Khao San Road, Bangkok

---

Our first full day we decided to relax on Khao San Road - not that Khao San Road ever relaxes. In fact, it never sleeps. We should have figured that out when we arrived by taxi around 11 a.m. from our first hostel out by the airport when the streets were just waking up. At noon, we decided to have lunch, but most people were eating breakfast! After lunch we walked up and down the road for a bit, taking in the atmosphere, before we decided to escape the heat and have a little rest. Thankfully our room has air conditioning (is there any other type?).

After our nap, we took in some more sights, and found a quieter section of hostels a couple of blocks away. We took note of some nice cheap ones (under 500 BHT - where 150 BHT is about $4.75). You can get rooms for 300 BHT, but not with AC. I do need some reprieve from this heat in my old age though!

We went for a walk to find the river, but ended up getting turned around. We did manage to find it eventually, well after dark. It gets dark here pretty early - I think it was around six p.m., but I"m not sure because neither Peter nor I have a watch. Without our cell phones, we feel pretty much timeless 😊

On our way to the river, we walked past the Grand Palace and WOW. From outside the walls it looks stunning - all gold and lit up and intricate. It goes on for blocks. We are going to visit there today

But the highlight of our day occured after we got back to Khao San Road - which was quite the walk through a rather dark and deserted and somewhat sketchy neighbourhood. It did not escape our memory that our daughter was mugged in Peru, and we held on tight to our bag and were lucky to make it back with everything. There are pickpockets and thieves here, so we've heard. Next time, we'll take a tuk-tuk back!

Once back we sat out on Khao San Rd and knocked back a few Leo Beer - pretty cheap - even cheaper than Chang Beer - but not as cheap as China - we payed 50 BHT which is about a buck and a half or so.

The street entertainment was great. Not only were there lots of hucksters selling cheap Thai souvenirs everywhere, but the other tourists were equally amusing, especially as they got drunker. The average age on Khao San Rd is probably 25, with a good mix of families and "older" folks as well (dare I say, "Like us"?). Many people were drinking out of buckets with multiple straws and we were wondering what it was they were drinking. Then the table next to us ordered a bucket and they got a bottle of rum or rye and some Coca Cola and another small bottle, the contents of which escape me still. They mixed it themselves and were off walking down the road sucking on the straws. The road is only 400 metres long, so people would pass by at frequent intervals, and let's just say they started out walking with a good skip in their step but each pass by they walked a little less bouncy and a lot less straight. LOL.

Then these four teenage Thai boys started break dancing right in front of us on the street. They were absolutely amazing! They put on quite a show for the crowd, and even a talented tourist jumped in a joined them. Very impressive dancing!

Eventually, we made our way to our nicely airconditioned, if not plain, room and crashed for the night. It was well after 1 a.m. The music was as loud in our room as it was on the street, but I fell asleep anyway. I would love to have slept in, but Peter is obviously on a different time zone than I am, and he was wide awake at 7 a.m. and then, so was I. Argh. He ALWAYS sleeps in at home! Ah well, this city never sleeps so why should I?

---

Photos

Mmmmmm
Mango on coconut rice - OMG so good!