BANGKOK, THAILAND
I decided to take a break from travel planning and wander around the city on my own today. I started by walking down to the Mae Nam Chao Phraya, which is the river dividing Bangkok from the older city of Thonburi, and came to Santichaiprakarn Park, where a few locals were taking an aerobics class under the trees. Next to the park I stumbled upon some Bangkok history: The Phra Sumen fort, the best-preserved of two remaining 18th-Century forts along the river (originally there were 14). It's a big white hexagonal fortress with cannons still in place, built by King Rama I in 1783. You can't go inside, so I had to be content with taking a few pictures from the exterior.
I then caught a river ferry south to the City Central Pier, mainly to get a flavor of city life along the river. Strangely enough, the Chao Phraya reminds me a lot of the Thames, with lots of boat traffic and a combination of modern skyscrapers, broken-down houses, and the remnants of a once-booming shipping industry. Unlike the Thames, there are a number of colorful temples and mosques visible from the river, the most visually striking being Wat Arun, a Khmer-style temple named after the Indian god of dawn, covered in a mosaic of porcelain tiles.
I got off the boat at the City Pier just as a massive thunderstorm struck (it's definitely the rainy season here!), and opted to stay under cover. So I bought a ticket for a ride on the Skytrain, which Lonely Planet listed as a Bangkok "Don't Miss..." Which I don't really understand, since it's just a rapid transit system, not that different from MARTA. Anyway, I took it to Siam Station, where I wandered around Siam Paragon, an insanely upscale shopping mall complete with Ferrari dealership, IMAX theatre, multiplex, opera house, and even an Oceanarium in the basement. (Wha?) It was all a little too rich for my budget, so I didn't stay too long before taking the train and boat back to Khao San.
I decided to take a break from travel planning and wander around the city on my own today. I started by walking down to the Mae Nam Chao Phraya, which is the river dividing Bangkok from the older city of Thonburi, and came to Santichaiprakarn Park, where a few locals were taking an aerobics class under the trees. Next to the park I stumbled upon some Bangkok history: The Phra Sumen fort, the best-preserved of two remaining 18th-Century forts along the river (originally there were 14). It's a big white hexagonal fortress with cannons still in place, built by King Rama I in 1783. You can't go inside, so I had to be content with taking a few pictures from the exterior.
I then caught a river ferry south to the City Central Pier, mainly to get a flavor of city life along the river. Strangely enough, the Chao Phraya reminds me a lot of the Thames, with lots of boat traffic and a combination of modern skyscrapers, broken-down houses, and the remnants of a once-booming shipping industry. Unlike the Thames, there are a number of colorful temples and mosques visible from the river, the most visually striking being Wat Arun, a Khmer-style temple named after the Indian god of dawn, covered in a mosaic of porcelain tiles.
I got off the boat at the City Pier just as a massive thunderstorm struck (it's definitely the rainy season here!), and opted to stay under cover. So I bought a ticket for a ride on the Skytrain, which Lonely Planet listed as a Bangkok "Don't Miss..." Which I don't really understand, since it's just a rapid transit system, not that different from MARTA. Anyway, I took it to Siam Station, where I wandered around Siam Paragon, an insanely upscale shopping mall complete with Ferrari dealership, IMAX theatre, multiplex, opera house, and even an Oceanarium in the basement. (Wha?) It was all a little too rich for my budget, so I didn't stay too long before taking the train and boat back to Khao San.
I HAVE DELETED A PARAGRAPH HERE AT CHRIS' REQUEST.
posted by John Kuge at 11:52 PM
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