Please join us in welcoming Amanda Pressner to The Window Seat. She is the co-writer of the blog The Lost Girls and the new travel memoir of the same name.
Back when my fellow Lost Girls Jennifer, Holly and I first left New York City to begin a yearlong, round-the-world adventure, I assumed that the last places I wanted to visit were big cities. Hadn’t I just abandoned a cramped stressed-out, metropolis to find wide-open spaces and new horizons somewhere beyond U.S. borders?
What I hadn’t expected was how much I’d miss the idiosyncrasies of the Big Apple: Rubbing elbows with A-list celebs at the corner bodega. Sampling two-dozen flavors of rice pudding at 2:00am. Arguing with cab drivers in 142 different languages.
It wasn’t until after we’d visited six countries--Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Kenya, India, and the United Arab Emirates--that I found an urban destination that could rival (and in some ways even surpass!) the hometown I love so much. The unlikely second city that I called home during our adventure: Bangkok.
Falling for Thailand’s capital city took less than a New York minute. Over the next three months--and four passes through the hub as we explored other destinations in Asia--we found endless things to love about our home away from home. Here are ones that top the list:
1. Gourmet Street Vendors: We love crispy dumplings with dipping sauces and heaping bowls of chicken stir fry, but we’re also big fans of lighter treats that you can buy cheap on the street. Bangkok’s got both in spades--stands serving up heaping plates of noodles and carts where you can get melon, pineapple, and papaya sliced to order and served with sugar (optional, of course) for just about 30 cents.
2. Little Siam: This clothing and accessory market, located near the massive Siam Center super-complex, boasts the original works of up-and-coming designers—all of whom are personally ringing up the wares they’ve just created and sewn. What’s here isn’t upscale mall gear but original fashion, from jackets designed for punk rock goddesses to heavily trimmed baby doll dresses to unabashedly adorned stiletto boots.
3. The Reclining Buddha: This is one of the city’s most touristed landmarks, but the teeming masses don’t detract from the big man’s appeal. Lying on his right side with a satisfied half-grin spreading across his face, it’s almost as if he’s reminding the visitors that it's okay to kick back and chill out once in a while. That’s why we’re into…
4. Daily De-stress Sessions: Back home, forking over $100 for a rubdown would actually create more tension than it would remove, but here, you can get unbelievable, spine-twisting, muscle kneading, acupressure sessions for the mind-blowing price of just $8. Add scented oil or an extra half hour for $10 to $12.
5. The Kids: How adorable are these little ladies??
6. Sukhumvit Neighborhood: Indisputably the “SoHo” of Bangkok, this area once played host to the city’s notorious sex trade. Thanks in part to the introduction of the Sky Train (which runs through the very heart of the neighborhood) and the overall revitalization of the city, Sukhumvit is now better known for its upscale bridal boutiques, swanky cafes, gourmet grocery stores, and lemongrass-scented spas.
7. The Gem District: While buying precious rocks like emeralds and rubies can be tricky--pay too little and you may end up with a bagful of cut glass--you can still get a real bargain through a reputable dealer in the city’s Silom district. Find one by contacting the Thai Gem and Jewelry Trader Association.
8. Kho San Road: There’s a certain charm to this tiny, ultra-touristy lane. Where else can you pick up a mini iPod speaker, a fake press badge, a beach sarong, a bootleg Beyonce CD, discount antibiotics, a miniature laughing Buddha, and a custom-made dress, all for under $100?
9. Flower Market (Pak Khlong Talat): Visitors to town should not miss this fairyland of blooms located not far from the Memorial Bridge on Thanon Chakphet. Some ceremonial creations take dozens of hours to make, but the finished result is spectacular.
10. Coffee, Coffee Everywhere: Thais absolutely adore their espresso drinks and have even invented new ways to drink them. Coffee in a plastic bag? Even caffeine addicted New Yorkers never thought of that one!
11. Praying Ronald McDonalds: Pass one of these red-haired burger guys, and you’ll be unable to resist posing. Promise.
Comments
May 13, 2010
I really want to go back to Bangkok, but one thing thing this piece doesn't mention is the current situation of political unrest there. As great as the place, it just isn't safe for visitors at the moment.
May 14, 2010
Such a tragedy for such well natured people of Thailand. The UK authorities are now warning against flying to Bangkok although other resorts and destinations in Thailand are trouble free. Bangkok is an amazing place but whilst the unrest continues there are many more wonders to be discoved throughout Thailand.
May 15, 2010
@Susan - lets hope that the disturbances in Bangkok are short lived and peace is quickly returned to this wonderful region.