It was super awesome!

Up early-ish for breakfast and an Uber to the train station. Both of us are early nerds, so we had lots of time for coffee.

The train wasn’t too horribly late. We arrived,  air-conditioned and excited to see some ruins and some Wats. The tuk-tuk had a husband and wife team driving. They were really nice and didn’t try to make us ride elephants or go to some shopping places. The day just flew by. 

For lunch we were taken to a great little restaurant. Sometimes in this situation the place is overpriced and the food is terrible. Of course our awesome drivers picked a good place! It wasn’t *cheap* but the service was fast and the meal delicious and the portion large. 😄

The UNESCO areas were clean and the bathrooms far superior to the spots I saw in Vietnam. We were happy to pay the 2 dollar admissions.

Before the train ride home, an hour in a riverside cafe watching the ferry go back and forth.

Overall a fantastic day. Not a sunburn or mosquito bite between us!

Dinner was some okay Indian food.

Having a day off today, only travelling to Chiang Mai and pool time planned.

Have a wonderful day everyone!!

I had a great one!

A breakfast filled with drama, a canal tour, a six ton solid gold Buddha, pool time,  beers, and too much talking was enough to exhaust me and Crystal both!

The breakfast buffet at the hotel is a microcosm of society,  minus the usual niceties of civilization. It is kill or be killed. It was fantastic to just sit and watch the chaos.

After the carnage palled, it was time for cappuccinos and a canal tour. So neat to see the back waters of Bangkok. The boat driver just tooled around for a couple of hours. We saw lots of birds, reptiles, and other wildlife. An orchid farm too.

After the boat driver dropped us off, we went to Wat Traimit. It’s got a great story. The golden Buddha was hidden inside a layer of plaster and forgotten. Hundreds of years later, a 5.5 ton solid gold statue was revealed after a crane accident. Can you imagine forgetting you own a 5.5 TON golden statue? It was really impressive of course!

A nice relaxing rest of the afternoon led to a walk along Rambutree Alley as usual. This backpacker street is more chill than the drunken cesspool that we stay on, so we eat dinner here most every night.

After the day and all that sun we called it a night kinda early. Busy day tomorrow with all that World Heritage we’ll be seeing!

Love to everyone on Valentine’s Day!

Another great day with Crystal! Some Valentine’s Day planning, two coffees, the Royal Palace, the Amulet Market, some pool time, laundry and dinner. 

The Grand Palace is insane. It’s a holiday all year bc of the king’s recent death. All the roads are blocked to street traffic. Swarms of mourners arrive by the busload, all day, every day. There was so many people trying to leave the Emerald Temple area, and the exit was blocked, I had a little panic attack and had to run away. It was worth it!! So beautiful. I have been to three other towns in Asia where the Emerald Buddha WAS, so great to finally see him.

The majority of the palace grounds are of course off-limits. It’s a working royal residence.

There was, in addition, a great little textile museum. Two exhibitions, a collection of Queen Sirkits clothes and gowns, and a display of performance costumes.

The amulet market was super neat. Taxicab drivers (and others) in dangerous professions buy and wear these charms to protect themselves. Cheaply made or priceless treasures, all can be purchased by the handful.

I had a pleasant beer on the backpacker street listening to a pretty great singer cover the Chili Peppers and Nirvana while Crystal got a footrub.

Overall, another great day!

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Spent it at the Chatuchak  Weekend Market. Supposedly one of the biggest markets in the world, it is enormous!

Just as a for instance, if you wanted to buy a goldfish, there was 200 fish stalls. A puppy, 100. If it’s food, every kind of street food you could name. Clothes, hats, shoes, art, jewelry. Anything for sale, it was there. 

So many people. Just having a stroll around, spending and having fun.

After we couldn’t take it any more,  a lovely hour at the park, people watching.

Dinner was doner kebab and corn on the cob, standing up in the backpacker street.

Talking until 1 am…my throat is sore still this morning.

Today is the royal palace, some wats, green curry, and an amulet market.

Have a good night!