Seoul ——> Bangkok

Seoul – where do i begin. As a megacity with 20 million people, I was somewhat surprised not to find the city overwhelming. Perhaps it was my time in Beijing and Shanghai, both of which felt more hectic and massive, that prepared me for Seoul. It might be the mountains and huge rivers that help decrease the sense of being closed in. Who knows.

Its got what you’d expect from a city this crowded in Asia; vibrant markets, great food, bright neon sign posts, disobediant motorbike drivers and so on. Apparently, in Korea, if they like the appearance of an off white 35 story apartment building, they’ll reproduce it a thousand times. You really see this if you perch yourself on one of the many surrounding mountains in the area – they find a template and they stick to it. I was told that 70-80% of seoulites live in apartments of 12 storeys or more, so i’d imagine they’ve got to get them built quickly and effeciently.

And now, Bangkok. Initially, not a welcoming place. The heat and humidity drain your energy. It’s polluted, its congested, and there’s poverty abound. With that said, It’s also one of the most affluent places in all of Asia. The markets are incredible. The palaces are grand. Stray dogs roam the street and modern highrises flying hundreds of feet above the slums. An amazing skytrain transport system the average thai can’t afford. Amazing pad thai for a dollar, brand new jeans for 2. These are my first impressions of BKK.