Final three weeks

Well, it's time to move out from Bangkok once again, a little over a year after I came back. That's life: you go wherever the wind takes you. I could, of course, resist not uprooting my self from what I regard as my second home, but it's more of a strategic career decision for me to follow where better opportunities are found.

Another three weeks and I'm off to another city in another country. The worst part about it is leaving Bangkok and my friends here.

I've always expressed my love for this city, imperfect as it is. But over the seven years here I've grown intimate with its idiosyncrasies and rhythms. I'm braver to entrust my life on a raging motorsai driver. I don't mind getting a sprinkling of stinking canal water while taking a boat ride on Saen Saeb. Or I can confidently say mai sai cho rot and the cook actually understands it because I have perfect tone now (or so I'd like to believe).

It's definitely tempting to just get cozy with my life here even if it does not give me long-term security (especially job-wise). In Bangkok, one somehow always gets by.

I question the idea of starting all over again in all aspects of my life: career, friends, habits, brand of toothpaste, etc. I am too old for having to go through the trouble, chai mai?

As I'm on the cusp of a major transition I really don't have answer to these questions yet. I have to wrap things up at work and in my apartment in the next three weeks, not to mention the apartment search in a city completely unfamiliar to me. So, there are more important things at hand than wax lyrical about the end of my love affair with Bangkok.

Anyway, in my last few days here I tend to take all experiences in while they last. I seize the noise of the city outside my window, or take a mental photo of this today's sunset, or slurp my noodle soup a bit louder. There's also not missing on every opportunity to spend time with friends.

But I'm not going far away. I'm just going to a neighboring country. I'm sure Bangkok will always be here to welcome me back.

Thonburi Walking Tour

The past few weeks I've been spending sooooo much time on debauchery and I felt that I need some respite from all that. So last weekend I invited L, PJ, and the Pranses on a walking tour of Thonburi, which is Thailand's old capital, just across the Chao Phraya River. Because I take the river boat quite often, I've always been curious about the interesting temples and churches that line the bank of the Thonburi side. Luckily, I found this recommended walking tour that plots some fascinating sites not usually found in the conventional guide books.

We began our tour by taking the Choao Phraya Express Boat to the Memorial Bridge. It was then my first time to walk across the river, indeed a different perspective to observe the bustling waterway.



A few twisted alleys from the bridge led us to the Princess Mother Memorial Park, an oasis in the middle of the narrow and cramped neighborhood of shophouses. Around the said park is Kuan Ou, a Chinese-style shrine perched on the edge of the river.



Our next stop was Wat Prayoon. The wat (temple) is very typical of most Thai temples save for the humongous chedi/stupa that looms over the complex.



More narrow sois later, we found the Santa Cruz Church. PJ, a devout Catholic, was pretty excited for the visita iglesia, he even brought a veil (as in!). OK, it was a sarong. Disappointingly, the doors of the church were closed. It was very fascinating how they put the picture of the King on the facade of the church, along with the national and royal flags. I've never seen anything like it.


Our next stop was Wat Kalayanamit, a riverside wat that has a huge, and I mean fucking ginormous, Buddha statue. It was the most humongous indoor Buddha statue I've ever seen, although I heard there are far more larger ones than this. It's unbelievable really. Together with a number of worshipers, PJ and L did some of those fortune sticks thingie at the foot of the image.

Check this picture of me in front of the Buddha. Can anybody tell me which is shinier: the Buddha statue or me? Doesn't my face look shimmering, shining, and splendid (rolls eyes)? Note to self: oiliness is next to ugliness.


Outside the wat, is the jetty where a flock pigeons permanently reside. We had a blast feeding them and chasing them crazy all over the place. (Thanks to PJ for the shot below.)


Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn) was actually not in the agenda, but since we realized that it's just a short walk away from the temple, we decided to drop by the famed Bangkok landmark anyway. I had been there previously on a rainy day, and indeed it was worth visiting again the place during sunset. The river scene could not be more than resplendent, especially if one looks to the large expanse that is the Bangkok side of the Chao Phraya River. We were clearly mesmerized by the view from Wat Arun, the temple guards had to literally drive us away with their whistles a few minutes before closing time.




Crossing back to the other side of the river, we had dinner at one of the sidewalk food stalls at the jetty near the Grand Palace. After a long chit chat session, we walked towards the usual Saturday evening frenzy in Khao San Road where we had some drinks before we finally went home exhausted.

By any measure, I had a great time that day although I don't know exactly how much UV rays touched my skin during such a hot afternoon.

Yaowarat and King Chulalongkorn Day

Perhaps one of the strongest forces that shaped Southeast Asia’s history is the Chinese who formed (and is still forming) a big mercantile class in any country they settled in. If one checks the list of the richest people in the region, those who descended from migrants of Chinese families would definitely occupy the top positions. Among the good indications of their solid economic standing in most Southeast Asian countries is the establishment of enclaves that have a distinct Chinese character. Visit any country in the region and it is quite certain that one would find a Chinatown, which often serves as trading and economic hubs of sorts for the Chinese, giving these sections of the city a frenzied, but colourful, atmosphere. One of my favourite places to visit in Manila is the city’s Chinatown (commonly referred to as Binondo) for its chaotic narrow streets that reverberate with life.

Likewise, the Chinese has a very sturdy influence on Bangkok culture that one would see Chinese-looking altars sitting under Buddhist effigies in most shop-houses. I read somewhere as well that roughly 80 percent of Bangkokians have some Chinese heritage in them.

It would not be a surprise therefore that Bangkok has its own pulsating Chinatown, commonly called as Yaowarat, which is the main street running through the district. Last Saturday, I took a long boat ride along the surprisingly swollen Chao Phraya river to reach the pier closest to Yaowarat. I decided to make it a cursory visit as I understand that the Chinatown here is quite sprawling. I prioritized the Buddhist temples that dot the area. Along the way I saw old wooden buildings and charming shop-houses (oh my, I’m soooo obsessed with shop-houses since coming here).

As expected, the Buddhist temples I stopped at followed a predominantly Chinese architectural style. Compared with the Buddhist temples I saw in Kuala Lumpur, the ones in Yaowarat look more aged and even on their way to dilapidation, which is obviously unfortunate. I wonder why they did not step up efforts to preserve these precious structures, given the apparent importance of the temple to the wealthy Chinese in the area.

From one temple to another I squeezed my self in the crowds along the narrow sois (alleys) where spices, herbs, sea foods, dried fruits, castanas, and whatnot were sold. Too bad I did not take pictures of the dizzying array of products that line the soi (but I can always go back).

Here are some pictures of my first trip to Chinatown.

By the way, there is supposedly a Thieves Market in Yaowarat, however, I did not have enough information on how to find it in the labyrinthine landscape of the area. This gives me enough reason to go back there.

I decided to walk the seven kilometres (more or less) from Yaowarat to my building. On the way home, I stumbled upon the older sections of Bangkok. I totally admire how they were able to preserve the old shop-houses that flank the tree-lined streets of these districts. At once I felt the serenity of the neighbourhoods despite the fact that I was still in the middle of the city.

Meanwhile, last Tuesday was a holiday to celebrate King Chulalongkorn Day. Since I live very near the main statue of King Rama V (or King Chulalongkorn), I took a walk towards where the commemorations were held, which is in front of the Anandasamakhom Throne Hall. King Rama V is highly revered among the Thais. I noticed a lot of passengers in the bus, and even taxi drivers, doing the wai when passing by the statue (and they do this even on regular days). Their love for the King obviously explains the large crowd paying their respect at the grounds of the statue last Tuesday. The conventional offering is pink roses, which are supposedly the King’s favourite. Also, dozens of wreathes were propped around the area while the scent of lighted joss sticks drift in the air.

