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Published: December 31st 2017
Happy New Year early from Thailand!!!! We've enjoyed our 3 days in Bangkok, and as our Fodor travel guide book (and most importantly our trusted friends) have advised, we're glad we aren't spending too long here. For how big this city is, there surprisingly isn't more than 2 or 3 days' worth of sites to see, and in the end, this is a crowded metropolis more than anything. That said, it would be a mistake to visit Thailand and not spend at least some time in Bangkok.
**Travelers note**... During the last 2 hours of our 26 total hours of travel time to get here from Denver, I felt cooped up like a rat in a cage in my airplane seat on the 7 hour flight from Tokyo to Bangkok. I'm talking stir crazy... I could *barely* wait to get off of the plane. At any rate, we made it... so it's all okay. I'm impressed with my friends who have flown so far to get here for multiple trips. Hats off to you!
Compared to the suburban sprawl that runs outside of many big cities in the US, Bangkok has full-on urban sprawl from downtown. We marveled at
the view of sky scrapers towering above us in every direction for miles and miles as we were driven 30 minutes from the Subarnabhumi Airport outside of town to our hotel in the trendy and metropolitan Sukhumvit area. Bangkok has a population of 9.6 million in 2017, and the metro area has a population of 14,565,547 to be exact. This is a big city, the 19th biggest metro area in the world. How is that for some Cliff Clavine-sque knowledge? (for those of you old enough to remember Cliff Clavine sharing his often made-up facts from his bar stool podium in "Cheers").
The skyscrapers of Bangkok rise like giants above the streets and the multitude of crowds, cars, motorcycles, and three-wheeled "tuk-tuk" rickshaws, all which scurry among the streets and sidewalks between the lush, urban jungles of palm and dragon trees. If you visit Bangkok, always pay attention and be aware while walking around, as you never know when a car, tuk-tuk, or motorcycle is going to come barreling off of the road onto an alley or driveway like a bat out of hell. We were amused our first night on the town by a tuk-tuk driver driving fast
and taking chances down a busy road of the city, with a huge gigantic cooking pot in his lap. Above the front tire, a covered light hung down to illuminate a huge, mounted pan of seafood and noodles for sale. In addition to the meals on wheels, there are street vendors with carts here and there offering Asian fares to anyone who might be interested. We've also found random people hanging around and cooking food on the side of the city streets here and there, talking and laughing. The Sukumvhit and downtown area is very metropolitan and modern, but this city is a patchwork of the first world and third world scattered randomly about.
Late December and early January in Southeast Asia are in the heart of the "cooler", dry season in Southeast Asia, and the mornings in Bangkok have been tepid, like a perfect summer day in San Diego, while the afternoons are warm and humid and bump right up to the line of being hot. The nights here seem even more humid than the days. January is the "coolest" time of year here, with an average daily high temperature of 89 degrees and an average daily low
Wat Arun
We're the tiny figures on the bottom middle of the pictureof 72 degrees, as compared to an average daily high of 95 degrees and low of 79 degrees in much hotter April. It's a bit odd to find restaurants here with their "winter menus" out, along with comforting Christmas decorations and trees *everywhere*, with Christmas music playing all around, while it's 89 degrees out. Thailand seems to appreciate the Western countries and traditions.
English-speaking Thai people are common in Bangkok, and most signage, menus, and other written info here include English in addition to Thai. On our layover in the Tokyo airport in Japan, we were also surprised that all signage includes English, in addition to Japanese writing, as if Asia is saying to the world "if you are anywhere from the West, English is what you get". As comforting and convenient as this is for us, it's a bit surreal. The influence of American soldiers, who frequented Bangkok and Thai beaches during and after the Vietnam War, rubbed off on Thailand and obviously remains to this day.
Our first day here we visited the touristy Jim Thompson house, with a complex of buildings full of Oriental art and silk work, surrounded by lush gardens. Jimbo was a
wealthy, American businessman who helped revitalize the Thai silk industry in the 1950s and 1960s. He disappeared mysteriously without a trace in the Malaysian Highlands in 1967. **Oooh... spooky!!!**
We also explored Lumpini Park, a 142-acre urban oasis near our hotel and right in the middle of the city. We were disappointed but also a bit relieved that there was not a trace of the huge Komodo Dragons we had read about that had previously overrun the park, which we're guessing have been removed.
Our first full evening out here we had a tasty Asian food dinner at the 1920's, American-themed, and open air "Speakeasy Rooftop Bar" on the 24th floor of the Muse Hotel, complete with an amazing view from our table of the lighted, city skyline. Not quite an "authentic" Southeast Asian cultural experience, but it was a blast, and the view of the city skyline was amazing for sure. Bangkok is famous for its rooftop bars for a reason, and they are worth experiencing while visiting here.
Although we were beat after dinner, we couldn't resist taking a quick stroll down the nearby and infamous "Soi Cowboy", which fully met my expectations with its
Sky Train Can Get **CROWDED**
The man on the left laughed as we had to force our way onto the train skanky looking and scantily clad women (and lady boys?), who beckoned to the strolling crowds from the neon-lit bars and clubs that lined the narrow street. I laughed as an older Australian bloke was surrounded and willingly pulled into a club by fit and curvy young Asian women in string bikinis, short skirts, and lingerie. He leaned back and feigned as if he were trying to escape, then finally gave in and was pulled along, raising his arms and hands to the heavens as if he were at peace, coming home to enter the pearly gates. Quite a sight to behold. Becky summed Soi Cowboy up nicely by saying "that place was a sh*t show!" Thanks for being a sport Wifey! We wanted to avoid "The Hangover" and we didn't stick around for the debauchery.
The massive concrete infrastructure and steel tracks of the "Sky Train" (an elevated public, rail transport system) navigate a good bit of the city, and we found it convenient to get around. That said, depending on the station and time of day or night, the Sky Train is so crowded that you sometimes can't even board. We finally figured out by watching the locals
that you must force your way onto the crowded train when it's packed (which was validated with an approving nod by a Thai man, who laughed and smiled as we got down and dirty and forced our way onto the train to head back to the hotel from Soi Cowboy, as if he understood that we didn't mean to be rude but like everyone else on the train had no other choice).
Our second day here we took advantage of the "Tourist Boats" that run up and down the Chao Phraya River, which flows right through Bangkok to the Gulf of Thailand. The tourist boats and river taxis are a great way to get around and avoid the traffic congestion on the city streets. We started the morning at the ornate Wat Arun Buddhist temple constructed in the 1500's, which you can surprisingly climb up and all around, and then we made our way via the Tourist Boat to the Grand Palace, one of the most popular and impressive attractions in Bangkok. The day was heating up quickly, and the crowds and lines were ridiculous there, so we skipped it. On a big trip like this, sometimes you must
go with the flow.
**Travelers Note**... One thing we miss about the USA are the paper towels and hand dryers that we take for granted at sinks in public restrooms for drying after washing the hands. Using a mounted roll of toilet paper or Kleenex here to dry the hands in public restrooms (even in many of the fancy and modern restaurants) is a bit of a challenge and an odd difference. Another difference here that we've observed is that when paying the tab at a bar or restaurant, the servers hover above you and wait for the final payment rather than leaving the check to pay up at your convenience, which is more of an adjustment than one might expect.
We next boarded the river taxi and headed North to the Phra Arthit pier stop to check out the Khao San Road backpackers' ghetto. Rats nests of power lines and wires hung above wooden telephone poles on many of the street corners here and in a few other areas of Bangkok. Becky noted "I'm surprised this place hasn't burned down already".
We walked at the Khao San Road area off of an alley at an open
air and covered bar to cool down with some local Singha and Chang beers, entertained to relax and watch the intrepid, wide-eyed, and younger western backpackers carrying their giant back packs, with the girls wearing tank tops and the guys with their long hair tied up in man buns. Khao San is a real trip, with narrow alleys and roads lined with all sorts of tiny shops, street vendors, food carts, hostiles, and open air bars.
Although we had a bit more on our list to see, we were getting hot and tired, and we caught a Tourist Boat ride back to our hotel in the modern and comfy Sukhumvit, enjoying the view of the riverside and the cool breeze from our hard-to-come-by seats on the outside aisle of the boat. The rickety looking shacks and shanty homes that stood on stilts above some parts of the riverside, often right next to upscale new buildings, seemed a bit out of place, but I suppose that's one way to own riverfront property!
Siddhartha Buddha shrines of all shapes, colors, and sizes are all over the city here, and at times you could smell the sweet scent and see the
smoke of burning incense while strolling by. We appreciate the reverence the Thai people have for their faith and religion.
Another unique thing about traveling in Asia is seeing some Asian people wearing surgical masks on their faces in public. I've read this behavior is typically done as a courtesy to avoid spreading germs if one has a cold or other illness, or in more extreme cases to avoid contracting or spreading more serious diseases, as well as to provide a barrier against dust or pollution.
We've found that like any large city, the theory of getting around to a desired destination on busy city blocks is often different than the reality. According to Google Maps, the highly rated Smooth Curry restaurant (which we chose for dinner last night) was a short Sky Train ride just a few city blocks from our hotel. After a couple of mistakes on the Sky Train and then wandering around for 30 minutes supposedly right near the destination spot on the map on my phone *so close but apparently so far* from the restaurant, we finally found it on the third floor of a swanky hotel. We had the **BEST** Thai meal
we've ever had, with chicken and green curry, along with sweet, massaman brown curry and beef. Who knew that Thailand had such great Thai food??? HA! Although Smooth Curry was in the swanky Athena Hotel rather than a local mom-and-pop restaurant, it was stellar.
**Travelers Note**... when in Bangkok, don't waste your time with any western food. They just don't know how to do it here compared to all the wonderful and diverse international food in the melting pot of the USA. We were famished our first afternoon here and needed a snack, and we popped into a "well-rated" Italian joint for some pizza slices just to get something in our stomach. It was like cardboard with tomato sauce.
