The Thais that Bind:
Our 20th Anniversary Trip to Bangkok.
Our 20th Anniversary Trip to Bangkok.
Diving a bit deeper.
Saturday
Marisa was up and about earlier than Chris, who had slept fitfully. We
enjoyed a few tasty breakfast pastries from the Peninsula gift shop (40
baht each, the best deal in the place!). We then bought a couple of day
passes for the BTS Skytrain from the Peninsula concierge for 100 baht
each, which is actually cheaper than buying them at the station (or so we
were told).
We took the Peninsula ferry across the river to the BTS station, validated
our tickets and got on the train. We immediately noticed the refreshing
blast of air conditioning as we stepped aboard. After changing trains at
Siam station, we proceeded to the Mo Chit stop and the Chatuchak
weekend market. About 45 minutes total, from the Peninsula pier to the
market entrance.
The Weekend Market is an absolute riot of sights, sounds, smells and
sensations. A boundless chaos of commerce. 10,000 stalls stand cheek-
to-jowl, selling everything you can imagine…and some things you can’t
(say, you want a live baby squirrel or two?). Food stalls are next to puppies
are next to fine silks are next to wood carvings are next to pre-worn shoes
are next to home electronics gear next to teak furniture next to $2 t-shirts
and hats. We spent about an hour and 45 minutes there, long enough to
soak up the flavor and buy just a few inexpensive gift items for family and
friends.
Carrying our purchases with us, we took the Skytrain back to the hotel.
Again, we arrived as the room was being cleaned so we had some light
lunch at the Pen's Riverside Café & Terrace. It was expensive but good:
fish cakes, club sandwich and fries, sprite and local beer (Leo brand).
We had the Peninsula arrange a private khlong tour on a long-tail boat,
starting at the Pen pier and ending at Wat Arun. The water was very high in
the canals and quite choppy, due to recent rains upcountry, so we couldn't
go into the narrower khlongs off the main ones. But it was very interesting
to see how people live off the canals every day, both rich and poor. We saw
kids swimming in the river (yuck!), and the backside of a giant golden
Buddha at a temple along the banks. We bought a can of ice-cold beer
from someone in a boat. After about an hour or so, the driver dropped us
off at Wat Arun.
We wandered around and climbed up this venerable old monument, Chris
reaching higher than Marisa because, well, she doesn't do heights well.
And it was extremely steep, especially the upper part!
From a distance, Wat Arun’s famous chedi looks dull grey, but up close it
is an amazing amalgamation of colors, all studded with multicolored
ceramic tiles and ornamental decorations (plus a few plants growing out of
it!). It’s very old but in amazingly good shape. We declined to pay the extra
fee to see rest of complex, as skies looked threatening, so we decided to
catch ferry across river before the rain started. Of course, it started to rain
the moment we stepped about the boat!
We waited a long time at Pier 8 for an express boat as the lightning flashed
nearby and the waters lapped at the pier. When the boat finally came, it
was packed. It became even more packed once all the people from our
pier squeezed aboard--standing room only all the way back, but we made
it. Hey, it’s no worse than rush hour on the CTA! It was still raining lightly
when we arrived at the Oriental pier, so we headed back to room to freshen
up and rest before dinner and to watch the rain and clouds from our big
windows.
By prior arrangement, we met up with our fellow Fodorite, FromDC, and her
husband at the Oriental Hotel lobby, and retired to the famous Bamboo Bar
for some fabulous drinks. They were in the middle of a much longer five-
week trip, and we were very interested to hear about their experiences so
far in Hong Kong, Hanoi and Chiang Rai. They were gracious enough to
pick up the check, and we were all fine with settling up after dinner.
We all headed around the corner and down the street to Harmonique for
dinner. The place has nice ambience and local character, and the food
was pretty good (and a great deal, too). We started with beer (a pitcher plus
four glasses), a mixed appetizer plate (fish cakes, chicken, etc.) and
mango salad, then moved on to some delicious cashew chicken, crab
curry, prawns, and some fried morning glories—all for 1,850 baht (about
$55).
Ironically, this Thai feast cost nearly the same as that round of specialty
drinks at the Oriental did. So we got the dinner check and we were all
square! Afterward, we walked them back to the hotel, then we caught the
ferry back and turned in for the night…eager to get some rest before our
next busy day!
Next: Lions and tigers and bears...oh my!
