This is not a good way to start my trip. I cut it too close and missed the check-in time for my flight from Shanghai to Bangkok! SriLankan Airlines closes check-in one hour prior to the flight and I spent time wandering around in the wrong terminal and missed the cutoff by ten minutes. Oops!
Luckily, I catch a later flight on a different airline and have some time to spend enjoying some Guinness Stout and people-watching. The interior of the terminal makes me feel like I am in a futuristic Jetson's city. Through the windows you can see terminal one, and it appears to be magically floating in the clouds. (take my word for it)
Yes, this sign captures it all.
Still waiting for my flight, I notice that planes must taxi behind pilot vehicles at the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai. David and Goliath?
Finally in the air and I am chasing the sun for four hours. Most of my flight looked just like this.
The first bar, Parking Toys, that Ryan and Michelle take me to has a totally kick-ass rockabilly band (Trix or Treat) playing lots of old songs that I am familiar with. Good Golly, Miss Molly. Johnny Be Good. Walk This Way.
The biggest disco ball that I have ever seen!
Trix or Treat played like it was 1959! It was really incredible!
The bar was decorated randomly with tons of cool junk.
Semi-drunk car ride to bar number deuce.
OK, maybe we were closer to full-drunk then semi-drunk.
Seven people in a Corolla? No problem-O!
Drunk in the back of a compact car headed to bar number two.
The second bar was way more chill and we ate/drank outside in the 75 degree heatsoak. Inside was decorated like a 70's grandparent's living room.
The law forces cigaratte compaines to place graphic photos like these on every single pack of cigarettes here. It doesn't seem to stop anyone from lighting up, almost everyone I met smokes here.
Need I say more?
Michelle's house in Bangkok: Pretty impressive facade!
Michelle's house in Bangkok: Street dogs who have adopted the family.
Michelle's house in Bangkok: Mom-mom basks in the sun.
Michelle's house in Bangkok: Curved stairway from the main entrance
Michelle's house in Bangkok: a view of the third floor terrace from the second floor balcony
Ryan pets another adopted street pet named Licky because the dog would lick and try to eat cigarette smoke in the air.
Licky loves a good rub behind the ears.
Michelle's house in Bangkok: Narrow stairway to the third floor.
Michelle's house in Bangkok: Third level open-air patio.
Michelle's house in Bangkok: Third-level lap pool with a view.
Michelle's house in Bangkok: Third-level lap pool next to open-air patio.
Michelle's house in Bangkok: First floor courtyard with a fowl friend paying a visit.
Michelle's house in Bangkok: The courtyard and main gate from the front porch.
Michelle's house in Bangkok: A recent fire gives the perimeter wall a patina.
Michelle's house in Bangkok: A street pooch hangs out near the main gate.
Michelle's house in Bangkok: Such contrast between the houses and the public common areas.
Michelle's house in Bangkok: Next door is a little bit of a mess!
A bored tire shop worker taking some personal time on the sidewalk.
The Rama VIII cable-stay bridge over the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.
As we walk down the street in Bangkok we spot a small tile mosaic placed by the infamous street artist named Invader. He has visited cities around the globe and left his calling cards. Some call it graffiti, but I think it's pretty cool.
We spent part of our day being interviewed by Michelle for a local arts television show that she hosts. Sun, her friend and camera man, was cracking me up the entire time and sometimes made it hard to keep a straight face on camera.
How is this for a paradoxical image. A monk using his cell phone while pulling cash out of the ATM.
As we walked by the river a major fire broke out on the other side. This was the second major fire of the day and when i tried to research it I discovered that there are large fires in Bangkok on almost a daily basis.
There are contrasts everywhere here. This mechanic's garage wasn't a garage at all, but just a spot on the street where he was swapping out transmissions and had several cars on jackstands. Nearby where many international bars and hostels.
More of the mechanic's shop on the fancy street. Cool old Toyota van!
We settle down for a few drinks on a 4th-story rooftop bar overlooking the city.
Ignore the house int he foreground, but checkout the crazy 5-story treehouse on the left and the hacked-together 4-story shanty on the right.
Later, as we ate dinner at Happy Monday I found this street dog taking a snooze in front of the men's room door. He wasn't too friendly and when I was finished he had disappeared.
As we walk around the city I marvel at the car culture that they have here. many cars are lowered with bodykits, custom wheels and other custom touches. Check out the van in the background with quad exhaust!
There are a lot of these ugly boxy vans that are on the streets, but a good chunk of them have also been customized. In fact, I even saw an ambulance that was lowered on custom wheels.
Inside of the Siam Center Mall I happened across a row of stores that, instead of selling designer clothing, were hocking exotics like Lotus, Porsche and Maserati.
In the Siam Center Mall there were also BMW and Lamborghini dealers, plus a new Bentley Mulsanne and even a Spyker C8.
Creepy mannequins part 1: Rockin Santa Twins!
Creepy mannequins part 2: Praying Ronald McDonald
Creepy mannequins part 3: 15-foot tall 50s Swimmer Women at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
Interior of The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
A life-size photo of a freshwater stingray, which are endangered species and can grow up over half a ton! They have been known to drag fishing boats underwater when they are accidentally hooked in the river.
Ryan helps to push the freshwater stingray to safety. Haha...
Wow, can you believe the size of this stingray!?!
Ryan shows the villagers his most excellent stick-holding skills.
Another photo of Ryan being silly with life-size photo backfrops.
We are inside of a Fakes Market full of counterfait goods, but look out for deception!
For my cousin Nick, you probably already know of its existence, but this was a pretty sweet calculator watch that I found in a trendy clothing store.
Contrasting architecture. A burned out, half-standing structure (with people squatting in visible rooms that are missing walls) with a giant new mall in the background.
I love the names of the places here. From this train stop I can either head to On Nut or go see Mo Chit!
An awesome market with an entire floor almost completely full of print tee shops! My dream come true!
During lunch Michelle gets recognized by yet another person and gladly takes a photo with them.
Hanging out at Contrast Tattoo, they let me tool around on their sweet pimp chopper.
Almost falling and definitely failing as I try to navigate the chopper bike.
Contrast Tattoo, run by the members of the rockabilly band Trix or Treat from my first night here.
Ryan sitting for his first tattoo, the needle is wet and he is starting to sweat!
Ryan getting his first tattoo at Contrast Tattoo.
The tat is complete and Ryan is feeling a little dehydrated. I wonder why!?!
Trix or Treat, the rockabilly band that played a bar on our first night, and the owners of the tattoo parlor.
Tattoo complete, Ryan shows off his new tattoos, which represent the number 11 on each forearm.
Another typical Bangkok taxi with spoiler, bodykit and custom wheels.
These are private carshare vans, also called Joint Vans.
Some of the joint vans are totaly tricked out!
We stop for a beer as the sun starts to set, and at 6pm a national anthem ceremony is performed.
Friday night at Happy Monday: This kid was selling roses from table to table
Friday night at Happy Monday: SIlly Photos
Friday night at Happy Monday: The rose kid is back again, but will John bite?
Friday night at Happy Monday: John buys them all! Wow, what a guy!
Friday night at Happy Monday: SangSom is our drink of choice tonight. Pour a shot over ice and mix with selzer water and a splash of Sprite.
Friday night at Happy Monday: Twins separated at birth?
301 kmh is about 185 miles per hour on the mag=lev high speed train back in Shanghai.
Off of the mag-lev and I'm pretty much home again.
