Fun Well Done

It's a funny place this Bangkok. Whether observing the street life from a distance or living it along, it's often difficult to keep a straight face. Here people can do aerobics in the streets and parks, men can drive a pink hello kitty scooter and monks can go shopping for laptops. It's funny and fun at the same time, living in Bangkok.

If you let, your days will be covered with "Smile - you're in candid camera" moments. Guaranteed for example at the Coldstone ice cream shop, where the employees will dance and sing "Twinkle Twinkle Candybar" or "Go Banana" songs when tipped "for fun well done". What else could you expect from a shop where the ice cream portions have names like Berry Berry Berry Good or Germanschökölätekäke?

The fun in and of the city actually begins with name of the city. Bangkok is only a name used among Farangs. Whereas Bangkok would be translated as "Village of Wild Plums", the name Thais use is Krungthep, the City of Angels. This being still only a shortening of the real name: The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city (of Ayutthaya) of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn. I prefer the shorter versions as well, either one.

The typical thai "may pen ray", "never mind, it's all ok" - attitude shows in everything. Thais take it easy. Napping is allowed anywhere. Buses will stop between the official bus stops when wanted. You'll here no complaints when taking out your own bottle of water or a snack in a restaurant's area. Rules and people are equally flexible. They are not there to annoy you, even when they do. (And the people will apologize for that if they notice.)

I suppose the laid-back attitude is mostly due to the buddhistic religion where charma, destiny, plays an important role. In the minds of the thais it seems to affect the life in a broad spectrum. Why use a safety belt in a car or obey any traffic rules, for it something was meant to happen it will anyways? Why not cross the railway although the train is fast approaching, when there still is a chance of making it cross to the other side without getting hit by it? Why not pack the pick-up full with people going to the same place anyways instead of each using their own car and worsening the already bad traffic jams? Why worry so much? May pen ray.

I've never heard of a person got ill after eating in any of the widely visited street food "restaurants". I often order my som tum from a lady selling it on my street which is likely among the busiest anywhere - and noisiest and dirtiest. It only makes my stomach swirl because I tend to order it with too many chilis even to my taste...And I'm still of the opinion that there is no better service than getting a fresh pineapple peeled and cut into pieces for you, put in a small plastic bag - avot, there is the best snack possible ready to be eaten on the way home. Second best option being a fresh smoothie, of berries or of fruits, either way always tasty and soooo refreshing. Nam! Thais know how to enjoy life, why stick to strict eating times or places or customs when life and so many healthy delicacies can be enjoyed where ever, whenever?

Life seems to be enjoyed here, enjoying life has been made easy here. Where the car horns and traffic noices let, one can hear people laughing and joking. Even some of the annoying things make me laugh too - like the police or guards guiding the traffic, waving their hands like mad men and constantly blowing to their whistles. Hurts your ears, helps nothing. But they are into their task with the fullest devotion, a funny sight indeed!

It's the people themselves that are the most fun. I've always loved sports but never had such a laugh during the training as during any class here. Fun and efficiency fit well together!The pineapple man is not the only one whose wide genuine smile fills my heart with joy. There is a long list that could be made. Taxi-drivers in their colourful cars, the old tower vendor on my home street, the guards at home and work, the guy making delicious som tum in our office building's food court....just to begin with. Days in Bangkok are filled with smiles.

One of my favorite wonders and an enormous joy on the streets are people's outwear-stylings. Shoes are anything from glitter high heels, flip-flops decorated with plastic fruits or animals and ballerinas of colours most unimaginable. Miniskirts and miniminiskirts, more than often (too often) made of worst-than-eighties-flower prints and laces. The streets are filled with one-of-a-kind fashion and dull school uniforms - and with pyjamas. Mightn't see them on catwalks but shouldn't miss the sight of teddy bear or hello kitty pyjamas on the streets of Bangkok.

That's Bangkok, a city where you shouldn't worry too much. Eat what you like, wear the clothes that suit your taste (but please wear some despite the hotness for I mostly despite the shirtless farang-tourists) and enjoy a ride on any of the many vehicles making up the public transportation. Just as surely as the sun will shine again tomorrow the people will stay kind, nice and polite. Smile and get a smile. Laugh and let laugh.

Traffic jamming

Each country and culture have favorites for small talk topics. Weather might be the most popular one all around. "Hot" seems to be a word almost every thai knows, even if that's the only word they know in English. The next pick, at least a word every (taxi)driver knows is "traffic jam".

Rot tit, traffic jam in thai, is a never ending theme for small talks. A constant wonder. And no wonder, traffic jams never seem to end. Having a traffic jam is more a supposition than a surprise. I'd be taken by surprise if on my home street the traffic were flowing smoothly. A reason why I prefer taking the mopotaxi rather than a car taxi. The sky train for long distances and the mopeds for short are the truest saviours in Bangkok traffic.

Taxis are fairly cheap in Bangkok but depending on the route, might well get stuck on traffic jams. At all hours. With some experience one might be able to calculate when it's convenient to take a taxi and when it should be avoided. If there is no hurry, why not - then I'd recommend the pink taxis with pink burberry-styled seat covers...

But if I had the time and the pink taxis wouldn't match to my dress, I'd much prefer traveling by a bus. Especially the older ones, with wooden floors, open windows and fans working for air conditioning. How much more sympathetic can it get? The newer air conditioned buses can't compare to their charm. Unfortunately, the problems in taking a bus aren't limited to getting stuck in a traffic jam. Namely before that one needs to know where one wants to go. No complaints from the locals, the buses have their routes and final destinations printed on both sides - but of course in thai letters. Only. Not much help for us Farangs. So one needs to know which one to take (not yet once have I found a person in a bus or at the bus stop being able to help me in English). And even if you do have all the time in the world and don't care where you are going, you'll still be insisted when paying for the ticket to tell your destination - and to have one.

I can't and don't want to imagine Bangkok traffic without the option of taking the sky train. Although often crowded the sky train, bts, at least runs regularly and fast. And running high above the main streets of Bangkok, they offer a short introductory sightseeing along the way. To me, and I know I'm not the only one, the highlight in taking the Sukhumvit line is when approaching the station Nana and the pleasant soft lady voice announces it as Naanaaa. Makes me smile.

Off the road the different boats offer a fresh variant for transportation. The ones touring on the canal are fast and funny - but stinky. Still worth experiencing. On the river one can explore a different Bangkok. Although fancy overpriced big hotel chains have taken over parts of the riverside, the old Bangkok is still well represented along the boat ride. The river and the riverside are full of life: boats and cargos cruising along, passengers waiting at the piers, women hanging laundry outside the houses, men fishing and children jumping in to the water for arefreshing swim. Past the fancy hotel area the view consists of different houses (and "houses"), temples, piers and bridges. A cruise on the river offers a fascinating show of the Bangkokians life now and then.

On a road again, for sightseeing around some tourists favor the tuktuks. At the best a fun ride but negotiations about the route, destination and price are mandatory. A hassle I like to avoid. Besides, as the roof is so low one can't really see much from them. Works as a mean of transportation if no taxis are available and if a moped is not an option. But mainly I only see the meaning for the locals, when transporting their big shoppings or sellings around. But as they get stuck in the traffic jams just as the cars do, I'd still go for the mopeds.

Talking of which, I have saved a few flattering words for the beloved mopotaxis. What'd be a better way to avoid the traffic jams than waving for a mopotaxi for a ride? Unbelievably practical and fun at the same time! There is no space too narrow for a mopotaxi to squeeze through. Watch your knees and enjoy the ride - the price for best public transportation in the category of "short distances in ultimate traffic jams" goes to the mopotaxis, congratulations!