Same same, but different. It's Thailish T-shirt
philosophy that sums up Bangkok, a city where the tastes of many places are
mixed into an often-spicy dish.
FULL-ON FOOD
Until
you’ve eaten on a Bangkok street, your noodles mingling with your sweat, and
your senses dulled by chilli, exhaust and noise, you haven’t actually eaten
Thai food. It can be an overwhelming mix: the underlying flavours – spicy,
sour, sweet and salty – aren’t exactly meat and potatoes. But for those who
love full-on cuisine and don't need white tablecloths, there’s probably no
better dining destination in the world. And with immigration bringing every
regional Thai and international cuisine to the capital, it's also a truly
diverse experience.
FUN FOLKS
The language barrier may seem huge,
but it's never prevented anybody from loving the Thai people. The capital’s
cultural underpinnings are evident in virtually all facets of everyday life,
and most enjoyably through its residents' sense of sà·nùk (fun).
In Bangkok, anything worth doing should have an element of sà·nùk. Ordering
food, changing money and haggling at markets will usually involve a sense of
playfulness – a dash of flirtation, perhaps, and a smile. It’s a language that
doesn’t require words, and one that's easy to learn.
URBAN EXPLORATION
With
so much of life conducted on the street, there are few cities in the world that
reward exploration as handsomely as Bangkok. Cap off an extended boat trip with
a visit to a hidden morning market. A stroll off Banglamphu’s beaten track can
wind up in conversation with a monk. Get lost in the tiny lanes of Chinatown
and come face to face with a live Chinese opera performance. After dark, let
the BTS (Skytrain) escort you to Th Sukhumvit, where the local nightlife scene
reveals a sophisticated and dynamic city.
CONTRASTS
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| Wat Arun, Bangkok Photo by Jen de Guzman |
It’s
the contradictions that give the City of Angels its rich, multifaceted
personality. Scratch the surface and you’ll find a city of climate-controlled
megamalls and international brand names just minutes from 200-year-old village
homes; of gold-spired Buddhist temples sharing space with neon-lit strips of
sleaze; of slow-moving rivers of traffic bypassed by long-tail boats plying the
royal river; and of streets lined with food carts, overlooked by restaurants on
top of skyscrapers serving exotic cocktails. As Bangkok races towards the
future, you can rest assured that these contrasts will continue to supply the
city with its never-ending Thai-ness.
Text from: Lonely Planet
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| Photo by Jen de Guzman |
