You Got The Silver, You Got The Gold

A

sia, part two.

I used to travel to Thailand on holiday after working in Hong Kong, sometimes day and night. I liked being there. But, sometimes I could only take a few days so I went to Bangkok, which is a massive city. Some of it is very modern while other parts look like they should have been torn down years ago.

The people are friendly, the food is incredible — especially the street food, which is among my favorite ways to eat — the cost of living is very low, and transportation is as modern as anywhere in the world.

Let’s get back to street food. Before you ask how can it possibly be healthy and safe to eat? It is. It’s cooked fresh in front of you. Fire cleans just about everything. Besides, where can buy five bbq shrimp for less than a United States dollar?

Aside from food, most everything is inexpensive. A good hotel might cost around U.S $40 or $50 a night. You can pay a lot less, and a lot more if you must stay in a big name western hotel.

Transportation is amazing. You can take a taxi or a tuk tuk, but the best way to travel is to take the BTS, which is an overhead subway. One of the tricks to picking a hotel is to find one within short walking distance to a BTS stop. If you do, the city is open to you.

Of course, there are all the sporty things you might have read about, but you don’t have to partake. I do like to walk through the bar streets and make pictures. Some westerners tell you that you can’t take pictures because you might be assaulted. Nonsense. Big smiles and a few Baht help a lot. If someone doesn’t want to be in your picture, don’t take it. Smile and walk away. Or, “Y” them, which is a prayer motion with fingers pointed straight up. They’ll “Y” you back and walk away.

You understand each other.

Unless you are looking for it, it’s very hard to get in trouble.

O

ne of my favorite streets is what I call Buddha Street. It’s a place where every sort of Buddha is made, plated in gold and sold to whoever wants one. Yes, real gold. I once photographed the entire process of making a standing, golden Buddha. That’s where I found these Buddha heads all lined up in a row.

But, wait, you think. I thought you said you went to Thailand on holiday. Holidays are different for everyone. After working on a large printing press in a huge factory for days and nights on end, making pictures while walking around in an interesting city is a holiday.

It is head clearing. It’s refreshing.

What do you like to do on holiday?

Yes. I like beaches too.