Khao San & Rambuttri: Hippie-Dippie Bangkok

This Sunday, the husband and I ventured out of our comfort zone of Central Bangkok. We decided to go to the backpacker area known as Khao San Road. There is no BTS/MRT connectivity to Khao San, so we hopped into a meter taxi instead. Twenty minutes and 80 Baht later, we were at our destination! (We were going from Ratchadambri and the driver took a great back route, avoiding practically all traffic.)

Khao San is your typical backpacker haven -- little shops selling junk jewellery and summery clothes, food carts with fresh fruit and noodles, cheap souvenir stalls, currency changers galore, outdoor cafes with cheap drinks... In other words, the perfect place to spend a lazy, laidback Sunday without breaking the bank -- if you're okay with spending a few hours without air-conditioning, that is! 

Khao San Road in all its chaotic yet laidback glory

If you're planning to shop, bargain HARD or stick to the fixed-price stalls. I bought the below earrings for 20 baht and the bracelet for 30 baht at fixed price shops. However, when I asked about the price of the same bracelet at a different shop, the shopkeeper quoted 150 baht (and I'm not even Caucasian -- she would have probably doubled the figure again if I were!). This doesn't really make a difference for a one-off purchase but if you're planning to shop there a lot (like I am), then it definitely adds up.

Trinkets from Khao San Road

We also discovered "ID sellers" in the area! At first, we were perplexed by the boards with hundreds of Identity Cards -- driver's licenses, student cards, work permits -- displayed by the side of the road. "Is it a lost & found board? A lamination service?" we pondered, until we realised that these were fake IDs for sale! I must admit I was extremely tempted to get a student ID (apparently, you get excellent student discounts in Thailand)...alas, better sense prevailed!

We meandered down Khao San Road, sampling street food along the way. At the end, we turned right onto Chakrabongse Road and then turned right again onto Rambuttri Alley, which is where we finally plonked down at the absolutely delightful Macaroni Club (pictured below). Drinks are cheap: a pint of Chang beer is 80 baht and a Jack Daniels + Diet Coke is 140 baht. They also have an extensive menu -- Thai, Continental, Italian, seafood, breakfast-y items like pancakes, waffles, etc. Service is excellent -- friendly and prompt. There's no service charge.

The Macaroni Club, Rambuttri Alley

A bit further down the road lies the utterly charming restaurant below, called (of all things) My Darling. In a strange twist of fate, it turned out to have the EXACT same menu and prices as Macaroni Club. (Perhaps they opened at the same time and got a great deal on the menus???)

We had an early supper of cocktails, beer and pizza. They also serve sheesha after 7 pm -- although at 400 Baht, it is one of the most expensive sheeshas you will find in the city! Service is friendly but slow. The second round of drinks and the fresh coal for the sheesha took ages to arrive. Granted, the place was buzzing with people by then but there seemed to be enough staff members to handle the crowd. By the way, a bottle of wine at both these places is under 1000 baht, which makes them the perfect venues for a reasonable & mildly drunken Sunday brunch! 

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My Darling, Rambuttri Alley

It was dark and pouring by the time we left. We were umbrella-less and quite exhausted with the day's adventures, so we got into the first cab we could find even though the driver overcharged us horrendously (150 Baht for a journey that cost 80 Baht in the morning). Oh well, I'm just going to think of it as an extra "rain charge"! 

Bangkok Basics: Essential Etiquette

Whether you're coming from another country in Asia (like me) or from the West (like many of the expats here), the Thai way of doing things will be somewhat unfamiliar. Asians might feel slightly more at home, while for Westerners it is often something of a culture shock (or so I hear!).

Here's a quick list of essential "dos and don'ts" while interacting with people in Bangkok. As I learn more -- from conversations, cautionary tales, books, and my own (mis)adventures -- I will add to it.

Meet & Greet. Use the following Thai phrases and gestures liberally:

• Sawasdee (pronounced suh-wah-dee) - means welcome, hello, good morning, good afternoon, good evening, goodbye
• Khob Khun (pronounced khob-khun) - means thank you
• Add Ka (pronounced kaa) if you're female and Krab (pronounced kraap) if you're male at the end of both the above phrases. These words don't really mean anything in particular, they are simply an indicator of sweetness and good manners.
• Master the Wai (very similar to the Indian Namaste, if you're more familiar with that). As you can see, even Ronald McDonald can do it! When someone greets you with a wai, a response in kind is much appreciated.
• Bonus points if you do these with a smile!

