The Bangkok experience

It is impossible not to love Bangkok - best to get that straight out there. I deliberately limited myself to 2 days here mainly due to the fact that I have just over a month to visit northern Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia - it can be done. I visited Bangkok for the first time 12 years ago as a callow youth (right Tony?) so it was great to be back, not that I recall all that much from back then. When I think of Bangkok now, I think of food. There is food everywhere, on every street corner and it’s all uniquely wonderful in spite of the fact that frequently you have no idea what you’re signing up for when you point to those balls of fat being cooked in oil. And, above all, Bangkok is easy - its PT system ushers you around and deposits you at the river where your journey begins anew. But Bangkok is best seen by night. On my first night here I wandered randomly down to Chinatown, ate the greatest meal I’ve ever had - a wickedly great tom yam seafood with lemongrass and chilli concoction - and just walked through the place revelling in the smells and the chatter. Decided on my way that I needed the tuk tuk experience and felt like a good haggle and Bangkok won’t ever disappoint on either score.
Bangkok also coincided with my first hearing of the new Arcade Fire album (cheers PK) and so I spent my 48 hours here listening to The Suburbs rapidly lodging itself into my brain. Wonderful record. I've also managed to download the new Interpol album and have only listened to it once - I'm expecting my whelmed to remain under for this one.