Bangkok, Thailand

Our first visit to Thailand was to colorful Bangkok over the Chinese New Year holidays. Arriving late in the day on Saturday night, we hopped in a pink taxi and headed downtown. (Prior to booking, I had researched to find a hotel close to both the BTS skytrain and the Central Pier. Centre Point Silom was a great pick: comfortable and clean, with connecting rooms, and almost half the price of the adjacent Shangri-la!)

Our first venture out was to the newly opened waterfront development called Asiatique. A short, free express boat took us there directly, and we had no trouble finding a place to eat. Afterwards, we browsed through a few of the hundreds of stalls selling local crafts.

In honor of the “Year of the Snake”, our first stop the next day was to the Snake Farm at the Thai Red Cross Institute. We bought “rabbit cards” and easily navigated the BTS skytrain to get there. All enjoyed watching the informative snake show and were amazed at the skill of the snake handlers. They showcased various venomous species and explained the procedure for extracting venom and making anti-venom serum. (I hope I never need it!)

We then found our way to Jim Thompson’s house and museum. An American sent to Southeast Asia during the war, he fell in love with Thailand and made a home there. Fascinated with the silk-making process, he developed a very prosperous silk business. He lived in a traditional Thai-style house and accumulated an impressive collection of Asian art before mysteriously disappearing into the Malaysian jungle in 1961. (Prior to our trip, I bought a fun Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book about Jim Thompson, and my kids had fun coming up with possible explanations for his disappearance!)

We had a flavorful lunch at the lovely onsite café, then enjoyed our tour through the house and gardens. Outside, we watched demonstrations of silk-extraction and weaving.

To cool off, we took a caffeine and dessert break at the huge Siam Paragon, and I got a chance to brush up on the latest fashions.

For dinner that night, we dined on yummy curries at Deck, overlooking the spectacular Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn). It was quite an adventure getting there, however, as our driver did not understand where we wanted to go, and alas, I speak no Thai!

On the way back, we had a different kind of adventure and squeezed in a tuk-tuk, a small, loud, and colorful motorized truck. As we sped down streets within inches of other cars, my kids squealed with delight!

The next day, we took the Chao Phraya express boat down the river to the must-see Grand Palace and most sacred of temples, Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha). We were NOT the only ones there; the tourist crowds were unreal! Swept along like cattle, we stood sweating for 20 minutes as we were slowly funneled inside. Needless to say, our kids were out of sorts, but once inside there was room to explore. We marveled, for as long as they could last, at the amazing details and colorful, mirrored mosaic tiles everywhere!

We had yummy street food for lunch and then chartered a private long-tail boat to take us through the “khlongs” (canals) of the “Venice of the East”. Locals live along the waterways and travel around by boat, some selling their wares directly from their boats. Being proper tourists, we bought some Cokes and Chang beer, one for Adam and one for our driver! We also bought bread to feed the fish for good luck!

We made a stop at the Royal Barges Museum to admire how Thai kings travel in style.

We cooled off in the afternoon at our hotel’s rooftop pool and looked out over the bustling city. We didn’t get a chance to visit the famed skybars, but we enjoyed cocktails and drank in a bit of Bangkok’s fine dining scene at the artsy restaurant Eat Me. (My giant river prawn was amazing, as was the butterscotch pudding!)

I love big Asian cities, and Bangkok is the fifth one we've explored. =) We return with many fond memories of our short trip to the "land of smiles"!