The sense of Bangkok

I wish that I could conjure up an image of what I expected Bangkok to be like before I arrived here. The rushing tide of incoming sensory information that I’ve experienced in the last four days has completely washed out the details of whatever preconceived notions I might have had about the place beforehand. My ideas were undoubtedly both under and over the mark.
Here comes the understatement of the ages: I had expected to encounter many new sights and sounds in Bangkok. Ha! What I hadn’t expected was to experience a constant feeling of having all five senses electrified throughout the course of a day. The sheer volume of sounds here are enough to stun the senses for 24 hours or so. The snarling canal boats (going from 0 to 20 knots in just a few seconds) and roaring tuk-tuks are constant conversation-stoppers throughout the city. At the same time, the Thai who live here seem to have struck some sort of balance with their city such that they are able to go about the task of carrying on day-to-day conversations without shouting, despite being surrounded by the chaos of a large city on the move.
But why settle for only engaging the sense of hearing? The sights, sounds, and texture of this city are equally impressive. You are expected to remove your footwear in every Buddhist temple and in every home, and it quickly became apparent to me that the feel of clean, polished stones underfoot is a significant part of the experience. At every opportunity to do so, I take my sandals off just to savor the feeling of exploring the one part of our environment that we most often overlook despite its constant presence: the ground beneath our feet.
And the smells…where shall I begin! From the spicy aroma of what seems to be a million woks frying at all hours of the day and night, to the pungent smell of concentrated sewage water in the city’s canals, this place is a three-ring circus for the nose.
After staying her for longer than I had anticipated, it’s time to move on to new territory. I’m heading north to Ayuthaya as the first stop en route to Chiang Mai and eventually Chiang Rai. I am so very grateful to Ton and her family for being such wonderful hosts. Between the simply delicious food (aroi!) and Ton’s patience in teaching me how to get around in this city, I consider myself incredibly fortunate in being able to receive a small yet authentic sampling of the masterpiece that is Bangkok. Khawp Khun!