Today started with some life maintenance activities. Everyone’s favorite – dental cleanings!! Hard to believe we’ve been traveling for over 7 months and we’re due for another cleaning. Actually we’re a tad early, but we decided getting them done in Bangkok would be easier than where we’ll be traveling in the next couple of months. Plus we get a cool everyday living Adventure.
Thailand has a reputation for affordable, high quality medical care. We picked the Bangkok International Dental Hospital. It has great reviews, credentialed dentists and meets international standards. The facility is much larger than the typical dental office in the US. It has all the dental specialties under one roof so Orthodontics, Periodontists, Oral Surgeons all work out of the same hospital.
We had lots of Covid protocols to follow including a rapid test when we arrived. It was with saliva instead of a nasal swab – the kids deemed spitting in a little cup ‘gross’ but better than having something stuck up their nose. They also did blood pressure and a general health check with the nurse.
After we all got negative tests results we headed up the the treatment floor and found a comfort tooth waiting to keep the kids company.
The experience was pretty much the same as we’re used to from there – they even had Paw Patrol playing on the TV above the chair for the kids just like at home.
We’re happy to report all good feedback for the Adventurers. We’re good for another few months.
Next objective was finding some lunch. In previous posts we’ve talked occasionally about having street food at markets or as we’re wandering around. Bangkok is one of the street food capitals of the world, covered by Anthony Bourdain in his travels, Netflix’s Street Food series and many many chef’s picks lists. Even the good folks at Michelin have gotten in the game and passed out some recommendations and some stars. Given all that, we’re trying to step up our game and try some of the most tasty ones we can.
The source we picked to start from was Best Bangkok street food – top 50 street food stalls. We’re at a bit of a handicap – given we only have 21 meals in the city total and 7 of them are a complimentary hotel breakfast (which is amazing, we’ll post photos some day when we remember to take them before we eat it!). So – we’ve got some work to do to ‘chew’ through some of this list before we leave.
One of the 50 street stalls was between the dentist and our next destination so with CreeperKitty heading up navigation, we walked the 20 minutes to Polo Fried Chicken – specializing in Thai style fried chicken with dry roasted garlic on top.
We made it there without incident – but it was closed. This time we don’t think it’s Covid, we think it’s the Lunar New Year. Bummer. By this time we were hot, tired and three of the Adventurers were super cranky so, somewhat desperate, we walked 2 minutes to the closest place we could find.
It turned out to be Baan Thai Family Recipes a Michelin recommended restaurant that was empty and scheduled to close in 20 minutes. They agreed to let us have lunch despite the hour and we thoroughly enjoyed everything we had. It was outstanding. Not street food but wonderful nonetheless. What luck!
To ward off the food coma, we headed across the street to our target afternoon destination – Lumphini Park. This is the oldest public park in Bangkok, built in the 1940s and named for the birthplace of the Buddha in Nepal. It’s home to an artificial lake surrounded by lawns, walking paths and wooded areas, a library, a bandshell and startlingly large resident monitor lizards.
It was nice to have some green space and room for the kids to run around. We brought the little rockets they got in Chiang Mai and they spent a long time shooting them and and running to catch them.
At this point the Adventurers split up. Brian walked to the store where he had been examined and fitted for new eyeglasses earlier in the week.
Tiffany and the kids finished up at the Park and decided to try their luck at another street food stall. Actually two although only one from the list. The first was the kid pick – for traditional Thai ice cream made with coconut milk which the kids said was good but not as good as ‘normal’ ice cream.
The second stop was not only the second street stall, but the second Michelin guide recommended stop of the day. This one was for Kor Patrit’s. They have been making Thai desserts, most famously mango sticky rice, for over 60 years. Tiffany wanted one last serving of this treat before we left the country so why not go out with the best. And it was.
5 Adventures Together 