Grand Palace, dusk. A wonderland of temples and spectacle.
Muay Thai fight at Rajadmnern Stadium. Thailand’s number one sport. The gambling appears to be as much a part of the spectacle as the fighting, which is still cool to see. Not taking anything away from the fighters, it’s just that there’s a lot of betting.
This boat (I believe it was the orange line) is a great way to see the west bank of the city. For less than 20 baht ($0.50), you can take a 1.5-hour sunset cruise along the Chao Phraya River. It's typically used as local transportation, but some savvy tourists use it as a cruise. It runs along major tourist destinations like Khao San Road and under the Kanchanaphisek Bridge (yellow cable bridge). I hopped on at Saphan Taksin (BTS) and took it all the way to Bangkwang Central Prison (the last stop on the line).
Bangkwang Central Prison, otherwise known as the Bangkok Hilton. A place where you see tourists from "Locked Up Abroad" go. I had full intentions of donating some food and money to inmate accounts, but they were closed. I later went to the Immigration Detention Center with my pal Dirk, who I met on the road in Pokhara, Nepal. You can read the full story here.
Khao San Road, a legendary backpacker rite of passage. It offers everything you want, and some things you'll regret (like the fried scorpions!), for cheap. This place goes hard every night of the week.
Thailand has 7-Elevens on every corner, but I guess this artist isn't too happy with that.
If you're at the club, or really any decent restaurant in BKK, and you don't finish your bottle, no worries. Put your name on it and tell them you'll be back to drink the rest next Saturday. Everyone buys a bottle when they go out because it's cheap and a quick way to make friends.
Bangkok is known for its sky bars. If you're in the city, do yourself a favor and hit one sky bar for a sunset. This view is courtesy of the Vertigo & Moon Bar in the Banyan Hotel.
One of the coolest bars in BKK, and in my favorite neighborhood of Thung Lo. It's called Iron Fairies. It will get crowded, so head to Fat Gutz next door. They usually have live blues and jazz music.
Need to get through the day? Have the original Red Bull, or one of its hundred other brands. As I've been told, an Austrian man found Red Bull while he was traveling in the 80s. He tailored it to Western taste buds (aka carbonated it) and is now a billionaire. That's my business plan for my next venture.
Hua Lamphong Station (Central Railroad Station). This pic was taken from a food stall right outside the station while waiting to head south towards the islands. I daydreamed for a good hour... how many backpackers have walked through these doors and how many memories have been created while traveling through Southeast Asia (SEA)? Too many to count...
Weird and Delicious Street Food!
