Bright and beautiful: Bangkok is always busy, particularly during a lotus festival, when flowers are thrown at a Buddha imageBangkok is such a fast and furious city that one false move seems bound to result in disaster - but not necessarily. On our first morning, I forgot to remove my credit card from a hole-in-the-wall machine and went on my way.
Minutes later, two teenagers sprinted after me, one brandishing my piece of plastic as though it were the key to life. In London, I would have been the one doing the sprinting to prevent the finders-keepers brigade from cleaning up.
And that got me thinking. Take away the polite, honest and dignified people of this huge, sprawling metropolis and you might not be left with much to write home about.
It's not especially pretty (not until you explore life in the canals or klongs), traffic is perpetually choked and at times much of the city is colonised by gap-year boys and girls as they set off on the well-worn route through Asia.
But it's impossible to separate a city from its people. That's why Thailand's capital deserves to be called the City of Angels and why it warrants far more praise than it gets.
During our three-day visit we came across some of the gentlest, kindest people you could meet. And left feeling extraordinarily relaxed, despite scampering around in a manner that seemed at odds with the Buddhist teachings to which the vast majority of locals subscribe.
But it's not hard to feel relaxed when staying at the Mandarin Oriental on the banks of the Chao Phraya river, otherwise known as the River of Kings. This colonial-era hotel has played host to everyone from Somerset Maugham (who arrived with malaria and heard the manager say that a death would be bad for business), Noel Coward, Graham Greene and Barbara Cartland, who has a room named and decorated after her - in shocking pink, naturally.
From the moment we were greeted in traditional wai style - with hands raised as though in prayer - we were enveloped by a warmth and attention to detail that was humbling. The food and service were second to none.
There seemed to be at least two weddings a day in the Author's Wing, and perhaps these ceremonies helped foster a sense of romance. Certainly, you would be hard pushed to find a more seductive setting for dinner than on the terrace, where the lights of passing pleasure craft twinkle until the early hours.
Dazzling: The Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) towers over it's surroundingsBut we were looking for simpler fare on our first night and found it at Harmonique less than a tenminute walk away. On our way there we called in at a silk shop called Sophia, where we ordered made-to-measure shirts for around £40 and had a suit made for less than £200, which I picked up 24 hours later.
Harmonique provides the freshest sea food at remarkable prices. We ate and drank spectacularly well for £20 a head and toured the city afterwards in a cab. Our driver spoke no English but did a good job gesticulating when we came to something interesting and charged only £5 for an hour.
Next morning, we met our guide and driver for sightseeing. We managed a brief stop in frenetic Chinatown, the world's largest outside China, mainly because of a huge influx during the Opium Wars some 150 years ago.
It was no less busy at the Grand Palace, and our experience was enlivened by alarm over King Bhumibol Adulyadej's health. The world's longest serving monarch will be 83 in December and although he has no direct political role, he is held with a reverence verging on worship.
He is largely credited with holding the nation together during the political turbulence of the past few years, which have seen a military coup and the fall of prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
King Bhumibol was admitted to hospital in September, sparking rumours about his future. The jitters were made worse by worries about the suitability of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, although you won't find many Thais prepared to voice such concerns. The Royal Family is protected by a lèsemajesté law, which punishes those who insult the monarchy.
A tale of two cities: Bangkok boasts high rise modernity alongside extreme poverty, but the people are dignifiedThe Grand Palace was built in 1782 and covers a vast area. The highlight is the Royal Monastery of the Emerald Buddha, where you remove your shoes and marvel at the Buddha carved from a block of green jade.
'Think of positive things and even if there is negativity in your life you must embrace it,' said our guide.
Later, my wife expressed a desire to see the red light district.
'You want to see a show?' said our taxi driver. 'What kind of show?' we asked. 'Every kind of show,' he said. 'I take you.' We found ourselves outside a building that appeared locked. Next door young girls were parked on a bench. 'You buy tickets here.' We made our excuses and left.
A friend had said we could not leave Bangkok without taking a long-tail boat and exploring the klongs that pass houses on stilts. We saw a great deal of poverty, chameleons sunning themselves on terraces and huge amounts of enterprise.
Above all, we saw the smiling, proud faces of people of all ages and felt privileged to observe them. Here, we made our excuses - and stayed as long as we possibly could.
Travel Facts
The Ultimate Travel Company (020 7386 4646 www.theultimatetravelcompany.co.uk) can tailor-make a four-night stay at the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok from £1,210pp. Thai Airways flights from Heathrow, VIP fasttrack meet-and-greet service on arrival, private transfers and private guided sightseeing with car and driver, visiting the Grand Palace.
source: dailymail
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