I am in Singapore to help take care of some family issues. Sadly, a couple of days before I left Phoenix, my brother passed away. He has been in poor health the last few years. This is as much a relief for him as it is for the family. You hate to see a love-one lying in bed suffering. He died peacefully in his sleep.
Amidst all the friends and family visits, I was able to sneak away with 3 other family members for a short trip to Bangkok. I have not been to Bangkok for almost 20 years. It conjures memories of delicious food at cheap prices, chaotic traffic, hot and humid weather, massages, temples, friendly people, shopping, etc. Since we only have 3 days there we planned our visit carefully. The priority, according to the others, is eat and shop. While not doing either, we will sightsee.
True to our spirit, our Job One after landing and checking into the hotel is head out to Chinatown for a seafood dinner. Bangkok has a sizable Chinese population. It's one of the more popular parts of the city, for locals and tourists. Along the main road, you find vendors selling all kinds of street food. The variety is as creative as they come: fresh-squeezed pomegranate juice, sticky rice mango, noodle soup, roasted chestnuts, etc. Our seafood dinner was delicious and inexpensive. Don't expect any ambiance here. Your table may be on the street; noisy traffic is your background music.
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| Yaowarat Road (Chinatown) |
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| A sumptuous seafood dinner. |
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| Pomegranate |
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| Durians - pungent but tasty to some. Arguably, the kind of fruits. |
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| Mango Stick Rice - Delicious! |
Next stop is the popular Khaosan Road. It is a must-stop area for low-budget travelers. Khaosan in the evening resembles a boisterous block-party. Mass massage on the street. Vendors selling all kinds of food, including all kinds of insects - scorpions, crickets, worms, roaches, etc. Popular Thai dishes like Pad Thai can be purchased for about US$1.
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| Tourist tasting scorpion |
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| Mass Massage on Khaosan Street |
About an hour outside of Bangkok is the popular Floating Market. This used to be a local market but has turned into very touristy affair. Boats jam the waterways. Shops sell mostly stuff that tourists want to or can afford to buy - souvenirs, handicrafts, fruits, etc. Vendors will bring their boats alongside our boat to try to entice us to buy from them. Unquestionably it is a unique experience.
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| Fruit Vendor on the Floating Market |
Next stop is another popular tourist trap called Chatuchak Market. The last time I was here, this market was a loose confederation of lean-tos' and temporary shelters. The place was unorganized, hot, and probably a fire and safety hazard. Today it is a well-organized weekend market with about 8,000 stalls covering about 35 acres, selling everything: clothing, pottery, food, spices, lamps, pets, massages, etc. It's one of those places where you literally "shop till you drop." It even has its own Skytrain (BTS) and subway (MRT) stations. The market is uncharacteristically clean for Bangkok. Even smoking is prohibited.
Later that evening, we have the pleasure of meeting Walter Ziering and his family. Walter is a good friend of a mutual friend, Dean Bishop, who passed away last year. I have known Dean for more than 40 years and learned a lot about America from Dean, while I was still in my late teens in Singapore. Walter and his family treated us to a wonderful Chinese buffet dinner at the Baiyoke Sky Hotel, the second tallest building in Bangkok. It was a beautiful dinner and company in remembrance of Dean.
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| Beautiful Dinner with the Walter Ziering Family |
The next day I alone took a day tour of Ayuthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand. There were four of us in the van: 2 women from New Zealand with their Burmese lady friend and me. We visited the old palace, temples and took a ride on an elephant. This is the second time I've rode on an elephant. The first time was in Chiangmai, Thailand. It costs less than US$15 for a 20-30 minute ride. For me, it's an interesting juxtaposition - seeing wild elephants in Botswana and South Africa and here in Thailand, riding a domesticated elephant.
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| Palace at Ayuthaya |
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| Buddha Head buried in tree at one of the temples at Ayuthaya |
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| Hail to the King! |
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Golden-robed Buddhas lining the walls of one of the temples
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While I was touring Ayuthaya, the rest of my group were out shopping at the humongous Platinum Mall. If that's not enough, we spent the final half-day at the same mall doing some last minute shopping. Fortunately, there was a very nice food court on the top floor. It saved my sanity. This is as much space as I would devote to shopping. It was a short and fun trip. Any longer would have push my patience to the limit with the traffic jam, crowd and heat.
