Bangkok, between Despair and Ecstasy

Bangkok, first shocked me to tears, then I started loving its grey, abuzz, glowing vibe.

From an amazing stay at Column Bangkok featuring incredible views from the 32nd floor and an infinity pool, to its vibrant nightlife, lively rooftops and shopping malls galore, Bangkok tickled all my senses.

View from Column Bangkok Hotel

Nightfall was descending over Asian territory when we finally arrived in Bangkok, after a layover in Oman and a most lovely stay in Dubai. We set out to explore the city, eager and confident that our 2-week stay would prove wonderful and unforgettable, though one should never trust first impressions under jet lagged eyes. Our first stop was Chinatown, its neon lights and humming atmosphere in full swing. The place seemed chaotic and unsettling and it failed to provoke the usual excitement I manifest towards shiny night markets, probably due to my tiredness. Nonetheless, a first tasting of the durian fruit, while keeping my nostrils sealed, was definitely interesting and never to be repeated again. Soi Cowboy, a popular tourist spot on our way back to the hotel, was a cluster of lust, with scantily dressed girls or boys, tipsy tourists and an overall disorderly atmosphere that I assume one could only navigate in a drunken state. Not what I expected for my first taste of Thailand, but things were about to get better, more in tune to my romantic view of Asia.

Second day in Bangkok, after a night of good rest, turned out much more serene. We dedicated it to temple hopping, commencing with the famous Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha, which I had my reservations to visit due to its touristy vibe and perpetual crowds. The Grand Palace was indeed packed with tourists on what proved to be a torrid day, however it left a lasting impression through its clean state and embellished buildings, some gold-plated, others gilt-stucco adorned, but overall making sense in their polyphony of shapes and colors. With no guide to show us around, we thought we had missed the Emerald Buddha, whom despite its famous status, is a 60cm statue adorning Phra Ubosot (The Convocation Hall).

The next stop was the Wat Pho temple, with its notorious Reclining Buddha. I was not impressed by the elongated gold Buddha, but the surroundings of the temple were lovely, with lots of embellished towers and intricate adornments. I thought that our incursion into Southeast Asia will be marked by many temple visits, but this day proved the most extensive one - I guess temple fatigue is a real thing in Thailand.

We took the boat on the Chao Phraya river, opposite Wat Arun and stopped at Icon Siam, what I deem to be the most posh mall in Bangkok, with dancing fountains and a light show occurring each evening in this winter time. Icon Siam was a sight to remember - it really impressed me with its architecture, its modern vibe, generous food court, crafts shops, from where I bought the most amazing souvenirs, most of them elephant-shaped.

As I would later discover, Thailand was abundant in souvenir shops and crafts boutiques, with a hard to ignore elephant motif. Probably I should have taken my time sweet time choosing souvenirs all across Thailand in the 5 weeks to follow, but the first days’ excitement was difficult to contain and Icon Siam featured such lovely craft shops, especially at its ground level.

Icon Siam Mall in Bangkok when the fountain show started

On our third day, we started our exploration late, far too late for what we had planned during the day. We hailed a taxi at about noon and set course for Damneon Saduak, a renowned floating market, at about 100km from Bangkok. In late afternoon, when we finally reached the place, it was pretty much devoid of tourists, only colorful boats remaining, floating gently on the canals, bearing coconut ice cream, fruits, mango sticky rice, the usual Thai delights.

The whole experience consisted of navigating the canals and stopping to haggle with the merchants. I enjoyed this experience but I would not repeat it, the water canal was muddy and the souvenirs’ vendors aggressive in their pursuit of catching our attention.

It seems that Thai people will settle a market in any environment, be it on water canals or railways or the very city center. On our way back, we made a brief stop at the Maeklong Railway Market, with its usual display of bric-a-bracs, not being able to shake the feeling of how touristy these places feel and wanting suddenly to experience a more authentic Thailand.

Damneon Saduak Floating Market and coconut ice-cream

Lumpini Park was bustling with people on a weekend day when we visited it. The place was an oasis amongst skyscrapers, little boats navigating the lake and giant lizards at the shore, scaring the heck out of me. The park is well-known for these creatures residing on the shore and in the water, making a frightening sight for some of us.

The Benchachiti Park was another oasis in the urban jungle, conveniently situated right next to our Column Bangkok Hotel. This green spot featured swaying palm trees, marshes and the cutest singing birds.

Lumpini Park, an oasis amongst skyscrapers

The Mahanakon skywalk, though pricier than other landmarks, was a true feast for the eyes, revealing a Bangkok abundant in skyscrapers, the Chao Phraya river winding at length through its midst. We spend more than two our gaping at the scenery from its top, awaiting the golden hour, up until the place transformed into a sky bar with lively music blasting pop rhythms from the tallest heights of Bangkok.

After the Mahanakon heights, we hopped the night away at the Hop Bar, the cutest, most vintage place for lindy hoppers which I have experience in my dancing career.

In terms of food, the ubiquitous Asian motif, we had most of our lunches in Terminal 21, a mall with themes inspired from famous cities’ landmarks. The San Francisco area is where I had amazing servings of mango sticky rice and roasted duck, just before starting my work day.

My remaining time in Bangkok was spent in digital nomad mode, with a splendid view of the city from level 32, scooters humming distantly on the streets, cup of Thai Chai in my hand, and the heartwarming realization that my dream of working remotely while exploring Asia came to a wonderful fruition.