"One night in Bangkok..."

"... and the world's your oyster", as the Murray Head song says. But what happens if you spend four?

Sawadee-kha! Hello and welcome back and let's continue our journey through South East Asia in the beautiful Kingdom of Thailand. 

Ceremony in a Buddhist temple

Breakfast in Bangkok

We arrived at night at the Bangkok airport and were brought to our accommodation* by a very cheerful taxi driver, where we had a good rest and a cute little breakfast with fresh coffee in the café downstairs, run by the hosts:

This is some kind of deep-fried dough, accompanied by a raw egg in a glass. After this, you also get some kind of cold tea, which, as we learned later, is used to clean your mouth and is served very often in Thailand

Yoghurt wirh cereal and coconut: Very Western, but very yummy. Still,  a second breakfast is necessary after that - preferrably fresh fruit ;)

But I bet you would like to see more of the city than our food. During the day we explored the city by metro, and saw most of the famous temples in the capital. The metro in Bangkok is incredibly easy to use - you just have to select your desired destination on a ticket machine (that can be operated in English as well) and you get a black coin which you have to insert when you get in and out of the station. Especially the BTS (sky train) is worth a ride. 

Priority is given to elderly, disabled, pregnant, children and... monks. And these are everywhere

We walked around the center, looking for Wat Pho, while other shiny golden temples striked our view and we just had to have a closer look. This is Wat Traimit, the Temple of the Golden Buddha. In fact, it holds the largest Golden Buddha image in the world.

You will find every holy place in Thailand has Wat in its name, as it means "temple". What surprised me about the specific Buddhism branch in Thailand is that you're not allowed to carry a Buddha image on clothing and accessoires, of which you are informed by numerous signs at temples. 

A rare opportunity to take a picture of the Golden Buddha (almost) without tourists

Every one of these Boddhisattvas (Buddhas who came down to earth instead of enjoying Nirvana) has a particular meaning, like the guardian of knowledge

View from the 4th floor of the temple

Then our journey also led us through Chinatown, where you can find a lot of Chinese-style temples and an authentic market full of fascinating food, clothes, kitchenware and all other kinds of stuff - probably one the most exciting parts of the city. 

I don't know what these fruits are called - but they were delicious!

These are not for sale: Offerings at a temple

We also found one really beauriful temple where we were approached by a very communicative Chinese woman. She has been living in Bangkok for many years and explained a lot of things to us, such as the symbolism of the interior, and told us that a commomeration ceremony was about to start. We could then watch the monks and even take photos, all the while listening to the talkative, but nice and helpful lady - you don't always get the chance to gain an insight view on cultural events and sightseeing tips from a local. 

During the ceremony, several monks were chanting and praying in front of the Buddha statue you can see in the following picture, while a man was drumming in the background. Even if we didn't understand a word, it was still very captivating. The event was supposed to go on for hours, but we excused ourselves early because there was still too much to see to stay at one place for too long.

Monks about to continue the ceremony outside

So at the end of the day, we reached the famous Wat Pho. Consisting of numerous halls, pagodas and Buddha images, you can spend hours in this 80,000 square meter area, making this temple one of the largest in Bangkok. At the same time, it is one of the oldest.

The Chinese stone guardians of the temple. They were used as ship ballast in times of trade with China, and now spend their "retirement" at Wat Pho

Another striking element is the picture of the Thai king that could be found everywhere with a small altar or at least some flowers. The much beloved king Rama IX has died last year in October, and the Thai people have still not stopped grieving: At least all officials and employees of federal establishments are required to wear black for one year after his death. He had been the longest reigning monarch in the world.

Wat Pho is also home to the Reclining Buddha (Phra Buddha Sayas). This elaborate image of Buddha right before his entry into Nirvana is a Thai cultural icon and a real giant - 46 meters long and 15 meters high. No wonder there was a massive queue of tourists enthusiastically taking pictures.

After the visit we had a nice lunch at the nearby Chao Phraya river. Getting street food is very easy in Thailand - you just have to find one of the many small stands that offer something edible, and the owners will prepare it in front of your eyes. You can even ask for modifications of the dish - like no meat. Although simple, the food is very yummy and fresh - and amazingly cheap. Fresh veggies and seafood, ingredients like rice, noodles, and especially dishes like Pad Thai (mmmhh!) make Thai food the best we had on our whole trip.

