Bangkok – the colourful and bustling Asian metropolis
So you’ve been in Bangkok before and you assume you’ve seen the city’s best sights, tried every spicy dish and enthusiastically shopped. But have you also joined the pre-dawn aerobic lessons at Lumpini Park, played an energy-consuming game of takraw with the locals, had fun on a holiday which you even never heard of, absorbed pieces of contemporary art, got totally lost at the lively JJ market, made offerings at a Buddhist temple, tried to locate the best som tam stall, smiled at people you never seen before, got mesmerised by observing the magnificent sunset over the well-known Temple of Dawn? If your answer is no, it might be a good idea to visit Bangkok once more.
You think the heat is unbearable –never mind
What heat is bearable what isn’t depends on how you cope with Bangkok’s’ weather conditions. The Thai capital was dubbed by the World Meteorological Organisation as the hottest significant city on the globe. The thermometer’s height is a popular conversation subject among the locals. Thais always like to say that there are only three seasons in Thailand: the hot, hotter and hottest season. It is definitely true that the city’s inhabitants complain when the high temperature becomes very hard to endure but at the same time they still order the spiciest meals during their breaks or come together for playing a football game at 3pm, while many Thais nonchalantly amble around at one of the extremely popular outdoor markets.
The Thais love their public holidays
Probably every Thai soul embraces the country’s national holidays. What other country mentions new year three times on the calendar within a short period of four months? – In Bangkok you can join Western, Chinese and Thai new year festivities! Each Buddhist holiday is highlighted on the calendar and each bank holiday as well, ethnic vacations, traditional vacations including Christmas and if you met some party-loving Thai friends, they might even turn your birthday into a great celebration. Complete info on Bangkok’s festivals
Where commerce and ambition mix with spirituality
Many people see it as a paradox, a rare juxtaposition of the holy and the profane. It only is reality in a huge city like Bangkok. However, you may spot an ultra-modern department store adjacent to a centuries old Buddhist temple. This does not have to be a mistake by the zoning experts, but is more the city’s natural character whose growth is epitomised by spiritual matters and modern ambition. The Thais escape from congestion and heat in one of the many shopping malls. They truly feel good spending a few hours while window shopping, not necessarily purchasing items but always keeping updated with all things new. At their ancient temples, they enjoy the calmness of the splendid gardens and serene pavilions. They are masters about spending an amount of time looking inward during their meditations, totally distanced from the material world. These entirely different states of being are indispensable to the image and essence of contemporary Bangkok.
An empty mind’s freedom, you can experience it too!
A unique way bringing home a very special Bangkok souvenir is by learning how to meditate at one of the many offered courses. It will do you good as well. Throughout the Buddhist temples in Bangkok you can locate a number of meditation centres. The meditation is intrinsically linked with the Buddhist religion but that certainly doesn’t mean you have to be religious to join one of the courses. As a method for achieving daily relaxation, anybody can learn how to basically meditate as it is easy. Sufficient courses in Bangkok are available in English. Ask the International Buddhist Meditation Centre how you can contact the city’s best meditation teachers. Full guide to meditation in Thailand
Absorb the ambience of Bangkok’s most visited mega market
The Chatuchak Weekend Market is also known as ‘JJ Market’. This vast market place will keep you entertained for hours. This colourful market contains around 9,000 stalls and even the people from Bangkok sometimes get lost in the extensive maze of labyrinthine alleyways. It is advisable to just follow your instincts and maintain adventurous. Go see section 24 if a wide selection of cheaply priced clothes is what you’re after. Want to by a doggie, cute kitty or even a snake or turtle? You most likely find the most desirable pet at section 13 while section 19 is crammed with ceramics. Stroll along section 2 to 26 for a huge collection of antique Thai furniture and fine home interiors. Also attracting the shoppers attention are gemstones, sacred amulets, beautiful orchids, glassware, books and ethnic handcrafts from Burma, Laos, China and Cambodia. If bargaining for all these goodies develops an appetite, you can find numerous food stalls in the Chatuchak Plaza section.