I felt overdue for a temple, so I went to Wak Saket, aka “The Golden Mount.” The Buddhist temple sits on a hill that overlooks the city of Bangkok. This is probably the best view you can get of the city without seeking out a rooftop sky bar. I probably went at the hottest part of the day, and I felt all of it. I was sweating buckets by the time I reached the top after about 300 steps. Inside the top building were multiple Buddhist shrines. Even though Buddhists don’t view the Buddha as a god, they sure worship him like one.
Sadly, the golden pagoda up top was closed off due to construction. After climbing down the many steps, I decided to head to the close-by Giant Swing. It was tall, but I expected it to be a bit larger. It stands about 69 feet in front of Wat Suthat (Wat means temple in Thai). Apparently, there used to be an annual swing ceremony where people would attempt to grab a bag of coins on top of a pole, but it was discontinued after participants fell to their deaths.
I also found another fantastic coffee shop. It may be my favorite so far. Sitting along the river on which I took a boat taxi to get to the Golden Mount, this coffee shop offers a flavorful espresso at about 40 Baht cheaper than most places. I had a table all to myself for working. Although there wasn’t any AC (only fans), the rustic, quiet interior was delightful.
After returning back to the Sukhumvit area, I found a Northern Thai place to eat at. It was recommended by the YouTuber Chris Parker of the Retired Working for You channel, and it didn’t disappoint. This meal was by far my favorite so far. The Khao Soi is their signature dish. The blend of soft and crunchy egg noodles in the creamy curry sauce blew me away. I also tried other dishes which were equally delicious. I’ll try to come back here before leaving.
And to finish the night off right, I revisited the restaurant with the tastiest mango sticky rice I’ve ever had. I also tried their fried pork neck, which was equally addictive. Tomorrow I’m thinking about getting some nature in by visiting the two major parks here in Bangkok. Should be fun.
Other notes:
I don’t recommend taking the public buses in Bangkok. Yes they are dirt cheap to ride, but you’ll be stuck in traffic for a while if you need to go to any busy areas.
I don't plan to ride a motorbike while here. Today saw a motorbike crash where the woman was thrown off the back of the bike. An ambulance had to carry her away (fortunately the ambulance was parked 100 feet away at the time of the wreck).
I also got the chance to catch the Tottenham game vs Everton tonight at a local English pub. Unfortunately, Spurs blew the win and ended with a tie.