Bangkok Again!

Ha well as previously mentioned I spent a couple of days in Bangkok doing nothing- nothing at all and it was brill. Had a little look up Kao San Road the main backpacking area one afternoon its full of stalls selling gifts and clothing. and watched a few movies at the guest house.

Andrea arrived back after her trip to the south and we made another attempt to get to the top of the golden mount to see the sun set over Bangkok- the book tells us this is lovely! As we actually arrived there whilst it was still light this time we were able to see that it actually shuts at 5.30pm and so not only could we not climb to the top again it shuts way before the sun goes down!! I never did make a third attempt to get to the top of here I think it is just one of those places I am not meant to see!

We had another wonder up Kao San Road this time to see what its like at night- busy, noisy, bright lights, stalls not just selling the gifts and clothes but now a whole range of cocktails are available!

Andrea went home later that night, its strange to think that suddenly I am alone in this country now- well until tomorrow afternoon anyway!!

Yes so Greg arrived, and it was fab to see him walking towards our meeting place with his backpack. He had had a really bad flight over and wasn't feeling too good but once we had dumped our bags at the hotel he rallied and we set off to see Wat Arun (temple of the Dawn) across the river from the Grand Palace.

This is a really old temple and is massive compared to some- it is covered from top to toe in fragments of porcelain which have all been put together to make patterns and flowers all over the outside walls. From the top you get a really good view of Bangkok.

That evening we found a bar with a band playing various rock covers- they were really good and the lead guitar looked just like every picture I have ever seen of Genghis Khan- Rock on!

Our first full day was taken up with the Grand Place and the Wat Phra Kaeo (temple of the Emerald Buddha) the temple area is lovely with huge statues and fantastical paintings and elaborate buildings.

I was quite surprised to find that the much loved emerald (jade) Buddha is really small. This whole temple was built to house it, it has its own set of clothes for each season and its really tiny! It is really old though- dates back to 1400 and something!

The place itself is nowhere near as grand as the temple and not all of it is accessible, in fact even some of the grounds were closed off due to the lying in state ceremony of the kings sister. She died in January and is still waiting cremation, apparently the more respect you gained in life the longer they leave it.

we did get to go and have a look at the throne room and round some of the armory, we saw the changing of the guard outside the apartments reserved for foreign dignitaries- its where the queen stayed!! we also tried this drink that is made out of flowers- christanthamums I think it was and it was totally vile- have tried absolutely nothing like it and hope to never do so again!!

The Temple and the Palace are worth going for a look around. esp as the ticket is then valid to get you in at Dusit Place too. so this is where we went the next day.

Dusit Palace is actually lots of little palaces set in a park with the biggest building being the huge throne room built strangely enough in the Italian Renaissance style- looks a little out of place! currently there is an exhibition of some of the crown jewels in there, beautiful and extravagant works of art, howdahs, thrones and all sorts of royal regalia all made out of solid gold and decorated with precious gems. Not one item we was in there was more than 10 years old, I cannot imagine what the halls of the Grand Palace must be like if this collection is just the items made in the last decade!


The other main attraction at Dusit Palace is the Vimanmek, the worlds largest teak wood building, and it is made entirely of teak right down to the teak pegs holding it all together! You are not allowed to just wonder through this building you join a group with a guide that speaks your language for a tour and an explanation of whats in each room, its now a museum to King Ramma V who built it at the turn of the century.

we got caught in a horrendous thunder storm leaving here- another reminder that the wet season is starting up (soon be time for the little Buddha to change his clothes!)

Tonight we are getting the coach south to a ferry and on to our first island - Ko Tao!