Cute little park by the riverside

Thai ministry of defense - recognisable, isn't it?

Our day was rounded up by visiting one of the many small night markets, a huge fair full of delicious food, drinks and typical tourist clothing. After that, a drink at a bar is essential to end a night in Bangkok. However, preparation is necessary for that - ours served only beer and cider (but they had luxurious armchairs outside), and we did not have the chance to visit a "proper" one during our stay. Well, a reason to come back is always good, right?

Coconut ice cream in a coconut at the night market

All of Thailand in one day?

Yes, it's possible - at least in a miniature version. You can find all important attractions of the country without having to travel much, if you just pay a visit to Mueang Boran - the Ancient City. Around 15 kilometers from the southernmost BTS station (Bearing), you can take a taxi to access the place (just be sure not forget its name, as I did! Because outside of the city center noone speaks English - that's why I had to take a picture of this road sign to point at the name for the driver). 30 minutes and 200 baht (or ca. 5 euro) later, you arrive at the huge and exciting area.

You can explore it by foot, which would take you days, or rent either a bike (free) or a vehicle resembling a golf cart (which costs). We went for the bike - that made me a bit anxious at first, because my last memory of cycling was already many years old and not the best one. ;) But it turned out to be a lot of fun, even though the heat was quite tiring at the end of the day. This open-air museum is a one-of-a-kind insider tip, which is probably why it wasn't crowded at all. And it is huge - in roughly six hours, we barely saw half of it. The Ancient City comprises over 100 buildings - mostly copies, but also a few originals -, statues depicting religious scenes, artificial mountains, lakes, rivers and gardens, as well as several restaurants and shops. Come with us on a tour through ancient Siam!

 

Especially interesting for us - because we couldn't make it to the real thing - was the floating market. Unfortunately, the place was completely empty: Noone was riding the boats and selling goods or even occupying the restaurants. All this, however, contributed to a special atmosphere that reminded us of the spirit world in Miyazaki's Spirited Away. The deserted halls by the water seemed to just lie in waiting for dusk, when their real guests would arrive.

This is where we particularly felt the Spirited Away atmosphere - dishes waiting to be served to gods and spirits?

When sunset did come, we didn't see any spirits - but instead, the light created beautiful views, which I don't want you to miss.

Back in Bangkok, our quest for some good food ended at a big busy restaurant whose terrace resembled a beer hall, filled with happy tourists, even including Japanese. Eating curious and delicious food outside is one of the best parts of a vacation.

Kings, swings and things

In Bangkok, we encountered the inevitable scams as well: On our third day in the city, we wanted to take a tuktuk to the Grand Palace, but the driver told us that it's impossible because the streets were closed for a biiiiig parade dedicated to the late king (note that it was a Tuesday). Coincidentally, he had a map of a boat tour that led straight to the palace. After having politely declined, after a few metres walk, we caught a tuktuk and arrived at our destination in no time.

The Grand Palace is the former residence of Thai kings (they now live in Chitralada Palace). The complex consists of several courts, palace buildings, halls, pavillons and Wat Phra Kaew. In total, there are four different building groups with different functions.

In one of the temples, we could witness an interesting phenomenon: There were a lot of donation pots in a row, all along the wall. In order to make a proper donation accompanying their prayer, people had to fill each of the dozens of pots. Simultaneously, a worker of the temple was collecting the coins, all together creating a unique rhythmic sound effect.

Temple of the Emerald Buddha - noone is allowed to come near the Buddha except for the king himself

One of the giant temple guardians

It's a small representation of Angkor Wat in Cambodia! Which we would see a few days later

The detail in these painted faces impressed me

Chakri Maha Prasat - the main building containing the throne hall

Pad Thai near the palace

Just opposite the palace, there was another important temple watiting for us - the Temple of Dawn. So we took a ferry across the river to visit Wat Arun. 

Approaching Wat Arun, you can already see the Prang - tower built in Khmer style. Unfortunately under construction

Inside the temple, a monk was giving blessings to the visitors - you just had to get in line and when it was your turn, he would say something, sprinkle water on you and tie a small bracelet around your wrist. A lot of tourists lined up but we decided to watch instead - we just saw no point in joining without understanding the religious meaning behind it.

