Thailand Ties - Part I

You'll start your journey of enchantment at the airport, which will greet you with sparkling floors and garden beds. Try not to stay where tourists abound: your experience will be so much more authentic. And The Royal River Hotel, right on the banks of the Chao Praya unequivocally contributed to our experience .

Navigating on the river is the quickest, least polluted and most fun way to get around. A round trip anywhere will cost you 20 baht; I encourage you to hop onto one of those water buses, with no particular destination. Be amazed at the different faces of Bangkok: magnificent wats reside next to haphazardly constructed shacks; steely glass skyscrapers seem to question their less than glamorous neighbors; the enormous, golden back of a Buddha will appear, and suddenly be swarmed by a zillion pigeons in need of a perch.

Must do Chinatown! Nothing, absolutely nothing can prepare you for this assault and marvelous immersion into a people and their daily struggle to survive. You become so entranced into this seemingly endless dance of life that you forget you are walking down interminable streets, that you are sweating, that you are tired.

Quick Tips:

No trip to Thailand should be undertaken without a detour to Chiang Mai, the second largest city to the north. It takes about an hour by plane, 8 hours by express train. Whichever mode you choose, don’t miss it.

Depending upon how much time you have, you may also wish to push further north to Chiang Rai, or to the Golden Triangle, the area bordered by Myanmar and Cambodia.

The Night Bazaar is another mind boggling experience, and although there are many throughout both cities, the best one to see is the Kalare which is mostly indoors, and is 3 stories high. Back in Bangkok, Jim Thompson’s Thai House proved to be more interesting than described. The Royal Grand Palace which is on the same grounds as the Wat Phra Kaew will have you looking up for the better part of two hours. And if you’ve never been on an elephant, Thai tours all include day excursions to elephant farms, where the ride is the most exhilarating of the activities. If you prefer less intimate contact with animals, try the oxen ride where you’ll catch a glimpse of the beautifully clad Northern tribespeople.

Best Way To Get Around:

Please don't drive in Bangkok unless you are courting coronary disease. The city is already enveloped in exhaust fumes; taxis are plentiful, but be sure to negotiate your fare before getting in. For a hairier, but definitely less confining ride, the tuk-tuks are a blast for short distances. There is also a sky train, which we didn't board, but others did. The river launches were our preferred mode of transport, and then, alas, your feet. You will need them to negotiate narrow streets and alleys which uncover new wonders at every turn.

This hotel will surprise the hell out of you!. At less than a week before departure, we found everything booked for the days we needed lodging. We braved it for all of 1100 baht*(USD24) per night at the Royal River Hotel.

It is best to take a taxi from the airport so you can negotiate your rate prior to boarding. While en route, Chuck was doing his usual ritualistic dance about roach havens and snake pits in the room. As we turned right at the end of a run down street, a white façade and a holiday lit garden led to a ramp which promised an interesting entrance. There were steps on both sides, with the ones on the left leading to the registration desk. The bell staff were immediately at hand, and carried all of our luggage as we proceeded to check in.

Immaculately polished floors and a fusion of fresh flowers greeted us; more lights were visible through the glass doors which led to the outdoor eating area, and boarding onto the hotel’s very own dinner cruise ship. Roach Haven?

Multiple languages were flying in the air and English was not one of them. During our entire stay in Thailand, we encountered few or no Americans. Many French, Australian, German and Italian folks and others who came from the immediate areas of China, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The world seems bigger when you’re in Asia.

The registration staff reception was courteous, but there was evidence of great difficulty with English. The only room we had been able to get was one with double beds, which we both dislike a great deal. A 20 baht tip to the reservation clerk got us an upgrade to a suite with a king size bed, with a balcony that offered a river view. You need to know that at that very moment, we still did not fully grasp the value of the money, otherwise, I think we would have been a bit more generous.

Our room was a blessing! By any standard, it was huge: a king size bed with lovely, dark blond woods on furniture and closets. A separate area with table and four chairs, which served as our shopping holding area for most of our trip. A working desk with DD phones, air conditioning (insist on this if you have any desire of living to the next day). A veranda with two armchairs and a table, but the best thing there were the two bougainvillea trees on each side. The bathroom was super spacious, but the lighting was poor; also the air conditioning does not reach that part of the room. A bar is also available with complimentary water every day, sundry snacks and also liquor. The prices are ridiculously low, so you can raid the darn thing on a daily basis.

You will find 5 separate eating areas, a swimming pool, a beauty salon with sauna/massage, and huge conference rooms for business meetings.

We had been walking seemingly forever; actually, we had been on our way to Wat Pho, and took a detour, going straight ahead and decided to slum around a typical Thai food market which was riverside. The scene was no less chaotic than anything else in Bangkok, and after we did the once around, we found this charming bistro which looked very European from the outside; the doors were closed which meant the place was air-conditioned, and that was definitely a deciding factor.

