Postcard from Bangkok: Sweat, Shopping & Street Food

DAY ONE in Bangkok, Thailand

Welcome to Bangkok, where it is always 100 degrees, and yet literally no one wears shorts. Seriously, the locals here sport long-sleeves and show absolutely zero visible reaction to the throbbing heat. If my camera and constant gawking weren’t dead giveaways that I was new to Southeast Asia, my sweat definitely blew whatever chance of a cover I had hoped for. Anyways. . .

We landed in Bangkok around midnight and were settled in our room at The Yard (details coming soon) by around 2 am. With our alarms set to wake us after about 4 hours of sleep, it is safe to say the day ahead would be a long one. . .

BREAKFAST AT ROCKET COFFEE BAR.

Nestled in the Sathorn district of Bangkok, this artesian café was the perfect spot to fuel-up before a long day in the city. The interior is very Scandinavian-chic. Though that observation might just be because we plopped down next to a sophisticated duo with Danish accents. Still, the place is gorgeous and the food/coffee situation was everything I could hope for as a jet-lagged Westerner.

in my cup: Iced Americano

on my plate: Rocket’s Benedict (the best Eggs Benny Ever)

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MORNING ADVENTURES

After breakfast, we wandered into the streets, fully intending to hike all the way to MBK Shopping Center. But as I made clear perviously, Bangkok is that this city is H.O.T. So, after about 15 minutes of walking, we resorted to a potentially-scammy tuk tuk, followed by a more reliable taxi.

If you’ve never heard of MBK Shopping Center in Bangkok, just know that it is the single most overwhelming indoor marketplace ever. We spent about three hours inside, and even ate lunch in the food court with tons of locals. Apparently, it’s really common for friends and co-workers to meet in malls during lunch breaks in Thailand. Personally, I try to stay as far away from malls as physically possible on a day-to-day basis, but hey – you do you, Bangkok.

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HIT THE STREETS

Ahh, yes. Arguably one of my favorite (and least expensive) dining experiences in Thailand. After accidentally napping for a bit too long (thank you, 12-hour time difference), we went out for late night Pad Thai from a street vendor in the Ari neighborhood.