We were very happy to finally arrive back in Bangkok after our bus fiasco from Cambodia. We wanted to stay in a different part of the city this time (away from the hustle & bustle of backpacker central Khao San Road) so our friend, Richard suggested Suk 11, a really cool hostel located in a trendy part of town off Sukhumvit. We were surrounded by great restaurants, bars and conveniently located close to the Skytrain. Suk 11 has tons of character…you sort of feel like you’re on the set of a movie as you walk down the dimly lit wood paneled narrow halls with occasional exposed brick walls and an eclectic mix of furniture and decorations hanging from the walls and ceiling. The staff are really friendly and helpful.  As you climb the stairs the walls are covered in signatures and comments from previous guests from around the world that rave about how much they enjoyed their stay at Suk 11. If you’re looking for a great place to stay in Bangkok check it out at www.suk11.com

Sherri getting comfortable at the movies

We only had a few days in Bangkok this time around, but since we’d already visited the tourist attractions we were taking it easy. We were happy to wake up to a rainy day…perfect time to hit the movies, as we had been told how amazing the theaters were in Bangkok. Angels and Demons had just been released and was playing in one of the deluxe theaters. It was the best movie experience ever! You check in and are shown to a lounge where you can order drinks and food before you go to your seat. The seats are very deluxe! Super soft leather that fully recline and you even get a blanket & pillow to keep you warm. The waitress shows up with your snacks and cocktails (yes, you can order cocktails as well!) and then you can have her return with another round as often as you like…it was awesome & we were so comfortable that we didn’t want to leave the theater after the movie had ended. To top it off, it was not much more expensive then going to a regular movie in California and you get so much more!  Just before the movie started they played the King’s Anthem and showed a short video of the King and of work he’s done to improve the country. During this everyone in the theatre stood up…I guess it’s similar to how we have the National Anthem at sporting events. It’s interesting that they do it before every movie. They really take pride in their King as you can see pictures of him just about everywhere you look in Thailand.

We ate some really great food while in Bangkok…from nice restaurants to yummy street food at the weekend market where Richard took us to one of his favorite places for some amazing grilled pork that was so flavorful and tender it makes my mouth water just to think about it. One restaurant that really stood out was Cabbages & Condoms. Besides serving great Thai food they have a very unique concept in which the restaurant is creatively decorated with condoms. Cabbages and Condoms is run by the Population and Community Development Association (PDA), which was founded in 1974 by Mechai Viravaidya as an organization to promote family planning. PDA established community based distribution networks throughout Thailand, providing villagers access to birth control pills and condoms. The name “Cabbages and Condoms” comes from Mechai’s belief that for the program to be successful, birth control should be as accessible and easy to buy as vegetables in the market. PDA has grown over the years and has multiple locations of the Cabbages and Condoms restaurants located throughout Thailand. PDA’s basic philosophy is that villagers have the ability to manage development projects in their communities if given the opportunity to do so, making local participation essential to all programs. PDA has expanded to not only help with family planning but also water resource development, environmental conservation, environmental sanitation, AIDS education and prevention. The Cabbages and Condoms restaurants also feature a handicraft shop where they sell crafts handmade from the villages they are working to help in Thailand. If you are ever in Thailand this is definitely a place worth checking out.

We had a couple great nights out! We danced one night away at a Bed Supper Club, a very modern club decorated all in white with plush beds and pillows for guests to lounge around on while taking a break from dancing or to relax while sipping cocktails. We had only planned to go there for a drink after dinner but we ended up having so much fun that we didn’t leave until nearly 3am. We walked back to our hostel, Suk 11, to find a party going on in the lobby. The staff and some of the guests were dancing up a storm, so we joined the party & didn’t make it to bed until 4:30 in the morning!! Richard also took us out for a night on the town…we visited a ladyboy bar (part of the Bangkok, Thailand tourist experience) which was crazy…some of the “guys” really did look like “girls”. He also took us a really cool club that had a DJ playing great techno music along with a guy that was playing the drums! Richard got up and played the bongos…it was awesome as the live drumming just enhanced the beat.

Our trip back to Bangkok was awesome! It is a great city with lots to do and see.