Sunday 10 January
Sleep was not too bad on the train. It became colder as the night progressed, though I was able to adjust the AC to an extent. Despite warnings to the contrary, the train did get to Hualamphong Station pretty much on time at 6am in the morning. We emerged from the station, blinking bleary eyed into a Bangkok dawn, and grabbed a taxi. Just 80 Baht found us at the Baan Sathorn Apartments, where we were met by Nath, just before he had to dash off to the airport.
Our apartment was on the 9th floor, with a fine view toward the Chao Phraya River. A big living room, spacious bedroom, well equipped kitchen and a corner bathroom with the best view. Time to have a shower and freshen up at our leisure before heading off for some sightseeing. Our destination was Chautuchek Market, Bangkok’s famed weekend Market, now connected by Skytrain to the centre of the city. As it was a Sunday, the free shuttle ferry to Sathorn Taksim Station was only hourly, so we did not set off until just before 9am, arriving at the market (42 Baht by train) about 30 minutes later.
The market itself was less than impressive. We chose poorly and got bland noodles for late breakfast, the stalls were mostly pretty meh, and the narrow lanes were crowded and stuffy. No sign of the extensive pet section I remembered from our last visit in 1991. Best bit was durian ice cream, at a stand up stall. Minuk was successful in seeking out a woven leather belt.
We made our way back to the apartment, using the public cross river shuttle ferry (2.5 Baht ea). First to the supermarket in Sala Fair for supplies, thence and swim in the very sybaritic pool area. Very Roman Baths!
Dinner at nearby shopping centre – Sala Fair, which was convenient but rather underwhelming.
Monday 11 January
The plan was to go shopping, for new airplane audio adapters – Minuk’s old one was broken, so we took the Skytrain to Ratchaprop, then walked a few hundred metres to Pantip Plaza, a 4 level mall of all things electronic. Minuk also snagged a cheap Bluetooth speaker. Thence it was on a little further to Pratunam Mall, the multi-level no-brand fashion mall.
The attraction was lunch in very acceptable food Court – spicy pork, crisp fried fish, pork, durian soft serve icecream (with popcorn!). Naturally we shared a coconut.
Afterward, we took a public klong boat to Jim Thompson House, greeted by grumpy dancers in the courtyard. We elected to take French tour, so we could look at the impressive collectibles that Mr Thompson had accumulated in his very comfortable teak home. Jim Thompson had good taste indeed. In the lush garden, we were struck most by the ‘lonely fish’ in his very own pot. The shop provided expensive browsing, but upstairs, the ‘golden teardrop’ sculpture was a fitting finale to our visit.
A shuttle tuk-tuk brought us up to the Skytrain station at National Stadium, where retraced our morning trip. An afternoon swim was refreshing and relaxing.
Evening expedition to Charoen Krong to get street food. Found it at Bagram Bazaar Food Centre. Whilst we waited for our food to be cooked, we enjoyed a cooling coconut, then returned to the apartment to eat in AC comfort.
Tuesday 12 January
We had earned a lazy morning, so read, blogged and relaxed in our apartment.
Lunch in office canteen – pork and eggplant plus pumpkin & egg with rice. Brought home takeaway for dinner (bamboo shoot dish and pork and eggplant – bamboo shoots very spicy)
Afternoon trip to Wat Arun for sunset. We caught the river ferry six stops to Ta Tien, then crossed the river to the temple. Pretty. Awesomely crowded ferry back to Sathorn Taksim. Grabbed some satay en route back to apartment.
Wednesday 13 January
Morning walk through riverside. Bought Thai sweets inc ‘Golden Teardrop’ from stall on Charoen Krung.. Notable buildings inc East Asiatic Company, Assumption Cathedral and college, O.P. Place, Old Customs House (very dilapidated fire house). Very humid, hot, had a cooing coconut at entrance to quiet shady Haroon village. Back on Charoen Krung, Minuk bought 4 sets earrings at Silver wholesaler (300 Baht ea). No discount but cold drink.
Made our way to Bangkokian Museum, a preserved 20s style home of a doctor. Elegant and airy house and interesting and eclectic set of artefacts. Entry free, and they seemed genuinely happy to see visitors.
Passed shop selling massive bronze sculptures before reaching River City Shopping Centre. Had icecream in refreshing AC before taking free shuttle ferry back to Sathorn Taksim. Public Ferry over the river then bought lunch and dinner provisions at Food court adjacent car park for apartments where we’d eaten lunch yesterday. Today we had BBQ Catfish, fried chicken, pumpkin and rice and bitter gourd.
Thursday 14 January
Rose very early, packed and were in a taxi to the airport before 6am. Taxi driver was a real boy racer, and we got to Suvarnabhumi Airport in record time, at a cost of 500 Baht. Our passage through bag drop, security and immigration was uneventful and efficient. Less to be said for entering the departure lounge, which was beset by pointless extra baggage checks. No idea why.
Flight left late, and we were lumbered with the D plane – a vintage Boeing 777 which had a malfunctioning entertainment system, and lighting switches which turned on lights to seats across the aisle! Oh, and they darkened the plane for a daytime flight. Dumb. Breakfast was sub-standard too, worthy of the epithet ‘nasty’.
I finished ‘Luna: New Moon’, and read some stories from ‘Old Venus’ to pass the day. We arrived about half an hour late, and were quickly through immigration, baggage collection and customs. Sadly, Melbourne Airport’s taxi rank system contributed to a 30 minute wait for a taxi, due to poor signage, and hopeless traffic controllers.
