Apologies for missing a week. The computer was away, used my old computer and just could not bring myself to write. Realised even though I have several other places where I write and contribute and just began one other blog, there is something 'homey' about this one.
Thailand remains my all time love. Asia --in general excites me.
I return to this FOR YOU ALL. Even though this is hidden, it gets nearly 400 hits a month.
Regardless, here is a blog from August 22, 2011, so nearly a decade ago. This blog amazes me. I surprise myself, with the amount of work that has been a part of this blog.
Thanks all for reading and returning and reading.
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Bangkok is a jungle, people will say. And in many ways it is. The second time I arrived there, in 2009 (the first time was ages ago), I came from Wellington, New Zealand's capital. Bangkok was nothing like is Kiwi counterpart. A capital city ...yes, but that is where comparison stopped. Bangkok has nearly times and a half the population of entire New Zealand. The first time I came to Bangkok from Botswana. A country of less than 2 million people. And my first thought was 'wow, this city must use the same amount of electricity that Kanye does in a year.' Kanye was the little town/village in the South of Botswana that I called home. The first year there was no electricity at my school. I ended up using candles and kerosene to light my little house. That was a big change from growing up in New Delhi. So, a stop in Bangkok for someone who called Kanye home was 'truly illuminating'!! Strangely enough it did not seem any less stark from Wellington NZ. Unilke NZ which was organized and maintained a certain 'English Subtlety' Bangkok was brazen, daring and demure at the same time.
At 5.7 million people, Bangkok though still much less populated than New Delhi, is like a live wire. Absolutely alive, electric, life giving, bright and yet at times dangerous.
I have to admit though that the danger is not nearly as much as the beauty of the city. As much as the city gives you.....
There are sites to see and
smells to smell,
sounds to hear,
of horns and bells
The city offers you everything....what you find in the city is only a reflection of who you are...
I am short of time --so I will let pictures do most of the talking.
Anyone who has heard of Bangkok must have also heard of tuk-tuks. Tuks-tuks are the Thai version of Indian 'three wheelers'. Slightly wider than three-wheelers (or scooters are they are called in India), Tuk-tuks not always covered on three sides like scooters. But just like their Indian counter part, because of their shape, they are speedier, and offer the passengers much more adventure. By shape, I do not mean the mechanical advantage or any such 'technical' aspect. I mean because of their shape, their drivers can take much more liberty in driving. Tuk-tuk's triangular shape allows them to break the traffic rules without offending the other royal vehicles.
US!!. We decided to see the Grand Palace. One of the most toursity of places in Bangkok. But would it be fun if we took a taxi? Absolutely not!! So we crammed in a tuk-tuk and 'doubled our fun!!'
Where else but Bangkok can you see shocking pink cabs. By the way, there are about four colors of cabs in Bangkok. The cabs alone add a splash of color to the streets.
No matter how many times I have seen them, I still stop dead in my tracks when I see a Monk. And start clicking my camera like a mad person.
Monks: The regular and raggity shopping centre outside Wat Mahathat. There are regular shops, quite fancy. And then the street vendors just crowd it, leaving little space for onlookers, and customers. But that is the joy....there is so much to see that one never gets bored!!
One of the delights of Bangkok is its street food. And for non vegetarians it is a heaven!! I have never been able to keep track of all the variety available on the streets. This was my third time in the country and every time I have discovered new foods. A young woman from Switzerland said that she had been living in Bangkok for a more than a year and still she discovers a new street food or new fruit or vegetable every so often!! Bounty!!
Here the man makes mini pancakes, stuff them with sweet filling, rolls them and puts them on the side....ready to be sold.
I just walked into an alley that was perpendicular to the street shown above. Lo and Behold, I was in another world. That is the joy of Asia. Little streets open into other little streets. This is a much organized version of street restaurants that you will find all over south east asia. Most of these are unorganized, haphazard, but very functional. This set up may be jointly used by several small 'noodle/pad thai shops.' Many young people meet here for dinner after work, before heading home. I am told not many people in Bangkok cook.
Right after the street restaurant was a string of fortune tellers. Ah just my luck, they seemed good, and I could afford them but we did not speak the same language. I am seriously thinking of learning Thai. I can already count till ten!! ha, ha..
Ah finally, I had been looking for this one. Last time I found them in Thailand and Laos. Pancakes is what they call them. But they are not the kind of pancakes we are used to. These are more like fried rotis/chappatis, the Indian bread. Only stuffed. Although plain ones are available, my favorite ones are cheese and banana. You can get them in various flavors. Cheese, Banana, nutella, plain sugar, pineapple etc. I went to this vendor twice. By the end of the day, I knew I had had enough sugar for this lifetime......but that did not stop me from eating just one more.....
So this was one of the many new foods I discovered this time. Well, wanna guess what this is?
Plain bananas being roasted. The healthiest of foods. Once roasted the bananas are then peeled and flattened. Some times, instead of flattening them a stick is inserted so people eat them like popsickles. Very healthy, unless ofcourse you say 'yes' to the 'coconut sugar sauce that comes with it!!"
Dont ask me what this is. Half the time I do not try anything for the fear of biting into something 'meaty' but am fascinated by how many ways can we use the same foods to honor our taste buds!!
Ok, I have forgotten what this is. Will have to get back to you all for that one. The smaller version of this is called 'longan'. But this one....I was in a rush so just took a picture and boarded my bus.
Asia is known for variety.....of the people, of food, of culture, even diversity of thought. But there is a kind of unity of thought. Even in the communist countries like Vietnam, there is a belief of reincarnation. I am not sure whether or not that is true. But I do believe the idea of reincarnation originated from the basic understanding that 'life continues' and that what we know is very narrow. We will never know it all. The universe and its ways are much more complicated than what we can comprehend. And while we acknowledge that, let us celebrate the diversity that we see on the surface....because at the heart of it all...all is ONE !!
