Not even an exaggerated imagination would grant Bangkok the title of a Beautifiul City, but what is present here? that attract millions of visitors per year?
When I arrived at the Souvanaphumi airport at 4 45 am from Barcelona, I was surprised at the throng of single Indian men with suitable bulges in the middle and gangs of Chinese revellers in their ill fitting clothes, many middle aged if not above.
Soon, this city of chaos and fog, inhabited by kind and friendly Thai and a dollop of European inhabitants in their retired moods making this a second home, combined with tasty and innovative food, will be the most visited city on earth, surpassing even that city of light and love, Paris.
There are flights to Bangkok from the usual suspects: China, Japan, India and Russia, and of course the neighbouring sister countries of ASEAN, but some other flights ask for a sociological explanation: Turkmenistan Airways? so does Mahan Air from Iran (are they not banned ?). When I mentioned this to a friend of mine from Shiraz, she said: Iranian men love visiting Thailand.. add them to the list of other muslims, joining the boozy taverns and spas of the Arab Town..
The arrival hall at the airport was chaotic but that was expected. A rail link wizzes you off to Phaya Thai, from there a Grab Taxi (the south east asian equivalent of Uber) takes you to your hotel, inching its way through the perennial and notorious Bangkok traffic. I had chosen Double Tree by Hilton at Soe 26 in Sukhumvit where I was well received by receptionists MOO and APPLE and the concierge staff Kai and Tar
First thing you notice is the smog, and the almost paranoid, comical way of the Thais in answer to it: Masks, nasal inhalers, creams and puffers of dubious reputations, you do hear a lot of sniffling and snouting.
Bangkok is modernizing very fast having embraced capitalism with a capital C, with gusto with less discretion to taste. MegaMalls are indistinguishable from their counterparts in the west, very visible were Versace, Louis Vuitton, Dior, YSL, Joe Malone, Michael Kors, Prada, Hermes.. Who do they cater for ? The prices were about 30-50% higher than in Miami, so I am not sure who is buying these. There were nothing Thai about these places of consumerism that attract milling crowds of Thais, foreigners, tourists of all persuasions and other hangers on , no different from a Mall in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Jakarta etc..
When in Asia, you eat well and definitely healthier than what you eat when you are on the road in Europe or USA or Australia etc. The breakfast at the Double Tree was delicious, sumptuous as well as diverse, one cringes at the continental breakfasts offered at most of the American hotels. The two sit down meals I had at slightly upscale restaurants were superb, one very close to the hotel and the service staff were invariably good.
A friend of mine joined me for dining a the two restos, NARA was recommended by Moo at the Hotel reception and Taling Pling by my friend. The traffic to the latter was impressionably horrible. People advise you not to be up and about between 6 and 9 am as well as 3 to 6 pm, the rush hours of working days.
On the day of my departure, I decided to leave before 6 am to the airport. The receptionist on duty was Baiyok, once again very pleasant. A GRAB driver by the name of Boy arrives and promises to take me to the airport in 30 minutes, when the usual time would be around 1 hour. I told him that I had only 440 Thai Baht (around 15 dollars )with me (in cash), he said he would gladly accept that amount. (the other drivers had demanded more). As he had predicted, I was at BKK souvanaphoumi (golden land)in thirty minues and gave him the money i had, to the little man with timid manners.
The agent at check in , Rughnapha K, was pleasant. They were not employees of Qatar Airways but to an agency that lent personnel. She confided that her dream was to work for Qatar Airways, as a Cabin Crew perhaps, when her English improves, I encouraged her on that path.
I was given seat 1 A and as usual I looked forward to my flight with Qatar Airways.
The Fast Track immigration and Security were brisk and within the hour of leaving my Double Tree by Hilton Hotel at Sukhumvit, I was sitting at the Qatar Airways lounge, near Gate D8. None of the Thai had sour or unfriendly faces.
