It is easy to have fun in Bangkok. We started off at a hotel on the city’s Chao Phraya River and got around town in a wooden water taxi that linked to Bangkok’s “BTS,” an above ground train system that is immaculate, fast and cheap.
We visited Wat Pho our first day here, which has my favorite Buddha ever, the giant gold reclining Buddha. And then Melissa decided we didn’t need to see any more temples on this trip. We have seen more than a few 🙂
And then for some reason, we found ourselves reminiscing about Gabe’s corn snake, Pharaoh (nicknamed “Mr. Snake”). Pharaoh ate fresh frozen mice until he went on a hunger strike after Gabe moved out. Thinking he was lonely, I gave Pharaoh to a day care center, which later reported that Pharaoh loved to eat. Our Pharaoh memories motivated us to visit downtown Bangkok’s Snake Farm, a scientific research center that is open to the public and has a daily presentation for visitors. When we were there, most of the audience was under the age of 8 and the scientist giving the presentation used a lot of words like “protected species,” “venomous” and “scar tissue.” He didn’t use any phrases like “raise your hand if you have ever seen a real snake.” The audience was a little restless.
The Three Stages of Snake Love
…hard to avoid comparisons with Brittany Spears’ 2001 performance of “I’m a Slave for You.”
We spent an afternoon at Bangkok’s high end mall, Siam Paragon, mostly to get out of the heat, and I got some new sunglasses. At 50% off, they were ten times more than what I usually pay at Target.
We have so far eaten at a couple of amazing nontraditional restaurants, including 7 Spoons, an edgy cafe and wine bar that felt a lot like uptown Oakland and has a menu that covers a lot of ground — from Moroccan chicken tagine to pomelo salad with smoked salmon to crab ravioli. We got a falafel salad and shrimp tacos with mango tomato salsa. Fantastic.
We also found Bangkok’s latest hot spot by accident after one of those walking -around-in-circles deals looking for something we never found (people who have traveled with me will tell you these forays are always my fault). Broccoli Revolution, all vegan, combines traditional Thai dishes with western flourishes and vice versa.
The veggie burger at Broccoli Revolution is made with a spicy avocado salsa and a tomato chutney.
Last night Melissa met her friend Sean for drinks and a Ferris wheel ride at Asiatique, an outdoor mall on the river close to our hotel. I watched a TV show about the arctic, and then one about the republican presidential race, and then one about people with freakish medical conditions.
People don’t take trips. . .trips take people. – John Steinbeck
Camino Milagro 
This looks like a really fun trip by 2 happy and gorgeous women. How is the mouth thing? Totally focussed on that, of course. Hope relieved and not morphed into ‘freakish medical condition’. Big love.xxoo
Most fun post ever. Don’t know which tickled me more- you in fashionista sunglasses or Melissa with that huge snake wrapped around her a la Britanny.
You are a wonderful writer, Kim. We are coming to Bangkok on October 27, one day before the tour starts, and staying at the Montien Riverside Hotel. Do you know where that is?
I don’t know the Montien or the neighborhood specifically but being on the water in Bangkok is a nice introduction. You can take the water shuttle up to the Palace and Wat Pho and other sites — and you are close to Asiatique and the ferris wheel for evening fun. Thanks for the encouragement!