Introduction
My first week in Thailand is now coming to an end. I had a busy week of sightseeing, eating, and so much walking. From Buddhist temples to abandoned hotels, this was a week full of learning and adventure. I hope you enjoy reading about my week in Bangkok and are able to get a sense of what it’s like to be here.
Day 1
I started off my time in Thailand by being pulled out of the immigration line at BKK to be questioned by an immigration officer. (To be fair, I would also find it hard to believe that a person dressed like myself would be in Thailand on a work visa.) Once I was finally set free, I took a cab to the bed and breakfast where I’ll be staying at for the first night. It finally sunk in that I was no longer home when my cab driver cut through a hole in a fence to avoid taking a toll road.
My big adventure of the day was walking taking a tour of the Jim Thomson House & Museum, the Bangkok home that houses the “Thai Silk King’s” famous Asian art collection. My personal favorite piece was the 7th century partial Buddha statue. It was mind-blowing to admire the artisanship of a piece older than a millennium.
Day 2
I woke up feeling more adventures than yesterday, so I decided to try some street food for breakfast. I ended up getting a freshly cooked blueberry waffle and two apples for 40 baht ($1.10). I’m not too sure if it’s because I hadn’t had a real meal in who knows how long, but that was one of the best waffles I think I’ve ever had.
After I checked out of my room, I took the BTS Skytrain to Sukhumvit Soi 2. In my pursuit of trying to find a place to stay, I stumbled into an abandoned hotel that from the looks of the mat and bowl of meat on the floor, was inhabited by a man and his dog. The hotel’s newest manager wasn’t home, but I still made sure to ring the bell on the desk to show my solidarity for the new decoration style. I decided it was a better bet to book my hotel online, so I placed my reservation in the McDonald’s in the Ploenchit Shopping Centre. I also made sure to pick up two fresh mangos from the grocery store to enjoy later.
After checking into my new room, I checked out the local food scene. There were so many street vendors, but being vegetarian, I couldn’t try most them. Consequently, I opted to get a small veggie pizza, which was probably a smarter move for my stomach anyway. Keeping with today’s theme of public transport, I took a bus to the nearest cinema where I decided to watch The Up Rank, a Thai film that was almost like a knockoff Goodfellas that involved video games instead of drugs.
Day 3
After starting my day off with a delicious Thai omelette, the hotel owners graciously dropped me off at my first stop: Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn). This Buddhist temple’s main highlight is the porcelain encrust prang (spire), which was commissioned by Rama II and completed during the reign of Rama III. Its name comes from the fact that the sunrise reflects and shimmers off the temple.
Next, I hopped upon a boat and crossed the Chao Phraya River in order to visit the second temple of the day: Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha). I decided to get a tour guide and I couldn’t recommend it enough. My guide went by the name of “Mr. Bond.” He’s been working at the temple for forty years and started as a temple boy. Besides teaching me numerous fun facts about the temple (like the contrasting Cambodian, Chinese, and Thai architectural styles), Mr. Bond was full of jokes of witty comments. This temple derives its name from the 15m high and 45m long reclining Buddha statue. One cool highlight of this stop was that I got to witness a Buddhist birthday ceremony that involved praying monks and blessings of holy water.
I concluded the trifecta of famous Bangkok temples by visiting Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha). This temple is located within the Grand Palace and is considered the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. The temple’s namesake is elevated at the end of the ordination hall and is decorated in seasonal garments. To me, this was the most gorgeous of all the Buddha statutes I’ve seen.
Having completed my temple runs, I walked throughout the grounds of the Grand Palace, the official residence of the king (although he only visits for official ceremonies and events. The palace was quite grand and immaculate, consisting of large, colorful buildings and vibrant gardens. There are two museums on the palace grounds: Museum of The Temple of the Emerald Buddha and Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles. The former houses artifacts and documents from the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew as well as details about its restoration and upkeep. The latter museum preserves and displays information and examples of Asian textiles. It also showcases Thai traditional textiles and their cultural importance.
I decided to keep my museum streak going by visiting Thailand’s National Museum. The Bangkok location was massive; I spent two hours there and just scratched the surface. I spent my time there admiring the exhibits on religious iconography throughout Asia as well as the developments and exchanges of religious beliefs from the prehistoric period to modern day. I would’ve spent the rest of the day there, but unfortunately they have an early closing time.
I concluded my long and eventful day by heading to Khaosan Road, Bangkok’s rowdy backpacking district. I walked up and down the road, practiced my haggling skills, and ate a delicious Indian meal of lentils and rice. I left Khoasan at 18:00 and the area was already loud and lively. I couldn’t imagine how it would be at night.
It was during my 45 minute walk back to the hotel that I realized I feel extremely comfortable in the city now. I’ve managed to take trains, buses, cabs, boats, and lots and lots of walking.
Day 4
With yesterday’s packed itinerary of sightseeing, I decided to take it easy today in order to prepare for tomorrow’s flight to Isan. This morning I went to the Chatuchak Weekend Market, the biggest market in Bangkok. I spent a couple of hours window shopping; I just didn’t see anything that I wanted or needed. I ended up buying a coin purse for around 30 baht. I was getting fed up with all the loose change in my pocket.
I decided to have some street food for lunch (I later regretted that decision). I sat down with this stranger named Tom, an Australian who’s training for Muay Thai boxing. We exchanged some stories and had a good time discussing our future travel plans (or lack thereof). This was quite a serendipitous experience that left me feeling happy for the rest of the day.
Me Pondering The Questionable Aesthetics of a First Time Traveller (I didn't have any other photos to post)
A Few Thoughts
I’ve only been in Thailand for a few days, so I don’t want to pretend as though I have gained some deep insight and understanding about life and myself. However, I do want to say that in just this short amount of time, I’ve been taking in as much around me as possible and use that to think critically about my positions and beliefs back home. I haven’t come to any profound (or really any) conclusions yet, but the process has now begun. Ultimately, my time in Bangkok was so different compared to anything I’ve ever done, both culturally and experientially, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be here.
Thank you so much for reading and please let me know what you think!
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