I think I may have to challenge that position. I booked an AirBnB place that looked very interesting, had great reviews, but appeared to be somewhat "out of the way." I was worried I would be trapped in a far Bangkok suburb with no access to the place. Thankfully I was wrong and the place is really better located than advertised. A 15-minute walk, barely dangerous, with an overpass that takes you over the most treacherous portions) takes you to the FERRY. The $1.15 each way ferry takes me anywhere that I know to go: Wat Po, Imperial Palace, Chinatown, and so on. I was so excited to be able to easily navigate to make this happen today.
Have you heard of the Khao San road? Sadly, in spite of multiple trips to Thailand, I just learned of it from an old Susan Orlean article that I read during my recent wrist confinement. Tha Khao San road became a backpacker "thing" sometime in the 1980s. It was a place where folks from all over the world came to crash at (and I quote) "bedbug infested rooms" and to take in the ambience of Bangkok. Lonely Planet indicates it was featured in the movie "The Beach," and Susan Orlean found it a strange and unappealing phenomenon.
Armed with the Bangkok Lonely Planet and wanting to see something new, I decided to go. Lonely Planet indicates that the neighborhood is an old Bangkok area with certain charms. Banglamphu is the name of the neighborhood which boasts sites other than Khao San (but which I did not see).
Following the map provided by our host Sarakasit, I walked to the Ferry. Along the way I was sidetracked by the pharmacy. Ok, yeah, I am recently retired from a drug company so I have this natural interest. I am also fascinated by the lack of need for prescriptions for all but the known addictive drugs. This means Yes to antidepressants but No to opiates or Valium-type drugs. My mission was twofold: 1) my doc at home only prescribed 3 azythromycin pills for a 10-week trip. Given that I intend to eat a lot of street food, that amount would only last for one bout (if, knock on wood, it occurs). So I bought a six-pack -- known in the states as a z-pack. It cost a lot - $5.00. I also purchased thyroxine, which I need to get through the trip -- $2.75 for 100.
With finally the correct amount of prescribed drugs in hand, I proceeded to the FERRY. Adjacent to the ferry is a free outdoor gym. I peeked in through the foliage at a collection of buff and semi-buff Thai mean, some of whom greeted me with "Hello Madame." I so wanted to take photos of the guys pumping iron out of doors, but I was too shy to ask permission. Leave it to your imagination....park, "nautilus"-like equipment, buff and semi-buff men, signage indicating "free outdoor gym."
Okay, so I finally hit the ferries....fun, cheap, instructive, designed for tourists. The Chao Phraya Express Boats run up and down on the river stopping frequently for tourist sites such as Chinatown, Flower Market, and so on. They were super fun and no one tried to scam me to buy a more expensive ticket...it was fun! The river, sadly, continues to be polluted with plastic bottles, seaweed, paper, dead fish. I remember the same from 2008. EVen so, it is remarkable to see such a beautiful city on a boat for $1.15 or so!
I did finally make it to the Khao San road -- the end of the line and I boarded at the beginning -- and it was okay. I did see many young people. Anyone older was either on a tour or, truthfully, suspect. I say this of the men in particular. Many white men seem to have an obsession with Thai women and when I see a single man my age in Thailand, I assume either gay or into Thai (much younger) women. What can I say? It is liberating.
Khao San did its job as far as I was concerned..it gave me a destination where the journey outstripped the purpose.
After all this, what more is there? Well, I did score a massage..a tough love one...this afternoon and it was, in retrospect, yummy. I hope to go back tomorrow for two hours. The prices...$5.50 per hour! And some of the masseuses are gifted.
I also broke through on some street food phobias..unlike others, my phobia is not about sanitation, but about not being able to order in the correct language. My Airbnb neighborhood is filled with vendors, so I learn that pointing works very well.
Cost of today's meals:
Breakfast (included)
Lunch $.55 (pork noodle soup)
Dinner $2.00 - fried rice and fried rice cakes
Such a deal!
I did try to get to a classic Bangkok restaurant in the neighborhood, but alas, it if was where it was supposed to be, the signs were in Thai....no comprendo
Keep it coming, Jules.
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