Temples, Tuk-Tuks and Tropical Fruits - Bangkok, Thailand

August 19, 2014 - Touch Down Bangkok

When Bao originally planned to come visit, I knew I wanted to try to go to another country with him as well. Thailand had always been on my To-Go list so I figured this would be a perfect opportunity to do that. But to be able to fit in Thailand as well as all my other plans, some things had to be sacrificed, like sleep. We ended up flying to Thailand with Air Asia. Great budget airline but with terrible fly times. To make the most of the day time, we agreed to take a the red eye flight to Thailand with a layover in Malaysia. So late Monday night, we flew out on the 11 pm flight heading to Bangkok. It was a six hour flight to Kuala Lumpur followed by a three hour wait and another hour flight to Bangkok. With that schedule, we landed in Bangkok around 9:30 am Tuesday morning. The first thing we did was check into our hotel, the Mandarin Hotel. At the time we booked it, Thailand's government (or lack of) was causing many tourists from coming to the country. I think this actually worked in our favor because hotels, at the time, were extremely cheap. The hotel we stayed at was really nice and we only got it for around $70 USD a night!

When we got to the hotel and put our bags away, we were starved and determined to get out into the city. We only planned to be there for two nights (short I know) so had to use our time wisely. I had never been to Thailand before so depended on my research online and suggestions from friends as to where to go. I created a rough itinerary to follow but it became more like a guide then actual schedule. I knew I wanted to check out The Grand Palace as well as Wat Arun and Wat Pho so we headed toward that direction. Being in a 3rd world country like Thailand, I was a bit nervous about one thing, being ripped off. And what's the fastest and most easiest way of getting ripped off? Taxi drivers. Luckily, when getting a taxi from our hotel, the driver always used the meter so our first trip towards The Grand Palace was pretty smooth. I can't say the same for others.

When arriving at The Grand Palace, a man stopped to talk to us right outside saying that we actually couldn't get in because we were wearing shorts and tank tops. He then suggested that we come back after 2 pm because then they let anyone get in. Being that he was so friendly, we believed him! Looking back on it now, I wonder if he was just trying to scam us! But after he had told us that, he then suggested we go take a trip around the river which would lead us to Wat Arun. How perfect! A place I wanted to go! So we followed him to a lady near the pier who was then telling us about a tour deal for 400 baht that would take us around the river, to see the floating market, then back to Wat Arun. Slowly, I knew what was happening. We were being tricked into some over price tour. Frustrated and fed up, I quickly said no thank you and turned to figure out a different route to see what I was looking for. As we walked away from the pier, a tuk-tuk driver approached us asking us where we were going and where we were from. He then told us that he could take us to see a giant gold Buddha that would be worth our while. He also added other stops along that way that sounded really promising. The price he gave was reasonable, and being that riding on a tuk-tuk was on my to-do list, I agreed and we were off.

Riding in the tuk-tuk was actually pretty fun even though I felt like I was breathing in disgusting car pollution and sewer smell. The drivers are fast and scary, especially with all the car traffic and congestion on the roads. But I took my camera out to snap videos and pictures and tried to not be so afraid of death sitting in that little tin box on wheels. Just riding around Bangkok, I felt like I was in Bali again. Bangkok and Bali are similar in many ways. The smells, roads, people and foods.

When we got to our first destination, it was actually pretty cool. I have only seen Thai culture on television and magazines so to be able to see some of it in person was pretty rad. The structures were huge and so detailed. The tall Buddha was not so bad too. After walking around and snapping a few pictures, we joined up with our driver, who said his name was Jimmy, and headed to our second destination. Jimmy had told us that we would go to a place to see traditional Thai outfits and that we could see a range of different outfits. I wasn't sure what that was going to be like, but it sounded good. When we got to our destination, it slowly sank in what was happening. Jimmy was really working for these places and he was just another tuk-tuk driver on the job for someone else. The place he had taken us to was a fabric shop that made custom suits and dresses! Who would be looking for a cashmere suit in the middle of Summer??! Bao and I quickly made our way out of there as politely as possible. Now I could feel Jimmy's plan all along. First he would take us to a place we actually wanted to go, and then he would follow up with places his employers wanted us to go. So the third place I was not so thrilled about. I really didn't even want to go but I didn't want to be rude. Jimmy had said that we would go check out some genuine Thai jewelry and that we could try things on for free. It's funny how salesmen word things right? He ended up taking us to a jewelry shop. I knew I wasn't looking for any jewelry to buy but looked around and tried not to be rude. I think Bao felt sorry for asking the lady questions or being in that whole situation so he actually ended up purchasing something! I was a bit shocked but I just wanted to get the heck out of Jimmy's tuk-tuk and out on our own terms again. Luckily the jewelry stop was the last place he said he would take us and soon dropped us back off at The Grand Palace. Starved, we found a near by place to eat and had our first Thai meal. Yay green curry and coconut!

