Embedded Files
After a morning in, we enjoyed a canal-side lunch at a marvelous vegan thai food spot, whose name is only in Thai (google maps link ). Afterwards we walked Phahurat Market and the famous Bangkok flower market, broken up by a coffee shop stop to avoid the peak heat.
As we wandered the riverside by the flower market, we couldn't help but realize that we had stumbled within a 40 minute walk of Yaowarat street, and, might as well!
Arriving early, we took more of a sampler's approach, getting noodles from a Michelin guide recognized (not starred) stand, and some amazing fried fish from T&K seafood, right across the street from Lek's two nights ago! Our late lunch (read: first dinner) allowed us a meandering and circuitous walk home to explore more of the city on our third trip from Yaowarat Road to our "poshtel" in as many days. We ended up in the orbit of Saket temple, and the gravity of its heights and grandeur drew us in. After observing a formal ceremony with many locals in traditional Thai garb, lead by the ministrations of an orange-robed monk, we sat among hundreds of paper lanterns up to celebrate the new year (2567 by the Buddhists' count!).
Between the markets and shops in Bangkok you can buy almost anything, including a gun from any one of these 10 gun shops in a row.
We may have mistimed our visit to the flower market, apparently if you arrive in the evening it is far more bustling, with more flowers in greater varieties but we still enjoyed our stroll through the aisles of marigolds!
One section of the Phahurat Market, featuring hanging bags of the dried snack of, you guessed it, fish maw (swim bladders)
Michelin recognized Kuay Jab Nai Huan sells just one dish, Kuay Jab, which includes rolled up wide rice noodles in a very peppery broth.
One of Isaac new favorite pastimes: seeing monks interact with modernity. "Saffron Robe 1000 THB, Bus to Bangkok 200 THB, Inner Peace, Priceless"
At the end of our journey home, we took advantage of the roof, seeing the very temple we had come from and a beautiful image of the city of Bangkok. A second dinner at a street-food establishment not a half block away was dollar for dollar, the best meal we have had to date (I believe that has held up in the additional month that has passed before now posting this!). Sitting not 5 feet from the sidewalk-situated, open-air kitchen allowed us to watch a well-oiled machine in the heat of the dinner rush. Five people stood at various stations, their backs to each other, attending their various preparation, cooking, and garnishing duties, and passing baskets behind their backs to their next stop with barely a glance up. This mesmerizing dance, among the other culinary delights we had enjoyed and seen, inspired us to watch a documentary on street food in Bangkok, including the Michelin-star-awarded, eponymous, Jay Fai; which sat just below our window...
Beautiful, new-years-celebratory lanterns. And a monk taking a picture of one on his iPhone.
Wat Saket, or The Golden Mount, illuminated at dusk from below. It is one of the oldest temples in Bangkok and we saved on entry fee by enjoying a view from our hotel's roof that included both the skyline of Bangkok AND the temple. (Very budget-core, if we do say so ourselves)
Our pretty spectacular view of Wat Saket and beyond.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse