Bangkok Jan 2026:
I was indeed on the ‘flight of the damned’. I had ear plugs jammed in my ears then placed noise canceling earphones over the top, finally I took off my shirt and wrapped it around my head. I looked like a cross between Flea, the bass player from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Peter Pumpkinhead. But still the unrelenting cries of the multitude of babies still make it to my ear canal.
After the screaming, the crying, and the general mayhem of the flight I found myself at Suvarnabhumi airport using the flat escalators that give you the illusion of walking roughly at 25 mph. The impowering feel of the wind in my hair returned me to an invigorated state. We now are in the Zen world of waiting for luggage at the carousel. Surrounded with other like minded travelers. These kind souls agree that walking on and off the plane all cool and collected at a cucumber without the necessity of lifting your 25 lb. luggage from an over overhead bin and trying not to maim someone as it comes crashing down to the floor.
Traveling comes in different sizes. From going from the bedroom to the kitchen or traveling the world. The mode of travel matters. It would have been an option just to take a rideshare, just to stare out the window in silence and called it good. Fortunately, we had friends that volunteered to pick us up at the airport then deliver us to our Airbnb. That 30-minute drive was full of laughter and stories about life and family. Life is good.
I’m glad I put away the cameras and cell phones and just enjoyed our first dinner in Bangkok. On a rooftop restaurant 31 stories up nestled in between lit up skyscrapers at night that loomed over us, trust me, there are a lot of opportunities and temptations to film or even just take pictures. Yes, I had my GoPro with me, I never touched it. It really changes the trajectory of the evening once unleashed. After a warm and magical evening dinner with friends in this beautiful setting, we all walked the darkened Bangkok streets to the elevated train station to go our separate ways home.
Sometimes I am like a cat when it comes to breakfast, or the morning in general. I like it the same and predictable. I began mine with my usual walk of the neighborhood at sunrise. But this time it was in the Ekkamai neighborhood of Bangkok. If we were ever to move here, it would probably be in this neighborhood. It’s kind of our speed. Food carts intermittently found their way on to the sidewalk. The usual sounds of sweeping caress my ears. I found, then walked through a wet market getting ready for restaurateurs of the day. We met Ishya for world class croissants and cappuccinos. As good as it was, I was reminded that in Thailand the cost of living is somewhere between 1/3 and ½ of what we spent in Seattle, but Bangkok especially, they allow you to spend… a lot of money. Diane and my breakfast were $17.54. Those are what I refer to as Seattle prices. Worth every penny, OMG the croissants were amazing. So, flakey that each bite instigated and explosion of bread crystals in 180 degrees like a Claymore (a directional landmine), covering anyone in a 3 meter perimeter, with flakes sticking to their hair, makeup and lipstick. This all was followed by a shopping trip requested by Bill. The two shirts I planned to bring still remain on hangers next to where I was packing. They will be waiting for me when we get home.
Later became a lazy afternoon due to the fact that we were on-call for family arriving from the US. For me, when traveling a zillion time zones, I am certified ‘zombie’ for a least a day and a half, so I expected our new arrivals to be the same. They had sent us a list of a billion things they were doing when they landed. I actually laughed out loud when I read the list. My list would have one thing on it and the term fetal position would be included. But we still had to be ready in case they are indeed super men/women. It was a group of ten ranging from 3 to 65. In the end they slowly awoke from the dead as we went out for tapas for dinner in our new neighborhood.
There is an oddity here in SE Asia. Which at first I thought was a quirky anomaly. Perhaps a left over from ….. day of …. Brothels era. In apt/rooms there is a glass wall between the bathroom and the bedroom. When we first came across this, I had three thoughts in 2 seconds. Huh, huh? And HUH?!! If there is one thing I don’t want to see is… OMG!!! The frosted glass made it bearable, but come on, really!!
