You can get anything in Bangkok. Its many contrasts continue in the shopping area. There are massive shopping malls, more expansive than most in the States, and immense markets with a wide variety of things for sale. But the high-end and low-end coexist together in a fascinating way.

One afternoon I visited the Siam Paragon, a huge mall at the major Skytrain hub. You can leave the station and get into the mall without even touching the street. I didn’t really need anything, so I was just window shopping, but it was a fascinating experience. This mall not only has the mid-range stores like H&M and Zara but also high-end names like Gucci, Jimmy Choo and others. It also had a number of car show rooms inside the mall. I’ve seen Tesla in malls before, but I’ve never seen Porsche, Mercedes, or BMW in a mall before. There are several food courts and an aquarium. This place is massive.

Then that night on my way home from class, I passed a handful of market stalls on Sukhumvit before I turned onto my soi. The contrast of the two shopping experiences was jarring to me and yet wholly appropriate for Bangkok.

Title quote: Bobby Lee