TravelAddicts-SoutheastAsia > photographie-irie  > Travel > southeast asia 2007
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photographie-irie > About This Gallery      I traveled the SE Asia loop counterclockwise in the first half of 2007, from Thailand thru Cambodia, Vietnam and then Laos. After a week in Bangkok, it was off to southern Thailand for an easygoing beach-based entry into these new Asian cultures. Cambodia expanded quickly beyond Angkor Wat to include Phnom Penh and the beaches of Kampong Som, once I discovered the energy and peaceful dynamic of living this particular edge. Vietnam similarly demanded twice the time I'd anticipated due to it's own captivating cultures, as I took the south to north 'open bus' that made befriending fellow travelers easy. Laos was just a possibility for this journey from the start, until repeated encounters with other travelers who had already been. Inquiries about Laos were intriguingly met with a common, tilted stare at the sky, followed by a softly intoned, ‘Oohhhh... Laos....’ Hard not to go after that. And then even more difficult to leave. Perhaps the most relaxed people and place I’ve ever encountered, where time operates on a whole different continuum. The route back to Bangkok then took me through northern Thailand, also most alluring for its own unique mellow nature, if inevitably less so than Laos. These images highlight this long, meandering journey. I hope you enjoy.
photographie-irie > Sheba's, in Bangkok's Soi Cowboy 'neighborhood', Thailand      Bangkok, gateway for many to SE Asia, is a cosmopolotan mecca of striking diversity. At Sheba's in Soi Cowboy the Nile flows to Thailand, as Egyptian clad bargirls linger under the Pharaoh to entice passersby inside where garb is more diminutive. Bangkok is a vibrant and fascinating amalgam of authentic local culture oddly juxtaposed with a hodgepodge of modern development. Booming and full of energy, the city is vastly entertaining at most any level. Going beyond the tourist spots unfolds exotic layers of local experience not within the tour guides.
photographie-irie > Soi Cowboy Food Vendor, Bangkok, Thailand Street food is among the best things in SE Asia. Bangkok options are especially diverse and tasty, ranging from fried centipede and tarantula to Pad Thai and exotic fresh fruits. Many visitors miss out for concern of food poisoning. I didn't encounter a single episode, despite frequently over-indulging this incredibly cheap thrill. Be sure to drink from a bag... eat a grasshopper. (Tastes like chicken.)
photographie-irie > Another Soi Cowboy Food Vendor, Bangkok, Thailand More street food in Soi Cowboy during the day. Friendly vendors and great food most anywhere you go in Bangkok where there are people. Whatever you might eat in a restaurant is on the street at a fraction of the cost. Meals for under a dollar. Just get in line where lots of others are happily ordering. If your Thai is limited, you get a chance to see some options of what others are getting so you can then point and grunt to place your order...
photographie-irie > Street Vending, Bangkok, Thailand Shopping's not my thing, but even I was compelled to join in. Bargaining is local tradition and fun game. Language barriers vanish as the everpresent calculator gives sellers a chance to type their price and you to counter. No Thai Baht? Currency conversion no problem. Just be prepared for knock-offs in the land of bogus labels without the hint of copyright or trademark enforcement. Clothing, shoes, eyeglasses, dvds and cds, jewelry, luggage, and whatever you could ever imagine, all for a song and a bit of friendly price negotiation. Everyone's a businessperson. Tourists welcome here.
photographie-irie > Peace Sign Glove, Bangkok, Thailand A common theme wherever I traveled in SE Asia was getting peace signs, thumbs up and smiles when I approached with the camera. Don't speak Thai? Lao? Khmer? Smiles and body language carried my day, day after day. Even these street cleaning tools get into the act. Clean streets, sidewalks and peace... Clearly a good sign.
photographie-irie > Britney In Recovery, Bangkok, Thailand      Hydrating from a Britney shot glass. Actually just another friendly vendor at Chatuchak Weekend Market, a massive Bangkok neighborhood bazaar that's authentic local shopping experience and serious tourist attraction. Asian outdoor grand scale market bazaar with most anything available. Easily accessible off the Skytrain, plan a big day and get there early with time to see the world before the heat builds. Early morning is also when you find the most activity as vendors start their day.
photographie-irie > Chatuchak Market Vendor, Bangkok, Thailand      Another friendly vendor. The open stalls of Chatuchak Market over-stimulate the senses and exhaust bodies from the sheer expanse of exotic offerings and market size. Also known as "JJ", from Jatu Jak. Among multiple sections that divide the market is a pet and wildlife section where illegal commerce in protected species most likely continues. This fellow was not a part of that, rather just another purveyor of high fashion.
photographie-irie > Mobile, Chatuchak Market , Bangkok, Thailand One of a gazillion items available in exchange for your baht (or dollars). Asian markets like this mega-bazaar are great for their unique slice of life even if you don't like shopping. It's more than shopping.
Sheba's, in Bangkok's Soi Cowboy 'neighborhood', Thailand     

Bangkok, gateway for many to SE Asia, is a cosmopolotan mecca of striking diversity. At Sheba's in Soi Cowboy the Nile flows to Thailand, as Egyptian clad bargirls linger under the Pharaoh to entice passersby inside where garb is more diminutive. Bangkok is a vibrant and fascinating amalgam of authentic local culture oddly juxtaposed with a hodgepodge of modern development. Booming and full of energy, the city is vastly entertaining at most any level. Going beyond the tourist spots unfolds exotic layers of local experience not within the tour guides.
> Sheba's, in Bangkok's Soi Cowboy 'neighborhood', Thailand      Bangkok, gateway for many to SE Asia, is a cosmopolotan mecca of striking diversity. At Sheba's in Soi Cowboy the Nile flows to Thailand, as Egyptian clad bargirls linger under the Pharaoh to entice passersby inside where garb is more diminutive. Bangkok is a vibrant and fascinating amalgam of authentic local culture oddly juxtaposed with a hodgepodge of modern development. Booming and full of energy, the city is vastly entertaining at most any level. Going beyond the tourist spots unfolds exotic layers of local experience not within the tour guides.
Sheba's, in Bangkok's Soi Cowboy 'neighborhood', Thailand     

Bangkok, gateway for many to SE Asia, is a cosmopolotan mecca of striking diversity. At Sheba's in Soi Cowboy the Nile flows to Thailand, as Egyptian clad bargirls linger under the Pharaoh to entice passersby inside where garb is more diminutive. Bangkok is a vibrant and fascinating amalgam of authentic local culture oddly juxtaposed with a hodgepodge of modern development. Booming and full of energy, the city is vastly entertaining at most any level. Going beyond the tourist spots unfolds exotic layers of local experience not within the tour guides.
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Keywords: thailand bangkok shebas soi cowboy
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