"Bangkok" a Bangkok Travel Page by Snipernurse

Welcome to Bangkok. Never mind the air, which ranks as the worst in the world. Maybe you can buy a mask for your mouth and nose like many of the locals to hopefully decrease the toxic particles you breathe in.

"Boom Boom?" "Ping Pong Show?" No thank you. "Boom Boom?" "Ping Pong Show?" Umm I just told the guy that approached me five seconds ago 'No', go away. When I would tell people that I know at home that I was going to Cambodia and Thailand they would give me a look like "you're going for the women". I began to be a little shy to tell people where I was going so I wouldn't be accused of seeking out such things. The rampant sex trade is disturbing, and throughout my time in Thailand the often sight of an old white man with a young Thai looking lady got no less disturbing. Maybe they had been happily married for years, but probably that man came to Thailand to exploit these womens misfortunate and had bought her as a girlfriend for the week. These things wreck havoc for ambiance. Now I won't act like I don't get a kick out of seeing a transvestyte or two, and the whole ping pong show sounds like one of those things that you don't want to see but can't force yourself to look away. We decided to avoid it all together; why endorse something like that?

"Sir, Sir, suit? Suit Sir? Where are you from?" 'No, suit' I hear the voice of the suit salesman trail, I feel him follow me for a second. (Later in my trip to Thailand I would learn that the best way to get rid of a suit salesman was to allow the bright flash from your camera explode in their face as you snap a photo. They are either to confused or irritated to bombard you any longer with propositions for their fabric).

I awake in the day dedicated for siteseeing in Bangkok, temples and such. The roads and maps are confusing so I approach an absolute stranger, I repeat I approach a stranger, and ask him for advice as to how to get to a certain temple. He tells me to forget about the Golden Buddha temple, that he is a tour guide. Go to the Black Buddha temple and Lucky Buddha temple instead, trust me I'm a tour guide. I was a little curious as to why these temples weren't listed on the map given by my lodge for the sites, but hey I had the whole day. He hailed a tuk tuk for us and suggested that the driver take us there. We get to the black buddha temple and we approach a small temple, dressed as a legit temple would, but with a small kitchen in the back and no other tourists. A black buddha sits at the front around other cheap looking buddha statues. I knew instantaneously we had been had. But we approached the guy!! Is all of Bangkok in on the schemes? Whats the point of having a fake temple? To derail plans and elongate time needed for a tuk tuk so that you can be taken to more gem and suit shops?

I find that no one can be trusted unless they work at a travel agency, and even then it is sketchy. After dishonest tuk tuk driver after another, and the stress of the heat, crowds and difficulty in getting around the city I was thankful at how cheap massages are and winding down for an evening on Khao San Road.

It only took one day for me to not like Bangkok whatsoever

So I'm sure I sound like a Debbie Downer, or the male version, you know what i mean, with this whole Bangkok place. I'm sure one would say that you gotta take away what you can from such a place. I'm sure I could go back to Bangkok and have a good time knowing what I know now. I had just came from Cambodia and enjoyed the culture there and was dissapointed when I found Bangkok to have been so scarred as it has and lacking in any genuiniety. When i started to build my Virtual tourist page for Bangkok, the first tips that popped into my mind were advising against certain sites, tourist traps, and warnings or dangers. After I had finished warning people about the dredge of Bangkok I was able to talk a little bit about the fun sights it provides. Usually I am hard pressed to find reasons to complain about areas I have been, Bangkok was easy

It did not help matters when we bought a guided tour to Ayuthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand. This tour was a disaster at best. The tour which included Ayuthaya, left us to spend the majority of our time in Bang Pa-In, easily my least favorite attraction I have been to ever. The guide, although nice, repeated himself at least three times every time he said something. I thought I was in the twilight zone. I longed for my iPod to drown out the noise, no such luck.

My mood in Bangkok was thankfully resurrected by Muy Thai Kickboxing, an exciting and expensive venture that in the beginning found me in my seat comfortably watching, to standing 5 feet from the ring yelling and shouting along with a rowdy crowd. Maybe this place isn't so bad after all, but I sure can't wait to move on

So what is my overall Bangkok recommendation? Go there, because it is one of the biggest cities in the world. It is a top on a lot of travel destinations. But just be aware of the annoyances, of the lack of genuineness that other Southeast cities contain. Know it may feel manufactured. Know that you will be tricked into a gem shop or a ride here or there. Splurge on a fancy dinner on the top of a skyscraper. Skip a highly visited Wat and go to the Human Body expo or other random off the beaten track sight. If you're wanting a genuine Buddhist experience these popular temples aren't the place. As soon as you think you've had enough, or if time is limited, move on.