Bangkok
Trip Start
May 01, 2007
1
5
24
Trip End
Mar 02, 2008
Bangkok,
Thailand
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Very modern aspects, big buildings, shopping malls, the Skytrain. Then interspersed in every nook and cranny on the sidewalks and lane ways are street vendors, markets, little shops, a million things for sale, from the artistic to the absurd.
The Ambassador Hotel was recommended to me by a friend and I was pleased to have a nice hotel arranged ahead of time. It was clean and comfortable, with a pool, restaurant and friendly staff. I don't think my limited travel experience could have prepared me for the backpacker guest houses on Kho San Road at this stage of my trip.
I arrived mid day on Thursday, 31st May and was terribly jet lagged from the long flight from the UK. It was going to take a few days to adjust to the twelve hour time difference from Canada, where I had just been a few days ago.
I did manage to get out of the hotel my first evening for a little wander around the Sukhumvit Road area where I was staying. There were lots of vendors stalls set up for the night market selling t-shirts, silk and other souvenirs. I also noticed a bit of the sex trade business going on in the little alleys leading off the main road.
Friday I explored the city on foot and quickly learned that six inches on the map is equivalent of about six hours of walking in the heat! While I love walking, it was very tiring and I realized pretty quickly that I had walked a great distance but hadn't really 'seen' anything in particular. I decided that my future activities should be more structured, with a plan of where to go, what to see and how to get there. During my rambling walk I did cross through China Town and decided to go back for a specific visit there later.
On Saturday I tried to take a boat across the river - Mae Nam Chao Phraya. I paid my 13 Bhat (40 cents) and boarded the designated boat. I wanted to get to Wat Arun on the other side. Well, the boat kept going and going, it never did go to the other side. It finally stopped way up the river. I paid another 13 Bhat for the return journey and then just hopped off at the stop I predicted to be closest to Wat Arun a taxi and a tuk tuk ride later, I found the place. Guess I must have boarded the wrong boat! It didn't matter though, as I enjoyed my impromptu site seeing trip up and down the river.
After Wat Arun I headed to China Town by tuk tuk.
Wat Phra Kaew
My timing couldn't have been better. China Town in Bangkok on a Saturday night is a happening place! It was so energetic, eclectic and exciting. Everything was for sale and I mean everything! Underwear, socks, big shiny gold piggy banks, electronics, tools, toys, watches, kittens! I wandered around for ages looking at all of the vendor displays and ate cheap food from the street stalls and just soaked up all of the culture & energy. It was so incredible. Unfortunately no photos to share with you, as my camera battery was dead. I decided to stay in the hotel on the Sunday as I was still suffering from jet lag. I read my guide book by the pool and ate at the hotel restaurant, my first meal in Thailand that was not from a street vendor. It is so great just to eat from the street, I especially liked all of the little skewers with meat which are cooked while you wait. It is much better to see what you will be eating while it is being cooked in front of you, rather in the back kitchen of a restaurant. I did learn one lesson though, I bought a few skewers of meat which end up being very tough and chewy, not sure exactly what it was so I threw it away. Sixty cents wasted! Now I buy only one, if I like it I buy another.
There was also lots of fruit for sale, pineapple and watermelon cut up into pieces and sold in plastic bag. For just a few cents I could have a nice little snack whenever I wanted instead of spending lots of money at a sit down restaurant.
On Monday I went to The Grand Palace, Vinamik Mansion and the Zoo. Some photos are attached with further explanation of these amazing places.
I had about five days in Bangkok, just enough time to experience it, however I didn't get to see everything that I would have liked to, specifically the floating markets and Wat Pho (home of the famous reclining Buddha). I also think that due to my jet lag and limited travelling experience I did waste quite a bit of my time in Bangkok. As I gain more experience travelling, I will learn how to fit more activities into my time.
Top things I enjoyed in Bangkok:
1. China Town. - it has to be seen to be believed.
2. The Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha - so interesting and beautiful.
3. The Thai people of course! They are so warm and friendly - the motto 'land of smiles' is well deserved.
4. The contrasts of Bangkok, fast paced and exciting and modern, balanced with traditional.
5. Eating from the street vendors.
