Tuesday, October 28, 2008

The other side of Bangkok

Hanging out with Warren in Sukhumvit puts you smack bang in the expat community and amongst the western sex tourists who frequent the girlie bars in the area. And it isn't easy to tell the difference between the groups!

But head west of the train station and you are slap bang in Chinatown, with bulging markets selling anything and everything, wholesale and retail. Gold shops were chokka with people freaking out at the currency crisis and buying up big, whereas the colourful gem shops were quite empty.

No modern highrise buildings here, just shops selling incense sitting cheek by jowl with coffin shops, and the restaurants openly displaying shark fins. Enormous markets going on forever.

We went for dim sum on Sunday, very poor food in comparison to the culinary delights of Penang. But crossing the river a few times and having a few beers in riverside bars made up for an ordinary lunch.

Check out the Bangkok photos for those I've added.

It's now off to Vietnam, for a change of pace in the hills amongst many different ethnic minority tribes. Can't wait!

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