BANGKOK - SHORT BREAK

Spent 4 nights (Oct 7 - 11) in Bangkok, just for the fun of it.  I'm claiming the airfare as part of my staff welfare entitlement.

The Thai Airways flight was punctual.  It was raining cats and dogs when I arrived.  Fortunately, I had ordered a hotel car to meet me at the airport.  Even then, due to heavy rain and even heavier traffic, it took almost 3 hours to arrive at the hotel.  

View from hotel window

View from hotel window

View from hotel window

View from hotel window

Because it was raining so heavily on the day that I arrived, I bought a pair of clogs from Charles & Keith.

Just snacks

Thai milk tea from ChaTraMue

A vending machine that dispenses durian pudding.  Sadly, it wasn't in operation when I tried.

Dim sum from 7-11.  Very tasty.

Happy Chicken Rice 240 Banthat Thong Rd Pathumwan

Unpretentious little place.  They serve up the bestest Thai chicken rice, in my opinion.  EVERYONE should go support it!

Warm beancurd in ginger soup from Tao Huai Jae Noi (Little Sister Tau Huay)

Bought a very good braised duck from Tang Sui Heng on Banthat Thong Rd Pathumwan.  They've been around for more than 50 years.  I'm especially impressed by how thinly the duck meat is sliced. #功夫

My Thai friend, Kai, suggested I stayed at the Mercure Bangkok Siam.  So I did.  It is located right next to the National Stadium Station, walking distance to MBK shopping mall, and just one stop to Siam Station.  I spent a lot of time exploring the malls because of the heavy rains.  I'm not complaining because there's a lot to see.  Remember, I haven't visited Bangkok in 10 years!  

Visited Central World, of course.  Picked up several items from Puthawan.  Love the aromatic bookmarks from Karmakamet - such a gorgeous shop!  The perfect time and place to start my Christmas shopping.

Oh, and went by to Big C supermarket to watch customers buy stuff in cartons.  Hmmm ... I only bought Mama Instant Noodles, and dried tang hoon.  

Enjoyed a superb buffet breakfast at Siam@Siam Design Hotel Bangkok on my second morning.  I also tried some sort of pork burger from McDs but it wasn't great.  

The highlight of the trip was a day out with Kai, whom I haven't seen in 10 years!  More on this in my other post.

xx

BANGKOK - DAY OUT WITH KAI

I am in Bangkok for a short break.  Went out with Kai yesterday.  Started the day with awesome weatther.  Visited two Wats (temples) that were built during the Ayuttya Period.  We did many things.

Lunch in Talat Phlu.   Tut-tut to Iconsiam shopping mall.  Ferry to Sathorn.  Bought pork jerky, and pork floss from a 60+ year old shop on Charoen Krung Road, followed by dinner in a local coffee shop.

Then it started to downpour.  The beginning of true adventure.

By the time the rain subsided, the water outdoors had risen to almost knee-deep, making it impossible for us to wade to the skytrain station.

"What to do?" 

We were standing in front of a 7-11 contemplating next steps and as luck would have it a public bus had opened its doors directly in front of us.  Kai, the ever-quick thinker barked, "Get on the bus - NOW."  We stepped on without getting our feet wet.

In Singapore, the bus would be deemed old-fashioned.  It came with natural ventilation.  And accompanied by a Conductor from whom Kai bought tickets.

The bus driver drove like a mad man - speeding away from Charoen Krung Road and knee-deep waters.  Within minutes we found ourselves back in Central World, where the ground was drier and the rain had came to a drizzle.

Thanks for taking care of me, Kai.  It was really great seeing you and know you are keeping well.  I hope we don't wait another 10 years to meet again.

view from Iconsiam

View from Iconsiam

View from Iconsiam

Hopping on to a free ferry from Iconsiam to Sathorn Pier

Maneuvering the alleyways in a tut-tut

Lunch in Talat Phulu.  We ate Khao Kha Moo (Thai braised pig trotters).

On a bus, travelling with the wind in my hair.

bus ticket

Kai baked brownies!  Look, I bought a plate!

BANGKOK BREAKFAST BAGELS

Tammy likes bagels. Wait, let me rephrase that - Tammy LOVES bagels. When we went to Taipei some years ago, the crazy woman dragged me to the local McDonald’s three mornings in a row. Why? Because it has bagels on its breakfast menu! On this trip to Bangkok with Tammy, I was armed and ready.

BKK Bagel Bakery has a good selection of bagels and spreads. I opted for Sea Salt Bagel (THB35) and Scallion Cream Cheese (THB30), which added up to only S$2.62 or USD2.08!

The perfect spot for a bagel and coffee before the morning meeting.

 Or a leisurely breakfast.

BKK Bagel Bakery

518/3 Maneeya Center, Ploenchit Road, Bangkok 10330

(Next to the Chidlom BTS station)

Tel: +66 2 2548157

http://www.bkkbagelbakery.com/

Opening hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30am - 6:30pm and Saturday, 8:30am to noon

Read the CNNGo article

BEDAZZLED

This was the day I almost died of heat stroke.

We explored the Grand Palace on a ridiculously hot day. Constructed in 1782, the palace complex is made up of so many temples, halls, pavilions and courtyards, making it difficult to navigate. Why would the early kings and queens need a ridiculous 218,400 square metres (2,351,000 square feet) of space, I wonder?