After the said time of 2 pm, we walked back across the street from the restaurant to The Grand Palace. I was a bit weary because I remembered in Bali at certain temples you couldn't enter unless you had the proper attire on. When we tried to enter the gates, there were men yelling at us saying we couldn't get in. Confused, we continued to walk in and saw the line of foreigners going into a room to pay for entrance fee AND rent articles of clothing to be in correct dress code. I was wearing a tank top so needed a shirt but Bao was wearing shorts and a tank top so needed pants and a shirt. Renting the clothes was inconvenient but at least we got refunded when we returned the clothes. Our outfits looked hilarious. Baggy and out of style, we really looked super going into The Grand Palace.

Once we were properly outfitted, we walked around the palace grounds marveling at the large and detailed structures. According to my research, the palace had been official residency to kings of Siam (Thailand) since 1782. Presently no one lives there but the grounds are still used for ceremonies and official gatherings. The Grand Palace grounds were huge. There were massive temple like structures decorated in detailed with glass, gold, and paint. It was really exciting to see but a bit difficult to enjoy because of the amount of people who were there. We tried to make the most of our visit there, taking pictures and sitting to people watch. I think the lack of proper sleep and heat were getting to me, and I felt myself become a bit fussy but was trying to push through the day.

After The Grand Palace, we were thinking about going to the hotel to rest before going to Lumpinee Stadium to catch a real Muay Thai fight later that evening. We got a taxi around traffic hour, and my simple plan of getting rest seemed to be more difficult than I thought. Our taxi driver was nice but talked alot. It was really hard to understand him and frustrating that I felt like he too was trying to sell us more than just an over-priced taxi ride. We had mentioned to him that we wanted to see a fight and he got really excited. He pitched to us going to the stadium right away instead of waiting because it would take us a long time to get there with all the traffic. Tired and no energy to argue, I agreed and we had him take us toward the stadium. When I originally researched Lumpinee Stadium, I saw that it was really close to our hotel. I know it was only our first day in Bangkok but with a working map on Bao's phone, we were slowly realize that our taxi driver was either taking the long way back or had no idea where he was really going. I had fallen asleep in the taxi and even over thirty minutes later we weren't at our destination. Bao and I both started to get worried and tried to get a clear answer out of the driver. After raised voices and alot of confusion, our driver had told us that there was a new stadium and it was further. He said that the old stadium was very small with no ac and that he wasn't tricking us. Again, tired and fed up, I trusted God would take care of us and just sat back until we got there. Thankfully, the taxi driver did get us to the stadium for a heavier fee than we had paid before for the same distance. Frustrated and just wanting to get out of the taxi, we paid him and were on our way out.

We had yet to buy tickets and weren't sure even which tickets to buy. Of course they were trying to sell us the most expensive (about $68 USD) tickets which were ring side but you got to watch all ten fights and come in and out as you pleased. The other ticket prices seemed doable as well but because I didn't know the set up of inside, I figured we were there and we might as well get good seats. When we went into the stadium it was much smaller than I had imagined but it was just my idea of "stadium" that messed me up. The stadium was actually very nice for 3rd world country standards and looked very new. We were there much earlier than when the fights were to begin. On the roaster there were to be about ten fights with a couple pre-fights that weren't official. I don't know much about Muay Thai fighting but Bao was more interested in it and helped me understand some of the rules and timing of the rounds.