I was more dazzled however by these towering arrangements made of ribbons, leaves, and flowers. (Please don’t ask me what type of leaves and flowers they were.) Go check the pictures of these truly intricate works of art, a testament to the creativity of the Thai people and their love for their King.

Wat Fatigue and Flowers at Midnight

After getting off from the pier, L and I crossed a small bridge towards the Golden Mountain of Wat Saket. The place is called as such because of the artificial hill that is a remnant of a large chedi that collapsed during construction. The hill is made of mud-and-brick and trees with their gnarly roots have since overtaken it. Scattered all over the hill are tombs with pictures of the deceased. King Rama V later added to the hill’s summit a structure that houses a Buddha relic.

Winding stairs lead to the top of the Golden Mountain. As we scaled it, a view of the neighbourhood spread before us. These are mostly old shop houses that line the nearby klong as well as the grounds of the temple at the foot of the Golden Mountain. Farther beyond, we can see the Grand Palace, Rama 8 Bridge, Democracy Monument, and other landmarks. A prayer area rests at the top of the mountain from which we climbed a winding set of stairs that led to the chedi that serves as the crown of the mountain. The chedi is decked in golden square disks. It was quite a blinding sight at the height of the afternoon sun. Devotees prayed on the foot of the chedi. Some were going around it with lotus flowers in their hands which were in a praying position. Tourists on the other hand watched in awe at the golden chedi and at the same time admiring the panorama of the old sections of Bangkok.

L and I went around the temple complex at the base of the Golden Mount after we descended from the latter. It was another conventional wat (temple), save for the intricate murals on its interior walls and its doors. We also went around the eerily silent dormitories of the monks. In particular, the red doors that lead to the courtyards caught our fancy.

A block away from the Golden Mount is Wat Ratchanatda, which features a unique temple in its grounds. By the look of it, the black roof and its spires are made of steel or some other metal instead of the traditional terracotta tiles. No other Buddhist temple in the world is supposedly like it. In the middle of the temple is a spiral staircase that brought us to its upper levels. We took the opportunity to inspect the spires closer. They look pretty surreal and dramatic. I hope I had much better idea what the architectural style was about.

We shortly visited an adjacent temple, Wat Thepthidaram Worawihan, with its intriguing walls and Chinese ornaments.

Experiencing wat fatigue already, we stopped for lunch at this charming restaurant near the Bangkok City Hall, after which we made a quick stop at the Giant Swing. From there we walked the few blocks to the chaotic backpacking area of Khao San Road. To cap off the day, L had foot massage and I had Thai massage. An elephantine woman was my masseuse this time and I was practically crushed under her weight. I think I still have bruises from that massage session. This was followed by a quick snack at Burger King where L suggested that we walk roughly eight blocks to the largest flower market in Bangkok (I forgot the name of the place). And this was close to midnight already ha, so the streets were virtually deserted but still safe.

Just like most places in Bangkok, the flower market, even in the middle of the night, was one overwhelming place. Rows and rows of flowers line the pavement. Colours explode all over. For only 20 baht (roughly 15 pesos) one can buy a dozen of long-stemmed roses. Orchids were also in abundance together with a mind-blowing array of flowers, some of which I’ve seen for the first time and thus could not name.


After exploring the flower market, we found ourselves in the midst of more tiangges that occupied a good section of the sidewalk. People had a good time doing some late night shopping. But for L and I, we were already pretty exhausted to buy anything at all. So before the clock struck 12 midnight, we each took a cab and went home.

L, thanks for being such a great walking companion. And we can work on the poses next time. Just remember to elongate your neck and jut your jaw and you’re off to a good start. And pout of course.

And it Suddenly Dawned on Me...

