Bouncing around Bangkok - Day Four!

For our last day we booked an afternoon bicycle tour of all things!  I was a little reluctant because of the heat, but figured we would survive.

But first we spent some well deserved down time at the pool.  It was great to relax and enjoy the resort we were paying for.  We'd been on the go the previous two days, so the pool chair was a welcome break.

By noon we were back in a cab, heading to our starting point for the tour.  Our group was Gail and I, and a group from the Netherlands.  Thankfully, they were all experienced cyclist, so we weren't constantly waiting for anyone.  Even the nine year old could ride well.

The tour wove all through Chinatown, down narrow alleys with people working and trying to get by us all.  Very hectic, but thankfully none of our group fell or ran over anyone.  A couple times we got split up due to the shear amount of people along the route.

Along this portion of the ride we got off the bikes and walked them through a bustling market.  I felt in the way constantly, but it was very interesting to watch these folks working.  They even had time for a couple pictures!

At last we made it to the river where we loaded all the bikes onto long boats and headed up-river, then took a left turn into a canal.  This portion of the ride passed by all kinds of houses along the canal.  One would be scabbed together with whatever floated by on the river and the next would be a beautiful house.  Strange!

After a bit I saw a narrow, decrepit walkway hanging over the water and joked with Gail that it was our bike path.....oops!  It was our bike path!  It wove in and out of residential areas, and eventually we stopped at a little shop for fresh fruit and cola's.

The path was very narrow in places, and several times we had to make 90 degree turns, and BTW, we weren't the only ones using the path!  A few areas were elevated above the plantation, and a misstep would land you on the jungle floor six feet below.

After an ice cream stop and a quick stop at a temple, we hopped a boat and wove our way through the night market crowd back to the bike shop.  Everyone made it back safe, thank goodness.  Back to the hotel to wash the layers of sweat and dirt off, and downstairs for an amazing Italian dinner.  We met one of the chefs, who spends time in Abu Dhabi every year working at a hotel just down the road from our apartment.  Hopefully we can go visit him while he is here!

We had to be out of bed at 4am, so it was an early night for us.  We packed quite a bit into our four day trip and really got an appreciation for Bangkok.

Bouncing around Bangkok - Day Three

So now it's Saturday, and Gail had been told by many of her friends that she should go to the weekend market.  After our buffet breakfast we hopped a cab and headed out.  After what seemed like and hour of combat driving our cab dropped us off in front of the market.

We wondered through the first section and bought a couple trinkets, but as we got deeper into this section of the market we noticed that it was all pet fish!  Hundred of little shops selling a hug array of tropical fish.  As we really couldn't pack fish back to the UAE, we decided to move into the large indoor market.

The indoor market was more like a Kmart, so we breezed through it pretty fast.  Back outside we entered another area of the market.  It turns out this was full of pets also.  Everything from ducks to this funky squirrel type animal on a leash!

The heat was stifling, which made this section of the market particularly stinky!

One of my missions was to get to the Hard Rock to get brother Tater a guitar pin, so we hopped a cab to Siam Square.  Communication is pretty difficult at times, and although our driver said he knew where Siam Square was, I had my doubts.  The traffic sucked, and it felt like we went in circles a couple times, but eventually we were deposited at Siam Square.  After a little wondering around we found the Hard Rock and had a nice lunch and a cold beer.

One of the things Gail wanted to see was the Jim Thompson House and Museum.  For more about this click on this link.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Thompson_House

We took a guided tour of the house, which was quite interesting, but the heat was over-bearing!  Hovering around 95 and incredibly humid.  I couldn't wait to get back to the resort and get a shower!

After getting cleaned up, we hopped the shuttle ferry across the water to get to the Lady-boy show.  This was interesting!  All boys dressed and made up as girls.  If you've seen Hangover II, you'll probably understand.

http://www.bangkok.com/nightlife-ladyboy-shows/

We went from the show to the massage parlor for another foot massage.  It had been a long day, and we deserved it.  Well, we didn't get the same girls, in fact, I drew a male masseur.  I must have looked like someone that did him wrong at some point, because he tortured me for the full 30 minutes.  I was thinking "what the hell did I do to deserve this"?  Funny how different the two experiences were.

Back home for a nightcap on the veranda, and a night of sound, sound sleep.

Bouncing Around Bangkok - Day Two

Winston took me down!

Flower Market

 Our tour was scheduled to start at 8am on day two, so naturally our guide called at 7:45 and said he was there and ready to go.

