THAILAND-BANGKOK-10-2/7 thru 2/10

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I am very very happy to be back on the road again...Prior to my departure there was an immense excitement mixed with anxiety and uncertainity...Southeast Asia; the culture, the people, the weather, the food...
The flight from LA to Bangkok or BKK as it is commonly shortformed was 18 hours, but very comfortable...The seat next to me was empty, so I got to stretch a bit...
I left LA at 9:30 pm on Sunday and arrived in BKK at 6:30 am on Tuesday...I caught the taxi to the hotel...As the taxi drove towards the city, the coconut trees, the lush green, the small raised wooden houses, he warm and humid air, the driving at the other side of the road, the Tuk Tuks, the crowd, the intensityof the city, all took me back to my childhood and my summers in Mumbai...Bangkok, instantly felt comfortable and familiar...
The hotel is in the Silom neighborhood of Bangkok close to the Chao Praya river...It is in the Farangi (Foreigner) part of Bangkok, where the famous Oriental hotel is located as well. The area feels like the Bombay Central station, packed with street food vendors...The hotel itself is very modern and updated and has a nice view of the river...
I got to the hotel around 9:00 am and went straight to bed...I woke up about 6:00 pm, forced myself out of bed, washed my face with cold water, freshened up, and went for a walk to the Oriental hotel...I walked thru the jewelry and silk streets and alleys...The streets, alleys, markets are alive and buzzing with activity...It is intoxicating...I was so tempted to get a fresh coconut, but refrained from doing so...Please let me know if it is ok to get one from a street vendor...
Wednesday:
Checked out the Sukhumvit Rd/Area of Bangkok. I got a day train pass which was cheap and very practical...The train system/Skytrain Metro of Bangkok is very orderly and punctual. I was very impressed...
The heat, the humidity, the crowd, the traffic, mixed with my jet lag caught up with me fast, and I did not feel like doing too much. So, I opted for the Jim Thompson house. It iz a little piece of heaven in the middle of this bustling city...
Jim Thompson the owner, was an American who had imigratwed to Thailand after WWII, was involved in the silk and antique business, and disappeared mysteriously while visiting Malaysia...the house is close to the Discovery Center, adjacent to the canal and the Muslim quarters of Bangkok...
Check out the pictures...

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