Bangkok
The Overlooked City of Romance
hroughout my travels, romance has never been at the forefront of my mind. When traveling to exotic destinations such as the ancient baths in Turkey, the high temples in Peru, or the winding streets in Italy, the friendships I’ve made along the way, paired with my journal, has
been more than sufficient. Then I went to Thailand…
Against most travelers’ advice (as well as my own), I hadn’t planned the trip beyond a plane ticket into Bangkok and the determination to arrive and stay as close to city center as possible. I read articles, travel magazines, and tourism books for many years pointing to Bangkok and Thailand. The pictures and descriptions convinced me to look for myself; however, never once did I imagine that such an inspiring city could cause my ‘solo traveler’ undoing.
It was late spring when I arrived in the diverse city of Bangkok. Feeling refreshed after sleeping on the long airplane ride, I stepped foot into the beating sun. With my small backpack, I made my way to purchase a train ticket directly from the airport. I admit I looked like a lost puppy while trying to decipher the many train ticket options. Thankfully an older British woman who was also traveling asked if I needed her assistance. Her friendly smile and warm accent helped me navigate the multiple train lines out of the airport. As I boarded the train toward the city I was accompanied by what seemed like a United Nations convention. I had never seen so many different nationalities come together anywhere else in an Asian country.
When the modern train left the underground station and finally began to move faster on the tracks, all I remember feeling was complete awe at my surroundings. For some reason, this seemed different than other train rides to city centers around the world. The landscape brought about the feeling of true magic, the same kind as in the eyes of children when they first enter Disney World. Surrounded by busy highways, views of polished new buildings, and snap shots of less affluent communities surrounding them, the train traveled fast on a tall platform. Along the way, the many golden towers and temples gave the impression that finding gold was never beyond reach. For the first time of my many travels, this intense feeling made me wish I was reaching for a warm hand to hold instead of my ragged old journal.
The sense of wanting to hold a hand lasted a short while, then I was able to shake it off as the train squealed to a stopped close to Khao San Road. This stop is one of the main central areas of Bangkok popular by international backpackers and solo travelers. I figured I would fit right in. As I left the train station, the narrow allies, bright advertisements, and oversized dark gates crowded the streets. Travel books could not describe the scene in words, as I am failing to do now. There was plenty of trash on the streets, rivers flowing through the city were dark and dirty, and homeless lined the narrow sidewalks; yet, beauty shined through with every step. The area surrounding Khao San Road had both Thai and Western commerce, both clearly distinguishable, but worked together nicely. Familiar restaurant signs lined the street, but the most aromatic smells and salivating sites came from street vendors who sold food from carts varying in size and shape.
Story and Photos by
Ryan Fiacco
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72 - SEVENSEAS