Ventured out of Don Chedi for a decompression weekend in Krung Thep (Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasi) (กรุงเทพมหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุธยามหาดิลก ภพนพรัตน์ ราชธานีบุรีรมย์ อุดมราชนิเวศน์ มหาสถาน อมรพิมาน อวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยะ วิษณุกรรมประสิทธิ์) (aka Bangkok!)! The timing of the weekend couldn’t have been better. It was the Chinese Lunar New Year (Wooden Dragon) and Ed Sheeran was bringing his Mathematics Tour to Rajamangala National Stadium.
First night in town I wandered the streets of Chinatown Night Market for the Lunar New Year celebrations. First time I ventured here, it was as crazy as any other market in Bangkok. Street food of all kinds lining the streets, wall to wall people and somehow traffic easing through it all.
Even during the night, Bangkok remained oppressively hot. We sought respite at an open-air restaurant, where we huddled around a small table, sipping cold drinks and finding solace in the strategically positioned fans that stirred the humid air and helped mildly alleviate our perspiration.
By the earliest hours of the morning, we headed back to the air bnb which Charis rented (it was a wild ride to find this place because the directions were not initially good at all), then grabbed our gear and hopped a cab after waiting for what seemed an eternity for a Grab that never came. During the ride we bantered in our best Thai which he used Google Translate to conclude with the funny translation of: “your laugh is so delicious:”
Awoke on a plush bed with a hot shower. Delightful. We walked to a local breakfast spot, Chu, and and it was a great way to kick off our morning. I ordered a mimosa, steak and eggs with an iced coffee. Ah, a perfect Saturday morning brunch. After, we walked down to Terminal 21 – one of my favorite malls – for it’s quirky esthetic and two floors of cheap, delicious food courts.
A quick rest, and we were off to the National Stadium for the Ed Sheeran concert. I booked an advanced Grab which was still a bit late. Mai bpen rai. The traffic was horrible so we hopped out and walked the last 1km. It was PACKED. Food and drinks weren’t allowed in the stadium, but also there were no “concessions” in the stadium either – that I spied. Outside the main gate was a “food truck alley” and we ended up picking some nosh and beer and had an impromptu picnic on the lawn with all the other peeps.
Our seats were in the front where a normal “standing general admission” would be. They set out the tiny plastic chairs and for the entire concert, unless prompted, we were required to stay seating. Such an odd vibe. I enjoyed myself, however, even with sitting and jamming out. Calum Scott opened and that was a cool surprise because I also really like Calum Scott. Much different concert style than the Subtract Tour, but so amazing to watch a full stadium tour in Bangkok!
The trek back was…interesting. We opted out of Grab at first to get to a non-densly-populated section of road. It was insane. There were about 50,000 people at the concert and we all were trying to leave. It was an insane crowd crushing scenario with cars and motorbikes in the mix.
When we finally broke free of the crowd, we wandered with others to find a natural break in traffic but would still get us back to our hotel. Tried stopping a few tuk tuks and taxis, whom wanted ฿3000 for a ride!!!! Noooooope. The Grab was only ฿270. Once we found the haven of a 7-11 we were able to get a Bolt (upgraded) for ฿450 and it was well worth it because we got to our hotel will zero issues and quickly. I opted for a margarita at the neighboring Mexican restaurant/bar for one last night cap.
Our final (boooo) day in Bangkok. I didn’t want to venture far because I had a taxi pre-booked for 330 to get us back to our homestay’s before dark. So we started with brunchie at A Breakfast Story Asok (another fabulous meal – bacon & egg sammi w/avocado and a mangolini), then checked out the EmSphere Center – which I had never been before – it was a swanky mall, floor to rooftop dripping in ฿฿฿$$$ . There was a rooftop pool bar that I wish there was more time to check out, on the list! As we left, there was a traditional Lion Dance out front for the Chinese Lunar New Year, which was so fun to watch and one of the things I had hoped to see during the Chinese New Years Celebrations.
Shortly after, we stumbled into an Irish Pub for some drinks and loved the vibe, definitely very farang -centric, but the drinks were priced well and delicious. The last thing we did was find a cheap place for Thai massage (฿200) and it was one of the best I have ever gotten. Fully zen and relaxed, my group of PCTs hopped aboard my pre-booked taxi (Thai Happy Taxi) off to Don Chedi.
Food/Drink Stops: Chu (5★) ($$)(฿฿฿), A Breakfast Story Asok (4★) ($$)(฿฿฿), El Santo Restaurant and Bar (Drinks-4★) ($$)(฿฿) , Scruffy Murphy’s Irish Pub (Drinks-4★) ($)(฿฿), Asok Pethouse Cat Cafe (5★) ($)(฿฿), Shanghai Moon (Yaowarat)(5★) ($$)(฿฿), Chinatown Night Market (5★) ($)(฿)
Places to Stay: Novotel Living Bangkok Sukhumvit Legacy (3★) ($$$)(฿฿฿฿)
Tours: Thai Happy Taxi (฿฿฿ - worth it!)
Points of Interest: Soi Cowboy, Terminal 21 (★), Asok Pethouse Cat Cafe (★), Rajamangala National Stadium, EmSphere (★), Wat Traimit Withayaram Worawihan (Golden Buddha) (★), Kuan Yim Shrine, Chinatown Night Market (★), EmSphere
Want to See: Everything….(Gaa, Octave, Dog in Town Ekkamai, Enoteca, Pastel Rooftop Bar, Above Elevan, The Speakeasy Rooftop Bar, Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin, Golden Mountain Temple, Wat Benchamabophit Dusitwanaram, Na-Oh Bangkok, Khlon Lat Mayom Floating Market, Maeklong Railway Market, Wat Sam Phran, Dream World…and much much more)
The Peace Traveler 