Steer Clear. Avoid talking about the following topics with the Thai unless you are good friends with the person.

• The Royal Family. Seriously, don't talk about them. Especially if you're from the "why do we need kings and queens anyway" school of thought. Thailand's royal family is loved and revered by pretty much every single person in the country - old, young, rich, poor, men, women. So do yourself a favour and never ever criticise the monarchy. Better yet, just don't talk about them. Badmouthing the royal family is a jail-able offence. (Click here to know more about this law.)
• Thai politics. Apparently, the Thai are rather uncomfortable discussing domestic political issues with outsiders. Knowing about the political situation of the country and having an opinion on it will not earn you brownie points. (I will write more about this when I have a better insights and advice!)
• Controversial topics in general. As any and every book will tell you, the Thai despise conflict with their colleagues, acquaintances, and friends. (This attitude is in direct contrast to the attitudes of many shopkeepers in wholesale-style markets by the way, where the refusal to buy can often incite a heated tirade against you!) Avoiding controversial topics, direct refusals, and arguments is in general a good idea. It's also a good idea to not display frustration or anger even when it is not directed towards the Thai person -- simply being in the presence of such emotions is extremely upsetting for Thai people. Restraint is my new best friend in Bangkok! :) 

Holy Moly. There are some important religious sentiments you may like to keep in mind as you navigate life in Bangkok.

• Treat the Buddha with respect. While Bangkok is a very cosmopolitan city, Buddhism forms a deep and significant part of its landscape. Treat anything to do with the Buddha with respect and care, and your Thai acquaintances and friends will love you for it.
• The head is considered sacred, so do not touch a Thai person's head. This includes a tap, a pat, ruffling hair and so on.
• Conversely, the feet are considered dirty, so make sure they never point at anything that should be treated with respect, e.g., a figure of the Buddha, a photograph of the King, etc. I've also been told not to point your feet at people (although I cannot imagine a situation in which one would do so in any case!).
• Small Buddhist shrines and temples (like the one above) dot the city. Like with any religious space, it's great to go exploring while being sure to observe and mirror the locals' behaviour.

Thai Food: Getting Started

So far, we have mostly tried local Thai food in restaurants and food courts -- any place that provides an English menu, really. Two reasons for this: 

1. The husband is allergic to lemongrass. Yes, seriously! Allergic to lemongrass and living in Thailand...no wonder I've been travelling with an arsenal of anti-allergy medication in my handbag and have stuffed a few into the reluctant spouse's jacket pocket as well.
2. While I love food, I'm not entirely comfortable with the idea of eating a few things (read: offal, brain, insects, etc.).

Due to the above, I wanted my foray into Thai cuisine to begin with subtitles. Once I have a better idea of what's what, I will venture into street-food-land!

So, here's a quick look at the tastiest local Thai dishes I tried last week. (As mentioned above, these are the restaurant-style versions!)

Guay Tiew Phad Sauce XO (wok-fried rice noodles with prawns in XO sauce)

Wonton Noodle Soup (although unspecified in the menu, this had a generous helping of prawns)

Kaow Niew Som Tam Gai Yang (Thailand's famous spicy raw papaya salad, grilled chicken leg, sticky rice, spicy chutney) + my already-beloved Chang beer

Gaeng Mas-Sa-Man Gai Gab Roti (a Thai Mulim chicken curry with fried roti bread)

Bangkok Basics: The Facts

Sawasdee ka, Bangkok! 

(That's hello in Thai, Bangkok newbies.)

Just two weeks in this city of extremes and I'm already addicted. So much to discover, see, do, eat, drink...and so much to share! But first, here are the absolute basics for someone who's on their way here. 

Bangkok, Thailand's capital and most populous city, lies (in a way) in the centre of the country. Locally, it is known as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, or simply Krung Thep.

A few facts about the city:

• Population: approx. 8 million
• Language: Thai (and some English)
• Time zone: UTC+7
• Currency: Thai Baht (see today's conversion rates in the sidebar)
• Modes of public transport: Taxi, bus, skytrain, subway
• Climate: varies from warm to hot, with heavy rain from June-September
• Voltage: 220-240 AC, 50 Hertz
• Plugs: not standardised (best bet = universal adapter)