Back in the Land of the Holy Thais

Bangkok,

The super big madhouse called Bangkok where the traffic is always hopelessly congested, where even as a determined non-smoker you will still end up with a serious smoker`s coughafter a few days stay due to the oppresive humidity conbined with tropical heat, exhaust fumes aplenty and a race that loves their Marlboro cancer sticks...

A motorbike taxi driver starting the day with a high concentrated energy drink and a Marlboro puff, maybe a quick shot of moonshine whisky to top it off - the best way to start a brand new day, at least the way the Thai see it.

On my way into town by airport shuttle bus, 150 Baht from Suvarnibhumi to the world famous Asian backpacker`s paradise called Thanom Khao Sarn, chaos and more big towm madness, taxi drivers and their Tuk-Tuk contemporaries always happy to show you around - that is, souvenir shops of their liking where the owner will quite contently share a part of his fat provit with an equally happy Tuk-Tuk person, comission or Baksheesh - whatever you wanna call it - to ensure another fat walled Farang in the back of a Tuk-Tuk.

I walk the streets surrounded by blueish clouds, the smell and even taste of heavy spices impregnating my nostrils.

Street hawkers having anything imaginable for sale though it looks like kitch to me - most of it anyway.

Young tourist ladies from a multitute of European countries dressed in short sexy skirts, T-shirts getting slowly soaked by the Bangkok "WINTER" sun, long and shapely legs already showing the first signs of suntan - their friends back home will be jealous.

Yeah, only back in the Land of the Holy Thais for a few short hours and I can already feel it soak into my bloodstream, fill up my very essence, trying hard to shut out my Farang excistence in Amsterdam and intregrate in this weird and mystic Asian culture where the locals will happily recieve us, even a hero`s welcome provided a fistfull of 100 Baht notes will get into the bargain.