With my girl now living in Switzerland, and her birthday approaching, a plan was hatched to have a surprise meeting in Thailand…A much easier option for me than going to the other side of the world, having been only 8 months ago!
From the depths of winter at home, to stepping into the sweltering pre-monsoon heat of Bangkok, the miracle of plane travel shines bright,….mere hours, but a world away in so many aspects!
We met at the airport, happily tearful, and progressed to ‘my’ neighbourhood…..Khao San/Rambuttri, where I’d booked accommodation for the first couple of nights. I find that having somewhere to go immediately off the plane is all you need really, and then move on to different housing as and when you need.
After settling in, we went exploring….a tuk-tuk took us to the river, thence onto a long-boat to explore the klongs (canals). I love to be on the river….any river really, and the Chao Praya has the added bonus of being a working river with all the activity that goes with that.
We disembarked at Wat Pho, and after an extended wander, eventually crossed the river again, to come home. It felt like a great introduction for the girls to such a diverse city.
The following day, it was off to the flower market, huge business in this Buddhist country. There are obviously farms dedicated to growing a huge variety of blooms. I’ve seen lotus farms which I found massively intriguing, but all the less ‘tropical’ kinds like carnations, roses and chrysanthemums I’m imagining have to be grown in houses…..or not????
On the eve of Tez’s birthday, my favourite’Happy Bar’ not being open, we eventually found one to settle in…right next to foot massage availability, conveniently enough 😁
One minute past midnight, the band launched into “happy birthday “ and staff arrived with a wee cake aglow with candles….Shelly, Tez’s wife, had planned to perfection!
A slow start the next day (perhaps to do with the previous evening’s Margaritas?), we roamed until coming to rest at ‘Thai Line Tattoo’ , where Tez decided a traditional bamboo tattoo was the order of the day.
I’ve got to say, I was sorely tempted….
I’m happy to say, the ‘Happy Bar’ was open that night. This groovy wee place appearing from a graffitied alley has enthralled me repeatedly over the years, and I just love that it’s survived!
With the legalisation of cannabis a year ago has come a proliferation of ‘parlours’ and street stalls. Each have named jars of varying strengths and you can buy by the joint, gram or whatever, I imagine, to smoke there or takeaway…..We’ve come a long way…..🤗😁
This has been a fabulous time for me, to celebrate my beloved daughter’s 36th birthday in a city close to my heart….I feel incredibly fortunate and will undoubtedly weep, again, at the airport in another 2 days, but really, that’s what life is about, isn’t it 😍
Travel Tales 