A Day in Bangkok

People tend to get so busy that we opt to wait for something great to happen at a later date. I wanted to break that pattern for my self, as I am one of those who would always wait for when that enough time, enough savings, would come. So one day, I grabbed the opportunity to book a flight when the airfares were low, to the city I’ve been dying to visit only for its tomyum (ok, maybe also for the Thai massage) --- Bangkok. I did not hesitate as I was going off alone and will be at my own pace and at my own time. I decided to add in other neighboring cities to visit as well - Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh. These were going to be my playground for six days. Yes, six days! It was going to be crazy fast, but I did not want to miss the opportunity to visit these places. Perhaps I can pick later on which ones I want to go back to. I ended up having too many stories to tell, that's why I plan to post the entries one city at a time.

The Wat Arun, at the bank of the Chao Phraya,
the major river that flows through Bangkok then into the Gulf of Thailand.

The much sought-after tomyum! Perfect with hot steamed rice.

Finally, Thailand. The home of tomyum which I fell in love with way back since college. Mommy Thai, whose canteen was at the International Center beside my dormitory back in UP took me to Thailand way back then, in a manner of speaking. She’s a Thai woman who could not speak English and Filipino during my time in UP, but she was able to communicate through her food. I grew up in Bicol and that’s a region known for spicy food, but the taste of tomyum, a seafood and chicken soup dish made distinct by kaffir and coriander leaves, is more than the hot yummy taste in the mouth; it’s a feast of the senses.

Two hours after I arrived in Bangkok, the city did not disappoint. The smell of Thai spices on my way to the place of my host from CouchSurfing brought my butt to sit in a street canteen. I could not help it! I found myself ordering tomyum and was relieved that it was so much easier to order tomyum than what I had to go through asking for directions at the Bangkok airport. The feel of the place, and the excitement of eating something I love felt like I was home. Home being in a familiar happy state, having a piece of heaven on that particular spot on earth.

Now that's my kind of street cooking.

The street tomyum delivered the expected blend of fresh spices full of small mushrooms, squid, shrimps and chicken, while the chilli did its usual extravagant fireworks in my mouth. No wonder street canteens in Bangkok are popular even to the well-off; their ingredients are fresh and the food is cooked right in front of you.  I have been salivating for years about eating tomyum in the country of its origins and I was doing it right that moment! I had tried it in Singapore in 2007 and it was unforgettable too, but this one was just heaven. Right there in a little carinderia at Soi Pahonyothin 6, Bangkok. I know I am being too gushy all over this 55-baht tomyum lunch, but I really thought I’ve already found what I came here for, and I was pretty sure nothing could ruin my trip after that.

Scam accomplices or innocent pigeons?
On the way to the Grand Royal Palace.

And nay, nothing ruined my trip in Bangkok indeed. Not even the CouchSurfer host who forgot about her confirmation to accommodate me, or the seemingly possessed woman who harassed me into feeding the pigeons so she can eventually ask me to pay for it, or the Bangkok gentlemen who tried to talk me into taking a different tour, or the taxi I turned down because it charges 400B when I could take the bus for 7B, or the long hours of no sleep taking its toll, or the 32-degree hot sun that burned my nape. I needed to see as much as I can of the city. I just followed my map and the advice from friends who have been there before. I was to leave on a 5:50am train to the Thai border of Aranyaprathet the following day going to Siem Reap, and that was the only chance for me to explore the city. No time to waste. 

And so from early afternoon to late night, I walked, walked and walked - through the alleys and major streets leading to the temples. I had coffee at the popular backpackers area at Kao San Road, which felt like I was in Scandinavia with all the blonde people around. I then went to the Grand Royal palace to see its shimmering grandeur. Good thing I was properly dressed, otherwise I'd have to pay 250B per piece of clothing I'd have to rent to cover most of my body in order to enter the palace. It is amazing how the Thais are such devout Buddhists, loyal to their language and culture, amidst the western influences evident in the city.



