It's another week and a half to go before I move into my new "permanent" Bangkok apartment. But I'm more excited about my new neighbourhood in Din Daeng District, roughly Ratchadapisek and Rama 9 Roads. Just a hop, skip and jump from Rama 9 (Pra Ram 9) MRT subway stop and not far from the next northward MRT station, Thailand Cultural Centre. There's also the well fortified Chinese Embassy, which is between Ratchada soi's 3 and 5.
Let's let the pictures tell the story: Above, my apartment building is somewhere in this maze of all-too-small streets.
The imposing and butt-ugly structure you see is the back side of the Tesco Lotus grocery store on Ratchadapisek Road and directly behind is the Fortune Town IT Mall. Groceries speak for themselves (except you can buy beer, liquor and cigarettes there, which most Canadians would appreciate if they could buy same in a grocery store!). Inside Fortune Town is a totaly different story, with halls and halls of mobile phones, computers, washing machines, DVD movies and much more. This photo was taken before the lead photo, which was chosen because it's so much more interesting than completely artless, bald-assed concrete. BTW, Ratchada Road is to the left on the other side of the mall, teeming with traffic.
Aha, there's the 7-11 I am supposed to turn right at. Down that soi and to the left is my building.
Big sister pedals little sister home from school.
Looking back from the apartment building down the soi toward Ratchada.
Here's the layout of my 42 squre metre studio apartment in Din Daeng District, Bangkok.
Looking toward the entrance from the bedroom area.
The "dining room" at Baan Siam Rick.
The balcony is very large; you could put a table and four chairs out there alongside the dish sink and preparation counter.
The view west and southward toward "downtown" Bangkok.
I did a little tour of some streets. Goods and services are quite a bit cheaper there. A yoghurt-based smoothie is 25 baht compared with 35 to 50 baht in the "tourist" areas; haircuts 80 to 100 baht compared with 250 to 300; espresso 25 baht compared to up to 60 baht and more.
Hot Thai food is everywhere on the streets. There's a huge food court in Fortune Town, plus the usual fast-food joints.
Yes, my new neighbourhood is looking good. I'll find out more in a few weeks.
