03.17.06

Bangkok Walkabout

Posted in Travels at 9:37 pm by Leopoldo

3/17/06, Later that night, Bangkok

Being my last day in this town I figured I would want to see parts of the town I had not seen before and decided to go on walkabout. I started the afternoon by walking East on Sukhumvit road figuring I might stop to eat at the Indian neighborhood near Soi 3. I quickly found that I was not that hungry and that the heat was too oppressive for long walks along a busy road, so after a few blocks I went up the Nana Sky Train station and took a train northwest to Victory Monument. The monument itself was rather unimpressive but the mass of school girls and boys walking along the pedestrian bridges was a sight. I proceeded west on Thanon Ratchawithi, a characterless road with lots of buses until I got to Dusit Zoo. I had been hoping to get a feel for the green area surrounding the Royal Palace or the zoo but found them both surrounded with high walls. Heading South I was attracted by the sound of a loudspeaker south of the King Chulalongkorn Monument but was dissuaded from going any further when lines of police in riot gear began pouring into the area. I assume there was an anti-government demonstration in process, I have been hearing about them on Western Speaking news but so far have not seen any. I was interested to take a picture of the police but not knowing how they would take it decided it was safer to head off. At this point something happened to me that I did not think possible: I was in need of and could not find either a 7-11 or a Tuk Tuk. Those of you who have visited Bangkok probably think I must be lying as you know it is nearly impossible to walk a quarter block in a tourist area without running into either, but if you get off the beaten path they suddenly become scarce.

Walking along Ayutthaya I got to Thanon Samsen and the area where I spent my first week in Thailand near the Shanti Lodge. I went south here stopping to buy two slices of cream filled cake from a bakery with a street side window. Walking a bit further south I realized the heat and exercise were wearing me down (by this point I had drank down three bottles of water and a bottle of iced tea) and went to a peer to pick up a water taxi.

The water taxi was stuffed (it was a local and there had not been one for a while) which gave me an excuse to stand in the back loading platform. I much prefer that position as I do not fit inside the taxis without hunching over. It was a welcome relief to be on the water, which is much cooler and has a breeze. I took the taxi to the Central Pier and walked straight to another Sky Train and back to Nana. Walking down the Nana station 6:00 PM rolled around and with it the National Anthem started. It is truly weird to see a bustling crowd in a busy station all come to a collective halt and then move again as soon as the music stops.

I walked to and then up Soi 3/1 and found a restaurant recommended by the Lonely Planet guide: Al Hussain. The outdoor seating area of the restaurant has big rotating fans with misters mounted in front that do a great job of keeping you cool but got my notepad a bit wet. The menu is written in Thai, Arabic, English and has pictures ensuring understanding for almost any nationality. I ordered Galic Nan, Chicken Masala, Sag, Rice and a Mango Lassi. They were all very good with the Chicken being a bit dry with a delicious and spicy sauce. The total of the meal was 300 Baht, the most I have spent in Thailand yet but there was a lot of delicious food. I was also immediately reminded of the advantages of traveling with someone as I ordered more than I needed in order to taste the different flavors and had to leave half of the food behind. After the meal I sat for a while longer and watched Indian Music Videos on the ceiling mounted TV. If you have never had a chance to watch Indian Music Videos: do, they are a trip.

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