160 Australian House & GardenH&G TRAVEL
Dip into a different scene
T
he sun is shining, the heat rising
as I swim lazy laps of the pool at
Metropolitan by Como, a serene
retreat in bustling Bangkok. A tumbling
water feature masks the thrum of
multiple lanes of tuktuks, motorbikes
and general traffic chaos on South
Sathorn Road, a stone’s throw away.
The cool but not cold water is instantly
refreshing after a morning tour of Or
Tor Kor food market led by the
renowned David Thompson, head chef
at Nahm, the elegant restaurant located
at one end of the hotel pool. We’ll dine at
Nahm for lunch, on authentic Thai
dishes Thompson and his team have
whipped up with exotic ingredients
sourced during our market stop.
Australian-born Thompson, known
for his Darley Street Thai and Sailors
Thai restaurants in Sydney in the 1990s,
is completely at home in Thailand and
an acknowledged master of its cuisine.
Nahm is an essential part of the Como
experience: book ahead to ensure your
table in a room filled with devotees.
Wellness is one of the pillars of Como
hotels and the Metropolitan boasts a
Como Shambhala spa, with gym, steam
and treatment rooms, hydro pool and a
yoga studio. We breakfast each day at
Glow eatery, on tantalising organic
offerings ranging from mega juice
blends to a nourishing big breakfast,
and leave satiated but not over-full,
energised and virtuous.
One morning I attempt tai chi by the
pool, quivering in the humidity as I
strive for balance; a later attempt to find
a massage joint ends up an alley with a
neon sign and a gaggle of women
pointing out a small card that says “no
ladies”. Happily, there’s still time for aComo Shambhala massage back at the
hotel. I’m asleep in minutes, waking
loose-limbed, soft-skinned and fragrant.
An exhilarating mountainbike ride
through Bangkok’s narrow back streets
offers a window into local life. We
shudder down cobbled lanes, duck under
awnings and dodge the backpackers,
children and dogs emerging from living
quarters that open directly onto the
street. Arriving at the Chao Phraya river,
we board a ferry, then cycle to the
glittering Wat Arun, the Temple of
Dawn. Wat Pho temple and the Grand
Palace are also passed on our tour.
It’s dark by the time we ferry back
across the river to the vibrant flower
market. Bikes parked and appetites
piqued, we snack on local delicacies,
senses in overdrive as the colours, smells,
humidity and hubbub embrace us.
Hopping between cool, airconditioned
mega malls on the efficient Skytrain is a
national pastime but I opt for the chic
streets of Thonglor, and leave just
enough time to visit Jim Thompson’s
former home and museum. Inside a
leafy compound by the Saen Saeb canal,
it’s a monument to the silk business the
American expat established here in
the 1950s and ’60s. The tropical
gardens, local architecture, art and
textiles are a heady mix, heightened by
the mystery surrounding Thompson’s
unsolved disappearance in 1967.
Back at the Metropolitan, a last dip
is called for, then I dash back to my
room to pack and shower – and peel one
last rambutan. Three action-packed
days, yet I feel grounded and rested,
restored by this temple of calm.
http://www.metropolitan.como.bz.
Lisa Green