What a city! Cosmopolitan as San Francisco, Hong Kong as an exotic, larger than London, Paris as a refined, cheaper than Palma friendly than Copenhagen, more relaxed than Kathmandu, Singapore as a bustling, fun-loving as Rio, hotter than Cairo, more opaque than Moscow, more beautiful than Venice, closer than Sydney. And also: beyond the slums and red light districts safer than Bielefeld.
The tense life pulsates in Bangkok on the road. Even there, practicing dentists. The road is habitat. Perhaps because it was outside - despite the smog - a little less stuffy than in most buildings.
The tense life is less hectic fidgety or even than it seems at first glance. The startling discovery, after a few days in the seemingly overheated metropolis: Bangkokians move slowly, smoothly and quietly. Every individual has relaxed. Heat alone does not explain this serenity. It must be even more: Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta are not cool, but where people rush through the tense streets.
It sounds incredible, given the relevant Horror Stories: The rhythm of the people in Bangkok is rather slow (apart perhaps from times of tuk-tuk drivers - the's in a hurry) is always highly. Why this is so, I do not know, I'd bet on oriental gods and spirits.
Thus, there is a longer explanation, why call Bangkokians their homes, "City of Angels": The angelic grace of the people in this city.
The serenity of the Thai people is also transferable to farangs that begin after a few days, wonderfully relaxing by one of the most beautiful cities in the world to stride - and thereby feel the vital, vibrant life of a mega-metropolis.
That's the magic of this city, it is both in one: ebullient - alive, as the hot soup from the cook-shop and timeless - leaving just as the eternal Buddha in temples and shrines.
Bangkok makes it easily to its guests. The city overwhelmed, and yet no one has an infinite amount. The culture shock can dose every guest at pleasure itself, even greenhorns to find their way almost immediately, the people are friendly and helpful shameful, each evening is a mild summer and the minimum daily costs for housing and food are less than that of a metro - Day ticket in most other world cities. Some will open the city. Others refused, to send them home or to inconsequential dream beaches.
Otherwise, there live some 10 million people and probably find it fairly normal.
What a city!
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