Bangkok for The Slow Weekenders: a Friday-to-Monday weekend

Walk the lake path slowly at the end of the day, with benches under the trees and the heat easing; the lizards will stare back.

A small, vividly busy Brahma shrine at a big intersection; buy a garland and watch the dancers pay for blessings. Five minutes is enough.

A modest, old-fashioned Thai restaurant with air-conditioning and gentle curries; order three dishes and be in bed by ten.

A river-view spa in a teak pavilion: choose the signature massage and stay for the steam room; book a day ahead.

A long lunch in a leafy courtyard of old shophouses: crab, green curry and a fish steamed in banana leaf, with a pot of tea.

The orange-flag boat from Oriental pier to Tha Tien for a handful of baht, with the river calm and the temple spires turning gold.

The one sight of the day: teak houses in a garden, with a guided tour at your own pace and a canal at the back.

A garden restaurant at the house serving mild Thai dishes, with a table under the trees and a long lunch to follow.

A free gallery with a lift, benches on each floor and a café; spend an hour and then go back to the hotel.

The reclining Buddha and the courtyards, at a slow pace with shaded benches; the temple is quiet on a Monday morning.

A thirty-minute massage of the neck and feet in the temple school, at a price that makes it an easy habit.

A last lunch by the river: eastern Thai curries, grilled prawns and a salad of cured pork, with a view of the boats.