Day 3B - The great run around
Trip Start
Dec 17, 2007
1
14
30
Trip End
Feb 14, 2008
Bangkok,
Thailand
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Today, I had a plan- go to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho and maybe see a movie (in the cool of a air-conditioned theater). I hopped the boat to go down the river at around 10 am after a breakfast of scam bled eggs with toast with extra toast (I thought it was eggs on toast). Everything was going well as it was just a short ride down the river to the pier closest to the Grand Palace. When I got off the boat, I headed straight towards the Palace, trying to bypass all the sellers and tuk-tuk drivers but before I could cross the street, I was stopped by the tourist police (I think) who said that the Grand Palace was closed to tourist in the morning due to the funeral/memorial service for the Princess. Ok, I'll wait till later but he insisted I take a tuk-tuk to another temple and to some other place for 40 babt
Democracy Monument
. I would have rather walked (it is a best way to see the sights and it is also a bit difficult to see out of a tuk-tuk) but the guy insisted and called over a tuk-tuk driver and away we went to Wat Saket and the Golden Mount. The Wat (temple) had a hall with a large golden Buddha. The Thai temples are very flashy with lots of gold and gems (glass) of different colors that look good at a distant but look kind of cheap close up. I want to climb the Golden Mount but it was closed due to what? The princess again? Anyway, the driver was waiting for me and we headed off to the next spot, a jewelry store. I took one look and turned right around and headed out the door. The tuk-tuk driver is like, go back in for ten minutes and I will get gas coupons. Oh, well and I went back in and looked at the expensive rubies for awhile and I talked to one clerk who was apologetic for the system. After the ten minutes were up, we headed to a Taylor shop for five minutes. Of course, I didn't want to buy a suit or shirt but I did buy two silk ties for 500 babt. I am a kind of free spirit and I hate to be dragged around and be hoodwinked. I paid the driver the 40 babt and headed back in the direction of the Grand Palace using my superior navigational skills. On the way, I saw the Monument to Demo cray built in 1932 and bought a copy of the Bangkok Post newspaper. I cam came to a large park and sat down to read the newspaper and listen to my iod
Golden Buddha at the first temple
. I was hoping the iod would block out anyone who was trying to talk and scam me but it didn't work. After finishing the paper, I started to head towards Wat Pho when I was approached by a woman who tried to give me bags of bird see to feed to the pigeons. I tried to walk away but she put the bags on my bag so I felt I had to take and feed the birds and they soon swarmed around me. Of course, when I finished, shed demanded 150 babt ($5) which I thought was a bit high. Her friends showed up and luckily she took 120 and I took off. I had read all about these sorts of things in the guide book so I thought I was prepared but it happens so quick you can't react correctly. Hopefully, I learned my lesson and won't fall for scams like that again. The rest of the day, I ignored anybody who was tying to talk to me.I finally made it to Wat Pho which is a large temple complex with the famous reclining Buddha. Inside the one temple, a large golden Buddha was reclined taking it easy. I saw a poster in the temple showing over 50 positions for the Buddha. Walked around a bit and saw many monuments in the complex before I headed back to the boat landing. I was thinking of trying to enter the Grand Palace but it looked like there was still a stream of black clad mourners.
Headed back to the peace and quiet of my guest house where I checked on a bus to Phuket for tomorrow and reserved a room at the sister guest house of the one I am staying at now as I like the atmosphere and the staff. For dinner, I had crab cake (a bit spicy) and prawn Pat Thai, the Thai national dish which is made of rice noodles, peanuts and spouts. Oshii!
The market of the day - The lottery ticket market. Maybe 100 vendors with small wooden tables selling lottery tickets.