I was also at the post office to send postcards to friends and family, at the banks of the Chao Phraya River where I took one of the shortest boat rides of my life, climbed the steep stairs to see the city from Wat Arun which was so steep that I was literally shaking coming down (but it was nice to be greeted with reassuring smiles of fellow travellers when I reached the ground level), and ate streetfoods pretty much like what Filipinos have for merienda. 

Khao San Road

Shiny, shimmery, splendid! The Grand Royal Palace.

Thai versions of kakanin made of rice,
cassava and coconut. Oh and that adorable little girl!

Dried seafoods, the variety pretty much like here in the Philippines.

Friendly smile from a schoolboy, waiting for his fries.
There was a bunch of other snacks such as balls on stick and chicken fritters.

The name I forget, but the yumminess of this one I could not. It has cocounut milk, lots of ginger, kaffir leaves and
of course, chilli. Prepared by my CouchSurfing host.

Giant fruits galore!
(Are they genetically modified?)
Giant mangos, star fruits (balimbing), dragon fruits,
and other citrus fruits.

More giant mangos and macopa.

The steep stairs of Wat Arun.

Wat Arun prayer spot.

I was so dead-tired and sleepy by nearly dusk, but I still had to see Phat Pong for the night market and the night scene. I took the bus after a few failed attempts (people were helpful enough to try to point me to the right bus, but I would get so lost in our attempts to communicate). Finally, a young man told me the right bus number that would take me to the Phat Pong area. It seems that the younger generation of Thais are the right people to ask for directions, because they are most likely more familiar with the English language.

The colorful Phat Pong.

The 7-baht, 1-hour ride from Song Wat Road to Silom to get to Phat Pong was a nice break from walking, and a good way to see the city transform itself as dusk descended. Before I went to Phat Pong, I found a nice pink spa boutique that offers Thai Massage, and no surprise here, it was the best Thai massage EVER! I told the spa ladies about how often I would go for a Thai massage in Manila (and everytime I go to Davao, I make a point to visit Suat Thai), but none of them compared to the authentic one I got at that particular salon in Bangkok. The masseuse combined it with smooth reflex therapy, which did wonders to my weary feet and body. I told the salon ladies to please go to the Philippines to train our masseuses. Yeah, I wish. I felt relaxed and alive after, which was just what I needed to go see Phat Pong. 

The Phat Pong night market did not really appeal to me as I only saw stuff that I can also buy in Divisoria or Greenhills, with almost the same prices. I did not want to waste time haggling so I ended up not buying anything - a very practical outlook when travelling on a budget!

The street clubs at Phat Pong was a kaleidoscope of lights and beautiful wo/men cajoling tourists to come into the clubs. I was invisible to their prying eyes I suppose because aside from looking Thai, my look was certainly not like someone who has money to rip off. I have also been warned by friends who have personal stories of being scammed such as physically harassed and ripped off in Phat Pong clubs. Along the street, I picked a seat outside a British bar and ordered a Guinness, one for the road. It was like doing veranda anthropology only with Guinness in hand. I would have stayed longer, but it's not good to force a weary body to stay up in a foreign place or any place for that matter. Besides, I had to take an early morning train to Siem Reap. So, a few snapshots of me care of a Chinese gentleman from the next table, one beer down, and I headed back to the main highway to take the train to the same street where I started my day in Bangkok eating tomyum, and on to the place of my host who eventually accommodated me after the initial glitch. 

At my host's place, the day was still not over. There were other CouchSurfers at her place when I arrived, joined their conversation for a while, and also tried some wine (or vodka?) from an indigenous group from the north of Thailand – it was bit strong, a milder version of lambanog, which we mixed with Fanta red. I ate something that my host cooked, which tasted like tomyum but this one was cooked in coconut milk with chicken, mushrooms, lots of ginger and kaffir leaves. It was very nice. After a quick shower, my weary self eventually gave in to sleep. And woke up at 5:40am. Did I say I was to take the train at 5:50am? 

A good reason to miss the train.