Bangkok Break

Super excited to be escaping during an otherwise busy work week, I checked in my one bag and headed towards our boarding gate. After a largely uneventful flight of a little over three hours, we arrived at Bangkok's Suwarnabhumi Airport at around half past three. From here, we had a cab waiting to take us to the coastal town of Hua Hin, but before that, we had to get our Visa approved. 

Now, the Thailand Visa can be obtained online, but hearing that the visa on arrival is far cheaper and easily obtained, that's what we decided to do. Unfortunately, it seemed that everyone else were also attempting to save some Thai bahts, because the line (if you could call it that) was unending. There was a sea of people as far as the eye could see. It was utter chaos! Almost everyone, fed up of standing in the throng, kept trying to weasel their way forward on some pretext or another. Some, like us, constantly cast stern glances & aimed rather pointed comments at the would be sneaks. 

After more than an hour of standing there and watching in stunned horror as the airport officials yelled and shoved at the increasingly restless crowd, we finally reached the counter. Our passports and visa application were taken and, in exchange, we were given a token with a three digit number on it. They then herded us towards the back of the counter where, to our dismay, stood an even larger crowd of people crammed into a narrow aisle. At the far end, an officer, possibly the youngest and shortest of the airport employees, stood on a luggage trolley, handing out the passports. 

It seemed to us that he was already tired of calling out the numbers on each file - he had with him a small tray with about 5-6 approved passports. He would pick out a folder, hold it up as high as his arms would allow him to, and someone or the other from the crowd would kindly call out the number - in Chinese, English or Hindi - depending on the colour of the passport being waved around. From somewhere else in that huge melee of people, a voice full of relief would cheer and pass forward their token, which was handed over to the little official and he, in turn, handed over the passport to be passed back to whomever it belonged to. 

Every time the tray was empty, he'd lift hit over his head and elbow his way through the crowd, back to the Visa counter, collect the next set of six passports and make his way back to his trolley-desk. 

By the time we got our passports almost two hours had passed and our eyes were bloodshot with the lack of sleep and the exhaustion of having to endure the long wait for the visa. 

Mercifully, the van we had arranged for had lovely reclining seats & cool interiors. Roads in Bangkok are well maintained and that made for a smooth, comfortable journey to Hua Hin. I slept through the ride, waking only to visit a restroom when the driver stopped for coffee. 

Hua Hin is a peaceful and popular beach town frequented by many. I'd heard of the interesting local markets and food markets here, but was unable to explore on account that we were in Bangkok to attend the wedding of a dear friend. For the first two nights of our stay, we were guests at The Palayana, Hua Hin, a resort reserved entirely for the wedding celebrations. Suites were cosy, spacious and tastefully decorated. Feeling fairly refreshed after the nap in the van, we headed towards the in house restaurant for a sumptuous breakfast beside the  pool, adjoining the beach.
After two fun filled days packed with food and wedding festivities, it was time to head to Bangkok where we had planned to spend two days before heading home to Mumbai.


By late noon, we had reached Jintana Residence (130/13 Satsana 4 Alley, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok - 10400, Thailand). We were met and greeted by Phisit, a cheerful, young man who, after checking us in, handed us the keys to our room on the 4th floor. The room was clean, comfortable & well lit with natural light. Although the place is very close to the main street, it is quiet and allows for a restful night's sleep. 

Having just half a day left to spare, we deposited our bags in the room and decided to take a cab to Wat Pho, also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. It is one of Bangkok's oldest temples and is home to more than a thousand Buddha figures as well as one that is 151 ft in length. The entire temple complex is spectacular to look at, with its ornate architecture, temples, pavilions and many figures of Chinese warriors. There are also 24 rock gardens that are quite interesting, especially the one called 'Hermit's Hill' that contains statues showing Thai massage & yoga positions.

