We were a bit sceptical with the prices and styles of clothing at MBK Mall. After three trips there we had a pretty good idea what tourists were buying and wanted to get a bit off the beaten path. We set out early this morning to find Pratunam market; a reportedly whole sale market not far from Siam. We took the BTS and walked from the National Stadium.
Along the way I was quit curious to see that Thais would get their coffee from road side vendors. On account of the 35 degree heat at 8am, I decided that an iced coffee was in order. He started out with hot water, added quite a bit of instant coffee some raw sugar and some condensed milk. He topped up a large to-go cup with crushed ice and added evaporated milk and added the stirred concoction to the cup. It was very good; very sweet.
The market was located off of Phetchaburi road, close to the highest tower in Bangkok (Baiyoke tower); which you can go up and enjoy the view although today was very smoggy and we can hardly see that top of the building. The market consists of many small stalls, a couple malls and some buildings that have larger stalls inside. We could almost immediate tell this place was not really as much for tourist because the clothes were clearly Thai. The clothes unfortunate were designed for 5 foot nothing, 90 pound Thai girls. Not much was going to fit me. The trips wasn't a waste, however, as I was able to find some skirts that I was looking for , for a third of the price as MBK. Tim was also able to find shorts, and sun glasses.
We ducked into a “designer mall” to find a washroom, or as referred to here, a toilet. We were happily surprised to find that Thai massages were half the price as on the street. I was quite apprehensive to get the Thai massage as I had read they can be painful. Tim talked me into it and I'm hooked. Unlike what we would normally think of a “massage”, Thai massage is more like guided yoga, pressure point stimulation and pressure on joints and muscles. Your clothes are left on, although Tim said some placed put you in old school pyjamas; this one did not. For 150 baht, this experience was the best thus far and after an hour of being pushed, pulled and cracked, I was a new woman.
Our second destination for the day was the Thai Red Cross Society, Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, Snake Farm. Along the walk down Ratchadamri we enjoyed some street food, rice with sausage for me and vegetarian noodles for Tim. Both were cold, but delicious.
We took a walk through Lumphini Park and enjoyed the tranquillity a large party offers in a metropolis. Lumphini is very similar to Central Park in New York, albeit it was much hotter here then our time in New York city in the middle of winter.
We arrived a bit early for the snake show and for good reasons. We secured front row seats, enjoyed a beer while we waited and watched as about 50 others poured into the small viewing area. The show was short, but interesting to see the handler pi$$ off the large king cobra and two small Siamese cobras. The commentator spoke fairly good English; even trying to throw in a couple marginally funny jokes. At the end of the show, which was 200 baht and about 30 minutes, they offered for the crowd to hold a 8 foot boa. I normally would have passed, but Tim insisted we needed to get a picture for the Blog ;)
We had planned to see Thai Boxing in the evening, but we watched it for a while for free at MBK the other evening; and for 1000-20000 baht for tourist, we decided to pass. We passed our time at the Patpong market which because it wasn't as late had less creepy men trying to taunt us into sex shows. This market was clearly for tourists and the prices were absurd compared to Pratunam.
The last portion of the night we set out to find Suan Lum Night Bazaar; although we had forgotten our map and ended up in a very strange, Thai only covered street. While it was a market, the stalls were the front of the locals 'houses'; apparent single room dwellings that were often filled with a single large bed and a lot of stuff including what was being sold. You know you are not exactly welcome in a shopping district when everyone; especially the very old men, are staring at you and no one asks you to come see what they are selling. Very strange, sketchy feeling; I can always count on Tim to find the off the beaten path ghettos, happens in every city we travel to...
