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Bangkok unusual: Discover the best of the bizarre and the wonderful in Thailand''s capital city

By: Hai Kapiloff

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Captivating, charismatic and ever-unpredictable, Thailand''s capital, Bangkok, is a city that never ceases to astound. From its lively floating-markets and snaking side-streets filled with aromatic goods, to gleaming new luxury hotels and designer shopping malls, it is an animated and relentless assault on the senses that disobey all regularity. For this reason, visitors to Bangkok do best to leave their expectations at home, and immerse themselves in the very best of the weird and the wonderful that the city has to offer.

An exploration of the extraordinary character of Thailand''s most renowned city begins just a short distance from Bangkok itself, at The Ancient City of Samut Prankan. This brainchild of Khun Lek is like a large open air museum, featuring scaled-down reproductions of traditional monuments, temples and houses, as well as some conscientious restoration projects. Both an elaborate display of the wealth of national design, and a meticulous attempt to preserve Thai heritage, the park is one of the best introductions you will find to Thailand''s architectural history.

For those with an appetite for the shocking, a museum of quite a different type is the Bangkok Corrections Museum. Located on the edge of the Rommani Nart Park, this converted penal facility, complete with a ghastly array of punishment tools, is an intriguing, if not gruesome insight into a history of brutal prison punishment. In true Chamber-of-Horrors-style, the museum features life-like wax figures and reconstructions of previous torture methods.

Similarly morbid is the Forensic Medicine Museum. Not for the feint-hearted, this gut-churning display of preserved bodies, murder weapons and autopsy photography is intended to educate its visitors on the medical side of some of the most terrible crimes. The ''main attraction'', if it is at all possible to use such a phrase, is the complete cadaver of Si Ouey, one of Thailand''s most notorious murderers, whose name still rings in the nation''s collective memory to this day.

For some human retribution in far more agreeable surroundings, head out of the city towards Bangsaen Beach to the statue garden of Wang Saen Suk. Adjacent to a temple, the garden houses a bizarre reconstruction of ''Buddhist hell'' which depicts the varying possibilities that may happen to those who sin in the Buddhist religion. Yes, it''s more gore, but the garden is actually pleasant and attracts both adults and children inquisitive to know what may happen in the afterlife.

Visitors looking to escape the bustle of Bangkok and experience something a little different should make for the popular yet fascinating Queen Soavabha Snake Farm. Named originally after the wife of Rama V, who contributed greatly to medicine, the farm is one of the leading institutes in the world in studies of anti-venom. Be sure to not to miss the snake feeding and milking shows.

One place that certainly doesn''t attract many tourists is the temple at Wat Pho Bang Khla. Situated in the Chachoengsao Province, this off-the-beaten track site is home to an abundance of bats that come to gorge on the surrounding fruit trees. There are many fascinating stories about the spiritual effects the temple has had on the bats, and the site and sound of them on mass hanging from the branches is definitely worth the slightly out-of-the-way trip.

To end, no trip to Bangkok would be glossed and shiny without paying homage at one of the many spirit houses scattered throughout the city. These endearing pint-size places of worship, found outside most buildings from homes to offices, provide a resting place for weary spirits as they move from place to place. Thais still believe profoundly in their spiritual importance and it''s not uncommon to see people going about their daily business stop to offer prayers or a gift.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

Hai Kapiloff is a freelance writer who specialises in travel. She recommends DAF as a first choice for cheap Bangkok flight.

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