We were only in Bangkok for one night and the city is just how I remember it: smelly, dirty and busy and Euan wasn’t any more impressed than I was. The food, however, was absolutely top notch and we only ate from street-side stalls/cafes where there was a large collection of locals. Often we were the only foreigners there and got some strange looks as a result. We still had absolutely no idea what we were ordering but it was good nonetheless!
We visited Ko San Road and its changed heaps over the past 8 years. Far more commercial than it used to be and I reckon that when it rains, its the only time the road is clear of people! Its definitely not the best place to buy things that’s for sure as prices are high and I don’t think many folk bargain hard so the vendors do quite well and tourists continue to be ripped off.
You can buy almost anything… this lady was looking to buy a degree. These guys sold everything, from fake NZ & UK driving licenses to Degrees and Airport passes (a bit scary..).
We also saw so many cosmetic surgeries…. Breast enlargements, Botox, facelifts – you name it and it was on offer.
Wat Pho temple was a must and it requires visitors to have covered legs and shoulders. I had (another) pants nightmare when I went to put on my pant zip-off bottoms and realised I’d bought the wrong ones and the zips didn’t match. I had to pin one leg on and hold the other one on with my hair clasp. What a dipstick.
The huge lying Buddha was quite cool
and his feet had some cool decorations of inlaid mother of pearl
These are his toes
and the base of one heel showing the pattern
… and the detailed designs
These are just more photos from inside the Wat
The Wat was close to the river and we took a look at the dirty grey mass of water that, judging by the water that lapped under the raised walkways, was at high tide. Raised walkways sounds a bit grand; it was really just boards on top of boxes and bricks.
We decided to see if we would be allowed into the escalators to take us up 89 floors of ‘The Dome’ to the Sirocco Sky Bar. We knew there was a dress code but made it through the first bit past a uniformed attendant into an escalator where we headed to the 89th floor. A very immaculate and elegant Thai lady greeted us when we stepped out of the lifts with a fleeting look of surprise that was quickly hidden by a warm smile – amusement perhaps? We were hardly dressed like her normal clientele but she let us into the bar far enough so we could see the view, but not where there were any people! The view reminded me of London as seen from some of the higher buildings in the City. A great view and it would have been a fantastic place to have a drink but prices were as high as the building at £8 equivalent for a glass of coke. This is the view.
These are the balconies that travelled up the entire side of the same building. Looked cool I thought and the only thing that ruined the symmetry was one single and (presumably un-allowed) satellite dish.
Couldn’t help but take a photo of these ridiculous figurines that we’d also seen throughout Laos. What on earth is the point of them??
We checked out the Bangkok Oriental, supposedly one of the worlds famous hotels and, from the outside, it was a real disappointment. We were expecting something really grand and glitzy and we’re hoping it is stunning on the inside as to us it looked just like another concrete block with balconies. Euan chanced a visit into the foyer to see if it was any grander inside but was asked to leave (below) for being too scruffy!
One night in Bangkok was enough for both of us. After having a look around the modern city, travelling on the sky train, checking out a couple of the huge malls (with crazily cheap prices) it was clear that this is what many visitors to the city do – shop!! What we did notice were loads of overweight school children. A sign of the times and the clear Western influence – the number of fast food outlets were noticeable compared to eight years ago. It was with no sadness that we boarded an overnight train for Trang, some 700km south of Bangkok.
We visited Ko San Road and its changed heaps over the past 8 years. Far more commercial than it used to be and I reckon that when it rains, its the only time the road is clear of people! Its definitely not the best place to buy things that’s for sure as prices are high and I don’t think many folk bargain hard so the vendors do quite well and tourists continue to be ripped off.
You can buy almost anything… this lady was looking to buy a degree. These guys sold everything, from fake NZ & UK driving licenses to Degrees and Airport passes (a bit scary..).
We also saw so many cosmetic surgeries…. Breast enlargements, Botox, facelifts – you name it and it was on offer.
Wat Pho temple was a must and it requires visitors to have covered legs and shoulders. I had (another) pants nightmare when I went to put on my pant zip-off bottoms and realised I’d bought the wrong ones and the zips didn’t match. I had to pin one leg on and hold the other one on with my hair clasp. What a dipstick.
The huge lying Buddha was quite cool
and his feet had some cool decorations of inlaid mother of pearl
These are his toes
and the base of one heel showing the pattern
… and the detailed designs
These are just more photos from inside the Wat
The Wat was close to the river and we took a look at the dirty grey mass of water that, judging by the water that lapped under the raised walkways, was at high tide. Raised walkways sounds a bit grand; it was really just boards on top of boxes and bricks.
We decided to see if we would be allowed into the escalators to take us up 89 floors of ‘The Dome’ to the Sirocco Sky Bar. We knew there was a dress code but made it through the first bit past a uniformed attendant into an escalator where we headed to the 89th floor. A very immaculate and elegant Thai lady greeted us when we stepped out of the lifts with a fleeting look of surprise that was quickly hidden by a warm smile – amusement perhaps? We were hardly dressed like her normal clientele but she let us into the bar far enough so we could see the view, but not where there were any people! The view reminded me of London as seen from some of the higher buildings in the City. A great view and it would have been a fantastic place to have a drink but prices were as high as the building at £8 equivalent for a glass of coke. This is the view.
These are the balconies that travelled up the entire side of the same building. Looked cool I thought and the only thing that ruined the symmetry was one single and (presumably un-allowed) satellite dish.
Couldn’t help but take a photo of these ridiculous figurines that we’d also seen throughout Laos. What on earth is the point of them??
We checked out the Bangkok Oriental, supposedly one of the worlds famous hotels and, from the outside, it was a real disappointment. We were expecting something really grand and glitzy and we’re hoping it is stunning on the inside as to us it looked just like another concrete block with balconies. Euan chanced a visit into the foyer to see if it was any grander inside but was asked to leave (below) for being too scruffy!
One night in Bangkok was enough for both of us. After having a look around the modern city, travelling on the sky train, checking out a couple of the huge malls (with crazily cheap prices) it was clear that this is what many visitors to the city do – shop!! What we did notice were loads of overweight school children. A sign of the times and the clear Western influence – the number of fast food outlets were noticeable compared to eight years ago. It was with no sadness that we boarded an overnight train for Trang, some 700km south of Bangkok.
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