The fights actually were really entertaining to me. Along with the two fighters in the ring, there was a whole side line of people yelling and shouting their bets. It was like two shows in one! I wish I had understood the way the bets worked because it just looked like people throwing up ones and twos on their fingers. The fighters we watched didn't weigh over 130 lbs and didn't look any older than 25 years old. The youngest fighters looked to be about 13 years old. It was interesting to see the rituals and dedication in these young fighters but also sad to see that their life must not be that smooth that they have to be in this ring fighting for their family who was probably betting on them. What pressure at such a young age, but then again this was their way of life. We ended up staying to watch the main fight. Everything that evening was really interesting to see. From the dance rituals done before a fight, to the two knock outs we got to see and fighters being taken out on stretchers, I was glad I had put this on our schedule and was excited we got to experience such a Thai thing.

Exhausted from the day and long morning flight, we were very excited to crash in the king size bed of the hotel room.

Bangkok day 1, done!


August 20, 2014 - Bangkok, Thailand: Day 2

On the second day, I decided to take it easy. If there wasn't something I got to see i wasn't going to sweat it. This was suppose to be a vacation so I was going to try to relax. All Summer I had seen friends' posts from back home going to the beach, pool or lake. Envious, I was really wanting to be in a body of water at least once this Summer! So after a yummy breakfast buffet at the hotel, Bao and I changed into our swim wear and relaxed at the hotel pool before going out back into the city. The pool time was much needed and a fun way to start the day.

When we headed out into the city, we decided to visit Jim Thompson's House, a popular tourist spot. Jim Thompson was an American business men who settled in Thailand in the 50s and 60s. Thompson was a collector of art and sculptures and had a growing business of moving around Thai silk. What makes Thompson so interesting is his success, beautifully built home and sudden disappearance. Now his once home is a museum for all to see. There was a small entrance fee to join the tour but the house was really nice and interesting to see. The garden around the house was also very lush.

When we finished with the tour, we walked over to Siam Square, Siam Discovery and other neighboring malls for lunch and shopping. I am never too big on doing heaps of shopping when traveling so the malls were cool to see but price tags too high for any real shopping. The best part of the afternoon was making a snack stop at a sweets spot for cake and milk!

That evening I had planned to do Bangkok on the nicer side. A friend had suggested to me that we should check out a roof top bar while in the city. When I looked up her suggestion of Sky Bar, it seemed like it would be promising even though the reviews online were questionable in expenses. We figured why not, how expensive could one drink be anyways? So we cleaned up and took a taxi over to hotel Lebua where Sky Bar was located on the 63rd floor. Once getting to the hotel, you could already tell it was a fancy place. We made our way up to the top and were greeted by many different workers. Luckily, it was still early in the evening so the place wasn't too packed yet. The view was amazing! You could see all of the lights and neighboring river. Bao and I each ordered a drink (costing about 600-625 baht) and sat back to snap photos and enjoy the view. After finishing our drinks and not wanting to order another, we decided it would be a good idea to get something to eat. Just as we were making out way out, we had noticed a whole other section of the roof!! How could we of missed this! The whole time we spent our time on a small corner of the roof top when there was this whole other section with an even better view! We were shocked but thankful we at least found the real view before leaving the building completely. On this side, there was a full light bar and tables for dining. We stood along the edge with many other tourists coming for the same view. Slowly, we saw a rain cloud approaching and figured it was the perfect time to find some food indoors.

Using the trusty internet via Bao's phone, we found a restaurant called Eat Me with good reviews and caught a taxi from Lebua to take us there. The place was hidden in an ally but as you walk in you could tell it was a bit fancier than what we would see at ground level. The place wasn't too busy but that night we had chose a late dinner time and didn't expect to be going to a crowded place anyways. Dinner was really lovely. I had ordered a fish entree with a cocktail and sides to compliment. Since Bao had missed my birthday, he said that dinner was on him as a late birthday treat. How sweet!! After finishing dinner and deciding that with an early morning coming up and rain clouds scattering the city, we would call it an early night and headed back to the hotel for rest.

The second day I felt a bit better about being in Bangkok. We barely took over priced taxis that day and that was the source of my head ache the first day so I felt really good about that.

