My Sejour in Banglamphu |
 9 votes |
|
I started the Asian Lunar New Year holiday time in Bangkok. Of course, Bangkok is a large city worthy of many days for proper exploration but my Thailand visit was not about the big city bustle; being a resident of Hong Kong, I wanted a break from the big city madness. I did choose to explore the older section of Bangkok, an area called Banglamphu. A couple days in this area is just enough for a pleasurable first taste of Bangkok yet short enough to consider returning to Bangkok one day. Pollution and heat is a terrible combination and Bangkok is a cradle for both. Traffic is also rather dodgy. I saw a traffic accident involving a public bus my first day there. As in many Asian cities, look carefully before crossing the streets!
|
|
| Favourite spots: |
Kao Sahn Road markets and street stalls just for the vibe! (remember to bargain) Any foot massage place that looks clean (prices are great!) Walking near the riverside is nice. Banglamphu market for picking up bargains. Enjoying any building with interesting architecture. The Wats are often very beautiful...and peaceful.
|
|
| What's really great: |
|
The beautiful fabrics to be seen around the markets are pleasing to the eye. I fell in love with a gorgeous red/black silk with an Asian print and had a long, sleeve-less, Asian-style dress custom-made for me at a tailor at a very reasonable price. It was a special treat for myself to remember exotic, beautiful, culturally-rich Thailand.
|
|
| Sights: |
|
I saw most of the city by Tuk Tuk, which is a kind of motorised rickshaw. It's fun and gives you a good overview of the area of Banglamphu. Be sure to tell the driver where you'd like to stop/sightsee. Then, hop out to take photos of whatever you like before hopping back in to the Tuk Tuk. I visited the Standing Buddha and Golden Mountain and it's temple. Had a funny little chat with a Monk who lived in Canada for a several years and was eager to make e-mail friends with me. We had an unusual but interesting exchange. Women should ensure that they do not touch the monks though!
|
|
| Accommodations: |
|
I stayed at a moderate hotel in Banglamphu called the Viengtai Hotel. It was okay. If I were to go to Bangkok again, I'd probably stay at Buddy's instead. The lobby of the Viengtai had a putrid smell that wouldn't dissipate. Not very welcoming.
|
|
| Restaurants: |
|
Quite honestly, my favourite meal in Bangkok was at Roti Mataba. The place is not big on ambience but the roti is freshly prepared and you can watch the process from the window. I tried a plain one and a stuffed one and both were lovely. I also ordered a curry chicken dish that was heavenly. My friend Keila raved about the street stall food in Banglamphu all the way back to Hong Kong, but I can't comment on it. After a food poisoning incident in Hong Kong, I'm wary of street stalls unless they are super busy. It sure looked good though!
|
|
Published on Monday February 10th, 2003 by hially
|
|
|
|
Read comments (1)
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| |
| More reports on Bangkok |
|
|
| Travel tips for Bangkok |
|
|
|
