Bangkok [antikvár]

Bangkok - a Challenge to the Senses Few cities fire tiie traveller's imagination in tfie same way as Bangkok. Golden temples, palm-shaded canals and classical dancers are just some of tlie evocative images that appear on postcards and in picture books. Yet Bangkok is more than just a treat for the eyes. It is a sensual feast that envelops the visitor from the very first moment: tiny temple chimes tinkling in the breeze, an April sky filled with brightly-coloured kites, the aroma of chicken roasting at a roadside stall, fragrant garlands, incense smoke spiralling from a Chinese shrine, saffron-robed monks chanting ancient sutras in the moming light and, above all, the Thai smile and gracious manner. But not all the sights that greet the visitor are likely to prove so enchanting. Ribbons of concrete plunge like daggers through the city's heart, huge buildings dwarf the Buddhist chedis, and the sounds of a gentle people are lost in the roar of traffic. In fact, it is in many ways like any other modem city. If Thailand is shaped like an elephant's head, then Bangkok is the beast's golden tooth. It is figuratively and literally the epicentre of the nation. With a population some 35 times greater than the country's second largest city, it dominates all political, commercial, religious and social activity. It is an island in a sea of green rice fields. Understanding it will help little in understanding the rest of the country What is it about Bangkok that fascinates visitors? Its colour, its chaos, and above all its contrasts. A range of cultural highlights that include temple architecture and sublimely graceful dances are counterbalanced by a freewheeling nightlife. It is a rowdy city - populated by tranquil people - which explodes around you, challenging your senses in a way few other cities can match. You are never at a loss for things to do in Bangkok. It is a hedonist's delight that can be explored on many different levels, from the exalted to the mundane. It is a city of rich and poor, of fragrances, flowers and the foul stench of stagnant canals. It is the pleasure of an afternoon by the pool and the discomfort of the searing heat that bums the air and bakes the pavement. Bangkok is a city that wins your affection without really trying. Situation and size Scarcely 30km (19 miles) from the sea, the sprawling city straddles Thailand's main river, the Chao Phaya. Its tributaries and man-made canals crisscross the low-lying delta like a huge net. Only 100 years ago, the waterways were the only means of Opposite: flower market a o a. e 3. Bustling Chinatown Floral tribute Facing the world head on