Tonyakorn was eager to bring me a cafe Latte and I helped myself to some mushroom and spinach cooked Thai style. Time flew by and I reached the gate E5 as the flight was boarding. Marie from Cebu in the Philippines was greeting
the guests and I transferred in y smile all the friendliness I had felt in my brief stay in Bangkok
THANK YOU
When I arrived at the Souvanaphumi airport at 4 45 am from Barcelona, I was surprised at the throng of single Indian men with suitable bulges in the middle and gangs of Chinese revellers in their ill fitting clothes, many middle aged if not above.
Soon, this city of chaos and fog, inhabited by kind and friendly Thai and a dollop of European inhabitants in their retired moods making this a second home, combined with tasty and innovative food, will be the most visited city on earth, surpassing even that city of light and love, Paris.
There are flights to Bangkok from the usual suspects: China, Japan, India and Russia, and of course the neighbouring sister countries of ASEAN, but some other flights ask for a sociological explanation: Turkmenistan Airways? so does Mahan Air from Iran (are they not banned ?). When I mentioned this to a friend of mine from Shiraz, she said: Iranian men love visiting Thailand.. add them to the list of other muslims, joining the boozy taverns and spas of the Arab Town..
The arrival hall at the airport was chaotic but that was expected. A rail link wizzes you off to Phaya Thai, from there a Grab Taxi (the south east asian equivalent of Uber) takes you to your hotel, inching its way through the perennial and notorious Bangkok traffic. I had chosen Double Tree by Hilton at Soe 26 in Sukhumvit where I was well received by receptionists MOO and APPLE and the concierge staff Kai and Tar
First thing you notice is the smog, and the almost paranoid, comical way of the Thais in answer to it: Masks, nasal inhalers, creams and puffers of dubious reputations, you do hear a lot of sniffling and snouting.
Bangkok is modernizing very fast having embraced capitalism with a capital C, with gusto with less discretion to taste. MegaMalls are indistinguishable from their counterparts in the west, very visible were Versace, Louis Vuitton, Dior, YSL, Joe Malone, Michael Kors, Prada, Hermes.. Who do they cater for ? The prices were about 30-50% higher than in Miami, so I am not sure who is buying these. There were nothing Thai about these places of consumerism that attract milling crowds of Thais, foreigners, tourists of all persuasions and other hangers on , no different from a Mall in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Jakarta etc..
When in Asia, you eat well and definitely healthier than what you eat when you are on the road in Europe or USA or Australia etc. The breakfast at the Double Tree was delicious, sumptuous as well as diverse, one cringes at the continental breakfasts offered at most of the American hotels. The two sit down meals I had at slightly upscale restaurants were superb, one very close to the hotel and the service staff were invariably good.
A friend of mine joined me for dining a the two restos, NARA was recommended by Moo at the Hotel reception and Taling Pling by my friend. The traffic to the latter was impressionably horrible. People advise you not to be up and about between 6 and 9 am as well as 3 to 6 pm, the rush hours of working days.
On the day of my departure, I decided to leave before 6 am to the airport. The receptionist on duty was Baiyok, once again very pleasant. A GRAB driver by the name of Boy arrives and promises to take me to the airport in 30 minutes, when the usual time would be around 1 hour. I told him that I had only 440 Thai Baht (around 15 dollars )with me (in cash), he said he would gladly accept that amount. (the other drivers had demanded more). As he had predicted, I was at BKK souvanaphoumi (golden land)in thirty minues and gave him the money i had, to the little man with timid manners.
The agent at check in , Rughnapha K, was pleasant. They were not employees of Qatar Airways but to an agency that lent personnel. She confided that her dream was to work for Qatar Airways, as a Cabin Crew perhaps, when her English improves, I encouraged her on that path.
I was given seat 1 A and as usual I looked forward to my flight with Qatar Airways.
The Fast Track immigration and Security were brisk and within the hour of leaving my Double Tree by Hilton Hotel at Sukhumvit, I was sitting at the Qatar Airways lounge, near Gate D8. None of the Thai had sour or unfriendly faces.
Tonyakorn was eager to bring me a cafe Latte and I helped myself to some mushroom and spinach cooked Thai style. Time flew by and I reached the gate E5 as the flight was boarding. Marie from Cebu in the Philippines was greeting
the guests and I transferred in y smile all the friendliness I had felt in my brief stay in Bangkok
THANK YOU
