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Thailand

Photos: • Bangkok Photos [added June 24, 2007] • Northern Thailand Photos [added June 24, 2007] Movies: • Bangkok [added June 24, 2007] • Northern Thailand WOW! [added June 24, 2007]

Entries: • Welcome to Bangkok (this page) [added July 8, 2007] • The Beauty of Bangkok [added July 8, 2007] • Northern Thailand [added July 8, 2007] • A Rambling Journey via Trains, Motorbikes, Kayaks and Bad Knees [added July 8, 2007]

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Welcome to Bangkok
18 February 2007
Bangkok, Thailand

We seem to have survived India. We left Delhi early Saturday morning and flew straight to Bangkok, where we were immediately and pleasantly surprised by this city. Although we've been here less than 36 hours, we feel safe to say that we love it here. It goes against what many people told us: that Bangkok was garbage, basically an Asian Cancun (in the sense of hosting constant swarms of sweaty, drunk, hormone-raging university students). We were told that the average traveler in Bangkok wanted nothing more than beer and bed with a prostitute! While we enjoy a drink occasionally, we certainly don't fit that bill! Fortunately, the part of Bangkok we're staying in, called Thonburi, is a world away from the above description.

After doing some research, we somehow came across a listing for a place called ‘The Artists' Place,’ which is across the river from the downtown and Khao San Road, the area described in many guidebooks as a ‘backpacker ghetto.’

‘Our’ neighborhood in Bangkok is more of a middle-class workers refuge than a backpacker ghetto! There are two markets in easy walking distance, so everything we could need is very close. Perhaps best of all, this guest house is amazing. It's run by Charlee, a painter and musician who supplements his income by running this place. The Artists' Place is a very eclectic mix of watercolors, sculpture, photography, poetry, musical instruments and many more things than we could possibly describe here. In fact, there is so much stuff on display that every day we stay, we notice countless new things!