After hearing from everyone who has been to Bangkok how terrible it is, we began to doubt our decision to spend four nights there.
On the plane from Siem Reap to Bangkok, we met a Dutchman who was excited about the city. He had quit his job and was traveling through Asia for five months.
So we embarked confidently and found the city to be less chaotic and dirty than expected. We took a ferry along the Chao Phraya, the River of Kings.
We went as far as Chinatown and explored the alleys of this 200-year-old business district. We started by walking down Sampeng Lane, the narrow shopping street in the center of Chinatown. Even with just two pedestrians, it was crowded, especially when mopeds squeezed through the alley. The items on offer didn't necessarily suit our taste, as they were brightly colored and kitschy. The streets then became a bit wider, which also meant that cars could pass through... Our next stop was the Dragon Flower Temple, where elements of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism can be found. There seems to be no clear affiliation with any religion here, but that doesn't seem to bother anyone. The main thing seems to be to offer sacrifices. This includes incense sticks and gift baskets. In the "Old Market Talaad Kao," which is actually a modern shopping center, there is a massage parlor on every floor. There, we were able to relax with a foot massage after our walk.Then we continued to "Little India," where numerous fabric merchants were packing up their goods in the late afternoon. Sikh Temple There, we set off in search of the second largest Sikh temple outside of India, which turned out to be not so easy. We could see it from the rooftops, but first we had to find a way through the many streets to get there. Inside, we were greeted warmly, each given a pirate headscarf, and sent up to an upper floor in an elevator. There was a meeting taking place inside, with a sung text being performed. We didn't understand a word, but we listened to the singing and looked up information about the Sikh religion on the Internet. The religion originated in India in the 15th century as a monotheistic faith. We then walked back to the pier, passing by several temples and other interesting buildings.
