April 14, 2016

Down by the Riverside

Alas, it is spring break and it couldn't have come at a more appropriate time! Not only was I in great need of a break from school, but this year my birthday introduced the week-long vacation which made it a wonderful birthday present... something I know the planners of our school calendar had in mind all along =)

Our spring break also coincided with the Thai New Year called Songkran when it is common throughout the week to douse unsuspecting strangers on the street with water from buckets, water guns and anything else that can hold water. I had a unique experience during Songkran when I lived in Chiang Mai four years ago (view this post). Truth be told, with temperatures soaring to the 40C+ mark at this time of year, there were times I was looking for those with water to spray some my way while moving about Bangkok.

Summer vacation is only a matter of six weeks away when I plan to head to Europe and Canada, so I knew I didn't want to travel anywhere outside of Bangkok this week. After some serious thought on the matter, I decided on a stay-cation in an area of Bangkok that I don't get to very often: the Chao Phraya River. The name of the river can be translated as the River of Kings, which makes sense since the Grand Palace and other royal sites are located adjacent to it.

I figured if I book a hotel in this area then I can easily get to some of the main attractions like the Grand Palace, Flower Market, National Museum, and as many Wats as I can handle. So after church on Sunday morning, I headed via public transit to the hotel I booked on the Chao Phraya. It is truly wonderful to be able to get around Bangkok via taxi, skytrain and riverboat... and it all cost less than a Happy Meal at the local McDonalds to get to the hotel!





Well, I've got to say my choice of hotel and neighborhood was wonderful but I was not able to see some tourist attractions as planned. My first day, for instance, I ventured out and came up empty. Not only was I stopped by the Thai police outside the Grand Palace who informed me that I needed to wear long pants if I wanted to go inside, but when I stopped a tuk-tuk the driver told me the National Museum, which was next on my itinerary, is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Go figure. Since it was not even a thought to bring long pants with me in this 40C degree heat, I gave up on the idea of visiting the Grand Palace and decided I can return during a cooler time of year when I accompany visitors to Thailand.


My second day was more successful as I was able to get to Chinatown and some more-modern shopping areas in the neighborhood; interesting juxtaposition of the old and new! It's safe to say that life is never boring when you walk the streets of Asia. It was only after I downloaded a picture of a pickup filled with produce that I noticed a boy sleeping in the back!





I was also able to experience life on the river from my hotel room and as I cruised up and down via river taxi. It was unique heading to the local coffee shop and restaurants by boat and then witness the nightlife that came alive after the sun went down. The view from above definitely kept my attention and was a perfect place to relax with my latest novel.




I'm sure I'll head back to this area again -- if not for overnight stays then at least to visit some of the attractions that I was not able to get to this time around.