Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or a novice tourist, Bangkok offers something for everyone. Let’s dive into our latest escapades in this ancient and modern city of contrasts.

After having a late dinner and finally getting settled into our digs in Bangkok, we had a good night’s sleep in our comfortable room. It required first going into the living room and asking one of our hosts to please hold down the noise a little, as he was engaging in an animated (i.e., boisterous) conversation with a lady friend. He cheerfully complied, and we got some snoozing accomplished, not waking up until about 8:00, thanks to the bell from the school across the street. Not to mention the boisterous students, some of whom were climbing out the second story window and onto the awning of the school building. Kids will be kids, in any country.

Alice’s House AirBnB

It was a pretty nice AirBnB apartment we were sharing, whose hosts had dubbed Alice’s House, though there was no one there named Alice or anything like it — it was an apparent reference to Alice In Wonderland; the place had a bohemian decor and vibe, though from the outside it appeared to be a bland, nondescript modern apartment complex. At least it had a swimming pool, which one of us braved and found it to be a bit chilly.

Our first order of business was to round up some grub. Our apartment had a fully equipped kitchen, with some rather sophisticated cookware, courtesy of the hostess’s sister, who had a TV cooking show,

As Seen in our Neighborhood

Fortunately, from our previous time in this city, we knew where we could find a great supermarket. Unfortunately, it was several miles away. Fortunately, we didn’t mind at all, because it gave us an excuse and a mission to be out and about in this fascinating little town.

One thing we did was take a little tour of a temple that was near us, and which was open to the public free of charge (though of course donations are always welcomed). It always amazes us to see how people leave offerings of food and drink to the spirits — who apparently have acquired some rather modernized tastes.

Another mission we had to complete was finding an economical source of drinking water. Our hosts had provided some bottles of water for a charge, but we didn’t want to have to buy small bottles, wasting plastic, and costing more than just filling our own waterpacks somewhere. Ultimately, we found an economical water machine almost directly across the street, in a laundromat.

Sweet Offerings for the Gods

Speaking of water, it’s really a cool way to get around in Bangkok. People associate Venice with canals, and maybe Amsterdam (which actually has more canals), but many people don’t realize that Bangkok also has its share of them. They are major transportation arteries stretching throughout the city and suburbs, with an ample fleet of water taxis operating at very cheap fares, to get you where you need to go, or connect you with other transportation that can.

Transportation via Canal Boat

And one more mission was to find some gifts. Soon we’d be visiting some old friends in Japan, where it’s the custom for visitors to bring gifts for everyone they visit. Our friends there always brought some delightful gifts when they came to America; and in fact, they also presented us with gifts when we visited them in Japan previously, many years ago. With their superlative hospitality and generosity, we absolutely couldn’t neglect finding gifts for them.

After looking in a number of shops, we were still scratching our heads over what to take them, with the clock ticking away furiously. And then we stumbled upon an inconspicuous little shop that sells personalized leather items — purses, wallets, passport covers, book covers, etc. — and also feature a piece of bling of the customer’s choice, including some that commemorate Thailand or Bangkok. So we had items made to order with our friends’ names on them and, while we were at it, had a gift personalized for our son, Zephyr.

Made in Bangkok

So then, with all of our missions accomplished, we could just enjoy the rest of our time in Bangkok, with its temples, canals, history, culture, and metropolitan internationalism.

2/20-22/2023