As we walked in, we could see that the wait staff was dressed in khaki outfits, looking like uniformed schoolchildren or safari candidates. The placed was filled with tourists, and it looked as if it had been devised for that purpose. A very gracious young lady showed us to a table that was situated in a corner with huge windows on both sides, so one could feel the bustle outside the café without being brutalized by the crowds. The menu was very colorful, and in both Thai and English. We were parched, so cokes were ordered immediately, and came in glass bottles; this always charms me because whenever I’ve been to Asia, and even Turkey, I’ve never seen the plastic variety.

The décor was in a neutral beige which added to the cool ambiance, and lovely market umbrellas were strategically placed throughout the seating area. Each rattan table was covered with glass, and a suggested menu of sweets with a stalk of small bananas. These are to be eaten after your meal, in lieu of a mint?? They were postively yummy.

The food was ridiculously inexpensive; a quick look at the menu revealed that the house salad was the costliest item at $1.75 (prices are in bahts). You could get dim sum for $0.70; if that did not fill your tummy, $1.50 could buy you spaghetti with pork sauce or roasted chicken with dumplings, which is what we had. Have a look at the picture below . There were assorted natural fruit juices for $1.00, cappuccino for $0.70, and a large Singha beer for $1.85, the latter became Chuck’s favorite in short order. The dessert menu offered chocolate and other cakes and various ice cream floats which we both stayed away from.

Don’t expect express service, but good service it will be: for instance, when the meal arrived, I was ecstatic over the salad because it had peanuts in it, and dug in unhesitatingly. Heavens, did I forget that this is the land of red chili peppers or what? My mouth was on fire. I told our waitress that I was very sorry, but could not consume the salad because I was not accustomed to the sharp taste; though she did not speak English, my expressions were obvious. She took the plate, and returned about 5 minutes later with a watered down version of the salad. Is that service for $1.50 or what? We had a delicious time.

The Saichon Lobby Lounge is the perfect place to relax if you don't feel like stepping out, and you're not inclined to go to your room.

It is situated to the left of the registration area, and one wall is completely glass, so that you can enjoy an unobstructed view of the Chao Praya River. This becomes truly magnificent in the evening, and I've posted a photo of that so you can get the flavor.

In addition to hard liquor, wines and beers, you can have espresso based drinks, teas, and the greatest "lemon juice" I've ever tasted. If you like real lemonade, order it as such. By the way, wines from Chile are very popular here, as we later found out in Chiang Mai, and here, they served Santiago Chardonnay and Santiago Cabernet Sauvignon .

Finger sandwiches are available with a variety of fillings including cheese and ham. In general, cheese in not found everywhere in Bangkok; for instance, the breakfast buffet here has no cheese whatsoever, and I'm a cheese lover.

Service is courteous and fairly prompt. The hostess is clad in traditional Thai dress, which includes a luxurious, long silk wrap around skirt. Next to the bar is a real piano, where a real pianist shows up every evening (except Monday) to play Continental music from 6pm to 10 pm.

They have monthly cooking demonstrations here; for November, you could learn how to make Sweet Shredded Egg with real Thai coffee and/or tea for Bs.70 (US$1.60). In December, Gelato Caffé Latté was on the schedule. I can't think of a better way to spend a couple of dollars, can you?

This is also a great spot to read the local newspaper, The Nation which we both devoured, as it was one of the best international publications we had ever seen outside of the New York Times.

Another blessing here is the 24-hour room service, courtesy of the Tang Nam Restaurant. Our $24/night room included breakfast for two. Our first night in Bangkok, we woke up at 3:00am to have dinner. We ordered a wonderfully warm lobster bisque with hot rolls which was delivered very promptly. VAT and room delivery charges are included in your bill.

The next morning, we went down to the ground floor for breakfast. You can seat yourself where you wish. Breakfast is served buffet style, and you will find the usual Western favorites like eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, French Toast, croissants, dinner rolls, miniature Danishes with assorted jams and butter. Additionally, Thai favorites such as fried rice or noodles with vegetables and egg, chicken and pork sausages, fish or other broth, rice, salty anchovies, salted eggs figure on the menu. Coffee, tea and juices are plentiful with a modest amount of cereal.

The best thing is the fruit bar where you can enjoy sinfully sweet watermelon and pineapple, melon and honeydew. You can also have omelets with any number of ingredients thrown in.

There are plenty of servers around to refill your coffee or tea and clear dirty plates. The only draw back was an oftentimes blaring, huge television in the center of the restaurant which drove me to distraction. All TV’s in the rooms carry the BBC channel and surprisingly, none of the American news channels.

We did have dinner here one night, and I didn’t have a chance to scope out the entire offering because I felt ill and had to retire upstairs. I did not miss the dessert table however, which was replete with luscious cakes and crèmes, exotic fresh fruits and petits fours.

Immediately across the floor from the Tang Nam was a bakery stand where you could purchase individual slices of cakes or fruit and chocolate tarts, or have them make something especially for you if you needed it. I found that kind of service exceptional.

To the right of the restaurant were the doors leading to the outside, but the heat was intolerable, and one could only stay a few minutes in the early morning or very late evening. They have an enormous sitting area with tables where they probably serve food and drinks when feasible. It is adorned with potted palms and bougainvillea just about everywhere; by the way, the bougainvillea in Thailand might as well be as common as a weed. It is literally everywhere and in 3 or 4 colors. To the side of the patio is the yacht which offers a nightly dinner cruise except for Sundays.

The Chao Phraya river is Bangkok’s lifeline: it was our preferred mode of transportation, especially in hot and humid weather. It is a long ribbon of brown/grayish water, with Bangkok on one side and Thonburi on the other. Most important historical sites are built on its banks. We were at Station 16, a 5 minute walk from our hotel. Piles of sandbags are always around the stations; frequently, you will find wooden planks positioned above ground so as to offer dry paths to pedestrians. Alas, on most, only one person can really fit and it becomes a game of wills when 2 or more people are trying to get through.

The river boats that are the workhorses of the Chao Praya are categorized as Yellow or Orange express lines, and White for local. Our fare was Bs. 10 apiece, the highest fare for going from Zone 2 to Zone 1. There are 3 zones in all, and they’ll be denoted on any river map.

You can hire a private boat that will take you for an hour’s ride, which we did, for Bs. 600 (US$14) and make stops at designated tourist spots. We did not want to make any stops, but we sat side by side toward the front of the vessel, and as we turned into one of the khlongs (canals), we caught glimpses of everyday life. Most remarkable to me was that regardless of how seedy the housing, every one had an abundance of potted flowers and plants. We went through a small floating market, and had a few vendors trying to interest us in knick knacks. A bit further, we stopped and bought bread to feed fish that magically surfaced in hundreds. It reminded me very much of Lake Mead, where we had a similar experience, feeding the fish popcorn.

As I suggested earlier, just get on one of these boats and take it as far as you can go. For 25 cents, you’ll get an overview of Bangkok and then you can decide where you’d like to further your explorations.

The best seat in the house is on your feet, posted at one of the openings toward the back, but take care not to stand where they reserve the area for monks. If it’s very crowded, you’ll be constantly elbowed by new passengers making their way to the front of the boat, and by the conductor/tress, who will tear your ticket in half with this circular metal coin holder which she seems to enjoy shaking to no end. If there is any irritant at all, it is the sound of the strident whistle you cannot escape, which is heard as a signal to the captain that he can proceed to the next stop. At times, two boats will get very close to each other, and their insurance against collision comes in the forms of used tires which they hang on the sides of the barges. Very clever indeed.

A Wat is very simply a Buddhist temple, where historically, it was the center of learning. No one writes specifically about Wat Phra Kaeo , as it usually gets mentioned via the Grand Palace visit. However, as temples go, this is the most important in all of Thailand and the most revered, as it houses the Emerald Buddha image (Phra Kaeo)since 1782. The image was carved from a single block of jade.

.There are no monks living here, as this Wat serves as a royal chapel.

It is strictly forbidden to take pictures while in the chapel, but one can see his image on any number of websites where people have captured a photo by zooming in from the outside.

The story surrounding this image is interesting; in the mid 15th century, the Emerald Buddha was found, covered in plaster, in Chiang Rai, a city north of Bangkok. From there it was moved to Lampang by a king ? and toward the last quarter of the 15th century, yet another Chiang Mai king called it his own. Around 1550, through political machinations of marriage and power, the Buddha was moved to Laos, were it remained for a dozen years or so. When the capital of Laos was changed to Ventiane, the Emerald Buddha followed suit and had a rest there for over 200 years. Finally captured as a city by King Rama I, the image was brought back to Thonburi, a name that at the time designated Bangkok. And it arrived at the Temple specifically built for it in 1784.

The temple itself is small by comparison to the other mammoth and magnificent buildings of the Grand Palace. At the entrance are gargatuan mythical lions called singhas , and the huge door panels are inlaid with mother of pearl. When I went into the chapel at first, I couldn't find the Buddha. Our guide pointed it out to me, as it sits on a very high pedestal which measures 11 meters. It is surrounded by umbrellas, much the same as the ones we had seen in Bali, during ceremonies. Our guide then showed us, in photos, the three seasonal costumes worn by the Buddha, which are summer, winter and rainy. His majesty, the King, presides over each costume change.

The walls are covered with paintings which are too fantastic to be able to describe. Two large Buddha images stand in front of the altar; they are dedications of a grandson to his father and grandfather, Kings Rama I and II. A series of paintings depicting special events in the life of Lord Buddha are set above the window frames; the ones behind the altar denote Buddhist Cosmology.

Please ensure that you are dressed respectfully when you visit; this means no bare arms or legs. In the event that you lapse, they will rent you clothing with a Bs. 100 deposit which you can get back upon returning.

The Jim Thompson story is a compelling one; we had read about him prior to our visit to Bangkok, and the mystery surrounding his disappearance doesn’t seem much of a mystery to me. He lived well and large, owing to the great success of his silk empire, and somebody didn’t like it.

His house has been transformed into a museum, and the tour is well worth it. The gift shop is absolutely marvelous, despite the fact that it exploits his name shamelessly. The quality and selection of gift items is unmatched; you are left to browse to your heart’s content and no one will try to sell you anything.

Since it was strictly forbidden to take photos in the interior of the house complex, you can go here and have a look at the few photographs, but more importantly, the configuration and design of the house itself.

An architect by training, Thompson had the walls of the main house turned inside out, so that the beauty of the teak could be admired. All the doors are at an angle so as to remain true to the shape of the reclining roof. There are six structures all told, and for each, materials came from all over the country for their assembly.

He was also a great collector, and one can see, especially in the famous drawing room, the trophies brought back from his travels. I especially liked the drums that became lamp bases. All the rooms have raised thresholds, which are supposed to keep evil spirits at bay; more practically, as we were informed by our guide, they also keep young babies from falling into the rivers.

Thompson sought the advice of a Buddhist monk for the most propitious time to have his house built; unfortunately, the spirits did not favor him in the long run.

The house is replete with windows and there are lots of open areas that allow for cross ventilation. The furnishings are quite elaborate and many are decorated with mother of pearl inlaid into the wood. Under the window sills are carvings that one usually finds in wealthy homes or temples. An image of Buddha at the entrance has a special niche, and facing his bed, there is a large inscribed stone which must have some spiritual meaning.

Thompson also managed to emulate the exotic flora of Southeast Asia on the grounds of his house. Narrow paved walkways separate the wild growth, and every once in a while, you’ll catch some dazzling group of flowers. The house is on the banks of one of the city’s many khlongs. And he was quite the host: people loved being invited to Thompson’s house, which probably welcomed the world’s who’s who. As they would come in the front door, their feet would touch black and white marble tiles that had been imported from Italy, and if they faced the staircase, they’d see huge paintings in the traditional Chinese style hanging.

Much in Thailand’s culture is a product of Chinese and Indian influences dating back as early as the third century BCE. Chinatown is not only a geographic location, but it is an atmosphere, a labyrinth of incessant "in your face" people, smells, hawking, gawking, and so many alleyways that you do lose sight of the major arteries.

Our taxi left us off in the jewelry district, where neon signs will overshadow Chinese lanterns. Huge is an understatement here. Chuck and I wondered if there would be enough people in the world to buy all the gold we had seen on just one street. If you’re not turned on by the jewels, as I am, I began to notice what was around on the street, on the pavement, and there would be a beggar with amputated arms and legs. Even so, he would put his stunted limbs together in the form of the traditional Thai greeting to ask for alms. Huge dichotomy.

Woks of hot oil were being readied for whatever was the "plat du jour". Eating is serious business in Thailand, no matter where. The sidewalks are in dire need of repair, and as I found out, some streets have no sidewalk at all, but rather a stretch of sand.

We came to stop at an intersection and looked right and left and at each other as if to say: "shall we attempt to sink in the human mass that lies ahead"? And so in we dove! It was brutally hot and humid that afternoon, but, in retrospect, awfully brave. Our eyes simply could not grasp all there was, and our minds finally understood when our computers give us a "fatal error" message. Hundreds, maybe thousands of makeshift shops are set up on both sides of the street, on the sidewalk, off the sidewalk, in the middle of the street, so that barely one person can get through. Here you will find every blessed thing under the sun that you might need at home, for your car (yes! They were selling engines) for your closet, - what were the guns and rifles for? ,-for your babies, and yes, hardware galore! And in multiples!

Then came the sea of CD’s, DVD’s and CVD’s, the latter being a foreign term for me. I think the FTC would have spent their time better going after piracy across the ocean than worrying about Napster. The latest movies are available, for the most part either dubbed or subtitled in Thai. I broke into hysterics as I saw Arnold do his terminator thing in Thai. Every so often, you’d see a group of young men huddled around in a rear section of video, and you just knew the porn section had appeared. If a new movie is opening in your town this week, chances are it’s available on DVD in Thailand already.

The most unforgettable thing? Selling teeth on the sidewalks.