Aunt Linda and Uncle Doug said one of the things they wanted to do was do a Bangkok Bike Tour. I've never done it and thought it a big mad considering the traffic and pollution. However, in the spirit of adventure I thought I'd take a chance and join them.
I was very glad I did - and would recommend this tour to anyone who visits Thailand. I can't think of a better way to see the contrasts of life in Bangkok from high rises, to slums, to idyllic parks. All in one morning.
Here we are at the start.
We started out in downtown Bangkok - just off of Sukhumvit. This is near the central business district and filled with skyscrapers, office buildings, and large homes for the wealthy. On bicycles we were able to cut through the traffic, as we made our way through the river.
One of the markets on the way.
We also had to go under the Bangkok Expressway. Beware of dogs.
But to get to the river we had to go through the Klong Toei. I didn't know we were going this way or I would have thought twice about joining. Klong Toei is home to Bangkok's notorious slums where drugs and violence are rampant.
In the day time, however, it was quite peaceful and although very quaint, everyone seemed pleasant and happy to see some strange foreigners wondering through.
Here are some pictures of the Klong Toei Slum.
This was a makeshift bridge that crossed one of Bangkok's polluted canals.
Notice the bathtubs on the right that were used for plants.
Once through the Klong Toei Slums, we came to the Chao Phraya River.
An old man with a long tail boat, loaded our bikes and helped us cross.
Across the river from Klong Toei is a part of Bangkok called Bang Gra Jaew. I'm sure there's a name for it, but it's the corner of land formed by a large bend in the river. This land has never been developed and is mostly a marshy swamp. A few homes are set there along with a park and an elevated bike path.
A very narrow bike path. Our guide says someone falls off every month or two.
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