Since I started blogging, I couldn’t develop an appropriate approach to Bangkok. The City Of Angels, Krungthep Maha Nakorn Among Rattanakosin and so forth. Just the beginning of Bangkok’s name. The capital with the longest word in the world. So why not start with a nostalgic walk?
Leaving Novotel and here we go.
Booking.comHow to begin?
The capital is just too huge and with so many stories. However, today I felt that I should start with a short photo journey from 1998-to 2006. First, I stayed in Phetchaburi soi 7 in Avenue Mansion and then moved to the D-Mak mansion. The tour company I worked for had their office in Asia hotel. So the location was practical and convenient. After a while, I moved to Sukaa Place in Phetchaburi soi 12. That was even closer to Asia Hotel. I rented a condo with a small kitchen and a balcony that offered many magical sunsets in the capital. The incredible light formations probably derive from a fair share of pollution from Bangkok’s congested and clogged roads.
A great location to live
A great benefit of living in Phetchaburi soi 7 was the proximity to Ratchathewi Sky Train station. Asia hotel at the time, 1999, was the only or at least one of the few hotels that had its Skybridge to a Skytrain station. With our tours, we could enjoy the Bangkok night scene while eating a welcome dinner by the swimming pool of Asia hotel.
We were gazing out over Siam Square and the Skytrains disappearing on the horizon. The clients would have dinner and then go down to watch Calypso Cabaret. One of the best drag shows in Bangkok.
Near Siam Square
From my soi(sidestreet), it was just a 15-minute walk to Siam Square anyway with MBK, Siam Discovery malls as well as Hard Rock Cafe, where I was taken for my welcome dinner in Bangkok. The walk would take you over the historic Elephant head bridge, one out of three in Bangkok. This one crosses the Khlong(canal) Seap with its own rushed boat bus.
Also, CoCo Walk and the building with the Rock Club was still there.
Outside Sukaa Place, there was a laundry shop that’s still there, and outside the soi facing the principal road, plastic chairs and tables were set up every night for crowds craving some of the best Isarn(North – Eastern) street food in town. The restaurant’s name was Jeak Goi, and it is still there. More successful than ever, so now it is not a street food sensation anymore.
Two classic restaurants in the area where our staff and clients often frequented were the Siam House and Ole Ole. The latter was, to my surprise, still there.
At the end of my nostalgic walk, I gazed out over the Ratchatewi area. It felt dreamlike that it used to be home. Good memories. But, I figure that it was indeed a nice move to settle in Chiang Mai instead.