Sleep was not too bad on the train. It became colder as the night progressed, though I was able to adjust the AC to an extent. Despite warnings to the contrary, the train did get to Hualamphong Station pretty much on time at 6am in the morning. We emerged from the station, blinking bleary eyed into a Bangkok dawn, and grabbed a taxi. Just 80 Baht found us at the Baan Sathorn Apartments, where we were met by Nath, just before he had to dash off to the airport.
Our apartment was on the 9th floor, with a fine view toward the Chao Phraya River. A big living room, spacious bedroom, well equipped kitchen and a corner bathroom with the best view. Time to have a shower and freshen up at our leisure before heading off for some sightseeing. Our destination was Chautuchek Market, Bangkok’s famed weekend Market, now connected by Skytrain to the centre of the city. As it was a Sunday, the free shuttle ferry to Sathorn Taksim Station was only hourly, so we did not set off until just before 9am, arriving at the market (42 Baht by train) about 30 minutes later.
The market itself was less than impressive. We chose poorly and got bland noodles for late breakfast, the stalls were mostly pretty meh, and the narrow lanes were crowded and stuffy. No sign of the extensive pet section I remembered from our last visit in 1991. Best bit was durian ice cream, at a stand up stall. Minuk was successful in seeking out a woven leather belt.
We made our way back to the apartment, using the public cross river shuttle ferry (2.5 Baht ea). First to the supermarket in Sala Fair for supplies, thence and swim in the very sybaritic pool area. Very Roman Baths!
Dinner at nearby shopping centre – Sala Fair, which was convenient but rather underwhelming.
Monday 11 January
The plan was to go shopping, for new airplane audio adapters – Minuk’s old one was broken, so we took the Skytrain to Ratchaprop, then walked a few hundred metres to Pantip Plaza, a 4 level mall of all things electronic. Minuk also snagged a cheap Bluetooth speaker. Thence it was on a little further to Pratunam Mall, the multi-level no-brand fashion mall.
The attraction was lunch in very acceptable food Court – spicy pork, crisp fried fish, pork, durian soft serve icecream (with popcorn!). Naturally we shared a coconut.
Afterward, we took a public klong boat to Jim Thompson House, greeted by grumpy dancers in the courtyard. We elected to take French tour, so we could look at the impressive collectibles that Mr Thompson had accumulated in his very comfortable teak home. Jim Thompson had good taste indeed. In the lush garden, we were struck most by the ‘lonely fish’ in his very own pot. The shop provided expensive browsing, but upstairs, the ‘golden teardrop’ sculpture was a fitting finale to our visit.
A shuttle tuk-tuk brought us up to the Skytrain station at National Stadium, where retraced our morning trip. An afternoon swim was refreshing and relaxing.
Evening expedition to Charoen Krong to get street food. Found it at Bagram Bazaar Food Centre. Whilst we waited for our food to be cooked, we enjoyed a cooling coconut, then returned to the apartment to eat in AC comfort.
Tuesday 12 January
We had earned a lazy morning, so read, blogged and relaxed in our apartment.
Lunch in office canteen – pork and eggplant plus pumpkin & egg with rice. Brought home takeaway for dinner (bamboo shoot dish and pork and eggplant – bamboo shoots very spicy)
Afternoon trip to Wat Arun for sunset. We caught the river ferry six stops to Ta Tien, then crossed the river to the temple. Pretty. Awesomely crowded ferry back to Sathorn Taksim. Grabbed some satay en route back to apartment.
Wednesday 13 January
Morning walk through riverside. Bought Thai sweets inc ‘Golden Teardrop’ from stall on Charoen Krung.. Notable buildings inc East Asiatic Company, Assumption Cathedral and college, O.P. Place, Old Customs House (very dilapidated fire house). Very humid, hot, had a cooing coconut at entrance to quiet shady Haroon village. Back on Charoen Krung, Minuk bought 4 sets earrings at Silver wholesaler (300 Baht ea). No discount but cold drink.
Made our way to Bangkokian Museum, a preserved 20s style home of a doctor. Elegant and airy house and interesting and eclectic set of artefacts. Entry free, and they seemed genuinely happy to see visitors.
Passed shop selling massive bronze sculptures before reaching River City Shopping Centre. Had icecream in refreshing AC before taking free shuttle ferry back to Sathorn Taksim. Public Ferry over the river then bought lunch and dinner provisions at Food court adjacent car park for apartments where we’d eaten lunch yesterday. Today we had BBQ Catfish, fried chicken, pumpkin and rice and bitter gourd.
Thursday 14 January
Rose very early, packed and were in a taxi to the airport before 6am. Taxi driver was a real boy racer, and we got to Suvarnabhumi Airport in record time, at a cost of 500 Baht. Our passage through bag drop, security and immigration was uneventful and efficient. Less to be said for entering the departure lounge, which was beset by pointless extra baggage checks. No idea why.
Flight left late, and we were lumbered with the D plane – a vintage Boeing 777 which had a malfunctioning entertainment system, and lighting switches which turned on lights to seats across the aisle! Oh, and they darkened the plane for a daytime flight. Dumb. Breakfast was sub-standard too, worthy of the epithet ‘nasty’.
I finished ‘Luna: New Moon’, and read some stories from ‘Old Venus’ to pass the day. We arrived about half an hour late, and were quickly through immigration, baggage collection and customs. Sadly, Melbourne Airport’s taxi rank system contributed to a 30 minute wait for a taxi, due to poor signage, and hopeless traffic controllers.