Horror of horrors! Today we went to check out 'backpacker mekka' Kao San road to see what all the fuss is about and if we maybe should spend a few nights there to get to know Bangkok from another perspective (our Hotel Atlanta is situated in a rather local neighbourhood that is not exactly bursti ng with culture). Three words: Stay.Far.Away! What we found was a tourist ghetto that might just as well have been on Mallorca, with Western food and everything to cover consumerist needs without leaving the area: Cheap eats, cheap massages, cheap entertainment, cheap souvenirs, and no locals in sight (except of course for the hundreds of touts who try to sell their goods and services.)
We made a run for it rather quickly, after sucking down a quick coconut at this café that was showing exactly the combination of easily digestable Thai culture (music player in traditional dress up) and Western entertainment (football game on screen above her) that characterizes the whole area.
Atlanta, you have us back for some more days!