We arrived in Bangkok feeling a little trepidatious. We were fairly exhausted by the madness that had been India and Nepal, and were craving a little quiet R&R time. Bangkok is not a city famed for being quiet or peaceful, so when our plane landed, we already were looking for a way out. However, we were quickly won over by the speedy modern skytrain that delivered us to our hostel, and by how CLEAN the roads and air were! You don’t think of Bangkok as being a particularly clean city, but compared with Kathmandu, it felt a lot more like home. Gleaming skyscrapers jutted skyward, there were huge malls everywhere full of consumerism run amok, and people followed traffic laws! We decided to stay a few days and give it a chance.
We spent our first night in a hostel in Ratchathewi, one of the more modern parts of town. After getting off the tram, we began to navigate to our hostel by way of 7-11s, which are so ubiquitous that they are used as landmarks on maps. Yes, the same 7-11s that we have in the States, except with slightly different food, and far more Sanrio characters. 7-11 is a bit more utilitarian in Thailand, and is where many Thais pay their electric and cellphone bills, in addition to picking up food of questionable nutritional value.
After a restful evening, we set out to explore this part of the city, and ended up spending a good deal of time in the nearby shopping mall because it was boiling hot outside and this place had some serious AC. This massive complex was more like a bazaar than any mall we have back home, and stalls popped out of what seemed like thin air, offering everything from clothing to electronics to giant beetles pinned on boards to huge car-sized sculptures. Our most interesting find was an intricately carved set of matching wood chairs and a coffee table going for the equivalent of about half a million dollars.
After soaking in the glorious air conditioning, we headed to our next hotel on the infamous Khao San Road. This is the epicenter of tourism in Bangkok; the area is full of tacky shops, street food vendors, and overpriced restaurants advertising their “amazing happy hour deals” (spoilers: the deals are not amazing). You can’t walk five steps without a driver following you shouting “You want tuk tuk?” or someone trying to sell you a suit. In hindsight, it was probably not the best place to stay, but the hotel deals were unbeatable.
We entertained ourselves by getting as far away from Khao San as we could, on foot and taking water taxis on the river. We met some new friends while grabbing pad thai at a street food stall, and with them we explored some of the well-known landmarks. We visited the the Big Buddha and the Golden Buddha, though we unfortunately missed the Reclining Buddha. Another fun place we discovered was the Kitty Cat Cafe, where you can have an omelette and coffee while in the presence of several majestic (and fluffy!) feline friends!
The whole city was far more subdued than usual due to the king’s cremation. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who ruled Thailand for 70 years and was beloved by his people, passed away last year. He laid in state for a year, and his cremation ceremony was scheduled for the week we were there. We had heard about this beforehand, but didn’t realize what a big deal it was. It had about the same effect on the city as Inauguration Day has on DC. Everything was shutting down as the city prepared for the influx of mourners and the many ceremonies that would take place all around Bangkok. All “recreational” activities were also ordered to be stopped during the five day funeral (which included closing the rooftop pool at our hotel) so Khao San Road got pretty quiet right before we left. The grand palace was also closed, of course, so unfortunately we missed out on that landmark.
We booked a night bus to take us out of town; at about $25 per person for a 12 hour trip, this was the cheapest option by far. We curled up in our somewhat reclining seats and attempted to get some shuteye while the bus took us south towards Krabi, and towards the chill tropical islands we couldn’t wait for!
