Bangkok - start of the Thai inning

Densely packed buildings, dingy hotels, congested thoroughfares.
Flashy neon lights, variegated signboards, sloppy makeshift shops.
Roadside squatters, touting peddlers, carpetbaggers.
Knockoffs, novelties, curios.

It is Khaosan road, a backpackers' ghetto in western part of Bangkok.

It is a world in itself, totally disconnected from rest of the city. You can indulge in a quotidian activity like eating or shopping, or get a tattoo done, get your hair dreadlocked or buy a fancy machete, knife or taser. The drawling calls of masseuses can be heard everywhere.

It was a refreshing change from the quiet of Laos, though short-lived. Everyone wanted to draw my attention; for a few seconds I was the epicenter of their lives. 

"You look Indian. Come have Indian food", calls an Indian guy aggressively. Ignoring him I go ahead, wondering if he is Indian or not. A few minutes earlier I had met some people who talked and behaved just like any Indian. They were Burmese! A docile Burmese lady working at a bookshop told me about how a lot of people migrated from Nepal and India to Burma a long time ago, and how Bollywood movies still keep alive the Indian-ness in them.

The place is filled with foreigners, and it's almost impossible to spot a Thai visitor. It certainly has a character to it, but it doesn't deserve a visit longer than a couple of hours. Khaosan is one of the worst victims of commercialization overdone in Thailand, and the accretion of touristy geegaws just doesn't seem to stop.

Having spent a night near Khaosan, I moved to an chic but affordable hostel located in a totally non-touristy area. The locality is full of swanky condominiums. Thailand has a knack for commercializing any good place (in a bad way) and it's none less than a quixotic adventure to find a good place that is untouched in this country.

I don't think I will visit any of those most visited places in Bangkok. I will tour the neighborhoods on foot, buy a good book, visit the malls and eat in different places. The city in itself is quite interesting. It feels great to relish urban luxuries after spending more than three weeks in Laos. Life is good.