The first thing that struck me upon entering its premises was how everything shimmers and glitters under the morning sun – 简直就是金碧辉煌嘛! Each building is different and every single one covered in gold, stained glass or jewel-like tiles. Stunning.

Despite the heat, you should not hope to gain entrance to the Grand Palace in tube tops and skimpy attires. The palace grounds and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha within are sacred and you should respect the strict dress code. So read up about it before you travel.

Everywhere we turned there were tour groups from different countries, accompanied by their bawling guides, all trying to speak in different languages, all at the same time.

Would I go back again? Well, yes, if the weather is less harsh and if I'm accompanied by a guide. The palace grounds and its fascinating architectures certainly deserve more than just a brisk walk-through.

JIM THOMPSON HOUSE

It's always such a pleasure to catch up with my old friends in Bangkok, especially Khun Kai and Tan-Tan who spent the weekend was us. Tan-Tan is so cool now!  When I last saw Tan-Tan, he was probably 7 or 8 years old – then a naughty boy with too much energy to spare. Now a teenager, he has transformed from a prancing monkey into a young gentleman.  After Tammy and I shopped out of control in the weekend market, it was Tan-Tan who lended his muscles.

I've always wanted to visit Jim Thompson House. If you've never heard of Jim Thompson (只能用“一生传奇”来形容他吧) he was an American who arrived in Bangkok after WWII, fell in love with Thailand, and made it his permanent home. The hand-woven silk industry captured Jim Thompson’s attention and he decided to devote himself to reviving the long-neglected craft. Jim Thompson and the Thai silk industry attained worldwide recognition after his silk found its way into the 1956 musical film “The King and I”.

The Jim Thompson House combines of six teak buildings, which represents the best in traditional Thai architecture. Even though the House was built in 1959, most of the houses were at least two centuries old. Jim Thompson had purchased them from different parts of the country - some from as far away as the old capital of Ayudya – dismantled and brought to the present site.

You can tell that Jim Thompson was a quirky designer and decorator. For instance, in his dining table was formed by joining two intricately crafted mahjong tables.  Burmese drums were inverted to function as table lamp stands.  He reversed all the walls in his drawing room to bring the beautifully carved panels to the interior.

If you’re ever in Bangkok, it would be worthwhile to take the 40-minute guided tour of the Jim Thompson House. For only THB100, you’ll learn how the house adhered to the customs of early builders, why the house is above ground level, why the doors inside the house is slanted, the fascinating stories behind his vast collection of art pieces and antiques. You’ll also come face to face with a 17th century Buddha from the Ayudya period, as well as a 19th century Mouse House.

This photo is from http://sparklette.net/

On March 26, 1967, Jim Thompson disappeared while on a holiday to the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia. Not a single valid clue turned up as to what might have happened to him. He was 61 years of age.

Jim Thompson House
Soi Kasemsan 2, opposite the National Stadium on Rama I Road,
6/1 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama 1 Road
+66 2 216 7368
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm (last guided tour at 5pm)
How to get there: Take exit 1 from the BTS National Stadium Station, turn right into Soi Kasemsan 2 and continue walking all the way to the very end. The museum will be on your left-hand side.

GREETINGS FROM THE LAND OF SMILES

This is probably my 5th or 6th trip to Bangkok.  Yet each visit is better than before.  It was also not my first time at Chatuchak (JJ) weekend market but I manage to enjoy myself every single time.  Sure the weather was hotter than ever before but Tammy and I loved every minute we spent in the City of Smiles. 

We made plans to arrive into Suvarnabhumi Airport on Friday morning and booked ourselves a car to the hotel.  The ride cost us THB1,200 inclusive toll fees.

Our hotel was  fantastic!  I thought they might be exaggerating when its website claims that they were just next to the Nana BTS Station.  They sure weren't kidding.  The hotel's back entrance is literally a few steps from the escalator leading up to the BTS.  What's more, the hotel felt brand new, the guest room we had was spacious and equipped with a mini bar, safe, bath robes and slippers and hair dryer.  The room rate included daily breakfast for two and Internet.  For a total of 4 nights, we paid about THB9,200 (S$368 / USD 289) for a twin-bedded room.  Great value for money.

ON8 Sukhumvit
Nana Skytrain Station
162 Sukhumvit Road at Sukhumvit Soi 8
Bangkok 10110
Tel: +66 2 2548866

I do think that the aromatherapy body massage just 2 lanes away is worth trying.

King and I Spa Massage
Sukhumvit Soi 12, Bangkok
Tel: +66 2 2525248

And then there's authentic Thai food at Cabbages and Condoms
10 Sukhumvit Soi 12, Bangkok
Tel: +66 2 2294610
Read NY Times article

Although I suspect that the food is laden with fish sauce - despite the fact that the waiter who served us was kind of a snob who fawns upon caucasian customers - even though we were told they had run out of Mango and Sticky Rice, we did like the food at:

Ban Khun Mae Thai Restaurant [now at Floor 2, MBK Center]
458/6-9 Siam Square Soi 8, Rama 1 Road,
Patumwan District, Bangkok 10330
Tel: +66 2 2501952 - 3

This is just a quick run down.  Follow my Bangkok adventures in my next few posts.