Tuesday 21st Feb.

Hotel room view

Chinatown

Just 20 minutes late arriving at Hua Lamphong, the main station for Bangkok and the end of the line for this train, we exited the station and into the thick humid air of the early morning. We hadn't encountered this type of climate yet - it had been hot, sometimes very hot, but quite dry until now. Taking the metro to Silom Station, we had coffee and looked for a hotel nearby (we were a day ahead of schedule) and hadn't booked anything for tonight. Deciding on The Montien, a reasonably priced hotel (on Agoda.com), with swimming pool and easy access to transit. After checking in and leaving out bags with the concierge until the room was ready, we set out to explore the area.

Old Customs Building

Wat Traimit Witthayaram

Wandering through Chinatown and the bustling, narrow alleys, crammed with stalls, it was an introduction to Bangkok that we weren't truly expecting. The market covered several blocks, just a short distance from the Chao Phraya River.

An afternoon swim in the hotel pool was welcome refreshment from the stickiness of the day, before heading out to Silom St to find somewhere to eat and a beer. We tried "Brothers" but it was empty at 7:00pm - we shared spring rolls and an unsatisfying Singha beer before heading to Soi 4 where there was more nightlife. The Telphone Bar (named for it formerly having a telephone on each table for patrons to call each other) was a good choice to sit on the patio and watch the activity of the street. After some pad thai, stir-fried morning glory and a couple of Chang beers, we called it a night.