Pluralism comes with lots of samosas and pa tong ko
Strolling through Bangkok really makes you wonder: Where else can you find an Indian Shopping Mall next to a Chinese Shrine and a Sikh Temple?
Walking has become my favorite pastime here. I'm still trying to train my senses to capture the sights, the sounds - and to a lesser extent - the smell of the city.
I got off at Hua Lamphong and made my way through Yaowarat (aka Chinatown) and Pahurat (aka Little India). Some streets were deserted, whereas others were crowded with people. Most of them were looking for bargains or simply a good place to lunch. It was pouring at first, then out of nowhere midday sun hit the concrete and I started feeling like a turkey being roasted in the oven.
Speaking of food: Did I mention that I love the topic of my thesis? Food is everywhere in Bangkok. If you don't go looking for it, it'll probably come and visit you. I've spent the whole day walking around, observing, sweating and smiling. I'm satisfied with the city walks so far. It's a challenge to explore the familiar and to scratch the surface of everyday life in a metropolitan city. A city I was actually born in. Does that classify as "anthropology at home"? I don't think so. Unless I can come up with a definition of home that encompasses living in another country for 20 years.
Getting back on topic: I was impressed with the stewed gooses and Punjab sweets on display, but I couldn't decide what to eat. After a couple of hours in the streets of Yaowarat and Pahurat I went "home". I'm staying at a place right behind a restaurant called "Indian Hut" - and it's not even located in Pahurat!
The BMA has done a tremendous job segregating the spaces and places of consumption in Bangkok. There's no comparing when it comes to the squeaky clean shopping areas of Ratchaprasong and the humble but somewhat distressed sois of Chinatown. Latter has been part of Bangkok's history for over a century now. Bangkok is home to many "dichotomies" we see in urban life, but one has to be cautious not to fall prey to the binary set of thinking ...
Download the picture here
Download the picture here
