Bangkok

I cannot seem to link any pics to the blog at the moment which is a bit of disappointment as I quite like the little pics in with the writing.  Alas, I don't want to get too far behind...so...

Thailand...no more morning call to prayer from the mahjid but now I here the morning gong from the Buddhist temples.  The sun rises much earlier here which I am loving...always have been been and always will be a morning person.   

My three days in Bangkok flew by although I did manage to get around and see quite a bit.  Bangkok feels hotter than KL which I imagine is due to all the people, cars, buses, tuk-tuks, and everything else.  Bangkok is currently estimated to be about 9 million people with up to 15 mil in greater Bangkok.  KL is only about 1.8 million (with 8 mil in Klang valley) so not surprising that it feels so different.  I stayed in the Sukumvit area which is a bit of everything including apartment buildings, office buildings, huge markets, and luckily for me, lots of public transport including the sky train and MRT.  

It definitely feels more third world than Malaysia...more dirt, more stinky smells, more slums, etc.  No one drinks the water unless they have to where in KL the tap water was fine.  

I decided to make my way to the Chao Phraya river on my first day after spending a lovely relaxing morning with a great breakfast including a large helping of delicious seaweed salad.  Breakfast here is a bit different with a Japanese influence and no nasi lemak in sight.   

Bangkok seemed just like I imagined it would, big and chaotic with a bit of dark feel to it.  I managed to find my way on the MRT to a section of town near the river and I had the ridiculous idea I would find my way to the river front and walk along some lovely path on the river.  Uh...not so much.  I ended wandering around in Chinatown for about 2 hours while I figured out that nearly every inch of river and canal front in Bangkok is used for anything and everything.  Everything from little wooden shacks nearly hanging in the river to elaborate riverfront condos with huge decks overlooking this majestic river. Tons and tons of private docks into the river moving around all kinds of goods.  I finally managed to get out of Chinatown and get to a public ferry at the riverfront.  I took the ferry up to area near the Temple of the Dawn.  After all my wandering, I realized I was too late to go to Wat Pho (the reclining Buddha) and decided to try to find a little hotel/restaurant I had read about called "the Deck" that is known for its fantastic view of the Temple of the Dawn.  It took awhile but I finally found it and was very happy to have my first sip of cold beer (big bottle for less than $2) and look out at this impressive Temple.  The temples here are HUGE and this is one of the biggest.  The river in the foreground is quite a site with its piles of seaweed everywhere and ferries and longboats zooming past.  My pics will not do the temple justice as it is so massive.  I did end up chatting with a lovely young Brit with his Thai wife and baby and he was taking pics with an awesome camera so have to follow up on that one as I have his email address.  

Watched the sunset and then had a delicious meal of papaya salad and Pad Thai, my favourite combo of Thai food.  This was a very unique and interesting presentation of phad thai with an omelette sort of wrapped around the noodles.  It was delicious.  

As there are no trains around the temple, I decided to take the tuk tuk back to the hotel.  What an interesting way to see the city.  The tuk tuks are all motorcycles now where they used to be bicycles.  The poor little driver had to stop and ask directions 3 times to get me back to the hotel.  I don't think tuk tuks are meant to go all the way across the city.  It was all very entertaining.  Some of the fancy Mercedes and BMWs whizzing past seemed to be as amused as I was at the farang in the big city.  

The next day I was off bright and early to Wat Pho hoping to beat the heat and the crowds and luckily it worked.  You can't really believe the size of the Reclining Buddha, it is gigantic!  The feet are really spectacular as they are inlaid with mother of pearl.  The temple grounds go on and on and eventually intersects with the Grand Palace.  

Once the heat really started descending on the temple, I headed back on the ferry and to the skytrain to another part of town where lots of the fancy hotels are and where lots of expats live.  I think I already mentioned this but I am still struck how many Caucasians I see in Thailand, that was simply not the case in Kuala Lumpur...or really anywhere in Malaysia.  

I ended having a 2 hour Thai massage and foot massage in the area.  I really like the Thai massage but it is not particularly relaxing but sure stretches things out nicely.  I had some delicious green curry at a little outdoor cafe and headed back to my hotel early.  Green curry, papaya salad, and Pad Thai...all my Thai favourites and now I've eaten them in Bangkok. I am flying to Chiang Mai as another 10 hours on a train did not sound that great when I could fly in an hour.  

Cheers!