Thailand > 'The king's birthday!'

Thailand - The view from the hotel on the 21st floor

Immigration takes quite a while. I first have to fill out a visa application form. At the counter, with an extremely grumpy clerk, it turns out that it’s not filled out correctly in every detail. She insists on knowing which hotel I’m staying at. I had written “various” because I’m doing a tour with multiple overnight stops. I fill in the first hotel, and she accepts that. My luggage is already waiting on the baggage belt. I grab my travel bag and head outside, where I meet Toy. Toy is our tour guide for this trip. She is Thai, strikingly small, and speaks decent Dutch. I also meet the other travelers. We are traveling with a small group of ten people. My luggage is loaded into a Toyota minibus. Before I realize it, a flower garland is placed around my neck. Immediately, two beautiful Thai ladies stand next to me and a photo is taken. Strangely, no money is asked for this. The hotel is in the center of Bangkok. Traffic is heavy, so progress is slow. The driver opts for the toll road—a wide, new highway. The highway is on concrete pillars and about ten meters above the old route. This is much faster. The hotel is a tall building with 26 floors. The lower floors house a department store. The hotel itself starts from the eleventh floor. I have a room on the 21st floor with a nice view of the city. I lie down on the bed for a while to minimize the jet lag.

Thailand - A longboat ride through the canals

I set my alarm an hour ahead. Later, I go to the outdoor pool on the 12th floor. It’s a strange thought that you can relax in a pool with a nice breeze and sun, while below you lies a bustling metropolis. In the afternoon, we take a boat trip along the river and canals of Bangkok. We take a minibus to the city center. At the pier, we have lunch on a large restaurant boat with a buffet. Afterward, we board a longboat. A longboat is like a gondola with a powerful outboard motor. The boat speeds through the city’s canals, only slowing significantly at corners. Due to the unstable positioning, the boat could otherwise tip over. Along the way, we pass two women in a rowboat selling bananas. Geert, in his Dutch way, indicates that he doesn’t want any. The women row quickly over and grab a bunch for him. Not quite. On the trip, I have a beautiful view of Bangkok. The diversity of housing is remarkable. Some homes are on the verge of collapse, while others have a charming little teahouse by the water.

Thailand - The slum houses along the railway tracks

Some houses are built entirely on stilts above the water, finding space to live in the capital. After about an hour, we return to the dock. The minibus is ready to take us back to the hotel. In the late afternoon, we walk around the area near the hotel. We stroll past the stalls of the covered market, visit the department store beneath the hotel, and wander through the streets and alleys. The stalls soon transition into homes. Many houses consist of just one room. People live right outside their door. Before I realize it, we’re walking along the railway line. Here too, shanties line the tracks. Children play directly between the rails. Very strange to see. The contrast between rich and poor in Bangkok is extreme. We cross the tracks and enter the temple district. Using the official bridge over the railway, we return, with a view of the shanties along the tracks. In the evening, we dine at the highest restaurant in Bangkok. Atop a skyscraper on the 78th floor, we enjoy a buffet dinner. We take a water taxi there, which docks near our hotel. Four stops later, we arrive at our destination. According to Toy, this is the fastest way to travel in Bangkok during rush hour. From the top of the skyscraper, I have a beautiful view of all the city lights. Since it’s the king’s birthday today, we are treated to plenty of fireworks across the city during dinner—a stunning sight. After dinner, we walk back to the hotel. I thought I knew the way, but the distance turns out to be longer than expected. On the way, we order a beer at a small restaurant. The restaurant is already being cleaned for closing, but the owner enthusiastically invites us in. Once we finish our drinks, we are quickly ushered out. As we leave, we’re even offered young women for the evening, which we politely decline.