Day 9      12/10/21

Bangkok, Thailand

Frank's Trip

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OBSERVATIONS:

Bangkok has a great public transit system in the main area of the city. There is the Sky Train; nice and easy to ride and very fast and frequently running trains. The downside for locals is that it starts to approach the fares for a taxi. There is also the subway; I can't say much about it as I didn't try it but it is rather more widespread in coverage than the Sky Trains. There are also several options for river transport - not taking into consideration the high priced canal tourist boats. I tried out the "Orange Flag" Chao Phraya Express Boat. It is really geared more to locals going from one place to another - a typical transit system. The other systems are much more tourist oriented. Anyway, this one is 15 Baht - a little under 50 cents US. You can ride 1 stop or all the way to the end of the line - that's what I did. Then another 15 THB for the trip back. The photos below are some of the sights along the river. There are a lot of people in very ordinary housing along the river. There are also huge new building along the river that are apartment complexes. And there are shops, especially near the boat docks where the various water transports stop, of many descriptions.

There is a hug amount of building going on in Bangkok of really impressive big buildings. Strangely (to me, anyway) there can be big new buildings and in the same neighborhood surrounding them lots of small, old building with residences, apartments and businesses. As one walks around and goes through the shopping centers it looks as though everyone in Bangkok must have their own little business somewhere - there is just such a plethora of them!

Along The River

The photos below are some of the sights along the Chao Phraya River. There are a lot of people in very ordinary housing along the river. There are also huge new building along the river that are apartment complexes. And there are shops, especially near the boat docks where the various water transports stop, of many descriptions.

Left - Right:

Wat Arun - Temple of Dawn

Riverside dock

1,437' span

Rama VIII Bridge

One of the largest asymmetric cable-stayed bridges in the world

One of the docks along the river

'Orange Flag' Express Boat

VERY unusual skyscraper in background!