BANGKOK: Things I Did Not Expect

Bangkok is the gateway to Southeast Asia. A wonderful vibrant city with endless manifestations of life and culture mixed with colours, lights, flavours and aromas.

I abandon the coast of Abu Dhabi to cross the Ocean in search of the Thai capital. Six hours after a turbulent flight the sky clears to allow my arrival safe. I booked cheap flights fromLondon to Bangkok that get me going and my plane lands on that dark carpet of diamonds that glow in the dark, I have a strong emotion full of expectations and adventures.

I am lost, again, in a new city where I see different people and everything has a new flavour. Although I feel that I owe a long rest to my body but I cannot avoid the temptation to take a first look at the street, even if it is brief. My first visions corroborate that I am not dreaming, I have arrived in Thailand.

1. Silom popular neighbourhood city:

After a long trip my first lodging is in Silom , a central and popular neighbourhood of the city. There I chose lodging for backpackers with an unbeatable environment.  It had electronic door cards, wifi and cable service, industrial decoration of its premises, impeccable cleaning, safe in the room, lockers, breakfast included, guitars, entertainment rooms, computers, information service and finally the parties that airman at the weekends. Either way there is always an approach that makes all types of visitors happy.

Bangkok is a very competitive city and receives so much tourism that its services cannot afford to be bad. To this must be added that it is a tremendously cheap city considering international prices.  Overall, Thailand is a place full of cultural experiences, pleasure and entertainment.

2. Travelling on Sky train:

Travelling on Sky train is almost mandatory since traffic is one of the busiest in the world. Luckily the systems are perfectly signposted in English as well as Thai. It is extremely easy not like other cities that have quite entangled and confused the information of trains and trams adding also unnecessary controllers. As I mentioned, the city is well prepared for tourism.

3.Films Industry and bars:

The city is also well known for the films that have been filmed here, almost always giving it an image of a tumultuous city and full of surprises.Even if you are not staying at the hotel, it is part of the Bangkok experience going up to the famous Sirocco and meeting the Sky Bar on the 63rd floor of this majestic hotel. Drinking and watching this shocking panorama in one of the city's tallest buildings is something that anyone without a large budget can afford and without doubt the experience will be fused in memory.

4. Famous Hotels:

On the fringe of this Grand Canal is one of the most famous hotel of the city: The Shangri-La, An immense and majestic building that offers a magnificent view of the river and the city. The services are a first class exquisite and the interior of its rooms has a wonderful decoration wherever you look. The pool is immediately next to the river offering a relaxing view of the small floating boats. This place have been lodged a lot of famous stars like Michael Jackson and Nelson Backpacker. Yes, I had the pleasure of spending a few nights living in my own flesh the glamor that my wallet could never afford and that someone in the world has the task of testing the hotels. Contrary to the formality expected of such a place, I met sincerely kind people, people who carried the hospitality in their nature and I could make several new friends.

5. Thai Foods:

The Thai food was a buffet of flavours that never ran out. Despite the delights tried both in luxury hotels and in street stalls, he sometimes felt he should rest a little from the intense seasoning and that better than Thai fruit. Incredible sweet and exotic flavours that made me remember Latin America, the refreshing juices of Ecuador or the inexhaustible fruit resources of the Peruvian jungle. But Thailand is Thailand; you can compare but not copy. The Durian is the flag fruit of Thailand, something difficult to describe but it is a kind of giant fruit monster with an intense sweet medium flavour with salty and sweaty smell.

6. The Architecture:

Bangkok is a modern city, full of tall buildings, exotic, vibrant ... and warm. Every time I went out on the street I held my breath and felt like I was immersed in a hot, humid atmosphere. Perhaps you could see three times in a day if it were not for the heat and the traffic. The truth is that you have to know how to get around and for that there are river boats, tuktuk, taxis and Sky train. Bangkok has a great nightlife, and is known for being an excellent shopping place.

7. Ideas on Shopping:

I actually did not imagine writing anything about "a shopping place", and I never intended to go to look at malls. But somehow the products look at you and say "take me; I'm cheaper than anywhere in the world. If you let me, you'll never see me again. “And although I'm not at all consumerist I was presented with things I really needed as camera accessories and others very useful to continue traveling at ridiculous prices. If you are planning to go to Bangkok and you have things to renew, then wait and do it there, and if possible leave your luggage at home and buy it in Bangkok. Some of the most famous centres are MBK, Central World, Siam Paragon and Pantip Plaza. And, certainly, the Chatuchak market, a kind of flea market of the most famous in the world and the largest in Thailand. You can find surprises in both a mall and a streetcar.

Bangkok is a destination where all the backpackers passing through Southeast Asia pass , they are in places like Silom, the surroundings of Siam Square, Sukhumvit or the famous street KhaoSan. And it is a fascinating destination that has almost everything with the lowest prices of tourism worldwide. I have much more to tell and I could extend without end. The wonderful temples, the floating markets, the street food and the exotic ides of Thailand are chapters that I will never forget.

"For now all I can add is that Bangkok was beyond my imagination." Share your experiences on comment section.