Exploring Bangkok
- Apr 8, 2017
- 3 min read
Overwhelming.
This is the word that returns again and again to my mind when trying to verbalize the experience of walking around Bangkok and in general, how I would describe our trip to Southeast Asia...
Bangkok itself is an interesting mix of new and old, modern and traditional, wealth and poverty...Like many big cities, it is a jumble of contradictions.
The canal view right outside our hotel in Old City Bangkok
View across the banks of the Chao Praya River that runs through Bangkok.
Our morning walk through nearby famous Khao San Road...Although we did buy couple things, this ended up ranking pretty low on our list of favorite sights. Perhaps the night market would have been a better time to experience this famous spot.
We wandered further into the Old City and found some lovely spots along the Chao Phraya River. Niam and I were having a great time, although poor Txi wasn't feeling so good...
Along the banks of the Chao Praya River, just past the lovely Thammassat University campus where many Thai elites send their youth, we found a lively street market which was more active at this time of the morning than Khao San Road market. Winding through the alleyways of this partly open air, partly covered street market, we eventually made our way to the fluorescent lighting of the enclosed amulet market right next to the docks and ferry boat landing.
We headed across the river to our first wat, or Buddhist monastary/temple. This was an absolutely beautiful spot for our first temple experience...Wat Rakangkositaram Woramahavihan
Again, the level of ornamentation and detail on these buildings is...overwhelming!
Pigeons were everywhere along the banks of the river!
We had planned to go to the Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha Temple, but by that time, Txi was so sick he just couldn't make it any further so we had to return to the hotel where he spent the rest of the day being violently ill. Good times.
We did make our way through the throngs of people to at least see the outside of the buildings that make up the Grand Palace, as well as a commemorative dance being performed just outside of the compound, before we hailed a taxi back to our hotel...
In addition to a parade honoring the recently deceased King, there were events going on all around the Grand Palace, including this dance performance...
The next day, after Txi had recovered from his apparent bout of food poisoning, we were ready to head out again and explore another beautiful and truly breathtaking wat...The Temple of the Golden Mount or Wat Saket Ratcha Wora Maha Wihan. This temple went through many different phases of construction, building and rebuilding, beginning in the early 1800's and was updated most recently in the 1940's. There are so many lovely moments, so many places to pause and take in the beauty all around this beautiful temple, including the breathtaking views at the top of the 300 stairs!
The stairway that winds around this man-made hill, begins in lush tropical gardens filled with Buddhist statuary, pauses along the way to the top for a path of large bells which focus the mind during prayer (as well as a small modern coffee shop!), and opens up near the top to spectacular panoramic views of Bangkok. The golden "chedi" (dome shaped Buddhist shrine in Thailand) at the top houses a Buddhist relic from Buddha's birth place.
We ended our tour of Bangkok at a mall.
That sounds so lame and crass after spending so much time in temples, but I guess it just fits the theme of contradiction. And, to be fair, Terminal 21 mall does have some pretty great dining options (way better than any mall I've been to before!). The overall concept of the mall is an airport with each of the 6 floors themed to represent major cities around the world (Tokyo, London, Istanbul, Paris, San Francisco...). Although we didn't do much shopping here (as prices were basically the same as other malls), we really enjoyed our dinner experience! In spite of the global themes, we chose to eat at Reflections Thai Restaurant which has a funky pop art decor and excellent food. As you can see, we ordered more than our stomachs could handle, but it was all delicious!
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