One Night in Bangkok...
"...and the World's Your Oyster.."
From the man who co-wrote "CATS". I did not get the sense of Murray Head's glamorous BKK in the three days that I was there. Between super malls and gorgeous gold leaf temples plunged right in the middle of the city between motorcycle mobs and taxis on nitro, the energy was definitely chaotic, frenetic and bizarre.
We arrived on Saturday night with the group wanting to spend the last evening together. One could get a sense that people were ready to get on with their lives and branch out on their own or go home. We'd been traveling as a unit for fourteen days and although everyone was very kind and thoughtful, alone time was in order as was a day without the plethora of pests we shared space with. We ate at "Saffron" atop the Banyan Tree Hotel, about 85 floors up with a spectacular view of the city. It was delicious, presentation outrageous and billed as a "date" restaurant. We, of course, were the largest group over two. Picture "Vida" at $22 for everything. It was outstanding. At the hotel, we said our goodbyes and everyone sort of went their own way; actually, I had secretly made plans with one of the girls to go out to dinner the following night when her boyfriend from Seattle arrived in town. I had picked a favored sushi restaurant in the city guide named "Daikon". I could have cried when we finally found the street, the taxi driver having to stop at least twice to get directions. You see, Bangkok is made up of these long streets with side streets cut off of them called "Sois" and then there are alleys that branch out from the sois and so everything is connected and confusing at the same time. In any event, as I was saying, I could have cried. We entered the most extravagant, most wonderful sushi restaurant in the world. Geishas greeted us at the door, led us to our seats, whispering past the private dining rooms that surrounded the space. The entire restaurant floated on a shallow pond filled with enormous white koi fish. I was in heaven. Not to repeat myself, but I don't think I''ll ever have such fresh, succulent sushi for $15! I wanted to set up house. I know, you want to hear about the Grand Palace and the Sleeping Buddha (to which I let out an inappropriate "My God!" when entering the Wat, it's the reclining size of a football field) and the weekend market which is worth flying back to Bangkok for. I wish I had been able to go on Saturday AND Sunday. Spanning 35 acres... yes, 35 acres, it is host to stalls and stalls and stalls ... and stalls of foods, goods, art, erotica, more food, more goods, antiques, etc. It was crazy and cool bigger than the Grand Bazaar in Instanbul, bigger than the Rose Bowl for that matter! Needless to say, I felt reckless but since I was on a short leash of three hours, I was only able to cover about 1 or 2 acres. The rest I sadly said goodbye to as I looked outward of the Sky Train back to Sukamvit Road where I stayed an additional night. The next day, I met a couple of the girls from the group at their hostel on a little strip of insanity called KoaSahn Road. I'm sure I'm massacring the spelling here, so bear with me. Basically, this is a little haven for backpackers traveling from all over the world to hook up in Bangkok. There are bars blaring Bon Jovi, wide screen TVs projecting pirated movies and mobile bars on the street. Clothing is about a buck for pants and another for a top, so it's affordable to purchase a new wardrobe and dump anything you've been wearing for the past two months. It was surely a scene and a surly one at that. I don't think backpacking across the planet is in the cards for me anytime soon.
From the man who co-wrote "CATS". I did not get the sense of Murray Head's glamorous BKK in the three days that I was there. Between super malls and gorgeous gold leaf temples plunged right in the middle of the city between motorcycle mobs and taxis on nitro, the energy was definitely chaotic, frenetic and bizarre.
We arrived on Saturday night with the group wanting to spend the last evening together. One could get a sense that people were ready to get on with their lives and branch out on their own or go home. We'd been traveling as a unit for fourteen days and although everyone was very kind and thoughtful, alone time was in order as was a day without the plethora of pests we shared space with. We ate at "Saffron" atop the Banyan Tree Hotel, about 85 floors up with a spectacular view of the city. It was delicious, presentation outrageous and billed as a "date" restaurant. We, of course, were the largest group over two. Picture "Vida" at $22 for everything. It was outstanding. At the hotel, we said our goodbyes and everyone sort of went their own way; actually, I had secretly made plans with one of the girls to go out to dinner the following night when her boyfriend from Seattle arrived in town. I had picked a favored sushi restaurant in the city guide named "Daikon". I could have cried when we finally found the street, the taxi driver having to stop at least twice to get directions. You see, Bangkok is made up of these long streets with side streets cut off of them called "Sois" and then there are alleys that branch out from the sois and so everything is connected and confusing at the same time. In any event, as I was saying, I could have cried. We entered the most extravagant, most wonderful sushi restaurant in the world. Geishas greeted us at the door, led us to our seats, whispering past the private dining rooms that surrounded the space. The entire restaurant floated on a shallow pond filled with enormous white koi fish. I was in heaven. Not to repeat myself, but I don't think I''ll ever have such fresh, succulent sushi for $15! I wanted to set up house. I know, you want to hear about the Grand Palace and the Sleeping Buddha (to which I let out an inappropriate "My God!" when entering the Wat, it's the reclining size of a football field) and the weekend market which is worth flying back to Bangkok for. I wish I had been able to go on Saturday AND Sunday. Spanning 35 acres... yes, 35 acres, it is host to stalls and stalls and stalls ... and stalls of foods, goods, art, erotica, more food, more goods, antiques, etc. It was crazy and cool bigger than the Grand Bazaar in Instanbul, bigger than the Rose Bowl for that matter! Needless to say, I felt reckless but since I was on a short leash of three hours, I was only able to cover about 1 or 2 acres. The rest I sadly said goodbye to as I looked outward of the Sky Train back to Sukamvit Road where I stayed an additional night. The next day, I met a couple of the girls from the group at their hostel on a little strip of insanity called KoaSahn Road. I'm sure I'm massacring the spelling here, so bear with me. Basically, this is a little haven for backpackers traveling from all over the world to hook up in Bangkok. There are bars blaring Bon Jovi, wide screen TVs projecting pirated movies and mobile bars on the street. Clothing is about a buck for pants and another for a top, so it's affordable to purchase a new wardrobe and dump anything you've been wearing for the past two months. It was surely a scene and a surly one at that. I don't think backpacking across the planet is in the cards for me anytime soon.
posted by katsninelives at 6:30 PM
3 Comments:
Kat
that sushi restaurant sounds like it was designed for God and God only. Man. A floating sushi restaurant, on a pond, with lots of colorful fish swimming underneath? ahhhh.....
lots of love to you
phil
any cool pants for a buck? shirts? undies?
Kat, Your elephant photos are awesome!!! It looks like a really crazy experience.. and it must have been a lot of fun, similar to riding a horse maybe? I will have to ask you more about Bangkok when I see you. I have only hearad tidbits from my brother sebastian about the food and the nightlife. Are you in Bali yet?
lots of love,
Ari
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