Bangkok day 2, done!!


August 21, 2014 - Bangkok, Thailand: Day 3

On the third day, I had booked us a tour to go to the Damnoen Floating Market along with an elephant ride. This particular floating market was very popular coming from Bangkok and with suggestions from friends to see it, I figured it would be perfect for our last morning. So with a super early start and breakfast, we waited to be picked up by the tour bus.

We had selected the tour with an elephant ride included. I wasn't sure what to expect since I have never seen an elephant outside of the zoo but felt it was a pretty Thai thing to do so was looking forward to it. The elephant ride was located on this elephant/coconut tree farm. The elephants seemed calm and relaxed. It was funny because when we got there, there was no introduction to anything! We practically got off the bus, walked into the farm, and up on an elephant. I had no idea what to do! Luckily, Bao had purchased a basket of bananas for the elephant and our guide was a friendly Thai man that spoke decent English. Riding the elephant was pretty cool but I couldn't help but feel bad for the animals out of their natural habitat. I can't remember our elephant's name but he was really well behaved and we got some awesome photos as well. After a stroll around the farm, we got the chance to feed a baby elephant. It was interesting to touch it's trunk but I couldn't help but feel sad when I saw the chain around it's foot and the people just using these gentle creatures for business. I don't know what goes on on the farm when guests aren't there but my heart hurt for these creatures. I really do hope these people were helping and keeping these animals happy. The experience of being so close to these giants was really awesome though.

After the elephant farm, our driver rushed us over to the floating market. Did I mention that people drive crazy in Bangkok! Speed demons everywhere! When we got to the floating market, we were showed to our boat driver and immediately set down the river. There were people everywhere selling things from sling shots to bowls of noodles. I really wanted to buy or eat more but with time ticking and our boat driver manually rowing the boat, I didn't feel I had much time to relax or enjoy where I was. I guess thats the one bad thing about being on a tour, your on the clock. Our boat driver was really friendly though. Every time I would turn around, he would be smiling with his crooked smile and gaping holes of missing teeth. After getting off the river, we had about thirty minutes to shop around. This is the type of shopping I really prefer to do. I had an idea of what I was looking for so quickly went stall to stall bargaining on better prices.

The ride back into Bangkok was about an hour. Our driver was a nut and I was so glad to be off that bus as soon as we pulled up to our hotel. For lunch we went to the mall near by to quickly grab a bite. With a few hours left before we had to head to the airport, Bao suggested we go to the spa in our hotel to get stretched out. It turned out to be a really good idea. With all the traveling, walking and carrying a heavy pack, a good Thai massage was really needed. It was funny though because it was painful more than relaxing! These tiny Thai women stretched us out to the extreme. My muscles ached afterwords and I found myself flexing trying to keep in my whimpers of pain. I know they were doing a good job though because afterwards my body felt like it had no knots.

With our things packed and our muscles all stretched out, we hoped into a taxi and sat in the grueling traffic to catch our evening flight back to Japan. This was going to be another red eye flight I was not excited about.

I know three days of Thailand aren't nearly enough to really feel out the country but just being there for that short amount of time was enough to fill my curiosity for the time being. Some things about Bangkok that really stuck out was the people. I really thought Thai people would be really nice but I honestly felt they weren't. I felt that all the taxi drivers were out to rob you of your money (and tuk tuk drivers) and that people in the working industry, from hotel clerks to sales women in the mall, were all in a bad mood and not pleasant. It was odd. Maybe I am just use to the niceness of Japanese people, but Thai people really didn't sell me on hospitality or warmness on coming back anytime soon.  Another thing I noticed and felt was the gawking eyes of men. It seemed like they just blatantly stare without any care for women. I also have never heard Thai language before but gosh I could really live without it! Not trying to note all the negative things first, but listening to Thai was not very pleasant to the ears. But to end this entry on a good note the things I did enjoy about Thailand was the beautiful structures, cheap food, and interesting culture.

So as we flew out of Thailand that evening, I was thankful and glad I got to check off one more country on my list and gained another stamp in my passport. When I do return to Thailand, I definitely will be checking out the beaches instead of the city life. So until next time Thailand!!



xx
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