Two nights in Bangkok
Trip Start
Aug 19, 2006
1
7
11
Trip End
Sep 01, 2007
Bangkok,
Thailand
Friday, September 29, 2006
Late September we hopped on an AirAsia flight to Bangkok. The new airport (in planning for 40 years) has the biggest terminal in the world and had just opened the day before we arrived. Funny to see airport staff needing maps to get around the place. Marta was less amused to hear that she needed a visa for Thailand, but Poland's one of the semi-favoured nations that can simply buy one on arrival. So after finding a photomat and paying €20 she got welcomed to Thailand by what must have been the least friendly customs people I've ever encountered (I've heard since a few times that Thailand's reputation of being an exceptionally friendly country doesn't stand up to comparison with its neighbours).
We were lucky as we arrived on Friday evening and departed Sunday afternoon - the only two times that the whole larger Bangkok area is not gridlocked with terrible traffic jams. It took us just 45 minutes to get to the hotel - at other times it can take up to three hours.
Staying at a pleasant budget hotel near the river we spent two days zipping around on river ferries, tuk-tuks, SkyTrains and taxis, visiting the Wat Po monastery complex (with the Golden lying Buddha statue), the adjacent Royal palace with the wonderful attached monastery, Chinatown and the massive weekend market in the north of the city.
We were apparently eating in all the wrong places because we had not one good meal - we've had better Thai cooking next door to our flat in KL or in Prague. Perhaps Bangkok is suffering from the same disease that effects restaurants in central Prague - the fact they never need to worry about convincing people to return to their restaurant, leading to mediocre food and high prices.
Although the traditional and old parts of Bangkok are small, we thought it a good destination for a weekend trip. There's plenty of concrete around and it in no way resembles other less successful Asian cities - too many cars, too much pollution, too many highrise offices and condos. Still, an interesting place with great shopping and worth a revisit.
My former Prague flatmate Goran was in Thailand on business and we met him for a few beers in Bangkok too - excellent to see an old friend so far from what was recently home.
