Bangkok - to see & to taste

I didn't get to see as much of Bangkok as I would have liked or even the rest of Thailand, but there were some interesting sights that made this trip worthwhile. Here are some of the highlights from my trip. 

ART INSTALLATIONS 

In public places and huge malls that Bangkok is famous for, there were larger than life art installations which were eye-catching and beautiful in a very serene and peaceful way. Or maybe I was just influenced by the Thai way of life - ever pleasant and smiling :)

Inside a mall

In the open, on a street corner

FLORISTS AND FLOWER SHOPS

The city had some beautiful flowers, especially orchids, on display and for sale. 

Orchids (left) & other bright blooms at a flowers/plants market.

The heart of a cabbage(?) is the centre of 
attraction in this pretty floral arrangement.

STREET FOOD 

At the outset, I must declare I am not a foodie and I am not great at cooking, infact I am not even interested in it. But I do love to try different cuisines especially if I am travelling. I do make it a point, as far as possible, to try the local dishes wherever I go. I probably won't be able to tell you what went into a particular dish but I can certainly tell you how good or bad it tasted. Important, no? ;)

Most of these images must be familiar to you from various corners of South East Asia, but I felt that any post on Bangkok would be incomplete without its street food. Here are some photographs from China Town and from the ubiquitous food carts on the streets.

Raw oysters, China Town - my first time & it was good.
But, definitely an acquired taste.

An assortment of dishes at China Town.
Not an area for the squeamish. :)

A typical street cart setting up for business.

Octopus/ Squid variety - A closer look at the food cart

Mushrooms wrapped in bacon - my absolute favourite.
I just couldn't get enough of these.

The local brand of beer

China Town is an amazing food area. At night, the normal looking streets turn into one huge open air food court. Traffic is restricted on this particular street during the nights. But, proceed with caution as you will see many things that aren't very appealing and as I said before, not for the squeamish.

I leave you with a photo of a money tree, borrowed from Feng Shui (I think) that I saw at a 7-11 store in Bangkok. A city with an interesting mix of faiths and superstitions. :)

For wealth & prosperity, I assumed.

If you would like to read more about Bangkok: In previous posts, I had described my fascination with spirit houses, briefly touched upon my visit to the Grand Palace, an awe inspiring complex in every which way (and my not-so-happy experience among my fellow countrymen in the city).