See all of our Bangkok photos
our travels
home
contact us
Saturday
Marisa was up and about earlier than Chris, who had slept fitfully. We
enjoyed a few tasty breakfast pastries from the Peninsula gift shop (40
baht each, the best deal in the place!). We then bought a couple of day
passes for the BTS Skytrain from the Peninsula concierge for 100 baht
each, which is actually cheaper than buying them at the station (or so we
were told).
We took the Peninsula ferry across the river to the BTS station, validated
our tickets and got on the train. We immediately noticed the refreshing
blast of air conditioning as we stepped aboard. After changing trains at
Siam station, we proceeded to the Mo Chit stop and the Chatuchak
weekend market. About 45 minutes total, from the Peninsula pier to the
market entrance.
The Weekend Market is an absolute riot of sights, sounds, smells and
sensations. A boundless chaos of commerce. 10,000 stalls stand cheek-
to-jowl, selling everything you can imagine…and some things you can’t
(say, you want a live baby squirrel or two?). Food stalls are next to puppies
are next to fine silks are next to wood carvings are next to pre-worn shoes
are next to home electronics gear next to teak furniture next to $2 t-shirts
and hats. We spent about an hour and 45 minutes there, long enough to
soak up the flavor and buy just a few inexpensive gift items for family and
friends.
Carrying our purchases with us, we took the Skytrain back to the hotel.
Again, we arrived as the room was being cleaned so we had some light
lunch at the Pen's Riverside Café & Terrace. It was expensive but good:
fish cakes, club sandwich and fries, sprite and local beer (Leo brand).
We had the Peninsula arrange a private khlong tour on a long-tail boat,
starting at the Pen pier and ending at Wat Arun. The water was very high in
the canals and quite choppy, due to recent rains upcountry, so we couldn't
go into the narrower khlongs off the main ones. But it was very interesting
to see how people live off the canals every day, both rich and poor. We saw
kids swimming in the river (yuck!), and the backside of a giant golden
Buddha at a temple along the banks. We bought a can of ice-cold beer
from someone in a boat. After about an hour or so, the driver dropped us
off at Wat Arun.
We wandered around and climbed up this venerable old monument, Chris
reaching higher than Marisa because, well, she doesn't do heights well.
And it was extremely steep, especially the upper part!
From a distance, Wat Arun’s famous chedi looks dull grey, but up close it
is an amazing amalgamation of colors, all studded with multicolored
ceramic tiles and ornamental decorations (plus a few plants growing out of
it!). It’s very old but in amazingly good shape. We declined to pay the extra
fee to see rest of complex, as skies looked threatening, so we decided to
catch ferry across river before the rain started. Of course, it started to rain
the moment we stepped about the boat!
We waited a long time at Pier 8 for an express boat as the lightning flashed
nearby and the waters lapped at the pier. When the boat finally came, it
was packed. It became even more packed once all the people from our
pier squeezed aboard--standing room only all the way back, but we made
it. Hey, it’s no worse than rush hour on the CTA! It was still raining lightly
when we arrived at the Oriental pier, so we headed back to room to freshen
up and rest before dinner and to watch the rain and clouds from our big
windows.
By prior arrangement, we met up with our fellow Fodorite, FromDC, and her
husband at the Oriental Hotel lobby, and retired to the famous Bamboo Bar
for some fabulous drinks. They were in the middle of a much longer five-
week trip, and we were very interested to hear about their experiences so
far in Hong Kong, Hanoi and Chiang Rai. They were gracious enough to
pick up the check, and we were all fine with settling up after dinner.
We all headed around the corner and down the street to Harmonique for
dinner. The place has nice ambience and local character, and the food
was pretty good (and a great deal, too). We started with beer (a pitcher plus
four glasses), a mixed appetizer plate (fish cakes, chicken, etc.) and
mango salad, then moved on to some delicious cashew chicken, crab
curry, prawns, and some fried morning glories—all for 1,850 baht (about
$55).
Ironically, this Thai feast cost nearly the same as that round of specialty
drinks at the Oriental did. So we got the dinner check and we were all
square! Afterward, we walked them back to the hotel, then we caught the
ferry back and turned in for the night…eager to get some rest before our
next busy day!
Next: Lions and tigers and bears...oh my!
See all of our Bangkok photos
our travels
home
contact us
Chatuchak Market
Puppy for sale, Chatuchak Market
Along the Chao Phraya
Along the Chao Phraya
Wat Arun
Wat Arun
