"Bangkok" Bangkok by vic&michael

Michael and I were in Bangkok for 3 days in December 2004.

To tell you the truth, I think Bangkok was just a little too much 'city' and too many people and cars and pollution for me. Mind you, I was only there for 3 days, so this is just my very brief impression. I am aware that there is a rich and beautiful culture in Bangkok too.

I enjoyed going to Chatuchuck markets, and watching the traditional Thai Puppets. The Grand Palace was also amazing. They sure had an eye for detail when they created the Grand Palace!

Bangkok was full of smells of fruit stalls, spicy noodle soup stalls, and meats cooking away on portable 'cookers' (for lack of a better word!). If you are looking for a place that will stimulate all your senses, Bangkok is the place!

Oh, my favorite memory is when Michael and I saw a man on an elephant riding casually down the busy city street! That was a shock to the ordinary!

I enjoyed strolling down the streets in the early evening, and seeing people sitting out on plastic chairs and tables right on the pathways, and eating their bought dinners, usually looked like spicy noodles with veges and meat. It looked so yummy and smelt so good, and they looked so relaxed, and it was just a really lovely nighttime athmosphere.

I guess thinking back about my memories of Bangkok, it was actually a lot of fun! I didn't like how busy the city was, but without that busy city, there wouldn't have been the huge markets, and the many many food & fruit stalls!

We even bought some of the spicy noodles from a vendor, and boy, they were delicious, and hot! We ate durian (it was Michael's first time to eat a durian, and surprisingly, he liked it!). We also tried a couple of other tropical fruits, asked their names at the time, and have now forgotten them!

The Thai massage we had on the last day was in a beautiful room filled with white linen. I asked the girl please not to hurt me! And so I had a good massage, but Michael had a large older lady and lets just say he got a bit scared at the pressure she put on his muscles, but the best bit was when they twisted our backs around their knees and there was all these satisfying 'clicks'! yeah, a great experience!

• Pros:New and fascinating sights, smells, sounds everywhere!
• Cons:Busy, so many people, so many cars.