Bangkok
He came for the food but I came for the shopping. Neither one of us went home disappointed. There is food everywhere, on the street, around the corner, as we exited the water taxis. We discovered treats that we did not know existed. Sometimes, we would be so busy looking at the brewing concoctions that we would bypass the golden temples filled with tourist.
1) Modern BTS skytrain then the ancient waterway to see the Wats
The Chao Phraya River, with its constantly running ferries, water taxis, long-tail boats and freighters, is regarded as the principle artery of the nation. Much of Thai history can be traced along the banks of the Chao Phraya River. We decided that we had to see our first tourist attraction the old fashion way - a river view of Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn)
2) GRAND PALACE
This dauntingly huge complex dates back to 1782 and is home to the royal residence, various chapels and galleries. The big draw is the Emerald Buddha (which, despite its name, is actually made of jade), one of the most venerated treasures in all of Thailand.
3) Wat Pho
The Temple of the Reclining Buddha is Bangkok's largest and oldest Buddhist Temple. Along the wall besides the reclining Buddha there are 108 bronze bowls. Visitors are encouraged to place a coin in each of these bowls in order to achieve merit.
4) Street Cuisine for a little over a dollar
The best food in Thailand is served by street vendors and at basic mom-and-pop restaurants.
5) Mat’s favorite Chote Chitr red curry sauce
River prawns in red curry sauce. We started the day at the Chao Phraya River and noticed that it was NOT the cleanest river but we forgot all that when we tasted the perfectly seasoned red curry.
6) THE INFAMOUS PATPONG
Tacky, even offensive, but still worth seeing, is the red light district of Patpong. Yes, we saw the SUPER PUSSY sign. Tucked between the go-go bars and the street vendors, we found a European Restaurant serving black inked pasta. Café Deco’s huge stone oven invited us in and after devouring the clam appetizer served in a quarter size bowl(filled with buttery goodness), we knew we found the perfect place for our last meal in Bangkok.
7) MBK
An 8-story mall famous for a variety of negotiable products including clothes, cosmetics, leathered items, jewelry, electronics…but we came for the FOOD. A 5,000 seat "food court" at the 5th floor where we found papaya salad with aged crab, noodle soup with duck (a Thai favorite), fresh fruit juices, Tom Yum, and crepe floating in fresh orange juice.
8) Chatuchak Weekend Market
The largest market in Thailand and it covers over 35 acres (1.13 km²) and contains upwards of 5,000 stalls. It is estimated that the market receives between 200,000 and 300,000 visitors each day. Mathew found his Vespa t-shirts and I got hand made clothing for about $25.
9) Posh Digs
Amazing hotels with extravagant breakfast buffets made it difficult to leave our air-conditioned oasis for the humid and overly crowded attractions. We had so many choices for breakfast - it was a birthday buffet everyday.
1) Modern BTS skytrain then the ancient waterway to see the Wats
The Chao Phraya River, with its constantly running ferries, water taxis, long-tail boats and freighters, is regarded as the principle artery of the nation. Much of Thai history can be traced along the banks of the Chao Phraya River. We decided that we had to see our first tourist attraction the old fashion way - a river view of Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn)
2) GRAND PALACE
This dauntingly huge complex dates back to 1782 and is home to the royal residence, various chapels and galleries. The big draw is the Emerald Buddha (which, despite its name, is actually made of jade), one of the most venerated treasures in all of Thailand.
3) Wat Pho
The Temple of the Reclining Buddha is Bangkok's largest and oldest Buddhist Temple. Along the wall besides the reclining Buddha there are 108 bronze bowls. Visitors are encouraged to place a coin in each of these bowls in order to achieve merit.
4) Street Cuisine for a little over a dollar
The best food in Thailand is served by street vendors and at basic mom-and-pop restaurants.
5) Mat’s favorite Chote Chitr red curry sauce
River prawns in red curry sauce. We started the day at the Chao Phraya River and noticed that it was NOT the cleanest river but we forgot all that when we tasted the perfectly seasoned red curry.
6) THE INFAMOUS PATPONG
Tacky, even offensive, but still worth seeing, is the red light district of Patpong. Yes, we saw the SUPER PUSSY sign. Tucked between the go-go bars and the street vendors, we found a European Restaurant serving black inked pasta. Café Deco’s huge stone oven invited us in and after devouring the clam appetizer served in a quarter size bowl(filled with buttery goodness), we knew we found the perfect place for our last meal in Bangkok.
7) MBK
An 8-story mall famous for a variety of negotiable products including clothes, cosmetics, leathered items, jewelry, electronics…but we came for the FOOD. A 5,000 seat "food court" at the 5th floor where we found papaya salad with aged crab, noodle soup with duck (a Thai favorite), fresh fruit juices, Tom Yum, and crepe floating in fresh orange juice.
8) Chatuchak Weekend Market
The largest market in Thailand and it covers over 35 acres (1.13 km²) and contains upwards of 5,000 stalls. It is estimated that the market receives between 200,000 and 300,000 visitors each day. Mathew found his Vespa t-shirts and I got hand made clothing for about $25.
9) Posh Digs
Amazing hotels with extravagant breakfast buffets made it difficult to leave our air-conditioned oasis for the humid and overly crowded attractions. We had so many choices for breakfast - it was a birthday buffet everyday.
