Meredith on the Move: Bangkok, Thailand

So for work we are doing a 3 day workshop in Bangkok, Thailand. Yes I realise that this isn't most people's lives.

The workshop is just after a 3 day holiday weekend in Hong Kong so I decided to make it a combo fun/work trip and go to Bangkok early. 4 days fun and 3 days work. That's a good compromise.

Landed in Bangkok and as I was making my way through the airport I saw Constance! She works in HR at Hasbro. Yay! Her and her husband are also sightseeing and shopping before the workshop.

I am staying at the Sukhothai hotel. Wow. This place is amazing.

When I first got to my hotel room and was planning to head out sightseeing a huge thunderstorm rolled in. So I stayed in a little longer and planned my adventures. Grey skies.

Once the rain stopped I ventured out to the local neighbourhood. The hotel is on a large 2 sided busy street with large median so I had to walk a bit to get to pedestrian overpass. View from overpass.

I walked Convent Street which has a bunch of local restaurants and a few western (there is an Irish pub). I was hungry so I stopped for some Thai delights. Green mango salad and green chicken curry.

Then I walked to Patpong area where there are local entertainment places (I will leave this for your imagination) and also a night market. I know I am pretty picky when I wasn't impressed with the market. Real small and the same t-shirts, watches and knockoff handbags repeated over and over. I stopped at 7-eleven (an Asian oasis to avoid high mini bar charges) and went back to hotel to call it a night.

Temperatures in Bangkok this time of year are in mid 90s F. Heat index 109 degrees. Nighttime is a cool 82. Hahaha.

Sunday I had plan to get up early to get some sightseeing and shopping done before the afternoon heat. I had an amazing buffet breakfast at the hotel and then made the journey via subway to the Chatuchak Weekend Market. This place is huge! Clothes, ceramics, jewellery, antiques, bags, artwork, food, massages, flowers, tools, etc.

Here is map of the market. I made it through the left side only about first 1/4. It's like a maze of shiny pretty things!

Good news is, I have now started my Christmas shopping. Some lucky people are getting Thai goodies!

I spent 3.5 hours and only covered about 1/4 of the market. I am currently writing this blog post from a massage chair. I was wooed by the enticing saws pitch of "massage, air conditioning and wifi". 45 minutes of foot and shoulder massage for 200 baht (aka USD $5.73). Yes you read that right. 45 minute massage, AC and wifi all for under 6 bucks. I feel like I have hit the lottery.

So I took the Skytrain back south towards my hotel. I got off at Siam and checked out Siam Paragon a very fancy mall with all the top designers.

It's so high end even Tom Cruise was there.

I got slightly distracted by the shoe department. Not surprising.

I checked it out and then left taking the next Skytrain back towards my hotel. By this time I was hot and sweaty with a heavy backpack due to my many purchases at the market.

Monday I got up early to try to avoid hottest part of the day and went sightseeing. I took Skytrain to the river and took a tour boat up the river.

Wat Arun which is under construction.

First stop was Grand Palace. I spent 45 minutes looking at pretty shrines, buildings and statues before actually finding the palace.

Oh finally, here's the Grand Palace.

After the Palace, it was a short but hot walk to Wat Pho where the reclining Buddha is. There was gorgeous courtyard which I walked around and there were so few people there at times I thought I had taken a wrong turn.

After this I was so hot and tired that I went back to the river, found an express boat back to the train and returned to the hotel.

Monday I went to a roof bar at Banyan Tree Hotel to watch the sunset. It was an amazing 360 view of the city and a breathtaking sunset.

Tuesday was pool day. A little R&R in the sunshine.

The culture contrast at the pool is fascinating. Asian mother and daughter. Daughter is approximately 8 years old wearing full body swimsuit, life jacket strapped to her legs and a hat. Will not swim more than 10 feet from mother. Western family (French maybe) daughter is approximately 4 years old in swim bottoms only and 2 arm floaties jumping into the deep end with no fear.