Our third and last full day here, we ventured a couple of piers up the river past the last stop of the Tourist Boat, in an attempt to have lunch at a Thai restaurant called "Steve" (sounds quite exotic doesn't it?), which was highly recommended by a friend. The upscale-looking, crowded, and covered deck of Steve restaurant was literally right across from us as we exited the taxi boat, on the other side of the water of the canal
Shanty Homes on the River
Some of these shacks are surrounded by upscale and modern buildings in this area.
As we exited the boat, we walked past a small market right off of the pier, where a local woman was standing above tubs that were overflowing and full of swirling black catfish, huge neon-green frogs, fire eels, and other river creatures. We followed the walking directions and crossed a nearby bridge across the narrow canal that led to a ghetto neighborhood, which we didn't expect. We walked past a garbage heap and then a shack with three walls and no windows, which was crowded with a large family watching a Korean soap opera on a tiny and tinny sounding TV.
We turned around thinking that we must be going the wrong way, but when we got back to the covered market area by the pier, we discovered on our phones from Steve's website that we were headed the right direction. On our second attempt to get to the restaurant, a 6-foot monitor lizard jumped out of the water near us and attacked a huge black catfish in a swirling battle, it's long tail making a splash. We journeyed on past a one story strip-mall type building that had no parking lot. Some of the
Crazy Electrical Wires
Are these up to code? (or is there even a code at all???) units were open air with burglar bars, while others had full walls and doors or glass windows. Some units housed shops, some were abandoned, while others seem to be residences. We walked past random local folks washing barrels. We turned a corner and discovered a man working on a gassy-smelling motorcycle engine with a cigarette hanging from his lip. The residents were very patient with us as we walked through their neighborhood. We continued on past an elderly man who was covered with huge bubbly scars and marks all over his face and arms (who we felt bad for). We wondered if he had Smallpox or other disease as a child. We felt relief that he was not too close to us as he had a coughing fit. A few minutes later, we walked through fumes of noxious smells.
At that point we decided to call it and turn around. We waited a *LONG* time in the smelly heat for a river taxi ride back down river, as all of the river taxis that stopped were heading up river. A nice local man approached and graciously asked us where we were heading, and he let us know which pier
to wait on. We were relieved to finally catch a river taxi back down river after a while. We're not trying to kid ourselves that we were way up river, deep into the Cambodian jungle in search of a Heart of Darkness
, as we know we were not truly off the beaten path here or anywhere on this trip, but it was a nutty experience for we two Farangs, and it quickly became an adventuresome memory. We hope that we were respectful and humble as we intended in this local neighborhood.
We attended a New Year's Eve party this evening at the rooftop of the Hansar Hotel Bangkok that we're staying at (which we highly recommend as a nice and comfortable hotel with a local feel). After dinner, we ventured about 10 minutes to "Central World" (Bangkok's version of New York's Times Square) to walk among the crowds ready to celebrate the New Year countdown. I think this is one of the most festive experiences I've ever had, as there were street vendors selling Thai party goods and cooking food everywhere, and everyone was happy. We headed back to the hotel to watch the fireworks for the New Year's
countdown from the rooftop bar, as we were not interested in getting too crazy on the town and dealing with a 2-day, middle aged hangover to put a damper on this trip.
Speaking of hangovers... yesterday morning after breakfast at our hotel, we boarded the elevator to go back up to our room before heading out to explore the city. Three South Korean guys boarded the "lift" with us, and one of them was green and holding a napkin of ice under his nose. He didn't look like he was swollen or sporting a fat lip but instead was holding the ice under his nose to help keep his food down. The guys were speaking English to each other.
One of them looked at us and said, "he had too much to drink last night."
The hungover guy looked at us and said, "too much... to drink... last night..." like a drunken zombie.
I replied, "maybe you need another beer this morning to help you feel better?"
His friend's face lit up and he said "Yes! See! I told you! You need a beer!"
I said, "we call that having some of the hair
of the dog that bit you last night." The two functioning South Koreans laughed loudly, while he winced and held his head.
They exited from the elevator a floor before ours, and the hungover guy mumbled "good night guys..." as he stumbled off down the hall at 9 AM in the morning. The universal language consists of love, laughter, and hangovers.
More than the sites here, I think we've appreciated the Thai people most of all. They are respectful, friendly, and polite, and we felt special every time we were greeted with a smile and "Swasdi Krab" or "Swasdi Kahn" (สวัสดี in Thai), with a bow and clasped hands (which we returned out of respect). We've met wonderful locals and travelers from other countries here.
As Mark Twain wrote in
The Innocents Abroad in 1869, "Human nature appears to be just the same all over the world."
This is indeed the "Land of Smiles"!!!
We're heading to Siem Reap, Cambodia tomorrow, stay tuned for more! Thanks for reading!
(scroll down to see more photos)
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