"Rainy days are made of cozy blankets, warm tea, soft music and quiet thoughts..."
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| (The foundation of Islamic Center of Thailand) |
Activity: Bangkok Free & Easy
Hotel: Nasa Bangkok Hotel
We had nothing planned for today. After days of driving and moving from one place to another, today was simply a lazy, stay-in-bed kind of day for me.
We had our usual breakfast of bread and eggs in the comfort of our hotel room. Having a leisurely breakfast in the room meant privacy, comfort, and a relaxed start to the morning, without having to dress up and head out in search of a nearby halal eatery. Sometimes, doing absolutely nothing is exactly what we need.
We had nothing planned for today. After days of driving and moving from one place to another, today was simply a lazy, stay-in-bed kind of day for me.
We had our usual breakfast of bread and eggs in the comfort of our hotel room. Having a leisurely breakfast in the room meant privacy, comfort, and a relaxed start to the morning, without having to dress up and head out in search of a nearby halal eatery. Sometimes, doing absolutely nothing is exactly what we need.
But outside, Bangkok was having a very different kind of morning. A persistent pre-dawn downpour had drenched the city, slowing the morning rush-hour traffic, reducing visibility and causing flooding in some low-lying areas. From our room, we could hear regular loud public announcements in Thai. We assumed they were related to the flood situation. According to the news, all 50 districts of Bangkok had been declared disaster zones following severe and continuous heavy rainfall.
Ramkhamhaeng Road, right beside our Nasa Bangkok Hotel, was among the badly affected areas. The road was closed to small vehicles, and from the eleventh floor, we could see several stranded cars abandoned along the flooded street.
With Friday prayers approaching, we hoped the rain would ease enough for hubby to make his way to the nearby mosque. As for me, I was more than happy to continue sleeping until he returned from prayers!
By noon, armed with an umbrella, hubby braved the heavy showers and walked to the Foundation of Islamic Centre of Thailand to join the congregation for Jumaat prayers. The khutbah preceding the prayer was delivered in Thai. Although hubby could not understand the language, the gist was still possible to follow, as the khatib frequently alternated between Thai and Arabic.
The Islamic Centre, located less than a kilometre from our hotel, is a major hub for Bangkok's Muslim community. It is well equipped and usually becomes incredibly lively and crowded on Fridays. On normal Fridays, the courtyard comes alive after the Jumaat prayers, with local vendors selling an amazing variety of Thai Muslim halal food, refreshing drinks, snacks and traditional Islamic clothings.
Every Friday is almost like a little celebration here - but not today. The relentless rain had changed everything.
Ramkhamhaeng Road, right beside our Nasa Bangkok Hotel, was among the badly affected areas. The road was closed to small vehicles, and from the eleventh floor, we could see several stranded cars abandoned along the flooded street.
With Friday prayers approaching, we hoped the rain would ease enough for hubby to make his way to the nearby mosque. As for me, I was more than happy to continue sleeping until he returned from prayers!
By noon, armed with an umbrella, hubby braved the heavy showers and walked to the Foundation of Islamic Centre of Thailand to join the congregation for Jumaat prayers. The khutbah preceding the prayer was delivered in Thai. Although hubby could not understand the language, the gist was still possible to follow, as the khatib frequently alternated between Thai and Arabic.
The Islamic Centre, located less than a kilometre from our hotel, is a major hub for Bangkok's Muslim community. It is well equipped and usually becomes incredibly lively and crowded on Fridays. On normal Fridays, the courtyard comes alive after the Jumaat prayers, with local vendors selling an amazing variety of Thai Muslim halal food, refreshing drinks, snacks and traditional Islamic clothings.
Every Friday is almost like a little celebration here - but not today. The relentless rain had changed everything.
After prayers, we had a late lunch once again at the Al-Mubarak NASA Food Court. We ordered our familiar favourites - nasi lemak, nasi beriani ayam, iced tea and orange coffee. There was no rush today. We simply sat back, enjoyed our meal and watched the trains passing by.
The railway line running at ground level in front of Nasa Bangkok Hotel and the food court is part of the State Railway of Thailand's Eastern Line. On an ordinary day, the passing trains would probably be just another part of the Bangkok scenery. Today, they became part of our quiet entertainment as we lingered over lunch.
Meanwhile, the rain continued persistently throughout the afternoon and into the night. Although the hotel staff assured us that the parking area was safe from flooding, we were still concerned about our Hi-Lux. We would be leaving it behind for five days while we flew to Da Lat, so we made sure it was parked on higher ground.
With everything settled, we retired early and decided to leave the worrying for tomorrow. Tomorrow would be another early start. We would catch the train to the airport for the next chapter of our journey.
Da Lat — another chapter, another story...
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