Bangkok - Leo's View

When we arrived in Bangkok, the real vacation finally began. It felt so much more relaxed and laid back compared to the Emirates. Right after landing, we took the metro, and man, the humidity was on another level. As we stepped out and waited for a taxi big enough for the whole family—we needed a 7-seater—the streets were incredibly wet, humid, and loud. It had rained a bit that day, so people were huddling under bridges. I noticed some kids, maybe around 10 years old, running around barefoot and playing soccer under a bridge. They looked so happy. It was a really interesting sight for me—seeing how kids in other parts of the world can find genuine joy in the simplest things.

Eventually, our taxi arrived and took us to our place, which was actually quite nice and modern. Everything was brand new. One weird thing, though, was the beds—they were unusually high, almost reaching my knees. That evening, we decided to go out for dinner and picked a slightly more upscale spot. Every table had a small stove with a pot full of broth. It’s called Thai hot pot. At first, I had no clue how it worked, but the waiters explained that we could order meat, shrimp, and other ingredients from the menu and cook them ourselves right there at the table. I didn’t really know how long to cook anything, so I just winged it—and it turned out amazing.

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The next day, we went to a park famous for its monitor lizards. There was a huge lake where you could rent swan paddle boats, and these massive lizards were just roaming around freely in the water and on the grass. It was fascinating because I’d only ever seen them behind glass at a zoo before. The park also had playgrounds and outdoor workout areas. It was packed with people, and you could tell that locals really care about fitness and a healthy lifestyle.

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After the park, we hit the street food stalls. That was an experience in itself—so many types of meat on sticks, shrimp, and both spicy and mild seafood. There was something for everyone, and it was all incredibly cheap. Plus, you could find cold young coconuts on every corner, which I absolutely loved. They’d take a machete, chop off the top right in front of you, stick a straw in, and you’re good to go. Once I finished the water, I’d always scoop out the soft coconut meat—it was the best. I’d never had coconuts like that before, and in Bangkok, I was easily going through five a day.

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In the evening, my dad and I decided to check out Bangkok’s nightlife. It was a completely new and eye-opening experience. You can see videos of it online, but the reality is something else entirely. We found ourselves in this narrow street, maybe 100 meters long, lined with clubs—specifically strip clubs. Outside each one, there were about ten dancers trying to lure people in. They were very direct and forward, not shy at all about approaching you or even grabbing you to get your attention. It was literally a street where women were actively hitting on men 😆. I didn’t see any full nudity, though; they were dancing in lingerie. We checked out a few spots, and the whole setup is basically that you pick one or more girls to sit at your table, talk to you, and keep you company. In exchange, you buy them drinks, which are about five times more expensive than usual. If you’re buying rounds for yourself and the girls, you can burn through money pretty fast. It’s definitely geared towards wealthier, older tourists.

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The following day, we headed to some markets in a more remote part of the city. We took a bus that kept its doors open while driving. I always had to find a seat because standing wasn’t really an option—the ceiling was only about 180 cm high. At one point, our driver must have been at least 90 years old 😂. We passed through narrow Thai streets that were humid, dirty, and had a strong smell. Eventually, we reached the markets, which literally had every kind of food you could imagine. We sampled a few things and then sat down for lunch at an open-air restaurant on a boat. They had all sorts of seafood; I went with the fish, and it was delicious.

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After lunch, we took a ride on a small boat with a massive truck engine strapped to the back. It took us through little villages to another market where we spent about 40 minutes. It was really nice—they had food, drinks, activities for kids, and even live animals like little piglets, rabbits, and goats. On the boat ride back, we saw plenty more monitor lizards in the water.

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The next day was market day again, but we stopped for iced coffee first and went to check out the gym of Thailand’s most famous kickboxer, Buakaw Banchamek. It was closed, but we at least got a photo in front of it. Then we visited a quieter park and later hit a 7-story mall. It wasn’t your typical mall, though—more like a massive indoor market with stalls, though it did have some regular stores too.

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Overall, I really enjoyed Bangkok. There’s so much to do, everything is cheap, and there’s something for everyone.