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Published: January 7th 2006
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Pradiphat Road
There's always something going on here. Having spent three nights at the Karnmanee I have not really been making much use of my time in Bangkok. I had planned to see my friend Kay but ended up spending more time on my own than anticipated. I like to hang around the shops and eateries at Pradiphat Road, a street which has most of the things you could need, and is blissfully devoid of tourist mobs and hawkers. In the evenings a myriad of food stalls come out and it is nice to walk around to pick up spicy snacks and fresh fruit.
The Skytrain is another piece of engineering that I really appreciate. It offers easy access to areas otherwise locked up in what can sometimes be maddening traffic jams. Watching the traffic though, is a pastime that rarely gets old to me. Any big road crossing will do, but the total madness over at the Victory Monument is a perfect spot. Many commuters congest here to board one of the many buses and minibuses shooting off into other parts of the city, and watching the people jumping on and off moving buses makes me glad I do not have to try it out myself.
Moooh!
Noodle soup with various cow spare parts for lunch. As is the case with most other megacities, the initial confusion and paralyzation wears off once you start creating little islands of control, and in Bangkok you will find that the city has a lot to offer. Similarily, once you start finding your way around the confusing and maze like department stores and malls you can quickly pick up most things you need at a decent price. By avoiding the most obvious hassles at the tourist traps and main traffic focal points the city is quite nice for a walk, providing the weather is not too extreme of course. If the city intimidates you at first, start by exploring the area where you live, you will likely find lots of useful and interesting places to go.
I rarely venture eastward in Bangkok but today I decided to check out the recently built underground metro system which connects to the BTS over at Asok station. This also gives me an excuse to check out Sukhumvit Road in more detail, as I have never bothered to get off any means of transportation here. I get off at Nana station and walk eastwards underneath the Skytrain along a sidewalk crowded with vendors,
hawkers and tourists. The area is far too crowded for my taste, and each time I hear a word uttered in Swedish it makes me shiver, so I quickly make my way to the underground station. The facilities are very modern, but the huge and largely empty station is devoid of life. The trains are all covered up behind glass screens, and every station platform looks the same. Getting off at Chatuchak Park though is more interesting, as I find myself a little bit lost in the middle of the night, but using the huge high roads as landmarks it is easy to find my was back to Saphan Kwai.
Due to a mishap in my planning I have ended up one night short and decide to try out the nearby Pradiphat Hotel which is one of the hotels down the street from where I usually stay. The rooms where cheap alright, I paid only half for a room slightly smaller but with a decent enough standard for sure. The interior is a bit drab though, reminding me of a cabin on an old ship, but the amenities are on par for the course, although the room is severly
Reach for the stars
The BTS Skytrain departs Sanam Pao station. lacking in the charm department. However, at 600 THB I think that's perfectly acceptable.
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