Its been an interesting few weeks, with a fair share of ups and downs, but i guess these bumps in the road make for interesting reading, so do let me indulge you...
I left Scotland last week, not so much on a high as a mediocre note, for various (man related) reasons that I will not bore you with. Luckily, my first stop was Berlin, one of my favourite places on earth. If anything has the ability to cheer me up, its most definitely a crazy night in the coolest city around. I arrived midday and managed to navigate my way to Kreuzberg, where my friend Ross was meeting me.
Ross is an artist, ocassionally working and living in Berlin, so knows all the hipster hangouts, squats and abandoned warehouses within a 20 mile radius. After a quick walk around Kreuzberg, its obvious that there has been some changes since I was last in the city. Most notably, there is a greater presence of makeshift camps and squats dotted around the city, emerging amidst the wasteland which is so abundant here. Apparently the burgeoning econimic crisis across Europe is facilitating this big influx of people. Nonetheless, the 'campers' are resourceful, constructing almost entire villages from discarded items. Perhaps my favourite is a little settlement aptly named 'Villa Disaster' which sits in the shadow of an abandoned ice factory.
Armed with some beer, we climb the rather precarious looking steps of this grafitti-covered paradise and watch taggers at work, houseproud squatters furiously sweeping their camps, and finally, a hazy sun setting behind the clouds.
We have dinner that evening with an artist friend of Ross, one of he most prolific and exciting artists working in Germany right now. Even getting a glimpse in to his studio is a real privelige; not only is it a massive, open space, but it is quite literally covered with his art, from tiny frantic sketches to imposing works that dominate whole walls.
After abusing our hosts hospitality till the wee small hours, me and Ross decide to hit up a a bar. It may be 5am but there are no rules here. If you're drinking, they're serving. Thet are few other cities in the world where the barman is happy to pour himelf a pint and skin up a joint to share with his patrons! Naturally, by the time we leave it's light and my liver is weeping. Instead of a stumble home, we try to weave our way through Gorlitzer Park, running the gauntlet of drug dealers peddling their wares. No mean feat!
My final day in Berlin is spent in a hungover fog, but strangely, that feels ok. Most days this city feels like its nursing a giant collective hangover. In the evening, I have to catch a flight out of Tegel airport, bound for Bangkok.
My flight, which makes a brief but expensive stopover in Abu Dhabi, (4 quid for a dish-water coffee!) is a relatively pain free experience, although I do notice a particulary disproportionate number of single older male travellers (socks and sandals, bumbag clad, impressive moustaches). I'm sure they're all going to Thailand for the culture...
When I finally arrive in Bangkok, its early evening and darkness has fallen already. Undeterred, I decide to figure out how to negotiate the public transport system to get to my hostel, which is in the downtown Silom district. Surprisingly, the public transport system here is smooth, efficient and clean- certainly nothing like the Bombay-esque chaos I had envisaged. A short ride on the futurisic air-conditoned Sky Train and im at my hostel in no time at all. And all for the grand total of around 75 pence.
The first thing that strikes me about Bangkok is how oppressively hot and humid it is, even at night. So my first stop at the hostel is a cold shower, a beer and then bed. Perfect.
The following day I head out to explore the city, and there is not nearly as much of a culture shock as i'd imagined. The western world is abundant here, and catered for at every turn. In fact its almost disappointing and discocerting to see how many MacDonalds, Starbucks, Tescos and Burger Kings there are.
Nonetheless its a cool city and enjoy my time there, taking a boat ride up the Chao Phraya river, exploring the vastly touristic Khao San road, experiencing my first bone-crunching thai massage and checking out the knock off goods on offer at the Patpong night market. Its a truly bizarre place to spend a few hours; alongside stalls flogging fake Ray Bans and Jimmy Choos, there are seedy bars enticing people in to watch a whole host of ridiculous sex shows. As intrigued as i am, i manage to resist the temptation to pay £20 to watch Ting Ting perform 'pussy tricks' with a ping pong ball...
