Gym's Ramblings: Spring 2023

With Buddha on the dashboard how could this guy not
find a zen-like flow in the traffic

Bangkok is fascinating. It is chaotic and yet it is orderly. It is loud and yet it is peaceful. It has a gritty, smokiness about it and yet it is vibrant and colourful. Most of all though, it is big. Over 8 million people live here along the Chao Phraya river and the vast majority are patient, positive and welcoming to visitors.

Gym and his lovely sidekick definitely made the most of 4 days in the capital. They spent a whole day visiting Buddhist Temples, checked out ICONSIAN (10th largest mall in the world), strolled by hundreds of street vendors and had some good eats. If you are going to stay in Bangkok, Gym suggests a hotel right on the river, somewhere between Chinatown and the Asiatique Sky-ferris wheel. There are at least half a dozen good hotels there between the Four Seasons and the Sheraton Royal Orchid.

The nice thing about being on the river is that except for in the early evening when the party boats are blasting out their raucous disco tunes, it is kind of peaceful along the shore. Hotels own the property right up to the river's edge, so you kind of have your own little refuge from the bustling city. The river traffic can be busy in the daytime but there is an absence of privately owned vessels - no private junks, motor boats, sail boats or kayaks are allowed. It is only open to large commercial barges, ferries, shuttles and water taxis.

Gym and his dear companion walked everywhere except when they crossed the river on a shuttle and on the one occasion when they organized a tour of Wat Traimit, Wat Pho and Wat Arun. Gym feels that hoofing it around is the best way to experience most cities. You get a good, ground-level feel for the urban vibe and the culture of the community. However, Gym has to admit that Bangkok is not the most walkable city. The sidewalks are narrow, uneven and you must stay alert because sometimes motorcycles can be coming at you as they are forced onto sidewalks to park. You also must watch the umbrellas of street vendors which sometimes are set at forehead height. Notwithstanding these nuisances, Gym and Mrs. Gym enjoyed their strolls and they can show you the great step counts they achieved on their Apple Activity Apps.

Gym feels that Buddhism makes these large Southeast Asian cities safer. Unlike in New York or Chicago where drivers get points for hitting pedestrians, in Bangkok they try to avoid you. It is bad karma to harm other living beings if you're a Buddhist and 91% of the population luckily identify as such. It is important though to recognize that there is a flow to the traffic and you must get into that flow. If you make any sudden manic moves, they could be your last. Don't dash across a street. Look for a gap, measure the pace of the traffic and briskly walk to the other side. You have to always maintain a steady pace. This allows the zen of the traffic to flow around you.

In this post the pics are of a variety of things Gym thought were kind of cool. In the next post the temple visits will be featured.