... that Thai massage is actually way better than sex. At first glance, both look the same. I started by disrobing (and putting on some loose clothes they provide) and lying on the futon. I had a girl as my masseuse (harsh) and she did the rest while I groaned and moaned in immense pleasure. I was kneaded, twisted, rubbed, and stroked. A couple of times the girl was actually standing on top of me while I was lying on my belly. As in literally, ina-apak apakan nya ang aking pagkatao! At some point I was on top of her as she tried bending back my torso. Honestly, it was satisfaction I've never experienced before. And I didn't even need to come! I paid for the service, left the place, and everybody seemed happy. No hang ups afterwards (but no cuddling too). I wish I knew about the convenience of Thai massage much earlier, no?

After that uber relaxing massage, I crossed over to the Chao Phraya River to visit Wat Arun (or the Temple of Dawn), one of Bangkok's top tourist destinations. It was drizzling a bit so only a few tourists were wandering around the complex. [Note to self: only visit tourist spots when it's raining.]


Much like everything else in Bangkok so far, seeing Wat Arun was astounding. All the intricate details of, I don't know, hundreds of demons that seem to support the towers was mind-boggling. Floral designs made of porcelain and shells form complex mosaics on every other vacant surface, giving the towers a very arresting quality. I climbed the steep staircase that led me close to the apex of the main tower (the top was off limits to people). It was one tricky climb coz the rain made the steps very slippery. From the top I had a good view of the frenzy in the Chao Phraya and the roofs of the Grand Palace complex across the river.

Here are some pictures (with an obligatory solo shot... hehehehe).

Swinging in the Sunset

Huge celebrations took place at the Giant Swing this week for the installation of the new structure that replaced that old, decaying one. The King and Queen of Thailand no less were present in the inauguration ceremonies (last Wednesday I think). So after work, I rushed to see the new Giant Swing just as the sun was setting. (I had previously made an evening visit at the swing.) A number of people were at its foot, offering flowers, lighting incense, and praying.



I crossed to the nearby Wat Suthat, joining several worshipers in the large complex. Dozens and dozens of gold Buddhas were in its periphery. Small Chinese-style pagodas line the inner walls of the temple. The latter has a towering gold Buddha, with devotees chanting at its foot. I'm never a fan of stepping inside a temple when people are praying, I always feel like I'm intruding otherwise. I went around the grounds of the massive temple instead, the marble floors reflecting the pink sunset.



I had som tam for dinner in a restaurant near my building. Som tam is one of my favorite Thai food. It is an interesting salad of papaya shreds, cashew nuts, small dried fish and prawns, peanuts, and string beans. I specifically asked the waitress to make it mai phet (not spicy), but guess what, I still found a small piece of chili in the dish. When I notified the waitress about this she said it's only one piece of chili. And of course punctuated with that disarming Thai smile. What else can I do?


Tomorrow I'm crossing the Chao Phraya River to check ukay-ukay. And NO gay bars for me this weekend. I believe I'm too much of a whore who's acting drama queen at the same time. That's the worst kind, no? So I better stay out of trouble for the meantime.

Bangkok Holiday

I took another ride along the Chao Phraya River late Sunday afternoon, surprised that the boat was extra crowded because of the mothers’ day celebrations. I alighted at the pier closest to the Grand Palace and Sanam Luang. The latter is a huge field, almost like the Luneta in Manila sans monuments, where most rallies are held. Throngs of families and tourists alike crowded the surrounding area, but at the centre of it was a ceremony commemorating the Queen’s birthday. So it was a mix of government officials, military men (oh so gorgeous!), and civil servants wearing the requisite yellow shirt to honour the royal family. I caught a parade of students and government workers just outside the palace walls. After which, I took a long walk around the walls of the Grand Palace, realizing that they were making repairs on the roof of some of the structures, so it was not really a good time to visit the place after all.

Darkness quickly set in and I found the surrounding wide avenues (packed with cars, motorbikes, and the ubiquitous tuktuks) blazing in yellow lights, which reminded me of Christmas in the Philippines. I followed the lights towards the monument that commemorates Thailand’s transition from monarchy to democracy in 1937 (I hope I got this right).

