Before heading to Myanmar and later Tokyo, my mother and I met up in Bangkok for a night on either end of our trip. We've both spent many nights in this city over the years, but it's been almost a decade since we were here together. Bangkok is one of the best places to dive into Asian culture, it is crazy busy, a little intense, and very different from anything in the US. Our first night in Bangkok we stayed in Chinatown at the Shanghai Mansion, a neighborhood that I had not visited before, but I'm so happy we went. The streets were alive until the early hours of the morning, the food was delicious, and because it was so busy it felt safe to wander around alone at night while I worked off my jet-lag. On our trip back from Myanmar we spent the night at the Shangri-la, in a neighborhood filled with expats and embassies. It was a quieter night in Bangkok but after our adventures in Myanmar it was much needed.
The lobby of the Shanghai Mansion Hotel in Bangkok's Chinatown, was so much fun. The faux colonial hotel reminded me of the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion of Penang.
Anyone want a bottle of fresh pomegranate juice?
I have a special love for the street markets in Asia. There is something amazing about piles of dried fish in a dark shop, somewhere off the main road.
Sunset on the Chao Phraya river as seen from my hotel balcony. Sometimes the quiet nights in Bangkok are the best ones.