There is a strict dress code for women visiting this beautiful complex. Outfits that are short or bare your back & shoulders are not permitted. Do bear this in mind and carry a scarf or jacket with you. Being unaware of this stipulation, I had worn a comfy pair of shorts and had to collect a long, checked skirt from the attendants at the entrance. They have a rack full of them available at the visitor entrances. They're free - all you do is submit some form of identification in exchange for a skirt and then, having completed your visit, return the skirt and take your ID back.
At first, I was quite peeved at having to wear the skirt, but soon realised that there were others wandering about in blue sacks.

From Wat Pho, we headed next to the famous Chatuchak Weekend Market, the largest market in Thailand. Open since 1942, it is said to be the world's largest and most diverse market. It sells a variety of goods - almost anything you could ask for - but I was here for food (and the experience, of course!). I found the market to be very exciting, with it's many stalls selling all kinds of goods - ceramics, bags, earrings, shoes, clothes, books, electronic items, antiques, home accessories etc. In case you're looking for something in particular, there is a neatly drawn map posted at the entrance of the market. We just drifted about taking in the sights and smells of the bustling marketplace. Of all I ate here, I liked best the Coconut Ice-cream. Served in its own shell, the delicious ice-cream is topped with tender coconut cream and basil seeds. It's a treat you just shouldn't miss.

At Chatuchak, like at most tourist spots in Bangkok, there are many offering Thai massages at very reasonable rates. We treated ourselves to an hour long foot, head & shoulder massage. Not exceptional, but quite good it was.
Oh, and I tried some of the barbecued bamboo worms. Not bad as long as I didn't focus on what exactly I was eating. Tasted like slightly tangy puffed rice.

Next stop - Khaosan Road. Our cab driver dropped us off by the side of a road and pointed us towards a side street. There wasn't much light save for the yellow streetlight and most establishments by the road were shut for the day. Wondering weather we had come to the right place, we walked into the lane the driver had indicated. A few meters in and we had entered a whole new world.  
This 410 meter long road was constructed in 1892 and was formerly a major rice market. Since the past few decades, it has transformed into a very popular tourist spot offering cheap accommodation, handicrafts, paintings, food etc. After dark is when Khaosan Road comes alive - bars open, music plays and the streets are lined with tourists enjoying foot massages and eating at the many stalls selling all sorts of exotic Thai treats such as barbecued insects, sweet mango rice and the horribly smelly Durian fruit. For those who would like to feast on the familiar, there's also a Burger King & a Starbucks in the vicinity.

Early the next morning, I set out for a walk around the neighborhood. As mentioned earlier, Satsana Alley is fairly quiet. In the morning hours it was rather an experience to walk through the narrow lanes lined on either side with local businesses - electricians,  repairmen & many eating houses. The latter were rustic & consisted of not more than six mismatched tables and chairs, and the delicious smells wafting out of their kitchens was making me hungry. A  few patrons were already seated at tables, enjoying a quick breakfast.

I spotted a restaurant at the door of which was sitting the sweetest little dog you ever saw. Walking towards the little fellow, I turned to its master, the chef, and pointed to the chunks of pork being grilled on the pan. I asked for a plate of pork-rice & hoped he had understood me, for I don't speak Thai & he spoke no English. What he placed before me was a huge serving of rice, vegetables, crispy chunks of pork & an egg. This was accompanied by a bowlful of some steaming hot broth. All this for just 40 Baht. In a matter of minutes I had licked the platter clean.

At an adjoining stall was a young lad selling all kinds of beverages. I was keen on trying something coconutty, but how to convey this to him? That's when I thought to use my translator on the phone. I typed in English, it spoke aloud in Thai. Soon, I was sipping on a tall glass of cool coconut ice and making my way back to the room.

The rest of the morning was spent exploring the Siam Paragon, a high end mall where one could find all the latest brands. But this is not my thing. I'm more into street shopping & local markets, so moved on to Indira Mall, a place popular for clothing, shoes & souvenirs, all at really low rates. Frequented by many Indian shoppers, this mall has small shops blaring out Bollywood music while vendors call out to prospective customers. I purchased a Bangkok magnet & a few trinkets here. 

With that, we ended our very brief, but very enjoyable Bangkok experience. I do hope to return someday - for more of the beautiful temples & a lot more of the delicious food.