Allowing my self to get lost in the crowd, I eventually ended up in front of the Bangkok City Hall, where, to my delight, I found the Giant Swing, used for some traditional ceremonies decades ago. This was supposedly last used at the onset of the Second World War but what remains of it is the red, towering frame.

Between the Giant Swing and the City Hall was a Khon performance, a traditional theatre presentation, composed mostly of dancing and miming, that recounts Thailand’s version of the Ramayana. Most actors wear masks (especially the giants and the monkeys) and the story is narrated off-stage, complemented by melodious live traditional music. I found the actors at the back of the stage (also open to the public) where I snapped photographs of their lavish costumes and intricately-made masks. I was totally drawn by the costumes. They were embroidered with gold-coloured threads, folded and layered in such a way that they remind me of Dior couture gowns. Add to this the ornate masks, glittering bracelets and necklaces, and headdresses inlaid with small glass discs. OMG, calling John Galliano!!!

In the centre of the picture below is the character who plays Hannuman, the monkey king. Isn’t he fierce? I was enormously in love with him. Unfortunately such lovely face would be covered behind a mask when he steps onstage.

I lingered a bit around the backstage area and took pictures of the actresses who were also doing last-minute rehearsals of their elegant dance routine. A little bit later Rama, the protagonist of the story, came down from the stage, hence our picture together. Guess who needs some foundation?

P.S. My PC is set at the required UK English right now, thus explaining the British spelling. No, I’m not just being snobbish (said in a British accent and a stiff upper lip).

A Temple by the Chao Phraya and the Dusit Palace Grounds

I again took a long walk around our vicinity, mainly the Dusit Palace grounds. But before going to the palace grounds, I passed by a temple complex about a couple of blocks from my building. It sits along the bank of the Chao Phraya River and is obviously quite old compared to the other temples I've visited lately. There I found these lion-looking things that surround a stupa - a dome-shaped monument used to house Buddhist relics or to commemorate significant facts of Buddhism. Venturing farther to the riverside, I saw these long boats (the purpose of which I have yet to find out) bobbing in the water.



A block away is the Dusit Palace complex, which is composed of the Vimanmek Mansion and the Royal Residential Halls. The Vimanmek Masion, built in 1900, is touted as the world's largest golden teakwood mansion, with an elaborate architectural style of Western influence. I stayed outside the mansion coz going in means paying a hefty 100 baht (150 pesos). I'd go back there when I have more money though. However, wandering around the complex, I found my self going inside the mansion grounds where I took photos of these houses on stilts (photo below). Apparently this was off limits to visitors; I had to be escorted out by a guard, much to my embarrassment. I believe I did not see the sign saying it was off limits, especially if it was written in Thai.


Walking farther, I passed by the Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall (photo below), which was completed in 1903. The building features floral designs, colored glass, and stucco motifs. It had been restored as an exhibition hall, displaying arts and crafts, which I did not see coz I could not buy the bleeding ticket.


The highlight of my excursion was entering the Ananda Samakhon Throne Hall, which I posted about previously (and as I stated in that post, it was indeed used as the house of parliament but not at present anymore). I only got a picture of its exterior (the rear side this time) coz doing so is not allowed after one enters the gate. King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) commissioned the construction of the building, using Italian Renaissance and Neo Classical styles. The exterior is decorated with marble from Carrara, Italy. It was completed in 1915.

Visitors who enter the building (ticket is only 50 baht) are required to remove their shoes. I also had to leave my camera and cellphone, and take off my cap. Since I was wearing my tattered jeans with holes in the knees, I was asked to wear a sarong, which is only required from women. Anyway, the sarong was purple so I did not mind.

The building totally struck me with its marble walls and wall reliefs gilded with gold. The high ceilings direct one's eyes to several domes that depict the legacies of the kings of the Chakri Dynasty (the current dynasty). The interior pretty much transported me to some Italian castle or something because the Thai touches are kept to the ceilings, but the general style is mainly Western. The building's enthralling details can actually cause neck pains.