Aun , who I met in Bangkok in 2019
The other week I had a message on my Facebook from a guy I met 4 years ago in Bangkok. Back then he was studying at University and trying to make some extra money by offering massage in hotels. We met a couple of times and the week after he came to stay for a weeks vacation in Pattaya. He wrote to tell me he finished his degree and asked if I still remembered him. When I was searching through my external hard drive for his photos I found a load more from my week in Bangkok during Ramadan 2019 and decided to put them into a blog. Sadly , whilst Aun has finished his degree he now has Colon Cancer and a blood infection.
Even I managed to navigate my way around on Public Transport
I used to stay in Bangkok a lot between 2010 and 2020 and the more I stayed the more places I discovered. Its really easy to get around with the RTS, buses and taxis and there are lots of lovely parks, markets and museums.
The first of my favourite parks is Benchasiri where you can walk, get away from the traffic, sit by the lake and forget you are in a big city.
Remember that back in 2019 I was living in Bahrain so it was nice to be in a green park!
Watching the birds by the lake- no feeding allowed
My friend Kevin recommended a well situated reasonably priced hotel , the Tai - Pan on Soi Sukhumvit. The room was modern and relaxing and there was a great buffet breakfast and a coffee shop and restaurant. (https://www.taipanhotel.com/ )
Our room at the Tai- Pan Hotel in Bangkok
Another park we enjoyed walking in was Lumphini Park where there were lots of statues.
Whilst we were waking around we found a nice little restaurant with a great choice of meat and wines, which I know my neighbour Benny here in PPC will love.
Please note the prices ( in Thai Baht ) were back in 2019
Look at the size of this Lamb ( Tupa!) - bit bigger than the stuff in Puerto Deli!
I opted for the steak with fried egg and a bottle of sparkling water.
Then I followed that with this....
It was a very relaxing place to eat and as we were the only customers there we stayed for some time
Wanchai and I enjoying our lunch
The hotel also organised trips and coach tours and so one day we went to the railway market and then the floating market. The market at Maeklong station is now internationally famous with many vlogs showing how the market stalls are moved from the railway lines every time the train comes through. They even built a railway market at Global Village in Dubai in 2022 with stalls like railway carriages selling Thai food.
Next stop was the floating market where we stopped to buy various gifts as we floated down the river
Boats selling fresh fruit at the Floating market
We visited a couple of museums and saw some local handicrafts. I loved this monkey made from a coconut.
I loved this monkey carved from a coconut
Wandering barefoot around an old house which had been turned into a museum and went to an art gallery
Wanchai with the small mask ( 2019 was during COV 19)
After our busy week in Bangkok we headed north to Chaing Rai and Chaing Mai to see Wanchai's family and attend a Thai cookery course. I got my airports mixed up ( there are two in BKK- International and Domestic) and booked a night at the Novotel at the International airport before our flight from the Domestic airport. To make matters worse there is no public transport between the two so we had to get a taxi! However the Novotel is one of my favourite hotels built around a square with a Japanese garden in the middle, and yet it's next to the airport.
In the Japanese garden in the centre of the Novotel at Bangkok airport
The bathroom was stocked with plenty of toiletries for a relaxing night!
I hope you have enjoyed this blog and if you would like me to write about somewhere else I have travelled to just let me know.
Hello, I am The British Kabayan! Feel free to read my stories.
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