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23/ 03/ 2010 Bangkok. City of Angels and highways Typically, tourists are only a transit point, the fork on the road to Pattaya for Phuket, albeit with an obligatory stop for a day or two. However, Bangkok is worth it to fly here on purpose.
Most velikorechivy toastmaster at the wedding of the Georgian " rest" when the sounds official name of the capital : Exquisite Royal Capital, Invincible Glorious Land, Incomparable Treasure of Gods Treasures, World of greatness and honor, strewn with pearls, Supreme Royal box and the Grand Palace, Divine Shelter and Sanctuary Spirit Reincarnation . . .
And the most amusing that all of this newcomer in the Guinness Book name & ndash ; absolute truth. At the same simplified version of Bangkok - it is Krung Tep, " City of Angels" , and I am also happy to accept, though not very clear why a purely Buddhist nation exalted Christian character and not more appropriate devas. But tourists are still not so important, because the Thais - the smiling and friendly people in the world and their capital - it is like a glass of brandy for optimists and pessimists - for one half the total - for others, half empty: some are dusty and stuffy, and on the roads - the solid plug, jostling and carbon monoxide, and for me - because it is the most exciting city in the whole of Southeast Asia with a warm heart and welcoming aura of desperate motorikshami fat- the fat and your own exotic charm.
Thailand, unlike its neighbors, was never a colony and therefore retained the enormous cultural and historical wealth, and Bangkok - to the most vivid confirmation. " Tigers" of Southeast Asia has long been cause astonishment of Europeans and Americans incredible leap from the recent tribal community in the world of futuristic skyscrapers. I was in Bangkok for thirteen years and expected to arrive in my memory a magnificent, enormous and at the same time very comfortable airport. But from the window of the plane saw that something was wrong - to build a new, taken from space serials, with pipes out, like the Pompidou Center in Paris. From the airport - very broad highway to the very center of the city, and in parallel - elevated monorail line.
These highways now cross over the old roofs of the city, and when rushing for one, left and right you see the other two.
For Muscovites, deprived of opportunities for decades to get to Sheremetyevo in Khimki, it looks like a reproach and an unsolvable enigma - as the capital of the impoverished country, which did not hit a fountain of oil and gas, and where the city builder is not watch for a million dollars, plans for the next ten years to build, not including highways, 550 ( ! ! ! ) miles of subway lines and the monorail? The central attraction in Bangkok, not counting the huge shopping malls, many, but there are three that did not pass. This, above all, the Royal Palace with the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, as well as the Chao Phraya River and floating market. The palace is surrounded by a huge temple complex, in which you find yourself in a kaleidoscope of golden domes and steeples. The most important in this picturesque conglomerate - Temple of the Emerald Buddha, built in 1784 to store the main sanctuary of the country - semidesyatipyatisantimetrovoy shape, cut, certainly not from the emerald, and a similar stone, which is called a jade, a green jasper.
In this temple is not allowed to enter with a camera, but because this time I was in store for the Emerald Buddha and a powerful telephoto shot from the yard through the window.
I note at the same time that Thailand is for the photographer - one of the most loyal of the Earth. Photographing possible in almost every temple, but it is clear that in response to you waiting for the proper tact and sensitivity - no need to climb to the monks busily with a camera or interfere with the temple ceremony. As distract them from thinking about the sublime frank tops. Chao Phraya River, together with the channels, Klong - one of the main attractions of Bangkok. Ride on the river on the tram can and after the excursion to the Royal Palace - the main town pier is located nearby.
But the right way to do this evening, one of the three flagship tourist fleet - double- deck " Princess" , combining a tour with an excellent dinner on board.
Two hours pass you proplyvut in unexpected angles and high- rise hotels on the shore, and the palace complex, and the most beautiful temple- pagoda in Wat Arun, and super- bridges.
Formerly one of the Klong in the center swerves " Thai Venice" - a vast system of canals leading to the famous floating market. Now the market is closed, and I drove for 80 miles to another, whose name I will not hesitate to give the Russian version, but because there is a quote - DAMNOENSADUAK. The local " gondola" - smart fast canoe with famously hooked up his nose and a powerful motor- tail. Steering from the spot famously moved our dish to narrow the channel Klong. The banks are very low - practically on a par with water, and the wave of our craft runs on the grass a few meters, reaching the floating houses of the inhabitants and kolysha tied to the porch of the boat.
Along the banks, in light of old wooden houses on stilts, is her own life.
And the floating market - an inseparable and important part of this river of life.
Private boat from which trade coconuts and other fruit and vegetables, souvenirs, intercepting tourists, met along the way, and then, finally, the main market with a berth. There is already possible to buy everything: from hot Thai food and sweets to the giant live parrot. Above channels hang humpback bridges, with their easy sailing pictures at the bottom of peddlers. Especially picturesque old secret, rowing in their canoes with the knee one oar.
On the beach - shops, cafes and entertainment with jugglers and snake charmers. Here, you forget that you were waiting for a super- highway, to carry over the old roofs at the airport, because Bangkok - this is only the gateway to Thailand. Source:
