Bye Bye Bangkok (for now)

Another detailed email from Steph.

It's 10a.m. on Wednesday in Bangkok..about 8p.m. in California. I'm writing again as I don't know what our access to the internet will be like when we reach the islands tonight.

Our last day was the hot & steamiest yet. When I woke up, I looked out at the Phraya Chao River and it was busy, as usual, with water taxis, shuttle boats, and river barges carrying rubber. The dense heat and gray sky sat on top of the tall buildings around us. It was going to be a hot one! We managed to get another run in and headed out for the day.

Our first stop was at the food cart across from our hotel. We ordered a soup that consisted of a clear broth with fish balls, chicken, root vegetable, garlic and scallions. Adding chili turned the broth a light red. It was the best dollar ever spent! We continued to the River Market, which is a mall dedicated to arts & antiquities. Don't worry, Tony, I didn't buy the giant Buddha head that I wanted for the garden ;) We jumped on a water shuttle and headed down the river, where we boarded the sky train-Bangkok's version of the subway/metro system. It was clean, cool, and high above ground-giving us a great vantage point of the bustling city. We stopped at MBK Mall and Siam Square. The mall was magnificent-floor upon floor of stores, from Zara to Jimmy Choo. We bought a few shirts made by Thai designers and enjoyed people watching (and air conditioning!). We then headed outside to Siam Square, an outdoor clothing market frequented by young Thai's, shopping in the flea market style kiosks. Rows upon rows of clothing, accessories, food shops made for a local experience. School kids walked the streets in matching uniforms. The heat and smells of the street assaulted our senses. We spent hours there, and ended our afternoon with a deliciously fresh papaya salad and bbq pork.

The 5:30a.m. wake up and humidity had taken it's toll. Our plans to hit Khao San Road, the backpacker area, seemed a bit ambitious now. We decided instead to explore what was billed as Bangkok's best view of the city, at the Lebua Hotel. 69 floors above ground, with a dome raising in the beyond that, it did not disappoint. We stood there and took in the arial view of a sprawling city. There is no epicenter in Bangkok, but rather districts that run into & push up against one another. Skyscrapers emerge from every direction, and rivers run in different directions. We had a $10 cocktail-steep for what we've been used to-and looked around at what has proved to be an impressive city. We went to another rooftop bar, the Banyan Tree, where we sipped a capirinha and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the city below us.

We decided to head back to our hotel and start packing for our journey to the islands. Again, we had a great night of sleep..Today, we plan to visit the Jim Johnson Museum (he helped revive the Thai silk industry), and return to Siam Square. We'll also visit Chinatown and experience another temple.

While there is so much more to do & see here in Bangkok, we are looking forward to a change of pace-and some fresh island air.

Miss everyone.

Love,

Stephanie