Bangkok -- Day 1 -- Sa-wäd-dee

I arrived in Bangkok toward midnight somewhat apprehensively, given the recent political turmoil in Thailand. I had received several emails from friends warning me not to go. Fortunately, the fears of violence and travel restrictions on foreigners were unfounded and I had a great time in Bangkok. Arriving in Bangkok on my first visit I expected to be ripped off and I wasn't disappointed. I hailed a taxicab at the international arrival terminal from a "metered" taxi-stand and paid 600 Baht (~ 12 USD) for a ride to Asha Guest House. Had I known better, I would have paid no more than 200 Baht. Oh well, live and learn, I suppose. The directions to the guest house, that I had printed out in English turned out to be useless, because the cabbie neither knew the location nor could he read the directions -- a rude introduction to Bangkok, to be sure. I finally reached my guest house at 1.45 a.m., completely travel-weary and sleepy.

I got a single non-a/c room (300 Baht ~ 8 USD). The room was spacious, but the lighting was inadequate for reading. As far as the guest house is concerned, it is fantastic, given the reasonable price, relatively easy access to public transportation, excellent English-speaking staff and amenities and not in the least the guests. There were people, young and old, from various countries, from Australia and New Zealand to Canada, US and myriad European nations. Many were traveling like me, while many were just hanging out and enjoying the cheap accommodations.

After a reasonably good night's sleep, I had an excellent continental breakfast (70 Baht) at the guest house with plenty of fruit, coffee, toast and orange juice. I took directions the the Skytrain station called Saphan Khwai, but the signs were quite confusing and finding English-speaking who could direct me turned out to be quite a task. Since the recent coup in Bangkok, security was very tight and soldiers were on full alert throughout the city. Finally, I got to the train station and got a little glimpse of the street life in Bangkok. It reminded me so much of Chennai, India. The weather was (always) hot and humid, vehicular exhaust smoke and naturally the accompanying pollution were ubiquitous, honking motorbikes were everywhere. The smell of fish, seafood, exotic spices and cooking oils were inescapable.

I took the Skytrain to Saphan Taksin, the terminus on the eastern bank of Chao Phraya river. Chao Phraya is the main artery running through Thailand and much of the life is dependent on this river. Much to my disappointment, the water was brown and muddy, apparently due to the recent rains. I mistakenly purchased an all day pass (100 Baht) on the ferry; it's cheaper to pay for each ride. I disembarked the ferry at the pier leading to the Grand Palace; unfortunately, I was told that the palace was closed for reasons of security. (Note: You will be accosted by locals who will "guide" you through the tourist sites and take you shopping. They are compensated by the local merchants, with whom you make purchases. These guys are good with the "soft sell". Be your own judge!) I met this Thai man posing as a professor of history. He hung out with me all day, but never did say anything about the history. I went along with the charade. He took me to the Sitting Buddha and Standing Buddha (Wat Indrawiharn) temples, and we made traditional offerings of incense sticks and lotus stalks at each temple. For lunch, we went to a run-down place by the river and had pad Thai and the best iced coffee of my life -- all this for barely 65 Baht (~ 2USD). We also walked through the fish market and the flea market, where street vendors sold old coins, objets d'art and other curiosities.

After lunch, I was taken to a locally renowned clothier, where I got some hand-tailored formal clothing at a fraction of the cost in the US. I did not, however, buy any jewelery. Finally, to cap off a "successful" tourist visit, we went to a 2 hour Thai massage. I paid 500 Baht for it, but I probably got ripped off. Live and learn! The Thai man got this for free, I think. We finally departed, and along the way I stopped by Siam Square to buy a bilingual map of Bangkok and an English-Thai phrasebook. In retrospect, the phrasebook was useless, because the Romanized Thai did not reflect the actual pronunciations. Siam Square on the other hand was a shopper's paradise and apparently the hot spot for the Bangkok high rollers.

It was time to call it a day, and I returned to the guest house (Saphan Khwai Skytrain station) for dinner and drinks. I met my house mates, Will, Emma, Dave, Darren, Jessica, et al and had an excellent dinner (minced pork with basil leaves, rice) and plenty of cheap beer called Singha and Tiger. The strange thing is, they give you ice cubes along with the beer. You might laugh at the idea, but once you see how the locals do it, you appreciate the gesture, because the heat warms up the beer quite quickly. A successful, albeit expensive end to my first day in Bangkok.