Tropical Heat Tour: Thailand Part 20
Monday, August 20, 2012
Bangkok, Thailand
On my first trip to Bangkok in 2010, my visit to the SkyBar was marred by a rainstorm, as the staff wouldn’t let anyone outside onto the balcony. So, it was high time (pun intended) for me to take another stab. This evening, despite a sky full of thick black clouds that threatened to unleash yet another downpour, I made my way over to the Chao Phraya river. A few sprinkles tapped me on the shoulder while I waited for the boat, but there was no significant cumulus outburst to speak of as we sloshed our way down to the Sathorn pier, where I walked the half mile over to the skyscraper in question, the State Tower.
After I made my way through the strangely sterile and mostly deserted first floor lobbies, a smooth, quiet elevator whisked me up to the 64th floor. Stepping outside, I was taken aback by the startling view of the vast metropolis that is Bangkok, with its huge collection of high rise buildings and twinkling lights galore. Wealthy Thais and foreigners milled about as a smooth jazz band played on a balcony, and a thick assembly of people congregated around the SkyBar, which is situated down a flight of stairs on a circular overhang with a glass railing. I snapped a few photos and video clips as I squeezed my way around the narrow viewing area.
When I had my fill of the panorama, I went back inside the huge, fancy dome at the top of the building to check out the rest of the place, which was occupied by another uber-ritzy bar and restaurant called Sirocco on the other side. As I dropped back downstairs on the elevator, I felt like throwing a couple of handfuls of dirt on myself after being surrounded by so much oppulence. Since it was too late to ride the riverboat, I just hopped on the SkyTrain and headed back over to Siam Square to catch the trusty old bus number 15 back home to Banglamphu. There, in the rec room of the Nat 2 Guest House, I spent the rest of the night hunkered over my laptop as all of the Japanese tourists who infest this place talked, yelled, screamed and laughed way too loud, and some local Thais chain-smoked and blasted lame music, forcing me to relocate to another part of the lobby.
Roll over photos for captions.
Words and photos ©2012 Arcane Candy.
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