My husband, who is an engineer, works in Bangkok and has left me alone during the day. But I don’t mind. I swim in the hotel Davis pool, the one on the roof, with a view of the city. But what do you do, alone in a city like Bangkok?
I’ve been to Bangkok several times. I’ve sped through traffic on a motorbike taxi on the way to the Golden Buddha statue — an activity for the more adventurous or naive. I’ve also ridden in a tuk-tuk with so-called “coupon stops” along the way. This means the driver receives a coupon for every tourist they bring to a specific shop. These stops usually include a jewelry store, a tailor offering to make you a hole new wardrobe, and shops selling replicas of well-known brands of handbags and clothing. It’s not a tour I would recommend unless you have a lot of time to spare!
I have seen the Grand Palace and temples, experienced the flowermarket and the busy Maeklong Railway Market, bought vegetables at the floating boat market, shopped and strolled along the large markets and trading posts. My father had enjoyed taking the day trip to the bridge over the river Kwai. The bridge over the river Kwai was built by prisoners during World War II and my father saw the famous film, with the same name, about the building of the bridge. The film was mostly fictive but still trhilling. But that’s not my plan.
I also thought about taking a Thai cooking class. Bangkok has many faces. The city is bustling with activity and commerce. I visited the large fabric market. Here, many vendors from India and Pakistan stand with fantastic silk fabrics and very inviting prices. The best day turned out to be a full day spent with a friend. We shoped, talked and had amazing food. And a whole day reading by the pool at the Hotel Davis also gets very high marks!