Bangkok arrival

My flight was easy, and I arrived in the late afternoon at Daria’s place.

It turned out to be one of the most impressive and sought after apartment towers in Bangkok, on the renowned Langsuan Road.

It’s like entering another world, guards open the door and salute, the entry hall alone is impressive with its chandeliers and sofas.

Up on the 26th floor, Daria has a beautiful apartment, and a guest room for me. I can also use the swimming pools, saunas and jaccuzzis. It’s like being on holiday in a holiday.

The first evening we just stayed in and talked, and Daria still had to finalize a mission report from her latest trip to Myanmar.

She works for the UNHCR office in Bangkok, and I got a full briefing on Myanmar, her work, the situation of refugees along the Thai border and the negotiations to allow them back into Myanmar.

The next morning, I explored the area a bit, walking down Langsuan Road to Lumphini Park and into Shilom, exploring the roads and side streets and sampling a bit of the street food that is on offer everywhere.

I wish I could eat as much as I wanted to, it all looks delicious, and is so incredibly cheap.

 

The weather though is hot and humid, and I am soaking in my own sweat. I headed home and, by accident, walked into one of the remaining smaller lanes close to our apartment tower, that had not (yet) been replaced with a multi-million-dollar apartment property.

The tiny roads wind through small houses, filled with small restaurants, cafés, massage parlors and street vendors. This is probably what the area looked like before it got rich.

I had a yummy vegetarian Pad Thai and a sweat inducing HOT papaya salad, for 110 Baht, 2,70 Euro.

From there, on to Daria’s favorite massage parlor, for a painfully good Thai massage. She was a small young Thai woman, with incredible strength and I feared more than once that she would tear something apart.

Again, the price seems incredibly cheap. 250 Bath, just over 6 Euro, for one hour. I will be back daily, if I can take it.

Finally, all worn out and feeling slightly guilty, I limped home, all relaxed. The sun was setting and it was time for a splash in the pool, with the full moon rising over Bangkok. Can it get any better…?

I have one week here, and I am looking into flights to Krabi beach, but somehow I am also inclined to just stay here and relax.

When Daria came home from work, we went to her regular Thai restaurant, again one of these places that don’t attract tourists or expats, but the local crowd, and we had so much yummy food till we were stuffed.