Bangkok

The largest city and capital of Thailand has spectacular sights scattered around an urban nightmare. The pollution is choking, the traffic is at a standstill, and you need to be on guard at all times. When my brother and I were there, we found it to be an exhausting place: we'd see one sight a day and then rest at the hotel. There are a lot of places to eat, and the temples and other sights are wonderful. You'll either love or detest this city, but either way, you'll be disturbed by the sights of gleaming skyscrapers towering over little shanties.

WHAT TO SEE: Of course, the temples, such as the Marble Temple (Wat Benchamabophit), Wat Arun, and Wat Pho, in addition to the Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace. The decor and attention to detail are amazing. We found it underwhelming, but a lot of visitors enjoy Jim Thompson's House.

WHAT TO DO: Take a boat along the Chao Phraya River. Decadent Patpong Road and its nasty girly bars are a must if you want to experience the sleazy side of Bangkok. There is a night market there as well: it's sureal seeing all the t-shirt stands behind which touts extoll the virtures of their employers' live sex shows! Of course, shopping is everywhere. There's the Weekend Market near the Northern Bus Terminal, and cheap clothes can be bought at the New World Centre, or any shopping center for that matter. Bangkok has many bucket shops for cheap tickets, but be wary: some of the agencies on Kao San Road can't be trusted! A good agency is Royal Class Travel Service (656-9135), in the Ploenchit Center across from the Marriott Hotel on Sukumvit Road. Be on guard at crowded places like the night markets: a dear friend of mine had her passport, credit cards, and money stolen during a moment of confusion!

WHAT NOT TO DO: Keep your mouth open while you're traveling along the river! Who knows what kind of bacterial infection you could get! Be very wary when you take a tuk-tuk. Some of them will try to take you to a con job of a gem store. Make sure you get into a cab that has a meter, and make sure they turn the meter on before you start your ride! If you get ripped off, don't expect the Bangkok Tourist Police to be of much help.

WHERE TO EAT: You won't have problems finding good, spicy Thai food! Find a place where it's crowded with locals and the people look healthy. If you're a novice to Thai Food, The Atlanta hotel has an outstanding restaurant with lengthy descriptions of the various Thai dishes. Nearby is Cabbages and Condoms, run by a local family planning organization. Many restaurants have western food, and you'd be amazed how often you find wiener schnizel on the menu. If you love Middle Eastern food, across the street and down a few blocks from the Sukhumvit Marriott and Landmark hotels are several Arab restaurants that offer great fare at cheap prices. Café India at 460/8 Suriwongse Road, opposite the Trocadero Hotel (234-1720) is one of the best Indian restaurants I've ever eaten at.

WHERE TO STAY: Unless you want to be among thousands of backpackers, stay away from Kao San Road. There are plenty of cheap, clean, decent guesthouses, such as the Tavee Guesthouse in Banglamphu (282-5983 or 280-1447), which is very clean and the staff friendly and helpful. The Atlanta (252-6069 or 252-1650, fax 656-8123), near the Marriott Hotel on Sukhumvit Road, is also reasonable, and it has a great restaurant! A bonus of staying in this area is that if you take the Airport Shuttle bus from the airport, it's a straight shot down the highway, so you won't have to sit in that awful Bangkok traffic for hours!