These little bells are supposed to bring luck if you write your name on them and ring them

In the evening, we made a detour to the city landmark Giant Swing (Sao Ching Cha), which is no more or less than that. Built almost 300 years ago, it had to be reconstructed thrice, due to environmental damage and erosion. The new swing is now only 4 years young.

The swing seems to attract only pigeons

Dubious retreats, or: Eventful eventlessness

After three days of hardcore tourism, we thought we earned ourselves a few days on one of Thailand's famous beaches. So we chose the easiest and fastest way and went to Pattaya, the infamous but still popular tourist destination. Known for prostitution as well as the perfect place for party enthusiasts, it promised to be an interesting place to relax.

Getting there was half the trouble. There are several affordable busses going from Bangkok, of which the one departing from the airport seemed the most convenient and frequent one. When we arrived there in the evening though, the bus we intended to take was already full, so we had to wait almost two hours for the next (and last) one. Luckily, there is a lot to do at an airport, such as discovering that airport food and service is much worse compared to the city. ;)

After a two hour ride, we shared an open-air taxi (similar to a jeepney) with a few other (mostly Russian!) tourists to get to our Airbnb**. On the road we passed a few loud and colourful bars and lightly clad girls on the street. Our area, however, was in a different district - our condo as well as all the neighbouring ones seemed to be full of elderly Northern European tourists. We did not feel like we belonged there at all. Still, the beach was closeby and we had a nice view from our balcony: 

Breakfast on the balcony - what is there more to desire?

We also initially wanted to visit the Elephant Village, which accommodates rescued service elephants and offers to meet them and ride them through a small jungle. Unfortunately, we could not get in touch with the workers anymore after our initial reservation had to be changed. So we spent these days sleeping, relaxing on the beach and trying all kinds of delicious stuff. We even went for a foot massage. Here's my advice: Never go to a cheap massage parlour right before closing time, especially at an extremely touristy place. My masseuse kept talking on her phone all the time ;) In Pattaya, you simply will not find the fantastic service Thailand is famous for. But at least everything is inexpensive - and they have fresh fruit!

The restaurants next to the beach offer takeout, so you can take your pad thai to enjoy on the beach. Although the beaches in our area are not the cleanest and nicest ones, it was still nice to be by the sea again.

Cocktails by the beach :)

Pad Thai again :P

This was the coolest cocktail I ever had

Because the bus trip to our next destination started very early from Bangkok, we had to get back to the capital for the last night. Finding out how to get back was, unfortunately, one of the most unplesant moments during our travels. We had already booked a bus online, but the station was quite far away from our place so we had no other option than to take a taxi to get there. However, the drivers were utterly unfriendly and offered overpriced rides, discouraging us completely. Coincidentally, at the station 5 minutes away from our accommodation was a bus ready to depart for Bangkok. Boarding it would have been even cheaper than the taxi ride, so we wouldn't have to worry about the lost ticket, and they could even offer us two last places. So after some frustrating moments of arguing, negotiation and decision, we bought a ticket and could go to Bangkok immediately, leaving the pissed-off taxi drivers behind. So long, Pattaya!

As with most negative experiences, this has taught us a lesson: Deviating from your initial plan is sometimes the best decision, even if you have to lose something in the process. And: Don't tolerate jerks. If it wasn't for Essi's furious split-second decisiveness and action, it could have ended much worse. :)

After having checked in into our guest house*** (too bad we couldn't spend more than one night there!), we explored the surroundings a bit to find a place for dinner. However, it was quite late and the place was a little far from the center, so we did not have the chance to see a lot apart from some side streets with hidden food opportunities, and a small British-style bar where we spent our last night.

Last dinner in Bangkok :(

One thing you can be certain about: Five days in Thailand are far from enough

So the following day, we left Thailand for good and began the next, most memorable chapter in our South-East Asia adventure. Tune in again soon for the most legendary temples, the most kind-hearted people and the most moving sites of recent history we have ever experienced - in Cambodia!


* Trendy accommodation in Bangkok
** Relaxing accommodation in Pattaya
*** Comfy accommodation in Bangkok