Back at the hostel, I get chatting to a canadian man, who makes no secret of the fact that hecomes to Thailand purely for sex tourism. He tells me that it is important for him that the prostitute, whoever he/she may be, gets as much pleasure from the experience as he does. Its tricky for me to reconcile what he is saying; perhaps I am being naive but I doubt that most people working in the sex trade do so purely out of thier love of sex. Arguably the type of gratification that they get is purely monetary, and nothing to do with the fact that another ageing tourist wants to have sex with them.
After 2 nights in the city, I decide to leave Bangkok and head south for the islands for a few days. Undoubtedly I'll be back here in the next few weeks, so I don't want to burn out too early. I've enjoyed my first experience of this crazy Thai dystopia, and despite various warnings from friend to "get out" quickly, I never once felt anything but safe and relaxed here.
Nontheless, a few days of total beach relaxation are calling....
Bangkok
Where to stay: Mile Map Hostel in the Silom district. Clean, spacious and hot running water! Very well connected to the BTS Skytrain, good markets and the Chao Prayha River. I paid 300 baht (per night) for a comfy dorm bed.
Where to Eat: On the street! Stalls selling pretty much everything for the equivalent of 30p unwards. Pad Thia is always a good bet.
Unwind: Go for a traditional Thai massage. Shops offering them are everyhwere, and generally charge 200-300 baht per hour (4-6 pounds).
Get Around: Use the ultra cheap and efficient Metro or SkyTrain. Tickets around around 20 baht per journey. Taking a boat along the river is also a great (and breezy) way to see the city and escape the humidity. An all day ticket will set you back around 150 baht (3 pounds) or alternatively by singles for around 15 baht each (30 p). Its a very easy city to navigate alone, so dont get ripped off in taxis or tuk-tuks!
Drink: Aside from as much water as you can stomach, it has to be Chang. But be warned, I have it on good authority that the 6.5% labelling is just a guide. No quality control menas that a can can be anything from 6 - 12 %. I had a Changover after 2...
I left Scotland last week, not so much on a high as a mediocre note, for various (man related) reasons that I will not bore you with. Luckily, my first stop was Berlin, one of my favourite places on earth. If anything has the ability to cheer me up, its most definitely a crazy night in the coolest city around. I arrived midday and managed to navigate my way to Kreuzberg, where my friend Ross was meeting me.
Ross is an artist, ocassionally working and living in Berlin, so knows all the hipster hangouts, squats and abandoned warehouses within a 20 mile radius. After a quick walk around Kreuzberg, its obvious that there has been some changes since I was last in the city. Most notably, there is a greater presence of makeshift camps and squats dotted around the city, emerging amidst the wasteland which is so abundant here. Apparently the burgeoning econimic crisis across Europe is facilitating this big influx of people. Nonetheless, the 'campers' are resourceful, constructing almost entire villages from discarded items. Perhaps my favourite is a little settlement aptly named 'Villa Disaster' which sits in the shadow of an abandoned ice factory.
Armed with some beer, we climb the rather precarious looking steps of this grafitti-covered paradise and watch taggers at work, houseproud squatters furiously sweeping their camps, and finally, a hazy sun setting behind the clouds.
We have dinner that evening with an artist friend of Ross, one of he most prolific and exciting artists working in Germany right now. Even getting a glimpse in to his studio is a real privelige; not only is it a massive, open space, but it is quite literally covered with his art, from tiny frantic sketches to imposing works that dominate whole walls.
After abusing our hosts hospitality till the wee small hours, me and Ross decide to hit up a a bar. It may be 5am but there are no rules here. If you're drinking, they're serving. Thet are few other cities in the world where the barman is happy to pour himelf a pint and skin up a joint to share with his patrons! Naturally, by the time we leave it's light and my liver is weeping. Instead of a stumble home, we try to weave our way through Gorlitzer Park, running the gauntlet of drug dealers peddling their wares. No mean feat!
