Slow Your Life in Bangkok!

• Slow Your Life in Bangkok!
  
  Hello from this crazy, vibrant, fascinating city that is Bangkok.
  
  Many of its inhabitants seem to live life out on the street – they cook, eat, watch television, go to the toilet (a child perched over a drain – pays not to look too closely at some things!), play cards, sleep and have their hair done.
  
  However, staying here at the Pranakorn Nornlen is a haven away from this madness and its slogan is “Slow Your Life” is certainly facilitating that for me. It is all very calm and rather lovely. This morning I opened my doors to the deck to look across onto the garden where I watched a squirrel rushing up and down the tree. There’s a school down the alley and as I lay in bed I listened to children singing. Because the hotel is in a residential district, when I venture down the road, I am often the only white face which is an interesting experience.
  
  I love this hotel…… the energy is so calm. It’s like staying in a family home where nothing is expected of you save graciously accept the hospitality. The downside – it’s hard to leave here to go out exploring! It would not suit everyone but for me right now it’s perfect! At night, around 9p.m. two smiling faces appear at the door with a wee woven tray holding a cute yellow china cup and saucer and a pot of hot water. It’s a type of green tea for getting rid of the toxins. Such a lovely thought. If you are out…it’s left on the wooden platform at the end of the bed.
  
  Taste Sensation……..Breakfast is included in the price of the room. It’s all organic here so the taste was divine but unusual for this westerner. It comprised:
  Broccoli soup (it looked like onion) but it was absolutely divine.
  Then there was a sort of an omelet with spinach and tomato and a strange topping – all served with salad.
  A divine tasting pineapple juice, coffee or tea, water, and dragon fruit completed the substantial offering. This fruit is like a white fleshed melon, liberally sprinkled with poppy seeds wrapped in a smooth fuchsia coloured skin and was delicious.
  
  Every morning I’m served a feast all in a leafy green courtyard with water tinkling in the background and gentle music similar to Jeff Clarkson. And they remember my coffee order!
  
  Bargain of the day……Five minutes down the road gives me access to public long boats that ply the Chao Phraya River and for about 60c I can get to many of the great monuments and sights Bangkok is famous for – and spectacular shopping areas. These long boats speed up and down the river and you get the feeling they are going far too fast to stop, then a shrill whistle is sounded and they scud into the pier with a thump (thank goodness for the padding offered by the numerous 4 wheel drive tyres attached to the pier) and a boatman leaps off and ties up. Passengers hurry off (some leaping before the boat is alongside) then those joining the boat get on. No time is wasted in this process and they speed off again to the next stop. They are very efficient.

It’s so easy to offend when unfamiliar with the social mores and I did! There is a spot near the stern on port side, especially reserved for the monks – I failed to see the signs and for awhile I stood there. Oh well – that’s a oncer.

As we progress down the river towards the drop off point for the Grand Palace, the water way gets very busy with many tourist and public craft vying for space. At one stage it seemed to get rather tetchy – rather like bumper boats as they swirled around and around in the water. I’m glad there was no touching because, should there be any sort of mishap, the few life buoys would not cope with the number of people on board. There is no safety briefing! However, it’s a great way to see the city from the river and it’s been my preferred means of transportation.

Later I’ll probably write about the shopping……