The volume of BKK is just always dialed to 10. Color, traffic, the feel then even fashion, but at the same time the ‘coolness’ knob is there too. Not in temperature. I had an epiphany of a sort. Maybe I am not really seeing ‘my’ Bangkok. We tend to, well, always to the richest part of town. Which is a giant swath for sure. It is amazing, but I feel it doesn’t represent the entire city. I CM I am convinced what I see is genuine. Hmmm am I turning into a ‘passport-bro’? Gawd, I hope not. Geez, maybe these are first signs? Are we headed towards a future where we end up at a trendy tapas bar on Sukhumvit Road comparing passport stamps and trying to tell a better story to the other expats at the table. … this Bangkok may be a faux oz?
Condo:
On day three, the hot water handshake remains a mystery, but I vow to conquer that conundrum on this morning’s shower. Ok, in the bathroom sink turn lever to the right, cold water and to the left, within 4 seconds… very hot water. The lever in the middle is most comfortable temperature. Using this information, I battled the shower for several minutes, naked and slightly cold. Turning the lever to the right was cold water, I ran for several seconds to make sure. Then moved the lever to the left. Same. Hmmm, so I waited. I started second guessing myself and went back and forth. Eventually I learned that left was indeed the hot but it took a long time. I adjusted the lever, got perfect water and started my most excellent and well-deserved shower with my hair frothy with soap, the water turned cold. Damn it. I stepped out of the way of the water and began my attack again. Now I’m soaped up and getting cold …again.
So, turn off water, start over with the lever in the left position . It started cold, but within a minute or so hot has returned and I begin the cycle of managing water temp. I messaged the condo owner and let her know the scoop and that always now being learned about the ways of water, I was no longer concerned. I was now keeper of knowledge and would survive the remainder of our stay. She let me know the handyman would be in later today. I’m all good.
We made a run to the Grand Palace to meet the family group. It took 2 trains and a 20-minute boat ride on the canal to get there. We ended up late. Tickets were $30 and spent all of that time to find them and failed. The place is huge! We did take a peek at the Textile Museum. The families next stop was …. But we skipped that to get ahead of them. We traveled to Siam Paragon Mall and waited.
We had lunch in the food court, which was about the size of a football field and packed to the gills, which made it a challenge to find seating for 12 people. I took a family photo and moved on.
China Town: Bangkok
In the heart of Bangkok’s China town back alleys seem to retreat into perpetual twilight, dark and hidden from the Bangkok sun by encroaching buildings, though still remains a relentless stagnant heat. These alleys, sometimes not much more than 3 meters across, but enough for a storefront for silk, shoes, or even a trinket or two. From time to time, you must dive into a cubby hole mixed up on the flotsam and jetsam of commerce to allow a motorcycle to go by. There is nothing of everyday use one cannot find here.
We find ourselves voluntary prisoners, lost in an urban labyrinth that has felt footsteps, smelled spices, and seen exotic curiosities for over 2 centuries. Our said destination was the art center, but it was the journey that filled the coffers of my mind and memory. I don’t think for was a moment for over an hour where I thought to myself “yep, I know exactly where I am”. On the contrary, when Diane would say, “what’s down that ally” I’d think ‘let’s find out.’ Maybe it was that cavalier attitude the simultaneously entertained us and got us lost. It wasn’t the kind of ‘lost’ born of fear, rather like wonderment and curiosity. Maybe Google Maps in my pocket gave us a net for our high-wire odyssey, but it remained an ‘adventure’.
A few times we poked our heads out of the catacombs and found the necessity to cross a busy arterial. Four lanes of bumper-to-bumper cars, motorcycles cheating and driving between the sidewalk and cars. Sidewalks were just real estate, stolen from pedestrians, for more commerce. All amongst this were the people just trying not to get injured or maimed.
The smells are as loud as the sights and sounds. I remember being surrounded by the aromatics of cooking, then suddenly it was as if someone had quickly murdered a thousand ripe oranges as we walked by a fruit stand.
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