My final day in Berlin is spent in a hungover fog, but strangely, that feels ok. Most days this city feels like its nursing a giant collective hangover. In the evening, I have to catch a flight out of Tegel airport, bound for Bangkok.
My flight, which makes a brief but expensive stopover in Abu Dhabi, (4 quid for a dish-water coffee!) is a relatively pain free experience, although I do notice a particulary disproportionate number of single older male travellers (socks and sandals, bumbag clad, impressive moustaches). I'm sure they're all going to Thailand for the culture...
When I finally arrive in Bangkok, its early evening and darkness has fallen already. Undeterred, I decide to figure out how to negotiate the public transport system to get to my hostel, which is in the downtown Silom district. Surprisingly, the public transport system here is smooth, efficient and clean- certainly nothing like the Bombay-esque chaos I had envisaged. A short ride on the futurisic air-conditoned Sky Train and im at my hostel in no time at all. And all for the grand total of around 75 pence.
The first thing that strikes me about Bangkok is how oppressively hot and humid it is, even at night. So my first stop at the hostel is a cold shower, a beer and then bed. Perfect.
The following day I head out to explore the city, and there is not nearly as much of a culture shock as i'd imagined. The western world is abundant here, and catered for at every turn. In fact its almost disappointing and discocerting to see how many MacDonalds, Starbucks, Tescos and Burger Kings there are.
Nonetheless its a cool city and enjoy my time there, taking a boat ride up the Chao Phraya river, exploring the vastly touristic Khao San road, experiencing my first bone-crunching thai massage and checking out the knock off goods on offer at the Patpong night market. Its a truly bizarre place to spend a few hours; alongside stalls flogging fake Ray Bans and Jimmy Choos, there are seedy bars enticing people in to watch a whole host of ridiculous sex shows. As intrigued as i am, i manage to resist the temptation to pay £20 to watch Ting Ting perform 'pussy tricks' with a ping pong ball...
Back at the hostel, I get chatting to a canadian man, who makes no secret of the fact that hecomes to Thailand purely for sex tourism. He tells me that it is important for him that the prostitute, whoever he/she may be, gets as much pleasure from the experience as he does. Its tricky for me to reconcile what he is saying; perhaps I am being naive but I doubt that most people working in the sex trade do so purely out of thier love of sex. Arguably the type of gratification that they get is purely monetary, and nothing to do with the fact that another ageing tourist wants to have sex with them.
After 2 nights in the city, I decide to leave Bangkok and head south for the islands for a few days. Undoubtedly I'll be back here in the next few weeks, so I don't want to burn out too early. I've enjoyed my first experience of this crazy Thai dystopia, and despite various warnings from friend to "get out" quickly, I never once felt anything but safe and relaxed here.
Nontheless, a few days of total beach relaxation are calling....
Bangkok
Where to stay: Mile Map Hostel in the Silom district. Clean, spacious and hot running water! Very well connected to the BTS Skytrain, good markets and the Chao Prayha River. I paid 300 baht (per night) for a comfy dorm bed.
Where to Eat: On the street! Stalls selling pretty much everything for the equivalent of 30p unwards. Pad Thia is always a good bet.
Unwind: Go for a traditional Thai massage. Shops offering them are everyhwere, and generally charge 200-300 baht per hour (4-6 pounds).
Get Around: Use the ultra cheap and efficient Metro or SkyTrain. Tickets around around 20 baht per journey. Taking a boat along the river is also a great (and breezy) way to see the city and escape the humidity. An all day ticket will set you back around 150 baht (3 pounds) or alternatively by singles for around 15 baht each (30 p). Its a very easy city to navigate alone, so dont get ripped off in taxis or tuk-tuks!
Drink: Aside from as much water as you can stomach, it has to be Chang. But be warned, I have it on good authority that the 6.5% labelling is just a guide. No quality control menas that a can can be anything from 6 - 12 %. I had a Changover after 2...
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