Orientation and Touring Bangkok
One of the best ways to get oriented is to take the early-morning three-hour boat trip along the Chao Phraya, the river of Kings, and the Bangkok Noi Canal. If you were fortunate enough to book a hotel overlooking the river you will already know what an active stretch of water it is. Thais have a tradition of setting up homes along rivers, and life on the river in Bangkok continues today in much the same way it did hundreds of years ago.
On most Bangkok tours there will be a stop at a temple. There are over 400 to see in the city, and if you decide to do some private sightseeing trips (an inexpensive way to select what you want to see) the guide will not be surprised or offended if you ask not to see any more temples. We have to wonder if temples were designed by Kodak since we have not met anyone who has visited Thailand without returning home with numerous photos of them, with or without people in them. However, if you like temples this is the place to be.
Bangkok stretches out over 600 square miles, making it one of the world’s largest cities. Claims are made that the city is sinking an inch or so each year into the fertile delta on which it stands. Nobody seems too concerned, particularly developers, whose mega-structures continue to sprout up alongside ancient spires. The main north-south railway line divides Bangkok in two. To the east of the railway are the main commercial and tourist areas. To the west is Old Bangkok with its palaces and temples, and the Chinese and Indian neighborhoods.
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