As I write this post wrapped in a fleece jacket sitting in a cozy cottage in Yorkshire looking out at the leaden skies, the sweltering heat of our last days in Bangkok seems a distant memory. Our tans took all of 24 hours to fade, but at least we’ve been able to dump the mosquito repellant (although, against all odds, a mosquito seems to have hitchhiked in our luggage all the way to N. England)!
Our 3 1/2 days in Bangkok added yet another SE Asian city to my fave list and it was difficult leaving this part of the world behind. Although we were all excited to spend the Christmas holidays with family in England, in two and a half months SE Asia became home to us.
Jonathan had visited Bangkok a couple of times before but was absolutely staggered by the change in the past 15-20 years. He kept exclaiming “This is just like Tokyo”. We stayed at the all-suite In Residence in Sukhumvit, which was an ideal, central location and adopted an attitude of low-key sightseeing, as the 95 degree heat wasn’t really compatible with lengthy touring days. Once again, the super-modern, air-conditioned malls of SE Asia became our refuge.
Wat Pho
Zara’s ears perked up when she heard about the Temple of The Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho (its official name is the tongue-twisting “Wat Phra Chettuphon Wimon Mangkhlaram Ratchaworamahawihan”), as she still lamented our lost opportunity with the Big Buddha in Hong Kong. We opted to travel to the temple via the super-efficient SkyTrain (which is actually listed as the #1 attraction in Bangkok on TripAdvisor, make of that what you may!) and a ferry on the Chao Phraya River, so getting there was half the fun. The complex at Wat Pho was larger and more impressive than we’d expected and the 43 meter long Buddha lived up to Z’s expectations.
Jim Thompson’s House
After our Jim Thompson cottage-hunting adventure in the Cameron Highlands, I felt compelled to visit his official house in Bangkok and J graciously agreed despite having seen it 15 years ago. The house is a gorgeous teak house on the banks of a canal. Photography was strictly prohibited for some unexpressed reason, but the setting was very serene and the house tastefully decorated with his art collection. Z took it upon herself, however, to make it very clear how tedious guided tours can be for children. A highlight of the visit was watching them spin the silk in the courtyard before the start of the tour and we wrapped up our visit with a lovely lunch in the cafe onsite.
Rang Mahal
After 10 days of dining exclusively on Thai food in Koh Chang, J needed his Indian-food fix so he took us to a great meal at the Rang Mahal on the 26th floor of the Rembrandt Hotel, which combined Indian food with J’s other passion–great views. Excellent service and food.
Vertigo and Moon Bar
A stunning venue for sunset drinks. On the 61st floor of the narrow Banyan Tree Hotel. Incredible.
Reclining Buddha
Wat Pho
Wat Pho
Drinks at Vertigo
Bangkok traffic
Salon-styled
Rickshaw driver
Spinning silk
Silk production
Sojourneyers - One family's adventure 