I booked a group tour due to cost, but also because I read in the reviews from past clients that they had booked a group tour, but they were the only ones for that day, so they got the private tour anyway.  Lucky us!  We got a private eight hour tour in a new Toyota Camry!

First we hit the flower market.  Gail and I wanted to take some home, but it just wasn't practical.  The colors were spectacular!

Flower Market

Wat Pho Temples

Not sure what to say about this guy 

The temple behind us is called the library 

After a short ride from the flower market we arrived at What Pho and the Palace.  The architecture was amazing and the grounds are meticulously manicure.   Kenny led us around explianing all about the different structures and history.  In the picture of the three temples the first one is Sri Lankan style, the second is Thai and the third is Cambodian style.

At Wat Pho you can see the worlds largest reclining Buddha at 150ft.

Next we moved on to Wat Phra Kaeo which houses the largest solid emerald Buddha at 26" high (It's actually Jadeite, but who cares about details)

Here we also got a 30 minute Thai massage.  Nice!

 Next Kenny hustled us onto a ferry as it was ready to leave, and we crossed the river to Wat Arun which was the original capital of Bangkok.

The temple is extremely old, and they still let people climb the insanely steep stairs.  No problem for a thrill seeker like me....until I got to the top and looked back down!  Cripes!

Next we boarded our private yacht (long boat) and headed our on our canal tour.  It was extremely interesting to see the variety of dwellings along the canal.  Throughout the ride people on the banks waved to us and children yelled out "Welcome to Thailand"!

There is an amazing amount of fish in the river and canals.  Looking at the water you would think that nothing would be able to live in it, but they are thick, and people often throw bread in and cause a feeding frenzy.  On our way back to the river, the driver slowed so that an older Thai lady could row out and show me her wares. (Probably his mom)  But she had beer on ice, and I had expendable income, so I got a nice coldie for the rest of the ride.

Funeral Home

150 ft Reclining Buddha

Crossing the river

Wat Arun

The boat dropped us at our floating buffet lunch, and we washed it down with a couple more local beers.  Yes, Gail had one too.

With full bellies and a long day in the scorching heat way headed to our last stop, the Gems Factory where we got to watch them create the gems from raw stones.  Of course they then assign you a personal shopper that parades you around the showroom.  People were out of their minds in a shopping fervor. We got out in a hurry.  The jewelry was beautiful, but thankfully Gail isn't one that is too hung up on that.

At the top of Wat Arun

Next we were whisked back to the resort where we took a MUCH needed shower and got ready to head across the water to Asiatique.  Yes, that is the name of the newish shopping and dining experience a short boat ride from our hotel.  It's actually pretty cool.  Lots of nice shops and restaurants.  We got a couple walktails and set off for some serious shopping.  Bags in hand, and worn out from our ling day we headed to the pier to grab our boat.  Well, along the way a nice Irish Bar was calling our name, so we ducked in for a couple drinks and potato skins.  Gail set up a pool game for me with a twelve year old.  Needless to say, I lost.

Getting excited for our long boat ride

Photo bombed by the tour guide

Along the canal

Eventually we made it back to the resort, and passed out for a good night sleep.  No alarm in the morning..YES!

Bouncing Around Bangkok - Day One

DAY ONE

Day One chilling at the Pool

Just getting settled into our room

 So Gail and I decided we needed a get away and after much discussion chose Bangkok. Let me start by saying it did not disappoint!  We flew all night, losing three hours along the way, and got in very early.  After clearing immigration we grabbed a taxi for the ONE HOUR trip to our resort.  For some reason Gail and I both struggled with weariness on day one.  That's OK though, because our only plans were to lay at the pool and do the dinner cruise that night.  As you can see, the pool wasn't a bad place to hang.

Sample of the beautiful grounds at the resort

Our dinner cruise boat

 One thing that was strange for us was the money conversion.  Thighland has the Bhat, which is a very small denomination.  For instance, a inexpensive beer is 80 Bhat, so you feel like you're getting bled dry when you spend 300 Bhat on a quesadilla.

That night after a great day of doing nothing but reading, swimming and drinking beer, we headed out for our dinner cruise.  Or as Gail calls it, Food Hell!  We did find a couple things she would eat, but I felt bad that there was mostly seafood on the menu....just a little bad though, because it was really good!

Off to bed right after the cruise!  We hit the sheets and didn't move until our 6am alarm.  Yep, time to hit the town!

All dressed up for the dinner cruise

This view was spectacular in person!

Wat Arun lit up at night