Welcome to Bangkok, welcome to a new culture

"We are ready for our last continent: Asia."

Yes, there was nothing wrong with this statement and yet it felt strange when we stood late at night at Bangkok International Airport. Suddenly the signs were no longer in English, suddenly we couldn't pay for everything with our beloved credit card anymore, suddenly we were the ones who spoke English better in a conversation, yes suddenly everything was a bit different than the past few months. Here, everything was no longer built according to the Western model, here we had arrived in a completely different culture.

Well, then we tried to withdraw some baht at a Thai ATM on a lucky guess, and then we tried with hands and feet to make the taxi driver understand where we wanted to go. Eventually we arrived at our accommodation and fell into bed after a long day of traveling.

The next morning arrived and we were exposed to the humid heat of Thailand. Well, a visit to the well-known and very large shopping mall "Terminal 21" fits perfectly here. Not only an air-conditioned environment awaited us here, but also a nice reunion for Anna. She was here with her friend Lina, who had been traveling for nine months. Both were happy to see each other again and that we can explore Bangkok together in the next few days.

The next day we set off to explore Siam Square, a more modern district. To get there, we had to survive the taxi ride first. We quickly learned that in Thailand, traffic rules are based on the principle: "Who honks the loudest, drives the fastest, and maneuvers the best wins". It's that simple - actually. If there weren't hundreds of tuk-tuks and scooter riders (mostly several people, without helmets, on one scooter)... We survived this and every other ride... why? Well, we don't know exactly... :D.

There are countless shopping malls lined up at Siam Square. This makes our female hearts beat faster and since we had some space in our backpacks again, we couldn't resist. With full bags and an empty stomach, we dared to have a Thai lunch. Very satisfied with our purchases and the delicious food, we visited a typical residential neighborhood in Bangkok in the afternoon. Like everywhere else in the city, the cables are above ground here. This makes everything look very poor, run-down, and, due to the trash on the streets, very dirty. Dishes are sold at stands on every street corner. Often, meat is lying around openly and the smell that arises with an outside temperature of 30 degrees is not very appetizing. None of us wanted to try any of it.

With many exciting and interesting new impressions about the city and its inhabitants, we returned to our accommodation.

The next day in Bangkok is all about temples. Dressed appropriately, we met Lina and her friends from her volunteering project in front of the "Grand Palace". The temple complex was huge and every single part was lavishly decorated. Simply impressively beautiful!

The next temple, "Wat Pho", was famous for its oversized golden statue of a reclining Buddha, which measures 46 meters in length.

We reached the fascinating 'Wat Arun temple' by water boat, which is located directly on the river and from its peak you can overlook Bangkok. Another somewhat lesser-known temple follows, which is in no way inferior to the famous temples in terms of its beauty. We were all very impressed by all the different artworks, their colors, and decorations!

With a water taxi through the canals of Bangkok, we made our way to the "Baiyoke Skytower". The boat ride, in the midst of impoverished houses, was a very interesting experience.

Arriving at the skyscraper, we made our way to the 83rd floor. Up here, in the twilight, you had a very special view of the city. From this perspective, Bangkok looked much more beautiful and modern, and it was fascinating to look at the road network, the crowded streets, and the life of Bangkok from up here.

The Saturday also included many new experiences. So we went to the large 'Chatuchak Market', a weekend market that had really EVERYTHING to offer. Slightly overwhelmed by its size, we strolled through all the stalls, bought the first souvenirs, and so on. For Anna and Lina, it was time to say goodbye again, but only for 2 months this time.

We spent the rest of our time in Bangkok again at Siam Square and also got to know the culture better. We also couldn't miss the famous party street "Khao San Road". After being offered to visit a ping-pong bar countless times, we preferred to return to our accommodation. Because now our last day in the metropolis of millions was over for us too.

As we looked back on our time together, we all noticed that the difference between poverty and wealth is enormous. Right next to temples that must have cost a fortune, people live in run-down huts. This is not the only way to recognize the high value placed on religion. The monarchy is also very important in Thailand. Posters of the royal family are hanging on every corner and in every shop. In general, the structures of the city are very disorganized compared to German structures. The city itself is very crowded and overrun. There's always something going on here!

We are curious to see what the rural regions of Thailand have to offer.