not go through the whole story but I will say that it takes place somewhere in the 90s and Bangkok does not have its international airport, Suvarnabhumi, there is only Don Muang which is now a small airport that serves mainly regional, low-cost carriers.
Bangkok appears smoky with people opium smoking, where the protagonist unravels the case, wading through stuffy brothels as if wrapped in what he says is a hot, wet towel and meeting unconventional characters along the way. The genre dictates thickening the colours, building up the atmosphere and the fear and the mystery. I flew to Bangkok without any expectations.
As soon as I landed all of my worries disappeared. The drastic pictures I was painting in my head were unfounded. To my surprise, I found myself in a large, clean, four-level airport with a clear navigation system, where each level corresponded to a specific destination.
At the hotel, I felt like a child experiencing their first trip. I have been to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean before so I had a certain image in my mind of what resort destinations looks like. However, I could not have imagined how green and exotic the Thai landscape would be.
My eyes could not get enough of the lush vegetation, variously shaped palm trees, strange flowers and other plants.
At reception, we were greeted by friendly hotel staff who impressed us with their unusual appearance, they were dressed in a uniform with elements of the national dress and flowers in their hair. The hotel was designed in a Thai style with plenty of gilding and intricate ornate forms of decoration. All amenities such as lifts, a restaurant and even a bar with a rooftop pool were also present. The first impression was beyond all expectations. After settling in, we wanted to head out into the city for more surprises and discoveries.
What struck me about Bangkok was its vivid colours, scale, infrastructure and the diversity of its neighbourhoods. Obviously, I did not have enough time to see everything. Nevertheless, the destination for the next holiday trip was obvious for me.
A year later, I took my family on a holiday to Thailand. We stayed in the centre of Pratunam, where you can find the chic malls of Siam (Central World Plaza, Siam Paragon, etc.) with lavish showcases of luxury brands, as well as mass-market and open-air markets with Chinese-style items nearby. The street we settled on was picturesque and it was calm and serene during the day. Early in the morning, one could find Buddhist monks in orange robes walking leisurely towards the temples, at night it became lively with the street food vendors appearing. We could hear voices calling in Thai, food being grilled, fruits being juiced and smoothies being made. Mmm...
The transport network in a city of this size has fortunately proved to be very well developed. There are subways and SkyTrain (one of which takes you straight from the airport to Phaya Thai station in the city centre). There are several types of buses for all budgets: the more expensive ones are newer and air-conditioned, the cheaper are similar buses but without air conditioning and the cheapest are the old buses with wooden window frames with no glass.
For a unique Thai experience, I recommend a ride on the legendary tuk tuk, a local classic. A ride on a small moped with an open stall for passengers will fill you with lots of positive emotions. Better yet, in the Old Town, amidst the palaces, museums and temples, the atmosphere is majestic. The roads are wider, the boulevards greener and less hectic.
The famous temples and Royal Palace straddle the Chao Phraya River, along with an additional form of public transport, the riverboat. Tickets for which can be purchased directly from the jetty. The boat is especially nice in the evening when the golden lights of the Buddhist stupas are reflected in the water, making the horizon appear to be ablaze with golden fire. The temple area is home to many cats, which can't fail to please animal lovers. They are as much a local symbol here as they are in Istanbul.
Pay a visit to Wat Pho, the home of the famous golden Buddha, who is 46 metres tall and lies in wait for Nirvana. Here you can buy a handful of coins, each of which must be tossed into a bowl for you to be able to make a wish.
Another temple that you cannot miss is Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn. It is beautiful, as if from another universe. The silhouette of its stupa is often seen on postcards of Bangkok and the temple is lined with shards of broken Chinese porcelain from a Portuguese shipwreck. And if you don't know the history, it's hard to guess because it looks like lace and not porcelain.
By the way, the climate was much milder than I thought and we endured it more comfortably than the Almaty heat. The air is humid and the temperature is relatively moderate. It's better, of course, to avoid long walks in the afternoon and save them for the evening.
Bangkok has its own atmosphere in the evening and at night and even though the city is always awake, it gets even livelier. In such places, you feel like life is booming and we are all particles of cosmic dust. It is a thrilling sensation.
Should you tire of the shimmering lights of Bangkok, you can do as we did and head to the quiet resort of Hua Hin, home to the summer residence of the King of Thailand, this is a 2 hour drive from the bustling city.
It's the perfect place to spend a few days at sea without the time and expense of travelling to the outer islands. We reached it by a comfortable shuttle bus that departs directly from the airport.
This place is not only located on the opposite coast from the well-known Pattaya, it is the exact opposite of it in spirit. Here you will not find nightclubs with exotic entertainment. Instead, you will find a clean bay, white sand with crabs scurrying on it, peacefulness and serenity. It is where I tasted the most delicious pineapple I have ever eaten in my life. These are available right on the beach, as well as coconuts and mangoes.
A word of advice, head Hua Hin so you can grab a weekend getaway. From Friday evening to Monday, the resort has the Cicada and Tamarind street food fairs. Here you can eat cheap and delicious food, listen to live music, buy authentic souvenirs and clothes from local designers, check out the artists’ paintings and a whole lot more. A great place for a family holiday.
The people of Thailand are friendly and polite, yet they behave with dignity, no matter whether the person is a street vendor or a simple fisherman. One can feel the spirit of ancient civilization and Buddhist upbringing. Very few people here would want to spoil their karma. Many live a simple life, while doing hard work and accept life as it is while trying to avoid hindering others. This journey has not only enriched me culturally, it has also freed me from silly stereotypes.
Bangkok is the city of the tomorrow with the atmosphere of a futuristic 80s film such as Blade Runner. The city is a vibrant cocktail of austere tradition and brash modernity, daring youth and religious ascetics, office skyscrapers and ancient temples, floating markets and fancy hotels. Here, everyone can find a holiday to suit their taste and wallet. The city reveals itself differently each time and shows a fresh facet of itself to the visitor. Thailand's energy is so vibrant, so diverse, so rich and so lively. There is no such thing as too much Thailand. I look forward to my next trip.
Author: Tokzhan Ibragimova